A relatively recent addition to the burlesque roster, Clams Casino was a nine-to-fiver who ditched her career to perform full-time.
JNU: How long have you been in Burlesque?
CC: I've been performing burlesque since 2004.
JNU: How did you get started in Burlesque?
CC: I was first introduced to burlesque through a bathing suit spread in Bust Magazine with the World Famous *BOB*, back when I lived in Ohio. When I moved to NYC, I sought her out, became a huge fan of burlesque, and started going to shows on a regular basis. I was really shy and was working as an advertising account executive by day, but I started having ideas for acts and kind of wanted to see what it would be like to perform. I took a class with Jo Boobs. She taught me how to twirl tassels in the back of Waikiki Wally's and a month later she put me in her show at the Cutting Room. And as they say...the rest is history!
JNU: What or who are your biggest inspirations and how do they translate into your act?
CC: Rock stars and drag queens are usually my biggest inspirations. And my iPod. I would say that music inspires my acts more than anything else. But I love finding ways to incorporate all of my passions in life into my acts. For example, I'm a HUGE tennis fan, so it was really exciting for me to figure out a way to play tennis on stage and it made for a killer act!
JNU: Do you travel for work?
CC: I do! I'm a Sagittarius, so I love to travel, especially road trips and have been lucky enough to perform all over the country. I have a show coming up on October 27 in Boston with Pinchbottom Burlesque.
JNU: And if so, which show in which city was the most memorable?
CC: Hmmm, I love performing in Las Vegas as part of the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend because Vegas just drips showbiz, but this past Spring my partner, Neil O'Fortune and I threw Nasty Canasta, Jonny Porkpie & Creamy Stevens into a van and we toured my home state of Ohio. That whole trip was memorable, partly because of the friends and family in the audience, and it was really fun to bring NYC-style burlesque to the Midwest!
JNU: How do you stay fit?
CC: I love a good, long run with my iPod, but mostly I stay fit through dancing way too late into the night with my best girls.
JNU: When's your next show in New York?
CC: I'm a panelist in the best live game show in New York City, the Game Show Speakeasy, on Thursday, October 22 at the Slipper Room. I'll be taking it off in shows at the Slipper Room and Coney Island for the rest of the weekend too.
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