Friday, January 30, 2009

The Candy Gram: Roxi Dlite

In our ongoing Q&A series --"The Candy Gram"-- we ask the same quirky questions of burlesque's various performers. If you want to be added to the mix, drop us a line at kellydinardo AT gmail DOT com. Today, say hello to Roxi Dlite.

What is your hometown?
Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

How long have you been interested in burlesque/performing?
I guess you can say I've been a performer my entire life. When I was a kid I used to put on little dance numbers for my family. During recess in grade school I'd round up some girls and we'd make up a dance routine then perform it in front of the class. I started my journey into burlesque about five years ago. I started out as a feature performer in strip clubs, performing burlesque inspired shows. I researched its roots and from there it progressed into full on burlesque shows.

How many pairs of pasties do you own?
Lots! Most of which are ones I don't wear any more. My favorite pair was made by the talented Amber Ray, that are for my Pirate Costume.

What are your three favorite songs to perform to?
I'm more of a classic gal. I have so many I love its hard to choose three. I'd have to say Night Train is my absolute favorite, Shivas Regal is a close second with trusty ol' Lamnet in third.

What three items could you not live without as a performer?
M.A.C makeup, MAC computer and the internet.

Who had the biggest influence on your career?
Julie Atlas Muz. I adore her. She is such a multi-talented performer. I don't think anyone could re-create her style because she is such a truly unique individual. I had the pleasure of meeting her last September when I performed at This or That. I was completely star struck. I felt like such a goofy girl fan. Also, I could never forget Big Fannie Annie, she gave me lots of great advice during Exotic World. I call her my Fairy Burlesque Mother.

Who is your favorite burly queen?
Dee Milo, I love her story. I am also a big fan of Candy Barr and Gypsy Rose Lee of course.

What is your favorite item of clothing?
It's so hard to choose! I would have to say my green leopard dress. It hugs me in all the right places and it's a lot of fun to wear.

What's the last movie you saw?
The last movie I saw in the theater was Bolt in 3D. I've never seen a 3D movie before, it was really cute. I'm not really into animated movies much, I'm more of an Amelie, Breakfast at Tiffany's or American Beauty kind of gal.

What's on your must-see-TV list?
My boyfriend and I download TV series and watch them together. Right now we are really into Heroes, The Office and Weeds.

What book is on your nightstand?
A couple, Pappa's Burlesque House by Bernard Livingston and How to Talk to Anyone by Liel Lowndes.

If you could go anywhere for vacation, where would you go?
Somewhere in the UK. I also think it would be nice to see India, but that could be because I love the food.

If you could have any superpower, which one would you want? Why?
Ooohhh! I like this question! I've given this some serious thought over the years. There are lots of powers Id love to have, however the one that would come in most handy would be the power of persuasion. I'd use it to get rich, for free flights all over the world and to have strangers help me with my luggage. I may just talk Swarovski into letting me take over the business, then I'd live in a crystal house and have an ostrich farm out back. Is that asking too much?

Satisfy your appetite for more Candy Grams: Scarlet O'Gasm, Bombshell Betty, Foxy Moxy, Bambi Galore, Mis Rosie Bitts, Sahara Dunes, Mimi Rockafellar, Baby Le Strange, Rose Darling, Satan's Angel, Ophelia Flame, Panache La Plume, Ginger Valentine, Madame Rosebud, Little Brooklyn, Victoria Veneance, Sauci Calla Horra, Penny Starr Jr., Gemma Parker, Darla DeVine, Sparkly Devil, Vivienne VaVoom, Lux LaCroix, Charlotte La Belle Araignee, Bunny Love, Amber Topaz, Amelie Soleil, Red Hot Annie, HoneyLu, Kimberlee Rose, Vicky Butterfly, Dominique Immora, Yasmine Vine, Cherry Bomb, Millie Dollar, Joanie Gyoza, Bonbon Vivant, Lola Martinet, Frankie Boudoir, Vixen Violette, Ravenna Black, Veronica Lashe, Amber Ray, Beatrix von Bourbon, Angie Pontani, Tanya Cheex, Bloody Belle, Clams Casino, Trixie Little, Michelle L'Amour, Margaret Cho, Miss Dirty Martini, Princess Farhana, Miss Delirium Tremens, Paris Green, Jo Boobs, Jack Midnight, Heidi Von Haught, Diamond Minx, The Titillation Twins, Scratch, Creamy Stevens and Gina Louise.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

A Lili By Any Other Name

Ten years ago today, as the neo-burlesque movement began to take off, Lili St. Cyr died. (As an aside, it is also the anniversary of H.L. Menken's death. The writer coined the term ecdysiast) To commemorate the occasion, here's an excerpt from Gilded Lili about Lili's death.

