Red Snapper

The new 18+ rule

Patreon has a new rule for creators of content for those 18 and up. We have to provide documentation for everyone who appears in videos to verify they're over 18 and consent to appearing on Patreon.

I understand why they've put the rule in place. It's a smart way of preventing exploitation and abuse.

And I'm inconvenienced by it, as are you. I've shared show videos and photos that may have to go into the vault so I don't have to chase down permissions from every random person present. Nothing I have here is exploitative, but the rules apply to everyone. I'll still have plenty of content with Mr. Snapper, but anything with other performers will disappear on June 25th.

Take advantage and watch what you can before I have to disappear the content with other performers in order to keep my account in good standing. :)

Tub Tales 06.08.24

I spent a lot of time working on building the costume pieces for last night's show. I chat about that and more here. (More to come about the gig and the costume later.)

Tub Tales 05.25.24

We had a couple of gigs this month, and I'm building a costume for a gig next month. Oh yeah, I also go off about how I'm looking for a new job because of mergers and acquisitions in real life. Enjoy.

Full Reveal Rewind: Pulp Fiction

I'm fairly certain it's been six or seven years since we last performed Jack Rabbit Slim's Twist Contest from Pulp Fiction in Dallas. A recent performance had me reflecting on the debut, and we had footage of it! Enjoy this walk down memory lane.

Behind the Scenes: Pulp Pants

I know. There's been a lot about pants lately. Last weekend we did our Pulp Fiction Jack Rabbit Slim's Twist Contest act, which was the latest need for pants. I didn't want to make pants, but I couldn't find anything I liked. I ordered a pants pattern to customize, black snap tape, and twill fabric before the end of April.

The shop that sold the fabric had a shipping delay of about a week, so that arrived the day before I flew to St. Louis for work. I worked on the pants between the day job demands, hockey playoffs, and my other gig this month. It's been years since I made pants.

My pants have pockets. I added some extra space on the side seams for the snap tape. but I didn't really need it.

I used different colored bobbin thread while I was taking in the crotch. It helped me think with where I left off. With pants, a little adjustment can go a long way. (I should try taking in those giant Endor Leia pants with this recent pair of pants under my belt.)

I added the snap tape and it worked wonderfully. The front tab on the waistband looks a little funky, but I doubt anyone will notice.

Right before I realized I'd have to make the pants, I decided to make a few costume pieces for my June gig. (I'm in the throes of that now.)

How many more costume pieces will I make this year? We'll see.

Gigs Galore!

My goodness! May has been relatively busy on the gig front. We performed "Buttercup" at Arlington Music Hall for Arielle Burlesque. It was our first time performing in that incredible space! I'd love to return because it was such a great space.

 We performed at Plaza Theater in Garland this past weekend. We performed Pulp Fiction for what felt like the first time in seven years. We had to re-costume the act because we didn't expect to do it again. (If you watched my pants video last month, the pants were for this act.) It's challenging not to smile when I perform, but we first performed this act in 2008 so I finally have that down for this act.

We also performed our Mandalorian duet. Garland really supports its artists, and I hope to return there as well.

Between preparing for gigs and gigging, I had a day job-related trip to St. Louis and lots of playoff hockey. Playoffs are unpredictable. The schedule is maddening with a surprise game at 6:30pm and the next one a few days later at 9pm. I'm happy the Dallas Stars have made the playoffs and keep advancing, but I don't love the schedule.

I have another gig next month, and I had the bright idea to build a bunch of costume pieces for it. HA!

Full Reveal: Cooking With Snapper - Pasta Salad

Here's one of my go-to meals. If I went to gatherings these days, this is what I'd take. Any vegetables you love will work. Bon appetit!

Tuesday Night Bump & Grind

I had the honor of presenting at Stage West's First Tuesday at the beginning of this month. On the first Tuesday of each month, they have a different presenter do something interesting for theatre members and non-members. I did an evening of edutainment, which was a combination of education and entertainment. I riffed on a presentation I did for Mensa in 2010.

I wore my Diane von Furstenberg jumpsuit so I could easily drop the top for tassel twirling. I threw my Catherine d'Lish mint dressing gown over it to look a little more official. And I wore tennis shoes. I've been in physical therapy for my knee for a few months, so the tennis shoes were a kindness to my knee.

