Blackjack is Kinky

A reviewer recently commented on the Preface of my book where I describe a long list of strange and unusual patrons who might be spotted in a typical casino. Among many others, I mention: millionaires, Japanese businessmen, reality TV aficionados, dog owners, surfers, fat guys who are good at racquetball, newlyweds, vegetarians, hillbillies, telephone call center operators from New Delhi, pro bowlers, chain smokers, worthless co-workers who say, “I can’t do anything in the morning until I get my caffeine fix,” farmers, weight-watchers, tourists, hot dog vendors, people who still like Family Circus, Buddhists, Avon ladies, tweeters, and just plain ugly people. I haven’t met all the unique blackjack players in the world, but I’ve seen enough of them to make a relatively credible claim. The book reviewer told me that he had experienced the opposite phenomena throughout the years at the casino—to him, the patrons always seemed to be the same, ordinary looking people day in and day out.

What do you think? Does the normal casino look like a public library, or does it resemble a zoo exhibit? Before you answer, I offer photographic proof to support my claim:

http://gwiggy3.home.comcast.net/~gwiggy3/Kinky.JPG

The gentleman in the photos was playing blackjack at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, January 19th, 2013. Before commenting on his atypical attire, I must first let you know that the Adult Video News (AVN) Awards were being hosted by the Hard Rock the same weekend that my son and I visited there. Everywhere you looked in the hotel lobby and casino, there were porn actresses falling out of the clothes, porn merchants promoting their products/websites, and porn fans gawking at everyone and everything. There were also a couple booths in which merchants were promoting what could only be described as “dungeon leisure wear.” I suspect this gentleman was working one of these booths earlier—or maybe, shopping there.

He was a distinguished looking man, approximately seventy years old. He could’ve been anyone’s grandpa or their retired high school principal. From the waist up, he looked like an older Ozzie Nelson or Mister Rogers complete with long-sleeved, button-up sweater. From the waist down, he was kinky as hell—sporting a leather smock like the type worn by the torturers in the movie “Hostel.” He also wore knee-high patent leather boots with five-inch heels and gold spurs. I don’t know much about the practice of S&M, but I suspect that this gentleman was one of their Lifetime Achievement Award winners. When I first saw him at the blackjack table, I didn’t know whether to chuckle or run for my life. I imagine that other players at his table might’ve been afraid to say “hit me” on their hand while in the presence of this master. Or maybe they would love just that! After all, it was the weekend that the porn Oscars were being awarded.

Glen Wiggy
Author of "1536 Free Waters and Other Blackjack Endeavors--Finding Profit and Humor in Card-Counting"

Quote: glenwiggy

What do you think? Does the normal casino look like a public library,"

Absolutely like a library. Unless you're in Vegas, where
it looks like a bunch of gawking foreigners on vacation
during the week, and drunk people from SoCal on the
weekends.

I've been going to Vegas since 1976 and its always looked
this way. There's the occasional weirdo or pink haired
pierced douchebag, but they aren't the norm.

Why are you trying to make it something its not.

The typical casinos I go into reflect the people around the casinos. Here in Niagara Falls, the demographics and people within both of its casinos fall to the rather ordinary. On a weekend night you'll get a bit of the more unusual in the tourist casino where the young people are dressed up more (to party) and the occasional newlywed here or there.

In Vegas, it's pretty much the same, but with more flamboyance because the Vegas strip casinos are rather opulent and extremely touristy, so it reflects a greater cross-section of society with the edges of society more represented.