In the January 1999 issue of Playboy, the arbiter of sexiness released their list of the one hundred beautiful women “who made this century sizzle.” The magazine ranked Lili number sixty-nine, ahead of Gypsy Rose Lee at seventy-eight. Her idol Greta Garbo landed at number fifty-one. Not surprisingly, Marilyn Monroe scored the top spot.

At the end of that month, on January 29, 1999 at the age of 81, Lili St. Cyr died of heart failure... While newspapers across the country and around the world mourned her death and heralded the former striptease dancer, only four people attended her funeral. Obituaries in papers like the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The Independent in London, Time magazine, and Variety recounted her routines, run-ins with the law, and mentioned her connection to Marilyn Monroe.

In one memorial, a reporter for The Guardian wrote, "They don’t make entertainers like Lili St. Cyr ... any more. The sincerity of Miss St. Cyr (say the name quickly) was what people came to see. Or at least, that was what her fans liked to believe. She was an artiste, a delightful character who practiced her art, well, sincerely; a charming lady who did everything in the very best taste."

Award-winning poet Dorothy Barresi composed an elegy for Lili. In "Glass Dress," a poem included in Barresi’s book Rouge Pulp, she wrote:
"Lili St. Cyr is dead.
No tassel-twirling, minimum wage girl.
No discount moon,
no languishing feminine ruses.
She teases the illimitable body,
Marilyn before Marilyn,
Jayne before Jayne."

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Video of the Week

CBS Sunday Morning turns 30 today and we celebrate with this clip from the show.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Behind The Garter Belt with Penny Star Jr.

Tanya Cheex shares this fantastic interview with her "Costume Fairy Godmother," Penny Starr Jr. "Whenever I have a costume dilemma, I drop her a line," says Tanya. "If you're ever in LA, ask her for her costume making tour to the garment district. It worth the price of rhinestones!"

What is the importance of costuming to the burlesque performance? Do you come up with the act or the costume first?
It's incredibly important. The costume is the first thing your audience sees and telegraphs what the audience should think about your act. Are you a demure lady? Are you a greasy mechanic? As to what comes first, for me it can be anything that hits me first: a song, the costume, the dance. I've had a Napoleon act in the pipeline for years now - I just can't find the right song.

When did you realize that your costumes had to be custom made and not off the rack?
As a set costumer for TV and films, almost everything you see on an actor has been altered to fit them. I still buy a lot of things from costume shops and thrift stores, but I alter my costumes or make them from scratch. And of course, embellish, embellish, embellish!

What are your favorite costumes that you've made? What was the most challenging?
Well, James Bond, which features over 3000 rhinestones (and growing - I keep adding pieces to this costume). My favorite part of this is the very 007 way I take off the tux shirt. The shirt is mounted to a corset with a front zipper, and the zipper pull is the bow-tie. I pull down on the bow tie and the shirt comes off. Hidden under that is a showgirl ass-swag that is beaded and drops down.

Every costume I do is a feat of engineering - nothing beats hearing an audience gasp as something comes off in an inventive way - I tend to spend time wandering around hardware stores looking at chicken wire, PVC tubing, brads, etc.

What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you while making something?
Since there can be a lot of downtime on a set, I tend to bring my costumes to work to bead. I was making pink pearl pasties when the assistant director asked if I were making little hats. I said, "yes, but not for your head".

What materials do you get the most excited about working with?
I love the ease of spandex and swimwear materials because it's forgiving when my weight fluctuates (and whose doesn't?) and if I'm in a pinch, you don't have to hem it because it doesn't fray.

Explain the importance of closures and fastenings on costumes for the burlesque artist.
Well, it's all engineering. And it all has to work within the design of the costume and the choreography. I have one costume that has the tiniest amount of Velcro - I am very still until the music changes, and all I have to do it breath out and the whole thing pops off. But coming to this was trickier than it sounds: using the right amount of Velcro, rehearsing with the music, finding the right color of Velcro so the audience wouldn't see a big patch of it on my costume, etc. It's all a process of trial and error. Sometimes I don't know how to fix an issue until I've performed an act for months.

