This Week’s Newsmoji—We’re Ready for The Weeknd

An emoticon guide to Las Vegas’ top headlines

By Larry Braverman

Way to go, Steve Crupi!



Steve Crupi Conquers ‘Jeopardy!’


???? ❓ ???? Las Vegas has a new Jeopardy! champion in Steve Crupi, a respected former TV reporter who defeated six-time champion Zach Newkirk on Monday night’s episode and kept rolling with a second win on Tuesday, bringing his two-day prize total to $22,000. The Jeopardy! Fan website credits Crupi’s win to “the very underrated skill of avoiding incorrect responses,” but you could also say the man has all the right answers. The reason Crupi looks so familiar to Las Vegas viewers is because he spent many years as a reporter for KSNV-TV and later served in the Public Information Office of the Las Vegas Metro Police Department before retiring in 2020. Having known him from his reporting days, this writer can say he’s a terrific guy, an outstanding journalist, and appearing on Jeopardy! has been one of his lifelong pursuits. It’s amazing to see his dream finally come to fruition. Congratulations, and keep it up, Crup!



Waiting for The Weeknd


???? ???? ???? Days ahead of his “you can’t escape the advertisements even if you tried” appearance in the Super Bowl LV Halftime Show on Sunday, The Weeknd has booked an April 23, 2022, gig at T-Mobile Arena. The stop is part of the singer’s 104-date “After Hours World Tour” and includes several rescheduled dates. A year is a long time to wait for The Weeknd, and a lot can happen between now and then, but it’s nice to have something to look forward to, right? Tickets to the T-Mobile Arena show go on sale Feb. 8. BTW, if you need more of The Weeknd, he’s about to drop The Highlights, a collection of his “best and favorite work.”  


Party On (Later), Garth


???? ???? ???? Las Vegas fixture Garth Brooks has rescheduled his sold-out Feb. 27 Allegiant Stadium concert to July 10. We all saw that coming. With Nevada lagging in COVID-19 vaccinations — the total U.S. vaccination rate is also less than 8% — and a 25% occupancy limit still in effect, there’s no way Mr. “Friends in Low Places” can stage a concert here and call it a success. We’ve got a long way to go, but, hopefully, Brooks won’t have to postpone that summer date. If we haven’t made meaningful progress by July, Las Vegas is totally screwed. 


What’s in a Name?


✈️ A lot, really. Since 1948, Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport has been the gateway to the city for millions of visitors, and while many are likely unaware of the legacy of Sen. Pat McCarran, the Clark County Commission would like to remind you. On Tuesday, Commissioner Tick Segerblom, who is pro-marijuana legalization and also awesome, proposed that the airport be renamed for Sen. Harry Reid. Segerblom has been vocal about removing McCarran’s name for years, citing the late senator’s anti-Semitism and racism. Because Reid is a Democrat and the former Senate Majority Leader, this is likely to turn into a whole big thing, even though it doesn’t have to be. McCarran was also a Democrat, serving from 1933 until his death in 1954. County commissioners will return to the name-change proposal on Feb. 16. 


Screech in Sin City


???? ???? From the “Every story has a Vegas connection” department, the death of Saved By the Bell actor Dustin Diamond from cancer has us reflecting on the time he spent doing standup comedy on the Strip. Diamond performed several shows at Planet Hollywood a few years back, though his brand of comedy wasn’t for everyone. The Saved By the Bell cast also spent time in Las Vegas while filming the 1994 “Wedding in Las Vegas” TV movie — the one where Zack and Kelly elope and head to the Stardust with Screech, Lisa and Slater in tow. Elizabeth Berkley’s Jessie got left behind and only showed up for a cameo, but she’d have more to do in Las Vegas the next year, when Showgirls hit theaters.




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