Keep your shirt on, dear

The Wisconsin State Journal reported on Wednesday that the local chapter of the "International Order of Old Bastards" has been running strip tease shows at the East Side Club (formerly East Side Business Men's Club), on a quarterly schedule apparently for many years - alas, without a city permit.

The story hit the Internet and the BBC broadcast an interview with WSJ reporter Marv Balousek. From the WSJ: "Hear Marv Balousek's BBC interview about the Old Bastards. Click this link and scroll to Friday. Click the Listen link next to Latest Films with Rich Cline. A new screen will appear and when the audio begins, click the 15-minute forward button twice slowly, then the 1-minute back button three times slowly."

The Old Bastards told the paper they planned to apply for a permit. The application would go before the License Review Committee (which I chair) with a final decision by the council. Nude dancing (or 'titty shows' as my brother likes to call them) is free speech protected by the First Amendment. Our ordinances do limit the location of 'adult' entertainment businesses to an "Adult Entertainment District" and that "no such establishment shall be located within five hundred (500) lineal feet of a church or any other place of worship, or a private or public elementary, secondary or vocational school, or a public park, or within five hundred (500) lineal feet of any residence district."

It is interesting to note that the city code prohibits the holder of a liquor license from permitting strip shows "on the licensed premises" [sec. 7-2-14(k)] The East Side Club has a liquor license so that may, umm, raise a few other issues.

Here's an Old Bastards Club