Dear Constant Reader,
I don’t remember when I first saw Madeline Sinclaire. She was such a fixture of the LA burlesque scene, with her Bettie bangs and brilliant smile, it could have been at any show I went to out there. I know she dazzled me completely at the Great Burlesque Expo in 2014 with her dreamy pink striptease with boa fans.
She was part of my first Stripper’s Holiday. I remember her workshopping “Jungle Bettie” and thinking that no one channelled Bettie Page like she did. I’ve seen a lot of people who styled themselves after the Queen of Pinups, but Madeline radiated the same joy that made Bettie so sought after.
I was heartbroken to hear she was in hospice (and, goddamn it, no one should have to fundraise for end of life care) and had barely processed that when the news came that she had passed away. She will be so deeply missed.
Madeline Sinclaire in The Main Event at The Great Burlesque Expo of 2014
Photo by David Salo Photography
It’s not just the loss of Legends that makes us poorer.


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