Sunday, June 03, 2007

do you hear the THUNDER?

Anyone ever watch that show, I think it was on either VH1 or MTV, one of those casting type specials, looking for male strippers? For the "Australian Male Revue" which would come to be known as the Thunder from Down Under (ha), and would end up being featured as a regular show in Vegas. Well I watched it. Obviously. Back then I lived with three other girls and really what better way to occupy a weeknight than watching a casting special such as this.

I remember the show from back then, and when I heard on the radio a couple weeks ago that they were touring around here!, I was interested. Mainly just because I had watched the whole process, not because I'm really into strippers and such. Frankly I think those guys are pretty big meatheads. But I was still intrigued by it all, and when I was coming back from the beach last weekend with my good friend who works for a local radio station and I heard the ad for the show that was going on in RI, imagine my amusement when she told me she could hook me up with some free tickets! Woot!

I wasn't totally sure what to expect. Would there be tables that we'd be seated at, where the oiled up men would come dance around us, with us, on us, and we'd slip $1 bills into sketchy places? Would we get lap dances? How much would they bare? Turns out, we were in this big event center type place, housed in a casino. Because we were going with a radio station we had free VIP access before the show which included appetizers and adult beverages all for free. Our seats weren't the greatest, but we could still see enough. It was basically just a group of these men, busting moves to Justin Timberlake like songs, Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy combinations, doing their little routines, some coming into the audience, all the while, wearing knee pads. Yes, knee pads, which I thought was odd. There were tons and tons of women just all over the place, and lots of bachelorette parties really into it all. Women with veils going up on stage, best fake orgasm contests, who can shake their ass best, etc.

It was definitely a fun night. Almost more fun to watch some of these skanky women in their ass bearing dresses, shaking it in hopes of a stripper coming over to THEM!, ohmygod!

I couldn't help but thinking, as some of these women were up on stage, some of these brides to be, how I would feel if I were their fiances. I'm all for going on a girls night out for a bachelorette type affair, but some of this stuff was kind of bordering on lewd. Gross really. These women going up there, the men actually grabbing and fondling their breasts, them making the girls grab their junk!, it was almost a bit disturbing. You have to wonder, if these girls are okay with partaking in this whole scene, would they be equally okay if they knew their fiances were out doing the same thing?

Ah, anyway. It was a wild night and one to go down in the books. Also one of those kind of things where once you've seen it one time, you've seen it all.

40 comments:

armalicious said...

That last question you asked...that is the million dollar question. I'll save you from my rant on that one. I am by no means a prude or a feminist, but I have strong feelings on double standards like that. In fact, this double standard is one where I"m actually against what the woman is doing.

Shit, I said I was going to save you from my rant!! Sorry!

Anyway, glad you had a good time! I've always been curious about those shows. Sounds like it would be somethign I would actually like minus the lewd women!

megabrooke said...

arm- i couldn't agree with you more. sure, it's fun to watch and whatever, but if i was the bride to be, i'd have no interest whatsoever in doing much of all of that- very double standardish, i do agree.

Accidentally Me said...

I don't really have a problem with it...it is all in good fun (or, it should be.)

And I have been to two bachelor parties (I could write a book about male psychology based on those...lol) and basically it is the same sort of stuff. I am sure that some are worse, but most strip clubs (at least the not-overly sketchy ones) won't even let you get away with the stuff the guys in that show will.

anne said...

Oh no you didn't. Really? Well I guess we only live once....

Bre said...

Follow this six-degrees, kevin bacon-esque chain if you can.

Erin was my college roommate
Colleen was her HS best friend
S was Colleen's college best friend

S was also on that show.

So, yeah I think it's weird - and I think it's even weirder because I almost sortof know one of them!

M said...

man, I must have boring friends. I've never been to a bachelorette party involving a stripper!

A lot of girls will relent about guys going to the strippers for a bucks night/their bucks night and from what I've heard goes on with the groom on one of these nights it makes the breast and junk grabbing look like playground stuff! But yes, in principle then if girls have a problem with their men doing it then they, themselves shouldn't either. It's a huge double standard.

Emily said...

I couldn't agree with you more. I know I'm kind of prudish when it comes to stuff like that, but if my fiancee was out doing that I would be crushed. Crushed!

