The internet can be a real bitch sometimes.

Back in the early 90's, back when MTV played music, there was a little show on called "120 Minutes." Back in the day, this was the first place you'd see Alice in Chains, Nine Inch Nails and a little power trio called Nirvana before their cross-over into the mainstream. It was also a clearing house for all sorts of cool stuff you've never heard of, like Mary's Danish, and stuff you probably wish you had never heard of, like Julian Cope (I'm looking at you, Pammy!)

There's a band I saw once on 120 Minutes -- once -- and the song stuck with me. The band's name was eleven.

Well, have you ever tried Googling a word like "eleven?" Forget it. But tonight I got wise, and did an Amazon music search for the name. And voila ... Eleven.

And hey ... they rock. The song I remember was rather "pansy ass" for lack of a better expression. I did a bit of digging, and what did I discover?

A few things: Eleven backed up Chris Cornell on his first solo album. The band's bass player/keyboardist was Natasha Shneider of Queens of the Stone Age. And she died of cancer this year.

Sometimes the internet really sucks.

Don't Miss The Tempest!



This is the LAST WEEKEND!

Location and ticket information can be found here.

Hi mom!

I've been a little incommunicado here lately. Oh, I've sniped and snickered, but I haven't posted anything of any real significance in a while.

How about an update of all things Drew?

THEATRE UNLEASHED

The Tempest is currently in production, getting rave reviews, and delighting audiences:

The Tempest unites the tireless efforts and incredible well of talent of Theatre Unleashed with the boundless imagination of Jeff Soroka (the chap who directed A Midsummer Night's Dream at Write Act last year.) It's a great show, and a true feather in our cap as a newborn theatre company!

We also have a series of "coffee shop" plays doing the rounds in Metro L.A. It's an effort on our part to "unleash" theatre from the bounds of traditional staging. Hell, if performing in taverns worked for Brecht, performing coffee shops will work for us. We're getting great feedback from our audiences at these shows, and may just see some significant press coverage in the near future! (Cross your fingers and say a prayer: what we have in the works will be nothing short of incredible if it comes off!)

Also, we have a song! The song I wrote and performed at our fundraiser earlier this year, "From Across the Room", will soon be available for purchase. All proceed benefit Theatre Unleashed! If this does well, we'll be floating more tracks out there, culminating in our first album of original material! You can hear this song on my MySpace profile. (I'm working out the details right now. The first company we used to distribute the song turned out to be a bit shadey. We're working on a deal with iTunes at present.)

In addition to the song, I'm editing the first volume of the Theatre Unleashed Literary Journal. This volume will contain three of the five original one-acts we produced in June of this year, all of the original poetry composed by Phillip Kelly and Sebastian Kadlecik to tie the plays together, and some thoughts about the show from the viewpoint of our vice president and production manager Erin Scott and company member Jacob Smith (who was in two of the plays).

And I haven't even mentioned all the work currently going in to Pin-Up Girls!

PIN-UP GIRLS

The play opens on October 24th, and we are hard at work! Pamela is serving as Core Producer, as well as playing the fiery "Helen". The play is currently in it's fifth draft, at about 128 pages long.

I could not be happier with my cast. Tremendous actors, all of them, and they bring such incredible life and depth to my words. And my design team ... first, let me say how freaking awesome it is to have a design team! I can't wait to share more images with you, but you're going to have to wait for the videos to hit the internet!

Here's a synopsis of the show:

1942, San Francisco, California. Young American men bound for war flood local nightclubs and music halls for a last hurrah. And American women find themselves in possession of a new found freedom and equality previously unknown; in the factories, in the home, and out on the town.

"Pin-Up Girls" is about the dancers: their lives, their loves, and their losses. It gives you a taste of the camaraderie that exists backstage among any group of show people. It's a heart breaking, heart warming glimpse into the private lives of striptease artists.

So join us backstage at "The High Jinks!"

If anyone out there would like to contribute to Theatre Unleashed, follow this link to our "support" page on our website.

That's all for now. I have a few more "Artists I Love: Burlesque Edition" coming up, and I'm hard at work on submissions for our next season. So until I blog again, adieu!

