The Ultimate Gentleman's Club:The John CandyBar

TV station WWOO in Camden, NJ Reporting with…A New Kind of Gentleman's Club

Hi, this is Danny Wang reporting from Drudge St in Camden, NJ. Sure, the average guy likes to go see exotic entertainment once in a while. And there are plenty of Gentleman's clubs in the area. But this one is a little different…

I am outside the John Candybar. Yes, ladies and gentleman, you heard that right, the John Candybar. This exotic club has the common going-ons of your average strip club,-beautiful ladies, lap dances, overpriced drinks, and so on. But with a little Hollywood twist.

Owner Frankie Taglione is the owner of the Pure Pleasure club in East Brunswick, NJ and a huge John Candy fan. His dream was to open a strip club where John Candy's career could be celebrated and men could enjoy ladies all at the same time. I asked Frank how this idea came about…

"So ya know, I'm a huge John Candy fan and shit, and he makes me laugh. Laugh out loud actuhlly. So, I'se got dis idea to replace those overplayed Van Halen and AC/DC songs with clips from John Candy movies while the girls are out dere dancing. Instead of having, uh, ya know, "Hot fuh teachah" playin", we'se got that scene from Great Outdoors where he's trying to kill the bat wit Dan Akroyd. I love dat bit!!!"

I asked exotic dancer Ginger Lynn how she feels about it.

"It's a little weihd, ya know. It throws off my timing, epeciuhlly when I'm sliding down the pole and I hears sumtin' about Harry Crumb playing in the background. It just makes for a strange mood. Frankie treats us good though, with benefits and stuff, so I reallies got no complaints."

How do the customers feel? I asked Bill Pickford.

"Well, don't get me wrong. I love John Candy. But if I pay $30 for a lap dance and during it I hear that awkward scene between John Candy and Steve Martin arguing in the hotel room from Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, it's a little tough to get aroused. Especially, with those corny John Hughes songs playing in the background.."

How does Jimmy Durand feel?

"I fuckin' love it!!!! I get all jacked up in the bathroom and come out and there's hot chicks everywhere, 1941 playing on a plasma in one corner, Uncle Buck quotes playing on the PA system while the girls do their thing.. Girls and John Candy all over the place!!! It's like another world. This place is money!!! It's what I imagine John is in heaven doing right now."

Well, it must be working. The $20 cover and $7 drinks don't stop them. There's a line out the door every weekend night and the VIP rooms are booked for the next 6 months.

And then there is the main event. The JohnCandybar Annual Mudwrestle. Inspired from the legendary scene from Stripes, this event draws spectators from all over the East Coast and Mr. Taglione loves every minute of it. “Oh, it’s by far the best of the year. I bring in my buddy Sammy, who looks just like John. And we fill a ring with mud. Sammy goes at it with the girls just like in the movie. Sammy gets beat up pretty bad, but he’s used to it working for my uncle Vito. I tend to use some of my daytime girls because they get pretty roughed up too ‘cuz Sammy don’t go down easy..But the girls that do get in that ring, boy they make a killing. The cash just rains in from the crowd. A little rinse with the hose out back and that cash is good to go…”

Frankie says the money’s good, but that’s not the point.. "I do ok. But the truth is I loved John. And this is kinda my shrine to him. The way he lived life and the way everyman should."

I'm Danny Wang reporting from the John Candybar. Back to you Melissa.