| (ABOVE) In this exclusive photo, taken 1/26/08, Chippendales owner, Tony J. Valentine, appears on stage at The Madison Theater with members of his current 2008 Chippendales troupe. He presented a free Chippendales shirt to ''The loudest screaming woman in the audience'' but, unfortuneately, we were not able to ascertain exactly who that was! |
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RICK: Tony, you and I go back...tell them...how many years? TONY: Well, I got into it all when disco started, I guess, when ''Saturday Night Fever'' started, in 1977, when the movie broke--that's when I met you. I was a big ''Disco Star!'' RICK: And you were one hell of a good dancer! TONY: Ahhh, you're too kind. But, I always got second place to you because you could definitely ''Busta Move !!!.'' RICK: Well, I was the town's hottest DJ at that time. TONY: By far you were! By far you were! You're STILL the best DJ in town! RICK: Tell everybody where we would hang out. TONY: That's THE CONSERVATORY that was owned by Larry Grause back in 1977 - 1978. RICK: And his partner, Mr. Roger. TONY: Exactly, yep. RICK: And now, here we are, how many years later? Twenty-five? TONY: At least. Where are we now, 2008? Probably close to thirty. RICK: Now, back at that time, and I'm not exaggerating, and you know I'm not exaggerating, you were one of the hottest dancers in the city. TONY: Thank-you very much. RICK: And I don't mean ''Male Dancer.'' I mean you had a (female) partner at that time. What was her name? TONY: Vickie Smith. She was from Las Vegas. RICK: How is Vickie now? What's she doing--for anybody that may remember? TONY: She's living out in Las Vegas right now. Her and her sister own some hair salons. RICK: Do you still keep in contact with her? TONY: She still stays in contact with my mother. They're still very good friends to this day. We no longer date. We were together for fourteen years. I went to Europe to start my career in this business...came back...and I ran into you! |
| Coming home to the area in which he has spent half of his life, Tony J. Valentine, along with his dance partner, Vickie Smith, got his start as a ballroom show dancer--performing at Covington, Kentucky's posh, and ultra-popular, nightclub called THE CONSERVATORY which was located on the banks of the Ohio River within only a couple of miles from where The Madison Theater is located. |
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RICK: The last time we worked together you were doing the male dance revue, as you are tonight, but it was not The Chippendales. It was called ''The Men of'' something? TONY: ''The Men of L.A.'' I started it out in California. I went out there to dance on The Merv Griffin Show and ''Dance Fever.'' I met some dancers out there, brought 'em back to The Midwest and, by them being from California and not from The Midwest--east of the Mississippi--I got started. I made a big name for myself and, for twenty-five years, I was Chippendales biggest competition and now I got 'em. RICK: So Tony, it was all those years ago, you started out as just a regular, legit, correct me if I am wrong--but you were a ballroom dancer. TONY: Yes. I was a professional dancer. I was born with a God-given talent and I was born and I made a career out of it and now, I'm still doing some sort of this type of dancing. I choreograph some of these shows. I've got the East Coast Chippendales, where I have everything east of the Mississippi, I also have Alaska and Hawaii, South America, half of Canada, and then some places over in Europe. It keeps me busy. We work twenty-six shows a month. RICK: You went from ''The Men of L.A.'' to... TONY: ''The World Famous Chippendales.'' because Chippendales was...this business was almost flat on its back. It ran its course. I turned it around. Not to boast or brag, but I went over to Europe, got a big name, made a lot of money and came back over here and revived it. The thing of it is: the one who is the most committed, at what they do, will always win--and that's me. RICK: So there was a time, in your business, where the ''Chippendales'' name had gone down a little or... TONY: The thing of it is, just like anything else, it runs its course. Just like, one of these days, The Rolling Stones will. RICK: Or like fashion? TONY: Look at Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna. They had to change their whole look. You have to keep up with the times. Chippendales is the biggest name in the world, by far. You can take a hundred women, line them up against the wall, ask them what it is, and they'll tell you. They'll know what Chippendales is. RICK: Well, how did you turn it around? TONY: Just by staying