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Coming to Broadway: he’s a baritone black belt with a love for Les Misérables and a degree in kicking ass–it’s Kindergarten Cop, the Musical! I chatted with the self-described chocolate charmer Samson Night about swapping Arabic 101 for Intro to Show Choir, teaching children by day and commanding the stage at night, eschewing striptease archetypes and channeling the Shaft, saying no-no to go-go and yes to demystifying charisma, getting crowned Queen of Exotic World and contending with criticism, and how preserving the future legacy of burlesque is dependent in part on the nuanced conversations our community-industry is having today.
Shout Outs to Ben Vereen, Bawdy Suit, Margo Mayhem, Ruth or Dare, Ray Gunn, Jezebel Express, the Slipper Room, Veronica Viper, Jimmy Guilford, Jo Weldon, and the late great Dixie Evans.
Follow Samson Night: @TheSamsonNight @midnightmayhemburlesque and @bawdy_suit on Instagram and SamsonNight Boylesque on Facebook
Follow Chris Harder: @TheChrisHarder on Instagam, Twitter, TikTok, and www.HarderChris.com
Follow Show Boys: @ShowBoysPod on Instagram
Questions for Chris? Email him at [email protected] or [email protected]
More about Samson Night:
Samson Night is a cross genre artist with over 25 years of professional experience in the businesses of TV/ Film, Broadway, Voice Over, Commercials and Print. Currently starring on Broadway and at Carnegie Hall, he is also a theater educator and utilizes techniques learned and used from those experiences to teach a variety of burleque and performance workshops.
Voted #6 on the 2022 Burlesque Top 50, Samson has been featured as the closer for the opening night of the New York Burlesque Festival and has won multiple titles including "Queen Of The Roses" at the Oregon Burlesque Festival as well as "Best Group" with his partner Margo Mayhem and most recently, Queen of Exotic World at the 2023 Burlesque Hall of Fame.
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A snowman, an Englshman, and an eclair with a questionable medical degree all walk into a bar... I chatted with emcee extraordinairre and everyone's favorite ex-husband Bradford Scobie about MY personal journey with body hair, the do’s, don’t’s, and donuts of hosting, why you should always carry a spare engagement ring, being the Marina Abramovic of burlesque, penis etiquette at a “family” strip show, our mutual admiration of birthday girls and bachelorette parties, and why staying open to the unexpected always leads to the sweetest moments onstage.
Shout outs to Kate Valentine (Miss Astrid), the Slipper Room, Scotty the Blue Bunny, Hotsy Totsy, Melody Sweets, and The Big Sh'Bang.
Follow Bradford Scobie: @BradfordScobie and @Sir_RichardCastle on Instagram
Follow Chris Harder: @TheChrisHarder on Instagam, Twitter, TikTok, and www.HarderChris.com
Follow Show Boys: @ShowBoysPod on Instagram
Questions for Chris? Email him at [email protected] or [email protected]
More about Bradford Scobie:
Bradford Scobie has been a show-host of burlesque since the dawn of the millennium. His many stage personas include Doctor Donut, Mister Peaches, Moisty the Snowman & Johnny Rooster, but he is best known as naughty English gentleman, Sir Richard Castle. He has hosted everything from festivals to fetish balls throughout New York City and beyond and can be seen hosting regularly at the Slipper Room in NYC.
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We have officially entered the glitter apocalypse, where the heels are high, the kiwis are in season, and the room is always moving, baby! I chatted with pillar of Portland queer nightlife Isaiah Esquire about his Biblical beginnings with Burlesquire, standing out in a sea of Suicide Girls, serving stunts and saying “no thanks” to Ameria’s Got Talent, traversing the midwest with a Caravan of Glam, the coolness of otherness and the most mysterious fruit, and how to show up authentically onstage and MOVE! THAT! ROOM!
Shout outs to Your Morning Drip, Inferno Cabaret, Perle Noire, Kevin Aviance, Burlesquire, Johnny Nuriel, Rose City Sirens, Caravan of Glam, Angelique DeVil, and BOYeurism.