What was your most bizarre costume?
I just did a Salvador Dali number that was based on the dream sequence from the movie Spellbound. The outer dress is a dark green dress with eyes all over it. I wear a white piece over my face (it's tucked under the wig). As per the film, I "cut" the dress off. There is a line of velcro hidden under the eyes, and I use kitchen scissors. Kitchen scissors are not very sharp and come apart in the middle. This ensures that 1)I don't actually cut the fabric of the dress 2)I can't cut myself and 3)if something goes wrong, the scissors will separate rather than cut. From there I wore a green slip and flapper beads and under that I had a sheer shimmy belt over a g-string with a brown bugle bead "bush" and two different pasties, one lobster and one fake nipple with ants coming out of it.

The one thing about this act was this: although I had manage to "hit" all the Dali-isms, when I sat down to conceive the act around it, it was not entertaining at all! It was literally going from one costume to the next. So the real challenge was being able to link these tableaux with the dance and music.

What tips can you offer those who aren't crafty? What one Penny Starr Jr. secret can you divulge?
Learn to hand stitch! Really, it's as simple as going up and down through the fabric, but keep the stitches small and the more you do it, the better you will get. I advocate stitching over gluing because sewing is archival and will stand up to the stage better than glue. Yes, you should glue anything small like rhinestones and sequins, but when it comes to fringe or applique, if you sew it wrong, or you want to move that piece of trim to a new costume, you can always rip the stitches out and re-sew it.

If you had an unlimited budget what would you make?
Something Ziegfeld: dripping with pearls, giant headdress, an actual set, maybe with a light up staircase and a chorus line in matching costumes. But that's just off the top of my head.

What fuels an outfit?
Three things. Attitude! I've seen beautiful women with no eye contact or connection to the audience. No matter what they spend on their costume, they are never going to be as exciting to watch as someone who really engages and audience.

Posture! There's no point in being in a beaded gown if you can't stand up straight.

And dance! We are burlesque dancers, and so many of us ignore the dance part and don't study. And it's not that I have something against pantomime acts, but that should also be a skill to be studied.

Where can we learn to make our own costumes- what workshops do you offer?
I have several that I teach in LA as part of Striptease Symposium (the all-inclusive burlesque classes I teach with Jewel of Denial) on costume design, embellishment, rhinestone principles. I am hoping to put these workshops on DVD this year.

I'm very excited about a class I am developing on new mediums like Crayola's model magic clay and fabric you can put in your printer. There's so many great things you can work with that people don't know about because quiet honestly, who has the money to buy stuff they may never use?

Photo by Don Spiro

Monday, January 26, 2009

All The News That's Fit To Strip

Dita Von Teese teases Paris once again. Two years ago she emerged from a rhinestone-encrusted bubble bath as the first guest star at the Crazy Horse and now the burlesque queen plans to return for a two-week run. The new show will have more specially designed numbers, including two songs she has recorded herself.

"I feel I have to raise the bar," she told Reuters. "I wanted to do something more elaborate this time," she said. "Combine the Crazy Horse style with what I do which is classic American burlesque."

Dita also admitted a long-standing crush on the club: "I've always had a real fascination with the Crazy Horse ever since I was a teenager and I found a picture of this line of nearly nude toy soldiers standing at attention," she said, referring to the trademark parade that opens the nightly show.

In other news ...

The National Journal called the Inauguration Feast of Flesh Fest, a sword-swallowing, belly dancing, burlesque, and fire-eating show, "the coolest Obama party in town."

The way Los Angeles hipsters rave about the wildly popular Lucha VaVoom series of lucha libre/burlesque events reminds Gustavo Arellano of American servicemen talking about seedy south-of-the-border bars.

Friday, January 23, 2009

The Candy Gram: The Lady Ivana Broadchest

In our ongoing Q&A series --"The Candy Gram"-- we ask the same quirky questions of burlesque's various performers. If you want to be added to the mix, drop us a line at kellydinardo AT gmail DOT com. Say hello to Ivana Broadchest.

What is your hometown?
Atlanta, GA

How long have you been interested in burlesque/performing?
Five years

How many pairs of pasties do you own?
None. Big Mamma has to make them by hand. Store bought aren't big enough!

