Heat up in office

Three of the six Hotshots crew, left to right: David Balassa, Tom Carey, Jason Fly.

It's not everyday you have three male strippers visit the office. In fact, it's not everyday you interview male strippers full stop.

As we eased into the interview with questions like "How did you get into this in the first place?" I was already starting to learn a few things. It's not as easy as you'd think, and there is such a job as 'topless waiting'.

Tom Carey and Jason Fly, both from New Zealand, along with David Balassa, are three of the six males touring New Zealand as the Sydney Hotshots.

They, err, get their kit off at Glenview Club tomorrow night.

At 23, Jason moved to Australia to play semi professional rugby, but after a head injury forced him to take a step back he started full-time with the Sydney Hotshots, after working part-time as a topless waiter. "Girls used to ask me to strip at parties."

Also starting with topless waiting, Tom, 24, studied landscaping and arcitecture at UniTech in Auckland. He's also a joker, nearly convincing me he wanted to be a lawyer, but he laughs and says no, he never really knew what he wanted to do, but does work part-time in construction when the group isn't touring. He agrees with Tom the traveling is the best part of the job.

Surprisingly, none of the three guys mentioned the attention from the ladies. Rather, they had some interesting stories to recall. Jason lifts his shirt to show a scar from one of many scratches he has recieved. "One time I was running to the back of the room, I had a towel type thing around me. This woman grabbed me. The look in her eyes ... it was like she wanted to hurt me! I was quite scared."

Tom says Western Australian women have been the worst for scratches so far, specifically Bunbury.

The guys still get nervous performing on stage, something Tom says is a good thing. Jason wasn't terribly confident at first. "At the start we have a lot of routines we have to learn. It is hard to show the confidence."

Tom jumps in shaking his head with a recollection of his first time on stage. "My first show I was stuffing everything up! I had to wear this gold g-string, it was a huge crowd - a corporate event so everyone was at tables." David chimes in. "On the same tour it was supposed to be a big crowd, but it turned out to be only four people! One point in the show we get four people on stage, so there was no audience."

Jason says sometimes it is good to have a smaller show, to give them a break or it would be too much. It's not easy work. Having had only four days off back in Australia after a seven-week tour, they were back on the road again in New Zealand, and often only have a day or two off to explore the country.

But it's not all about taking their clothes off. All three guys agree there is a different stigma around male and female strippers, something Jason puts down to there being more of an entertainment and performance side to the show with the males, rather than just taking their clothes off.

Surprised, I also find out there is little competition between them, as David says they are all "on the same beat" .Tom adds they are all pretty easy going.

While it's not a job choice for the shy, I learnt quickly the guys like to have a good laugh and travel, developing somewhat of a brotherhood between them.

If you're curious to see more of the Sydney Hotshots, they're at the Glenview Club tomorrow at 8.30pm. Tickets are $28. Call 843 7129 to book.