417th Friday Blog Roundup
Has anyone seen Magic Mike? Could somebody ruin it for me?
I was waiting in line on Wednesday morning, and the cashier and the woman in front of me were discussing male stripping. I was invited into the conversation, even though I have never seen a stripper perform. (Is that unusual? Am I really in the minority here that I’ve never been to a strip club?) The cashier recommended that I run, not walk, to the Red Box and rent Magic Mike. Why? I don’t know. I mean, I just wanted to purchase some aluminum foil; I wasn’t actually expressing any sadness over having never been to a strip club.
But the cashier intrigued me when she turned to the other woman and said, “you know how there’s the first part that you totally know about, and then that thing happens, you know what I’m talking about, that thing happens which changes everything. It was just such a surprise. That’s why she needs to watch it. For the second part.”
I was not aware that Magic Mike contained such intense plot twists.
Okay, so ruin it for me. What is this thing?
And am I really the only adult female who has never been to a strip club?
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A 2012 Creme de la Creme update: we now have 109 entries on the list. We’re trucking towards that December 15th hard deadline of being on the list.
For everyone who has already submitted early, thank you. For everyone who has already blogged about it or tweeted about it or Facebooked about it or Pinterested it or Google+ed it or emailed about it… THANK YOU.
For everyone who hasn’t submitted a post from 2012 yet, what are you waiting for? Take some time this weekend to skim your archives and then carefully read this post and learn how to get on the list. I want every single person in the community on it.
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And now the blogs…
But first, second helpings of the posts that appeared in the open comment thread last week. In order to read the description before clicking over, please return to the open thread:
- “Ending Fertility Treatment Equated with Madness” (Silent Sorority)
- “Will it be Fate or Destiny” (Silent Sorority)
- “My Visit to the Psychic (Part Two)” (Stirrup Queens) — thank you, Kathy and Lori!
- “A Perfectly Spooky Moment Monday” (The Infertility Voice)
- “An Honest Discussion of SET” (Miss Conception)
Okay, now my choices this week.
No Kidding in NZ has a story about a barren lioness she saw while on vacation. She writes, “But that said, it was charming to watch the cubs gather arround their barren aunt, play with her, lie next to her, show tactile affection. She had a very comfortable place in this family, a place perhaps that some of us (the human barren aunts) don’t always find.” It made me think about the roles we all play in our families; the ones we’d like to play and the ones that others allow us to play.
An Unwanted Path has a fabulous post about being in this no man’s land of primary infertility with children, pointing out the obvious that a word needs to be created since when she tries again, she is neither experiencing what she experienced before kids nor does she fit the definition of secondary infertility. She explains, “There’s a lot out there on how it feels to suffer from primary infertility, and secondary infertility, parenting afterward, and even about the decision to live child free. I don’t see a lot about the in between. It feels a bit like no man’s land.” Plus it has this brilliant line: “So, it’s true that infertility doesn’t define me; but it did help create me.” Seriously, read the whole post.
It is What It is (or Is It?) has a very interesting post about pregnancy after infertility, and how her own fears are affected by the off-hand remarks of others. Common pregnancy commentary on things such as how the woman is carrying the baby as well as everyday questions become tied into all of her thoughts about the pregnancy itself and what it took to achieve it.
Lastly, Flamingo House Happenings has a post that is so fantastic about the passion we bring to non-passionate topics. It is understandable that when you bring up a hot-button issue that you get a hot response. But she dissects the experience of putting up something non-controversial and receiving an inflamed response regardless. She writes, “In today’s hyper-active internet, no topic is safe any more. Post a recipe, someone’s going to have something negative to say about it. Post a list of favorite things, someone’s going to call you out for missing something. Misuse a comma and you’re fucked. An apostrophe out of place and you’re even more fucked.” It is such a great post; you need to read it in full.
The roundup to the Roundup: Am I the only person who hasn’t gone to a strip club? Update on the 2012 Creme de la Creme. And lots of great posts to read. So what did you find this week? Please use a permalink to the blog post (written between November 2nd and November 9th) and not the blog’s main url. Not understanding why I’m asking you what you found this week? Read the original open thread post here.
25 comments
I’ve never been to a strip club, but I have seen strippers (well, maybe they were more “show dancers”, but mild in any case) at some women’s running even as after entertainment. I wasn’t so impressed with stripping or guys, but some of the dance moves were sort of cool. It was a great laugh, in my opinion.
OH, wait! I take that back…I once helped out at a sex-convention (selling beer) for an evening and there was a stage with strippers on it during the evening. It was all I could do to NOT laugh while guys & girls were stripping/wiggling/gyrating on the stage.
I definitly have never been to a strip club. And I’m not really intrerested in watching a movie about a male stripper either, but that’s just me.
I’ve never been to a strip club and have no desire to go but I did think magic like was a fun movie. Although when I came home and my movie snob of a husband asked me how it was, I said it wasnt going to win any awards for cinamatography or writing but it was entertaining. And I’m not sure I remember any surprise plot twists but that could be because i saw it in a movie theater without a/c right after the derecho. Maybe I should also run to red box and rent it.
