Day 12 - Betsy Bottom Dollar

Canadians, for the most part, fit the stereotypes, chiefly being that they're so damn friendly. At least most of the Canadians I've met have been so. I'm sure there's a bunch of assholes somewhere in Manitoba, but I don't have to deal with them, so good on 'em. Once you start traveling to festivals and meeting people, friendships start to form and conversations take up where you left them a year or two ago at the last festival. I'm decidedly glad one of my friends is Victoria, BC songbird Betsy Bottom Dollar.

I met Betsy and several members of her troupe, The Cheesecake Burlesque Revue, in New Orleans. I really enjoyed their company because, again, Canadians, but you meet people you like all the time and not much comes of it. But I kept running into Betsy in New Orleans, and then in Las Vegas, because the Cheesecakes are often accepted to perform at BHoF. I should mention here a possible bias, because her husband, "The Ginja Ninja," is also named Paul, which is proven scientifically to be in the top 3% of all names and therefore implies that he is a noteworthy gentleman well worth knowing.

Betsy can belt. She has pipes. She can carry a tune home after it gets too drunk at the neighborhood pub. She has a great sense of humor that more often than not finds itself in her routines, and she plays well with others, both as a performer and a damn good emcee. She is endlessly delightful on stage and is as good a friend as I've met through this burlesque thing. Today's theme is friendship, If I've not made that patently obvious yet.

When I went to Victoria, BC late last year, all the time I've spent with Betsy and Paul resulted in an amazing day where they drove my traveling party around the island, giving us the low-down on all the neighborhoods, took us to their beautiful home, and perhaps most importantly on a trip to Canada, secured us the best poutine in town. It was wonderful to spend time with such genuinely warm and thoughtful human beings away from the noise and the constant distractions of a burlesque afterparty. I had a beautiful and relaxing trip to Victoria, a place I've wanted to visit for 20 years, but that afternoon was the thing that put it over the top. A little thing called the Isle of Tease Burlesque Festival was also nice and, ya know, if you like burlesque maybe look into going, I dunno. Just be forewarned that you will be treated well by producers and staff and see a lot of great acts, if that's your kinda thing.

Betsy has taken a step back from performing recently to focus on some other things, and while I certainly hope she is able to return, we never know what life may bring us. All we can hope is that the people we've met along the way will be there for us as the inevitable change has its way. Betsy and Paul have certainly been there for me.