Perhaps the Hard Rock brand owner needs to listen to some rock songs and read some rock history. The Hard Rock casino is not connected to the national Hard Rock chain. The Hard Rock casino has use of the name.

Easy short hand: The Hard Rock in Vegas is where John Entwistle of the Who overdosed whereas Anna Nicole Smith overdosed at one of the other users of the Hard Rock brand. Yeah, there is a distinction with a difference. So, the chain is amazingly suing the casino in Vegas over the television show of the pool party ReHab claiming:

“Among other things, Rehab portrays the Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, a property operated under trademarks owned and licensed by Hard Rock Cafe International, as a destination that revels in drunken debauchery, acts of vandalism, sexual harassment, violence, criminality and a host of other behavior that most members of the general consuming public of the United States …would find unseemly and objectionable.”

Isn’t this like a day in the life of Keith Richards?  I am embarrassed for the Hard Rock chain. Too bad Guy Lombardo isn’t around to provide the sort of experience they seem to think enhances the brand. ReHab  might be impossibly stupid, but it makes you kind of glad the casino can make an old brand look like it offers some life to the young.

On the other hand, the aging of the rock generation to a point where this suit can be filed without smirks underlines a challenge for the casino in attempts at competition from resorts like Palms that these days seem to appeal more naturally to younger tourists.  As always, my suggestion to Hard Rock casino: have more rock concerts.  (photo: Lanie Crossman)