I discussed the history of burlesque in relation to theaters before I got the audience on their feet to do a little bump and grind. The audience skews older there, and I warned them not to hurt anything with aggressive bumps and grinds. I had a few volunteers join me on the stage to work some boas, gloves, and try to twirl tassels.

I had forgotten how much fun it is to teach. I have no plans to kick off classes anywhere, but it was nice to step back into that world for a short while.

Tub Tales 04.20.24

It's a busy time around these parts. We got to see the total eclipse here in Dallas. I've been busy trying to cobble together new costume pieces for our May gigs. We're also taking Nutmeg (and Coca) for weekly training. (Coca's not going to become a performer. She'll turn 10 next week. She still enjoys the mental stimulation, and she's not staying home alone.) Enjoy!

Behind the Scenes - Pull-Away Pants

I call them "pull-away pants" instead of "tearaway pants" for a very good reason. My easy solution for new Pulp Fiction pants is yet another pants failure. Enjoy.

Tub Tales 03.29.24

This month was interrupted by Coca and Nutmeg growling and playing. I'm doing a little update to Patreon (adding a level for folks who want to support the YouTube channel and Nutmeg's education but don't want to see nudity) and putting some things in the vault. I'm also preparing for some gigs. Enjoy!

Full Reveal Rewind: Monkeywrench

In January 2008, I debuted this act at The Scene in Glendale, California. This performance is from Monday Night Tease, just a few months after the act's debut. I'm excited to share this with you. I no longer have the costume or props, but it was a lot of fun.

Behind the Scenes - Endor Pants

Late last month I shared video of my "custom" Endor Leia costume which was ordered from a cosplay costume company in December. The tops, pin, and belt are fine, but the pants were horribly unflattering and too tight.

The company claimed the pants were the right size (absolutely no ease to accommodate for tucking the shirt or even putting on the pants). The girth was totally wrong. They offered to remake the pants at no additional charge, even though I offered to pay for the right size.

They remade the pants, but they're still a disaster. Should I try to take them apart and turn them into the right size? Should I hunt down fabric to make my pants from scratch? Should I try paying a different cosplay company for pants?

We don't have a performance date yet, so there's not a big rush. I still don't know what music we should use or if I should strip in the act with Nutmeg.

So Long, Little Buddy

On March 7th, Buster's term as my biggest fan came to an end. He had rapidly-advancing osteosarcoma in his rear leg, and it had spread to his lungs. He had a proper send-off while he still had quality of life.

Of course, this has interrupted my recording schedule this month. But don't worry. There's content coming. :)

I want to take a moment to celebrate Bus. As you can see in this photo from a shoot with Chris Beyond, he loved being involved in my process. He liked hanging out by my dress hems so he could feel them graze over him. He nested in fabric when I was in the middle of projects. He also joined me for so many videos and photo shoots over the years. He loved to be part of the process and being with me. I bought him with my income from the Southwest Burlesque Showcase in 2011. 

He was also a good guard dog for me. He didn't want anyone messing with his girl, as you can tell from his expression in this photo from 2018. Such a little tough guy.

We're probably not getting another dog for several months, maybe even a year or more. Coca turns 10 this year. She's a larger dog, which means we may not have more than two years left with her. The next dog will also be trained for stage, just like Nutmeg.

I know Bus enjoyed being part of the process creating content for you for all these years. Thank you for enjoying and celebrating him with me.

Full Reveal: Robe Parade

I'm giving little tours through the robes in my closet on our YouTube channel, and I thought it would be fun to give you a unique look at these robes outside of the closet. Your support helped provide some of these robes, and I'm grateful for it. I need to work on some new robe choreography to use them in acts.

Behind the Scenes - Camel Toe

I took advantage of a Black Friday sale to get my Endor Leia costume from an online cosplay costume retailer. I chose the last costume shown in this post, which is the one that's based on a maquette and doesn't show the actual completed costume made by the retailer. I received the completed costume in January, but the pants are the worst. The vendor agreed to remake the pants for free. Fingers crossed they aren't another disaster.

Tub Tales 02.11.24

The first time I had physical therapy for my left knee was 2018. It was great for strengthening everything, even if it doesn't eliminate the wear and tear of aging. I'm back in PT now, but this time I can do it from home.

