Charleston Daily Mail
Mayor says city can't do anything because event will take place in private club Reaction has been decidedly negative to the "Girls Gone Wild" road show that is scheduled tonight at a Capitol Street bar.
Del. Bonnie Brown, D-Kanawha, called it an exploitative event and added, "I think this is something where after the fact, these women will be sorry for what they've done."
A crew from Mantra Films, a California-based company that peddles the "Girls Gone Wild" videos through late-night infomercials, will be on hand tonight at Banana Joe's.
Footage will be shot of people dancing inside the bar, and patrons who want to take part in raunchier scenes will be invited to step inside a bus parked nearby.
Brown said she does not believe in censorship, but encouraging women into posing naked and then selling the pictures on television and over the Internet is wrong.
"This might sound prudish, but I don't think there's any place for this kind of entertainment on TV," she said.
Harold L. Summers Jr. of Charleston said he called nearly every government official in the phone book to voice his disgust when he learned about the event.
Summers, a private investigator and former investigator with the Kanawha County Prosecuting Attorney's office, contacted city, county and Alcohol Beverage Control Administration officials to see if they could stop tonight's event.
"I'm not a prude, and I don't want to be the voice of morality," Summers said. "But there are certain times when people need to step up."
Mayor Danny Jones said there's nothing the city can do because the event will take place in a private club.
"He (Summers) can go down and picket them," Jones said, "but that would help their efforts and give them more publicity."
Kevin McCoy, executive director of the West Virginia Family Foundation, said his group plans to study the section of state code dealing with public nudity to see if the company is violating any laws.
Gig Robinson, supervisor for education and prevention with the state liquor control agency, said a club could face fines and suspension of its liquor license if anyone violates certain lewd behavior laws.
"For instance, if there's inappropriate touching, fondling or other types of enticements that we find, then yes, that is impermissible," Robinson said.
McCoy said the topless antics featured in Girls Gone Wild videos are "just another indication of the moral freefall our society is experiencing."
Banana Joe's representatives have been unavailable for comment.
Summers compared Girls Gone Wild to prostitution or solicitation.
"If I drive down Washington Street and tell somebody I'll give them 25 bucks to service me, that's solicitation," Summers said. "What is the difference?"
Charleston Fire Chief Grant Gunnoe said the club, which has three floors, can hold 418 people.
Officers from the department's fire inspection bureau will be on hand, and if bouncers let too many people inside, they can clear the club and shut it down.
Inspectors went through the club Thursday to make sure the building is up to code.
Major John Shannon with the Charleston Police Department said they would add more officers to the area and familiarize those on patrol with the section of city code dealing with public nudity and indecent exposure.
"The bottom line is that we are hoping this thing goes off without a hitch and everybody behaves themselves," Shannon said.
Contact writer George Gannon at georgegannon@dailymail.com or 348- 4843.
