All The News That's Fit To Strip

Burlesque dancer Ava Garter offers fashion tips, discusses her favorite designers and provides some valuable advice for aspiring bombshells with a tight budget. She said:

"I don't have endless amounts of money to spend on buying clothes to try to keep up with all the events that happen or my fashionable friends. I am a single mother of two little ones after all. I believe in spending as much as you can afford on the best available to you. I would rather have one or two beautifully fitting little black dresses that have classic style and can be worn over and over again rather than spend less buying the most "in style " dress every season."

In other news...

Pinchbottom Burlesque kicks off Summer with their smash-hit, Pretencion as part of the undergroundzero festival in New York. The show will run for five nights and rotate a cast of 20 of the city's best performers.

Miss Exotic World 2005, Michelle L'amour debuted her new couture line over the weekend. The Hollywood-inspired collection, L'amour Couture includes hair pieces and fashion accessories with authentic vintage pieces, all designed by Chicago designer, Agnes B. Miles and her company, Love Lulu Mae.

Video of the Week

Michelle L'Amour at this year's Burlesque Hall of Fame spices up this week's video.

Video of the Week

All The News That's Fit To Strip

Michelle L'Amour opens up Studio L'Amour, the Dojo for your Mojo, where she teaches the art of burlesque dancing to students of all ages and skill levels. Of burlesque, she told North by Northwestern, "It’s loud, dumb, in your face and not what people are looking for. Burlesque brings some realness to sexuality, and I try to make it a very genuine experience on both ends."

In other news ...

Vegas gets a little less sexy.

Are former Wall Streeters turning to the pole? Or is it all just a promotional ploy?

Tune In

Tune in to America's Got Talent tonight and watch as Cassie Truskowski, the fire-eating, burlesque chanteuse, fetish entertainer, suspension artist and aerialist, competes before celebrity judges. Of the experience, Truskowski said:

"It was surreal -- it's a whole new experience having cameras on you at all times. Being in front of celebrity judges was really exciting. It was intense, you could feel the energy. These people wanted it for me as badly as I did. Plus, being around that many talented people was amazing."

It's not the first time burlesque shimmed onto the AGT stage. Michelle L'Amour put a saucy spin on Knight Rider and the burlesque troupe the Glamazons were finalists.

Miss Exotic World 2008

The official announcement on the Burlesque Hall of Fame's annual All-Star Burlesque Weekend is out.

The four-day festival, which will take place Thursday, June 5 — Sunday, June 8 at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, will include performances from the reigning Miss Exotic World, Immodesty Blaize, left, Michelle L'amour, Kitten DeVille and more than a 100 of the world's top burlesque performers representing over 10 countries and 25 states.

Beyond Friday's Striptease Reunion and The Miss Exotic World Pageant on Saturday, there’s also a weekend long Burlesque Bazaar, a display of memorabilia from the Burlesque Hall of Fame, a Pinup Safari with Don Spiro, daily poolside dance parties and the debut of Dr. Sketchy’s Las Vegas . Don't miss any of the fun.

Video of the Week

The 1980s hit series Knight Rider returns to TV in a two-hour movie special on NBC this Sunday. And that's just another excuse to share one of my favorite burlesque videos.

Video of the Week

Forget the Macy's Day Parade, burly-q does balloons right.

Tease-O-Rama Redux

If you missed Tease-O-Rama this year, you'll want to check out these reports. It's almost -- just almost -- as good as having witnessed the twirling tassels, shimmying hips and bumpin' dance moves in person.

Catherine D'Lish makes a splash with her props.

Sweet Sassafras was partial to Michelle L'Amour's fan dance, the dirty cheerleading of the Cock T's and Miss Delerium Tremens routine to Tom Waits’ Temptation.

Kitten DeVille is a whirling dervish of striptease.

Video of the Week

The Candy Gram: Michelle L'Amour

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 the ass that goes pow -- Michelle L'Amour.

What is your hometown?
A suburb of Chicago - Orland Park

How long have you been interested in burlesque/performing?
I've been interested in performing since I was 15. I didn't stumble upon burlesque until after college.

How many pairs of pasties do you own?
Off the top of my head, maybe 10.

What are your three favorite songs to perform to?
I LOVE the A Great Effect from The Graduate, Cool Stuff and Lament.

What three items could you not live without as a performer?
Glitter, double sided tape, and feathers (boas, fans etc)

Who had the biggest influence on your career?
Mr. Franky Vivid

Who is your favorite burly queen?
Oh my, there are so many good ones. I really love Sally Rand and Lili St. Cyr

What is your favorite item of clothing?
An assless girdle/garter belt. It's such a nice surprise when I turn around.

What's the last movie you saw?
My Girl Friday

What's on your must-see-TV list?
Kathy Griffin - Life on the D-List, Entourage

What book is on your nightstand?
Twilight by Katherine Mosby

If you could go anywhere for vacation, where would you go?
Vacation?? I'm not sure what you mean.

If you could have any superpower, which one would you want? Why?
Tele-porting - airports are for pussies :-)

Satisfy your appetite for more Candy Grams: 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.

Let's Make A Date

We've rounded the corner into fall so it's time to kick off the 2008 calendar season. OK, maybe it's a little early, but it's really never too early to celebrate Dr. Sketchy's well-drawn ladies. Dr. Sketchy's 2008 Pinup Calendar features drawings of Michelle L'Amour, Indigo Blue and other burlesque queens by the multi-talented Molly Crabapple, founder of Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School. The painter/model/fire-eating burlesque dancer's calendar is only $15 so shimmy on over there and give 2008 a bumpin' start.

Burly Queens Rule Reality TV

First Michelle L'Amour got sassy with the Hoff on America's Got Talent. Then the Glamazons made it to the top ten on the same show. Now, Sarah Hartshorne, who performs as Vita Lightly with the Boston Babydolls, takes on Tyra in America's Next Top Model. Watch out Kelly Clarkson. You might just get bumped by the old bump 'n' grind.

Behind the Behind

Michelle L'Amour, Franky Vivid and the Lavendar Cabaret are dishing up the inside scoop on a burlesquers life with Behind the Behind. The first episode of the documentary series follows Michelle on a recent trip to New York. The uncensored video, which does contain nudity, is available only The Candy Pitch and Michelle's VIP Key Club. For those of you who are wiling away the August days at work the censored and blurred version is here and here.

The Name Game

This morning, David Brooks got me thinking about names. I'm sure the New York Times reporter meant for me to consider my own, but the names that came to mind were Kalani Kokonuts, Lucy Fur and Immodesty Blaize

Burlesque names seem to fall into several categories. There are those that hint at the performer's body in some way -- Fanny Tastic, Trixie Little, Jo Boobs. Some names like Dita Von Teese and Michelle L'Amour play to the desired effect. There are lots of food-related names -- Candy Barr, Della Delicious, Bonbon Vivant. And some that are simply fun whether it's because of a double entendre or how it rolls off the tongue -- Lola Pearl, Panty Raid, Harvest Moon, Lux LaCroix.

And if like me, you've had trouble coming up with a suitable burlesque name there's a name generator which spits out things like Ginger Spice, Antoinette Parfait, Caresse Frou-Frou, Miss Ecstasy Deluxe, Vivienne diVine.