The Vegas Voice 4-21

About the time most people are slowing
down preparing to enjoy their Golden Years,
the two Jims, Emerson and Lash, shifted into
overdrive providing the sweat, endurance and
bankroll to reopen the iconic Madison Avenue Bar and Grill sports bar
that for over 30 years was a hidden treasure for locals and visitors.
That was a pandemic ago. Then Las Vegas shut down.
Realizing that with all the money invested and no opening date on
the horizon, one of the Jims, the one pegged as the entertainment guru,
Jimmy Emerson, reacted as expected.”Oh God, what have I done?”
The other Jim,
Jim Lash with the
12
Madison’s Reemerges
By: Sam Wagmeister / People & Places
Jimmy Emerson (L) and Jim Lash
April 2021
casino marketing
background
thought otherwise,
“We were too far in
it to let it go.”
Emerson and
Lash rolled up their
sleeves and went
to work. As the city
begins crawling out
of the Covid hole, their hard work has begun to pay off.
Coronavirus-restricted crowds began a word of mouth campaign that
has attracted diners, drinkers, revelers and sports fans to the saloon’s
glitter. On April 19th, they’ll host the Miss Gay Sin City America pageant.
Rebranded as Jimmy’s @ Madisons in the historic off-Strip center
that’s home to ethnic-branded diners and Bagelmania, the Broadway
themed venue features bar-top slots, 24-hour kitchen, TV’s tuned to
sports and live entertainment Tuesday through Saturday with a Sunday
Drag brunch.
“On show nights, we’re just packed,” said Emerson, explaining the
nearly immediate need to expand the sparkling showroom. Jimmy’s
has also become a go-to destination for bachelorette parties.
Emerson, a Texas native, brought his mother’s recipes and flamboyant
on-stage personas, Tammy Spraynet and Roxie Starr, to Vegas in 1984,
christening the venue’s cabaret as a tribute to Starr. Among his Vegas
performance credits are stints with FlamBOYant Follies, Bottom’s Up
and touring with Frank Marino in LaCage, including producing his
own shows and reviews.
Lash and Emerson’s friendship began when they performed together
in LaCage.
As Las Vegas re-establishes itself as the entertainment capital,
Emerson’s vision is to provide a home for singers, stand-up comics and
jazz bands.
Emerson’s at Madisons. 855 East Twain Av. Las Vegas. (702)
463-4499.
Sam Wagmeister is The Vegas Voice Nightlife Editor. He loves to
hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact him via email:
LasVegasHomeTeam@Gmail.com.
RVing!
By: Dianne Hahn / Back in the Days
On vacation, but we’ve stopped to have the
RV repaired. The steps don’t fold down. We
have to leap out the door.
I don’t do leaping anymore. Hubby repels out
backwards. There was a time I would leap into his arms, but I’ve gained
a few pounds.
Now I use a stepstool attached to bungee cords to exit the RV. I lower
the stepstool with the bungee cords and step down.
We’re going out to dinner tonight. Hubby was ready before me and
decided to wait in the car. I think he thinks I go faster if I know he’s
waiting.
It doesn’t work that
way anymore. At this age
it takes me longer to get
ready and that’s that.
I gave my hair
another tweak, added
some blush to my
cheeks, and voila, ready
as I’ll ever be.
I lowered the stepstool,
hung on to the railings,
and backed out.
Gingerly inched my
foot around until my toes found the stepstool. I gave it a little shove to
center it. My bad - it collapsed!
I muttered a curse and tried to pull myself back up. My muscles
quivered and I sank farther down - still no terra firma!
Soon my left knee was hovering just under my chin. My right leg
was dangling, and my back and arms were stretched out of proportion.
“Help!”
Donnie had the stereo blaring in the car. He couldn’t see me, couldn’t
hear me. The dogs got up though, wagged their tails and watched me
curiously.
Should I let go and fall backwards, or just let my body break into
pieces?
The problem solved itself. My knee hit my chin and slammed my
mouth shut. I bit my lip, groaned, and sank further down.
The good news: my toes finally touched the ground! I limped to the
car.
Hubby smiled. “That wasn’t long,” he said. “I’m starving! How’s
about catfish? There’s a place down the road.”
“Great. Oh, by the way, I might need a knee replacement soon.” I
wiggled my jaw. “Don’t think it’s broken.”
“Huh?” “Never mind…”
P.S. The catfish was delicious!
A former schoolteacher, Dianne also writes for children. Presently
she has six kid’s books available on Amazon.com. You can also
see her on SCA-TV.