IRONY:

I subscribe to a "Buddhist thoughts" e-mail. (What can I say? I have an interest in world religions.) Lately, the person who puts these things together has been on the "green" warpath, which makes for interesting juxtapositions:

"There are no good or bad situations.
Good and bad arise from our minds.
The foolish man subdues the situation, not his mind.
The wise person works on his mind, not the situation.
If the mind has been tamed, does the situation still have substance?"

"Grasping the basic emptiness* of the situation,
we can act from our true nature** on the essentials.
If we are unmoved by circumstances,
we will be able to shape circumstances."
- Master Ouyi

*Lack of fixed nauture | **Buddha-Nature

GreenTip: Buy less unrecycled or unrecyclable stuff

I'd be more impressed if it said "GreenTip: Tame your mind on the subject of global warming."

I'm getting nothing done.

Pamela is in dance class today, and I tagged along to work on Pin-Up Girls in a nearby cafe. Only the nearby cafe is playing Monterey Pop in HD on the massive flatscreen.

It's all about Grace Slick:

crank - noun
2. Informal. an ill-tempered, grouchy person.
3. an unbalanced person who is overzealous in the advocacy of a private cause.

-- dictionary.com

"Never pick a fight with an ugly person, they've got nothing to lose."

-- Robin Williams

This past week I came to the conclusion that cranks are the ugly people of the internet, and getting into a debate with them is more than an exercise in futility. Ideologically, they have nothing to lose. The rules of debate and civil conduct are out the window.

The internet was created for the exchange of ideas and the further evolution of knowledge. It was a tool researches used to compare notes. We have been told that the interconnectedness of people from all over the planet will help us become a more tolerant, understanding species.

The problem is "birds of a feather flock together." The unseemly downside of this much connectedness is that heretofore pockets of extremists remained more or less isolated from one another. A nutjob in Bangalore wasn't a mouse click away from a moonbat in Canada. A wingnut in Alabama would most likely not become best friends with a crank in Berlin. So for all the talk of bringing people together, the internet seems best at bringing together the fractured pieces of society, making us far more polarized and far less forgiving of opposing viewpoints.

I think this goes a long way in explaining why American politics are so divisive. Innuendo, gossip and downright lies have always traveled faster than the truth. Nowadays they travel at the speed of light, and there are online communities foaming at the mouth more more justification for their private causes, craving more fuel for their fires.

"Men go crazy in congregations, they only get better one by one."

-- Sting

What we find is groupthink at its finest. No room for opposing viewpoints, no hope for an honest exchange of ideas and perhaps some sort of ideological compromise.

And this brings me to the Robin Williams quote at the top of this page. A moderate person attempting to debate a crank is like picking a fight with an ugly person. The moderate voice will cede certain points, form an argument, present facts. The crank responds with non sequitors, straw men, emotional lambasting and vitriol. In short, a crank fights dirty. And why not? The crank is stewing in his own juices, his ideological house of cards buttressed by likeminded individuals. There is no reason to challange his own thinking on a given topic, because all he hears is "you're right." And a fellow is naturally inclined to believe he's right to the bitter end.

I recognize that the only thing I can do is continue to challenge my own beliefs; to wander across the aisle and wade into the muck from time to time. Such is my confidence in my ability to discern that I'm not afraid to consider opposing viewpoints. In my youth I was a crank-in-training, shouting down friends in arguments over politics. I've mellowed a bit. Some may say I've just grown up.

I suppose my willingness to challenge myself damns me to encounter cranks. Maybe I'll do a better job not engaging them in conversation.

"'I can't believe that!' said Alice.

"'Can't you?' the queen said in a pitying tone. 'Try again, draw a long breath, and shut your eyes.'

"Alice laughed. 'There's no use trying,' she said. 'One can't believe impossible things.'

"'I dare say you haven't had much practice,' said the queen. 'When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.'

-- Lewis Carroll

"Never try to teach a pig to sing. You waste your time and you annoy the pig."

-- Robert A. Heinlein

From Across the Room

A tender, sweet love song with a dark twist. This is the song that I performed to the delight of the Theatre Unleashed Presents: Theatre Unleashed! Starring Theatre Unleashed audience last May, now available in a very downloadable mp3 for the low, low price of $.99! That's right: Less than one-fourth the cost of a gallon of gas!

