Erotic City

Holy shitty kitty on a stick, it’s time for Halloween! Granted, I’ve been on one of those "only seven more weeks until October" kicks for a bit, but it’s finally here. Why is this such a fantastic achievement? Well, it’s the first year that I won’t be working—anywhere. You heard me, club owners and underground sex club managers: I’m going to wake up at noon (earlier than usual), eat a handful of acid and binge watch a few horror movies. Then, I’m gonna do our bouncers a favor and skip the strip clubs, to go howl at the moon in the woods. But, that doesn’t mean you should miss out on all the Halloween action. Check out the Spotlight section at the end of this column for listings of all the cool parties, but for now, let us discuss what is possibly the best Halloween-themed idea to ever come of Halloween-themed ideas...

DJ Dick Hennessy Presents Dicky Wonka’s Haunted Strip Club Factory

Spyce, one of downtown Portland’s fine strip clubs, is a two-level mini-mansion of a brick building. Without even trying, it manages to give off an "Old Portland" vibe. This is always cool, strip club or not, but it’s a perfect place to host a haunted house. And, who better to do so, than the guy who is responsible for roughly 75% of our advertising revenue— DJ Dick Hennessy? This year, Dick is taking the haunted house to a whole ‘nother level of creepy by incorporating the Willy Wonka theme in his event.

Now, I always thought that Charlie And The Chocolate Factory was basically Saw for kids—it’s toned-down torture porn, targeted toward an audience that is likely adult, intoxicated or a combination thereof. So, the idea of taking this theme to the next level and incorporating tits is, well, something Dick would do. I love this guy and his entrepreneurial spirit, but more importantly, I really dig Halloween-themed strip club events that incorporate child murder factories and large amounts of chocolate. Here’s to hoping that this version of Wonka’s Chocolate Factory doesn’t have a four-person body count that ends up in an old dude smashing through the ceiling. The event runs from Thursday, October 25, all the way through Halloween evening. If the Ghosts Of Dick’s Events Past (there’s a suggestion for your Christmas show, dude) is any indication, the event will likely fill up quickly, so be sure to get in line early and often.

Take A Shot At The Whiskey Club

One of the newer bars to open up in downtown Portland, The Whiskey Club is merging the strip club approach with the VIP experience, while offering a relaxed vibe and a huge selection of, well, whiskey (but, not "well whiskey"). I swung by and checked the place out a few weeks ago—so, I’m sure some things have been added and/or upgraded— but, from what I was shown, it’s my kind of place. The Whiskey Club has two floors and is laid out in a long-style format (as opposed to a square or "open" type of layout), which creates an intimate environment, without being small. There are upstairs VIP rooms, a DJ, spacious seating and one of the best selections of whiskey I’ve seen in ages.

Staff informed me that one goal of the club is to facilitate a more one-on-one experience, when it comes to on-staff entertainers and customers. There is a small stage, but that is not the primary focus—rather, customers are actually encouraged to hang out with dancers on the floor, chat, relax and possibly arrange time alone in the VIP area. While I love every aspect of stage-centric clubs, I do enjoy knowing that I can get a cozy, upscale lounge experience that just happens to have a whole roster of soon-to-be-nude women available for paid entertainment. Plus, they have lots of whiskey (that’s your excuse, guys— when the wife asks where you were after work, just say you visited a top-shelf club to sample a certain type of bourbon).

Let’s Talk About Sex

Did you know that some of your favorite writers, past and present, are also very vocal, outside of these pages? Well, now you can meet a select few and hear their original, unique and audible contributions to the downtown Portland creative community. Oh, and there’s gonna be stories about sex—graphic ones, even! Let’s Talk About Sex, a monthly event featuring readings by writers, starts on the second Monday of October.

Participant and organizer Daniel DePrez had this to say:

"Let’s Talk About Sex is now a monthly event at Jack London Review, beginning Monday, October 8 at 7:00pm. Reading, will be Daria Eliuk, John Shirley, Julia Laxer, Anna Suarez, Jamie Dunkle and Dan DePrez. Cover is $5.

What began as a meeting of current and former Exotic writers is now an ongoing event in Portland. We hope to showcase as many talented writers—with as many different takes on sex—as possible. We try to make the lineup as inclusive as possible, meaning that whatever you find sexy, it should be represented at Let’s Talk About Sex. This also means that you will be exposed to others’ versions of sexuality—the stories are sometimes graphic, sometimes coy, dead serious or playfully frivolous. Many of the writers have had experience as sex workers; all of them have highly individual takes on sexuality. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and hopefully we can make you blush once.

Regarding the October readers, Daria Eliuk is known for her many years on Portland radio and television. She is concentrating on the writing that was such a popular feature of her time on KNRK radio. Novelist John Shirley was one of the first writers in the "cyberpunk" movement and lead singer for early Portland punk band, Sado Nation. He co-wrote the screenplay to the film The Crow and has written lyrics for Blue Oyster Cult and other groups."

