Chapter 4     The Melody Burlesque Theater – Harlow’s Club / restaurant – the Follies Burlesque Theater

 

Melody: 48^th & Broadway.  New York Times takes pictures Sept 1977.  My first ‘sermon’ was given here Sept 23, 1973

 

          This Theater & the ‘Broadway Burlesque’ were owned by the same people – they might have been ‘Mafia’ oriented, it seemed that way.  But they were really nice to me, no complaints.  I recall one of the managers, Johnny Pons, with fondness.

 

          I really enjoyed my times at these two theaters, I felt like I was becoming a star – my name in Lights in Times Square, N.Y.

  This was, btw, a different outfit than the Al Baker Circuit – the Baker-Berger circuit owned the Roxy right on 42^nd St. where I was the star a few times.  The Roxy was similar to what in Vaudeville they had ‘the Palace.’  Judy Garland sang of it, it was the best of the best.  And so, to be starring at the Roxy was top notch.  I must give my complaint here that unknowingly I got sucked into working for $300. a week.  A numb nuts agent from Vegas set me up – my exploitative ‘manager,’ Rev. Judy Swaggart suggested he get me this gig.  She ASSUMED they paid room & board, but they didn’t.  She ASSUMED $300. a week was good money {according to her singing gigs in the 40’s} but she was wrong.  Any star on this circuit was getting, $600. a week – I was cheated badly.  However, I did get Al Baker to raise me to $500. after a while.

          And as soon as I got off the Baker-Berger circuit {they had a series of theaters that went to Ohio, Pittsburgh, Atlantic City – about six places in different states but I can’t recall them all} & got onto this other deal, I was paid $1,000. per week – I demanded it.  If you don’t demand, you get suckered.  Eventually, as I got more famous, my salary was in the 3k range plus all expenses, room & board - & I got offers for 5k a week at the Millionaire Club in Canada & 5k to go to New Zealand {amazingly, they said I didn’t even have to strip – just talk!}, but by then I was moving on to start my own business – where I really made money.

          OK, so now, the first ‘sermon.’  It was more of a ‘talk.’  I was shy, my voice was soft & feminine, no fire & brimstone.  I did what I did at the behest of my Guru, Rev. Judy Swaggart, who insisted I talk about her.  She had found someone she could use, I was the best thing that ever happened to her – I promoted her & gave her money.

          After my show I spoke to the audience about Rev. Swaggart & her ‘One World Light’ Church, that she was a Great Lady, & soon, we would be having meetings at the “dime & dance” place nearby {they still had those then!}.  They listened politely & applauded & it was done.

 

          On Sept. 23, they put a big article in the Daily News,

          “Peace of a Preacher Steals the Skin Show.”

 

          I have a copy of it on my Kellie Everts site, where I have many of my articles & TV appearances listed.

 

          That was the beginning.  It was an acorn that grew into an enormous Oak Tree – I continued preaching & it became more & more vigorous.  I even did exorcisms from the stage when some men razzed me.  I quit Rev. Judy in 1976, but continued my preaching without her – Guru Jr had grown up.  When she died in 1979 she appeared to me & gave me her ‘Anointing.’  In the bible they call that ‘passing the mantle’ from one prophet to another – when he dies.  The recipient of course has to be worthy.

          Before she passed me the mantle she insisted,

          “Promise me you will help humanity”

          and of course I did.

 

          And that was why I endured Rev. Judy for six years.  I explain it in Part 3 – How obnoxious she was, how difficult to deal with, how she humiliated & used me.  But it was all for a reason.  She taught me the ways of channeling among other things – a great weapon that has served me well – look how I use channeling in these books – I find out what people were thinking when they related to me, a great boon for one’s peace of mind.

          Having a living Guru is unusual, there aren’t many around.  I eventually became a Guru myself & many people have believed in me, prayed TO ME in fact as an ‘incarnation of God’ like the Hindu Ramakrishna {When they get results they explain what happened}.  I have testimonies on my website ‘Woman Thou Art God’ & a 300 page book, ‘Guru Rasa & her Devotees’ & it all started with this obnoxious Guru I endured for six years, supported & promoted.  This was ‘paying my dues.’  If you can’t endure a thing, you don’t deserve its rewards.  Her other disciples did not cut the mustard, they didn’t get the Anointing.

 

Harlow’s

 

Trying to remember anecdotes & one person that comes to mind Is ‘Little Frankie.’  Frankie was the bouncer, a young Italian with balls of steel.  There’s a lot to be said about the spirit, not the size, of a person - How a small person can be tougher, stronger, more effective than the biggest baba on the block.  That was Frankie. {Think of the movie ‘Shane.’}

 

I had two guys obsessed with me & they were friends.  One I shall call Sandy Gold, the other Joe Stricken.  First let’s talk about Sandy.

He was an amateur body builder following me around, everywhere I appeared, dancing & beauty contests, eager to take pics.  That was the obsession, pics with me.  {I must acknowledge that one image, which he took with me after I won the Miss Body Beautiful USA 1974 – I have used all these years as one of my best beauty contest shots – I just blacked him out of it.}

After about a year of this I got tired of it & told him ‘no more shots.’  He went ballistic, threatening me.  He would show up where I danced saying “I’ll break your legs.”  I complained to the manager of the Follies & he said,

“He paid his ticket, I can’t throw him out.”

{They almost never cared about our security, wherever we went, whatever happened.  This regards all of us in the adult trade.  They just didn’t want to be bothered.}

So now I’m at Harlow’s in the Times Square area {another Mafia place – This is where Maria Shriver Schwarzenegger filmed me for Baltimore’s PM Magazine – btw their House of Adult Therapy was downstairs.  This was one flight up, as was the Melody & Follies, come to think of it.}

So in walks Sandy Gold & two of his gym friends.  I am horrified, I was really happy working there.  Now he ruins it.  With a sad countenance I tell little Frankie the story. He can see I’m depressed.  He asks me to point him out.

About 5 minutes later, Sandy & his buddies are gone.  I said to Frank,

“What did you do?”

He said,

“I just said, Yo – out.”

 

One of the guys left a black zippered bag, not large, & the female manager came to me with it.  She was scared to open it – so was I.  Finally she got the guts to open it.  Inside was a quart can of tomato juice, nothing else.

 

Another incident at Harlow’s was the drug addict dancer.  One day she asks me to lend her $25 for lunch.  What?  Some expensive lunch.  This was 1979 – that would be $102. today.  I give her the money.

She returns after lunch & gives me the $25 – which is unusual – most people never paid me back.  She probably turned a trick.  Then she gets on stage & is walking back & forth staring at the ceiling, wobbly on her legs.  What to do?  Frankie knows.

He got up on the stage, hauled her over his shoulder & carried her off!  What a sight that was, somehow funny.

 

One time I saw a guy in a booth writing & writing.  I wondered what he was about.  I went to him & asked him what he was writing.  He said he was from ‘Saturday Night Live’ & they were thinking of doing a sketch on me.  They thought it was a gimmick.  But after seeing me he saw it was serious, they could not do this sketch. 

 

Then there was a group of French people who could not speak English, very nice people, & they kept asking what was going on – they didn’t understand.  Luckily I had my big color newspapers from Montreal – Minuet – which explains in French my stripping for God, which I gave them.  They were relieved & said ‘now we understand.’

To be continued