It's a common scene in Vegas: bare-chested dancers wrapped around poles, moving to last year's hip-hop hits; a throng of patrons impatient to tuck dollar bills into the performer's G-strings; overpriced drinks filling small tables as members of the crowd search the stage for their favorite body, visions of lap dances in their head.
Now imagine that the dancer's name is Officer Rick, and the lady in the front row with a ten-spot between her teeth is your mother. Welcome to Ladies' Night in Las Vegas, a place where pecs trump hooters, and the muscled posteriors glisten with baby oil.
It was only a matter of time before Vegas' adult entertainment industry started paying attention to the fairer sex. Though couples might attend some of the tamer casino shows together, like Skintight at Harrah's, Sin City didn't build its reputation on taming impulses. So, while the guys have long enjoyed silicon earmuffs and VIP lounges, women have been forced to choose between nightclubs filled with organ grinders or thrill rides with the kids.
In Vegas' quest to please all the people all the time, a new breed of all-male revue has sprung up to capture the ladies' attention. Though somewhat more sedate than their feminine counterparts, these shows still pull in everything from bachelorette entourages to middle-aged bus groups, all looking for a night on the town with their girlfriends. As one recent show-goer attested: "You want to make sure your hormones are still intact." With two casino-based all-male revues and a strip club featuring a whole floor of male dancers, the time to gather up the posse for a raucous night of bun-watching is now.
Chippendales is the granddaddy of all-male revues, not that any of their dancers are showing their age. The dance troupe, currently in residence at the Rio, dates back to Los Angeles and the indulgent LA Law '80s. Steve Banerjee and choreographer Nick Denoia created the first all-male revue, a concept that proved wildly popular. Then, in true '80s fashion, the two argued over money, which ended with Banerjee putting a successful contract out on Denoia's life.
None of which matters to the current cast of performers or their ravenous fans; ladies can expect the same rock-hard biceps, washboard abs and blue-collar fantasies that made the brand famous. The Chippendales dancers perform Wednesday through Monday at 10 PM (with an 8 PM showtime on Thursdays). Tickets are $34.95-$44.95 plus tax and can be purchased at 1-888-746-7784. This is a 21-and-over-only show except on Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays, when 18 + are admitted.
With more meat per square inch than the Outback Steakhouse, the Australian lads in Thunder from Down Under are primed for some serious jousting at the Excalibur. A show in the Chippendales tradition, Thunder features the blokes performing themed choreographed routines and charming the crowd with their Aussie accents. Expect nothing more than plenty of skimpy G-strings and limited audience interaction.
A recent 62-year-old attendee described the appeal of the Aussie blokes: "We were repressed. We didn't think about naked men. But I don't care how old you are, I still think it's fun to look at a young male body, especially in a tasteful setting like this. You have some drinks with your friends, you get a little silly and crazy."
Admission to Thunder from Down Under is $34.95; call 1-800-933-1334. Shows run every night but Thursday at 7:30 PM with an additional 11:30 PM performance on Fridays and Saturdays. Guests from 18-20 must be accompanied by someone 21 or older.
For those desiring a more up-close-and-personal encounter with their hunks, Olympic Garden Topless Cabaret features an all-male show, The Men of Olympus, each Wednesday through Sunday night from 8 PM to 3 AM. In fact, this top-notch Vegas strip joint turns its whole second floor into a female's paradise. Similar to the revues above, the dancers come out and perform their routines onstage, expect the usual collection of firemen and construction workers. The difference here is tips are graciously accepted and lap dances at $20 a pop are readily available. Must be 21 or over to enter, but admission is free for ladies. Call 702-385-9361 for more information.
Though the popularity of male revues is growing, it's still a small segment of the Vegas show scene, and one mostly patronized by the middle-aged visitor. But with tasteful, high-profile fantasy productions like Chippendales and Thunder from Down Under and the in-your-face eroticism of The Men of Olympus, it won't be long before the younger generation gets curious about what's beneath those banana-hammocks.
