What is your hometown?
Baltimore

How long have you been interested in burlesque/performing?
Performing for 10 years. Burlesque for 5.

How many pairs of pasties do you own?
Presently 13

What are your three favorite songs to perform to?
Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler
Night Train - Alvino Rey
Tiny Bubbles - Don Ho

What three items could you not live without as a performer?
1. Rhinestones
2. Eyelashes
3. Urban Decay Tanning Stick (secret cleavage enhancer!)

Who had the biggest influence on your career?
Pee Wee Herman

Who is your favorite burly queen?
Wild Cherry- total bad ass from 40’s-50’s New Orleans. She has the best stories of sass, surviving and life lessons- like making sure you get paid well for people to see what you’ve got.

What’s on your must-see-TV list?
So You Think You Can Dance and Jackass/Wild Boyz reruns- I love those guys.

What book is on your nightstand?
Several- reading in bed is my favorite hobby! Striptease by Rachel Schteir, Kiss Me Like A Stranger by Gene Wilder, Sacred Contracts by Caroline Myss and The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

If you could go anywhere for vacation, where would you go?
India

If you could have any superpower, which one would you want? Why?
I have one- Irrepressible Cuteness. It serves me well in my mission to make the world mind-blowingly HAPPY!

Satisfy your appetite for more Candy Grams: Michelle L’Amour, 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.

Michelle first made her mark on the world’s neo-burlesque scene by folding her classically trained dance sensibilities into a mix of saucy playfulness and no-holds-barred steaminess. During a Lavender Cabaret show in 2003 (in which she choreographed and performed), circumstances led her to fill in for the show’s striptease artist. Once she “felt the wind” on her bottom for the first time, she was hooked. And what a bottom it is. In a short four years, she’s climbed the heights of the neo-burlesque community, achieving the honor of Miss Exotic World 2005 only two years after taking off her first piece of clothing.

Since then she’s started a successful burlesque school (The Michelle L’amour Burlesque Finishing School for Girls, the world’s only consistent weekly set of classes). With the addition of monthly workshops from New York to Toronto to LA, Michelle can now boast teaching more than 2000 women. “FemmeTV”, a theatrical follies show which she produced, directed and starred in, was one of Chicago’s best loved sexy productions during it’s 2 year existence.

But just one company wasn’t enough. In 2005 she formed Star and Garter Burlesque, eventually turning the performances over to a group of her graduate students. Now two of Chicago’s most successful burlesque troupes are run under the same roof, The Lavender Cabaret

In 2006, L’amour was featured on several episodes of NBC’s top rated “America’s Got Talent” where she plied her peeling trade in front of adoring audiences of more than 40 million viewers. Thought she didn’t win the million smacks offered as the show’s prize, she won the hearts of thousands of fans worldwide.

By performing all over North and South America in the last year, L’amour has gained popularity and experience which has led her into a career as a taste maker and radio personality. Beginning in April 2007, she embarked on a journey with Fearless Radio in front of an international audience with her hit show, In Bed with Michelle L’amour

What does the future hold? A documentary called “What a Booty” is due to air on Canada’s W Network in June 2007. She’s contracted with View Film (creators of “Taxicab Confessions”) to create an unscripted series about being a burlesque star. She’s teamed up with Opera Moda to create an original opera based on “Come Into My Parlor” by Charles Washburn. She’s also begun work on “Nothing But a Good Time - The Poison Musical” with members of Schaudenfreude. With this much on her plate, it’s a wonder she’s had time to produce a popular photographic book series (The first of which, “The Most Naked Woman” was recently released to rave reviews) and series of instructional DVDs.

I guess that’s all in a days work when you have power of POW!

To find out more about Michelle Lamour, check out her profile on the MoBstar Agency.

As well as showing features performances which were filmed at our last Glasgow High Tease, we also learn about the motivations behind each performers desire to tread the boards and entertain audiences.

Beautifully shot and edited, Emma and her team deserve a hearty congratulations for their efforts. Emma can be contacted at emma.balkind@gmail.com and you can learn more about our own Little Red Fairy and Lucky Strikes by visiting the MoB Agency.

The games begun at the lighting of the ‘Olympic Pipe’ and curious onlookers who peeked through the fences and foliage of Bedford Square Gardens were as confused as they were amused to see a foray of immaculate vintage garments, eccentric old school ties and iconic British militaria (complete with pith helmets) on display.