Let's see if 2024 can be a little more dantastic after the PT is done.

Funny. I don't feel 48.

I mean, my left knee feels 48. My right knee is maybe 40. At least, that's how they sound during physical therapy.

I celebrated my 32nd birthday doing burlesque in a punk club in Glendale, California. I lightly embellished an off-the-rack lingerie set, put my hair in buns and wore a party hat. After dancing around with lots of energy, I smashed my boobs into a cake. There are no great photos from that night because it was before camera phones were amazing. Also, it was a punk club lit in greens and reds for bands. I spent 48 chilling out at home, enjoying the fruits of my labor.

Okay, maybe I do feel 48-- or at least I feel like I've been in this game for 16 years. I said yes to every gig at 32, even if they just paid $10 for the night. Now I look for specific opportunities that suit my current repertoire of acts and interests, paying enough to justify the prep time for the show and recovery day that follows. I still love audiences and I love performing. I'm just not hustling the same way I did 16 years ago.

I'm so fortunate that I still get to perform. I may not do public shows every week or every month nowadays, but I'm not mad about it. I still have y'all to entertain with my shenanigans each month, and I'm grateful for that opportunity.

I guess I have grown wiser with age.

Tub Tales 01.28.24

I attended an event over the weekend that has me pondering what it's like for others as they grow older in their fandom. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Full Reveal: Cocktails With Snapper - Hot Buttered Rum

The first half of January was incredibly cold in Texas, which got in the way of our regular shooting schedule. Luckily I was able to warm up with some hot buttered rum. Enjoy, and thanks for your support!

Behind the Scenes - Waltzing Across Dallas

Mr. Snapper and I spent Thanksgiving Day shooting footage for my December video for Full Reveal patrons. The big pitch was to shoot at four to six locations in Dallas with an interesting background, performing something of a stripping scavenger hunt. I had to get footage in various stages of undress that could be used to create the narrative, and I had to do it without getting arrested.

We had some challenges that morning. First, it was only 40 degrees Fahrenheit out when we left our house, and the high of 60 wouldn't be reached until we had hoped to be home to avoid foot traffic. Second, we didn't realize there would be a turkey trot 5k happening in downtown and Deep Ellum that would cut some of our preferred locations from consideration. Cops plus no permit equals uh-oh. Third, there were a lot more people out and about on Thanksgiving morning than you'd think. We expected most people to be at home in their pajamas, shoving bread inside turkeys and waiting for the big game. We had to do some maneuvering for footage.

Nonetheless, we had a lot of fun and we're proud of the end result. This is my short compilation of parts of the process.

Hello, Young Snapper!

Happy New Year! My friend Chris Beyond sent me these photos from the first or second Burlesqueland. This particular year was a two-night event with the second night at Monday Night Tease (3 Clubs in Hollywood). I performed "Waltz of the Flowers" from Fantasia with a hodgepodge costume and a very lean body. This had to be 2009 or 2010.

I made this dress because I wanted to make it, knowing that its purpose would come along later. I wore it for this act and for Sixteen Candles. To make things a bit more flowery, I added little ribbon rosebuds to the side of the dress.

The shoes were a glorious thrift store find that I got to wear in Pin-Up Girls, an original play. The costume designer got a little crazy in the end, but she found some damn fine ballroom shoes that I wore for years.

The gloves aren't a perfect match. I'm sure I pulled them out of the package for this act. It looks like I'm also wearing a bracelet. I used to accessorize a lot more in life.

Wait! I rhinestoned those gloves! I'm also wearing earrings, which is something I don't really do these days. I do look happy.

That's the old stage. This venue is used a lot in film and television, and one of the production companies replaced the stage floor. There was room for a band on that stage. It was bigger than some where I've danced, smaller than others.

I have rhinestones by my eyes, body glitter, and I'm still wearing a navel ring!

Let's talk about this part of the costume, shall we? Penny Starr, Jr. is a professional costumer in Los Angeles who works regularly on film and television projects. She produced and performed in her spare time, and made costumes in the rest of the spare time. She took me to Comic-Con as her Orion Slave Girl in Supernova A-Go-Go in 2008. This costume was for sale at her booth, and I asked if she'd trade the costume for my performance fee. This may have been the first burlesque costume I purchased that was made by someone else. The whole kit was a hair clip, adjustable triangle bra, and adjustable panel skirt.