Follow Isaiah Esquire: @IsaiahEsquire and @Izohnny on Instagram
Follow Chris Harder: @TheChrisHarder on Instagam, Twitter, TikTok, and www.HarderChris.com
Follow Show Boys: @ShowBoysPod on Instagram
Questions for Chris? Email him at [email protected] or [email protected]
More about Isaiah Esquire:
Isaiah Esquire is dancer, performer, and the producer and headliner of the hit bi-monthly show BOYeurism in Portland, OR. As a dancer and performer, Isaiah has graced many stages acoss the United States as well as internationally, including Jamaica and Finland. His many titles and honors include Mr. Gay Pride 2010, Mr. Oregon Gay United States 2012, and Mr. NW Fierce 2014. He was also the winner of the 2013 Carribean Burlesque Festival where he was crowned "Queen of the Island." Besides showcasing his work on America's Got Talent, Isaiah is also featured in the 2017 documentary, Burlesque: Heart of the Glitter Tribe.
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Caution! Mess with this bear and you’re gonna get the claws-or at least the pinky one. I chatted with the dexterously debonaire Broody Valentino about being a bear of paradise in a land full of flannels, bringing the DRAMA to New York City Boylesque, gothing out with the gurls of SqueezeBox, supersizing the glamour and burlesquing beauty standards, cuddling with pigeons and making marionettes cry, structured madness with the inimitable Susanne Bartsch, and why you don’t have to try so hard to be sexy because, baby, you already are.
Shout outs to Matt Knife, Jonny Porkpie, Violet Chachki, Dirty Martini, Patti LuPone, Susanne Bartsch, Amanda Lepore, and the timeless Kermit the Frog.
Follow Broody Valentino: Broody Valentino on Facebook, @Broody_Valentino on Instagram, and @Broody-Valentino on Venmo
Follow Chris Harder: @TheChrisHarder on Instagam, Twitter, TikTok, and www.HarderChris.com
Follow Show Boys: @ShowBoysPod on Instagram
Questions for Chris? Email him at [email protected] or [email protected]
More about Broody Valentino:
Broody Valentino, the “Teddy Bear With Claws,” is a Boylesque performer based in New York City. A graduate of the New York School of Burlesque, Broody's mixture of the classic and the irreverent has made him a fixture on the NY Boylesque scene. Balancing theatricality and camp has garnered him the epithet “The Telenovela of Burlesque” which has allowed him to: perform for the 2020 Virtual Burlesque Hall of Fame (VHOF), the 2018 Life Ball in Vienna, Austria, headline at the 2019 Capitol Burlesque Expo in Ottawa, Canada, receive the Legends Award at the 2018 Burlypicks World Championship, and be crowned the reigning King of New Jersey Burlesque at the New Jersey Burlesque Festival. His other awards include the titles Best Overall, Master of Improv, and Master of Amazement at the first New Jersey Burlypicks Regional, the Golden Tassel for Best Boylesque at the 2017 Philadelphia Burlesque Awards, and The Beautiful Weirdo award at the 2017 Alterna-tease Neo-burlesque festival. A proud member of the Latinx Burlesque community, Broody enjoys challenging the concepts of masculinity and body image through the use of humor, sensuality, and style showing audiences that the big guys can sparkle with the best of them!
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Where do you go for rock hard go-go boys and soft shell crabs? TESTOSTERONE, baby! I chatted with ever so handsome Mr. Gorgeous about unlocking the mystique of the Baltimore accent and the city's history of striptease queens, juggling fire with his father and finding burlesque through bull fighting, the trials, tribulations, and condiments of the Testosterone variety show, constructing costumes for Broadway and growing his Gorgeous by Gorgeous empire, and why technique isn't as important as doing things your own way.
Shout outs to Kev Beverly, Reid and Harriet, Trixie Little, Kitten and Lou, John Waters, Jinkx Monsoon, and the late Baltimore burlesque legends, Blaze Starr and Lady Zorro.
Follow Mr. Gorgeous: @MrGorgeousNy and @Gorgeous_by_Gorgeous on Instagram
Follow Chris Harder: @TheChrisHarder on Instagam, Twitter, TikTok, and www.HarderChris.com
Follow Show Boys: @ShowBoysPod on Instagram
Questions for Chris? Email him at [email protected] or [email protected]
More about Mr. Gorgeous:
Mr. Gorgeous has been charming audiences around the globe since 2009, with his comedic and charismatic approach to contemporary burlesque. He has become a frequent persona in NYC nightlife, working several iconic venues including The Slipper Room, Le Scandal, and Galapagos Art Space.
