All The News That's Fit To Strip

Rumor has it that Christina Aguilera might shimmy onto the big screen with Burlesque, a film about a modern-day striptease dancer. According to MTV, Steve Antin, whose sister is Pussycat Dolls creator Robin Antin, wrote the script and is reportedly going to direct. Screen Gems, the studio behind the project, has confirmed the movie is in development and is aiming for a January 2010 production start.

In other news ...

Variety artist Scot Nery polishes his craft last week between striptease acts.

Tony-winning choreographer and director Jerry Mitchell unveiled his new Las Vegas spectacle Peepshow this weekend. Former Spice Girl Mel B. portrays "The Peep Diva," who serves as the evening's emcee, and guides "Bo Peep" (portrayed by Dancing with the Stars contestant Kelly Monaco on her search for love.

Rachel Shteir celebrated her birthday and the launch of Gypsy on Friday. Jo Boobs led the affair, which included performances by Dr. Lucky and Catherine D'Lish.

Zip! It's Gypsy

Much has been written, imagined and sung about Gypsy Rose Lee. Most of if has focused on how Mama Rose pushed Gypsy from a child performer on the vaudeville circuit to "gotta get a gimmick" burlesque star. Now, Rachel Shteir, who wrote a fabulous history of Striptease and the foreword to Gilded Lili, undresses the Gypsy mystery with Gypsy: The Art of the Tease. Shteir's biography follows Gypsy's start, but also looks at her time as a stripper, her botched trip to Hollywood, her transformation into "The Striptease Intellectual" and how she used striptease to sell, well, everything. I can't wait to peel open the book and find out what's revealed.

Gilded Lili Book Trailer Contest

Last week, The Candy Pitch announced a book trailer contest for Gilded Lili, my upcoming biography on Lili St. Cyr. There are so many options when it comes to book trailers. And while there are plenty of images of Lili available online, a lot of the information out there on Lili is inaccurate, I thought it might be helfpul to get a taste of Gilded Lili. You can download the entire press release, which includes a brief background on Lili and quotes about the book from Dita Von Teese, Lily Burana, Rachel Shteir and Marjorie Rosen, here.