Wizard of Odds-Atlantic City Version

I discovered this week that Atlantic City has its own Wizard of Odds. This "Wiz" has a column in one of the free advertisers that can be found up and down the boardwalk.

At the top of each week's column it says "The Wizard of Odds is a local casino maven who has first hand knowledge and accurate information on the best and worst casino deals in Atlantic City." It's pretty lightweight unless you need to know who has the best noodle bar or highest class of customer. No mind-numbing math from this "Wiz."
If you're in AC, get a copy of TV Atlantic Magazine, find a bench that hasn't been "bombed" by seagulls and read the Wizard of Odds-Atlantic City version.

He's using Mike's handle...not cool!

Quote: Paigowdan

He's using Mike's handle...not cool!

I agree. I admit I'm not the first person to think of the moniker, but I'm pretty sure I was the first one to use it in the context as a gambling writer. Oh well, what can you do?

I guess you are saying the name is not protected except narrowly. Hmmm. Surely this guy knows he stepping on toes here, must be a Jerk.

How could he not know? He must get asked a lot if he is me. There was a trivia show on TV in the sixties starring Alex Trebec called Wizard of Odds. There is also a slot machine on old Bally bar top machines called "Wizard of Odds." So I don't think I could claim any rights to the name.

On a related note, I got an angry e-mail about two months ago from the owner of an antique store in Alabama called Wizard of Odds. He demanded, in very strong terms, that I take down my site. I challenged his demand and never heard back.

Antique Store? Alabama?

Was his name Fred Sanford?

Quote: Paigowdan

Antique Store? Alabama?

Was his name Fred Sanford?

Don't mess with me when it comes to Sanford and Son. Fred was from L.A., I think El Segundo to be specific.

Quote: Wizard

On a related note, I got an angry e-mail about two months ago from the owner of an antique store in Alabama called Wizard of Odds. He demanded, in very strong terms, that I take down my site. I challenged his demand and never heard back.

You should have asked (or maybe you did) why he didn't grab the name before you did.


For what it's worth, I know of at least three other DJs out there that go by the name "DJ Teddy Bear", but none in my area, so I don't bother to fight. And I could have sworn that somebody had already taken Admin note: removed link to www.djteddybear.com]www.DJTeddyBear.com[/url. But, one day in 2003, I checked, saw it available, and whipped out my credit card and snapped it up a minute later. It took about 8 months before I got around to putting up content, but Admin note: removed link to www.djteddybear.com]www.DJTeddyBear.com[/url is ME! I've never been challenged or even contacted about it.

I suppose the Wizard and the east coast usurper could both be asked by the heirs or estate of L. Frank Baum to cease and desist. Maybe also by whoever holds the rights to the MGM film.

Yeah, but who owns the rights to the yellow path and green buildings seen at the top of this page?

Frankly, this is a can of worms best left unopened.

Of course that's just a yellow path and green buildings, not the yellow brick road and Emerald City.

I wouldn't worry too much about the yellow road and green buildings. Wizard of Oz is about to enter public domain. 1939 + 75 = 2014.

Quote: Wizard

Don't mess with me when it comes to Sanford and Son. Fred was from L.A., I think El Segundo to be specific.

Well, the way i recall it... the modern term "watts line", meaning an 800-number, derived from their location in L.A.

"Sanford and Son stars Redd Foxx as Fred G. Sanford, a 65-year-old junk dealer living at 9114 S. Central Ave. in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, California; and Demond Wilson as his 30-year-old son, Lamont Sanford."

"Similarly, Fred was initially depicted as a man who, if not always ethically or culturally sensitive, had the wisdom of experience. As the show went on, Fred was seen getting into increasingly ludicrous situations, such as faking a British accent to get a job as a waiter; convincing a white couple that an earthquake was really the "Watts Line" of the then-non-existent L.A. subway (a wordplay on the then-common phrase "WATS line"); taking over a play featuring George Foreman; or sneaking into a celebrity's private area, such as Lena Horne's dressing room or Frank Sinatra's hotel room. Many of these situations invariably revolved around Fred trying to make a quick buck." ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanford_and_Son )

