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Still Happy After All These Years
SAN FRANCISCO — When the Happy Hooker comes to town, needless to say, it's Party Time.
SAN FRANCISCO — Last Thursday's event, described as "A Birthday Soiree And Toast To Xaviera Hollander," was organized by performance artist (and former porn star) Dr. Annie Sprinkle, prostitution rights activist Scarlot Harlot and songstress Candye Kane, and took place at Wicket World, "A Private Museum of Exotica" in the SOMA district.
Ms. Hollander was there, all smiles, even though she'd already been on the road for more than a week promoting both her new book, Child No More, a memoir inspired by the impending death of her mother, as well as the 30th anniversary edition of The Happy Hooker, with new material from both herself and sex-worker friends from around the world.
It was also Ms. Hollander's birthday, and there was plenty of cake and other refreshments for the 70 or so guests who attended the party.
Among the more familiar faces in the crowd were retired porn star Richard Pacheco, erotic artist Veronica Monet, sex worker-turned-sexologist Dr. Carol Queen, photographer Charles Gatewood, CAL-ACT head Bobby Lilly, author David Sterry and Free Speech Legislative Affairs Director Kat Sunlove.
Ms. Hollander currently lives in Amsterdam, and since her retirement from prostitution, has owned a bed & breakfast, produces high-class English theater for the Dutch and visitors to the international city — "No sex shows, unfortunately," she lamented — and been very active in dialog on WhoreNet-2, a prostitutes and sex workers Internet discussion list.
"I've come a long way from the days of The Happy Hooker," Xaviera told the crowd, "and even though I'm not actively involved in the movement, I still somehow seem to be an icon for the hookers of the world."
Ms. Hollander read excerpts from both books, which she had for sale at the party — look for a review of the revised Happy Hooker in a future issue of AVN — and presided over a variety of performances given by some of the guests.
For example, both Pacheco and Sunlove serenaded the grande dame with birthday melodies of their own composition (even if the melodies did seem somewhat familiar); a performance artist named Kaotika De Flambeau danced while balancing a flaming sword on her head; the performance team of Kaos Kitty and Lucid Dawn performed song parodies with titles such as "When You Wish Upon A Whore"; and there was even a stripper, Queen Justine, who had previously performed to much applause at the Big Burlesque event for full-figured strippers.
A great time was had by all, and several followed Xaviera to a book signing at a branch of the Booksmith chain later that evening.
— Mark Kernes
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