Some of these costumes were made from odds and ends, cool bits and baubles she'd accumulated. The bra was a brown burnout stretch velvet. The panel skirt was black and stretchy with a black rear panel. (I can't remember if it was detachable or not.) There was beaded fringe around the bottom of the belt. Everything was accented with glittery flowers. I remember the flowers being a little crunchy from the sealant used for the glitter. It was very pretty, but not the combination of things I would create today.

This shot is just for the abs. 

One of the brilliant things Penny did was include some spare parts with the costumes she sold. She lives and breathes costumes. Having those spare parts made it easier to deal with repairs over time and to use elements in other parts of the costume.

Beneath the panel skirt I'm about to remove, you can see a smattering of glittery flowers on my periwinkle boy shorts.

Oh look! I'm dancing and flinging the panel skirt! That tells me that the panel was attached to the skirt belt.

Also, brown and blue go okay together, but not something I'd choose today.

There's a better shot of the periwinkle boy shorts from Victoria's Secret on Hollywood Boulevard! You can see the flowers on the front and back a little better. Embellishments like these make it tougher to clean certain costume pieces. That's why some costumes benefit from "safety panties," a small, thin g-string that's easy to launder and protects the costume from getting crotched.

And the final reveal! What am I doing? Is this a curtsey? I don't remember. Those abs are still amazing.

The pasties are made from a Jo Weldon pattern, grabbed from an early PDF-version of her burlesque book. This was my first attempt at a nude look. I used stretchy nude net with silver glitter print, attached to buckram bases and embellished with random stones. I know more sophisticated techniques for pasties these days, but I was proud of these at the time.

I hope you enjoyed the tour down memory lane!

Full Reveal: Waltz Across Texas

This could also be called "What I Did on Thanksgiving Day." I wanted to do something of a burlesque scavenger hunt and strip in various places. It was pretty cold when we started the day, but it warmed up nicely. We had to alter what we were doing and improvise along the way because there was traffic (car and foot) and police activity.

Thank you for the support. Enjoy!

Tub Tales 12.24.23

It's the last Tub Tales of 2024 with news on my first confirmed live gig of 2024! The holidays are a great opportunity for us to work on production for 2024. My weekend was full of pre-production, production, and post-production, plus plenty of good eats.

I'm still looking for the next gig for me and Nutmeg. I guess I'll have to go to some burlesque shows to find an opportunity where they both like us and have a set-up that would work for animal tricks.

Behind the Scenes: Thanksgiving Shoot

On Thanksgiving Day, Mr. Snapper and I headed to various locations across Dallas to shoot this month's Full Reveal. It was about 45 degrees Fahrenheit when we shot this first bit at the now-defunct Viva's Lounge. This is the footage compiled by the GoPro from that location only. (It's exciting that the GoPro took over 12 minutes of continuous shooting to turn it into something this long, and they provided the music so it's royalty-free.)

I think we hit six locations before 1pm that day, trying to avoid families and too much exposure in public areas. I'll share the act with Full Reveal patrons in a few days, and I'll have another little video from the shoot day to share with all patrons in January.

Sweet Sixteen

I started pole dancing in 2006, which led me to burlesque in the summer of 2007. I learned a bit of group choreography from Jewel of Denial, who became my go-to for choreograph when I lived in Los Angeles. We danced to "Chick Habit," complete with shaking our newly-made tassels as the final reveal.

A few months after my first burlesque performance in a group, I had a pole showcase with the perfect opportunity for my solo burlesque debut. It didn't pay, but lots of my friends would already be in attendance to support me. I didn't move slow enough, and it was basically stripping in the round with audience on all sides. That was December of 2007

I made an unremarkable wrap skirt and embellished some off-the-rack lingerie. I also bought a wig because I figured it would be more dramatic? I think I used fabric glue to attach all of the embellishments except for the fringe, which was poorly hand-stitched. The best thing about my costume creation was the pasties. (I can't find a picture of those at the moment. I don't think I still have them.)

I performed this act exactly once. I sold the costume a couple years later for $20.

Sixteen years went by in a flash. Thanks for being part of it.

