Gemmi Galactic

A New Austin Burlesque Show for Book Lovers and Art Enthusiasts

Once upon a time (2013-2014) I was a cast reader, later turned producer, of Naked Girls Reading in Austin. It was a local branch of a national show, now called the Bare Book Club, created by Miss Exotic World 2005, Michelle L’amour. The Austin show eventually turned into Stripped Storytelling and was continued by some wonderful burlesque friends for a while after I left.

This production was so special. If you went to any of them, you know. I LOVED this show because I got to bring stories and authors that were important to me to my audience. And when I produced, I got to create a space for other performers I loved to do the same.

But it was a hard show to do in Texas. Because of TABC rules, we couldn’t do this show in any of our regular burlesque venues. Why? Because Naked really meant NAKED. No pasties or g-strings. We were reading IN THE NUDE. Exactly like the show name says.

A nude show and alcohol sales can’t go together, per the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. So none of our performance venues that have bars could host our show. Venues that had a bar in a separate space, or community theatres were harder to book and harder on our budget.

We were lucky to land a long-term space at the Salvage Vanguard Theatre when they had the building on Manor Rd. After that Stripped Storytelling had a few shows at Sky Candy Aerial Arts, and I seem to remember that they had one in a local comic book store? Don’t quote me on that.

Since the last show was at the end of 2019, I’m sure the pandemic was a big factor in the show going dark, and one of the producers has moved away since then too. So it’s unclear if this show will come back at some point.

Facebook has been teasing me for years with NGR memories! And I have been trying to reconcile this feeling of unfinished business I have surrounding it. I’ve had a show idea brewing for a while that captures some of what I loved about NGR (the book lovers, the body positivity, the performance art of it all), but moving it more into the burlesque space, and including local writers, poets, artists, and musicians in the mix.

And so… The Galactic Salon is going to keep the spirit of Naked Girls Reading alive. It’s not completely what NGR was, but it will fill the void that was left when the show stopped, at least for me.

The Prologue is Thursday, August 10th at Kick Butt Coffee. Doors open at 7:30pm. Browse the tables of books, photo prints, and more by the performers. Visit the bar for both coffee shop mainstays and craft cocktails. Mingle and find your seats. Show starts at 8:30pm. 18+ only.
There will be burlesque based on books, art, politics, and poetry and some of the performers are doing readings that complement their acts. Performances by Bobby Barnaby, Kitty Von Quim, Folly Parton, Jojo Jezebel, Hibiscus Bloom, Stormy September, Ruby Lamb, and Gemmi Galactic.

There will be music!!! Cigarettes et Queue, members of of Mr. Lewis and the Funeral 5, are creating a jazzy new arrangement just for this show to get us in that underground artist nightclub mood.
Featured local writer and artist, Ricardo Acevedo, reading from his new book and selling prints.

There will be a somewhat unclothed (pasties and g-strings) reading by some of the original Austin NGR cast as well!

I really hope you come and see what we’ve been working on. It’s going to be a treat.

Reserve your seats for The Galactic Salon: Prologue before presales close!

Gemmi GalacticJuly 30, 2023July 30, 2023Burlesque

How to Apply to Burlesque Festivals

With so many wonder Burlesque festivals happening all around the world, and at every time of year, it’s ALWAYS festival season. Here are some not so serious tips on applying.

Step 1) Select your best act.
No, not that one. That bra doesn’t fit anymore and I’m not sure I can replace, re-fringe, and re-rhinestone it before the submission deadline. What about this one? Not upbeat enough. That one? Not… BIG enough. Why are all my acts crap?

Step 2) Get a good video.
The only video I have of this act is from the very first time I performed it two years ago. Why don’t I have a video of it from ANY other show it was in? Can I get it on stage before the deadline? No? Let’s clean the living room and pray to Dixie it makes a good enough “stage.”

Step 3) Fill out the application.
Shit, where is the updated version of my bio? I have too much junk on my computer.

Step 4) Pay the application fee.
I will just eat ramen this week.

Step 5) Wait for the email.
Refresh. When did I start biting my nails again? Refresh. F*ck. Refresh.

Step 6) Make your Social Media announcement.
OMG I GOT IN!!!!! / I got my rejection email 🙁 Excuse me while I take a break from Facebook for a few days to eat my feelings. Send tacos.

Step 7) Repeat.
OoOoOoh! Look at that new shiny festival over there! I HAVE to apply!