(raises hand) I’ve never been either. Chippendales, etc., was just getting big when I was in university — it was still considered a very daring thing to do, and I’m not a particularly daring sort of person. ; ) (Although frankly, I don’t think I missed much). ; ) We did take one of dh’s cousins who was getting married to a female impersonator revue on the same night the guys went out on the town for the groom’s stag. The host was Joan Rivers (well, a guy who was scarily identical to her), & there were guys performing as Cher, Tina Turner, Carol Channing, etc. That was kind of fun.
I did see Magic Mike. It was OK (& Matthew McConaghey is at his sleazy best as the strip club owner) — but frankly, I didn’t think it was that great. I don’t find Channing Tatum particularly hot — I may be in the minority ; ) (although there was plenty of other eye candy to be found, lol). ; ) If you’re going for the stripping scenes, I guess they are fine as stripping routines go (??) — but they are not the whole movie. I guess the movie did great business, but my thought was that if you went to the movie expecting to see wall to wall men stripping, you were going to be disappointed.
I started writing out the plot, but then I realized, you can look it up on Wikipedia (seriously!). So for those who want to know, here’s the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Mike
Back in the day, I went to Chippendales and have been in the audience at several bachelorette parties that included a male stripper (including my own, which was not my plan at all but that of a friend. I will admit that it was HOT & sexy and embarrassing).
As for Magic Mike, I think they were f’ing with you. While the entire plot (which you can read on Wiki) isn’t all stripping, what’s left is predictable & badly acted. I would see it again for the opening scene alone. I do find Channing sexy in his ability to really dance & Matthew McC did a good turn as the greasy, sleezy club owner. Your life may not be enriched for seeing it but you might be entertained. I was disappointed & wish I had waited for the DVD.
Oh, and thanks for the shout out. Comments continue about my ‘smallness’ including a teacher at my son’s school who just y’day said, “you can’t be 32 weeks”. I try to let them go b/c really, it is what it is.
I have not seen Magic Mike, nor have I been to a strip club. But my friend had a stripper at her bachelorette party. For me, it was initially amusing, but quickly went downhill to awkward and then boring. Maybe a club with dancing would be better. But I doubt it.
And you stole my pick for the week…
I haven’t seen Magic Mike, been to a strip club, or seen any stripper. And I’m totally okay with all of that.
You learn something new every day! I added the Creme de la Creme link to my blog and I never understood how to add the code until you explained it! Thanks!!!
I personally enjoyed Magic Mike, but took it for what it was worth, not a great movie, not a mental thriller, but a movie with attractive half naked men! Yup that is really all it is. That and some neat routines. I have been to a strip club. It was pretty depressing to be honest, but it was for a bachelorette party.
Maybe I am strange, but I actually don’t mind going to a “female” strip club.
PS. You are the blog queen and I have the highest respect for your organizational skills! 🙂
Never been to a strip club but when I was in college, my roommates hired a male stripper for 2 people’s birthday party. Then there was a bachelorette party. But the guy had the same name as my brother and effectively creeped me out. Each time, all of the ladies in the room were laughing the entire time. I think it was to mainly get over issues with their own bodies (the guys kept a g string on the entire time). I know where the female strip clubs are in town but I have idea where a male club is…
On a somewhat unrelated note, the ad that shows up on the left is one for J0ckey and it looks like Rachel is undressing the other woman. These subject related ads are starting to creep me out.
I have been to a couple different strip clubs due to birthday parties and bachelorette parties. They are actually pretty fun if you drink enough and go with a big group of people.
I also saw Magic Mike and initially laughed when I heard the plot. It wasn’t a great movie, but it was fun to see it with friends (we had a couple drinks before going). Tatum is HOT and does have some really good moves. The wolf from True Blood (if you watch that) is in it too and he doesn’t seem very coordinated (but still hot).
I’ve never been to a male strip club but have seen a male stripper at a bachelorette party. Kind of ewww. However, I have been a female strip club several times with my husband. That sounds weird and I promise it’s not something kinky we’re in to; we haven’t been in years. Strip clubs always make me want to dance. Wait. Not there; at a dance club. I’m rambling now. I haven’t seen Magic Mike either.
I’ve never been to a male strip club. I’d rather see a girl do tricks on a pole than a dude shake his thing. (FYI I work out once a week at a pole fitness studio, so I like to go to female clubs to see what they’re capable of.) Male strippers make me laugh. I have been to one party where a male stripper was hired. I was extremely uncomfortable and embarrased. I laughed. A lot. And it’s not something I want to do again.
Magic Mike was entertaining for it’s (few) strip club scenes. I’m glad I saw it once, to see what the hype was about (really, it was just for the chance to see shirtless dudes — and I really couldn’t care about any of the ones in the movie). But it isn’t something I’d see again. Like someone previously said, the acting was bad, bad, BAD. The story line was predictable. I actually HATED the ending. I didn’t feel like the story really ended. I needed more closure in regards to The Kid’s story. I think I actually cried out “THAT’S IT?” for all the theater to hear when the movie was over. Overall, I felt like Magic Mike was the first rough draft of something that had some potential of being a little better.
