tuesday, September 25, 1979
page 8
daily ncbraskan
Male reaction mixed
to stripper's show
By Jill Denning
Nude and semi-nude female dancers brought a big
round of applause from the young male-female crowd.
But a male dancer named Calypso, at BJ's Hideway
brought mixed reactions from many of the males.
"I had no idea there were male dancers," Joe Daley of
Florissant, Mo. said. Daley, who is here on business, heard
about the bar and expected women dancers.
"I don't like to watch men undress. I can go to the
gym if I want to watch that."
Daley was in Lincoln to promote his band Tish, which
he said spelled backwards sounds similar to what they
sound like.
John, who didn't want to give his last name, said he
didn't mind "class nudity but vulgar
John, who didn't want to give his last name, said he
John, who didn't want to give his last name, said he
didn't mind "class nudity but vulgar nudity doesn't do
anything for me."
"Look at that, just look at that," the middle-aged man
said. "I've seen more gifted guys in the army barracks."
John said he came out because he was traveling
through town and heard BJ's had "a lot of action."
"I just wanted to cut loose and I'm a people watcher."
Steve Bach, a former Lincolnite, said he wasn't too im
pressed by the male dancer. But pointing to a semi-nude
female dancer, he added, "She's just all right."
Bach said most men were there because a male dancer
draws females.
"I'm surprised there are so few girls."
Bach, who now lives in Springfield, Mo., said Spring
field has a male stripper bar and, "The women go wild out
there." Bach said no males are allowed in that bar.
Bach said he was in town on business and "just killing
time."
Walter Kaden said he found nothing wrong with female
or male nudity.
"It's something different," he said. His wife, also pre
sent, agreed.
Mr. Kaden and his wife, Lill, said they occasionally
frequent bars which offer live dancing.
Mr. Kaden said, "I get a change of pace here. I get to
watch the girls and get a laugh while she gets to watch the
guys and get a laugh."
Mrs. Kaden said this was her first time seeing a male
dancer and said , "I like it . He was good ."
One man, who would not give his name said he saw
nothing unusual about watching male dancers.
"Why nqt? What's the difference than watching
females?"
He said he also was in town on business.
"I lived in New York for awhile so this stuff is no big
deal," he said. He said he moved back because he was sick
of "the hustle and bustle of the city."
Dale Hayes, a former UNL student, said he was "a little
bummed" when he walked in and there was a male
dancer.
Hayes said he had seen "a lot of stuff that is trash and
then a lot of stuff I would classify as art." Hayes said he
didn't know which category this would fit into.
A disturbance by a large group of UNL students closed
down BJ.'s Hideaway early and prevented Calypso's last
performance last Thursday, according to sheriffs reports
and BJ.'s Hideaway manager Dick Coons.
Sheriffs deputies were called to the bar on North 48th
Street about midnight, according to sheriff reports.
Coons said the students caused "literally a 51,000
worth of damage" to plumbing, electrical wiring, glasses,
chairs and a $400 stereo speaker.
One person was arrested and charged with misdemean
or assault and disturbing the peace.
o
-'v .mm? -ammiWjLr&jr-,m a r s
- TI rv, -jr
LULL.
Photo by Mark Billingsloy
Turnabout is fair play, and ladies, Lincoln's first male stripper has come to town. Calypso,
"International King of Burlesque," shows his razzle dazzle and a whole lot more at BJ.'s
Hideaway this week.
Calypso brings new swing to Lincoln
By Mary Kay Wayman
The soft-spoken young man in the restaurant booth
talked of his occupation and his dreams.
After four years of hard work, he is now considered
the best in his craft, earning morejhan $50,000 a year
and getting a three month vacation each summer.
He says he will keep entertaining until he's at least 30,
when he would like to finish college and open a day care
center. - -
By day, David Calhoon looks for antiques for his an
tique shop in Green Bay, Wis., and answers fan mail. By
night, he transforms a small stage into a "Las Vegas" bur
lesque revue. Until Saturday, he's on stage at BJ.'s Hide
away stripping.
