BIG TOP LOUNGE
Big Top Lounge, an all-nude juice bar located inside Show World, opened abruptly in March of 1991. Precisely the day before the debut, A Show World Fantasy Booth ‘baby’ was brutally murdered in the empty dressing room of Big Top, still under construction. In spite of the tragedy, Big Top unceremoniously opened on schedule, with the ghostly presence of the poor girl stabbed to death presiding over the proceedings. That discourteous decision remained an indignity to the spirit of the dead girl that subsequently haunted the premises for years to come. That management coldly proceeded to open Big Top to the public as if nothing unusual occurred, probably for fear they would lose money due to the horrific incident, is the subject of speculation. Regardless, the ‘business as usual’ attitude as if a homicide were something one would come to expect in porngraphy, was rude and disrespectful; perhaps reflecting a business model bent on the ‘bottom line’.
However, the argument can also be made that management wanted simply to move forward by putting the premise of murder to rest as quickly as possible; Show World being no stranger to slayings and such, with the mysterious disappearance of Robert DiBernardo (Richie’s business partner) in 1986 in what is widely considered gangland-related.
But if we can somehow put aside the repugnance of the Big Top tragedy and miraculously make neon-light of the circumstances, Big Top was an unbelievable success, and added yet another alternative theme within Show World, on a different scale, with the discontinuation of the Triple Treat Theater. John Wilson, A Show World manager at the helm of Big Top, actually incorporated a ‘dry hustle’ operation, complete with magnums of fake champagne and nude table dancing, gleaned from an apprenticeship in adult clubs owned by topless bar kingpin Barry Lipsitz; a former Pussycat Showcenter silver-dollar man. Big Top, of course being effectuated by Richie (a Cecille B. DeMille in his own right), naturally was decorated with clowns and circus-themed motifs that inspired impromptu acts of no-holds-barred nudity short of jumping through hoops that shocked the seasoned pussy inspectors that frequented the club; no strangers to unprecedented acts of exhibitionism themselves within the ‘one-on-one booths’ of Show World.
Perhaps what distinguished Big Top from its predecessors was the location; with an entrance on the street, and direct access to Show World Center. Big Top premiered with plenty of veteran dancers of all different backgrounds, as well as new exotic recruits; bottomless girls all thirsty for a revenue stream contingent on lewdness and illicitness, with naturally some form of hustling involved. Although a seemingly innocuous juice bar with no presumption of alcohol present; that didn’t refute complete insanity and truly bizarre behavior in between bouts of raw nudity on behalf of the dancers at Big Top on any given occasion; minus their G-strings and their inhibitions. But in spite of some cellulite attractions, most of the debutantes here were appealing and quite pretty, if not whacked out on marching powder. ‘Hustling’ (defined as a system of manipulation) usually began on stage, with the dancers extracting crumpled dollar bills in exchange for raunchy contortions performed; further enhanced by a tampon string dangling from an unshaved vagina that invoked the side-shows of Coney Island from back in the day. No longer confined to the Private Booths of Show World, the naughty girls of Big Top flaunted their in-your-face nakedness; described as ‘gash for cash’ by one patron, after the discovery of pubic hairs in his near-beer!
Big Top’s particular brand of ‘hustling’ continued off-stage as well, where heat-seeking missiles went for the proverbial kill. Upon exiting the stage, the nude dancing girls have already determined who has money and hasn’t, by eliminating customers who weren’t tipping them on stage. Once a potential victim has been targeted, the girl immediately introduces herself with the classic ‘you look like you could use a little company’. She automatically invites herself to join him, and he agrees of course, because he doesn’t want to look like a cheapskate or a schmuck or both. Soon a perky waitress appears, a cigarette protruding from her lips, and asks if he would like to buy her a drink, which starts the ball rolling, since by now she is already sitting on his lap. Within minutes the conversation between them shifts to the subject of relocating to the V.I.P section, located in a faux-exclusive setting, ‘so that we can really get to know each other, if you know what I mean.’ After a few minutes, the smoking waitress appears once again, and upon viewing the smitten couple, starts hinting that ‘all kinds of things go on back there, if you know what I mean;’ a clear reference to the aforementioned V.I.P. section. Suddenly it begins to dawn on him exactly what it is he desires at this pivotal moment, which may be the privacy of a more intimate setting with the sweaty showgirl of his dreams, as the chain-smoking waitress has suggested. At this point, the showgirl signals the puffing waitress with a wink, who in turn summons the appearance of a floor man in a flashy suit, who bolsters the waitress’ contention with a spiel that further facilitates the upcoming transaction by either cash or credit card. Meanwhile the Big Top scantily clad hostess is still on his lap, licking her lips, touching his hair, rubbing his thigh, and can’t seem to keep her hands off him, until he’s finally signed his John Hancock on the credit card charge, which will allow him immediate access to the V.I.P.; and it never occurs to him that they are all in cahoots. But it doesn’t matter, because on all counts he’s just won the lottery, and soon his promiscuous ‘date’ will be minus her inhibitions and possibly minus her bra and putrid G-string as well. Before he can have second thoughts and change his mind, the waitress, now sporting a nicotine patch, has prepared a magnum of fake champagne in an ice bucket with two glasses, and is ready to escort the ‘newlyweds’ to the back of Big Top, ‘where all the fun happens; fuhgeddaboudit.’ And as soon as they are comfortably situated in the V.I.P., the waitress, now resembling the poster girl for the American Cancer Society, pops the cork on the bottle and not only pours it for them, but swears to take care of their every need, whatever that may be, and if necessary stand guard to prevent any intrusions to their privacy, on account she received a nice fat tip on his gold American Express card; possibly an incentive to quit smoking for good!
Of course the V.I.P. in Big Top is not exactly the Mike Todd Room of the Palladium, nor is it exclusive or far-removed but conveniently located inches away, in a slightly elevated area with lounge booths and seating partially concealed by drapes that resemble mosquito nets, which help to blur the identity of the newlyweds, and whatever illicit activity they are forewarned not to engage in. ‘But other than that, use your imagination!’
Alas, irrespective of the shenanigans at Big Top, an inescapable pattern ominously emerged that targeted exotic entertainers; proven repeatedly over the next few years. In spite of their survival instincts, their life expectancy dropped significantly, as a number of girls bit the dust. Some blamed the lifestyle of complete abandon, with a demise predicated on drug overdoses and incurable diseases, with the occasional suicide; however the inevitable fatal attraction put murder at the very top of the list, with multiple homicides replacing mulitple orgasms. Were these shocking events the precursor to the extinction of pornography itself in Times Square? Regardless, the titillation of stripteasers more than once turned to tragedy; as more and more girls were preyed upon and victim to uncontrollable circumstances. ‘Girls were coming up dead,’ quipped Vinny Falco, a Big Top floorman; ‘but never on the premises, like what happened. We knew some were likely down the line, because of the way they went about their lives. Eventually they ended up that way; casualties of the business and the lifestyle that went with it.’