WC Fields once said of crossdressing burlesquer and vaudevillian, Julian Eltinge; "Women went into ecstasies over him. Men went into the smoking room."

I've been told (I never really notice when I'm on-stage) that sometimes there's a similar reaction to myself and a number of male performers. I even once had a duo of hecklers in a Glasgow audience. So, curious as to whether any of you man-twirlers or audience members have ever noticed or dealt with this?

xx CL

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Roll up! Roll up! Behold, the Cherry Loco death ride!

Well I showed my boyfriend Impressive Johnson's streak routine for Bizarre and he just sat there wide-eyed and drop-jawed
He thought it was a good act and does 'appreciate' male burlesque out there but I think he's more of a fan of the women-with-tassles kind hehe...

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Art:
www.myspace.com/nicolaroscoecalvert

he he man twirlers!! I'm having flash backs, we talked about this the other week didn't we?

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Calliope Cootch has all the fun of the fair www.myspace.com/calliopecootch
www.myspace.com/fanteaseya Fanteaseya: Edinburgh's newest, most exciting burlesque club

I usually get loads of positive feedback from guys in the audience ...

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www.myspace.com/growlingclown

I think boys felt envious when they watched Lucky Strikes. There was nothing threatening to their sexuality about him, unless they really had 'issues', or of course in case they caught their girlfriends drooling!
I think what I'm saying is that it depends on the performer. I've only seen one Cherry Loco performance and it was graceful. That will make some men uncomfortable because it doesn't 'add up' for them. I don't like to generalise because men differ from men, and women differ from women but a typical 'male' inclination is a desire for things to stay in their categories and, therefore, make sense. They don't like grey areas. Androgyny is a step too far for many people. But I find it daft that such things aren't expected at burlesque nights. I think it should be part of the furniture.

I agree, androgyny and everything freakish that pushes boundaries should just be a part of burlesque. If men want to be sexually aroused go to a strip bar not a burlesque event
Good to hear that boys are appreciating male burlesquers, I know that my boyfriend doesn't have a problem with them... in fact he just said "I think it makes a lot of sense considering the tone of burlesque"!

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Rock 'n' Roll me baby

Well I do know that some men do get aroused watching burlesque and that's OK. I just think it shouldn't be a surprise for burlesque audiences when an androgynous act appears onstage or an act that is in any other way 'challenging'.
An ideal burlesque night, for me, would be the full experience and should take you on a rollercoaster ride. How dull if it's just pretty girl after pretty girl flouncing.
Leyla. x

My boyfriend thinks Warren is the Shizzle!!!!

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myspace.com/lolapopsburlesque

As I'm comfortable with my sexuality and have no fears of developing or being accussed of having homosexual desires at all I can appreciate Boylesquers for what they are, an attempt to entertain me. I recently had the pleaseure of watching Warren Speed perform at the Cherry Pop Peep Show and I thought he was bloody good at what he does, but I did notice his reaction was solidly female.. the men in the audience seemed very quiet. It is my belief that Warren got the best reaction of the night.

I employed a Boylesque performer for the 3rd Silk Stocking Striptease Show, a hobbyist with an exhibitionist streak, a good sense of parody and pure stage presence. The women enjoyed his act whilst the men were more reserved. I did speak to one of my regular male audience members and he reported that he felt weird at first watching a bloke do a striptease but by the end he enjoyed the act for what it was, quite funny.

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Silk Stocking Striptease Show

Iolair saw Impressive's Cowboy routine at Fanteaseya the other week and loved it - he was cheering and belly-laughing during the funny bits, if he was even mildly disconcerted by the routine he certainly did a great job of hiding it!

Here, here! The whole point of Burlesque is fun, variety and individuality, if we all did the same-old, same-old the scene would die out and fast!

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"The girls all laugh, but the boys all sing, She puts the zing in swing - Everybody's talkin' about Miss Thing!" Lavay Smith and the Red Hot Skillet Lickers