It still amazes me that when I strike up a conversation with someone, he or she is surprised that I actually live in a town known for gaming and showgirls. But I've been a Las Vegas resident for 30 years (even graduated from high school here; I'm also proud to be a graduate of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas-go Rebels!)

Inevitably, I am asked three questions:

1. Do you live in a hotel on the Las Vegas Strip? (No. I own a one-bedroom condominium in the northeast area of the Las Vegas Valley, just minutes away from Nellis Air Force Base-and about a 10 minute drive from the Strip (assuming the traffic along Interstate 15 is running smoothly, which is questionable with Las Vegas' tremendous growth these days).

2. Do you spend all your time in a casino? (Again, no. I occasionally go to a "locals" casino for cheap eats and karaoke on Saturday nights. But Las Vegas has wonderful exhibits on and off the Strip, including a neon museum in the downtown area and a great library and art centre on the far southwest section of town. Neon has a real history here; it's the glow that warms Las Vegas at night and looks cool even on the hottest evenings. )

3. Can people REALLY live in Las Vegas? (You bet. In case you didn't know, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Las Vegas is one of the fastest-growing cities in America. And even at today's inflated prices, relatively little money can buy you a beautiful new home in Southern Nevada. Growth has come so fast, in fact, what was once desert south of the Las Vegas Strip has been transformed into homes, apartments, schools and shopping centres. And yes, supermarkets in Las Vegas are just like grocery stores in other parts of the world-except for the row of slot machines that stand in line near the entrance.)

I'm not surprised by these questions anymore. After all, popular literature and culture has depicted Las Vegas (fairly or unfairly) as a town created by organized crime, before the Mob was pushed out as corporate executives moved in to make fortunes on legalized gambling. It's well-known in Las Vegas that the casinos help subsidize other hotel attractions, from the 99 cent shrimp cocktails and beer that you can find at some gaming establishments, to the lush production shows featuring everything from illusionists to topless performers. And our city wants to be known-again--as an adult playground. After a brief flirtation with "family-friendly" megaresorts in the 1990's, Las Vegas has gone back to the days of implied sex and the "Rat Pack". A new television campaign by the city's convention and visitors authority promises would-be tourists that "what goes on here, stays here". Children need not apply.

The legend extends to the dozens of films set here, from "Viva Las Vegas" with Elvis and Ann-Margaret, to "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas". But relatively few television shows have been based in the gaming city. Until recently, the best known of the breed has been "Vega$". Created by Michael Mann (who would later make pastels fashionable with "Miami Vice"), "Vegas" ran from 1978 until 1981 on ABC. The late Robert Urich played a private detective named Dan Tanna, a good-looking guy who had his office at the Desert Inn hotel, drove around town in a classic 1957 Ford Thunderbird, and always hooked up with beautiful women. (Just like real life, huh?) But you have to take into account that "Vega$" was produced by Aaron Spelling, who has had the most successful TV assembly line in history. Spelling's shows are rarely the type to win Emmy and Peabody awards, but they certainly make money and draw millions of viewers.

"Vega$" fit the Spelling mould to a tee (along with his other series of the period, "Charlie's Angels"; "The Love Boat" and "Fantasy Island"). He gave audiences a romanticized look at Las Vegas, the way they imagined it to be-an adult playground, virtually free of suburbs and other signs of domestic life. Instead, "Vega$" brought viewers two-fisted fights, desert car chases, a bevy of beauties and guest stars, and the glitz and glamour of an old Las Vegas that is fast-disappearing. In effect, Aaron Spelling portrayed Las Vegas the way Bugsy Siegel imagined it when he built the Flamingo in 1946. Of course, he was later killed off because he spent too much money building a hotel that didn't make an instant profit. Ironically, it started making money after Siegel died.
Coincidence? Maybe not.

Also in the late 1970's were two Las Vegas-based comedies. "Blansky's Beauties", which ran from February to May 1977, starred Nancy Walker as a "den mother" to the beautiful showgirls who performed at the fictional Oasis Hotel. A year later came "Who's Watching the Kids?", with Scott Baio, who lived with his older showgirl sisters in a Las Vegas apartment with his younger sister. A pre-"According to Jim" Jim Belushi co-starred in this short-lived comedy, which ran from September to December 1978 on NBC. Gary Marshall, who was the man behind such sitcom hits as "Happy Days", Laverne & Shirley" and "Mork & Mindy", produced both shows.

But a lot has changed over the past 25 years. Tourism remains Las Vegas' draw, but the city has evolved. And it shows in America's most popular series, "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation". Created by long-time Las Vegas resident Anthony Zucker, the show is based on two real-life crime scene analysts from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department-Daniel Holstein and Yolanda Mc Clary. They're the inspiration behind the characters played by William Peterson and Marg Helgenberger. (Zucker came up with the idea for "CSI" while shuttling tourists along the Las Vegas Strip.)

Leaving aside the accuracy of the work done on "CSI", I feel one of its strongest suits is the fact that it depicts Las Vegas as it really is. Sure, you have your share of dead bodies in hotels and tourist attractions, but "CSI" also realizes there's a whole community away from the casinos and megaresorts. I admit that's not what everyone wants to see. (After all, you can see suburbs in Anytown USA.) So this fall, NBC is launching its own series based in our gambling Mecca. Not surprisingly, it's called "Las Vegas". Here's how the network describes this new action-adventure show on its website (www.nbc.com):

"You can bet on high stakes and high-speed action in this adrenaline-fuelled drama...Big Ed Deline (played by James Caan)...runs the best surveillance company in Vegas. Big Ed's best employee is Danny McCoy, an ex-Marine and Vegas native, who loves living life in the fast lane. Mike Cannon, head valet, keeps track of who's coming and going. Mary Connell, Danny's childhood friend, is a high-class escort who has a knack for learning people's darkest secrets. Danny's best source just might be Jane, the savvy new casino host. Both exude a seductive style -- a lot like the city itself".

Seduction, sleaze and crime. Now THIS is the "Las Vegas" viewers may come to love!