In the 1980s the “male exotic dancers” of Chippendales were everywhere, selling the promise of women’s liberation for the price of a few dollars in a g-string. But behind the powerful mullets, oiled pecs, and non-stop parties lies a much darker story of greed, corruption and murder. Historian Natalia Petrzela exposes one of the great, sordid, unexamined stories in American culture.
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In the 1980s the “male exotic dancers” of Chippendales were everywhere, selling the promise of women’s liberation for the price of a few dollars in a g-string. But behind the powerful mullets, oiled pecs, and non-stop parties lies a much darker story of greed, corruption and murder. Historian Natalia Petrzela exposes one of the great, sordid, unexamined stories in American culture.
When Steve Banerjee, a young Indian immigrant, arrives in Los Angeles, he is determined to start a successful business just like his two idols, Hugh Hefner and Walt Disney. And by 1979, he does. With the help of a Canadian pimp Steve turns his crumbling dive bar into the hottest nightclub in L.A. Welcome to the early days of Chippendales, where women lose their inhibitions and men lose their clothes. But don't look too closely because what's hidden beneath those oiled pecs and dollar-stuffed g-strings is more twisted than you could ever imagine.
Follow us on Instagram for archival footage, photos and more at @chippendalesrevealed.
Recreate the club experience for yourself with our playlist on Spotify.
Did you ever go to Chippendales? Got a wild story? A burning question? Leave us a short voicemail at (323) 475-9424.
Cover artwork by Lindsay Mound.
Banerjee Interview copyright Eric Gilbert.
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Welcome to Your Fantasy
In the 1980s the “male exotic dancers” of Chippendales were everywhere, selling the promise of women’s liberation for the price of a few dollars in a g-string. But behind the powerful mullets, oiled pecs, and non-stop parties lies a much darker story of greed, corruption and murder. Historian Natalia Petrzela exposes one of the great, sordid, unexamined stories in American culture.