All profits from the sale of this song benefit Theatre Unleashed. So for those of you who enjoy my creative output but can't stand me as a person, here's your big chance to consume said output without supporting me financially! It's a win-win-win situation!



Did I mention that this song was professionally produced? That's right! So if you're familiar with my lame-ass MySpace music site, you'll be happy to know that actual professional grade equipment was used for this recording, rather than the broken computer mic that I typically use for this sort of thing. Also, someone who knows what he's doing did the mix, using software far more advanced than the crappy freeware I use. Play the 30 second preview ... see what I mean? Class! But you'll have to buy the song if you want to hear the punchline.

And boy howdy, is there ever a punchline.

So download your copy today while supplies last! And be sure to comment your praise and adulation below. Just don't spoil the punchline for anyone!

It's time to shake things up around here. Burlesque is not just about the ladies ... well, the important parts are ... but there are some dudes on the scene as well. So fasten your seat belts, because you're about to meet ...

GARY SHAPIRO

photo by Chris Beyond, swiped from Gary's MySpace site.

(hint: he's the one in the middle.)

Gary Shapiro is a nut. Fortunately, Gary is in one of the few fields where calling someone a "nut" is a compliment. If you recall from the last one of these things, the first L.A. burlesque show I attended was Victory Variety Hour's Super Nova a-go-go, which was hosted by Msr. Shapiro. That night, he set the bar for what I expect from a burlesque host.

Because, you see, Gary Shapiro is also a comic genius. His sense of humor is pointedly dark at times, and he gets away with saying the most horrible things. His delivery is such that you know that he knows what he's doing. So there's safety with Gary, even when he's careening dangerously around taboo subjects. That safety creates the space in which we laugh.

But enough dry, logical analysis. Let's watch a video. This is definitely not safe for work:


Another thing about Gary -- and this is just delightful -- for me he recalls the great Jewish comics of the past. There's a showmanship there that reminds me of those guys: Jack Benny, George Burns, Jackie Mason, Jerry Lewis, et al. There is a richness of American culture that we are missing in this day and age. I mentioned something about this when I wrote about Lili VonSchtupp back in June. There's a classiness about Gary, a professionalism that elevates his strictly-for-adults comedy to the level of art. When I say Gary reminds me of the greats, that's what I mean.

Gary Shapiro can typically be found hosting Victory Variety Hour at the El Cid, unless you're a process server, in which case I hear Gary moved to the Caymans. So good luck with that. You can read his bio and see a picture of his son at Burlesque411.com, or read his insightful and ponderously philosophic blog on MySpace. But you should really catch his act live!

Book Review:

Historic Photos of Los Angeles
text and captions by Dana Lombardy

I've heard it said that converts are the most devout. You have seen this old saying in practice if you've ever caught Huell Howser's local PBS shows, and heard him gush over "California's Gold" in his Tennessean accent. I know it to be true in my own life, as every year that passes since Pamela and I moved here, Los Angeles feels more and more like home.

For me, turning the pages of Historic Photos of Los Angeles feels like I'm cracking open a grandparent's photo album. Just like those photo albums, I see pictures of Los Angeles when she was younger, and I marvel at how many of the main features are the same -- she's recognizable, parts of her, a hundred years ago -- and I'm curious about what life must have been like for her, astonished at all the wonders she's seen.

Yes, I'm talking about a town. what can I say? I'm devout.

This collection of photographs, many of them by amateur photographers through the decades, paint a picture of a vibrant city. A city with problems, a city sprawling out of control, but a city full of life and ambition. There are the shots of prominent architectural features back when they were new, and it can give the reader a warm shot of nostalgia to look at these pictures (I got one such shot when I turned the page and found a 1920s photo of the Bullock building on Wilshire Boulevard near Vermont; I drive past this building every day), but this book offers much more than a tour of famous structures.

The photos represent moments in time, spanning from the late 19th century to the 1960s. There is much history between these covers. Sure, the development of the film industry is well represented, but so to are the 1932 Olympics, World War II, and the Watts riots. In his preface to the book, Dana Lombardy reveals an effort to offer a balanced picture of Los Angeles, rather than "a nostalgic tribute to a beloved city." He points out that over the past century, many writers have presented a negative view of the city. "These writers' words," Lombardy tells us, "and the photos in this book, combine to create a fascinating, if not always favorable, portrait of America's second largest city."

