Rant #799: Lap Dancing As Art?

You walk into your local strip club, with a fistful of dollars in your wallet.

You sit down, watching the slinkily clad women doing their thing.

One comes over to you, leading you to a private area where she tells you that for x amount of dollars, she will perform a lap dance for you.

Is her lap dance art, or trash?

An attorney for an Albany, New York strip club claims it is art, akin to performance art, and claims that lap dances should be freed of state sales taxes under an exemption that applies to dramatic or musical arts performances.

The attorney claims that lap dancing is an art form and the state is not qualifed to make such a determination, which would be a violation of the right to freedom of expression.

A ruling is expected in October, and would impact about 200 such establishments in the state.

I don't know abou you, but lap dancing isn't the Bolshoi Ballet, and it isn't even break dancing.

It is completely, 100 percent sexual. Some guys (and gals) evidently need this "freedom of expression" to get their jollies off, I guess, but to put it up there with other freedoms of expression is kinda out there, isn't it?

I have been to one strip club in my life. It was during a bachelor party many years ago for my then brother in law.

I hated every minute of it. While you are watching the festivities, you get pumped for money for drinks. If you don't drink, even if you have paid your admission, you can't watch.

It's not my thing at all, but I know for others, it is their thing.

But to rate it as art is kind of strange.

It's almost like saying that when people protest, that's art too.

I don't buy it.

Next, there will be some lawyer that claims that prostitution is art too. Freedom of expression ...

I am no prude, but let these establishments survive, and thrive, but art ...

No way.