Gorgeous has had the opportunity to perform in Dita Von Teese’s touring show Strip Strip Hooray and Europe’s largest HIV / AIDS benefit, Life Ball. He’s also been presented as the headlining performer for numerous national and international burlesque festivals including Helsinki, Vienna, Rome, Vancouver, Colorado, Las Vegas, among others.
Gorgeous was awarded “Most Comedic“ at the Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas in 2013 and was named Mr. Exotic World, King of Boylesque in 2014. He's also appeared multiple times in the Burlesque Top 50 by 21st Century Burlesque.
In addition to performing, Mr. Gorgeous owns and operates his own costume company, Gorgeous by Gorgeous. Self-proclaimed Spandexpert, Gorgeous designs and sews everything from intricate circus leotards to playful underwear and bodysuits. If you are looking for a flashy pair of trunks to party in or something a bit more extravagant, he’s got you covered. If it stretches, he sews it!
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A PSA to all bachelorettes: today is NOT your day. I chatted with the disarmingly charming Ray Gunn about the overlooked connotations of the word “boylesque," the best practices for dealing with Australian hen parties, why lactose and codpieces should never meet, the two sexiest things a performer can do onstage, drinkin’ white wine and pissin’ on Coney Island, pillow talk with the late Toni Elling, the main difference between Chicago and New York burlesque performers, and how to use the “whole chicken” onstage.
Shout outs to Due Damage, Hot Toddy, Jett Adore, Bazuka Joe, Perle Noire, Egypt Blaque Knyle, Isaiah Esquire, Tigger, Bettie Blackheart and Epe, the Burlesque Hall of Fame, and the late Toni Elling.
Follow Ray Gunn: @iamraygunn on Instagram and Ray Gunn on Facebook
Follow Chris Harder: @TheChrisHarder on Instagam, Twitter, TikTok, and www.HarderChris.com
Follow Show Boys: @ShowBoysPod on Instagram
Questions for Chris? Email him at [email protected] or [email protected]
More about Ray Gunn:
Crowned King of Burlesque at the 2013 Burlesque Hall of Fame, Ray Gunn has headlined at burlesque festivals and shows across the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand with his smoldering, sexy, and frequently avant garde solo acts. Trained in contemporary dance, acrobatics, capoeira, and pole dancing, Ray creates imaginative works of strip-tease art that show off his athletic ability and inspired choreography. Ray served on the creative team of ‘Beggar’s Carnivale’ in St. Louis and is also the creator of the Vertical Side Show of Chicago.
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This. Girl. Is. The. Nastiest. Hobbyist. I. Have. Met. Do. Not. Book. Her! I chatted with Tuscon treasure Matt Finish about the mysterious origins and unresolved legacy of Suzy Von Strip, avoiding the pitfalls of the EOY pageant, mining the treasures of Arizona burlesque, how ripping out your entrails is the new final reveal, the intricacies of nude scorpion photo shoots, being the worst dancer in Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, the fount of inspiration that is Pippa Middleton, and what really defines a professional performer.
Shout outs to Dr. Bones, Lola Demure, Fanny Galore, Red Hot Annie, the late Bambi Jones, Desiré D'Amour, Cha Cha Velour, Holli Mae Johnson, 21st Century Burlesque, and the labour of all burlesque performers.
Follow Matt Finish: @xo.mattfinish on Instagram
Follow Chris Harder: @TheChrisHarder on Instagam, Twitter, TikTok, and www.HarderChris.com
Follow Show Boys: @ShowBoysPod on Instagram
Questions for Chris? Email him at [email protected] or [email protected]
More about Matt Finish:
Matt Finish, "The Golden Boy of Burlesque," is a burlesque producer, performer, and emcee from Tucson, AZ. A 6-time Burlesque Top 50 nominee, Matt was crowned "Mr. Exotic World" at the 2015 Burlesque Hall of Fame.