What are your three favorite songs to perform to?
I'm actually a classically-trained vocalist, so I sing as well. I absolutely love the naughtiness of If I Can't Sell It, Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend is a lot of fun. I am trying to work out a fun operatic number as well.

What three items could you not live without as a performer?
Eyelashes, corsets and a great audience!

Who had the biggest influence on your career?
Marilyn Monroe

Who is your favorite burly queen?
Big Mamma D, of course!

What is your favorite item of clothing?
Fierce Stilettos

What's the last movie you saw?
White Christmas

What's on your must-see-TV list?
Lipstick Jungle & Californication

What book is on your nightstand?
The Art of Pole Dancing and The Complete Works of Shakespeare.

If you could go anywhere for vacation, where would you go?
Italy. They love REAL women!

If you could have any superpower, which one would you want? Why?
Mind Control. You could alter someone's perspective. Of course, we women already possess a little bit of that superpower anyway, don't we? (wicked laugh!)

Satisfy your appetite for more Candy Grams: Scarlet O'Gasm, Bombshell Betty, Foxy Moxy, Bambi Galore, Mis Rosie Bitts, Sahara Dunes, Mimi Rockafellar, Baby Le Strange, Rose Darling, Satan's Angel, Ophelia Flame, Panache La Plume, Ginger Valentine, Madame Rosebud, Little Brooklyn, Victoria Veneance, Sauci Calla Horra, Penny Starr Jr., Gemma Parker, Darla DeVine, Sparkly Devil, Vivienne VaVoom, Lux LaCroix, Charlotte La Belle Araignee, Bunny Love, Amber Topaz, Amelie Soleil, Red Hot Annie, HoneyLu, Kimberlee Rose, Vicky Butterfly, Dominique Immora, Yasmine Vine, Cherry Bomb, Millie Dollar, Joanie Gyoza, Bonbon Vivant, Lola Martinet, Frankie Boudoir, Vixen Violette, Ravenna Black, Veronica Lashe, Amber Ray, Beatrix von Bourbon, Angie Pontani, Tanya Cheex, Bloody Belle, Clams Casino, Trixie Little, Michelle L'Amour, Margaret Cho, Miss Dirty Martini, Princess Farhana, Miss Delirium Tremens, Paris Green, Jo Boobs, Jack Midnight, Heidi Von Haught, Diamond Minx, The Titillation Twins, Scratch, Creamy Stevens and Gina Louise.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Mark Your Calendars

Dallas pops its burlesque festival cherry with the First Annual Dallas Burlesque Festival at The Historical Texas Theater on February 7th. The show features performances by The Ruby Revue, The Lollie Bombs, La Divina and Ginger Valentine.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Video of the Week

Today's Video of the Week is brought to you by Tanya Cheex. Ciro's, the L.A. nightclub where this animated spoof takes place, is where Lili St. Cyr was arrested for taking a bath on stage.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Revealing Images: Lucha VaVoom

In Revealing Images, photographer Don Spiro dishes up sweet photographic treats and the stories behind them. Today, Don aims his lens at Lucha VaVoom.



One of my favorite times of the year is Lucha VaVoom, a mix of Mexican wrestling and burlesque in Los Angeles (and parts elsewhere) that occurs every four months. Each Lucha VaVoom last three consecutive nights, and besides shooting the dancers on stage and the Luchadors in the ring, I like to have a set up backstage to do promotional portraits for the Lucha VaVoom promotional campaign.

I've been involved with Lucha VaVoom since the first show more than five years ago. When I started, I took shots that were more artistic, especially during the Halloween shows, experimenting with dramatic composition and moody lighting, but that was difficult for the graphic designer to do separations for the layout of the programs and posters. I used to use a lot of lighting gear, which is cumbersome and heavy, especially since there are a lot of steps to get backstage. It also took a lot of time, something that is scarce behind the scenes. I have to be prepared for when the performer has that brief moment of being ready just before going on stage, and sometimes performers have to rush through like an assembly line. Over the years I have developed a quick and easy method that gives beautiful results and allows for clean separations but which requires a minimum of setup and alteration. I also use a different backdrop for each show, sometimes a seamless, sometimes a curtain, so I can identify each show depending on the background. Last October I chose an orange seamless for Halloween.