***

Both a highlight and a curse of any burlesque performer’s life are the festivals. It seems like every city has one, or three, and performers from all over the world are applying for those coveted 40-ish spots.

Getting accepted means the chance to perform for a new audience and expand your fanbase, and impressing and connecting with performers and producers from other cities and expanding your bookings. Hopefully. And then there are the titles. Winning a title instantly gets you a contract with Swarovski, Southwest Airlines, and Dom Perignon and you are off to live the glamourous showbiz life! *Slow blink, blank stare* Wait, is that not how this works?

Festival spots and titles are a symbol of the hard work we put into our art. Blood, sweat, tears, and a trail of rejection emails tend to come first, though, and still after. Does the hard work stop if you win a title? No. Does the hard work stop if you DON’T win a title or if you get a rejection letter? Please don’t let it. Hundreds of stunning performers get refused from each festival. You’re in good company.

Festivals are great and have their benefits, but they are not more important than the work you do at home. Your local scene, your troupe, and your loyal audience are noble places to set your focus. Now, go fix that bra so it’s ready for the next submission round.

-Gemmi Galactic
Co-Producer, Texas Burlesque Festival

Gemmi GalacticJuly 23, 2023July 23, 2023Burlesque, Uncategorized

Diary of a Nerdy Naked Girl on OnlyFans: Pt 1

This is probably no big surprise, but…..

I’M ON ONLYFANS.COM!!!

This is not new news. I’ve been on that site for over a year and some of you awesome people are already following me. But what is new news is that I changed up my page and made it FREE to subscribe.

Free?? Yes, but…

…With some paid content.

Ok, so here’s what, how, and why. Facebook and Instagram are horrible and barely let us nekkid folks post much. Too much skin can get us shadow banned and then you lovelies don’t even get to see our posts. And they will pull posts for even mentioning Only Fans. Because they’re prudes and think boobies are of the devil.

I have almost a decade of work that can’t be posted on Facebook or Instagram without a LOT of censoring. A good chunk of that work can’t be sold through a paid subscription site because I don’t own the rights to sell it. But I can post it for free, in its full uncensored glory on Only Fans.

Wait, FREE NUDES? That can’t be right.

Yes. But just some of my portfolio counts for that. There will also be paid posts. The work I do with photographers who allow me to sell (shout outs to Fernie Renteria and Ricardo Acevedo!) will behind a little paywall, along with some of the work I shoot myself.

I’ll also be posting some of my burlesque performance videos from when we had shows. Remember live burlesque shows?? I’M NOT CRYING, YOU’RE CRYING! Anyway, those will be FREE too!!! With a tipping option just like real live experience!

The extra good news for my subscribers is that you get to pick and choose the content you pay for. I know I’m all over the map when it comes to my work. You could be a fan of my silly space babe antics, but not as into my dark fetish vibes. With my new setup, it’s like a choose your own adventure… of boobies!

Check out my OnlyFans page here and hit that free subscribe button. Your Galactic Adventure awaits!

Thank you all for reading, sharing, and supporting my sparkly ridiculousness. You’re the best Earthlings this stripping space weirdo could have!

Gemmi GalacticNovember 12, 2020Uncategorizedart model, austin burlesque, burlesque performer, fan page, geek girl, gemmi galactic, lewds and nudes, only fans, weird

The Night Candyman Came for Me

“They will say that I have shed innocent blood. What’s blood for if not for shedding? With my hook for a hand, I’ll split you from your groin to your gullet. I came for you.”

When I was 9 or 10 years old, my parents decided to rent Candyman from Blockbuster for family movie night at my grandmother’s house. Like every Clive Barker film I watched in my childhood, it scared my young mind to its core.

By the time the credits rolled, my mother was asleep on the couch and my dad decided to be silly. “Watch this,” he said wild-eyed, as he crept into the bathroom behind us. He said my mom’s name into the mirror five times and she abruptly awoke. I was certain the hook was coming for us all as punishment for playing around like that. This began a lifetime of avoiding mirrors at night.

Fast forward to 2016. My love and I were beyond excited to party with our horror fiend friends at Texas Frightmare Weekend. We walked into the center doors of the main vendor floor and I froze. At the very first table, in the center aisle, was Tony Todd. I was 10 feet away from the towering terror that fueled my Candyman nightmares.

He was smiling, laughing, and hugging fans in photos, but it made no difference to me. All I saw was the hook, the bees, the blood. For the rest of the convention I tried to remember to walk into that room through other doors, but in the excitement of the event, would forget and have to face him again and again.