Whilst the band played and the ladies reclined upon an array of rugs amidst the trees and shrubs, nibbling sandwiches and sipping as much complementary gin as their delicate constitutions could handle in one afternoon, the men folk prepared to show off their sporting prowess and camaraderie whilst playing rounds of ’Bounders’, ‘Neck-tie Kwon Do’ and ‘Umbrella Hockey’ among other burlesqued games.

Although the competitions were fiercely well mannered , rivalries for the coveted ‘golden bowler hats’ could be seen emerging as the day wore on and the portaloos grew busy while the Hendrick’s Gin became in danger of running dry. However, not a single contestant was ever in danger of forgetting his manners. In fact, during the Pipe Smokers Relay, the competitors were rather insistent on allowing the other chaps to go first ensuring a lengthy round of ‘no, no after you, I insist’.

Keeping up the spirit (and spirits) of vintage Britain, this event attracted over 700 people and was a major success for The Chap, Hendrick’s Gin and for all who took part in the fun; the Olympiad was a rare treat for anyone bored of high street chains, fast food and trendy culture and was an essential day out for spectators of style and sports alike.

Gypsy is best known for her ‘intelligent strip tease’ style of performance but she also appeared in a notable number of movies and wrote two murder mysteries before her untimely death in 1970. Passing at the young age of 56 in Spring of 1970, the legend of Gypsy Rose Lee was already set to live on as an inspiration to millions and her life now marks as an historical reference point for theatre and burlesque worldwide.

The young Rose Louise Hovick was immediately destined to tread the boards as her mother, Rose Hovick ear-marked her for a career on the stage – by any means necessary. By 1916, Rose Hovick had another daughter, June Hovick who then became her mother’s favourite and took centre stage in all her mothers pursuits, thus leaving the young Rose Louise in her sisters shadow.

After an unhappy childhood of seeing her parents divorce, and being obviously second in line for affection and praise, Rose Louise grew up whilst on tour with her famously ‘pushy’ showbiz mother. The family focused their shows around vaudeville theatre and as the girls grew up, their own ambitions, desires and abilities made the family show impossible. Upon falling for a male member of the Rose Hovick’s troupe, June was outcast by her mother who was devastated at her choosing love over a stage career. As a result, Rose Hovick’s determination to produce a ‘star’ led her attention and efforts to fall on her second choice starlet (but first born daughter), Rose Louise.

It was this rather tragic love affair and family split which was perhaps the catalyst for the creation of a legend. Not having the typical talents of a showgirl – singing and dancing – Rose Louise realised that she could earn well by moving from Vaudeville to the new American burlesque trend.

At this time, the American adaption of the old satirical form of burlesque was a reduced interpretation where satire was dropped in favour of the risqué and so the term burlesque was corrupted and transposed as an entertainment form of striptease – a form that was not regarded as ‘legitimate theatre’. It is of no surprise that the ambitious Rose Hovick was distraught at the idea of her daughter being on a ‘low brow’ bill.

However, Rose Louise had determination and practicality of her own and although she recognised that she was neither a singer, dancer nor even a stripper, she saw a way to make the much needed money using her personality.

Rose Louise made impact with her emphasis on the Tease, rather than the strip and used her natural sense of wit to engage with the audience rather than shed her clothes. New York audiences who attended the clubs were used to watching strip based visual acts such as those found in the clubs of the Minsky brothers who attempted to recreate the famous elaborate and sexy shows of Follie Bergere and Moulin Rouge of Paris. The wit and attitude of the new girl was a breath of fresh air for the clientele who craved after her inimitable style of titillation where the anticipation of a strip and personal interaction were the focus of her routines.

Rose Louise adopted the stage name of ‘Gypsy Rose Lee’ and became one of Minsky’s most popular stars and performed there for 4 years. Living the life of a star, Gypsy was an entertainment icon and adored by the art communities. Artists such Max Ernst personally gave her works for her home and she was a sought after spokeswoman for products and even landed her own television chat show, ‘Gypsy’.

After a disappointing spate of movie roles and a marriage in Hollywood, Gypsy returned to New York where she went on to find a new lover, two further husbands and also gave birth to a son out with her second marriage. By 1942, she had written murder mysteries entitled, ‘The G String Murders’ and ‘Mother Finds a Body’ - the former of which was made in to a movie named Lady of Burlesque and starred Barbara Stanwyck in 1943.