There are a couple of problems with the book. First, there's no index. With all of the history and photographs present in this book, a way to quickly track down a particular photograph is not just necessary, it should be an obvious thing to include. Second, all of the photos are presented in black and white, although many of the source photographs (particularly for the last few decades) must have been in color.

Historic Photos of Los Angeles is a wonderful chronicle of our city. Sure it's not always pretty, but family histories rarely are. Like any good history book, this volume gives us a context from which to view Los Angeles as she stands today. If you love Los Angeles, warts and all, you'll love this book.

Historic Photos of Los Angeles, text and captions by Dana Lombardy, published by Turner Publishing Company. Available at bookstores and online.

(I am way behind on my commitment to one post a week. By my count, I need to do five of these things this week to catch up. So let's get to it.)

These little weekly postings are not intended to be thorough reviews. The whole purpose of the "Artists I Love" series is to feature "artists who inspire me, who challenge me, and who make me want to be a better artist myself." It's not my intention to write in depth analyses of these artist, but rather to touch upon aspects that "inspire me," etc.

I have to state my limitations very clearly, for this week's artist is truly a Jane-of-all-trades. I'm simply going to leave things out! It's an inevitability, when addressing a protean talent such as ...

Penny Starr, Jr.photo by Crazy White Lady Photography, swiped from Penny Starr Jr.'s MySpace profile

The first real burlesque show I ever went to in Los Angeles was Penny's Victory Variety Hour. It was the sci-fi show, "Super Nova-a-go-go," almost a year ago:

Ah ... memories.

There is something Thomas Jefferson once said: "Determine never to be idle ... It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing." I don't believe Penny Starr, Jr. has an idle bone in her body. She never seems to stop. What's more, she maintains poise and grace while facing deadlines, producing wildly diverse shows, dealing with production difficulties, hosting, dancing ... She's the embodiment of everything I love about theatre people, and she has a drive that I envy.

Penny really is the whole package put together. This is most apparent to me when I watch her dance. First we have the unifying concept behind the act. With Penny, I perceive a combination of a literate wit and a dirty mind. I love her Isadora Duncan number. Penny portrays the doomed early 20th century icon, who was strangled to death when her long, flowing scarf got entangled in the spokes of an automobile. The music is period perfect, the choreography revels in Duncan's dance. The striptease is coy and sexy, and the end of the act is perfection.

Next we have the costume. She builds what she wears on stage, and she is a costumer par excellence. From my unique vantage point as luckiest man in the world -- that is to say, husband to a burlesque dancer -- I have had the pleasure of seeing Penny at work, chatting with her about her theory of rhinestone deployment, and observing her costumes up close. From the cheap seats, you sometimes can't tell the amount of detail and loving care that someone has put into a costume. I'd say with Penny's onstage wardrobe you can, precisely because of the amount of detail and loving care present.

Finally, the whole thing put together. Here, watch another video (from Lucha Va Voom):


Better yet, catch her act live!

Penny (a.k.a. Augusta) produces two shows monthly: the aforementioned Victory Variety Hour ("L.A.'s own 'High Fallutin' Low Brow' variety show) and Club Schmutzig ("A Dark, Dirty Den of Bygone Debauchery.") You can follow her performance schedule on MySpace, and Burlesque411.com.

If you're interested in this whole "New Burlseque" scene, I highly recommend her excellent documentary The Velvet Hammer Burlesque.

I owe you what, three "Artists I Love: Burlesque Edition" posts?

I do apologize. I'm working overtime this week to wrap up a draft of Pin-Up Girls.

(Pin-Up Girls is a World War II-era play about burlesque dancers in San Francisco. I'll be bringing it to the stage this October for Theatre Unleashed.)

My Big Burlesque Debut

"They're doing a Tarantino night at Monday Night Tease. What should I do?"

"We could do the twist contest."

And just like that, I committed to my burlesque debut:

What do you think -- did we nail it?

No "Artists I Love:Burlesque Edition" this week. I'm finishing up a second draft of my play Pin-Up Girls. So look for a "Twofer" next week!

