Question of the Day - 19 March 2023

She most certainly did. 

Raquel Welch (nee Jo Raquel Tejada), who passed away last month at age 82, was best known for her acting in films and on television, but she also tried her hand with a nightclub act that she originally performed for around a month at the Las Vegas Hilton Showroom, launching on New Year's Eve 1972. As such, during her time at the Hilton, she was basically the opening act for Elvis. 

Raquel sang, danced, and did some shtick, mostly with the Krofft Puppets; the name of the show was Raquel Welch and the World of Sid and Marty Krofft, the puppeteers who, busy with other projects, actually never appeared in the show, delegating the task to crew members. At one point, Raquel reportedly doffed her top, revealing her breasts, though slightly hidden by pasties. 

The show lasted a month, sold out every night, and got very good reviews. Raquel took it on the road for a bit, but gave up touring in favor of a TV special. She explained at the time, "I could play Vegas three or four times a year, but I'd rather have more people see me all at once on television." That show, "Really Raquel," aired on CBS in March 1974. 

Several years later with her career in decline, she returned to Vegas, this time to do a three-year-long residency at Caesars Palace, following in the footsteps of Ann-Margret.

And here the story gets a little personal.

Anthony Curtis tells us he saw her at MGM Grand (now Horseshoe Las Vegas). "Hers was the first show I ever saw in Vegas. I'd just turned twenty-one and drove in from southern California with a girlfriend. Being so young and, uh, innocent, I didn't know how things worked and I got chastised by the waitress when she picked up our bill and there was no tip. I just gave her the exact amount of the drink charges, planning to leave the tip on the table, like I'd done everywhere else I'd ever been. When she gave me a hard time, embarrassing me in front of my date, I didn't leave anything."

As for Raquel, "She sang and talked. I remember not being that impressed, but what did I know? Still, the whole thing was kind of underwhelming, probably because I expected, well, who knows what?"

But that trip settled it for Anthony. He moved to Las Vegas a couple of months later and, Raquel or no Raquel, has lived here ever since -- 45 years.