Stripped Of Its Name

Exotic World's got a new name. The museum will now be known as The Burlesque Hall of Fame. Why mix it up? From the ever lovely Laura Herbert:

Simplicity.
Over time, Exotic World has been though many changes--and many, many names: The Burlesque Historical Society, Inspirational Star Land, The Movers & Shakers Striptease Hall of Fame... the list goes on and on. But, no matter how our business cards may have read throughout the years, from the very beginning we've remained at our core a "hall of fame"--identifying and honoring Burlesque's best, both on and offstage.

Semantics.
Let's face it: In contemporary times, the term “exotic” has connotations that can be confusing (you'd be surprised how many calls we get inquiring about our birds and reptiles), if not downright misleading. When Jennie Lee & company launched the Exotique [sic] Dancers League in the 1950s, "exotic dance" and burlesque were one and the same. Today, the term is widely applied to *all* forms of adult entertainment, regardless of their origin or content. While we've got no issue with people calling themselves "exotic" (or being labeled as such by others), the more broadly the term is applied, the less it represents who we are and we do.

Of course, the name Exotic World will continue to live on--in Exotic World Weekend, the Miss Exotic World title (albeit slightly appended as 'Miss Exotic World, Reigning Queen of Burlesque'), and as part of our shared history.