A Living Las Vegas Sign?

My nephew Matt and I were meandering along the strip in Las Vegas, when we encountered the Las Vegas sign.  What exactly is this?  I saw plenty of costumed characters, some real, some fictional.  This was a human being, dressed as a sign...a famous sign, but a sign nonetheless.
I almost felt bad for the person, not as bad as I did for the guy dressed as a Ghirardelli Chocolate ice cream sundae.  He had his face exposed (and he usually wasn't wearing a smile).
The sign was friendly enough (friendlier than any other sign I have ever met actually).  I am not sure how happy he/she was though.  Clearly, Matt and I were having fun, but tell me, does the sign look happy to you?

Matt Parker, the Las Vegas Sign and me in Las Vegas, NV-March 2011.