On the Ninth Day of Censorship, the Censors Gave to Me...Nude Ladies Dancing

…Lords Banned for Witchcraft
Bush Monkey Swimming
Nude Adults laying
A golden chastity key
Aristophanes‘ The Birds
Catholic French outrage,
a Clear Channel Dove
and no art in Newark library

Karen Finley was set to perform A Certain Level of Denial at Chicago’s Metro Club in 1994, but the city attorney’s office had else to say about it. In the social commentary piece, Finley enters the stage wearing only a hat and shoes and, as the show progresses, eventually becomes fully dressed. Concerned about an ordinance prohibiting nude dancing in locales that serve liquor, the club owner, acting on the advice of the attorney’s office, asked Finley to cover up in the performance. When she refused, the club owner cancelled the show.

A day before the show had originally been set to debut, the city reversed its position on nude dancing in the case, too late of course for the show to resume as planned.

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