"Besides mentioning Watts, Redd Foxx often referred to El Segundo on the 1972 hit TV show Sanford and Son. In one episode, he refers to his Ripple wine as coming from "the vineyards of El Segundo." He was also "thrown off a bridge by a bigot in El Segundo." In another episode - titled "The Reverend Sanford," he says he was "having a religious picture painted on his ceiling next week, like Michelangelo. It's going to be Moses partin' an oil spill in El Segundo." Finally, in another episode, when Lamont says the cologne he is wearing is called "A Day In Paris," Fred says: "Smells more like "A Night In El Segundo."" ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Segundo,_California )

Quote: Garnabby

Well, the way i recall it... the modern term "watts line", meaning an 800-number, derived from their location in L.A.

It seems the rest of your post contradicts your recollection. The 800-number term is WATS, which stands for Wide Area Telephone Service and was in use long before Sanford and Son. Your quote makes reference to a non-existent Watts subway line claimed by Fred.

Edit: Brain glitch. WATS and 800 numbers are quite different. WATS is for outgoing calls at fixed/low rates, similar to what most of us get on mobile phones these days. The 800 numbers (sometimes called "inward WATS" are for incoming calls without charge to the caller. Obviously, I am not in the telecommunications field.

I stand corrected on the specific location of where Fred lived, but I KNEW El Segundo had something to do with the show. I remember that line about the vineyards of El Segundo. If anyone cares, El Segundo is home to LAX, and aside from some airport hotels, is rather seedy.

Maybe Fred once left his wallet in El Segundo?

Quote: Doc

It seems the rest of your post contradicts your recollection. The 800-number term is WATS, which stands for Wide Area Telephone Service and was in use long before Sanford and Son. Your quote makes reference to a non-existent Watts subway line claimed by Fred.

Yes, i was hoping someone would "clear that up". Thank you.

Quote: Doc

Edit: Brain glitch. WATS and 800 numbers are quite different. WATS is for outgoing calls at fixed/low rates, similar to what most of us get on mobile phones these days. The 800 numbers (sometimes called "inward WATS" are for incoming calls without charge to the caller. Obviously, I am not in the telecommunications field.

"WATTS TELEPHONE LINE - Similar to a 1-800 number, whereby a business pays a flat rate per month for using this telephone service plan. The farmworkers union used the WATTS line as a cost-saving measure to call boycott staff throughout the U.S. The procedure established was for the city boycott office to call person-to-person to the national boycott director in Delano (or, later, at La Paz). The person-to-person call would be refused, and the national Boycott office would call back on the WATTS line." ( http://www.farmworkermovement.org/essays/glossary.shtml )


P.S. I wonder from where the WATTS (neighborhood) derives?

I wonder whether there is actually a meaning for "WATTS telephone line" (with the extra "T" added to "WATS".) I have never heard that term before. Maybe the farm workers movement just screwed that up.

Wikipedia claims that the city of Watts was named for the Watts railroad station but gives no info on why the station was named that.

deleted

http://www.thewizofodds.com/


Check this site out. I know it's not the same but I think too close for comfort. I was going to ask you about this when I met with you Wiz but I forgot.

Quote: thlf

http://www.thewizofodds.com/


Check this site out. I know it's not the same but I think too close for comfort. I was going to ask you about this when I met with you Wiz but I forgot.

I'm okay with that. He is at least using "wiz" as opposed to "wizard," and with his emphasis on college football, I don't think many would confuse the two of us. As I've said before, I wasn't the first to think of "wizard of odds," so I can't be too picky. I draw that line at people trying to assume my identity.

Quote: Wizard

I agree. I admit I'm not the first person to think of the moniker, but I'm pretty sure I was the first one to use it in the context as a gambling writer. Oh well, what can you do?

Actually, "Wizard of Odds" is such an obvious pun, I would expect that it's been used a couple of thousand times. For example, I recall a column with that title in the precursor of that Gaming Today rag, almost twenty years ago.

It's sort of like "Dew Drop Inn" or "Eggceptional Omelettes". The pun is so cliched that it's become a trope, and the courts won't protect trade markers like that any more.

Do you have a legitimate beef against this AC guy? Probably, but nothing you could enforce.