chippendales uk tour 90s

The Chippendales

After a sold out run at the Edinburgh Fringe and a special one-off appearance at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire Theatre, the Chippendales return to more...

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Past Events

Here are the most recent UK tour dates we had listed for The Chippendales. Were you there?

• Apr 16 2011 Folkestone, Leas Cliff Hall The Chippendales
• Apr 15 2011 Southend-on-Sea, Cliffs Pavilion The Chippendales
• Apr 14 2011 Birmingham, The Alexandra Theatre The Chippendales
• Apr 12 2011 Grimsby Auditorium The Chippendales
• Apr 11 2011 The Chippendales
• Apr 10 2011 Aylesbury Waterside Theatre The Chippendales
• 2011 Apr 08 Apr 09 2011 Stoke-on-Trent, Regent Theatre The Chippendales
• Apr 06 2011 Reading, Hexagon The Chippendales
• Apr 05 2011 Worthing, Pavilion Theatre The Chippendales
• Apr 04 2011 St. Albans, The Alban Arena The Chippendales

The Chippendales image © Chippendales

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Chippendales history, what year it began, original dancers, explained

Chippendales is a popular touring dance troupe that performed Broadway-like burlesque shows. Their performance mostly targets women audiences since the dancers are predominately male. The dance troupe has toured across the globe in the USA, Europe, Asia, and Africa, and dancers would receive over 2 million views annually worldwide.

Hulu and Disney Plus have released their brand new drama series, Welcome to Chippendales , a show about Chippendale’s founder, Somen “Steve” Banerjee, and the company’s dark history behind the scenes. But despite what happened in the 80s and 90s, the troupe is still successful to this day.

Whether you’ve already checked out the new show or want to learn some background info before diving in, here is what you need to know about Chippendale, the famous all-male dance troupe.

What year did Chippendales begin?

Before Chippendales became the touring dance troupe that we know today, it was a club that started in Los Angeles in 1979. He bought the failed Destiny II club and renamed it Chippendales. What made this club unique and successful was that it was the first to provide an all-male strip troupe on stage.

According to  LA Times , the club would host “Male Exotic Dance Night for Ladies Only,” and drew a large crowd of female patrons. Chippendale charged $20 for a chance to interact with the male dancers in the club. After its success in LA, the club branched out to other cities such as New York, Dallas, and Denver. Eventually, imitators spawned during the height of Chippendale’s success.

All original Chippendales dancers

What made Chippendale successful were the talented dancers that performed on stage. When the club started, it legitimized stopping as a form of entertainment. Not to mention, would recruit new members to join their team. Some of the original dancers when the club first started were Michael Rapp, Dean Mammales, John Bernard Richardson, Scott Marlowe, and Jonathan Hagan. All these dancers starred in the 2019 documentary, Chippendales Off the Cuff .

Despite other popular male acts that exist, Chippendales set the stage for all-male performances, targeting women. They’re still touring to this day and, according to their official website , they offer Cameo video appearances from the dancers themselves. So feel free to get to know the real Chippendales stars, if you’re so inclined after learning the truth about the troupe’s dark behind-the-scenes history .

Welcome to Chippendales is now streaming on Disney Plus and Hulu.

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A Breakdown of What Happened to the Key Players From "Welcome to Chippendales"

Published on 11/22/2022 at 5:45 PM

Hulu's "Welcome to Chippendales" crime drama depicts the true life story of Somen "Steve" Banerjee (portrayed by Kumail Nanjiani), the Indian immigrant who founded the multimillion dollar global male stripping empire that swept the nation in the '80s and '90s.

The eight-part limited series from "Pam & Tommy" creator Robert Siegel centers on Banerjee's rise and fall in an outrageous plot filled with greed, scandal, and murder. In addition to Nanjiani, the show also stars Nicola Peltz Beckham as Dorothy Stratten , Dan Stevens as Paul Snider, and Murray Bartlett as Nick De Noia — the Chippendales choreographer/Banerjee's business partner who (spoiler alert) was murdered in 1987.

"Welcome to Chippendales" isn't the first retelling of this tragic crime saga. Discovery+ released a four-part docuseries in September 2021 titled "Curse of the Chippendales," which chronicles the same harrowing tale through interviews with former Chippendales dancers and original business leads. Though Hulu's show — which rolled out its first two episodes on Nov. 22 — digs into the nitty gritty of what transpired within the Chippendales enterprise, viewers are curious to know what happened to some of those key players.

Read ahead for everything we know about the real-life people featured in "Welcome to Chippendales."

What Happened to Somen Banerjee?