But I must say that oiled up overmuscled guys don't really do it for me. Seriously, if I was out having drinks with a bunch of girl friends and one of those guys hit on me I would SO not be interested. I agree with you -- they get the meathead vote. :)

The Exception said...

Having heard tales about what really happens at bachelor parties, I do not know why women would want to endure a similar experience. But, if we judge men for doing something that we find it okay for women to do... then that is not fair either.

Similarly, to those men who don't want to tell their girls or wives what they did at those parties... if you are ashamed to tell, then you shouldn't be doing it anyway! ;)

megabrooke said...

am- id love to hear some of your stories. yeah, just personally, i wouldnt want a fiance of mine to be up doing what some of these women were doing. i think it's a fine line.

eb- oh yes, yes i did. ha. been there done that now. all set.

bre- i love the kevin bacon game! funny because i was talking about that game with one of the women i went with saturday!

m- we weren't there for a bachelorette party though, and my friends wouldn't be down for that type of scene for theirs i dont think. it was fun to go to, once.

undercover celeb- totally. wouldn't/didn't do it for me either. who do these guys go home to at night?

the exception- AMEN.

egan said...

What I really want to know is how many of them are straight? I guess that doesn't really matter. Maybe it arouses a woman more if they're gay... usually works for guys with lesbians.

I think as a passive observer it's probably fine, but letting the dudes fondle you is kind of weird. I need to recall my strip club days.

Anonymous said...

you know, those kinds of shows never did it for me.

frankly it doesn't bother me when people do that, especially if it all is in good fun... guys get to go do it... i do have a problem with it when the relationship has decided against it and then people do it anyway...

Anonymous said...

I agree with you, that if I caught my fiancé in the act of something like this, I would probably be upset. But then again, if I was out with a bunch of my girls at "Thunder from Down Under" or even a strip club, it's hard to say what I might do. When you're with your girls and you're all drinking and having a good time, you usually end up doing things you normally wouldn't do. Though, I believe I'm more dignified than these girls you speak of and I would never let a stranger fondle my breasts, nor would I grab someone other than my man's junk!

Anonymous said...

On that last question...I'd have to say double standard!

megabrooke said...

egan- i bet not all of them are straight. and for me at least, watching a gay man doing that probably doesnt have the same effect as a lesbian for guys.

jeorg- you're right, i guess it does depend on what the agreement? of the couple is. who knows. im single and still wasnt interested.

brooke- it's true, that you are more dignified than some of the girls watching this show. and you're right, i was out with a group of girlfriends and that can be wild in itself! for us, it was just fun to people watch all this wildness.

JustRun said...

Wow, interesting. In Vegas a while back some friends wanted me to go with them to this show. I didn't go probably mostly because I didn't want to pay but now I'm even more glad that was my choice.

egan said...

Nothing like dangling the junk. I'm glad the double standard issue has been addressed.

megabrooke said...

princess- definitely

just run- luckily i got to go for free!

egan- definitely addressed. and noted. the word dangle kinda sketches me out.

egan said...

Next you're going to tell me the word "cave" freaks you out. Such a wimp you are.

megabrooke said...

egan- wrong. i quite like that word! you're opening me up to a whole new vocabulary. that sounds funny in light of the word cave. oops.

egan said...

"opening up"... great, let's not talk about spelunking.

B said...

LOL I saw that show in vagas- I even paid money to sit on the guys lap after and take a pic- it was a good time!

The Thunder from down under:)

Airam said...

I've never been to a strip club. Married, engaged or single that shit just doesn't appeal to me in the least.

Airam said...

Perhaps I'm the prudiest of all!

Brrrr said...

you know what's funny ... is i've been to the strippers twice. i've seen male strippers and then i also saw a female strip show. and to be very very honest, i found the female strippers "experience" way more "mature", if you can believe it. guys don't run up to the stage and scream and yell and act like 10 year olds. they hang out, drink their beer, maybe throw out the occasional whistle but it's so much more calm. i don't make it a habit of going to the 'rippers ... but the contrast is definitely interesting.

Anonymous said...