I use a Dynalite kit for easy travel, just using three lights of equal power positioned for optimum effect. They strobe lights with internal fans that are cabled to a small power pack containing an internal receiver, triggered by a transmitter on my camera. This way I can use the camera without being tethered to the lights. I bounce one light into a large umbrella near the camera position, this gives me a really soft source light from the front that is very flattering, and allows the subject to move in any position and look good, especially in the eyes. I only have to adjust the height to that of the model.

I also place a light and umbrella on either side of the seamless, highlighting the subject from each side and eliminating any shadows on the backdrop. This gives me a large area of soft light that the subject can freely inhabit, and lets me use it for each person who passes through. I can shoot at nearly any angle for added effect, working anywhere from full body shots to tight close-ups. Even couples or groups of people require very little finessing to make an attractive, usable image, making the focus of the picture the performer and showcasing his or her particular characteristics.

When I’m not busy backstage taking portraits I run upstairs to shoot the live show, and that’s a whole new bag of tricks.

~Don Spiro

Friday, January 16, 2009

The Candy Gram: Scarlet O*Gasm

In our ongoing Q&A series --"The Candy Gram"-- we ask the same quirky questions of burlesque's various performers. If you want to be added to the mix, drop us a line at kellydinardo AT gmail DOT com. Today, say hello to Scarlet O*Gasm, a member of New York's Juiciest Burlesque Troupe: The Peach Tartes.

What is your hometown?
Originally N'Awlins, currently New York, soon to be Shanghai.

How long have you been interested in burlesque/performing?
I have been performing since I was a baby - and professionally since high school. I always knew about burlesque, but discovered nouveau BurlyQ in 2001 at the very first Tease-O-Rama. I finally climbed up on a Burlesque stage in 2006.

How many pairs of pasties do you own?
Too many to count - they're just so nice to have around.

What are your three favorite songs to perform to?
The Devil Went Down to Georgia is always fun. I have a ball doing my own mix of I Put A Spell On You with Nina Simone and the Screamin Jay Hawkins, and I really love performing with my troupe to a mix I did of a bunch of Ennio Morricone tunes called, A Bra Full of Dollars. Since it's so rare to perform with live accompaniment these days I like to mix or re-mix songs myself.

What three items could you not live without as a performer?
False eyelashes, pastie tape, body glitter.

Who had the biggest influence on your career?
I always think of Julie Atlas Muz and Tigger and tell myself to keep pushing the envelope, keep telling stories and keep loving the audience.

Who is your favorite burly queen?
New guard: Bambi the Mermaid. I must also mention goddesses Immodesty Blaize and Catherine D'Lish.
Old guard: couldn't pick just one, but if you forced me to I'd pick my pal Dusty Summers.

What is your favorite item of clothing?
My feather hoop skirt.

What's the last movie you saw?
I can't remember the last time I went to the movie theater, but I went to the theatre theater and saw Black Watch. It's so good -- lots of Scottish men running around singing and fighting!

What's on your must-see-TV list?
I don't own a TV, but I heard that True Blood is really good, so I'm going to try to get that.

What book is on your nightstand?
The Last Madam. It's awful, but I have to finish it.

If you could go anywhere for vacation, where would you go?
The only continents I haven't traveled to are Australia and Antarctica - so I'd go there!

If you could have any superpower, which one would you want? Why?
I could speak, read, write, and understand any and all languages. I could communicate with anyone. And move over Hillary -- Scarlet O*Gasm for Secretary of State!

Satisfy your appetite for more Candy Grams: Bombshell Betty, Foxy Moxy, Bambi Galore, Mis Rosie Bitts, Sahara Dunes, Mimi Rockafellar, Baby Le Strange, Rose Darling, Satan's Angel, Ophelia Flame, Panache La Plume, Ginger Valentine, Madame Rosebud, Little Brooklyn, Victoria Veneance, Sauci Calla Horra, Penny Starr Jr., Gemma Parker, Darla DeVine, Sparkly Devil, Vivienne VaVoom, Lux LaCroix, Charlotte La Belle Araignee, Bunny Love, Amber Topaz, Amelie Soleil, Red Hot Annie, HoneyLu, Kimberlee Rose, Vicky Butterfly, Dominique Immora, Yasmine Vine, Cherry Bomb, Millie Dollar, Joanie Gyoza, Bonbon Vivant, Lola Martinet, Frankie Boudoir, Vixen Violette, Ravenna Black, Veronica Lashe, Amber Ray, Beatrix von Bourbon, Angie Pontani, Tanya Cheex, Bloody Belle, Clams Casino, Trixie Little, Michelle L'Amour, Margaret Cho, Miss Dirty Martini, Princess Farhana, Miss Delirium Tremens, Paris Green, Jo Boobs, Jack Midnight, Heidi Von Haught, Diamond Minx, The Titillation Twins, Scratch, Creamy Stevens and Gina Louise.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

How To Burlesque

In our new monthly column How To Burlesque, Miss Frankie Tease brings you tips and advice on a mishmash of burly topics. Today, she dishes on how to clean patent leather accessories.