The Chippendales founder, born in Bombay, India, debuted his sensational male striptease troupe in 1979, quickly attracting women all over to his Los Angeles nightclub. As detailed in "Welcome to Chippendales," Banerjee let nothing stand in the way of his success, even going as far as resorting to murder to keep his empire intact.

In the early '80s, Banerjee decided to expand his business across the country and enlisted the help of Emmy-winning television producer and choreographer De Noia. The deal they arranged awarded De Noia half the profits and rights to the Chippendales name from its touring engagements. The two eventually clashed over the show's creative direction and profits and dissolved their partnership toward the end of the '80s. Following that, the FBI claims Banerjee put a hit out on De Noia, who was found dead in his Manhattan office on April 7, 1987, from a gunshot wound to the face, ABC News reported.

On Sept. 2, 1993, Banerjee was arrested for allegedly "conspiring to kill former business associates who started a competing operation" and indicted for "conspiracy to violate the federal murder-for-hire statute," the United Press International reported. He was also indicted for five counts of "causing others to travel in foreign commerce and to use facilities in foreign commerce to further the murder scheme" and charged for the murders of his other former associates Mike Fullington, Steve White, and Read Scot, in addition to racketeering and arson.

On July 29, 1994, Banerjee pled guilty to racketeering in federal court — a charge that included arranging De Noia's murder and attempted arson — agreed to forfeit his interest in Chippendales' parent company, Easebe Enterprises, Inc., per the Los Angeles Times . He was to be sentenced to 26 years in prison but was found dead in his prison cell on Oct. 23, 1994, from an apparent suicide.

What Happened to Somen Banerjee's Wife, Irene?

Banerjee was married to a woman named Irene (played by Annaleigh Ashford in "Welcome to Chippendales"), whom he tied the knot with some time in the '80s. The pair had two children together, Lindsay and Christian, and stayed together until Banerjee's death in 1994. The New York Post reported that shortly before his sentencing, Banerjee transferred his Chippendales company to Irene, who died on Feb. 8, 2001 .

What Happened to Dorothy Stratten?

Stratten was a former Playboy model who was married to nightclub promoter and Chippendales employee Snider, who discovered her in 1978 when she was just a teenager serving ice cream out at a Dairy Queen in Vancouver, Canada. According to ABC News , Snider groomed Stratten and helped launch her modeling and acting career after he convinced her to pose for a nude photoshoot. The two married in June 1979 shortly after Stratten moved to Los Angeles, but she died at the age of 20 in August 1980.

Shortly before her death, Stratten was rumored to be having an affair with director Peter Bogdanovich, whom she worked with while filming 1981's "They All Laughed." She and Snider fought about the affair until the latter received a letter stating he and Stratten were "separated physically and financially," Village Voice reported. The two met up on Aug. 14, 1980, to discuss a financial settlement of their divorce, during which Snider shot and killed Stratten before also killing himself. Stratten was later buried at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery.

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Welcome to Chippendales: Where Are They Now?

A breakdown of what happened to the key players from "welcome to chippendales".

Watch out! This post contains spoilers.

The "Welcome to Chippendales" crime drama depicts the true life story of Somen "Steve" Banerjee (portrayed by Kumail Nanjiani), the Indian immigrant who founded the multimillion dollar global male stripping empire that swept the nation in the '80s and '90s.

The eight-part limited series from "Pam & Tommy" creator Robert Siegel centres on Banerjee's rise and fall in an outrageous plot filled with greed, scandal, and murder. In addition to Nanjiani, the show also stars Nicola Peltz Beckham as Dorothy Stratten, Dan Stevens as Paul Snider, and Murray Bartlett as Nick De Noia — the Chippendales choreographer/Banerjee's business partner who (spoiler alert) was murdered in 1987.

"Welcome to Chippendales" isn't the first retelling of this tragic crime saga. Discovery+ released a four-part docuseries in September 2021 titled "Curse of the Chippendales," which chronicles the same harrowing tale through interviews with former Chippendales dancers and original business leads. Though the show — which premieres in the UK on Disney+ on 11 Jan., — digs into the nitty gritty of what transpired within the Chippendales enterprise, viewers are curious to know what happened to some of those key players.

Read ahead for everything we know about the real-life people featured in "Welcome to Chippendales."

What Happened to Somen Banerjee?

The Chippendales founder, born in Bombay, India, debuted his sensational male striptease troupe in 1979, quickly attracting women all over to his Los Angeles nightclub. As detailed in "Welcome to Chippendales," Banerjee let nothing stand in the way of his success, even going as far as resorting to murder to keep his empire intact.

