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Charleston Daily Mail

DAILY MAIL STAFF

Lock up your college-aged daughters or girlfriends Friday night if you don't want them baring themselves for a national audience.

Girls Gone Wild, notorious for its late-night infomercials pitching DVDs of young women exposing themselves, is bringing its raunchy brand of entertainment to Charleston.

A video crew with the Santa Monica, Calif.-based company will be at downtown nightclub Banana Joe's, on Capitol Street, starting at 9 p.m. Friday. Advance tickets are $10, and tickets at the door are $15.

Bill Horn, vice president of communications with Mantra Films, the entity that produces the videos, said it's the first visit to Charleston for Girls Gone Wild.

They'll likely shoot footage inside the club of sweaty bodies grinding against one another on the dance floor, but the more raw moments may be on the company's tour bus.

Because of public nudity laws, Girls Gone Wild crews try to capture the rowdier material on their bus, Horn said.

"We shoot the scenery, mostly of people dancing (in the club)," Horn said. "If someone wants to go wild, we bring them onto the tour bus because of concerns about laws against nudity in establishments with alcohol. It's a safer environment than going wild on the dance floor."

Ironically, women who go topless often get a free T-shirt from the company. Sometimes the crew will follow a group of girls to a hotel room or private location and convince them to have sex with each other, also for a T-shirt.

This is all captured on film; however, not all footage is included in the videos.

Horn said the footage is shipped to the Santa Monica offices for multiple edits before it is released to the public.

For this trip to Charleston, crews aren't taping for a specific title, either. That means footage shot in Charleston may end up on several different videos or none at all.

"We'll shoot many girls we'll never use," Horn said. "It's an issue of our needs, and quality and variety. We don't want an entire video of brunettes or one of blonde girls."

Horn said filming locations are chosen for their party- atmosphere reputation. Sometimes, owners of a nightclub or hot spot will contact Girls Gone Wild themselves.

"These are places filled with young men and women having a good time, being wild all by themselves," Horn said. "Our name draws a huge crowd as well. It's a win-win situation for everyone."

Surprisingly, Girls Gone Wild rarely receives opposition or protests within communities, he said. Then again, they're not filming at the local Ronald McDonald House or Baptist church.

"Certainly, some people aren't thrilled about us coming to their town," Horn said. "But we go to venues that want us, where young people want to be part of the Girls Gone Wild experience. It's a lifestyle."

Videos are sold via mail order and exclusive footage is available to members of its Web site. Commercials are frequently aired on late- night television, preceded by a brief warning message.

Mantra Films was founded in 1997 and has released more than 100 different Girls Gone Wild titles, some featuring hip-hop icon Snoop Dogg.

Calls made to Banana Joe's on Tuesday weren't returned.

Banana Joe's is a national chain with offices in Ohio.

In addition to the Girls Gone Wild invasion, Banana Joe's will feature Jell-O wrestling every Friday night this month. Winners receive $250 and other prizes, more than just a T-shirt.

Signs promoting the wrestling read, "Guys come pay $5 and see ladies get down and dirty."

Contact writer Jake Stump at jakestump@dailymail.com or 348- 4842.