Golden Girls’ club
Letty: A talented producer, successful entrepreneur, President of the first Association of Russian Striptease clubs, an ideologist you are certainly a person who likes to live life to the fullest. How did it all start for you?
Lee: I started in a totally different industry – I was a successful banker with marvelous career prospects. But when I watched the Show Girls movie, I became a devoted fan of Elisabeth Berkeley and striptease as a whole. 2 years later I switched to completely another field of activity and opened a club under the same name – Show Girls. More than that – some time afterwards I even wrote her a letter, telling how she inspired me and suggested Elisabeth to take part in an all-Russia strip contest. She declined the offer, but by that time my club was officially the best in Russia, so she brought me luck anyway.
Letty: Golden Girls club has now become an emblem of a new philosophy of gender revolution that shattered the status quo of the adult-entertainment industry. Which belief has brought that to life?Lee: On one hand, I often observed women disdain and suppress their sexuality for the sake of career, success and other men’s values. On the other hand, striptease allows women to unleash their sexuality and femininity. Striptease is the most feminine profession by its nature.
Letty: Tell me more about the Association of Russian Striptease clubs. Is it meant to shape a more positive image of the industry amongst society and the media.
Lee: Definitely. To my regret, there many brothels functioning in Russia which are disquised as strip clubs. I find it wrong, and ARSC was established to distance decent clubs from them. I was tired from being dragged through the mud, while I am fighting for morality. Through ARSC we strive to show the society how open, honest and loyal we are and how beautiful our art is.
Letty: What is your concept of success in three words?Lee: The concept is simple: just adore your business.
Letty: What motivates you to carry on?
Lee: The thought that I can change the world, help it overcome hypocrisy, fear and obscurity, all obstacles for people not familiar with striptease. My own deep love to the genre and my beautiful actresses. And most important – the dream to make all women happy.
Letty: Your dancers are called “actresses of flirt”. How does the performance of an “actress of flirt” differ to that of a “dancer”?
Lee: It’s all about psychology. Dance is just a moves progression, while flirt is a psychological game, based on sexual attraction. It implies special gestures, looks, manipulating techniques. It’s like a theater where a woman becomes a kind of live-in coquette. It’s akin to the geisha skills with their secret magic and knowledge of men’s psyche. Don’t get me wrong, but American striptease lacks these elements, it’s just anatomic contemplation and has nothing to do with seduction.
Lee: Definitely, yes. Besides charity (we help orphanages for example), there is a wider aspect to it. Striptease and erotic art in general bring the society into a more healthy state, teach people to love and understand each other. Our erotic calendar entitled ‘Make Love Not War’ was presented to the presidents of USA and Russia and was aimed at bringing peace and preventing war in Syria. And last but not least – through striptease we help the women to embrace their true selves, as the gender differences tend to disappear in the modern world.Letty: Who is your biggest inspiration?
Lee: I have four of them. The 1st is Hugh Hephner. His articles collection ‘The Playboy Philosophy” has been my table book for many years. The 2nd is Larry Flynt – the great reformer and enlightener in the field of sex and erotic art. The 3rd is Alexander Maslyakov – the founder and host of KVN – the team stand-up contest that has been shaping tastes of millions of people since the Soviet era until now, when it became a multi million business. And the 4th is Vladimir Putin, the great Russian patriot and our president.
Lee: I urge them to attend trainings and qualification courses. I conduct contests, where they can be awarded with foreign trips, gowns with their names on it, Lucky money (artificial money that can only be spent in the club), Lucky Dollar talismans or even Lucky Jewels jewelry series items. The most active and reliable actresses who I am proud of are united into an elite team called Lucky GirlZz. If I see that some girl is in trouble – I speak to her. Some cases are discussed at our meetings arranged as talk shows.
Letty: You are also the owner of the first 24-hour karaoke club in Moscow. Are you a fan of contemporary pop-culture and the entertainment industry in general?
Lee: In childhood I finished a music school and have been playing balalaika ever since. When I grew up I embraced singing and had been performing karaoke in all clubs of Moscow until I opened my own one. This hobby became a passion, and finally I created an entire musical that I hope to bring to Gentlemen’s Club EXPO. My favourite Broadway musicals are Producers, Priscilla, among latest – Aladdin. And I often take my actresses to Rock of Ages show, because its plot takes place in a strip club.
Lee: Besides already mentioned, my bride Ju Lee Ya, she is from Ukra. She is an amazing artist and a perfect partner. When I see her dancing in front of me, I forget about problems and weariness.
Lee: I am concerned that the gender balance is disrupted in our societies. Women have gained equal rights with men and keep adopting their socio cultural roles.I would like to concentrate on creating my own reality show that would change the world within 10 years and make women happy in their general mission – motherhood and marriage.
Letty: What is the best advice you could give to other entrepreneurs?
Lee: Let your heart tell you what you should be doing. If it doesn’t – ask a numerologist.