You know those scuffs or spills on your patent leather accessories? Your own household item will take them off. Nail polish remover will get rid of any scuffs or stains on patent leather, without any damage. It might even make them shine a bit brighter.

Just start with a soft cloth or cotton pad. Dowse the cloth with a bit of nail polish remover. Wipe. Let it evaporate, then use a dry cloth to buff. You may end up cleaning your accessories in their entirety when you see how sparkly they get.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Video of the Week

Today's Video of the Week is brought to you by Candy Pitch pal Michael Birchenall who discovered this saucy magic act here.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Obama-Rama

With one week until inauguration, even the burlesque world is getting in on Obama-palooza.

If you're in DC, head to the Warehouse on Sunday for Obama Wonderama, a star-studded burlesque and Coney Island-style sideshow to celebrate the historic inauguration of Barack Obama. The show starts at 8 p.m. and includes Clams Casino, Swami Yomahmi and L'il Dutch. Advance tickets available for $25 in advance, $30 at the door.

Monday, January 12, 2009

All The News That's Fit To Strip

Montreal's burlesque icon Miss Sugarpuss, recently voted on of Montreal's Most Desirable Women, plans to put together a Montreal Burlesque Festival, where the historical part of the art is emphasized as much as the bumping and grinding.

"For us to not have a vibrant burlesque culture is ironic," she told the Montreal Mirror, noting that Montreal was the last place in Canada to establish a revival, despite being a hub of burlesque since the ’30s. "We live alongside this history, why wouldn’t we show off our city from that angle—the sexy underbelly?"

In other news ...

By day she's Stephanie Lynch, a hard-working student. By night she's Sofire Rosa, professional belly dancer and burlesque performer.

Madonna puts a burlesque spin on Marc Jacobs.

Jo Boobs shows off pictures from the Liz Renay exhibit.

Friday, January 9, 2009

The Candy Gram: Bombshell Betty

In our ongoing Q&A series --"The Candy Gram"-- we ask the same quirky questions of burlesque's various performers. If you want to be added to the mix, drop us a line at kellydinardo AT gmail DOT com. Today, say hello to Bombshell Betty.

What is your hometown?
I live in San Francisco, CA

How long have you been interested in burlesque/performing?
I have always loved the old song and dance movies. I have been teaching and/or performing striptease and burlesque since I turned 18 in 1996.

How many pairs of pasties do you own?
Wow! I have at least 50 pairs of novelty pasties I use or have used in the numbers I have choreographed over the past 12 years. I even have a small chest of drawers for them all. It was designed for sheet music, but the drawers are the perfect depth for pasties. I don't do all those acts anymore, but I sometimes use the pasties for new acts. I have about 300 pairs that my partner and I made to sell on my web page. I'm not sure if those count, but I do "own" them.

What are your three favorite songs to perform to?
Right now, the songs that happen to go with my three favorite numbers are,
Devotchka C'est C'est La, Sister Kate, which I sing and dance to with my new band and Beethoven's 5th.

What three items could you not live without as a performer?
Pasties, G-String, and Lipstick

Who had the biggest influence on your career?
My mom. She is so supportive and such a great person. I am so lucky to have her!

Who is your favorite burly queen?
Satan's Angel or Holiday O'Hara are my favorite legends. And of course my students just blow me away with their creativity and sass. I am always a proud mother hen at our student shows and it makes me so happy to see them get out there and perform at the local professional shows.

What is your favorite item of clothing?
That's like asking a mother to pick her favorite child!

What's the last movie you saw?
I watched Happy-Go-Lucky at the Opera Plaza Cinema here in SF. It's a small independent movie and we saw it in a small independent theatre. It was very sweet.

What's on your must-see-TV list?
I have no TV. Seriously, kill your TV! I sometimes watch the Daily Show online because my partner can't live without it. It's a funny show when I don't think about how depressing some of the news they make fun of actually is.

