All The News That's Fit To Strip

Dita Von Teese isn't afraid to take it off. The burlesque queen, who has been teasing Paris, commented on the burlesque-style pop acts and Hollywood stars who make guest appearances in burlesque acts without taking their clothes off.

"The striptease aspect is vital to burlesque. I'm very offended by sanitized, commercialized ‘faux-lesque’ as I like to call it," said Von Teese. "Burlesque was about the striptease. End of Story. The great burlesque stars - Gypsy Rose Lee, Lili St. Cyr, Sally Rand - they took off their clothes. It's important to me because it's disrespectful to the history of it, and those women who made it famous, to discount what they did."

In other news ...

The Porcelain Twinz filed a lawsuit saying they were forced to perform sex acts with their New York employer and with each other to keep their jobs.

Minsky's, the big, brash musical tale of Depression-era burlesque is Broadway-bound.

Shirley Jean Rickert, who starred in Our Gang and later worked as a burlesque dancer, died.

Richmond takes a turn for the risque.

Shameless Women chats with Sauci Calla Horra.

All The News That's Fit To Strip

Dita Von Teese twirls through several news stories as the burlesque queen continues to promoter her new line of lingerie for Wonderbra. She tells Monsters & Critics that even she has "unattractive" days. "Like any woman, I have days where I look in the mirror and think, 'How can anyone find me attractive?' Some days there's nothing for it but to go back to bed, but mostly I try to put a face on and turn the day around. I try to remember we all have those moments - even people you admire."

She tells The Scotsman: "I've always loved the idea of not being what people expect me to be. I"m not an exhibitionist that"s not why I do what I do. Day-to-day, I"m actually quite shy. I like my hemline below the knee. I would never bare my belly. I"m a little conscious about how much cleavage I"m showing. I feel like I don"t really need to show my body, and I like the mystery about not showing it I prefer the idea of someone wondering what"s underneath the dress."

And she tells The Times: "I remember being 20 and thinking there’s no way I’ll be feather-dancing when I’m 35! And I can say with conviction that I’m in better shape now than I was then. I don’t wanna predict for myself or make rules for myself about that. I think I’ve been really good at evolving and making the right choices. And I’m pretty sure people don’t look at me and say, ‘Ooh gosh, should she really be doing that any more?’ I don’t think that’s happening.”

In other news ...

Detroit’s legends of burlesque reminisce.

BlackBook talks to the Porcelain Twinz about their lawsuit with The Box.

Madonna does a striptease tribute to Britney.