TAMPA, Fla.—By now, AVN readers are quite familiar with Lisa Ann's scheduled appearance as her "Serra Paylin" character over the weekend at Tampa strip club Thee Dollhouse, a mere five-mile drive west on I-275 from the Republican National Convention being held at the Tampa Bay Times Forum. But what they may not know is that Ann's performance garnered international attention, if for no other reason than that it points up the GOP conventioneers' hypocrisy over sex.
"She’s got the beehive hairdo, the tailored business suit and the wire-rimmed glasses, but it won’t be Sarah Palin heating up Tampa come Republican convention time, but rather her porn star doppelganger, Lisa Ann," wrote a reporter for the UK's Daily Mail.
"This is Sarah Palin like you've never seen her before. Or not. Lisa Ann is a porn star, and has made it big impersonating America's would-be vice president since 2008," wrote a correspondent for Agence France-Presse (AFP) in an article that saw publication as far away as Australia's Herald Sun—and which, like most similar articles, seemed to feel it necessary to note that Ann is a "certified dental assistant"—not that she's likely to return to that profession anytime soon.
The New York Post described Ann's Saturday night debut at the club, stating that she "hit the stage ... in a hip-hugging business skirt and bustier as an announcer informed the audience that 'Sarah Palin is in the house tonight!'" (Of course, technically, Ann's alter ego is "Serra Paylin," but it's doubtful that club attendees would be that picky ...)
"After a political hand wave, Ann tossed pictures of the Alaskan politico into the crowd as she proceeded to peel off her governmental garments with purring precision with Eminem blaring in the background," the Post description continued. "The hooting crowd seemed to approve of her positions."
As for whom that crowd may have been comprised of, the Tampa Bay Times noted that at least some were in town for the GOP Convention.
"The main people I'm seeing is Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C.," said Thee Dollhouse door manager Tiffany Mitchell. "They are dressed nicer, more conservative. Business casual for the men and Ann Taylor Loft for the women, for sure."
Sadly, though Ann had told the AFP that "We live in a pretty recession-proof business," apparently, some potential clubgoers were put off by the threats of Tropical Storm Isaac possibly turning into a hurricane.
"At Tampa's most famous nude club, strippers walked out of the Mons Venus with garment bags over their shoulders well before close," the Times reported. "Manager Vicki Baham blamed Tropical Storm Isaac."
"I'm sure it's the hurricane," she said. "People are freaking out about it."
"We're hopeful," said Brandy, one of 98 entertainers ready to bare all Saturday night at the 2001 Odyssey club. "I think it's the quiet before the storm."
However, although a couple of limos and a Lincoln town car had shown up Friday night, and a stretch Hummer graced 2001 Odyssey Saturday, over at the Tampa Gold Club, no one had taken advantage of the private entrance the club had built—a curtained white drive-up tent for VIPs—though "front desk attendant Casey Walsh said the club 'was off the chain' with several limos pulling up and tips coming in $20 and $50 bills" on Friday night.
The AFP also managed to suggest that Ann might just let her character impact her real life in ways that don't involve stripping.
"Lisa Ann, who was well-spoken, poised and outspoken on politics—she leans Democrat—said she may even pursue a career in the footsteps of her alter ego," the AFP wrote.
"I wouldn't rule it out," they quoted Ann as saying, "but I don't know if I could play it as shady as some politicians do."
But the massive publicity surrounding Ann's appearance in Tampa led publicist Devan Cypher to state, "Nominated for Best Adult Star Feature Entertainer at the Exotic Dance Expo, it would seem absurd if she didn’t win the award—again. In the chaos of the last week one could be forgiven for not seeing that she won the Bang Bros MILF contest, but she did. Next week Lisa will be hosting an event with DJ NYSE at Fantasie’s in Keyport, N.J."
One last interesting sidelight to the convention was the official GOP "swag bag," which contained, among other things (including an outdated copy of Mitt Romney's biography in which he spoke favorably of his "Medicare for all" health plan in Massachusetts), "One poolside relaxation kit: cheap shades, sunscreen, handheld fan, personal intimate massager." [Emphasis added] More details on the massager were unavailable ... but it's nice to know that even Republicans know what their flock need to enjoy themselves at a convention.