In the early '80s, Banerjee decided to expand his business across the country and enlisted the help of Emmy-winning television producer and choreographer De Noia. The deal they arranged awarded De Noia half the profits and rights to the Chippendales name from its touring engagements. The two eventually clashed over the show's creative direction and profits and dissolved their partnership toward the end of the '80s. Following that, the FBI claims Banerjee put a hit out on De Noia, who was found dead in his Manhattan office on 7 April, 1987, from a gunshot wound to the face, ABC News reported.

On 2 Sept., 1993, Banerjee was arrested for allegedly "conspiring to kill former business associates who started a competing operation" and indicted for "conspiracy to violate the federal murder-for-hire statute," the United Press International reported. He was also indicted for five counts of "causing others to travel in foreign commerce and to use facilities in foreign commerce to further the murder scheme" and charged for the murders of his other former associates Mike Fullington, Steve White, and Read Scot, in addition to racketeering and arson.

On 29 July, 1994, Banerjee pled guilty to racketeering in federal court — a charge that included arranging De Noia's murder and attempted arson — agreed to forfeit his interest in Chippendales' parent company, Easebe Enterprises, Inc., as per the Los Angeles Times . He was to be sentenced to 26 years in prison but was found dead in his prison cell on 23 Oct., 1994, from an apparent suicide.

What Happened to Somen Banerjee's Wife, Irene?

Banerjee was married to a woman named Irene (played by Annaleigh Ashford in "Welcome to Chippendales"), whom he tied the knot with some time in the '80s. The pair had two children together, Lindsay and Christian, and stayed together until Banerjee's death in 1994. The New York Post reported that shortly before his sentencing, Banerjee transferred his Chippendales company to Irene, who died on 8 Feb., 2001 .

What Happened to Dorothy Stratten?

Stratten was a former Playboy model who was married to nightclub promoter and Chippendales employee Snider, who discovered her in 1978 when she was just a teenager serving ice cream out at a Dairy Queen in Vancouver, Canada. According to ABC News , Snider groomed Stratten and helped launch her modelling and acting career after he convinced her to pose for a nude photoshoot. The two married in June 1979 shortly after Stratten moved to Los Angeles, but she died at the age of 20 in August 1980.

Shortly before her death, Stratten was rumoured to be having an affair with director Peter Bogdanovich, whom she worked with while filming 1981's "They All Laughed." She and Snider fought about the affair until the latter received a letter stating he and Stratten were "separated physically and financially," Village Voice reported. The two met up on 14 Aug., 1980, to discuss a financial settlement of their divorce, during which Snider shot and killed Stratten before also killing himself. Stratten was later buried at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery.

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The Surprisingly Bloody True Story Behind ‘Welcome to Chippendales’

There’s more to the Chippendales saga than hunks and hen parties

The life and times of the Chippendales troupe at first glance seems pretty clear-cut: a group of oiled-up, ripped men who strip off for hen parties and take over the globe. But diving into the true story is far more shocking and murkier: a tale of bitter rivalry and jealousy resulting in arson, hitmen and murder.

There’s previously been a podcast devoted to the history behind the strippers ( Welcome To Your Fantasy , 2021), two movies ( The Chippendales Murder in 2000 and Just Can’t Get Enough in 2002), a TV series ( Curse of The Chippendales , 2022) and a docu-series ( Secrets of the Chippendales Murders , 2022). Think you’re all Chippendaled out? Think again.

From the same makers of Pam & Tommy , a new eight-part series, Welcome To Chippendales - on Hulu in the US and Disney+ in the UK - will dramatise the action once again. Set against the backdrop of the sleazy ‘80s Los Angeles, this retelling features a stellar cast including Kumail Nanjiani, Juliette Lewis, Dan Stevens, Murray Bartlett (fresh from shitting in a suitcase in The White Lotus) and the new Mrs Brooklyn Beckham, Nicola Peltz:

What is the true story behind the Chippendales?

Ironically, the Chippendales were set up as a female-friendly strip club that side-stepped the common criminal escapades that usually went on behind them: gangland owners, violence and money-laundering.

Back in 1975, Somen “Steve” Banerjee (played by Najiani in the new series) bought an ailing bar in West Los Angeles called Destiny II. As an entrepreneur, he was looking for a concept that would make him rich, so he toyed around with several ideas for him to amass his own fortune: a mud-wrestling bar, perhaps, or on the other end of the scale, a backgammon bar. But he was apparently inspired by a rival bar who flipped the idea of stripping on its head for the time, and Banerjee eventually settled on a similar concept of a “classy” burlesque show for women.