Tub Tales 11.26.23

Buster had a lot to say because he's a crotchety old man. We spent our Thanksgiving Day shooting video across Dallas, which was truly an adventure. Enjoy the story.

Red Snapper in the Kitchen: Sugar Cookies

For this month's Full Reveal, I've baked a family favorite. I've been baking these sugar cookies most years since the late 1980s. They're safe for people and dogs, so I was very popular for the day.

I'm a big fan of this new (to me) style of apron. Very comfortable and easy to remove.

Behind the Scenes: All Content All the Time

We decided this summer to start a YouTube channel. I had a YouTube channel ages ago where I posted my first Topless Vlogs. YouTube shut me down and told me to fuck right off in the early 20-teens. (Dailymotion did the same thing in 2015 because they hate bare breasts.) Mr. Snapper started the channel because YouTube told me to never darken their doorstep ever again. Nevermind the fact that I had tens of thousands of subscribers long before the monetization era began.

Anyway, the channel's first focus was Project Nutmeg. We started working out topics in May or June, started shooting in July, then launched the channel in August. It's niche, safe-for-work content, and the channel hasn't picked up momentum as much as we hoped. Nonetheless, we have 30 or more episodes up. We publish Project Nutmeg on Mondays, shorts on Thursdays, and just added new series for Saturdays: Showgirl's Closet and Closet Sessions. All of it is relatively short, but we still have to plan shoot days, post-production work, and publication. There are a few bonus episodes here and there. 

Here's the publishing schedule. The shooting schedule has a different color with locations and details for every shoot through December.

I also programmed out my Patreon content through the end of the year back in September. With a member post, Behind the Scenes, Tub Tales, and Full Reveal each month, it takes plenty of planning.

We typically shoot the Full Reveal on the second weekend of the month and Tub Tales on the last weekend. Full Reveal sometimes requires special music commissions or creation, plus weird or fancy edits. We're spending Thanksgiving Day shooting some Full Reveal footage because I have a ridiculously complicated concept in mind, and we need plenty of post-production time.

Each YouTube series requires its own logos, title and end cards, and theme song. Mr. Snapper was doing all of the heavy lifting on the editing front, plus handling animations, some composition and more. I've been editing with iMovie since 2016, but I had to start working in Adobe Premier Pro to help with some of the editing for YouTube. I think the first episode I edited drops on Monday.

Whether it's working to build the SFW YouTube channel or working on fun (and not entirely SFW) content for you, we're working on content all the time now. :)

Super Sheer Pasties

I've been making pasties since 2007. I started with buckram pasties, as taught to me by Venus deMille. (If you don't know, buckram is a fabric treated with starch, often used in hat making.) Some of my one-off pasties were made with felt. Buckram pasties may lose their shape if they get wet. If they aren't heavily rhinestoned, they are easily crushed. All of the consumer-grade pasties I've made to sell over the years have been made of buckram.

A few years ago, I learned that Mary Lynn Mayhem made 3D-printed pasties and would sell unembellished bases to fellow performers. I got as many as I could from her before the pandemic. Most of my pasties since my move to Texas have been on her 3D-printed bases. They're waterproof, hold their shape well, and play nicely with most rhinestone glues.

Last year I bought some pasties from Manuge et Toi. Her pasties are next level and absolutely worth the cost. Every stone is meticulously placed on a sturdy base. I haven't had a chance to wear mine in a show because they didn't go with an act that I performed this year. (Oh! If only Viva's wasn't finished with burlesque shows! I had a couple things I wanted to put on that stage in 2024!)

Her work is inspiring, and she teaches some of her masterful technique each month. (I joined her Patreon in 2020 to get her help with my dinosaur idea. I'm still trying to sort out the cost-benefit ratio for bringing that to fruition.) I used her techniques for my green panel skirt, daffodil panties, green "tribute" triangle bra, and green panties for this act.

I decided to try her floating pastie technique to create pasties for my green act. You can tell that they definitely float– there's not a lot of coverage in them. I may pick up more tiny chrysolite stones to fill them in just a bit more, in the event I manage to book this act for a real theater.

I'm embellishing the panties this week, which shouldn't take long. There's not a lot of space for rhinestoning. I'm hoping to record this act this month for December's Full Reveal.