I’m hoping to swing by this event and check it out, hope to see you there!

Slutwalking Out Loud

Holy positive reader feedback, Batman! We never get this...not because we’re assholes or anything, but rather, because it takes time and effort to send an email. Here’s one I woke up to, from Jason Savage, creator of Stripping Out Loud trading cards.

"Hey Ray,

I just wanted to let you know, that I liked your article in Exotic, about Slutwalk (Erotic City, September 2018). This was my fourth year as a volunteer for the walk. Usually, I (just) do photography for them, but this year, (event organizer) Elle asked if I could be a peacekeeper. I was right there when the fight broke out, and was one of the people helping to break it up and keep it from happening again. Elle had to call the cops to show up.

I am a big supporter of Slutwalk and I understand why it is important. That is why I will be donating half the profits to (Slutwalk), after all of the Stripping Out Loud (card sets) are sold, with the other half being donated to Dance Naked Productions

I find myself constantly explaining to people what Slutwalk is and why it’s something that is needed. The fact that Elle was asked what people there would be wearing, shows its importance in a glaring light. I have told (Slutwalk) that when they do get the donation, they are free to use it however they feel would be best. I have one suggestion that I had mentioned to (Elle), that being using the money to make some sort of thirty-second commercial or PSA—explaining what Slutwalk is to those who may not understand—and have it broadcast on local television (if stations will air it)."

Regarding the Stripping Out Loud card set, which we covered a few months back in these pages, I asked Jason to give us an update and he said this:

"One of the main goals of this project is to show strippers in a respectful, powerful light. I am hoping that it will influence other men to maybe re-examine their own views on sex workers and start to see them as legitimate professionals, who do not deserve to be looked down on because of their chosen vocation. I also want people to see the 180-degree difference, between chosen work in the sexual professions and actual trafficking. The latter is something that needs to be stopped and too many resources are wasted on harassing people who choose to do sexual work. I get pissed off when I see guys who go to strip clubs to have a good ol’ time, but then immediately start talking shit about strippers as soon as they leave the club."

It’s always good to see other folks in the sex industry doing good things. If you or someone you know is involved in a local, sex-positive project, go ahead and shoot me an email (Ray@Xmag.com) and I’ll be sure to cover it in this column.

Miss Exotic Oregon Is Here!

Okay, that may have been a little premature (but for my exes, this should come as no surprise). The event known as Miss Exotic Oregon is here, but the winner won’t be announced for several weeks (months, technically). This contest is the top of the top, the prime cut, the $18 per gram top shelf...you get what I’m trying to say—it’s fucking Miss Exotic Oregon. Every year, performers from all over the area flex their skills, in a chance to win thousands of dollars in cash, plus a spot on the cover of Exotic. Former winners of Miss Exotic Oregon have gone on to start their own businesses, act in movies, write for other publications (how dare they), the whole nine—not only is it a step up from Karaoke Contest And Bingo Night at whatever pub you frequent, but Miss Exotic Oregon is a title. It’s something that you can take to your family and say, "Hey assholes, remember when you told me I’d never be an award-winning stripper?" Then, your family will likely remind you that they never told you that, but it’s cool—you’re in it for the kill.

If you want to enter, you must attend one of the qualifying rounds. No, you can’t buy your way to the top in this contest, but yes, it really, really helps to have a supportive fan base at your disposal. Yes, you can come out and have fun, but it’s still a competition, so expect to get sweaty and make sure to prepare a show that the judges haven’t seen before. Think about it...if you win this, you could win anything (as long as Russians don’t get involved—no offense to the sexy one who always hangs out with Dick Hennessy). And, for those who have never considered becoming a stripper, it’s the perfect time to try out some amateur nights— Columbia Strip offers one every Sunday night at 6:00pm, so that’s a great start for those looking to hit the pole in a discreet location. By this time next year, you, too, could be competing in Miss Exotic Oregon!

I’m Featuring At Harvey’s Again!

Why am I plugging a feature set at a comedy club, in a magazine dedicated to adult entertainment? Because, I can, that’s why. These are the things you get to do when you have a media degree from a state school. So, I’ll keep it short—Don Frost is one of Portland’s most beloved comedians and he’s headlining a weekend at Harvey’s, as part of "Scary Nights With Don Frost." Naturally, nothing is scarier than having to perform to a room full of people who just dealt with my annoying ass for 25 minutes, so it’s a good fit that I’m on the bill as the feature act. The first show is Thursday, October 25, with two shows on Friday and Saturday, then concluding on Sunday, October 28, for an all-ages show...the scariest of them all. If you want on any of these shows, shoot an email to Ray@Xmag.com and I’ll get you one of those "you and fifty people" tables—just remember to buy something and tip your staff.