Toby Pisstols stripper at World By Night club in 1984

I was a male stripper in a go-go bar

OK we all have a past and did something that we are not altogether proud of.  Here’s my stripper story…

In 1984, in my “big hair” and alcohol / substance infused days at THE BEAT, I lost a bet with my peers and agreed to be a male stripper — I did this for a (very) short time in Brisbane, mainly as a lark, at the sleazy local burlesque theatre called World By Night next to the Orient Hotel at the juncture of Ann and Queen Streets in the Fortitude Valley (it was later mysteriously burned down) — the show was called “Pisstols”.

We think this was the first ever male strip show in Brisbane.

This was during the time when the Queensland government banned depictions of nudity, and criminal prosecution for being gay. So, a live strip show to reveal nudity was definitely an arrestable offense.  Plus my gay version for gay days at the strip club really pushed the limits.

The work around, to become compliant with the law, and not be fully nude, was to wear what we called a “cock sock”, almost like a skintight single foot sock that was carefully wrapping penis and genitals, yet still terrifyingly revealed girth, length and other details.

1984 Valley World by Night ad for Toby strippingI performed two segments in the show with 2 versions of one of my performance songs… a gay and a straight version.

First, massively over-dressed in a cape and leather jacket, white dickie front & bow tie, faux leather top hat, white gloves, monocle, cane, quick rip-off pants with Velcro down the side seams and a “cock sock”, I performed my rather desperately camp routine to Irving Berlin’s “Putting on the Ritz” (1983 version by Taco). Somewhat like a scene from the musical GYPSY, I spent most of the act strutting the stage with the cane and glass of champagne and spent 2 minutes removing my white gloves, finger by finger.

The second was my beginning the segment dressed in leather, head to toe, in a designer jacket, shirtless under it, leather chaps, also with Velcro quick release, and leather underwear, and under that, a pleather cock sock. This was performed to “Relax” (1983 version by Frankie Goes to Hollywood). While “Relax” was interpreted as an upbeat celebration of gay sex, the female audiences never connected the dots.  I had two versions, a special “gay/homosexual” version that my DJ Baby created for the special boys nights.

Both segments of my show ended in total nudity (except for the cock sock) with a back lit lighting flash and (fast) blackout. The Full Monty ahead of it’s time.

At least the ladies (and the press reviewer and the boys) liked it for the couple of weeks I did it.

Toby stripper press review at World By Night club in 1984 Toby stripper at World By Night club in 1984Toby at Pisstols 1984 Valley World by Night ad for Toby stripping

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