Part biography and part exploration of an often denigrated profession, Thank You for Supporting the Arts provides a first-person view of what it's like to be a stripper. Viva Las Vegas (born Liv Osthus) has been stripping for 20 years and sees it as an innovative art form that showcases the beauty of the human body. For her, stripping is an intimate and vulnerable experience, something almost religious, between performer and audience.
The documentary takes the form of an interview with Viva, interspersing her narrative with footage of her performances (note: nudity abounds) and daily life. While the film centers on Viva's experience and voice, it also includes outside perspectives from her family, friends, and even ex-boyfriends. Not all agree with her assessment of stripping as empowering, subversive art with healing potential, but none deny Viva's artistic capabilities.
Alongside stripping, Viva is a writer and musician who was originally trained in dance and acting. She's very open about her mental health issues and credits her art, particularly stripping, with literally saving her life. Performing is a way for her to step out of her own depression and into the shoes of a more confident, happier version of herself. She fully embodies the personas she creates, becoming different characters depending on the situation: Viva the stripper, Coco Cobra the punk singer, or even Lila Hamilton the sex-worker activist.
Directors Carolann Stoney and W. Alexander Jones paint a holistic picture, exploring both the positive and negative impacts stripping and other creative ventures have had on Viva's life. Her drive for subversive performance has taken a toll on her relationships, making the intimacy she craves beyond the stage harder to achieve. But despite relationship difficulties and health scares, Viva has persevered and has never lost her love for stripping and performing.
Through Viva's story and perspective, Thank You for Supporting the Arts calls into question the social narrative that labels stripping a debasing profession for the desperate and provides an alternative view. Even if you don't come out of the film sharing Viva's artistic take on stripping, her unique story and voice offer an important, less mainstream outlook on a controversial profession and the women who choose it. Recommended. Aud: C, P.