Tuesday, July 29, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Expert Opinion

Locals who share their knowledge in the national media find a following

Anthony Curtis frequently contributes to documentaries about Las Vegas. He owns the publishing company Huntington Press. Photo by John Gurzinski. Hal Rothman, chairman of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas history department, has appeared on dozens of television shows talking about the changes Las Vegas has undergone during the past 20 years. Photo by Clint Karlsen. Because of her many television appearances, "Frugal Gambler" author Jean Scott, with husband Brad, is constantly recognized in casinos. Photo by Gary Thompson.

Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Jennifer Anniston and other big names attract attention when they're just trying to live their lives or go about daily tasks.

That's no wonder, because their faces are plastered across movie and television screens, throughout magazines and newspapers. Everywhere they go, they're recognized. They're celebrities and, as such, have to put up with a certain amount of intrusion from the public.

But what about those people who appear on television because they're considered "experts" on Las Vegas? Have you ever wondered if the same celebrity factor that causes people to scream and faint at the sight of Justin Timberlake applies to the average Joes and Janes?

We did, so we interviewed three locals whose faces you've probably seen staring back at you from the television screen, talking about card counting, the growth of Las Vegas or how to find a good deal.

And, while the public hardly fawns over them, these three ordinary folks get their own kind of star treatment.

Anthony Curtis, publisher

Anthony Curtis can't step into a casino without someone recognizing him.

Sometimes they ask for autographs or they want to pose for a photo with him. Occasionally, they stop him to say they enjoy his work, or liked seeing him on television. Mostly, people want to talk about how to make it big in his business, or just earn some money.

Sounds like typical stuff celebrities face on a daily basis. But Curtis is not a celebrity, he's a local publisher who happens to shares the same name as movie star Tony Curtis.

But, thanks to the instant celebrity-making abilities of television, publisher Curtis can relate to the famous Tony.

Producers have, for more than seven years, sought out Curtis for his expert knowledge of gambling, casinos and Las Vegas. He has appeared on dozens of programs, most notably six Travel Channel specials about Las Vegas.

The exposure has affected both his personal and professional life.

"I definitely got a taste of what celebrities go through. I get recognized everywhere I go. People say `You're that guy on the Travel Channel,' " says Curtis, who is publisher of Huntington Press, which produces gaming-related books, software and other products, as well as the Las Vegas Advisor newsletter.

Every day, Curtis says he receives multiple requests from the media or public who want to talk about gambling or Las Vegas. His once small newsletter, which provides insider information for gamblers, has grown to its current subscription level of 17,000.

"From a business standpoint it's been extraordinary. It's taken a small publishing company and put us in the national eye. Television is stronger than anything you can do," he says.

Yet, the exposure also has had a negative effect on Curtis. He's so often recognized that he can't do what he moved to Las Vegas to pursue: counting cards.

In 1979, this probability whiz kid from Detroit came to Las Vegas intent on making a fortune at the tables. He also had an idea to start a publication for gamblers.

Curtis realized both dreams, winning enough money to bankroll his now-successful publishing venture. But the attention from the television coverage turned out to be more than he expected.

"It's quite intense. I miscalculated it a little and this is only minicelebrity, mind you," Curtis says. But, he adds, "I knew that in terms of gambling for profit, I would be severely impacted. I knew I'd have to give it up."

When people stop him in casinos or airports or anywhere, they talk about gambling, usually because they want Curtis to put his seal of approval on their methods.

He tries to accommodate people by being polite and showing interest in them, but Curtis admits, it can be difficult.

"It's constant, you're always on point," he says. "It can suck the juice out of you."

Jean Scott, author

When Jean Scott, a grandmother and retired teacher, wrote "The Frugal Gambler," she thought it would sell a few copies and make her a little money.

And she thought she'd continue to visit casinos, play her favorite games and "blend into the woodwork" of Las Vegas, making a lot of money as an advantage player.

But television exposure changed her plans. Now the Indiana native is so often recognized, especially in casinos, there's no way she can blend in.

"It has really changed my whole life," Scott, 64, says of the attention she has received about her book and subsequent television appearances.

After Scott and her husband, Brad, appeared on "Dateline NBC" two years ago, the book, which offers tips and advice on how to maximize a gambling budget, shot to No. 2 on amazon.com's best-seller list, right behind the latest Harry Potter installment. More than 70,000 copies have been sold since its release in 1998.

"For a niche book that's very huge," Scott says.

The expertise she developed about how to get the most out of slot clubs, coupons and special casino offers, as well as her mastery of casino games, made her a natural source for producers from the BBC, Quebec television, "48 Hours," Travel Channel and "Hard Copy."

But she has lost her anonymity, which, to an advantage player, can be a real disadvantage.

"Since the book came out I've become a much more public figure. I wanted to retire but I haven't been able to do that," she says.

The personal appearances, interviews, public encounters and 30 to 40 daily e-mails keep her "awfully busy," but Scott relishes the attention. She has a Web site -- www.frugalgambler.biz -- to keep people updated about her activities.

"(Fans) want to know every little thing that happens in my family," she says. "We're a little exhausted but having fun."

Hal Rothman, historian

Hal Rothman, chairman of the history department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is a private guy even though, as he puts it, "I'm on television more than anybody who isn't a member of the Screen Actor's Guild."

In 1996, Rothman -- author of "Neon Metropolis: How Las Vegas Started the Twenty-First Century" and "Devil's Bargains: Tourism in the Twentieth-Century American West" -- appeared on an A&E documentary about Las Vegas, and his phone hasn't stopped ringing since.

On average, he says he receives about 10 to 15 calls from the media every week. To date, he has made more than 30 appearances in documentaries, countless spots on television and thousands of interviews for print media, so his face and work are well-known.

But he'd rather you not know him when he's at the airport, out to dinner with his wife and kids, or just walking down the street.

"I tend to avoid the personal. I would just as soon not be recognized when I walk by," Rothman says.

Luckily, that doesn't happen too often, because he looks so different in person than on television, he says. But he still feels the effects of his time in the limelight.

Throughout his academic career, Rothman has developed an expertise on national parks and environmentalism, yet he says his Las Vegas work nearly eclipses his other fields of interest.

Instead of selling 2,000 books, which is considered good for an academic, he sells 10,000. While he doesn't receive autograph requests, he does get asked by writers, CEOs, journalists, television producers, developers, sociologists, even anthropologists to show them around Las Vegas and talk about growth, gambling, people, places and more.

It's a unique position for a history professor to be in.

"Nobody who goes into history expects public attention. I tripped the wire," says the New Orleans native.