Las Vegas’ 10 weirdest, wildest quotes of 2013

Sometimes, the best quotes can be the ones that don’t even have to be taken out of context to make you raise your eyebrows.

2013 was a particularly big year for profane politicians, and even saw the historic occasion of the first time the Review-Journal has printed the “f-bomb.”

We’ve gathered 10 of the best quotes of the year, in chronological order:

1. “Go f—- yourself.”

OK, so it wasn’t said in Las Vegas, but it was said to a Nevada senator.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker John Boehner were crossing paths in the White House in January when Boehner uttered this gem, according to Politico.

Boehner was probably mad because the day before, Reid had accused him of running the House as a “dictatorship.”

2. “I still haven’t lost a patient or a testicle.”

In context, it makes sense.

Dr. Joel Gelman said this in reference to Wesley Warren Jr., the Las Vegas man whose struggles with a 132-pound scrotum have drawn international attention to the 48-year-old.

Warren avoided surgery to remove the mass for some time due to his fear of dying during the operation.

A group of doctors including Gelman operated on Warren in April. As far as Warren’s fear of dying went, Gelman said “we put that fear to rest. I still haven’t lost a patient or a testicle (in patients with problems similar to Warren’s).”

3. “This is the first time I can recall in my 37 years [in journalism] that I’ve used it, and I can probably go another 37 years before using it again.”

In March, RJ Editor in Chief Mike Hengel explained to CityLife, an RJ sister publication, how an “f-bomb” made its way into print and onto reviewjournal.com for the first time in the paper’s history.

The word appeared in a story about a legal dispute between the city of Henderson and a developer. Hengel explained that the decision was made to run the word unedited because it was a quote by a former federal official talking about other elected officials.

4. “Let my people go.”

It wasn’t Moses this time.

After a lawyer was sued for drunkenly trashing a suite at the Encore this spring, he took full responsibility for what happened, according to police.

He was said to have been sharing the suite with at least five people.

“I take full responsibility for what happened here. We were partying,” he told police. “I did all of this. I am responsible for all these people. Let my people go.”

5. “Why would we want to do that?”

These seven words led to hot water for Sen. Harry Reid in early October.

Reid and other top Democrats were speaking at a news conference criticizing the Republican strategy of passing bills that would reopen certain parts of the government during the shutdown.

“But if you can help one child who has cancer, why wouldn’t you do it?” CNN reporter Dana Bash asked.

“Why put one against the other?” responded Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.

“Why would we want to do that?” Reid said reiterating Schumer’s comment. “I have 1,100 people at Nellis Air Force Base that are sitting home. They have a few problems of their own.”

Republicans immediately blasted the senator for the comment, calling him “heartless” and “out of touch,” but Reid, as well as media critics, said his remarks were taken out of context.

6. “My boss wants me to see that pansy ass singer Josh Groban, so no chicks, beer and wings for me tonight.”

The quote comes from one of the best pieces of hate mail in RJ history.

Reporter Jason Bracelin wrote a Josh Groban concert review in 2007 that did not go over well with at least one Groban fan.

The letter theorized about how Bracelin’s day must have gone in order for him to be so critical of Groban. Bracelin called the letter writer in October to get the story behind the letter.

7. “At least he wasn’t smoking crack cocaine, unlike a certain Toronto official.”

Former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman got into a spat with CNN travel host Anthony Bourdain in November after Bourdain was apparently late for an interview with Goodman.

Goodman later apologized for ranting about Bourdain’s tardiness, telling the Associated Press that if he was mad, it was because he was “three martinis in.” According to AP, “(Goodman) said … at least he wasn’t smoking crack cocaine, unlike a certain Toronto official.”

8. “Here at Zappos.com, we happily sell sh-t products to everybody!”

In November, Zappos had a brilliant response to Kanye West saying Tony Hsieh “sells all this sh-t product to everybody.”

Shortly after West’s remarks, a new product showed up on Zappos.com: “Zappos.com Gear Sh-t Product,” which cost $100,000 and appeared to be a toilet and a plunger.

“Interested in buying sh-t product? You’ve come to the right place!” the product description said. “Here at Zappos.com, we happily sell sh-t products to everybody! This is the throne, everyone has been watching. Whether you’re #1 or #2, your clique will show no mercy, even in Paris.”

9. “F—- you.”

Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins had some spirited interactions with an RJ reporter at a commission meeting in late November.

After an RJ reporter refused to remove from reviewjournal.com an unredacted arbitrator’s ruling about a fired county hotline worker, Collins whispered “You’re bad,” to the reporter, and later called the reporter an a—hole in front of reporters from most Las Vegas media outlets.

After speaking to the reporters, Collins looked at the RJ reporter and whispered, “F—- you.”

10. “This is my city right now.”

Britney Spears’ words to the crowd welcoming her to a two-year Planet Hollywood residency in early December gave the singer a lot to live up to.

The comment raised some eyebrows because Las Vegas isn’t all about being pushed around. You have to prove your worth to survive here.

In an open letter to Spears, the RJ’s Norm Clarke told her:

“Support your fellow entertainers. Attend their shows, walk their red carpets. Be accessible. Adopt a favorite charity. Give back. Tip. … You’re starting with a clean slate. Reach out and this city will love you to pieces.”

Contact Stephanie Grimes at sgrimes@reviewjournal.com. Find her on Twitter: @steph_grimes