It’s Video Friday!

I had a bad dream last night that a whole lot of my friends had me marked as a “spammer” in their Facebook profiles. Yes, Virginia, I even dream about the internet.

Crazy.

Changing subjects…Today’s video selections are a mishmash of things I love. First up, this doozy of a “what the hell is this video about?” was rediscovered when Lula Houp-Garou did her act at Guilty Pleasures, a tribute to songs we are embarrassed to admit we love. The act itself was brilliance and the video…Well, you be the judge:

Second up, Divine walking down the street in Pink Flamingos to Little Richard’s “The Girl Can’t Help It”

And lastly–I was looking for this last Friday and never found it–The Chauffeur from Duran Duran. This one cracks me up. In my fantasy life, I like to have my chauffeur drop me off in an underground garage for a little interpetive topless lingerie dance with my glam femme girlfriends.  (SORRY ABOUT THE EFFING TIDE COMMERCIAL AT THE TOP.  Stupid monetizing content.)

A Study in Contrasts

So last night, I had a really good evening.  I did a “Strip for your Lover” workshop at a bachelorette party.  It was really fun.  The women there were really smart, cool women in their 30’s–all product developers of one sort or another.  They were a cute, spirited group and I enjoyed teaching them.  It was a blissful evening.

Then this morning, I checked out a review that was done about our show in a local paper.  Blech.  I am sure that all of my frenemies will be happy to hear that we didn’t get a glowing review. So, it basically says that the show isn’t queer enough, the performers aren’t hot enough, and as a cast, we’re not young enough.  It also points out one of the acts (that feels really complicated to me–it addresses 40’s racism blatantly and rides the line between what is right and what is not in a most uncomfortable manner) and says that more acts like that would help the show.  I’ve been hesitant to say anything about said act, but I will say that it is one of the most difficult acts in the show for me.

I hate giving credence to reviewers.  Especially skinny, gay ones who throw around postmodernist theory jargon in an assumption that burlesque performers aren’t going to understand them–and who rate each show in the festival based on whether or not the asses are cute…But need to address a few things.

His basic point is that because burlesque dancers are fundamentally strippers, we’re entrenched in the tired, old hegemony of women display for the male gaze.

He poo-poos the idea of it being somehow radical or revolutionary just because there is individual choice of the performer involved.  And he misses the point of feminist/lesbian burlesque–it’s not the idea that lesbian dancers taking off their clothes is more radical than straight performers doing the same thing.  It doesn’t surprise me that he misses the point–as a gay man who seems to be entrenched in body idealism and gives one show a higher rating because “…one of the performers stepped out of my wet dream”, it figures.

What is queer (in a lesbian way–definitely NOT a part of the youth-worshipping, “hot body” elevating gay male culture) about the show is the idea that every body can be sexy.  That women of all shapes and sizes are hot and can be great, electric performers and deserve to be onstage every bit as much as the large-breasted skinny blonde “ideal”.  And the point that I keep making about queer women stripping for a queer female audience shouldn’t be glossed over.  Queer, to me, is anything that stands outside of the norm–and we’ve got it in spades.

Yes, we could have gone “queer” in the way of another show in the festival and had straight chicks making out with one another and giving one another baths for the voyeuristic pleasure of male viewers, but that is not our style.  Neither is it our style to re-engage body art of the 1970’s or Karen Finley’s screaming-about-her-cunt-naked-and-covered-in-chocolate work–though I give a lot of credit to both for my work.

So, yes.  Reviewers are meant to pick over and pick on shows.  They pick them apart and give critique of entertainment options.  And Girlie-Q has a very specific audience in mind.  But I couldn’t let this review stand without responding.

Look for a more performative response on Sunday at Joie de Vine.  I’m going to do a really “LESBIAN” act.  Stay tuned…

xox,
Ms. Bea Haven

Finally…

A moment to sit down, catch my breath, and write for a bit. It’s been another whirlwind of few weeks. I set up this website, closed down my old blog and uploaded a ton of videos on YouTube.

On Thursday, I got together with my BFF, E. It was SO nice to hang out with her. She gives me a lot of perspective on the burlesque community by not being a part of it–she’s such a cool chick. I’m lucky to know her. She put together a picnic for us in belated celebration of my birthday. It as so much fun. We visited for a while, whilst listening to the Eco Hippies play drums and a seriously annoying whiny horn thing (sounded like a snake charmer’s horn.) Then we went back to E’s house, visited with her partner Aunty Onion, and sang Melissa Etheridge karaoke. What a night! It was one of the best things I did for my birthday in years.

Then Friday we had a kick-ass show. Seriously, the show (The Girlie-Q Variety Hour) just gets better each week. It was fun, the crowd was energetic, and the energy was electric. Good night! Afterwards, I went out with Valerie Dolls and the Puterbaughs (and another old friend, Pieper) to Little Jim’s, this divey 4AM bar in boystown. Me and the Puterbaughs closed down the place and then I crashed on the couch–didn’t want to wake T–until my WORK ALARM went off accidentally at 7:30 AM.

Yesterday, we got promo pieces done for the new Sunday show. Special Lady T designed/ideated the piece and I executed. Then we postered our neighborhood exhaustively, stopped by the venue to say hi to the owners and drop off promo materials, which they loved.

Oop. I have to go get ready for coffee/brunch with Special Lady T and the Strick, my old queer performance pal (and T’s friend, independent of me). Will write more later, promise!

OK. Back now. That was delicious. We went and sat outside at Kopi Cafe. Me and T go there nearly every weekend. Same order: Me, Everything bagel with half hummus and half goat cheese with cucumbers, tomatoes and kalamata olives with a soy “slush buzz” (frozen blended chocolatte); T, everything bagel with peanut butter with a small decaf nonfat mocha. I am full and satisfied. It was so awesome to visit with the Strick. She had some good ideas for people I could ask to join the Girlie-Q board (we’re officially incorporated as a non-profit with the State now! Still need to do the 501(c)(3), but Board recruitment is top of mind at the moment.) It was also nice to hear how things went with her film debut in SF. She is in this very big deal lesbian film with Sharon Gless, that another amazingly talented friend, WenJo, directed and they had a debut a few weeks ago in SF and Rosie O’Donnell was there.

But back to Girlie-Q…I’m really happy with how the show has been going and with the new show(s) in development–and with the performers I’ve found though putting the Girlie-Q run together. It’s a nice, tight cast and I love working with them. I do miss my usual gals, but it’s nice to bring some new energy in. I can’t wait to filter some of these acts into the regular shows. I’m definitely getting the Puterbaughs to put together some acts for Uncommon Ground. They are a perfect fit, as would be the torch singers and oh, just everyone. I adore these folks.

All righty. I am going to go see how to YouTube uploading is going and then maybe start on a sewing project. I’ve got three new costumes in my head and I need to get going on them. Or maybe I’m just going to go sit on the porch and enjoy all of this amazing sunshine.

xox,
Ms. Bea Haven
The Burlesbo <—new tagline invented by me, in conversation with the Puterbaughs

Almost Forgot…In the Trib Today!

Gosh! I almost forgot! We were in the Tribune today (above the fold), along with a lot of other great shows.  So exciting.

Girlie-Q in the Tribune

Look for reviews of the Girlie-Q Variety Hour coming soon. We’re expecting Windy City Times and the Reader next week!

Video Friday!

I swear I will update this soon. It has been a crazy week.

But first, I believe that Flashdance is my burlesque “root”. This first one was my favorite when I was ten.

And the ubiquitous and iconic image: the dancer getting doused in water. Sigh, if only it didn’t make such a mess.