ANSWERS CLARK COUNTY:
Stripper-mobile yearning for LV return after road trip
Sunday, April 25, 2010 | 2 a.m.
Stripper-Mobile in Limbo
Viewing video requires the latest version of Adobe's Flash Player
The stripper-mobile is off the streets for now, and the Clark County Commission has proposed to amend a law that would keep it off the streets for good. In this video, see footage of the truck in its prime and hear Deja Vu Showgirls marketing director Larry Beard defend his innovative advertising technique. Another business may have it driving down the street again within two weeks.
Sun archives
- On national tour, stripper-mobile reports from Texas (1-15-2010)
- Stalled in Las Vegas, strippermobile heading out on nationwide tour (12-19-2009)
- Stripper-mobile will roll again, owner says (11-19-2009)
- County seeking opinion on legality of ‘stripper-mobile’ (11-17-2009)
- Clubs want to be ‘good citizen,’ so stripper-mobile ends its run (11-14-2009)
- ‘Stripper-mobile’ with live dancers raises safety, decency concerns (11-11-2009)
A Las Vegas invention that combined two of its higher-profile industries — mobile advertising and stripping — might be coming back to town.
You don’t mean ...?
Yes I do, the now-famous stripper-mobile. It could be back here as early as Friday, after plying its wares — dancers from strip clubs who strut and swing from a stripper pole secured to the back of the truck — in St. Louis, Baltimore and parts of Florida.
To whom or what does Las Vegas owe the return of the stripper-mobile?
Larry Beard, the truck’s creator, is bringing it back to Las Vegas for the April 30 nighttime Pride Parade, a downtown Las Vegas event that is part of the city’s annual gay pride celebration.
Wasn’t he basically banned from driving that truck in Las Vegas?
Not exactly.
The truck hit the Strip in November with dancers from the Déjà Vu and Little Darlings clubs. For those who missed it the first time around, the truck is outfitted with a lighted Plexiglas box in which women in bikinis dance and attempt to lure gawkers back to the clubs where they work.
County commissioners were shocked, shocked to find strippers in trucks, especially after getting complaints that little Johnny or Jill might be exposed to the jiggle-joint dancers.
Déjà Vu management put on the brakes — quickly, some think — because it was waiting on approval of a liquor license by the Clark County Commission.
Since the stripper-mobile left town, has it continued to attract attention?
The stripper-mobile went to New Orleans for the National Football Conference championship game; then to Miami for the Super Bowl.
It spent weeks in the Tampa Bay area, where police shut it down for lack of a valid title and registration.
When that was fixed, it moved to St. Louis.
Wherever it goes, it uses dancers from clubs operated by Déjà Vu.
On Friday, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay addressed the stripper-mobile on his blog, mentioning a mother who said she and her 6-year-old saw the vehicle as they left Busch Stadium. Slay said the vehicle was legal, but, “Please restrict your runs until after dark — and please give Busch Stadium a pass during ‘Kids Weekend.’ ”
Beard is hoping he can bring the truck back to Las Vegas in time for the 8 p.m. Pride Parade.
“I’d like to run it up and down the road a couple times,” Beard said, chuckling. “If I get half a chance, you know, I will.”
•••
Remember the hand-wringing over two closed-circuit television trucks that the county Water Reclamation District wanted to buy for $650,000 in November? Whatever happened to that?
In November, Commissioner Steve Sisolak questioned not only that the trucks would be purchased outside Nevada, but also the price tag.
He had a “Perry Mason” moment, pulling out documents showing a bid for the two trucks came in late. Because of increased competition for county work in a bad economy, officials are more careful about bidding rules.
Water Reclamation backed off, but it came up again during the commission meeting last week.
Was it questioned again?
No. Much was done since that November meeting, including an audit of the bid process that found the previous bid was done correctly. At the same time, however, the audit recommended rebidding the purchase of the trucks.
Sisolak said after the meeting that he received more information about the trucks, the insides of which he described as akin to “mission control.” The trucks haul around high-tech cameras on wheels that are plopped into sewer lines to mark sewer laterals. After getting more information, he said he didn’t have any problem with the purchase. To that end, commissioners voted 7-0.