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Help! Far across the Alaskan sea, a plastic pangea encroaches on humanity. Luckily, there’s a burlesque performer with plenty of resourcefulness and even more eyelash glue to elevate it into art. I chatted with Seattle’s most effervescent outsider, The Luminous Pariah, about being the Bjork of Burlesque, the joys of lesbian acoustic rock, performing for the gays vs. performing for your peers, safety tips for biking with lashes, looking like trash and feeling fierce, serving salmon to the coastguard of Alaska, how the eyes are the windows to Jackie Beat, introducing interns to an advanced curriculum in rhinestoning, and why small town folks are not only less scary than you think, they might actually need you more than you can know.
Shout outs to BurlyCon, Bianca Del Rio, Mod Carousel, Moscato Sky, Tigger, Jackie Beat, and the eternally glamorous Amanda Lepore.
Follow The Luminous Pariah: @luminouspariah and @modcarousel on Instagram
Follow Chris Harder: @TheChrisHarder on Instagam, Twitter, TikTok, and www.HarderChris.com
Follow Show Boys: @ShowBoysPod on Instagram
Questions for Chris? Email him at [email protected] or [email protected]
More about The Luminous Pariah:
The Luminous Pariah is a Seattle-based interdisciplinary cabaret performance artist. Luminous tours extensively and has performed in over 150 international productions throughout Europe, Canada, and Australia as a soloist as well as one-fourth of the acclaimed burlesque collective Mod Carousel.
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What do you do after faceplanting in front of Ann Reinking? "Dust yourself off, pick yourself up, and start all over again" (Jazz Hands!) I chatted with the award-winning and well-traveled Lou Henry Hoover about his First Lady origins, fangirling over Fred Astaire, "serious" modern dance, bringing Femmes to the front of burlesque, stripping on Bourbon Street, why New York City tastes like pistachio lemon cream, lesbian tipping etiquette in 2023, and why you should never apologize for falling (or failing) onstage.
Shout outs to Kitten LaRue, the Atomic Bombshells, Cherdonna Shinatra, Waxie Moon, Jett Adore, and the late Donald McKayle and Ann Reinking.
Follow Lou Henry Hoover: @LouHenryHoover and Kitten_and_Lou on Instagram
Follow Chris Harder: @TheChrisHarder on Instagam, Twitter, TikTok, and www.HarderChris.com
Follow Show Boys: @ShowBoysPod on Instagram
Questions for Chris? Email him at [email protected] or [email protected]
More about Lou Henry Hoover:
Lou Henry Hoover is a drag/dance/boylesque artist that makes his living hoofing, choreographing, and teaching dance. He has been described as a purveyor of “hilarious dance magic,” and “a treasure beyond measure, a genius, a jewel, a muse” (The Seattle Stranger). Lou collaborates extensively with his wife Kitten LaRue. Kitten N’ Lou have been named the #1 Burlesque Performers in the world AND among the top 10 most influential burlesque performers of the decade (Burlesque Top 50), awarded Most Comedic and Best Duo by The Burlesque Hall of Fame. Together they have performed at such esteemed entities such as Joe’s Pub NYC and have toured from FringeWorld Perth around the globe as eminent headlining performers on the international burlesque and cabaret circuit. Lou’s work has been supported by The Seattle Mayor’s Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, 4Culture, and Artist Trust, among others. He is also the first drag king to compete for the title "Best in Boylesque" at BHOF and ultimately be crowned the first AFAB Mr. Exotic World, King of Boylesque (2017).
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This ones for the short AND the tall kings! I chatted with Drag King performer and impressario "Dirtyboi" Xavier about Minneapolis' Queer bubble, giving the audience an awkward boner, acts of Penny Tration, becoming demi-DOMule, shaving their legs to Selena Gomez, the latest toilet seat accessories at Home Depot, staying clear of stage sharks, the potentiality of Hungarian drag, and why speaking up about Queer rights is something everyone (including queer people) can do before, during, and after Pride.
Shout outs to Murray Hill, Nadi A'marena, Dragged Out Minneapolis, Siren and Ice Rhinestoning, and Tanya Marquardt. Oh, and Weird Al Yankovic.
