The Leonard Lopate Show: The Life and Times of Gypsy Rose Lee


(Click to listen Above)

Karen Abbott tells the story of America’s coming-of-age through the life of vaudeville performer, Gypsy Rose Lee. Her latest book, American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare: The Life and Times of Gypsy Rose Lee, delves into Gypsy’s world, including her dramatic triangle relationship with her sister, actress June Havoc, and their formidable mother, Rose.

Hello friends, family and fans of the Burlesque Hall of Fame!

We've got some exciting news to share with you... and even more exciting news right around the corner. And so, without (much) further ado, a few highlights from the Things-Are-Happenin g Department:

New website!

We invite you to check out the new & improved BHOF website, which is at the same address as before: http://www.burlesqu ehall.com. The new site, which will be expanding over time, is designed to be much more organic, interactive, and easily updated than ever before--so check it out for articles by your favorite burlesque bloggers; videos and photo galleries devoted to BHOF events, past, present and future; and all the "news you can use" about the glittery, glamorous world of burlesque! And when you're there, be sure to join our mailing list so you'll be the first to hear about website improvements and other BHOF news!

Gypsy Rose Lee Centennial Celebrations!

This Saturday, January 8, marks the 100th birthday of America's Most (In)Famous Burlesque Icon, Gypsy Rose Lee. In honor of Gypsy's centennial-- and in tandem with the release of New York Times best-selling author (and BHOF friend-of-the- family), Karen Abbott's new biography, "American Rose: a Nation Laid Bare: the Life and Times of Gypsy Rose Lee"--we're kicking off a full year of special events in Ms. Lee's honor, beginning with a petition to the USPS for a Gypsy postage stamp (http://bit.ly/ GRLstamp), and birthday bashes in Seattle (http://bit.ly/ gQ0p9y), Chicago (http://bit.ly/ biHoek) & New York City (http://bit.ly/ hhjlRJ). Interested in hosting a birthday bash in your hometown? Email gypsy100@burlesqueh all.com and let us know.

Applications for the 2011 Weekend are now open!

The application period for the 2011 Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend is now open! New for this year, we've put the applications online-- they've been designed so that you can sign in and out, save your information, and work on them at your own pace. You can start your application now, just head over to http://www.bhofappl ication.com! A few things to note:

--You must create an account with your email address in order to use the system.
--The application is the same application as previous years-- just in a different format. So it's not any longer than before.
--There is no charge to create an account or start filling out an application- - just an application fee if you submit the application.
--The deadline for applications is February 22, 2011. We are aiming to have notifications in mid-March.
--The rules and judging criteria are the same as before, but we've clarified them so that (hopefully) most any question you may have can be answered there. If you have any questions specifically about the application itself, email 2011@bhofapplicatio n.com.

BIG news, just around the corner!

Last, but not least: keep your eyes peeled on our website, Yahoo group, Facebook page, Twitter--wherever you get your BHOF news--because we have another very big announcement coming very, verrrrrry soon! And don't forget to mark your calendars and start making plans for June 2-5, 2011!