First it was GO GO dancers. Then it became topless bar maids. Then it became bottomless entertainers. I remember my best friend telling me about a club in Bellflower CA that was now going nude. He had a side business of cleaning beer taps. He took me along to this first nude club as his assistant. I got in free. The place was packed. Standing room only. Why? To watch the naked dancer. I got to watch the show. She swang on a swing over the bar, wearing a micro mini skirt and nothing underneath. I couldn't see shit but the customers loved it.
Shadowcat, how many years ago are you talking about? R U talking about a time before strip clubs? I have no idea since my strip club experiences start in the 90's.
shadowcat, American striptease has its roots in carnivals and Burlesque theatres featuring famous strippers such as Gypsy Rose Lee and Sally Rand. The vaudeville trapeze artist Charmion performed a "disrobing" act onstage as early as 1896 , which was captured in an Edison film, "Trapeze Disrobing Act" in 1901 . Another milestone for modern American striptease is the possibly legendary show at Minsky's Burlesque in April of 1925.
You and I may be the only two old enough to remember Burlesque.
My first visit to a strip club was in Boston's Combat Zone, which would have been around 1963. Those clubs were pretty much like the Baltimore Block is today. The first time I ever saw a nude dancer was in Montreal a few years later. The first time I saw nude dancers in the US was in Atlanta not long after that. I didn't encounter lap dances until much later.
I also remember that when I was a kid in the 40s and 50s the touring carnivals had side shows that included strippers but I was too young to see them so I don't know what they were doing but it was probably pretty tame by comparison to today. I also recall that in those days prostitution was pretty common and nobody much cared. I'm guessing that strip clubs didn't really become commonplace like they are today until cities and towns started cracking down on prostitution. Until then the only strip clubs were in large cities.
The first thing I can remember at all was likely back in the 50's. When I was a kid and we traveled towards Miami, there was a place beside the rode called "Follies". I don't know much about it, but the outside had paintings of scantily clad ladies on it. I do recall one trip to a football game with my father and some other older men, and as we passed the place I heard "naked gals" in a somewhat limited conversation, likely because of my presence. I always couldn't wait till I was of age to check it out, but alas, it was gone before I was even 16.
The building, I remember well, is still there, but now a second hand tire shop.
In the Detroit area strip clubs first appeared in the late 60's around 67-68. Prior to that to see women take it off you had to go downtown to a burlesque theatre. At first the strip clubs were topless only then around 1971 they went fully nude.
Carolinawanderer: My first experience with Burlesque was back in 1963 on Burbon St. in New Orleans. I some times wonder if todays strip clubs would go back that way, would they draw a larger crowd just to watch the show?
I can remember visiting El Ranchita in La Paz, Mexico back in the early 70's. We were just expecting a Mexican whore house. But it was much more. Besides the strippers (prostitutes) they also featured singers, ventrilokists (sp) jugglers and comedians. We were the only two Americans there. We had a great time without partaking of the girls. BTW this club is still listed on TUSCL.
Book Guy, I'm not sure. But when I was young every city had an area where street walkers hung out and openly solicited. And every small town had a house or at least a woman or two who were known to ply the trade. I think those things are largely gone now. Prostitution is still very prevalent of course but it's less obvious now, you have to look for it, which is what I meant. Most cities no longer tolerate street walkers and small town whore houses have largely disappeared. The public is less tolerant of those things today.
I heard things go in circles. I see one now. Prostitution replaced by strip clubs, now with increased attacks on strip clubs we may be just starting to go back. I don't think the same people who want to close down all the strip clubs are going to pay large checks to all the young women who want easier money if they have good looks and no job skills. A large percentage of the US population is in jail and yet the same people want more laws. I think all the religious zealots need to get out of their life is rosy perfect world and wake up to the truth that the US is bankrupt and owes 55 trillion dollars and we need to cut government expenses everywhere we can to get out of debt. Many local governments are in danger of going bankrupt even now or will be soon.
Oh, wrong thread, was thinking about the South Carolina politicians thinking it's ok to have new laws that would turn strip clubs into bikini bars.
I vaguely remember a local place not far from where I live that used to have some Burlesque. I read that at least. I think showing some leg was considered exciting a long time ago. I guess it still is in Saudi Arabia.