The hunks would be topless, apart from cuffs, a bow-tie and collar, before writhing around and stripping on stage. Banerjee called the bar Chippendales and it launched officially in 1979 with its “Male Exotic Dance Night for Ladies Only”. The concept was a total smash and Banerjee soon launched clubs in New York, Dallas and Denver and sent troupes across the world.

Though de Noia eventually stopped working for Banerjee, a fight about licensing over the Chippendales name kicked off. Banerjee was unhappy with an arrangement - which had been scribbled on a cocktail napkin - that gave de Noia the rights to the tour. He hired a hitman - through an associate and former policeman, Ray Colon (Robin de Jesús) - to kill de Noia. The paid gunman walked into de Noia’s office and shot him in his face in 1987.

While de Noia’s murder went unsolved for several years, Banerjee became even more unhinged. He arranged to firebomb rival clubs, and then his sights turned on to the UK, and a copycat band of men called Adonis.

In 1990, a hitman known as “Strawberry” was given cyanide-filled syringes and sent to Blackpool to take out three beefcake nemesis, however Strawberry ended up confessing the plan to the FBI.

Banerjee pleaded guilty to attempted arson, racketeering, and murder for hire, and after accepting a plea deal was looking at up to 26 years in jail. However, on October 23, 1994, hours before he was due to be sentenced, he died by suicide.

Despite all the shocking drama, the Chippendales are still going strong now - “a whirlwind of sexy goodness”, according to their website - and are apparently seen by an almost unbelievable two million people a year in tour dates across the globe.

‘Welcome To Chippendales’ streams on Disney+ in the UK from January 11

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Welcome to Chippendales review – a show as superficial as the male strippers’ shiny tans

This tale of the infamous dance troupe captures the sleaze and excess of the times. Shame it fails to properly address the racism, sexism and murder …

O f course, it would be a much better world if it were a love of backgammon that drove humanity, but alas we appear doomed to the eternal pursuit of baser things. This was the lesson quickly learned by Somen Banerjee, a gas station attendant who emigrated from Mumbai to the US in the 1970s, keen to pursue the American dream. After five years of saving, he ploughed his funds into a backgammon club but it failed to take off. His next venture was a nightclub that seemed to be following the same trajectory until Somen – now Steve – had an epiphany in a gay nightclub and … well, the dramatisation of his story is entitled Welcome to Chippendales (Disney+), and it rather sums it up.

Out with the board games and in with the male strippers! Dorothy Stratten, the Playboy Playmate girlfriend of his flashy nightclub manager Paul Snider (Dan Stevens, very good in a brief role) explains why it will work – “Erica Jong, Deep Throat, the Pill!” – before, I hope, returning to Hef’s mansion to take her rightful place as Exposition Playmate of the Month.

The Chippendales become a force to be reckoned with after Banerjee decides that Snider’s talents and the motley crew of male dancers he has assembled simply won’t do and brings in Emmy-award winning choreographer Nick De Noia (Murray Bartlett, still running hot after his star turn in The White Lotus). He classes up the joint and adds some discipline, razzmatazz and stripping showstoppers to proceedings. In resentment and fury at his sidelining, Snider kills Stratten and then himself – the first collateral damage in Banerjee’s quest to succeed, but not the last.

De Noia comes on board full-time, and Banerjee finds love with a woman who is not just devoted to him but is a trained accountant and can tend to his bottom line as well. Juliette Lewis is added to the mix as the costume designer Denise, who invents the breakaway pants that become – along with the bartenders’ white cuffs and collars – the Chippendales’ signature feature.

It unravels, of course, as these things always do. De Noia’s creative visions collide with Banerjee’s business focus. Resentments grow, Banerjee’s demons surface as his family in India do not approve of what they see as the eldest son’s ill-gotten gains, and soon we are hurtling towards disaster and the end of various short and not terribly happy lives.

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There is a lot of potential here for an interrogation of sex-swapped stripping – in a patriarchal society, for example, can you exploit men in the same way as you can women? When most of the men feed off the attention of the women in the audience (and are frequently seen enjoying more of it backstage), instead of being stalked by the fear of it turning violent at any moment, is the job fundamentally different? Star Chippendale Otis (Quentin Plair) is uncomfortable with being kissed and touched by patrons and is told it’s part of the job – but is also accommodated in his wish to take more responsibility and be taught business basics by Banerjee. It’s hard to imagine the same trajectory being followed by a bunny in the Playboy mansion. Then again, Otis is omitted from the Chippendales’ first calendar because Banerjee thinks a picture of a naked black man will deter customers. Is racism more acceptable because it comes from a business decision by a man who, as he notes himself, is a victim of it every day?