What book is on your nightstand?
I'm hiring right now, so I've been reading Human Resources for Dummies. Gotta love a little light reading. I am also reading an instructional book on Chinese Brush Painting (and it came with a brush and ink set). I can't wait to try my hand at it.

If you could go anywhere for vacation, where would you go?
I want to go back to Europe, hopefully this year. In the near future, I AM going to NYC and Orlando FL for my pin-up workshop tour and "working vacations".

If you could have any superpower, which one would you want? Why?
I already have one. I just can't tell you what it is. In light of that fact, I also like having the power to make people laugh by mixing the sexy with the silly. Twirling tassels to me is the perfect example of that. If you look at it, it's really a silly thing to do, yet it is sexy at the same time. Most of my numbers are a mixture of silly and sexy.

Satisfy your appetite for more Candy Grams: Foxy Moxy, Bambi Galore, Mis Rosie Bitts, Sahara Dunes, Mimi Rockafellar, Baby Le Strange, Rose Darling, Satan's Angel, Ophelia Flame, Panache La Plume, Ginger Valentine, Madame Rosebud, Little Brooklyn, Victoria Veneance, Sauci Calla Horra, Penny Starr Jr., Gemma Parker, Darla DeVine, Sparkly Devil, Vivienne VaVoom, Lux LaCroix, Charlotte La Belle Araignee, Bunny Love, Amber Topaz, Amelie Soleil, Red Hot Annie, HoneyLu, Kimberlee Rose, Vicky Butterfly, Dominique Immora, Yasmine Vine, Cherry Bomb, Millie Dollar, Joanie Gyoza, Bonbon Vivant, Lola Martinet, Frankie Boudoir, Vixen Violette, Ravenna Black, Veronica Lashe, Amber Ray, Beatrix von Bourbon, Angie Pontani, Tanya Cheex, Bloody Belle, Clams Casino, Trixie Little, Michelle L'Amour, Margaret Cho, Miss Dirty Martini, Princess Farhana, Miss Delirium Tremens, Paris Green, Jo Boobs, Jack Midnight, Heidi Von Haught, Diamond Minx, The Titillation Twins, Scratch, Creamy Stevens and Gina Louise.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Mark Your Calendars

Mark your calendars for the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend June 4th-7th in Las Vegas.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Video of the Week

Pal Joey is back on Broadway. The original lyrics include the lines:

Zip! My artistic taste is classic and dear.
Zip! Who the hell is Lili St. Cyr?

The movie version with Rita Hayworth, below, uses a different version.


Tuesday, January 6, 2009

A Cornucopia of Burlesque

It may be cold outside, but Lili’s Burlesque Revue is warming things up with The Best of Midwest Burlesk Festival 2009.



Last year, the group turned away throngs at the door. This year, they've extended the show to a four-day extravaganza from January 22-January 25. In addition to featuring Lili’s regular cast, the festival will host more than 30 visiting performers from the Twin Cities, Chicago, Madison, Fargo, and beyond including Miss Exotic World 2005, Michell L'amour. The festival will also feature classes and workshops and a special session of Dr. Sketchy’s.

Monday, January 5, 2009

All The News That's Fit To Strip

Deirdre Franklin, who performs as Little Darling, thinks it's no accident that her fellow burlesque dancers and pinup models feel a kinship with pit bulls.

“They're people who chose to be on the outside and do it their way, who are used to being the underdog,” she told the Associated Press. “They identify with the pitbull — they want to change the stereotype.”

With her Pinups for Pitbulls calendar she hopes to change that sterotype and raise more than $10,000 raised to support pit bull rescue.

In other news ...

Dita Von Teese finds Johnny Depp fascinating and maintains her image even when working out.

Christopher Plummer, oterhwise known as Captain Von Trapp, has fond memories of Lili St. Cyr.

Eartha Kitt passed away.

Jo Boobs interviews Dita Von Teese, in two parts.

The Washington City Paper gives a nod to The Candy Pitch and Bambi Galore.

For the last five years, Le Cirque Rouge -- a troupe of dancers, singers and musicians has worked to bring back old-time burlesque.

Friday, January 2, 2009

The 12 Days of Christmas, Burlesque Style

No partridge in a pear tree, but Peekaboo Pointe dances around a Christmas tree.

Thursday, January 1, 2009