Despite making it on her own, Gypsy was still taking care of her demanding mother via calls for financial aid and so, scandal continued to follow her. Rose Hovick was involved in the shooting of a guest at a boarding house which she had set up reputedly for lesbians. Gypsy and her younger sister the end of the showbiz mum’s days in 1954 when Rose Hovick died of colon cancer.

Free from the demands and control of their mother, both sisters were able to document their memoirs with Gypsy’s being made public; this inspired a musical story by Stephen Sondheim, Julie Styne and Arthur Laurents which as released based on these personal but disputed memoirs. Gypsy became estranged from her sister owing to their conflicting and uncomfortable memories and life choices but reconciled as Gypsy died from lung cancer in 1970.

The remains of Gypsy Rose Lee were laid in Inglewood, California but her memory and life story continues to inspire today.

Tickets to this hot event sold out ages ago and people are literally climbing over themselves to watch the mayhem. Because of this, the nice people at Hendricks Gin have given us two free tickets to the event on 14th July to be given to the person who provides the best caption to the photo on the corresponding forum discussion to this article. The competition closes at seventeen minutes past three on Wednesday 11 July.

The Hendrick’s & Chap Olympiad brings with it a different sort of competitive spirit, showing what we British do best; dressing inappropriately, drinking G&Ts and making complete buffoons of ourselves. Athleticism is not required as the competitors are judged on style, wit, intellect and mental agility. Signalling the opening of the games is the lighting of the Olympic Pipe, followed by a series of ten peculiar track and field events that are as fun to watch as to compete in. The patrons of the event that most unusual of gins, Hendrick’s welcomes athletes of all ages, persuasions and disciplines to partake in the event (just pre-register at olympics@thechap.net). Or simply come along, soak up the atmosphere and sip on a couple of complimentary Hendrick’s and Tonics to the beats of a 1930s jazz band in one of London’s most beautiful, leafy, private gardens. Just don’t forget to bring a retro sensibility and sporting bravado. Guests are encouraged to bring picnic hampers, drinks and all the spoils of British al fresco foods (cucumber sandwiches and that sort of thing) to make this a totally British affair. Just don’t bring the rain with you!

List of track and field events are as follows:-

• Martini Knockout Relay
  Teams compete to mix a dry martini, without the aid of a butler.
• Umbrella Hockey
  Teams of six use their brollies to propel a bowler hat to certain doom.
• The Pipe Smokers’ Relay
  A lit pipe is passed between four teams of three along a gruelling 400-yard course.
• The Three-Trousered Limbo
  Pairs of contestants share enormous trousers & must wriggle under a steadily lowered pole. Underwear must NOT also be shared.
• Neck-tie Kwon Do
  Contestants armed only with the finest silk neckwear attempt to garrotte each other.
• Curling
  Teams of three must propel a perouke with curling tongs to the finishing post, grooming the grass to speed it along.
• The Hendrick’s Steeplechase
  Ladies are the jockeys of the best-dressed stallions in the country, and the hurdles are forbidding, ranging from tins of lager to hoodie mannequins.
• Hop, Skip and G&T
  Contestants must leap into the abyss holding a Hendrick’s gin and tonic.
• Bounders
  Six cads approach six ladies and behave atrociously. The winner is the recipient of the loudest slap.
• Freestyle Dash
  Entrants must bring their OWN VEHICLES, which may be anything from a pogo stick to a bath chair. Any number of passengers is permitted. Only motorised vehicles and living animals are prohibited.

At the end of the day’s activities, points are awarded and prizes given. Bowler hats and cucumber medals are given to the worthy winners, and the Olympiad officially ends with a victory sashay (running would be too uncouth) around the park.

• For more information on The Hendrick’s and Chap Olympiad log onto www.hendricksgin.com
• For more information on the Chap log onto www.thechap.net
• Hendrick’s Gin is priced at £19.99 and is available from Waitrose, select Sainsburys, Oddbinns, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and Peckham’s.

Known as “Black Venus”, “Black Pearl” and “Creole Goddess”, she was a celebrity for more than fifty years until her death in 1975.