HA!!!!

Spotted on Urban Dictionary:

Here is your second helping of "Artists I Love" this week. Last time the featured artist was Vixen Violette, one of the first burlesque dancers I ever took note of. This time it's one of the latest performers who was captured my attention, the lovely and exotic ...

Lulu Lunaris

photo by Bobby Plasencia, swiped from his Flickr site.

Before there was burlesque, there was bellydance. At least that was the case around Casa de Moore. Before she was Red Snapper, our favorite strawberry blonde striptease artist was known as "Melita" and danced with a local bellydance troupe. That foray into exotic dance was to be but a whistlestop on the way to bigger and more rhinestoney things, but for a short while there I got to hang out with bellydancers and check out that whole scene (and what a scene it is! Note to self: revisit the Perfume of Araby Bellydance Swap Meet sometime!)

There is a natural and historic overlap of bellydance and burlesque. They're not the same artform, to be sure, but it is no surprise to find bellydancers who have migrated to burlesque. One such performer is Lulu Lunaris, who offers a compelling fusion of the two styles with an emphasis on the exotic.

There are performers who excite an audience and bring on the hoots, hollers and applause. There are still others who seem to hypnotize an audience, and perhaps don't generate the same level of vociferous response. I would put Lulu in this latter category. The effect she creates is dazzling; watching her is like watching a tongue of fire dancing atop a candle. Mesmerizing. Her beauty and confidence as a performer contribute to this effect -- one understands how a Salome could convince a king to kill a prophet.

Last Monday night she brought a bit more of the burlesque to her act, as she performed a solo homage to the Robert Rodriguez film Desperado. This number had more of a flamenco influence to it, in costume as well as choreography, and it got me to thinking. There is a tremendous amount of charm inherent in folk dance, and it doesn't matter if it's bellydance, flamenco, square-dance or that German shoe-slapping-dance (it's called "schuhplattler" in case you're wondering).

In addition to being an accomplished hypnotist, Lulu is a charming performer.

You can catch Lulu Lunaris at the Monday Night Tease on July 28th and at Shimmy & Shake on August 24th. Her performance schedule can be found on her Burlesque 411 page.

This week's "Artists I Love: Burlesque Edition" is coming at you in a one-two punch. (Since I missed last week, I figure I owe you, the reader, a "li'l sump'en-sump'en.") Let me tell you, I'm super-stoked about this first one. She's one of the very first burlesque performers I took note of, and she's a super cool gal ...

Vixen Violette

photo by Henry swiped from Vixen Violette's MySpace page

I'll never forget the first number I saw Vixen perform because it was a pole number. If you've been reading this blog for long, you may recall that my wife is a pole dancer. So I have a special place in my heart for them that do pole tricks.

Vixen Violette is cool. I was trying to think of the perfect analogy, and here it goes: She's Jodie Foster's character in Stealing Home cool. She's the babysitter you wish you had when you were a twelve year-old boy, giving you cigarettes and booze and driving you to the beach in your parent's convertible. She's that kind of cool. A cool that's kind of dangerous, just the right amount of playful, and alluring.

She knows how to work an audience (which, come to think of it, may be part of what makes her so cool). With wily confidence she begins her number. Her musicality is subtle but well thought out, and tended to with nonchalant grace. Each peel and reveal is executed with effortless fluidity. She builds her own costumes, and it's obvious to me that this fluidity is no coincidence. Are you getting the picture? Vixen Violette is the Fonzie of burlesque, and she's way sexier Henry Winkler! Seriously, it's no contest.

She can bring the comedy, as well. Last night proved that, as she appeared separately as Go Go Yubari in a Kill Bill Vol. 1 solo number and Vincent Vega alongside Lux LaCroix as Jules Winnfield in a Pulp Fiction duet. She is a natural comic on stage. Her knack for playing to (and with) the audience is a huge asset in this regard.

Oh ... and she owns Bon Jovi's "Dead or Alive." Nothing compares with the live performance, so consider this just a taste of what you'll experience when you catch this fabulous dancer in person:



Vixen Violette can be seen on the third Thursday of every month at Burlesque-A-Go-Go, the show she produces with The Fierce Lux LaCroix at Mr. T's Bowl in Highland Park. You can also keep up with her performance schedule on Burlesque411.

