Dixie Evans Revisited

I came across this video of burlesque legend Dixie Evans on Otomano, and it reminded me of the time I drove out to Exotic World, where Dixie lived on the edge of the Mojave Desert, to interview her. When I turned down the dirt driveway, there was a turtle standing in the road. The sides were lined with what appeared to be tin foil covered stars decorated with the names of other burlesque legends. I believe Evans, who made her mark as the Marilyn Monroe of Burlesque, was already in her eighties by that point and running a small museum there stocked with the feathered fans and sparkling dresses of yesteryear strippers.

At some point, Evans played the video you see here for me, I believe the TV was up on some sort of stage, and then she stood near me but in front of me a bit with her back to me, watching herself on the screen in black and white while she danced along to the image in real time. It was sweet.

These days, the Miss Exotic World Pageant is held in Vegas. This year, the Miss Exotic World weekend runs from June 5 to 8 and features a breast cancer fundraiser and a special performance by the UK's Immodesty Blaize, who's a whole lot of hot.

(See also: "Immodesty Blaize on Her 6 Foot Telephone!")