He calls himself Calypso, after the sorceress of Greek
mythology. At 24, he is billed as "The International King
of Burlesque," and "America's Leading Exotic."
With a flash of strobe lights and the pulse of recorded
music, Calypso takes the stage with yards of rhinestone
studded capes, part of his $8,000 wardrobe's twirl and
twist. He spins a fantasy as he sheds his clothes. "I start
out in a $1,000 costume and work down to a $50 cos
tume," he said. "It's just a costume change."
DONT MISTAKE this for down-home entertainment.
Calypso is a professional and his act is not for the naive or
faint of heart. His moves threaten to break free of the
small stage at BJ.'s Hideaway. The stage, which has held
many a female performer, was obviously not built for the
tall frame of a man.
"When I go on stage the place doesn't look so dingy,"
he. said, adding that it's the 'people that matter, not the:
placel TThe audience is very much a part of the show,.
Calypso said. Each night he gives a few volunteers the
chance to participate in his disrobing process.
Calypso said his Lincoln audience has been "great "
but also a little on the rowdy side. Both men and women
have come to see the first male stripper to visit Lincoln,
ft
1
Om&i'i Mask IM pit the KNACK Saturday nt & the bad's first stop oa their carrent United States tour.
FcSowing the recent trend in music, the f oar-member band presents itself as a slkk ceinmerck! packt-s remhi
cest cf fee csdy Eeafei.
but Calypso said he definitely prefers working for a fe
male audience. Women come to his performances, he says,
"because it's a little more, risque and daring than they are
normally used-to seeing."
THE JOKES in the comedy burlesque part of his act
definitely fit in. that category, but Calypso said such lan
guage is not natural for him off-stage.
"They expect to hear that from me," he said of his
audience. And the audience is the boss.
Why does he do it?
"The applause," he answers. "And if I can make some
body smile and have a good time. It's a good feeling to
make people have a good time."
Calypso said he first became interested in this unusual
craft wjiile attending the University of Wisconsin. He had
taken some dance classes, but discovered his particular
form of show business when he met his mentor, Marsha
Mellow.
Mellow, a 450-pound burlesque comedienne, already a
big name on the striptease circuit, was his inspiration.
After entering an amateur go-go dancing contest he dis
covered his talent. Since then Calypso said he has trained
in many forms of dance, including belly-dancing. -
Only about SO men have entered the traditionally fe
male occupation. "I am not one of the top. I am the top,"
he declared. -
He added that his act is different than that of the
bump-ond-grind male go-go dancers, insisting on making,
this clear distinction. His act is entertainment. The nine
different shows lie has compiled offer people in Midwest
towns a "touch of Las Vegas " a Show they might not;
otherwise be exposed to. -:i-.--i-.-s'$t ; --:C'
4 WeVe going 46 take a little Tantastbhlghtnir'
says as each act begins, and only the audience's imagina
tion and his rhinestone-studded 0-string limit what
follows. - A
CALYPSO BELIEVES members of the audience are
turned on mentally rather than physically by his perfor
mances. He enjoys each performance as well. . '
"It's really a head trip," he said. "Really an internal
tifrT ..
Although the late Sally Rand, whom he admired, fan
danced until the age of 75, Calypso said he plans to retire:
from this $1 ,200 per week job within a few years. . 1
Retirement would mean the end of many long drives
and long hours of work for Calypso. Each weekend entails
at least six and sometimes twelve hours of driving to his
next engagement. . ,
The striptease circuit is hard work, he claims, although
few people realize it. The work goes beyond the 30 or 40
minutes of strenuous physical activity in each perform-"
ance. "It sometimes takes eight months to put an act to
gether. Then you go on stage and nobody realizes what
goes into it "Calypso said. ,
Being away from home is the biggest problem for
Calypso. Home in Green Bay includes his mother, who Is
the honorary chairman of the Calypso Fan Clubs of
America.
Calypso sees the striptease profession today coming
full-circle back to the style of vaudeville, with some
changes of course, much to the pleasure of the female half
of society. .
The business Is really changing from what it usd to
be, he .BttTm trying to put the nxzk dixzla in.w ,