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Niki Knockers Interview
She holds the title of Miss "Nude Northwest" and was a Toronto
Sunshine Girl. You know her as Niki Knockers.
Calling Minnesota home, Niki has been dancing all over the country since
1989. It's not unusual to find Niki on the road for 45 weeks a year. And
when she's not dancing, you'll find Niki working on her Fan Club, and — her
taxes!!!
Q. Niki, you were recently featured on the cover
of "Stripper" Magazine.
Has that done anything for your career?
A. Well, I don't really think it has, because I've done so many other
magazines. Stripper Magazine goes to all the clubs and I've already worked
most of 'em. (Laughs). It's really nice, and Rob Abner (publisher) is great
at Stripper Magazine. It's also good for new clubs to see it, that you haven't
been to. I guess you could say it opens up new doors for you at new clubs.
Q. How about t.v. or film have producers approached you about projects?
A. You know what; I've had no desire to do anything with television. I've
been approached with it before, and offers to do screen tests and that's
just not something I want to do.
Q. What kind of offers did you get?
A. There was a movie called 'Bloody Mary', and the producer had called
my agent and he wanted me to do a screen test for it. I thought about it,
and it's just not me. I like doing things with paper. I like running my
fan club. You hear it all the time; you get approached for B movies.
Q. How about something that appealed to you, the right role?
A. If it was something that appealed to me and there was nothing but big
stars in it (laughs), like Meryl Streep and Mel Gibson, then I would say
O.K.
Q. Has anybody ever made the jump from doing what you're doing to being
a major film actress?
A. Nobody that I know of. I imagine there would be a lot of backlash to
it.
Q. There's a lot of competition in your business. Is there really that
much work for all these dancers?
A. Oh, yes. You wouldn't believe it. The thing is, they're all in different
categories. So, it's really not that competitive. Certain clubs only
want big breasts. Certain clubs only want say Penthouse girls. Each club
likes different things. It's like I have more than enough jobs to fill my
schedule. There really is a lot of work out there.
Q. Why do you think you've been so successful?
A. I like to talk to everybody. You get to know the guys. I've heard that
some entertainers aren't too friendly.
Q. You've been described as a mega magazine model. What's a mega magazine
model as opposed to just a magazine model?
A. Tons of publications. Every magazine that I've done, I've done it at
least four to five times. I just do 'em over and over again, as opposed
to a magazine model which would mean I guess, just a couple of times.
Q. You were working as a waitress in a dance club, before you started
dancing?
A. Yes.
Q. This was in Minnesota?
A. Right. I had two jobs. During the day I worked at just a regular restaurant
and then at night, I would serve drinks.
Q. You've described yourself as a "self-conscious and shy lady".
How did you get past that and get onstage and dance nude?
A. It was very tough. It was kind of like the buddy system. My girlfriend
Diane and I did it together. So, we were support for each other. We never
really thought anything would come out of it. We just thought anything
would come out of it. We just thought we'll just try this for a little while.
(Laughs).
Q. That first time had to be pretty scary.
A. Oh, I was scared to death. It felt like everything went into slow motion.
The first song instead of being like 3 or 4 minutes, seemed like it was
20 minutes. Then, after you finally do it, you go; I can't believe I did
that.
Q. Was that something you rehearsed, or did you do it on the spur of the
moment?
A. It was spur of the moment.
Q. What would you tell the women who think what you do for a living is
degrading, and demeaning to women?
A. I definitely would say there's a need for this type of business. Its
better that they go in there and watch naked dancers. Put it this way, wouldn't
they rather have their husband go in there and watch some naked dancers
than pick up a prostitute? Or say, rape somebody?
Q. I'm not sure that the men frequenting these places would be guilty
of either one or the other of those practices.
A. That's true. I never really thought about this, but if they're in there
like looking at naked dancers, wouldn't the wife rather have them do that,
than have an affair with their secretary? (Laughs)
Q. You have 17 different costume shows. What kind of money have you got
invested in all of that?
A. Major cash. All of my stuff is custom made. Pat Manzo, everybody knows
who she is, she is the best. All her costumes are like one of a kind when
she makes them. You get what you pay for. It's great quality, so I see nothing
wrong with sinking in $2,000 into one costume. Of course, those big bras
are very expensive. (Laughs)
Q. When you're out on the road, do you carry a light and sound system
with you? Are you traveling like a rock group would travel?
A. No. I fly to all my jobs. All of the clubs I go to are basically
upscale so they have great light systems and sound systems. So, there's
no need for that. Basically, I hire somebody every club I go to, to help
me out. Probably ninety per cent of the time, I'll take a bodyguard with
me.
Q. You recently bought a condo, and you’ve been investing your money
in stocks. Isn’t the stock market a little risky for someone who doesn’t
have the time to really investigate the stocks?
A. That’s where my Dad comes in. He basically controls the whole
thing for me. I have a lot of commodities, and those are like so dangerous.
You have to be by a phone 24 hours a day, and have access to a fax, and
so my father he’s retired, and that’s what he does.
Q. Why wouldn't you just put all the money in the bank?
A. I don't put all my eggs in one basket. I'll put some in the bank. I
have my condo. I'm getting ready to buy a house in Florida. You just kind
of scatter it.
Q. Do you travel overseas?
A. My agent books Guam, Australia, and Europe and she has offered it to
me, numerous times. I don't think I can go into another country where I
do not speak the language. I would be scared to death.
Q. How long can you continue to do what you're doing?
A. I figure I'll probably do it say another 4 years, and I would slowly
have to ease my way out of it, 'cause I really like doing this. I really
have a good time. I talk all the time. It's really nice. You get to meet
new people. It's a good job.
Q. You could still be out there 10-15 years from now.
A. I could still be doing it, but I don't know if I would be. (Laughs).
Q. What do you prefer to be called, a dancer, a topless, bottomless
dancer, a stripper?
A. An entertainer.
Q. So, by calling you a stripper that is degrading to you?
A. Well yes and no.
Q. Do you find that term offensive?
A. It all depends on who's saying it. So it's somebody who knows nothing
about this business, than its O.K. 'cause they don't know. They have no
way of knowing that most feature dancers like to be called entertainers.
When you get up there you gotta entertain. (Laughs).
Q. Are all your shows choreographed?
A. Oh, yeah. All my shows are 4 to 5 songs. I do something on every
single song. So, I just don't get up there and dance.
Q. Where do you get your ideas?
A. I have one of those minds that goes a thousand miles an hour. I just
think like real creative, and I'm always thinking of new ideas for shows,
and I put together new shows that I never end up getting. (Laughs).
Q. Didn't you have an advantage in the beginning, because you could watch,
as a waitress, the shows of other entertainers, to see what went over and
what didn't?
A. Basically, the club I waitressed at and later danced at, they did not
have feature entertainers. I only worked there for a couple of months. I
would always try not to look at them when they were naked.
Q. Why was that?
A. It just made me uncomfortable.
Q. An here you are on stage.
A. Exactly.
Q. Have you ever been to Syracuse?
A. I did work at the Alpine. This was like 3 years ago. I was there a
week.
Q. What did you do offstage?
A. I actually bought a mini-van when I was there. (Laughs). I don't use
it anymore. I gave it to my Dad, 'cause I'm flying now. I remember I went
to Carousel Mall when I was there. I usually don't have too much spare time
'cause I'm usually doing fan club or working on my taxes, 'cause I do 'em
every single week. I'm in a different city every week. I pretty much have
to keep everything all accounted for.
© Gary James All Rights Reserved
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