Siran BabayanIt was raining men in West Hollywood Saturday night as the city organized its first Go-Go Dancer Appreciation Day. Leave it to WeHo to declare a Go-Go Dancer Appreciation Day and Motley Crue Day in the same year. And only in WeHo will you find a scantily clad dancer outside a yogurt shop performing for families with kids in tow.
Credit: Siran Babayan
Saturday's celebration of near-naked flesh came two days before Boystown's other, bigger celebration of near-naked flesh — the West Hollywood Halloween Costume Carnaval. While The Whisky on the Sunset Strip helped popularize go-go dancing in the '60s, much of the night's action took place on Larrabee Street off Santa Monica Boulevard, in addition to the Abbey on Robertson Boulevard.
Far outnumbering their go-go-dancing sisters, the male dancers all looked like airbrushed Greek statues with their washboard abs and smooth chests, wearing briefs and thongs (and one dangerously drafty pair of boxers) in every size and color, from mesh to metallic to fur-covered. They danced on outdoor platforms in front of local businesses, including Block Party (“The Gayest Store on Earth”), whose owner was handing out free underwear to any brave amateurs. Clearly, you don't need classical training to gyrate and rub up against your partner. You just need a willingness to be fondled by old pervs in polo shirts, shorts and sandals stuffing their Social Security money down your G-string.
A street party along Larrabee Street in between clubs Micky's and Eleven hosted various contests, including Hottest Jock, Best Bootie, Best Twink, Best Package and Muscle Stud categories; it's fun learning new words like “twink” and “granny blue balls.” As a DJ spun dance tunes, Micky's host and MC Scotty B. (wearing a dildo on the outside of his pants) gathered the pro and amateur contestants, some of whom came from exotic, far away places like Russia and Victorville. West Hollywood mayor John Duran, comedy writer Bruce Vilanch and fashion TV reporter Marcellas Reynolds presided over as celeb judges.
“I like the guy with the permanent erection,” said Vilanch when asked to chose his favorite jock.
Credit: Siran Babayan
By the end of the evening the $1,000 prize and title of Mr. West Hollywood Go-Go went to a dancer named Andrew, who was dressed as a construction worker. There was also a dancer dressed as a cop, which meant that they were four-short of forming the Village People.
Though Halloween was two days away, there were plenty of pre-parade revelers who showed up in costume, including one man dressed as an adult baby, and another dressed as Mickey Mouse. If this had been another time and place, that would've brought up a lot of repressed memories. But when in Rome.
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