Sunday, August 24, 2014

Bikinis Hall of Fame still a one-off

In July 2013, the Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill chain announced actress Carmen Electra as the first inductee into its Bikinis Hall of Fame.
Doug Guller, founder and CEO of Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill, created the Bikinis Hall of Fame to mark the seventh anniversary of his restaurant chain. Bikinis is known for its scantily clad waitresses, who wear bikini tops, denim shorts and cowboy boots. Guller even holds the trademark for the term Breastaurant.
To celebrate the chain’s anniversary, Electra had a cast of her bikini-covered chest made for the Bikinis Hall of Fame. A plaque on the cast reads “Bikinis Bust of Fame.” (See coverage by the Daily Mail and the Superficial.)
Last week, I emailed Guller to get a status report on the Bikinis Hall of Fame. I asked him whether last year’s induction of Electra was a one-off.
“There will be many more inductees!” Guller replied. “We were trying to get Dolly Parton this year but the timing didn’t work out.”
It’s pretty clear that the Bikinis Hall of Fame is more about honoring famous breasts than bikini wearers. That’s unfortunate.
A museum honoring famous bikini models and actresses is a lot more interesting than an exhibit devoted to ladies with big boobs. Bikinis evoke images of summer, vacation, fitness and sexuality. Without that context, boobs are boobs.

Photos: Carmen Electra is inducted into the Bikinis Hall of Fame; country music singer Dolly Parton graces the cover of Playboy magazine in October 1978.

No comments: