DIVINE POSSUM

(Please note that the images of Carol had to be censored due to Tumblr’s new community guidelines. While I do not agree with this censoriship, I do think it’s important that this information about this trailblazing woman needs to be accessible to all despite it. Hopefully this version will not be flagged.) It struck me that not many people had in anyway addressed Carol Doda, who is probably one of the most famous go go dancers/strippers in history! (Disclaimer: Since people seem to be very sensitive about this subject, let it be clear I am not saying that strippers & go go dancers are the same thing by posting this article here. They are not. However, in the 1960s & really up thoruhg the 80s there was a much stronger connection between the two & the distinguishing lines more blurred. Let it also be clear that I also do not mean in separating go gos from exotic dancers to be disparaging to one group or the other and respect both groups of women & men equally. As I believe everyone should!) Carol Ann Doda was a go go dancing stripper in San Francisco, California in the 1960s, though her career ended up extending way beyond that era! Carol Doda, sometimes referred to as, “The Queen of Burlesque” dropped out of school at the age of 14 and became a cocktail waitress. She eventually attended the San Francisco Art Institute along with supplementing her income as a cocktail waitress and lounge entertainer at the famous Condor Club. In Doda’s first act there, she would be lowered from the ceiling a top a grand piano go go dancing to “The Swim” Bobby Freeman – The Swim: http://youtu.be/YBEwqQU5s_0

At 23 years old, the publicist for the Condor Club gave Carol a topless bikini monokini to wear during her act. That night Carol bravely went on and danced topless & is noted as being the first woman of this era to do so! Needless to say she was an instant success. Her fame began to become much more far reaching than just The Condor Club. Famous politicians came to see her; she was offered movie roles alongside Jack Nicholson & The Monkees and was even profiled for a book.

Then Carol decided to take things one step further. In a bold move to encourage her success Carol decided to enhance her breasts with silicone injections going from a size 34 to a 44.   Her enhancements were lovingly nicknamed “The Twin 44s” and “The New twin Peaks of San Francisco” by her fans. Then in 1969 she decided, “What the hell!” and became a fully nude dancer, until she was shut down by ABC.  

In 1965 she & the owner of her bar were arrested for lewd conduct & indecent exposure because of the new ABC laws. Carol was a witness in the trials of two other fellow dancers & even ended up performing one of her acts from one of her movies that played at the club to demonstrate that she wanted to show “the humorous side of sex.” Everyone was cleared of the charges brought against them including Doda herself.

Doda continued dancing beyond the age of 45, then toured with a band before retiring in the 80s to open her own lingerie boutique (how fitting). So she was a trail blazer in more ways than one. Her commitment to entertainment lasting as long as it did is a testament to the love she must have had for dancing and entertaining. And I think that’s something we can all identify with.