December 10, 2002 07:54am
Vegas Strippers Look to Big Bunny for Help
Source: Las Vegas Dancers Alliance
by: David Hare, Las Vegas City Life
(LAS VEGAS, NV) -- The Las Vegas Dancers Alliance (LVDA) might be getting some help from a big name in the adult entertainment business: Playboy. Look out stodgy members of the Clark County Commission, you could be in for a libidinous dose of Bunny Power. Poof! Take that Commissioner Maxfield!
On Dec. 3, the same day the Clark County Commission restored "G-string" tipping to the otherwise prohibitive and idiotic lap dance ordinance, Andrea Hackett, the formidable leader of the alliance, said she was leaving the next day for Los Angeles to meet with the folks at Playboy.
Word is that Playboy contacted Hackett and offered to lend support after hearing about the county's attack on the exotic dance business. Hackett said she plans on holding a fund-raiser in Las Vegas during the Consumer Electronics Show on Jan. 9. If her trip to L.A. goes well, Playboy would agree to host the fund-raiser.
Hackett said that all proceeds will go toward the dancers alliance and its petition drive to form a ballot initiative calling for voters to override the lap dance ordinance.
She needs 45,000 signatures by next year - no small feat, but she's confident there are enough voters out there who believe, like her, that the county's actions are doing more to hurt Las Vegas' already fragile economy.
In 2002, Las Vegas had one million less visitors than last year, she claimed to the County Commissioners. Dance clubs were practically empty all week long during the Comdex trade show, she said.
"So we appreciate the G-string tips," she continued. "The money will come in handy to pay for our new business licenses."
At last month's commission meeting, staff recommended that exotic dancers, working within county limits, be required to apply for a business license, in addition to an already mandatory work card.
"What does the business license accomplish that the work card does not?" Hackett asked the commissioners, none of whom appeared to have a good answer.
Should Playboy choose to help out Las Vegas strippers, that could be the least of the commissioners' concerns. In addition to Playboy, Hackett said she plans on contacting Hustler magazine publisher, and America's favorite pornographer, Larry Flynt.
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