Wednesday, 26th August, Las Vegas: Elvis, the Rabbi and the pornstar
Enough of this tourist malarkey. Time to get down to business. We set up 4 interviews in a day, with a Cirque du Soleil show in the middle of it. Ambitious.
12pm: Graceland wedding chapel http://www.gracelandchapel.com/ (celeb couple: Jon Bon Jovi and his wife)
Meet with manager, Brandon Reed, and Elvis. We grill them about the kind of people who marry there (65% Americans, last year Brits top of the international pile, but the Germans are just pipping us to the post this year), how many of them there are (around 25 weddings a day, business better with the recession too) what they want (Elvis!), how they want it (fast – 15 minute ceremony, and cheap, about $300), how often Elvis gets his arse pinched by the just-married wives (lots)…
2pm: Little Church of the West http://www.littlechurchlv.com/ (celebs: Cindy Crawford & Richard Gere, Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Dudley Moore)
More serious interview with owner. Again, questions about the kind of people who choose to get married there (pretty normal, as it happens, lots of package tours, most organised well in advance), weirdest things he’s seen (not much, though themed marriages are increasingly common), etc.
4.30pm: Rabbi Mel and Dr Micki Hecht www.weddingofficiantlasvegas.com The classier end of Vegas weddings…
Meet Rabbi and Dr Hecht in suburban Vegas. They are pillars of the Vegas community and have been married for 26 years as well as performing hundreds of higher end Vegas wedding ceremonies. They are a great couple, had some wonderful thoughts on love and Vegas. Micki was a good friend of (the real) Elvis.
7.30pm: Cirque du Soleil’s O at the Bellagio
Mike and I were both Cirque du Soleil virgins. And given that there were 6 CdS shows on the Strip, we decided to give it a go. It just happened to fall on one of our busiest days interviewing yet… It’s a feast of world class acrobats, divers, synchronised swimmers. Jaaamazing.
10pm: Teagan Presley, pornstar, Love Boutique
Every 15 year old boy’s fantasy: we met a pornstar. Signing copies of her latest DVD. Ask her and her boyfriend what love is. Apparently it’s something about being comfortable enough with each other to walk in and start doing your make up when the other one is doing a poo. And being comfortable enough with yourself to be able to date a pornstar (”but honey… I only do girls now…”)
