Where There's A Goodman, There's A Showgirl

Where there's a Goodman, there's a showgirl. For 20 years, showgirls have flanked the sides of former Mayor Oscar Goodman and his wife, Mayor Carolyn Goodman, at events and ceremonies.

Porsche Revesz and Jennifer Autry are two of those glamorous ambassadors. They've served in the role for 20 years, and they're not done yet.

Revesz shared, "It's been an amazing, amazing experience and the best memories of my life."

Beneath the exquisite headpieces, extravagant feathers and exuberant smiles are two down-to-earth beauties. They're part of a small group of showgirls, just under a dozen, who have served in this role. They work with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Porsche and Jennifer also work with the city of Las Vegas.

"[The Goodmans] are the perfect role models of marriage and family...and just caring about people. I just want to thank him (Oscar) and Carolyn for being so amazing," said Revesz.

The showgirls have become fixtures at the Goodmans' side. Porsche shed some light on how it all began. She said it started with a pink Cadillac, Elvis and a magazine shoot.

Revesz took us back. She said, "We all piled in the Cadillac for a magazine shoot, and it was being towed so it gave the illusion that Oscar was driving. We were stuck in this Cadillac so we talked for a couple hours and got to know each other. Mayor Oscar mentioned he was going to the baseball winter meetings in San Diego. He was trying to get a professional baseball team to Vegas. I was like, 'why not bring showgirls with you…what better way to get attention?' And he thought about it and said, 'That's a great idea.'"

Porsche said the next month they flew to San Diego -Mayor Oscar, the showgirls and Elvis. The media went wild.

"After that,"said Revesz, "He said, 'I always have to have a showgirl with me.' And every event, we accompanied him. So that's how that all started."

Revesz and Autry say they never envisioned the opportunities that would come their way as ambassadors for the city of Las Vegas.

"I look back and say 'Someone pinch me! This doesn't feel real,'"said Autry, "I get to go to where? I get to do what? For some people, it's 'I have to go to work.'I get to go to work. My work is so fun! I'm getting paid to have fun with my friends and go do amazing things."

The two have traveled the world promoting the city, and they have some colorful stories to prove it.

"We were in London," said Autry. "We had dinner at a very nice hotel and restaurant. Oscar got the grouse. It did not sit well with themhim. The whole next day he was grumpy about it. And Carolyn was like, 'You're Oscar the Grouse!'"

Very early on, these two say they learned a little something about the Goodmans.

Autry said, "They're just who they are all the time. You're just seeing the authentic real them all the time. They're just being them, which is amazing!"

They also learned valuable lessons about the couple, including about their integrity.

Autry said, "Not to get political, but any side, they're saying a lot of words. But often times, there's nothing behind it. They're just a bunch of words. But, you knew they (the Goodmans) meant what they said."

And their compassion.

"He treated all of us like his daughters. If somebody spoke badly of us or made a comment, he was always ready to come to our defense. Just the love they give to everybody. You just want to be a better person in their presence," said Revesz.

During their visit, our showgirls stopped by "Spectacle of the Showgirl."

It's a free exhibit in the Grand Gallery on the first floor of Las Vegas City Hall on display through Oct. 10, 2024. It features iconic showgirl costumes from the Las Vegas Showgirl Museum and its head curator Grant Philipo.

When it comes to those elaborate costumes, our showgirls let us in on a couple secrets- like how long it takes them to put on those elaborate headpieces.

Autry says, "If you have an hour to get ready, it takes you an hour. If you have five minutes, you do it in five minutes. Sometimes, you don't have time, but you pull it together."

They also shared the two items they rely on to look put together in a pinch.

"Lipstick and the lashes, and you're like…okay…let's do it," said Autry.

While showgirl spectaculars no longer grace the stages of Las Vegas, Autry said, "For a lot of people, they are like 'oh, showgirls are extinct.' But, we're not. We're still here."

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