Discussion: comments so far…
Comments are moderated by Las Vegas Sun editors. Our goal is not to limit the discussion, but rather to elevate it. Comments should be relevant and contain no abusive language. Comments that are off-topic, vulgar, profane or include personal attacks will be removed. Full comments policy. Additionally, we now display comments from trusted commenters by default. Those wishing to become a trusted commenter need to verify their identity or sign in with Facebook Connect to tie their Facebook account to their Las Vegas Sun account. For more on this change, read our story about how it works and why we did it.
Only trusted comments are displayed on this page. Untrusted comments have expired from this story.
No trusted comments have been posted.
Post a comment
Most Popular
- Viewed
- Discussed
- E-mailed
- Superstar Whitney Houston dies at 48
- Two dead after accident in downtown Las Vegas
- Instant Analysis: Debating whether UNLV should continue series with San Diego State
- UNLV can move forward without the burden of losing streak to San Diego State
- A wife’s wisdom shows birth control issue needn’t be divisive
- Vegas oddsmaker expects Adele to have a great night at Grammys
- UNLV makes key plays down stretch to hold off San Diego State 65-63
- Hope and change and … what’s missing?
- Surprise links, negotiated deals addressed by commissioners
- Mitt Romney wins Maine caucuses, CPAC straw poll
Blogs
The Kats Report
Color from scene at Thomas & Mack: We have a wire job! Rebels win, and Louie Armstrong sings!
South Point owner Michael Gaughan's take on 'Vegas Stripped': 'I'll give it an 8' (4 Comments)
Author relishes writing the life story of ‘larger-than-life’ Oscar Goodman (3 Comments)
Elsewhere
Landowner: All roads could lead to Uxbridge casino
Revel reveals smoke-free casino opening
Cirque du Soleil show in Sands China casino to close this month
Meet the woman behind Sheldon Adelson
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.



Given all the economic troubles here, isnt it STUPID to get all worked up over a little 'sin'. So what if there are strippers around. Its a fact of life , and it promotes tourism in LV. Same thing with prostitution (rampant in the dark alleys and casinos anyway) and marijuana usage (despite billions on the war on drugs- you can get pot anywhere). All should be legalized. The laws against these things have no victims to protect. And what about a little sex in the casino clubs (which goes on anyway).
If the local government and state governments want to boost the economy here, look no farther than what brought Nevada out of the great depression- another sin called gambling.
you got ma and maybe pa outraged over the strippermobile while trying to raise a family in vegas. no offense folks, but vegas has had gambling, whoring, drunken behavior,drug usage and all the sins in the bible for DECADES! if you want to raise kids, move to utah.
Bless the stripper mobile!!!!!
Bring back the stripper-mobile.
if only there was a "judge mobile" that would drive around town so we could all see what law firms and corporations have given money to judges...who have then gone on to have rulings in favor of those law firms and corporations.
amazing that "the sun" won't do a story about that.
Nothing worse in the "stripper-mobile" than you find printed on the papers lying in the gutter all down the strip.
Love the Stripper-Mobile! Bring it back now!
I am taking the entire family and our folding beach chairs down to the "strip" and wait for the "stripper mobile..."
Can I take my cooler???
I don't think anybody is upset about the truck but really use common sense. Going outside of a baseball game full of families what is going to happen? Families are going to get mad, then you get shut down. Take the truck to places where you biggest market is, where ever it is guys hangout.
It is like when the Anti Abortion truck drove around my town with pictures of abortions on it. You know, my 3 year old son saw it and was horrified. This 8 foot high truck had a picture on the side and it was 3 feet away from him at the stop light. He thought it was aliens. How do you explain to a 3 year old that?
My only concern is a public safety issue. The drivers here in Las Vegas are mostly idiots to begin with, this only adds to that.
As for the idea itself, hey, this is Vegas, baby!
Yes, the issue is safety. Just what you want...rubberneckers trying to get a view and taking out an entire family crossing the street.
Yeah, great idea
About time the stripper mobile came back. Vegas wasn't the same without it!
I'd like to see the stripper mobile filled with sexy straight men all buffed out. There would definitely be a girls night out! Bring on the "Man Mobile".
Ban all these mobile signs that clutter our streets and pollute the air we breathe
I for one want to see a "stripper barge" made from one of those huge Deuce buses.
If they need a driver, I hace a CDL!!! Go Stripper Mobile!!