Much is hinted at but never followed through. Welcome to Chippendales remains as superficial as the shiny tan on a dancer’s body. Only Bartlett brings any real heft to proceedings, capturing the deep loneliness of his life as a semi-closeted gay man who can’t even get his “acceptable” gifts fully recognised by his notional boss and who eventually plays the ultimate price when he finally finds love and the confidence to step out on his own.

The sleaze, glamour and general air of excess that hung about the 80s is nicely captured, and all eight episodes can be easily binged. But you do long for some depth, some nuance, and perhaps an actor less fundamentally gentle than Kumail Nanjiani, who might have captured more convincingly the darkness lurking in Banerjee’s soul.

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Where to watch

The chippendiddys.

1995 Directed by Kevin McDermott

England's most amazing contribution to the world of bump and grind...

A Documentary feature from the 90s about a group of young British boys whom form a dance troupe inspired by the Chippendales. We follow the boys and discover their humble backgrounds and the reasons behind their bizarre dancing aspirations.

Kyle Donnelly Simon Griffiths Jordan Miles Shane Miles Matthew Norburry Aaron Reed Sid Smith John Trevor Daniel Windsor

Director Director

Kevin McDermott

Executive Producer Exec. Producer

Tom Hopkinson

Documentary

Releases by Date

01 jan 1995, releases by country.

45 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by BoobMcNutt

they played this louder than tenet in imax, possibly permanently damaging the roxy’s sound equipment. An astonishing amount of walkouts

Review by Liz

cursed object

Review by Wallywood ★★★½ 4

Somewhere back in the 90s this documentary was released that went behind the scenes and took a look at a group of boys that had formed a dance group inspired by the male strippers The Chippendales.

Yep this was legit!

Watching the film this focuses more on the aspect of boys wanting to dance (there is no actual stripping), something that's more socially acceptable now, but was not back then. The kids were charming and some of the things they said were hilarious. It's hard not to laugh and judge the situation, but as you watch you realise how serious and dedicated these kids were.

This film has been buried into obscurity and I understand why. Although it would be rather interesting to see where all these kids landed in their adult years.

I also watched all the extras which showcased a lot more of the kids personalities and captures all those 90s feels.

Review by mackiberg

Wasn’t expecting to witness this in full. Was shown the film in a bite sized chunk Sean selected that one time lol. The full piece is wild, haunting, and still pure. The kids look like they are on top of the world in their own bliss. Wild to hear them talk about the group and just play. Wonder where they are all at now.

Review by Brad Hanford

New York City officially has Chippendiddys Fever.

Review by lucaskingweber

deeply empathetic audience at the roxy (sarcasm)

Review by pops baron

masterpiece

Review by Collette

Thank you city dudes

Review by saddadstheband

"These pretzels are making me thirsty

Review by yowiescope

hey what the fuck sean price williams

Review by rivermode ½

Somehow both boring and deeply unsettling, The Chippendiddys  is such a horrible concept and this video was either made to justify it as a community exercise or to show a shocking object. Either way this is totally fucked, but I can't say I didn't have an interesting time seeing it with a crowd.

Review by TheLiquidKnight ★★★★

Only the age of Marky Mark and the Backstreet Boys could this have been made. In some ways this is seems to be a precursor to films like Billy Elliot and The Full Monty where a group of socially disadvantaged/outcast males find purpose in dancing that is typically considered feminine.

Of all the things in this film, what stuck out to me was how comically oversized clothing for boys was in the 90ies. I can't believe we dressed like that.

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The secret story of the Chippendales: Crime, murder and arson behind the glossy cuffs and collars

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

The performers are instantly recognisable across the globe for their sleek signature look: handsome, muscled men in tight black pants, naked from the waist up except for wrist cuffs and bow ties, topped off with perfectly coiffed hair and unfailingly glistening smiles.

Chippendales took the entertainment world by storm when it burst onto the scene more than four decades ago, identifying a niche among a largely untapped population with increasing disposable income – women – as they benefited from expanding social and financial freedoms.

The enterprise seemed to add an element of class to the world of stripping, traditionally associated – particularly in movies and television – with underhanded deals, danger, drugs and crime.

Unbeknownst to most, however, the backroom dealings of the forces behind Chippendales were every bit as shady, spiralling so far as to include tax evasion, arson and eventually murder. To top it all off, there was even a bungling hitman named Strawberry in the mix.

The bizarre and deadly dealings are detailed in new discovery+ docuseries Curse of the Chippendales , which premieres 24 September featuring in-depth interviews and never-before-seen footage.