It seems I've missed the boat completely on my "Artists I Love" series this week.

Ah well.

Expect a double helping next week!

The Building of a Mascot
How I built the Spike puppet

Earlier this year, I joined a few friends in starting a new theatre company. We settled on the name "Theatre Unleashed" and our brilliant graphic designer Jenn Scuderi put together a logo that included a little clip-art graphic of a scrappy dog:

I'm not sure where she found this, but purchasing the rights to it was one of our very first expenditures as a company.

We determined that our first production as a company would be a one-night only "introduction" fundraiser. This fundraiser would be a talent showcase, filled with song and dance and short-short plays and etc. I, as president, would host. Our artistic director, Phillip Kelly would co-host, and we would have "bits" throughout the night.

One such bit involved bringing out a Spike puppet to talk about our educational program. The puppet would argue with Phil, barking "Executive decision!" at him. So I would have to build a Spike puppet!

As much as I complain about not being a puppet builder, I actually do build puppets. It's not my strongest ability, and I frustrate easy when it comes to sewing. Above you see the very first sketch of the Spike puppet, doodled out at my "day job".
I was also taking a film class at the time, and I sketched out the above during a lecture. I'm trying to get a sense of how he will look in three dimensions, and I'm working out his legs. Dogs (all animals, really) have very interesting hind legs. Their knees and ankles are in strange places. It's a very distinct look, and one that I wanted to emulate.
My final sketch, and an attempt to break down the head into a pattern. I abandoned the squarish direction I was heading in, opting instead to use the "wedge method" as explained by Andrew Young on his Bear Town website. Spike's head is a foam sphere. His muzzle is very much like the sketched out pattern above, but finagled a bit as I worked on it. (Here's a bit of trivia: While working on the sketch above and puppet below, I was watching The Dear Hunter for the first time. That's what we call multi-tasking around Casa de Moore!)

Pamela purchased the fabric for me down at the fashion district. I believe it's chenille. It's a stretchy fabric with a wonderfully low, yet scrappy pile. I cut the fabric to fit the foam, and glued it in place. I then stitched the seams together. Oh yes! I first covered the puppet with white fleece. The chenille was a bit see-through, so I had to have a white base underneath. Otherwise you'd see the green foam "skin" of the puppet. His teeth are cut from a sheet of white fun foam. The nose is a black pom-pom, and his toes are white pom-poms.

The spots and ears are black chenille. The eye spot and smaller back spot were sewn directly on top of the white fabric, but I cut a hole for the larger black spot. If you look closely, you can see that the eye spot and smaller back spot are raised and the larger back spot is flush with the white fabric.

His tail is not as long as the clip art (or as I had originally sketched). This was just an aesthetic choice. I think a shorter tail is cuter. There's a wire inside the polyfoam stuffed tail to keep it upright.
The head is much larger than the body. This was another design choice. Big heads are cute (see also Tweety Bird, Jerry of "Tom and Jerry", and Porky Pig).

I never did the hind legs for Spike, mostly because I ran out of time. Pamela assured me that the puppet works without them, but I don't know. I'd still like to make them and add them on.

Another last minute compromise was the collar. As you can see, the collar is made out of red felt and white pipe cleaners, with a black felt tag. I wanted to put a real collar on him, but I didn't have the time to run out and buy a real one.

Spike was well-received at the show, and even has his "headshot" on the Theatre Unleashed website!

I am running out of adjectives! And this is only my fourth burlesque artist to write about. Maybe I can use more exclamation points! Nevertheless, there is much to be said about this week's Artist I Love. She's a triple threat, and always a treat, the delightful broad we know as ...

Vanity Flair

photo by Dan Hendricks, swiped from Vanity Flair's MySpace site

Vanity has one of those smiles that instantly transports you from the doldrums to good cheer. She has a buoyant, effervescent personality that bubbles off of the stage and into your heart. She has a Christmas cookie quality, a sweetness that is warming and joyful. Her numbers are inviting; strangely intimate in a way. You really get a sense that she's performing just for you. Perhaps it's her incredible stage presence or her well-polished chops as a performer, but she makes it look easy, and she makes you feel at home.