Follow Xavier: @DirtyBoiXavier and @Dragged_Out on Instagram
Follow Chris Harder: @TheChrisHarder on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and www.HarderChris.com
Question for Chris? Email him at [email protected] or [email protected]
More about Xavier:
Known for his penchant for penguin tail tuxes, outlandish humor, and penetrating smolder, Xavier has been performing drag throughout the Twin Cities and nationally since 2001, including fundraisers for various queer organizations and individuals. He is the hunky half of the duo Nadi X and the producer of Dragged Out, one of the longest running drag king shows in the Midwest. Whether tickling your funny bone or tackling political themes, Xavier lives up to his tagline of being your Commander-in-Heat!
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Picture it: The Windy City, 1975. You're surrounded by scores of naked men, TV celebrities, a very chatty puppet, AND... world famous fan dancer, Sally Rand! For Chicago LGBT Hall of Famer Gary Chichester, it was "just another day at work." I chatted with the gay rights activist and entertainment producer about his tenure as manager of the legendary gay bathhouse, courting Sally Rand and shushing Paul Lynde, clowning around inside a big top, close encounters with the Boys in the Band, and why learning about LGBT history is the only way to securing our Queer future. Shout outs to the incomparable Chuck Renslow, Wayland Flowers and Madame, Bruce Vilanch, Franne Golde, Owen Keehnen, Tracy Baim, Circus Vargas, and so many others in this super gay, extra PRIDEful edition of Show Boys.
Read more about Gary Chichester's 50+ years in gay rights activism and show business:
https://www.windycitytimes.com/lgbt/Gary-Chichester-A-Remarkable-Life/28823.html
Follow Chris Harder: @TheChrisHarder on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and www.HarderChris.com
Questions for Chris? Email him at [email protected] or [email protected]
Special thanks to Mel and the Leather Archives and Museum: https://leatherarchives.org/
Gary Chichester and the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame: https://chicagolgbthalloffame.org/chichester-gary/
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Are you a versatile performer in the bedroom and onstage but tired of bottom barrel pastie tape? Try VERSE STICK, endorsed by P. No Noire and Faggedy Randy (patent pending). I got to chat with the burlesque power couple pre-BHoF about having ten (w)hole minutes onstage, reading the room and fist bumping bros, how to NOT fuck on the first date, the love language of sexy loogie voices, their next “only fans” adventure, and why creating diverse casting is not so much “rising to the challenge” as it is just, you know… EASY. Plus, check out the Juneteenth Jump Off, A Black Burlesque Celebration in Chicago on June 19th and sponsor it from afar at the links below.
Shout outs to Burlesque Hall of Fame, Viktor Devonne, Samson Night, and Bawdy Suit.
Follow P. No Noire: @P.NoNoire on Instagram
Follow Faggedy Randy: @FaggedyRandy on Instagram
Follow Chris Harder: @TheChrisHarder on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and www.HarderChris.com
Questions for Chris? Email him at [email protected] or [email protected]
More about P. No Noire:
Crowned Mr. Exotic World/King Of Burlesque and “Most Dazzling” at The Burlesque Hall of Fame Tournament of Tease in 2022, P. NoNoire is one-third of Bawdy Suit; along with Faggedy Randy (SEA/CHI) and Samson Night (NYC). P. No has been featured in Jeezy's Juke Joint (Chicago/various cities; 2017-2022), Chicago's Burning City Festival (2018), "The Jinkx and Dela Holiday Special" (Available on Hulu and various streaming platforms; 2020). P. No was the Grand Master Funk of Seattle's What The Funk Fest (2021), White Elephant Burelsque’s Entertainer of the Year (2021), and is one 21st Century Burlesque Magazine’s Top 50 Most Influential Figures of 2021 and 2022.
More about Faggedy Randy:
Known as “The Bronze Bottom of Burlesque,” Faggedy Randy is 1/3 of production trio BAWDY SUIT with P. NoNoire & Samson Night. His brilliant style, blended with dynamic, campy and gorgeous performances have earned him several accolades including Seattle Burlesque Performer of the Year 2020, Mr. Panama Burlesque 2021, 21st Century Burlesque Magazine’s Top 50 for 2021, and Panama Burlesque Fest Most Comedic 2022. Most recently he won both the WEBurlesque Silver Tusk Awards “Best In Comedy” & “Visionary Award” for 2023, the title of “Mr. Hollywood Burlesque” at the 2023 Hollywood Burlesque Festival, and M. Exotic World 2nd Runner Up and "Most Comedic" at the Burlesque Hall of Fame Tournament of Tease 2023.