In Boston's Combat Zone heyday the strip clubs and open street prostitution pretty much went hand-in hand. In point of fact, the clubs in the Zone were always no contact and relatively tame by today's standards. What WAS somewhat common though was to have a "dancer" working at the club who would leave with a customer, perform a sex act, and then come back to work. When the zone began it's decline it was a combination of rising property values coupled with public outrage over the drug/prostitution/raunchy strip club/violent atmosphere in the zone.
FONDL's point is well taken. Though I don't think it has much to do with any proliferation in strip clubs, prostitution is pretty much an underground industry in this day and age. Street walkers and whore houses do still exist. Nowadays you have to look for them on the internet...
I agree with Yoda, it was economics not bible thumpers who forced prostitution to go underground. And it still is. Just the other day I read an article in our local newspaper about the sentencing of two Chinese girls who were working in a local massage parlor that was raided recently. The article said the place was raided because of complaints from local businesses. I think that's why the streetwalkers were eliminated from most upscale downtown areas - the hotel industry didn't want their guests exposed to them. It's all about the dollar - cities are trying to attract tourists, and those families from Indiana don't want to see streetwalkers outside their hotel.
Strip clubs have always existed in downtown areas. The growth in the last 40 years has almost all been in city fringes, small towns and rural areas. And Yoda is right, the sex used to occur outside the club, especially in the parking lots.
I don't think raids on places like massage parlors or their equivalent were nearly as common years ago. As people have become more upscale there's less tolerance for such activities. Years ago people minded their own business much more than we do today. We've become a nation of busybodies - everyone thinks they have the right to tell others how to live.
Interestingly the raids on massage parlors are based more on the quest to find illegal aliens or woman who have been forced into the sex trade than on eliminating prostitution. Many of the women working in MP's fit into one or both categories.
Another point I heard was that crack cocaine really changed the "street" scene. People who were involved in the vice trade used to be in it as a "job" rather than a "desperate plea for help," is the impression I get. Sure it stunk for the women, to do your work on your back, but they were keeping some of the return and living in a decent place, getting food on the table. Now all earnings go into the arm or the spoon right away.
In the HBO documentary "Pimps Up, Ho's Down," there are interviews with committed black pimps who have worked their girls and the streets from the time before crack cocaine and now do so afterwards as well. Very interesting viewing. It's a 2-parter, and (IIRC) the sequel is better than the original.
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You and I may be the only two old enough to remember Burlesque.
I also remember that when I was a kid in the 40s and 50s the touring carnivals had side shows that included strippers but I was too young to see them so I don't know what they were doing but it was probably pretty tame by comparison to today. I also recall that in those days prostitution was pretty common and nobody much cared. I'm guessing that strip clubs didn't really become commonplace like they are today until cities and towns started cracking down on prostitution. Until then the only strip clubs were in large cities.
The building, I remember well, is still there, but now a second hand tire shop.
I can remember visiting El Ranchita in La Paz, Mexico back in the early 70's. We were just expecting a Mexican whore house. But it was much more. Besides the strippers (prostitutes) they also featured singers, ventrilokists (sp) jugglers and comedians. We were the only two Americans there. We had a great time without partaking of the girls. BTW this club is still listed on TUSCL.
FONDL is older than me. LOL...
Oh, wrong thread, was thinking about the South Carolina politicians thinking it's ok to have new laws that would turn strip clubs into bikini bars.
I vaguely remember a local place not far from where I live that used to have some Burlesque. I read that at least. I think showing some leg was considered exciting a long time ago. I guess it still is in Saudi Arabia.
FONDL's point is well taken. Though I don't think it has much to do with any proliferation in strip clubs, prostitution is pretty much an underground industry in this day and age. Street walkers and whore houses do still exist. Nowadays you have to look for them on the internet...
Strip clubs have always existed in downtown areas. The growth in the last 40 years has almost all been in city fringes, small towns and rural areas. And Yoda is right, the sex used to occur outside the club, especially in the parking lots.
I don't think raids on places like massage parlors or their equivalent were nearly as common years ago. As people have become more upscale there's less tolerance for such activities. Years ago people minded their own business much more than we do today. We've become a nation of busybodies - everyone thinks they have the right to tell others how to live.
In the HBO documentary "Pimps Up, Ho's Down," there are interviews with committed black pimps who have worked their girls and the streets from the time before crack cocaine and now do so afterwards as well. Very interesting viewing. It's a 2-parter, and (IIRC) the sequel is better than the original.