I just saw them in Vegas a few months ago! To tell you the truth I was a bit disappointed in the show, I thought it was kind of a prude striptease. It could either be me, or they just weren't having a good night. Their dancing and fake singing made me roll my eyes and want to puke.
And about the bachelorette party thing...if it was my bach party, I would want to get away somewhere nice with my closest bestest friends to relax, tan, and drink margaritas. Maybe even get a nice cabin somewhere in the snow or woods for some girl time before the big day. I wouldn't want to be one of those embarassing group of women who dress up the bride-to-be in a veil with glued-on condoms and penis toys.

Beth said...

Fun night!

Although, it would not be my personal style to participate on stage as those women you described did on my bachelorette party (knock on wood that I will actaully one day have one!), I will try not to judge those that do. I just don't get it; I don't think I'm programmed that way.

The Egg said...

Yeah I'd prefer a laid back bachelorette party--whenever that happens:-)

egan said...

Airam, how do you really feel?

Radioactive Tori said...

I could swear I left a comment already, but since I don't see it...I have never been to a strip club. It just isn't something I think I would want to do. I don't have a problem with them, to each his/her own. But I think if it is ok for the women to be letting the male stripper touch them, then they should not have a problem with their guy being touched by a female stripper. But most do have a problem with that. It is easy to get carried away when you are with friends, but you then have to allow the same to your husband/boyfriend/whoever.

Ryane said...

hahahahahahahha. That is hysterical.

megabrooke said...

egan- we wont talk about that.

b- how was it in vegas? we were thinking of a picture, but it was $20 per freaking person. unfuckingbelieveable.

airam- so you're saying you aren't interested? hehe ;)

airam (again)- i think that's debateable! considering the little kid you had on your recent blog and it being "mostly true."

brr- you said "rippers" and that made me laugh. ive been to a female show too, and i hear ya.

michelle- your idea of a bachelorette party matches mine, pretty much spot on. oh, and funny you should mention the condom veils and such. i have a picture of a girl that was there in quite a pose with one of those veils. man.

beth- not my style either! but i am not going to judge those who are down under for it either. hey to each his/her own, right?

the egg- i hear ya!

egan- i have a sneaky suspician airam might not like strippers? im not sure though...

radioactive girl- amen to that! i agree fully.

ryane- it was quite the scene. wonderful people watching.

Melissavina said...

Oh wow. I know someone who saw Thunder from Down Under and she LOVED it! At one point she was pulled up on stage and was given a "private" dance of her own. Freaky. I have to admit though, an evening of free adult beverages is worth sitting through almost anything.

Or maybe I'm just cheap and have low entertainment standards.

Yeeeikes.

Thomas said...

I think I have missed this one.

Joy said...

Arrrrrrrr!

egan said...

Do you suppose Melissa is talking about herself? Me thinks she is.

Brookem, I really believe Airam doesn't like strip joints or peeler bars as they are commonly called north of the border. I've never been more sure of anything in my life.

Logophile said...

I think grabbing the crotch of a stripper is an odd way to celebrate one's upcoming nuptials, but that's just me.
But hey, free adult beverages, snacks, and a chance to observe and blog about peculiar human interactiions?
Sounds like a good way to pass some time.

megabrooke said...

melissavina- the free drinks were key. did YOU see the show?

thomas- and sadly i dont think they have a female version.

joy- hope you're doing well sweets.

egan- she could be. she seemed so enthused!


logophile- thanks for stopping by:) definitely passed some time, for sure.

k.r.i.s.t.e.n. said...

haha, yup, i watched that show! and don't worry, i went to see the chippendales. it was all a blur - all i remember is the men shaking their you-know-whats in women's faces. pretty crazy.

Aaron said...

I'll go on record to say that if my fiance was shaking her ass with some guy on stage and they were fondling each other, the wedding would be off. In fact, the relationship would probably be off.

But then again, I doubt I'd be dating anyone that would pull such a stunt. And if I was, then I obviously didn't know them very well.

Trixie said...

i've never seen the show on VH1. but when my girls & I were in las vegas last year, we went to the show.

WOW... my girls and i were pretty tame... just scremaing but the other ladies were wild... there were numerous girls there on bachelorette parties. they all wanted the boys to grind them.

the guys were cute and my girls and i shamelessly paid $15 at the end of the show for a picture with all 5 guys onstage, with their shirts off.

DH saw the pics and rolled his eyes at me... hahaha..