It used to be said that if you play a hooker or a stripper in a movie, you will probably be nominated for an Oscar. Since then, it’s been changed to “if you play ugly” or “if you play a lesbian,” but working women with hearts of gold still do well with viewers and critics alike. (Just ask Marisa Tomei, who was the most recent on-screen stripper to be nominated for several Supporting Actress awards for her role in The Wrestler.)
So many women we love have played these kinds of roles, we thought we’d get into this salacious topic for this week’s huddle. Crew, who is your favorite lady of the night (or lady of the pole)?
The Linster: Demi Moore’s Striptease is the reason FF exists on the remote control. Most of the movie is pretty bad – and although the sexism is exaggerated to make a point (I think), it’s too icky to watch. But when Demi starts to dance, nothing else matters. The woman is scorching hot. And her body is the stuff lesbian dreams are made of.
That is one lucky pole.
Heather Hogan: Can I be honest with you? Rose Tyler is not even in my top three when it comes to the Doctor’s companions, but boy do I love Billie Piper as Hannah (Belle) in Secret Diary of a Call Girl. I mean, she’s Holly Golightly-levels of class warfare and snobbery, but she’s way sexier than Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. (Yeah, I said it.)
She challenges stereotypes and makes me laugh all while wearing little to no clothes at all. What’s not to love?
Mia Jones: Oh wow, color me shocked at the huddle topic for this week. I have so many favorite pole workers, where do I begin? Just kidding, I know it’s a great way of paying for college tuition.
My favorite working girl, or the one I find most attractive, is Elisha Cuthbert in The Girl Next Door.
I honestly have no clue how the movie ended or who the villain was or who the other characters were. But I just know she definitely had a heart of gold — I’m pretty sure.
Courtney Gillette: Upon being asked to name a favorite lady of the night, I had vague memories of a gorgeous woman who goes undercover for the cops on The Wire. Some light Googling later and I had found her: Shardene Innes.
She gets scared straight, more or less, by Greggs (love you, Greggs!) and Freamon, and then finds herself wearing a wire tap while on the pole. (Where does one put a wire on a stripper, anyway? Let’s not think too hard about that one.) And while episode recaps tell me she ended up romantically involved with Lester Freamon (really?), I’m wishing it would’ve been Greggs. Redo!
Trish Bendix: I have written before of my love of Lifetime movies, so I’m going to offer up this gem: Jennifer Love Hewitt in the Lifetime original, The Client List. JLH played a “masseuse” who was secretly willing to give happy endings in exchange for being able to pay the bills.
She was found out, though, and soon everyone wanted to know who were her most valuable customers. Cybil Shepard played her judgmental mother with one of the best lines: “How could you have done all those things with those men?”
Bridget McManus: For me it’s a tie between Jennifer Beals in Flashdance and Tina Fey in Date Night.
Who is your favorite “Roxanne”?
