The infamous Slipper Room in NYC is closing this month for a major renovation. Let me be totally clear: THE SLIPPER ROOM WILL RE-OPEN! But The Slipper Room, as we know it, is gone. Even though I'm excited by the thought of the new larger space with actual sight lines, contemporary plumbing in the bathroom and higher ceilings- it's worth a moment of reflection to honor the 11 year contribution that this bad ass venue has had on the NYC scene (and by extension, the entire burlesque world). I truly credit the Slipper with setting the bar for the burlesque community. With only a $5 cover, an accessible location and more shows every week than most cities could boast in a month- for sheer quantity alone, the place is a landmark. But as we all know, quantity is nothing to quality and Slipper delivered world class acts and plenty of surprises. And of this was done with the same love and lighting for veterans and virgins alike- a populist stage if ever there was one.

All the love in the world to owners James and Camille Habacker- the gorgeous proprietors who host, perform, DJ and party with the utmost style. Thanks for making such a welcoming, fun, wild, consistent and unapologetic club house for us all, I truly look forward to the next phase....
Below are some cherished memories...I'll keep adding to this as they come in.

BEST MEMORIES OF THE SLIPPER ROOM....

JO BOOBS: It was the perfect place for the School of Burlesque because we had such a great package for it. We could send students there to see shows with performers at all levels from all over the world, as well as teach there and do showcases there. It had the perfect mix of style and approachability, so the students were awed and inspired but not too intimidated. I will very much miss being able to walk in at any time and feel at home among my people.

DARLINDA JUST DARLINDA: My favorite was the time the girl threatened to beat me up because I took a sip of her drink as an interactive go-go thing and threw a lime at her accidentally! We tried to buy her a new drink but she wouldn't have it, I eventually talked her down and we were hugging at the end.  Also the time Saturn got her period and then got electrocuted two seconds later!
Then there were the BJ's in the basement . . .but that's another story for another blog...

KEN BALL: Scotty the bartender saying that he saw Bunny Love naked more than his wife.

TIGGER: Favorite onstage experiences include my "What the Fuck?!?" birthday/holiday shows. Also the run of Daddy's Chicken shows in 2001-2002. That gave me booze-soaked memories like wrestling Matt Mohr in a wading pool full of baked beans to determine who was the babydaddy of the chicken to which Dirty had just given birth. And we all know how the sink fell off the wall in the dressing room bathroom (cue Momotaro on the Barry White), but I'll let the guilty party name names.

DIRTY MARTINI: Thooooooose were the daaaaaaaaaays!! .....and you know who you were then...... goils were goils and men wore men..... mister we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again.....