Untitled Document

Public servants' public display a bit much
August 24, 2004

Think Mayor Willie Herenton was peeved at the police he caught goofing off during a traffic stop this month?

Just wait until he hears that more than a dozen police officers and firefighters spent Sunday night stripping and simulating sex.

I thought I was going to see the show promised on the ticket: "Battle of the Shields: Memphis Firefighter and Police Fashion Gala."

And during the two-hour-plus show at the Cadre Building Downtown, there was the usual parade of clothes most working folks wouldn't wear.

But between the strutting were acts like the one simply labeled "Suds."
Several nearly nude men walked on stage, covered in soap suds. On hand were undies-only women who thoroughly wiped away the bubbles with towels. (All the models are members of the police or fire departments, organizer Velicia Deener of Java Entertainment said Monday.)

The half-baths got buck-wild, as a man bent over a woman at the waist, pounding her so hard her legs jiggled. (Must be jelly, 'cause jam don't shake like that.)

At least two women were hoisted in the air, their legs around the men's waists. Another lay on the floor, her legs over the man's shoulders.
"They took it a little too far," Deener conceded.

The scenes were inserted as a relief from the monotonous display of clothes; the humping and bumping wasn't planned, she said.

True enough, an organizer stormed the side of the runway during "Suds," telling everyone to tone it down and directing one man to extract his head from between a woman's thighs.

"I wouldn't jeopardize my job like that," said a woman, her lip curled up in a mix of shock and disgust.

When the suds scene ended, my friend and I decided to escape.

We'd seen enough booties hanging from too-tight drawers to last us at least two or three months.

Now, I'm no prude. I've seen male strippers before.

But Sunday was my first soft-porn show starring city employees, some with fire pants around their knees, one with a police badge swinging around her neck, others with black police pants and black sports bras on, some holding billy clubs.

The police and fire shields printed on the ticket gave the impression that the event was officially endorsed, but the freaky fashion gala was news to top brass in the fire and police departments.

"We expect our people to maintain a fairly strict code of ethics on or off duty," fire chief Mike Starrett said Monday.

"We will investigate."

Investigate they should.

The actions of these officers and firefighters make all those in uniform look bad.

And I have to believe that those in Sunday's show had to know their behavior was the epitome of conduct unbecoming.

Halfway through the show, the emcee joked, "You know Mayor Herenton is firing y'all. If he comes up in here, you better look busy."

No worries, Mr. Mayor. They were busy - busy getting busy.

thomasw@commercialappeal .com