“It’s titillating on so many levels, and you’ve got these huge personalities ... in terms of the victims and the former dancers, let alone the founder,” executive producer Jeanie Vink told The Independent .

“It’s a fabulous story, to be honest. It’s one of my favourite shows I’ve ever worked on.”

She pointed out that “people remember the cuffs and collars” but have either forgotten or never knew about “the most bizarre murder-for-hire crime in the FBI’s history, by their own description”.

“It’s a story of greed – and how it ate away at everyone and everything that the business touched,” she said.

Chippendales began after businessman Steve Banerjee bought a failing West Hollywood club and attempted to turn it around, experimenting with everything from backgammon and mud wrestling as a gimmick. His luck finally changed when he allegedly stole an idea from another California bar and began offering a burlesque show for women.

It was a hit, with the phenomenon following the social revolutions of the 60s and 70s, tapping into not only women’s deeper pockets but also their growing senses of sexual and overall independence.

“Thanks to the TV shows, Chippendales was a household institution,” former dancer Roger Menache, now 66, told The Independent . “We were portrayed as good-looking, tall, dark and handsome guys that could entertain and have a persona, an image, of perfection – the epitome of what a good-looking man could be.”

The show quickly expanded with clubs in other cities and national and international tours – with performers becoming de facto celebrities accustomed to throngs of frenzied women across the world. Key to the Chippendales success, however, was Emmy-award-winning producer Nick de Noia, who joined forces with the quieter and socially awkward immigrant Banerjee to add the secret sauce to the Chippendales recipe.

Good-looking, charismatic and a seasoned showman, de Noia began getting much more of the fame and credit than the club’s original founder. Banerjee was not pleased and the men’s relationship deteriorated, especially after the pair signed a deal on a cocktail napkin that essentially gave de Noia the tour rights.

Banerjee decided the best way to deal with this was to have the showman killed, consulting a Bronx friend, Ray Colon, who hired a hitman named Louie – who unceremoniously walked into de Noia’s office in Manhattan in 1987 and fatally shot him in the face.

“Banerjee was motivated by jealousy – that Nick was getting the credit for Chippendales, jealousy that Nick was getting half of the door,” Candace Mayeron, an associate producer for the revue from 1981-1987, says in the documentary. “He was jealous of Nick’s ability to handle all the attention.”

De Noia’s murder went unsolved for years – and would only be unravelled as Banerjee’s criminal streak worsened. His jealousy extended far beyond his old partner, and he tried to take down other clubs by having them set on fire.

Initially, even those in Banerjee’s inner circle were unaware he was behind the arson attacks.

“I learned from the FBI that Steve was possibly involved in the firebombings of these other clubs that would feature male exotic dancers,” Chippendales’ longtime lawyer, Bruce Nahin, says in the documentary. “Steve wasn’t real happy with competition. So I started to wonder if it was a charade, on Steve’s part, to double our security – because if we were the only club that didn’t get hit, then that would look suspicious.

“And if that was true, Steve was clearly not the person I thought he was.”

That was an understatement; moving on from arson, Banerjee and Colon cooked up more murder-for-hire plots. They hired a hitman named Strawberry to travel to England to kill members of a rival tour group – even providing him with cyanide-filled syringes.

Strawberry thought better of this idea, fearing he knew too much and could be next on their hit list, and he strolled into the FBI’s Las Vegas office to share his incredible tale.

“Any agent, whether you’re straight out of the academy or whether you’re a 25-year agent, this is the kind of case you want to get involved in,” FBI agent Scott Garriola says in the docuseries. “Not only did we have this conspiracy to kill people over in London, but we have a murder which actually occurred in New York in 1987. We have two arsons we have to investigate, and this conspiracy extended from the mid-70s all the way up until ... 1991.”

Colon and Banerjee were arrested in 1993, but the latter killed himself in jail while awaiting sentencing on charges of attempted arson, racketeering and murder for hire.

Throughout the documentary, everyone from dancers to law enforcement remains incredulous, decades later, at just how out-of-control and dangerous the backroom intrigue became.

“I instantly concluded: This can’t possibly be real life. This is the movies,” David Scheper, chief of major crimes at the US Attorney’s Office, says in the documentary of the first time he realised the scope of the allegations. “If true, Steve Banerjee rested an international business empire largely on a willingness to kill and burn.”

Retired performer Menache, who fondly shares tales of his time with Chippendales, said he participated in the documentary because it aimed to show all sides of the enterprise – and he clearly doesn’t want the good elements to get lost, either.

