A
Mayor, a Mixologist and a Martini...
Walk
into a bar and the bartender says... Ok I’ll spare the corny joke.
On
July 31st I had the honor of making a Martini for the Mayor of Las
Vegas, Mr. Oscar Goodman. As a lot of you don’t live in Vegas so I’ll give you
a quick history and tell you why this is such a great thing for our craft.
Oscar
Goodman was a Lawyer here in Vegas for decades taking on many high profile
cases and was rumored to defend alleged "Good Fellas". True or not I don’t know
but if you watch Casino he played a mob attorney in a movie (at the end where
all the bosses are in court) fast forward and his Honor the Mayor can be
commonly seen with a Bombay Sapphire Martini in hand and isn’t afraid to make
sure EVERYONE knows about it.
July 31st 2009 was Goodman’s
70th birthday and Southern Wine and Spirits, Bombay Sapphire and the
United States Bartenders Guild through him a party that was bigger than
anything Paris Hilton could ever hope for. Thousands of people crowded the
downtown area of the Freemont Street Experience to be a part of this party and
get a chance to wish a happy birthday. On stage as Caesar (in full Roman armor)
read a proclamation recognizing the Mayor for all he has done for the city and
getting the attention of the crowd while Goodman sat on a throne surrounded by
60 Showgirls. Standing next to him there I was, dressed in the U.S.B.G uniform
poised to start shaking an oversized cocktail in front of thousands (A happy
crowd, the Sapphire was flowing) on my
cue the emcee put the mic in my face and I start talking and pouring like I
never poured before. Once properly shaken and strained I handed this colossus
Gin Martini to the Mayor and wished him a happy birthday. I must confess I was
nervous, with the combination of a full suite and wonderful 105 degrees; I
sweated for a week afterwards!
Here’s
an example of who Oscar Goodman is; When a group of 4th graders
asked him if you were on a deserted island what would be the one thing you
would bring, and I quote his answer was "I'm going to bring a bottle of gin"
personally I would have said Bourbon.
When
high profile personalities that aren’t rappers "making it rain" endorse
drinking in an honest way our industry gets one step further from a negative
image. Every day, everywhere a good bartender doest the right thing and sends that
same message, unfortunately for every one good bartender there are 5 bad that
send the wrong message. I can only try to be one of the good ones but am only
human.
Like
anyone I was extremely happy to be involved but more happy Oscar doesn’t bow
down to what others say is an attempt to be all things to all people. The world
needs more people that speak their minds in an intelligent way, in that respect
I hope to have as much resolve.
Long
Live the Honorable Mayor Oscar Goodman!
P.S.
My Mayor can out drink your Mayor.
Anthony -