Have you ever seen The Sound of Music? I've seen bits and pieces. One part that stands out to me (for obvious reasons, if you've read this blog much) is the sequence wherein the von Trapp kids perform "The Lonely Goatherd" as a marionette show for their dad. That same spirit of joy, of playful creativity can be found in Vanity's burlesque work.

Take for instance Vanity's "Fan vs. Boa" number. She brings to the stage the classic struggle -- which prop should a dancer use, a fan or a boa? -- with excellent musicality. Burlesque musicality is like the old Warner Brothers cartoons, where matching the music is played up for comedic effect. She plays on this musicality like a virtuoso. Her asides are priceless, such as her reaction when she realizes she just hit an audience member with a discarded glove.

She also sings! Her rendition of "Good Morning Baltimore" caught me completely off-guard. Since I'm married to a burlesquer (the diabolically cute Red Snapper) I sometimes arrive at a venue with the dancers, and hang around until the show starts. The night I first heard Vanity sing was such a night, and I was able to sit in on her sound check. In civilian clothes and a picture of perfect professionalism, she ran through the number. That was incredible. A bit later when she took the stage in full costume, with an audience, it was more so.

And she acts! She's a legit actress under her "real name" (or as Red refers to it, her "slave name") but we burlesque fans get to see this talent at play when she -- excuse me -- when her mom, Eileen Flairowitz, hosts at the Monday Night Tease. Eileen is one half of a sister act, The Flairowitz Sisters (with Belle-Mort Baudelaire as Irene) and they recently posted their pilot webisode online:

Eileen & Irene - Pilot Episode

Vanity Flair will be performing at Shimmy & Shake on July 13th, and in the "Burlesque Tribute to Quentin Tarantino" at the Monday Night Tease on July 14th. You can also keep up with her at her MySpace page, or through Burlesque411.com.

Yeah, yeah. It's Friday. So sue me! For this week's "'Artists I Love': Burlesque Edition" we turn to one of my all-time favorite performers, and Miss Viva Las Vegas 2008. It's none other than the very tall, very sassy ...

Dizzy Von Damn!

photo by Laura Creecy, swiped from Dizzy's Myspace site

Yes, the exclamation point is part of her name.

Comedy is a big part of Burlesque. It's right there in the name (the derivation of burlesque is the Latin for "nonsense" or "joke"). With the unshakable logic of a Vulcan, Dizzy takes a concept, finds the comedic germ at the heart of it, and proceeds to rhinestone the hell out of it. Of all the performers I've seen who are based in L.A., Dizzy comes the closest to out-right performance art. This is not to say she doesn't bring the sexiness. Ho-boy does she ever! It just means that when she performs, the genius behind the act is irresistible, so that every hoot is punctuated by a guffaw.

Each reveal seems to have its own punchline. Her "Peek-a-Boo" number is a prime example of this. I don't want to give too much away, but through the course of the act eyeballs keep popping up. And every time an article of clothing comes off (revealing yet another eyeball or two) the response is simply riotous. Her numbers possess a finely focused unity of concept throughout that really set them apart. She speaks a bit about how she comes up with these numbers on a past Burlesque Podcast.

photo by Dan Hendricks, also swiped from Dizzy's Myspace site.

Check out the bra: not just eyes, but they're blinking. So don't get the wrong impression of Dizzy, that she's a coldly calculating comedian. Understand that these numbers work as well as they do because of the personal whimsy she injects. (Does that make her more of a Romulan than a Vulcan?)

Dizzy is drifting in the direction of hosting, which I would love to see. She has an infectious smile and an appealing onstage presence, and I believe she'd excel in the role of emcee. Dizzy can hold an audience in the palm of her hand, as when she takes the stage to deliver her "Off Color Joke" at Victory Variety Hour. And she recently revealed another hidden talent, singing "Somewhere That's Green" at The Monday Night Tease.

Dizzy Von Damn! is a featured regular in Burlesque-a-Go-Go at Mr. T's Bowl in Highland Park, and in Victory Variety Hour at El Cid. She can also be seen frequently at The Monday Night Tease at 3 Clubs in Hollywood. Your best bet is to befriend her on MySpace, and look for performance dates as bulletins.