Monday, April 9, 2007 | 7:34 a.m.
What: "Crazy Horse Paris" featuring Dita Von Teese
When: 8 and 10:30 p.m. Sunday; 10:30 p.m. April 16; 8 and 10:30 p.m. April 18-19 and April 22-23
Where: MGM Grand's Crazy Horse Theater
Tickets: $59; 891-7777
Anyone interested in the fine art of burlesque shouldn't need an excuse to check out MGM Grand's classy topless revue "Crazy Horse Paris" (formerly "La Femme").
But if you do, there's no better reason than internationally renowned stripper Dita Von Teese - a 34-year-old Michigan native who is known for her retro look and a waist that can be cinched into a 16-inch corset.
Since becoming a burlesque entertainer 15 years ago, Von Teese has been on the cover of dozens of major publications, including Playboy and Harper's.
She so impressed the owners of "Crazy Horse," who bought the Paris-based company last year, that they invited her to become the first entertainer to guest star in the production, which features 13 long-legged, classically trained dancers.
Von Teese performed at the Paris venue in October. She joins the Las Vegas production for an engagement starting Sunday .
Heather Sweet - that's Von Teese's real name - recently talked to the Sun by phone while driving around the streets of Los Angeles.
Q. How did you first learn about Crazy Horse?
I've been a big fan of the show, "Crazy Horse Paris," since I was 17, when I came across an article in Playboy about it and its history. When I first went to Paris, I was maybe 18 or 19 years old, it was the first place I went. I was obsessed with it. Between the Las Vegas show and the Paris show I've seen the "Crazy Horse" revue maybe 20 to 25 times. It's a beautiful show. There's nothing else like it in the world. I think it captures the essence of the show girl and burlesque better than any other show I've ever seen.
There are a lot of shows in Vegas claiming to be burlesque, but "Crazy Horse" has the history behind it to actually know what they're doing. The others, they should put "burlesque" in quotes.
In the '30s and '40s burlesque involved striptease and nudity. That's what burlesque was about. Just running around in pasties and a G-string - like they do in some clubs - I think it is insulting for a lot of these people to use the word burlesque and to say, "We don't take off our clothes," and, "We would never do a striptease," and, "We would never show anything." It's like you're insulting the great stars of burlesque who did do a striptease and who did show their breasts and their rear ends. That's a fact. I get upset when people are performing and they don't know anything about the history of what they're doing.
When you first saw "Crazy Horse" in Paris, did you aspire to be in it?
Knowing the history and knowing about what is required of the girls, I never thought I could actually be in the show. I don't fit the physical requirements of what they look for in a "Crazy Horse" girl. It's all very uniform. The founder (Alain Bernardin in 1951) had a very distinctive vision that the girls would have the same exact body shape, they'd be the same height, or he would make them the same height with different height heels.
I didn't really fit the ideal "Crazy Horse" girl type, I'm not really the same shape, but I did dream of being onstage at "Crazy Horse," and it's really exciting to be the first guest star that they've ever had. It was a dream come true and I'm really excited to have a chance to do the "Crazy Horse Paris" in Las Vegas.
Vegas has another Crazy Horse, Crazy Horse Too, a topless dance club on Industrial.
I know. I used to work at Crazy Horse Too. Twice I worked there, in '94 or '95. I was never fond of working in Las Vegas as a stripper in a pole dancing club. It wasn't really my thing. Too much hustle and not enough performing.
How did your gig with "Crazy Horse Paris" come about?
They changed ownership recently. It had been in the family for over 50 years and they kept strict rules. They didn't really update the show in 20 years. The new owners wanted to bring new life into it, bring some more attention to it, do more press. There was this whole mystique around "Crazy Horse" girls, who were not allowed to do interviews. The new owners wanted to give it a little bit of an update.
What I think is extraordinary is that it's an all-nude revue in Paris, a beautiful nude revue. It's mysterious and elegant. The dancers are incredible, the most beautiful showgirls in the world. What's really extraordinary is that it's a nude revue and it's a national treasure in France. The girls are respected and admired. That's something different, you wouldn't really have that in the United States.
You were the first guest star. Have there been others since?
There have only been two al together. I was the first. The second was a very famous French actress and singer named Arielle Dombasle.
Are guest stars going to become a regular part of the show?
I'm not sure. I think they just want guest stars relevant to the "Crazy Horse" and what the "Crazy Horse" does. I know a couple of pop stars have approached them, but they said, no, they're not just going for having famous people there for the sake of having famous people there. They want performers to go there, to be sexy and to take off their clothes, which is essential to burlesque.
Would you like to stay at "Crazy Horse" longer than a week?
A week is just right. I perform there because it's something that I love. But I still have to continue my other work.
What is your other work?
I'm one of the newest MAC Viva Glam cosmetics spokeswomen. I'm promoting the sale of Viva Glam lipstick, of which 100 percent of the selling price goes to the MAC AIDS fund, which helps people living with HIV and AIDS. It has raised like $86 million .
I'm doing a lot of touring. I created a show, a striptease show where I ride a 10-foot-long mechanical Viva Glam lipstick. I'm doing the show all over the world and presenting checks to local AIDS charities and speaking about safe sex and getting the message out to people about protecting themselves and about what Viva Glam lipstick has done to help people. That's my main focus right now.
Why are you so passionate about it?
I know the statistics. I have acquaintances who contracted HIV and have passed away from it. I feel it's important to get the message out.
How did you get started in the striptease business?
In 1990 I was 18 and working in a lingerie store. I always dressed vintage, wearing my hair and makeup in vintage style my whole adult life. A friend took me to a strip club in Orange County (Calif. ). I thought it would be really interesting as an experiment because I'm always up for an adventure. It gave me another opportunity to dress up, so I started working the L.A. nightclub scene. I worked in strip clubs for seven years, also had the day job in the lingerie store, and I began building my Web site in 1993. I was doing lots of different things, everything in retro. That's how I got my start. I gradually began building my show, my Web site, modeling, touring strip clubs all over the country, headlining all over the world.
What does your future hold?
Just continuing on. I have no plans of quitting anytime soon. I have a few years left in me.
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