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What do you do when you're "the Chi Chi Rodriguez of drag"? Listen to your mother and take off your clothes! Tune in as I chat with the craziest, sexiest, coolest Tito Bonito about winning over the LA gays, his red light pilgrimage to TLC, how assesls are the “bottom breasts” of burlesque, why YOU should be on Onlyfans, and how following your gut is the greatest route to becoming your best self on and off the stage.
Shout outs to Bunny Galore, Jeez Loueez, Big Dipper Jelly, Gloria Estefan, and of course, T.L.C.
Follow Tito Bonito: www.TitoBonito.com and @CubanMissileCrisis on Instagram
Follow Chris Harder: @TheChrisHarder on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and www.HarderChris.com
Questions for Chris? Email him at [email protected] or [email protected]
More about Tito Bonito:
Tito Bonito is an internationally acclaimed burlesque entertainer, comedian, and instructor who has captivated audiences with his humor and wit. Originally from Chicago by way of Miami, Tito began his journey in Los Angeles in 2012 and has become a notable fixture in the scene, winning awards such as being listed as one of LA Weekly’s People of 2016 and awarded “Most Comedic” at the Burlesque Hall of Fame in 2017. He has also appeared in various forms of media including music videos, magazine features, web series, and television (NBC, Epic, Playboy, OutTV, Naked News). Tito also has taught several of his courses at the world’s largest burlesque education convention, BurlyCon. Bonito was also ranked in 21st Century Burlesque’s Top 50 Most Influential Industry Figures in the World consecutively since 2018, coming in at #7 in 2020. Currently, Tito has residencies in Santa Ana, Pomona, Palm Springs, and Hollywood. For more information, please visit TitoBonito.com.
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If you're not dying backstage are you REALLY doing striptease?? We are kicking Episode 1 of Show Boys off with the Original Mr. Exotic World and the Godfather of Neo-Boylesque himself, TIGGER! Tune in as we talk Penny Arcade and naked performance art, the ex-boyfriends who named us, Tempest Storm for Subway Salads, why you need to burn your boxer briefs, and of course, the art of f*cking 'em in the heart.
This episode is dedicated to the life and legacy of Bic Carrol: internationally renowned revue producer, choreographer, costumer, and the Grandfather of Boylesque. Rest in power!
Follow Tigger: @Tiggerlesque on Instagram
Follow Chris Harder: @TheChrisHarder on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and www.HarderChris.com
Questions for Chris? Email him at [email protected] or [email protected]
More about Tigger:
Tigger!, "The Godfather of Neo-Boylesque" has performed in New York City since 1988 & around the world since 1993. A pioneer in the 1990s burlesque renaissance who won the 1st-ever "Mr. Exotic World/King of Boylesque" title at the Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas in 2006. He has won numerous Golden Pastie Awards, including "Most Likely to Get Shut Down by the Law" & "Most Unpredictable Performer." Called "a fantastically watchable naughty satyr" by The Scotsman and "the Taboo-Defying Dynamo" by NEXT Magazine. His act was banned in Rome. He has performed all around Europe, Australia, North America, and South America. -
Do you love Doggie Chow as much as you do gluing rhinestones to your nether regions? Have you ever sold a piece of furniture or traded a superfluous toe for a bolt of four way stretch spandex? Can you envision a life--nay, a world--where sex, humour, and banana hammocks reign supreme? If you answered yes to any of these questions or are even still reading, THIS is the podcast for you! Show Boys explores the history, mystery, and multiple facets of the world of Boylesque and male striptease. Hosted by New York City Boylesque performer and nightlife emcee Chris Harder, each episode is a glittery, gritty, full-frontal introduction to a Boylesque performer, adult entertainer, drag queen or figure from queer history that will leave you icing your nipples faster than you can pique turn and scream, IT'S VERSACE!
For advertising and media inquiries, email [email protected]
For Chris Harder bookings, email [email protected]
More at www.HarderChris.com
