A Visit From Bad Santa

Sure there are plenty of good reasons for a tobacco ban – long-term health benefits, sheltering your good bar clothes from stray burning ash. But without tobacco, we wouldn’t be as nearly attractive to artists such as Billy Bob Thornton. With the right word of mouth, maybe Kansas City could become a celebrity getaway like Aspen, only with more carcinoma.

We got our opportunity last Friday when the Sling Blade star stopped into Gilhouly’s on West 39th Street to find a place to smoke and have a beer.

That night’s bartender, 29-year-old Lisa Beach, said she didn’t recognize the crusty older guy in the gang of seven before he came up to the bar. “He said, ‘I’m Billy. Nice to meet you,’” Beach said. “I don’t think anyone really noticed, and I didn’t want to let anyone know so they wouldn’t swarm him.”