Meet Michelle L'amour

Miss Exotic World 2005 , Michelle L’amour , is one of the premiere names in modern burlesque. She has appeared on “America’s Got Talent” – Season One, “Sexual Healing” – Showtime, “In the Bedroom” – OWN, and Carson Daly. L’amour has been ranked in the TOP 5 of Burlesque by 21st Century Burlesque since 2009 and has performed in the top burlesque shows in the country like Lucha Va Voom, Dita Von Teese’s Strip Strip Hooray, and Superstars of Burlesque.

Ms. L’amour runs Studio L’amour in Chicago, one of the top burlesque instruction schools in the world and is the founder of Naked Girls Reading, called, “The world’s most provocative literary salon” by the Toronto Globe and Mail

She is also the director of The Chicago Starlets, winners of “Best Burlesque Group” in 2010 at the Burlesque Hall of Fame in Vegas.  These ladies perform throughout Chicago and at the Everleigh Social Club, L'amour’s venue for sexy and intimate events, like Wiggle Room, a weekly stand up comedy and burlesque show.

Q+A

What scares you? 

Zombies.  I can’t deal.  I have major anxiety and panic when thinking about them.  Can’t watch ‘Walking Dead’ although I do like '28 days Later’.  Maybe I just like the ones that can move quickly.  I don’t know.  Vampires and werewolves are more my speed.

What is your favorite place to travel to? 

New Orleans and Paris.  I try to get to New Orleans as much as possible.  I love how beautifully broken it is.  I love the relaxed atmosphere and you can walk around with drinks. Bonus!  However, I do stay away from Bourbon street.  Remember, I don’t like zombies.  And Paris, sure, maybe that’s cliche, but it’s GORGEOUS!  It’s stupid how beautiful it is.  Everywhere you look there is another beautiful statue, fountain, or a guy on a bike, smoking, wearing a black and white striped shirt, and eating a baguette.  Yeah, that actually happens!

What do you hate? 

Liars and copy cats.  How dismal to stoop to that level that you can’t face yourself and deal with your own lack of creativity that you must lie and cheat to get ahead.  No respect for those people.  Win the old fashioned way.

Have you ever stolen anything? 

I tried to when I was a kid.  I went with a friend to a convenient store by my house.  We were going to steal some candy.  I walked out with a Laffy Taffy, cherry flavor.  (I still like those on a long road trip.)  I got about a block away and I went back to the store and gave the candy back to the clerk and told him what I did.  I was too overcome with guilt that I couldn’t let myself get away with it.  I’m a stripper with a heart of gold.  What can I say?

If you had to change careers what would you want to do? 

I think I would be a great film or TV editor.  I’m really good at making cuts in acts (my own included), and I have really good timing.  I think I could be a great story teller through editing.  I think that’s where all the movie magic is anyway.  You can get great shots, but if the editor isn’t doing their job, the final product is ruined.

Want more? Yeah, I thought so…