Manneken Pis: Public peeing on Fremont Street
You no longer have to peruse the downtown alleyways to see someone relieving themselves. Las Vegas is now home to a bronze replica of a mischievous little boy “taking a leak” at the main entrance of The D Las Vegas. Manneken Pis, which is Flemish for “little man pee,” has thick curly locks, surprisingly sculpted abs and chubby thighs. And like many Vegas visitors, seems to have left his moral compass at home.
Photo courtesy of Kirvin Doak.
One of only three licensed replicas in the world, the others in Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro, the fountain pays homage to The D’s owner Derek Stevens’ Belgian lineage. The original is from the early 1600s and has been stolen from its perch near Town Hall in Brussels more than a handful of times. That’s probably the American equivalent of getting your team’s mascot stolen; only this little dude has 400 years of history behind him. Luckily, he’s always been returned.
We can’t imagine the new Las Vegas resident will disappear from The D anytime soon. He’s 6-foot tall, weighs 500 pounds and is most likely under 24-hour casino surveillance.
Photo courtesy of Kirvin Doak.
Manneken Pis is more than just a fountain in Belgium – he’s pretty much a contributing member of society and often serves as the centerpiece for festivals. He also draws thousands of visitors each year, a sentiment Stevens hopes to echo in downtown Las Vegas. When he does wear clothing, it’s seasonally or festively appropriate. And like any good Vegas entertainer, he’ll have costume changes here too.
He seems to fit right in with his new neighbors. He obviously likes to have a good time, is a little rebellious and has trouble keeping his clothes on. If you’ve ever been to Fremont Street on a Friday night, you probably realize that they alone could bring us up to European standards of nudity.
Photo courtesy of the Las Vegas Sun.
If you’re someone who thinks public nudity and defecation is a little too crude for your taste, you’ll have 100 years to get used to it. That’s how long Stevens signed the residency contract for, the longest entertainment contract in Las Vegas history. Still no word on whether or not The D will dispense beer out of Manneken Pis’ little “faucet” as they’ve done in Brussels from time to time, but we sure hope they stick to tradition.
Photo courtesy of the Las Vegas Sun.
