Columnist Jeff German: Cab ads bringing up the rear

THE RIVIERA hotel-casino is standing by its girls -- and their behinds.

Bob Vannucci, the Riviera's executive vice president of marketing, says he expects Nellis Cab Co. to honor a contract that allows the Strip resort to run ads promoting the bare backsides of the Crazy Girls on the trunks of the company's taxis.

The contract expires at the end of December, and Nellis owner Ray Chenoweth has hinted he likely won't renew it.

Chenoweth has bowed to pressure from state Sen. Bill O'Donnell, R-Las Vegas, who finds the Crazy Girls ad offensive and not in keeping with the city's family image being promoted around the world. The ad features the bare butts of seven members of the sexy dance team under the heading, "No ifs, ands or ..." It has become the show's signature.

O'Donnell isn't just any senator to Chenoweth. He's the chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee that has been holding hearings on a bill that will determine how taxicabs and limousines are regulated in the state for years to come.

Earlier this month, it was reported here that O'Donnell had asked cab company owners to clean up the advertisements on their cabs. He was particularly upset with the Crazy Girls ad, a best seller that has attracted a lot of business to the popular production show. The ad also appears on giant billboards in town.

O'Donnell's request naturally didn't sit well with the Crazy Girls, who told me they thought the good senator should lighten up and find more important issues to tackle.

And now Vannucci is speaking out for the first time since the flap erupted two weeks ago.

"I don't think any politician should be negotiating civil liberties for political favors," he says.

O'Donnell, he adds, doesn't understand how Las Vegas is marketed.

"We don't sell the city as a family destination," he says. "We sell it as an adult destination that has facilities available for children."

O'Donnell -- who has a lot more on his mind these days dealing with the deadline crunch at the Legislature -- isn't backing down. But he's not trying to force the issue.

"I just made a simple request, and the cab companies said they would honor it," O'Donnell explains. "If they've got some kind of legal constraints, there's nothing I can do."

O'Donnell says he doesn't want to see casinos like the Riviera "exporting their sleaze into neighborhoods." But at the same time, he adds, he's a supporter of free speech.

"I'd rather not see the soft porn on the streets," he says. "It upsets me, but I can't do anything about it because it's a First Amendment right."

The controversy, meanwhile, has become a hot topic on the Internet.

Vannucci says public opinion overwhelmingly favors his girls. O'Donnell, it seems, has taken a beating on several websites.

Something tells me we haven't we heard the last of this battle.

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Top Nevada Republicans, including Gov. Kenny Guinn, are planning a trip to Austin, Texas, this summer to "educate" George W. Bush about the merits of Nevada's casino industry.

The Texas governor, who happens to be the leading GOP presidential contender, has made it clear he's against the spread of gambling in his state. In his zeal to clamp down on the growing industry there, he has put out some tough anti-gambling statements that have embarrassed his many supporters in Nevada. That includes Guinn and his top political strategist, Sig Rogich, who plan to support his presidential bid.

If the Republicans can't persuade Bush to soften his stance, Democrats backing Vice President Al Gore for president will have a lot of fun with this story in Nevada.

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On the celebrity watch, Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones were spotted having dinner at Piero's, their favorite Las Vegas restaurant, during their recent visit here. I'm told Jagger dined on linguine with lobster.

At the Horseshoe Club, they're preparing for the arrival of shock jock Howard Stern, who has indicated he may attend the World Series of Poker this week. Among those expected to participate is Hustler magazine owner Larry Flynt.

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