TV Review - I'm a Stripper (Episode 2)

Brendan Coates (left) and Gabriel Clark
both are the subjects of "I'm a Stripper (episode 2)"

Last year, actor-writer Charlie David directed a short documentary for television called I'm a Stripper: The Real Life Magic Men. He followed up with this sequel, which aired on Logo this summer. It works as a stand-alone episode but watching the first installment probably enriches watching this one. For example, some people in this episode are characters who appeared in the first. There's a title card or a context for them, but the breath of who those people are is lost if you haven't seen the first.

This episode centers on two male strippers, instead of three. This actually allows David to delve deeper into the two and allow us to get to know them better.

David includes interviews by Dr. Laurie Betito who is a sex therapist and radio DJ. She hosts a show that talks to various male strippers. David catches these talks as they were happening live on the air. In this case, Betito talks to Gabriel Clark, a 26-year-old Canadian male stripper who is bisexual and also a porn star.

David introduces us first to Brendan "Bronco" Coates who began stripping in 2006 after winning many male beauty and dancing contests. He loves hockey and does various other jobs, not necessarily for the extra money but also because at the age of 30 he considers quitting the stripping business.

This episode doesn't really reveal more about the stripping profession than the last episode. It certainly teaches more than Magic Mike (2012). We learn facts and statistics, for example, by way of titles that appear on screen during the interviews. In general, it continues the narrative that these guys who strip are not much more than desperately, attention-seeking narcissists.

What's interesting about this episode is that it includes an interview with Bronco's female friend BJ as well as Gabriel's father Lucas. BJ is interesting because she's brutally honest with saying how she's heterosexual but doesn't find male strippers attractive, and that goes double for Bronco, as well as how she thinks stripping in general is ridiculous. Gabriel's father is interesting because he turns out to be accepting of his son's profession and sexual orientation due to a very surprising reason.

Other than friends and family, the interviews of Gabriel himself are very enlightening. He disputes a lot of stereotypes about the world or worlds that he inhabits. Gabriel is bisexual. He dances for both straight women and gay men. He disputes the stereotype about what women and men want out of the stripping experience. He also disputes the stereotypes people have about bisexuality.

Three Stars out of Five.
Not Rated but for mature audiences.
Running Time: 41 mins.
Available on LOGOtv.com.