I have never been to a male strip club in my entire life. Hard bodies all oiled up don’t really do it for me. That said, I would rent Magic Mike simply b/c Matthew McC is pretty easy on the eyes (Channing Tatum, meh. Too beefcake-y for me).
But lady strip clubs? Too many to count. In fact, I’ve gotten trips to the strip club TWICE as birthday gifts. I’ve gone with my husband and other friends, too. It’s one of those confounding things about me in direct contrast to my otherwise feminist persona.
I will say, regardless of whether you’re going to an all-female or all-male club: you feel like you need to take a shower afterward. And you never really want to make eye-contact – it’s weird for all involved. For me personally? It’s an (often expensive) experience that I enjoy once in a blue moon.
Oh, Melissa. Obviously you shouldn’t listen to me too intently as I am a disgusting ape – but you need to go to a strip club just to have had the experience. And agree with the above – you will regardless of purity level need a shower afterwards.
I’ve only ever been to the live and in person male strip show once but been to the lady ones too many to count. (The lady ones are actually far less raunchy, and much, much cheaper). It’s pretty fun and you definitely… see things. If for no other reason you should go once just because you’re a writer (I know, I know, I’m a disgusting ape) just because it gives you a… one of a kind glimpse into the human experience, shall we say.
Am I the only one who thinks Channing Tatum is about as attractive/interesting as a piece of drift wood?
Okay off to see which blogs to mention…
I’ve been to several female strip clubs with male friends, and I (unfortunately) had a male stripper at my bachelorette party. Stripping, in general, makes me giggle like a 12-year-old. I agree with the above posters – you should go once for the experience. And shower afterward. Blech.
I haven’t seen Magic Mike. Matthew Mcconaughey annoys me.
I’ve never been to a strip club, male or female, and wouldn’t ever go. I went to a friend’s bachelorette party once and she had a stripper (which her sister, another stripper, hired)… it was pretty awkward. I left the room. It’s just not my thing.
Thanks for the blog mention and comment on my post. I’m glad you understood what I was saying with it. I felt like I was just kind of throwing it on paper because I was feeling kind of disoriented lately.
Magic Mike was good. My friend and I were giggling hysterically at how silly women can be. I have never been to a strip club.
Never been to a strip club. Oddly, I did kind of want to see that movie, with my swishy friend Peter, but it never did happen.
Never been to a strip club, but I did see Magic Mike. I thought it was mostly funny because the acting was soooo bad and I’m sure they were making up most of the script as they went along. The story was weak at best. Channing Tatum was nice to look at, but Matthew McC(however you spell it) was creepy.
Honestly, the best part was the fact that I was watching it with my Mom and my sister, and we had all had a couple glasses of wine with dinner so we were giddy.
Don’t worry. You didn’t miss anything of note, other than some nice abs.
As I’m reading comments, I realize how perhaps I’m actually in the minority here. But I’ve been to strip clubs of all ilks–women dancing for men, men dancing for women, men dancing for men, I have even seen lesbian strippers. I do not like stripping, per se, but I used to be very attracted to the dark underbelly of society. At any rate, I’m waiting for Magic Mike to come to HBO. But it seems like the Notebook in a strip club.
Okay, so I’m not hearing (or reading) any surprise in the movie.
The end of the story is that when I went to the food store on Friday, I got into a different person’s lane, and she commented how I hadn’t chosen her lane on Wednesday as if she were put off by the fact that I chose the other cashier. I wanted to tell her that it really wasn’t worth the time saved not getting in her longer line (I usually like to chat with this cashier) because I had to endure a long monologue about Magic Mike.
I’m really not sold on the idea of going to a strip club. It could be because I’ve known a handful of strippers, and I’m not sure I’d (1) want to see them dance or (2) not think about how all these people dancing are people’s friends and family members during the performance.
Well,. I guess what happens at/after the sorority party is kind of an unexpected twist or shift in the plot that changes everything… I wouldn’t say it was that shocking or surprising, though. You sort of knew trouble was brewing…
Loribeth! I had to re-read your comment 15 times 🙂 I was like, whoa, what sorority party. Was I at a sorority party? Did I do something shocking there? Then I realized it was about the movie. I’m totally on top of things tonight 🙂
I’ve been to a few strip clubs (hey! don’t judge!) I don’t find them very exciting unless I’m VERY drunk, which I haven’t been in like 10 years.
I had no desire to see Magic Mike but got drug out with the girls one night. I actually enjoyed it in a really, really funny kind of way.
That being said, I have no idea what the big secret is.
Here’s the deal:
Mike is a stripper working with another guy running a club. They want to be rich.
Mike stumbles onto a live-with-his-sister loser but manages to turn him into a pretty decent stripper.
the loser gets way into drugs/sex/thescene.. gets himself into trouble.
Mike and the loser’s sister were sort of dating but she thinks stripping is nasty. Then when her brother gets all screwed up, she’s pissed at Mike.
Eventually Mike sacrifices his dreams to help the loser-brother out and eventually everyone lives happily ever after.
There’s a lot of stripping and hooting and hollering and some actually-funny jokes in between.