Episode 15 Lulu DePina
In this episode of YAS Podcast, AM Davies (they/them) reconnects with former Jumbo’s Clown Room dancer Lulu (she/her) for a candid conversation about longevity, economic shifts, safety, and evolution within the strip club industry. Reflecting on their shared history, the two explore the unique lifelong bonds formed between strippers—relationships that endure even after years apart.
Lulu shares her experience dancing in San Francisco in the mid-1990s, recalling a time when stage work alone could bring in thousands per night. She discusses how economic downturns and shifting club cultures, particularly around 9/11, changed both earning potential and safety conditions. As lap dances became more aggressive and boundaries increasingly challenged, Lulu describes feeling less protected and more pressured to compromise her comfort to make money.
The conversation moves to Lulu’s time at Jumbo’s, where she experienced the mental shift that occurs when dancing becomes one’s sole source of income. AM and Lulu speak openly about ageism in the industry, the physical toll of performance, and the confidence that can emerge in one’s 30s and 40s despite cultural messaging that dancers “age out.”
Lulu also discusses founding her long-running Venice-based show, Bootleg Bombshells, a boundary-pushing performance art and burlesque variety show. She speaks about shadow banning on social media, advertising challenges, and the responsibility of protecting performers, especially during politically provocative acts.
The episode closes with Lulu’s stripper tips: take care of your body, be professional, protect your reputation, and file your taxes.
Read the full transcript