Of humble birth to a washer womcan on 3rd of June 1906 she was named Freda Josephine McDonald, the infant Josephine had one great rhythmic influence in her life. Her father, Eddie Carson was a drummer in Vaudeville theatres but during Josephine’s early childhood, he packed up his beaters and walked out on the family.

A rather unsteady childhood paved the way for a string of unsteady marriages and divorces throughout her adult life as she went from babysitter to waitress to ‘end girl’ in a touring Vaudeville show. Undeterred by her serial rejections in her theatric life owing to her skin colour, Josepine persisted in any jobs she could, including wardrobe dressing, just so that she would await her chance to shine like the star she was destined to become.

When filling in for regular chorus girls for a production of ‘Shuffle Along’ who fell ill or simply absent, Josephine startled the producers by developing her own following with her whimsical comedienne prowess. Josephine acted the buffoon, deliberately danced as energetically as she did clumsily and rolled her big eyes emphasising the tongue in cheek nature of her clowning.

Recognising that her success in the United States was bound by prejudice to limit her aspirations, Josphine ventured to Paris to seek a new audience and a new dream. No longer an ‘end girl’, Josephine starred in ‘La Folie du Jour’ at the famous Follies-Bergère Theater and held triumphant appeal with her take on the exotic dance and unbridled, frenetic movements of both her iconic ‘banana dance’ and the ‘Danse Sauvage’ which saw her dressed in skimpy feathers whilst girating and throwing her long supple limbs around the stage. Josephine’s skill and sex appeal made her an instant sensation.

By 1927, Josephine was the highest earning entertainer in Europe and lived a lavish lifestyle to sport it. Showing off her success and passion for the exotic, Jospehine wore the most beautiful clothes and jewels making her a style icon and also collected a menagerie of exotic creatures which she devoted her affections to.

Jospehine then had her big screen break and starred in two movies. Her ever growing success led her to move her family from their home in St. Louis to her estate in France where she would go on to run an orphanage.

A few years before the outbreak of WWII, the now ‘A list’ celebrity Josphine made a return trip to the USA but left soon after her arrival due to the embittered reception she received from the public and press alike. The ensuing racism was devasting and she returned to her beloved France where she would go on to serve patriotically for the French nation in many ways. As well as performing for the troops and being a figure of morale, Josphine received honours from the French goverment for her roles in the Womens Auxilliary Air Force and even her involvement with the Resistance where she used her performing work in espionage missions.

After all her experience of racism, xenophobia and war, Josphine began adopting children and formed a family that she called ‘The Rainbow Tribe’ - a moniker denoting the mix of ethnicity and colours who were siblings under one roof. The children travelled with her calling the public to the witness how happy they were out with the crippling divides of racsim.

After finding solace and companionship with an American man (Robert Brady), and she ended up returning to the USA on many occassions. In 1973, she was invited to perform at New York’s Carnegie Hall where despite her previous heartbreaking encounters, she was met with a standing ovation and public adoration.

In 1975, Jospehine performed at the graceful age of 68, to a star studded audience of the Bobino theatre in Paris and ended her glittering and moving career and life with as sudden an impact as she entered it.

Jospehine slipped into a coma the day after this show and died on 12th of April 1975 from a brain haemhorrage, leaving a legacy of honour and fun for generation to admire.

Josphine’s funeral drew 20,000 mourners who lined the streets of Paris as her coffin made it’s way to the Church of Madaleine. The French government gave her the 21 gun salute and her remains are at rest in Monaco.

In between the photoshoots, international travel and presenting of her own TV show in the USA – Deadly Cinema – Jami rests in her fluffy pink coffin and arranges her vast wardrobe of tributary where her many fabulous outfits are testimony to her dichotomous pursuits and interests - from Marilyn Monroe, Barbie and Sally Rand to all the dark characters of the latex clad villainess, and gothic scream queens you just wouldn’t expect to find in a girlie world of pink.

Having known Jami for some years, it was super catching up with her at the Exotic World 2007 convention in her home town of Las Vegas. Naturally, we made no delays in capturing the beauty on camera for a quick interview. Jami also performed at the opening gala of the event, in homage to Marilyn Monroe and you can see this video here.

Burlesque enthusiast on the UK side of the world, can expect to see much more of her in 2007 as she will grace our stages and cameras this Autumn in a whirlwind visit.

