The Mud Pile

El Full Monty Causes Storm

MEXICO CITY - Producers of a Mexican male strip show defended their act Friday, accusing critics of being hypocrites who have no objection to women taking off their clothes.

"How is it possible that they allow table dancing to go on in their red-light districts and then they shut down (our show)," producer Sergio Mayer, who also performs in the show, asked in comments published in La Reforma newspaper.The touring show -- in which Mayer and eight other men perform choreographed
strip acts, ending up naked with their backs to the audience -- has run into trouble from one end of Mexico to the other.

While no one blinked when the show ran in sophisticated Mexico City, church and civil groups have raised a fuss in more conservative provincial capitals from Merida in the southern state of Yucatan to Tijuana in Baja California. "A sexist mentality still exists in Mexico, and it violates women's rights. And hell, it's
easier for us to get laid now-a-days." Mayer said.

"If the groups who criticize the show spent their money on programs to really help women, that would be one thing. But they'd rather spend money on anonymous pamphlets about a show they haven't even gone to see. Seeing is believing."
In Merida the city government closed the show after civic groups complained it promoted homosexuality. The groups feared men would dress in drag and sneak into the theater.

In Guadalajara, Chihuahua and Veracruz, authorities have put strict limits on the show -- no full nudity, no getting off the stage and dancing in the audience, and especially no selling Nsync or The Backstreet Boys cds or tapes during the show. Co-producer Alexis Ayala told The Mudpile he was astonished at criticism of the show, particularly at the women protesters who have staked out theater entrances and screamed "shameless" at other women coming in to see it. In Veracruz state, family groups ran an advertisement in newspapers pleading with the wife of the governor to have the show banned because it was "pornography disguised as entertainment." She replied simply saying "The show must go on, because I already have
front row tickets for me and my (quote) bitches."

In Matamoros, Roman Catholic Rev. Jesus Robledo said table dancing was bad, but stripping by men for female audiences was worse because women are the "pillar of their families."

Ayala said the hullabaloo was free publicity for the show. He said it would continue all scheduled performances through the end of September then begin a tour of Central and South America.

Above: Alexis Ayala and his cat Ted

"I don't know what the problem is,
It's just not fair and dancing is my life."
-Alexis Ayala (Co-producer)

stud
Sergio Mayer flaunting his curves and cuts

"They are just jealous that I'm cut like this.
Go run you puny little no bodies, I will
crush you like nothing.."
-Sergio Mayer (Stripper)