“No one has ever touched the actual facts and ... true life events and the actual storytelling of the actual dancers,” he told The Independent . “I wanted to tell my side of the story – how it started, how the brand name became so famous and successful.”

The new docuseries gave him an opportunity to relive great memories, he said – but, as a good friend of De Noia’s, a man he considered a mentor, Mr Menache believes people should know the full facts behind Chippendales.

“In their minds, they relate to Chippendales as a male dance show, just entertaining, for ladies only, and all fun and games and making lots of money, and maybe cocky guys dancing,” he said of the average fan or person. “But behind closed doors, there was a lot of underhanded dealings – not so much with the cast, but Steve Banerjee and the management had a dark side.”

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CHIPPENDALES

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Welcome to Chippendales: next episode, cast, plot, trailer and everything we know

The gripping true crime story follows the rise of the world's most famous male revue.

Chippendales is one of the most famous and most beloved male revues in the world, but the company has a surprisingly dark and sordid history that’s getting the true crime limited series treatment with Welcome to Chippendales . 

Indian immigrant Somen "Steve" Banerjee, the company’s founder, purchased a struggling Los Angeles bar in 1975 and in 1979 introduced exotic dance nights aimed at the female audience. He renamed the bar Chippendales, and soon the club’s popularity grew to the point that Banerjee opened several more clubs across the country. He also had a touring production that traveled across the US and Europe, delighting female audiences everywhere. 

But the company’s success was rooted in scandal as Banerjee used arson as a tool to stop the growth of other clubs trying to use his formula for themselves. In 1987, Banerjee hired a hitman to kill his business partner. He was arrested in 1993 and eventually sentenced to 26 years in prison for a variety of charges that included attempted murder and arson. He hanged himself in his prison cell a year after his sentencing. 

Welcome to Chippendales follows Banerjee’s rise and eventual downfall, with The Eternals ’ Kumail Nanjiani as Banerjee. Nanjiani also serves as an executive producer with Pam & Tommy EP Dylan Sellers.

Here’s what we know about Welcome to Chippendales .

Next episode of Welcome to Chippendales

All 8 episodes of Welcome to Chippendales are available to stream in the US on Hulu. 

Welcome to Chippendales premieres January 11 on Disney Plus in the UK. 

If you'd like to learn more about the real-life story behind the show, check out our fact vs. fiction guide .

Welcome to Chippendales episodes

Keep track of Welcome to Chippendales episodes with our handy guide:

Welcome to Chippendales episode 1, "An Elegant, Exclusive Atmosphere" Airdate: November 22, 2022 "Indian immigrant Somen "Steve" Banerjee spends his days working at a gas station and his nights dreaming of being the next Hugh Hefner; a chance encounter with a Playboy centerfold and her slick promoter husband sends him in an unexpected direction."

Welcome to Chippendales episode 2, "Four Geniuses" Airdate: November 22, 2022 "As Chippendales takes flight, Steve assembles his dream team-including a shy accountant who may be more than just a business hire that could jeapordize his whole business idea."

Welcome to Chippendales episode 3: "Velveeta" Airdate: November 29, 2022 "While Steve is away in India, Nick cooks up his next creative triumph. When Steve returns home, he has other plans for the show that could lead them into a whole new level of fame."

Welcome to Chippendales episode 4, "Just Business" Airdate: December 6, 2022 "Steve's new calendar flies off the shelves; Nick makes a pitch to New York investors; a snub from Steve provides Otis with a sobering wake-up call."

Welcome to Chippendales episode 5, "Leeches" Airdate: December 13, 2022 "While Nick takes the Big Apple by storm, Steve is back in LA staring down a discrimination lawsuit. Jealousy flares when Nick becomes a media darling and the face of the company."

Welcome to Chippendales episode 6, "February 31st" Airdate: December 20, 2022 "As Steve's financial woes mount, Nick offers a lifeline in the form of a proposal that would take Chippendales global. A printing error has disastrous consequences for the entire business."

Welcome to Chippendales episode 7, "Paper Is Paper" Airdate: December 27, 2022 "Nick's success on the road infuriates Steve, who turns to Ray to spy on him. As Steve reaches his breaking point with Nick, Irene reaches hers with her husband."

Welcome to Chippendales release date

Welcome to Chippendales premiered on Tuesday, November 22, 2022 on Hulu. The first two episodes premiered in the first week and new episodes release weekly through January 3, 2023.

The limited series is available in the UK on Wednesday, January 11, 2023 on Disney Plus, through the Star banner.