with it...not cutting corners...not giving up...and just staying with it. Every business has its ups and downs. This is my twenty-ninth year. That's almost three decades of doing something longer than anybody else. I've been around the world eight times since I've seen you. I've been to forty different countries and I did it on my own name. So, when I had an opportunity to get involved with The Chippendales I took it. So they gave me the license. RICK: You're to be commended. Please correct me if I'm wrong now, but there was a time in your career, when you had ''The Men of L.A.'' when the real Chippendales, at that time, were not your best friends. TONY: Exactly. They weren't. We were in competition. It's just like anything else. I mean, you've got Pepsi and Coke. RICK: Yes TONY: You've got it. And now I gave up my name to work with them and it's worth it. |
| Much like Pepsi and Coke, The Chippendales brand is a brand that women know. There were so many beautiful women in the audience that it was extremely difficult for our photographers to photograph them all. This beautiful lady, who was in the audience, at The Madison Theater on 1/26/08 along with 799 others, was there to witness, firsthand, the excitement that Tony J. Valentine and his troupe brought to the auditorium in another sold out performance. Don't worry girls, they'll be back one more time before Christmas! |
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RICK: So it was worth it? TONY: Sure it was worth it. You can see tonight, we have eight-hundred women, on a freezing cold night in January. We were in Lexington last night and played to a thousand women. RICK: Wow! Now, let me ask you this. This area, Southwest Ohio, is no stranger to you and now you're back home where you lived for how long? TONY: Well. off and on, half of my life. I lived out in the Loveland/Indian Hill area. RICK: Right. TONY: That's when I first met you. I was living out there. I graduated from a high school way out in the country and I went out to L.A. and Las Vegas and I made some money for myself by dancing. I was a professional, top dancer--where I could pick up the stuff and do it myself and didn't have to be taught. I won The Pan American Championships. I was on The Merv Griffin Show twice. At one time, when I met you at THE CONSERVATORY they had a contest that ran every Thursday night. In fifty-two weeks, I won forty-nine of them. What's that tell you? RICK: Right. I remember the ''Dance Fever'' national TV show. I even remember the host Denny... TONY: Denny Terrio--a good friend of mine. RICK: Where is he now? TONY: He's in Florida. He lives in Florida now. He's still down there doing his dances! RICK: One more thing...I know you're a busy man and you've got to get out of here but...how do you like The Madison Theater? TONY: Esther Johnson, the woman who employs us down here...the thing of it is...when you can work with someone that gets behind the name, that's excited, that wants to take and make it ''an event'' and not just a bunch of dancers called ''Chippendales'' that are going to come down here and shake their butts for women The place is sold out. When you can make it ''an event'' for women that only get to see you twice a year...The Madison is where we sell out every time we come here because Miss Johnson and myself work together, as a team, just like you're part of that same team! RICK: She's a wonderful lady. TONY: Exactly. The thing of it is...she's turned this place around and it's gorgeous. The place has been remodeled. And people can walk in here and see anything from bands, to my acts, to comediennes. RICK: And ALL kinds of music. TONY: All kinds of stuff from all over the United States and the world, at that. But, The Madison Theater is one of my favorite places--not that I only lived thirty miles away--but it's perfect here for our show. This is a Las Vegas theater production. You have to have the right venue. The women have to be able to see the show and there's nothing like being in an old theater where all the seats are elevated. It's perfect to see this type of production. |
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RICK: So, therefore, I'm fair when I say you're going to come back here someday? TONY: Oh, we'll be back one more time before Christmas. RICK: That's excellent. Tony, thank-you for everything! TONY: Sir, it's my pleasure and let me tell you, you STILL look twenty-one and very handsome! RICK: Right! TONY: Ladies, when we come back here, I'm going to have him on stage in bow ties, cuffs, and collars! I love ya buddy. It's good to see ya! RICK: I appreciate it Tony. TONY: Ladies, come out and see us before Christmas! |
