Columnist Bob Shemeligian: Viva Vegas – and the Velvet Elvis

Bob Shemeligian

Tuesday, Dec. 3, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

"I'D LOVE to come to Las Vegas," said Barry Capece, proprietor of the Velvet Elvis in Houston.

Capece wants to expand. He's considering Denver as the location of the next Velvet Elvis, but he prefers Las Vegas.

After all, this is the logical place for a tavern that features stuffed frogs playing musical instruments, lava lamps, disco lights and, of course, a huge, nearly full-length velvet portrait of the "Vegas Elvis" wearing long sideburns and a sequined white jumpsuit.

"Las Vegas would be so much fun," the 36-year-old said. "Your city is the capital of cheese and tackiness."

Thank you, Barry.

And we would welcome you and your black-lighted velvet portraits of dogs playing pool.

Indeed, there are as many as three dozen velvet paintings that adorn the walls of Capece's Houston club -- all purchased in Mexico. They include portraits of Stevie Wonder, John Lennon and Malcolm X

But it's the portrait of the King that attracts the most attention in Houston -- and in Memphis, Tenn.

This week, a Houston federal court judge is expected to rule on a lawsuit against Capece filed by the corporation that represents the estate of the late singer.

Carol Butler, director of worldwide licensing for the Memphis-based Elvis Presley Enterprises, says the tavern besmirches Presley's image and infringes on the corporation's trademarks.

Hound droppings, Velvet Elvis people reply.

"We really are named after the picture," said General Manager Suzy Melson. "That's why we are the Velvet Elvis."

Capece concurred.

"The way we're set up, it's kind of a parody on cheesy and tackiness," he said. "We play this stuff up as something special. What we are really is an icon to bad American pop culture."

Capece explained that his bar offers classy service in a tacky atmosphere.

Under the glimmer of disco lights and the glow of lava lamps, customers are invited to savor their favorite single-malt scotch or puff on their favorite corona.

"Everything sort of balances out," Capece said.

Unfortunately, we cannot say the same thing about the real Elvis, whose life was anything but balanced in the end.

"He would have liked it here," Melson said. "We've got burgers, pizza, sandwiches and lots and lots of appetizers."

Who knows why the gray-suited attorneys at Elvis Presley Enterprises are coming down so hard on the Velvet Elvis.

Perhaps they don't think the King would have taken to the flavor of the Southwest, like he did to those huge "fool's gold loaf" sandwiches (a loaf of Italian bread filled with a peanut butter, jelly and bacon) that were prepared for Elvis in a Denver restaurant.

Perhaps Denver wouldn't be such a bad choice for the next Velvet Elvis.

Capece hopes to build his next tavern sometime in 1997.

But, until the judge issues a ruling, he won't know if the name will be the Velvet Elvis, the Velvet E, or something else.

If all else fails, they could always call it Hunka, Hunka Burnin' Wings.