Welcome to Chippendales cast

Welcome to Chippendales features an all-star cast bringing this unique story to life. Take a look: 

• Kumail Nanjiani ( The Big Sick ) as Somen "Steve" Banerjee
• Juliette Lewis ( Yellowjackets ) as Denise
• Murray Bartlett ( The White Lotus ) as Nick De Noia
• Annaleigh Ashford ( American Crime Story ) as Irene
• Quentin Plair ( The Good Lord Bird ) as Otis
• Robin de Jesús ( tick, tick… BOOM ) as Ray Colon
• Nicola Peltz Beckham ( Bates Motel ) as Dorothy Stratten

Welcome to Chippendales plot

Here’s the synopsis, courtesy of Hulu:

"A sprawling true-crime saga,   Welcome to Chippendales tells the outrageous story of Somen 'Steve' Banerjee, an Indian immigrant who became the unlikely founder of the world’s greatest male-stripping empire — and let nothing stand in his way in the process.

"Siegel and Nanjiani executive produce alongside Dylan Sellers, Jenni Konner, Matt Shakman, Emily V. Gordon, Nora Silver and Rajiv Joseph, who will write on the series along with Mehar Sethi. Siegel and Konner serve as co-showrunners and Shakman will direct. Jacqui Rivera is co-executive producer and Annie Wyman is co-producer."

Is there a trailer for Welcome to Chippendales?

The trailer and teaser for Welcome to Chippendales features a stylishly dressed Nanjiani talking about a world of luxury. However, even gold loses its luster after a while and the trailer reveals the darker side of fame and fortune. 

Take a look:

Here's the UK trailer...

How to watch Welcome to Chippendales

Welcome to Chippendales premiered Tuesday, November 22, 2022 on Hulu in the US. If you need to subscribe to Hulu you can choose between a standalone Hulu monthly plan, or you can choose the Hulu Plus Live TV package or the Disney Plus Bundle , depending on your needs. 

UK viewers can watch Welcome to Chippendales on Wednesday, January 11, 2023 on Star through Disney Plus.

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Sarabeth joined the What to Watch team in May 2022. An avid TV and movie fan, her perennial favorites are The Walking Dead, American Horror Story , true crime documentaries on Netflix and anything from Passionflix. You’ve Got Mail , Ocean's Eleven and Signs are movies that she can watch all day long. She's also a huge baseball fan, and hockey is a new favorite.  

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Hit 80s band announces UK tour with a promise to play songs from all 11 albums

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The Cult has announced that they are set to embark on a new tour in celebration of their 40th anniversary. 

The rock band announced The 8424 tour, a name which references the year they formed in 1984 and the year of this gig, 2024.

Much like Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour , the band is set to perform some of their best hits from across their 11 albums – including She Sells Sanctuary, Rain, and Fire Woman.

The tour will travel across the UK and Europe, kicking off in the UK in October for 10 dates spanning into November. 

While this is an exciting anniversary for the band who are back performing together, it’s not been a plain sailing road to get to this anniversary as the band has actually broken up twice in the past four decades. 

The band first broke up in 1995 after 12 years together after it was reported that there were tensions between the two longest-serving members and main songwriters for the group, Billy Duffy and Ian Astbury.

In 1999 the band regrouped and released a seventh album Beyond Good and Evil in 2001. This was reportedly somewhat of a commercial flop which is what perhaps led to their second breakup.

In 2002 the band broke up again and didn’t reunite until 2006. Since then the band has released four albums with the latest, Under the Midnight Sun, being released just two years ago in 2022.

Before settling on their current name, The Cult, the band also performed under the name Death Cult from 1983–1984.

In 2023, performing under the name Death Cult, guitarist Duffy and frontman Astbury, went on tour performing some of their best hits under the name Death Cult 8323.

Guitarist Billy Duffy referenced the tour last year, which included a series of sold out shows at the Brixton Electric, as inspiration for the whole band coming together for this new tour. 

‘Following up from the great energy of Death Cult 8323 shows, I’m looking forward to bringing that sense of celebration of the band’s music, and the communion with our fans, to Cult 8424. CFFC. Let the ceremony commence!’

Fans who want to get their hands on tickets to see the band won’t have to wait too long as tickets go on general sale this Friday at 10am.

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The band appears to be following a popular trend among 80s hit artists as many other beloved bands from this era have announced comeback tours for 2024.

In March, Fairground attraction announced their return and that their four original members are reuniting not just for a tour, but for a brand new album to boot!

Similarly, the New Kids on the Block announced their return with their first album in over a decade.

Singer-songwriter Sananda Maitreya is also set to perform this summer . Formerly known as Terence Trent D’Arby, the 80s artist will be giving a rare performance at the Love Supreme Jazz Festival.

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