Re: Urgent: What´s the meaning of "Lounge Lizard Heaven"?

Posted by Mirela on July 03, 2003

In Reply to: Re: Urgent: What´s the meaning of "Lounge Lizard Heaven"? posted by pdianek on July 03, 2003

: : : I´de be really grateful if anyone could tell me the meaning of Lounge Lizard Heaven

: : : Here´s the context in which the expression appears:
: : : ..
: : : "Once known as the last stop before lounge lizard heaven, Vegas is now a mecca for entertainers and other major events."
: : : ..
: : : What does it exactly mean?
: : : Thanks in advance,

: : : Mirela
: : : Rosario, Argentina

: : Las Vegas is a city in the state of Nevada here in the US of A.
: : At one time Las Vegas was a run down, crime infested area of cheapo, run-down hotels, saloons and crooked gambling establisments populated by transients, hookers and gangsters from New York and Kansas City.
: : The people who frequented and worked at these places are/were called "lounge lizards", another name for a sleazy person.
: : Now Las Vegas is a family tourist destination with the entertainment now more like a Disney theme park.
: : So "Longe Lizard Heaven" was a description of Las Vegas before it's renaissance.

: A "lounge lizard" refers not only to the male customers (who, drunken, pub-crawl from one low-rent drinking establishment to another -- hence the use of the word "lizard"...Las Vegas would be the last stop because many lounge lizards used to die there, from complications of their own alcoholism)(I've never seen "lounge lizard" used to refer to a female), it can also, in a sort of sidestep formation, refer to entertainers of dubious talent who frequent those same establishments. Bill Murray, when he was on Saturday Night Live years ago, used to do a wonderful impersonation of a lounge lizard, singing off-key.
.................................
Thanks a lot, Bruce and pdianek!!
That was beautiful!
I´m a translator and I really needed to understand the meaning of the expression well in order to find a good translation for it!
Kindest regards,
Mirela
Argentina