This summer I was asked to run the pub trivia for the Greater Austin Comic Con. Just days after confirming my spot with the convention I saw a promo post for Tony Todd pop up on the GACC page and my eyes grew wide. I just couldn’t escape him. Candyman was coming for me… Again.

At the first night’s afterparty, an artist introduced me to Tony Todd…

I had just enough vodka to be convinced this was a good idea. My heart pounded louder and faster with each step as we walked to the deck where he and his friends were seated. A lot of things were hazy, but he said something along the lines of “Nice to meet you, Gemmi” as he shook my hand and smiled. Our artist friend told him that I had been scared of him most of my life and he laughed and wanted to know why. After recounting the family movie night incident he looked me right in the eye and said, “Tell your parents I said they never should have let you watch that movie so young.”

Moments later he decided he wanted to take advantage of being in Austin by seeing some live music. He mentioned C-Boys Heart and Soul and causally turned to us to ask if we were going to join them. Obviously, I went.

Tony Todd was the absolute nicest, most laid back and down to earth guy ever. At the end of the night I worked up the nerve to ask him for a photo, and he kindly obliged. I’m sure I’ll still never recite any names into mirrors, but I will always think back to this fun night as the night I faced my fear and hung out with Candyman.

Gemmi GalacticOctober 31, 2018July 23, 2023Austin, Events, horroraustin texas, Candyman, Celebrity Encounter, Comic Con, geek girl, Geek Trivia, gemmi galactic, Greater Austin Comic Con, Horror Fan, Tony Todd

Lucy Chaplin- Science Starlet Comic Book Review

The Austin-based creator and writer of Halloween Man Comics, Drew Edwards, is releasing a special feature starring Halloween Man’s girlfriend, the buxom brainiac Lucy Chaplin. The Science Starlet drops on Comixology Wednesday, July 4th, with a release party and signing on Saturday, July 7th at Hops & Heroes.

I had a chance to read the comic and it was a delight. Lucy Chaplin is a brilliant scientist who uses her inventions to fight evil-doers in this dimension and beyond. She’s a beautiful, full-figured, smart woman who, at the end of a tough day of saving the world, comes home to a tender relationship with an undead man who has also been out fighting his own monsters.

There’s obvious political satire, social commentary, and cheesecake comic book quirkiness in this fun and overdue read. Edwards gave Lucy many qualities of his wife, Austin’s own voluptuous pinup, musician, and activist, Jamie Bahr. The character was written with so much adoration and respect.

Key things I loved about this comic:

*At no point does Halloween Man have to step in and save the day. He knows Lucy has her business handled.

*Who Edwards made the president in this universe. No spoilers, just saying.

*Lucy crushing unhealthy societal beauty standards without mocking smaller-framed women in the process.

The message from the comic is clear- women are powerful, important, and equal, and can do anything they want. Want to be a leading plus-sized model AND a badass crimefighter? YOU CAN! Want to be a pioneering scientist AND celebrate your own sexiness? YOU CAN! And further, you can be loved for it all.

Gemmi GalacticJuly 4, 2018July 23, 2023Austin, comic books, Geek, review, ScifiAustin Tx, Comic Book, Drew Edwards, female lead, geek girl, Halloween Man Comics, Indie Comics, Jamie Bahr, leading lady, Lucy Chaplin, plus-sized heroine, Science Starlet

New Adventures: Art Class Modeling

I used to be so much more adventurous than I am now. I have driven all over this country seeking new thrills, but recently I have found myself settled into a comfortable life lacking the same spontaneity of my previous self.

In an attempt to bring more adventure back into my life, I’m saying yes to more new opportunities. So last week I modeled for the local community college’s life drawing class. FULLY NUDE.

Obviously I was nervous. Would they harshly judge my expanding waistline and my blotchy skin?

I booked the gig over a month ahead and tried not to let my nerves build up in the time leading up to it. The day of the class I made sure I was all properly shaved and moisturized, wore loose-fitting clothes (no bra!), ate a very light breakfast, packed a water bottle, and headed to the Austin Community College Pinnacle Campus.

The classroom was on the 8th floor and two sides were sprawling windows that gave the most serene views of the southwest Austin greenbelt. The teacher, Janet Brooks, instantly put me at ease by explaining the process of the session while I filled out paperwork, like it was so completely normal. Then she set up my stage, in the center of the room, brightly lit, with a cushioned and draped box for my seated pose.

