Burlesque is it grotesque?

[claig]

Very sad state of affairs, burlesque becoming mainstream

Burlesque it's just grotesque

[breathtakingben]

Daily Mail.

[claig]

yes, I agree it's on the nail as ever

[scottishmummy]

makes me sad women claiming to be emancipated because they are free to strip for men.by all means people should chose their own jobs but dont make out stripping as some emancipated act that is fulfilling and redresses imbalance between sexes.it is not that.it is a job where the criteria is
speak your weight
minimal clothes
provocative writhing for money
perky tits and ass
...and when you dont fulfil above criteria they will sack you

usually the oft touted line is burlesque tallulah is a straight A student paying her way through medical and or law school.as if sleazy burlesque benefits society

[claig]

agree scottishmummy, it is very sad. We are going backwards.

[David51]

A very biased view from the DM as you'd expect. And how typical of them to voice their moral disapproval at the same time as giving us lots of porno images to look at.

Happily the comments responding to the piece help put things in perspective.

Based on very limited experence I would say the defining feature of Burlesque - what makes it different to what you see in a typical strip joint - is its humour. The performer is 'sexy' but also sends up the whole idea of being 'sexy'. Too bad for you if you can't see the joke.

This humorous element explains why - contrary to the impression given by this article - burlesque typically has a mixed audience and also why the performers enjoy what they do.

[msrisotto]

Oh yes, even better to laugh at the naked wriggling woman. Silly me, I almost didn't get that one.

[David51]

Oh yes, even better to laugh at the naked wriggling woman. Silly me, I almost didn't get that one

Try to see a show so you will know what you're talking about next time

[msrisotto]

Wrong assumption David. I've taken part in a burlesque class (does that make me more or less qualified than you to discuss this form of stripping?), I know what i'm talking about, unlike you with your egotestical attitude. Thanks anyway.

[LoopyLoopsOfSparklyFairyLights]

I find it just as vile as any other type of stripping. However, lots of people see it as more alternative/mainstream (contradiction I know) so therefore it seems to be more socially acceptable, even by women. I'm not sure why, exactly. Still very sleazy.

[gothicmama]

you are discussing a type of american burlesque, The bigger discussion should be why is society trying to rebrand what is obviously stripping by another name.

[msrisotto]

Exactly gothic - it's just stripping by another name.

[TheCrackFox]

It is just a fancy type of stripping but it is still stripping.

[moondog]

'Burlesque' is just plain old fashioned titillation. Nowt wrong with that but don;'t try and make it all like so todally post-modern ok?


What a pile of shit.

[HerBeatitude]

It's just basically the Nuts/ Zoo argument all over again isn't it? That ran something like: "we're all post-feminist now, stripping is ironic and humourous, we can all larf at it becauase we're all equal now, so STFU and get yer tits out girls."

And now we're not laughing at Nuts and Zoo anymore. They don't even pretend to be joking now, because they don't need to.

[claig]

exactly gothicmama and msrisotto. It is stripping by another name. But as the article says, it is not politically correct for the bankers and lawyers to go to strip clubs so they dress it up in a postmodern ironic style and add some postmodern humour which makes a joke of the stripping. That way the bankers and lawyers can carry on smug in their view that this is not stripping, but a postmodern comedy and dance show.

The movie 'Burlesque' will help to make it even more mainstream.

[Lovecat]

Can't stand it.

I read someone somewhere (possibly on MN?) saying that burlesque was basically stripping for middle-class women who thought they were too 'naice' for stripping.

I see no humour in it, tbh, woo hoo, so she nearly took her top off but then gave us a knowing glance and didn't? (and I was at a burlesque show as part of someone's hen night (wtf?!) so I know what I'm on about - unfunny, turgid, just all round embarrassing and horrible).

[David51]

Just the one class was it msrisotto?

One thing I should clarify - the humour is not at the expense of the dancer, it's the dancer taking the mickey out of the audience. So your hilarious irony about 'laughing at the naked wriggling woman' is misplaced.

i would never claim to be an expert about burlesque but Ive seen it & Ive seen the other thing so I think I have an inkling of what the difference might be.

[Lovecat]

Sorry, meant to say "I read..." and then "and I agree with whoever it was 100%!"

It never fails to astonish me that women want to go and watch this shit...

[claig]

'the humour is not at the expense of the dancer, it's the dancer taking the mickey out of the audience'

it has to be like that. How else would the pretence that the burlesque dancer is empowered be pulled off?

[msrisotto]

I've seen it, been to the one hen night do for a friend so where do you get off thinking you 'get it' more than me?

I'm saying that this joke is bollocks. Stripping isn't particularly funny and who do you think the joke is really on? The patrons with their clothes on or the one with nipple tassles and glitter covering her decency? This is just about objectifying women and people trying to justify it by talking crap about it being all a big in joke, are totally deluding themselves.

[HerBeatitude]

oh yes that's the same argument that says the prostituted woman is the one in charge, because she's making money out of the john.

Oh. Kay.

(I don't buy that one either btw)

[HerBeatitude]

All of those who went to Burlesque shows, were men doing it too, in equal numbers?

[HerBeatitude]

Any men there MJ?

Big fat ones? With huge beer-bellies? Being empowered?