By Mimi Chen, AsAmNews Staff Writer
The name Chippendales elicits giggles from people of any persuasion. We’re all familiar with their brand of males dressed in skimpy clothes providing titillation to the thousands of female and other type of fans. However, Hulu decided to shoot a TV series uncovering the dark underbelly of the origins of Chippendales and also produced an in person live event in West Hollywood for people interested in the original experience that was Chippendales.
The Chippendales series stars Kumail Nanjiani as Somen “Steve” Banerjee, an Indian American entrepreneur who was the originator of the stripper troupe, Chippendales. The series is called Welcome to Chippendales and follows the life and career of the founder while delving into the darker side of its genesis.
For the next two nights, between 6pm and 2am, Hulu’s Welcome to Chippendales Experience, inspired by true events, will be held at the iconic Rocco’s in West Hollywood and offers an immersive sneak peek into the good, the bad and the murderous details surrounding the origin of the Chippendales brand that are further investigated in the series.
The in-person event, they say, transports guests to 1979 West Hollywood, where the story of Chippendales begins, showcasing key elements, including the club’s humble beginnings, transformation to a thriving enterprise, all the way to the founder’s downfall. This reporter, upon arrival, was awarded Hulu “cash” which was used for free drinks, food, and branded merchandise during the hour-long experience. A spokesperson for Hulu notes, “ As guests make their way through the three-room experience, they get a taste of everything Hulu’s Welcome to Chippendales series has to offer, from epic entertainment to deceitful drama, and all the dark details in between.”
Truth be told, the three rooms all featured tidbits of the Chippendales type of dancing, complete with pants dropping off (still with underwear on, altho’ it could be more gritty in the real experience), rope swinging and slick emcee dressed to the nines. It was still, in it’s basics, pretty much your standard nightclub, but gussied up with Chippendale neon and video clips of the show. Because of the silliness of the dancing, attendants were guaranteed to burst out with laughter.
The event runs for only tonight and tomorrow, is strictly 21+, with limited space and subject to availability on a first come, first served basis. Tickets can be reserved on Fever.com while supplies last https://feverup.com/m/121370
Hulu notes that there are no plans to extend this limited run.
Welcome to Chippendales debut Tuesday, November 22, 2022, at 12:00 a.m. (PT)
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