The stage offered the six students 360 degrees of viewing options, which they took advantage of for their work. Brooks set a timer and circled the room giving critique and guidance to each artist until the gentle alarm sounded and I was able to get up and stretch and see the progress of each piece. After a short break I would get back into the same pose as best I could and we’d repeat. We did this about five or six times until the class was over.

Can I just say that sitting completely still for seven to ten minutes is very difficult? Because it really is. Add to that the six strangers analyzing my entire form, and you have a recipe for odd and insecure thoughts. How splotchy is my skin today? Does this pose make my belly pudge out? Or make by boobs look lopsided? Oh God, that light is directly on my back fat! Deep breath. Keep looking at the same shadowy floor tile. Posture. Is my foot resting at the same angle as before? How much weight did I put on this arm last time? Why is that muscle clenched? Has it been tense this whole time? If I relax it now will that change my pose or the light? Shit. Try not to mess up their light. Breathe. Tile. Posture. My neck hurts. Maybe don’t turn my head so far if I get this gig again? Stomach, please don’t start growling. I should get lunch after this. I haven’t had sushi in a while. But do I have a sushi budget today? Tacos might be a better choice.

The students were using a method of toning their paper with charcoal and then lifting it with erasers to draw the form. I was so impressed with all the pieces that I asked if I could share them here. But I also want to keep my nudity off of this blog, so you can see all the images of the work from this class as a Patreon Freebie!

All in all, modeling for this class was such a great experience that I even booked a couple more dates. Many thanks go to Janet Brooks and her students!

Gemmi GalacticMarch 20, 2017March 20, 2017Uncategorizedadventure, art, art class, art model, charcoal, college, drawing, Life Drawing, modeling, nude, pose, posing

Weirdo at the Party

There is something I’ve known for a very long time, and from a very young age. I am weird. For a while I was ashamed and afraid that people would find out just how weird I was so I tried to hide it in many ways. That didn’t really work. First of all, my weirdness wasn’t easy to conceal. Second, I didn’t like who I was when I tried to be someone else to fit in. And honestly, I don’t think I really liked the people I was trying to fit in with.

After years of fighting it, I finally gave in to it. And I grew from just finally accepting my weirdness to fully celebrating it. What’s more is that I actually really like the other weirdos I meet. I found entire communities of people who like the same weird things I like and who have ways of celebrating their weirdness too. I fell completely in love with many subgenres of geek culture. Mostly the scifi, comic book, and horror realms and their fans. And even more specifically, my fellow creators in these fields, like writers, directors, artists, and cosplayers.

babygemmi1 — My Madonna phase circa 1985?

So let’s lay down some brief points of my evolution. In my early childhood I liked to play dress up. Mostly, I wanted to be Rainbow Brite and Madonna. I would build big standing microphones out of my Legos, layer on scarves and belts, and strum a fat plastic baseball bat like a guitar and sing. At some point my desire to be on stage took a back seat and I became a super nerd. I just wanted to read. I was always at the top of my class. My interests grew from stories about ballerinas to Nancy Drew. That was about the same time I started crocheting and crafting. In junior high I found my love for art, mostly sketching, and I found Edgar Allan Poe and Ray Bradbury and my life was never the same. In high school my love of horror really kicked in. In college, my first love taught me all about comic books. That was also the time I reclaimed my love for music and started photographing and writing about bands.

gemmiprom1 — My friend’s prom. Princess Leia and a Jedi. 2001?

And then I got lost. For a few years. In that place where you try so hard to be almost anybody else that you almost don’t escape with any memory of who you really ever were. Those were dark times. Had I not found cosplay and burlesque performance, two things that are amazing both separately and together, and been led back to a world of creating, I might have been gone forever. Metaphorically and/or physically. I struggled with a lot then, so who knows.

gemmidanaecomiccon — My first Comic Con. 2010. With Catwoman Danae 🙂 Also my first Poison Ivy costume.

I am at my absolute happiest when I am creating. It can be anything at all, but making a costume, a necklace, a story, a character… These things give me life. I want to celebrate that and support others who do the same. So welcome to my party. I’m your weirdo hostess and I’m glad to have you here with me.

Gemmi GalacticOctober 11, 2016July 23, 2023Cosplay, Geekcomic books, Comic Con, cosplay, costuming, geek, gemmi galactic, Madonna, maker, Poison Ivy, Princess Leia, scifi, weird