Traditional art meets Performance art in a pioneering twist of genres…. At Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School, professional, amateur and complete newbies to the life drawing class get an eyeful of style and personality as they are encouraged to study and represent a selection of most unusual muses – burlesque performers.

Taking on muses of all sorts of shapes, sizes, characters, gimmicks and eccentricities, the Dr. Sketchy’s classes ensure that all the resulting art is indeed imitating life at it’s fullest and probably wackiest. Disillusioned by the often inflexible and predictable teaching methods of traditional life drawing classes, Molly wanted to create something that was essentially fun and creative – before anyone even put paint/pencil/charcoal or inks to paper.

The brainy beauty behind the world-wide phenomenon is none other Molly Crabapple - an award winning artist, illustrator and established pinup and performer in her own right.

After achieving an enviable body of work that includes publications in such diverse realms as the New York Times , Wallstreet Journal, DC Comics and Playgirl magazine, Molly decided to make her passion for bawdy Victorian and saucy PinUp art possible for others too.

Since Molly founded the ‘Anti-Art School’ in December 2005, the Dr. Sketchy phenomenon has produced a popular selling book (“Dr. Sketchy’s Official Rainy Day Colouring Book”), almost 20 franchises across the world and cult status for Miss Crabapple herself who has already had successful galleries of her own work displayed in prestigious places such as Trinity Art Gallery.

As an inspiration to so many people, Molly will certainly continue to illustrate and inspire with unique ingenuity.

Dusty Limits will be appearing as a guest host with Ophelia Bitz at Dr Sketchy during the Edinburgh Festival. For more information and to buy tickets, please click here.

Reminiscent of the controversial freak and science based acts of the Music Hall such as Walford Bodie, today’s performance art scene is lucky to have such a charismatic Master of Masochism as The Great Voltini (and Nurse Electra) sharing the stages with it’s burlesque divas and cabaret sirens.

Famed for his theatrical use of the Teslar Coils, his charming rhyming patter and his utterly unique ‘art of anal electrocution’ The Great Voltini is a modern British legend in the making.

The Great Voltini kindly put down his instruments of terrorific entertainment and indulged me in an interview where he reveals all about the electrifying loves of his life, staring death in the face on a curious whim and angry neighbours:

“Voltini” – how did he come about? Did you have a lot of spare time on your hands or did it all come about by unexpected accident, or have you had a long term interest in electrocution?

I picked up an old electrotherapy machine in a junk shop. I knew nothing about electricity at the time but this machine fascinated me, with it’s glowing purple electrodes that electrocuted me in a most pleasant manner.

I became determined to know everything about this strange high voltage machine & in the process discovered Tesla coils - lightning machines capable of over 500,000 volts. There’s a magic about these machines & I can’t stop building & refining them. I’ve always enjoyed doing curious & masochistic things in public, so the birth of The Great Voltini was a natural progression.

What is the most dangerous stunt that you have attempted? And Succeeded in?

I’ve performed the ‘Lightning Man’ on one of the biggest Tesla coils in the world, built by HVFX genius Nick Field. Sparks over 10 feet long shoot out of my body, it’s beautiful - I’m the human plasma ball. This stunt was first performed in the 1890’s by it’s inventor, Nicola Tesla.

In 1951 it killed high voltage performer Henry Transtrom.

Any accidents? Perhaps a funny story?

One time (whilst running on idiot), mode I decided whilst being electrified, to switch the kitchen light off. A spark shot from my finger & connected with the mains, which caused my muscles to violently contract & throw me across the room.
Not nice.

My very first Tesla coil was very badly built & it sent rogue frequencies into the mains, which destroyed my neighbour’s computer. He wasn’t pleased.

Do you enjoy the masochism and the electrocution?

I enjoy it tremendously, but it has to be on the stage to do it for me, I don’t sit on the sofa at home with an electrode up my arse.

Tell me about Nurse Electra.

The love of my life - and she lets me electrocute her. What more could I ask?

Have you ever been in trouble with the Thought Police?

I don’t think so.

Do you actively seek trouble?

No. I like to test the boundaries of taste. If a performance isn’t challenging, it’s wallpaper.
Are you fascinated by your own mortality?

Yes. I’m an atheist so death is very final to me. Playing with potentially fatal toys is a great way to concentrate the mind.

What does the future hold for Voltini?

At heart I’m a performer, so that’s what I’ll be doing.

First published in Forum Magazine, Vol 40. No7