Cheetahs Gentleman's Club
Cheetahs Gentleman’s Club in Las Vegas, Nevada, is an outreach and job training program for unwed, substance, lifestyle and gambling addicted mothers.
Located on Western Ave. in the old commercial district of Las Vegas,Nevada. Cheetahs draws women in need from surrounding states and around the world. Founded in 1979 by Dominican Pastor Father Guido Sarducci and incorporated as “Father Sarducci’s Girls Town dba Cheetahs Gentleman’s Club,” the moving words above the chapels door “All good girls have a bad side,” are the inspiration that have kept the fathers good works going for over 30 years.
In the begining[edit]
During an unauthorized mission to Sin City in 1977, the good father was struck by the number of women in Las Vegas needing his guidance. Following 72 sleepless hours of cab rides from casino to casino, bar to bar, back ally to Boulder Highway in search of women in need, The good father realized the best way to minister to these women was to create a “Sanctuary” where they could gather without shame or fear. Protected by retired wrestlers, under motivated Hell's Angels and their own business managers.
Starting in the Fall of 1977, Father Sarducci made weekly visits to Las Vegas, often renting a block of rooms at the now defunct Tam O’Shanter motel, where he would spread his gospel to his ever growing flock of girls. In 1977, there was yet a name for the ministry and little publicity. Father Sarducci often resorted to calling girls he found in the yellow pages. A sign of the need for his work ware the boundless ads found in the Las Vegas phone book coupled with the flyers aggressively thrust upon him on Las Vegas Blvd by immigrant’s who seemed to know that these girls needed the fathers help.
In early 1978 during a communion mass at the Tam O’Shanter, a name for the organization was revealed to the father and the small group who had assembled (Trixie, Ginger and Sky.)
CH ristian
E cumenical
E ndeavor
T o Create
A
H ermitage for
S kanks
“Cheetahs” was born.
Over the course of the next nine months, Father Sarducci, accompanied by Trixie, Ginger and Sky (now referred to as “The Disciple Dancers”) traveled the streets of Las Vegas searching for a suitable location for their outreach program, collecting more converts along the way.
Trixie and Ginger’s business managers (Boo and LeRoy) founded a sub-groupe called
P rofessional M anagers I n M agnificent P raise of S arducci’s cause
Or “Pimps”
As more girls joined Cheetahs, more and more Pimps would join the cause. Pimps were known to come in to Las Vegas from as far away as Los Angeles, New Orleans, Miami and New York to expose their female business management clients to the Cheetahs program and philosophy. In some instances, girls from Cheetahs would return with these Pimps to their out of state locals to start their own outreach. Some girls brought to Las Vegas were left at Cheetahs by their Pimps if they failed to grasp or get on board with the program. Thirty years after opening the doors of Cheetahs, Pimps can still be seen at the bar nightly, doing their good work. Making sure the money is straight.
Quest for a sanctuary[edit]
In January 1979, Father Sarducci accompanied LeRoy on a ‘Ho Check” at a vacant warehouse on Western Ave just north of Sahara. Following LeRoy through a bent open loading dock door, Father Sarducci gazed upon a large open space littered with half comatose men and women. Needles and used condoms strewn about the floor and the sound of an unfed baby crying in a cardboard box. “Eureka” the father exclaimed, “I’ve found it!”
An excerpt from LeRoy’s private journal (confiscated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in 1988 after LeRoy was arrested for ministering to two fourteen year old Vietnamese girls) chronicled what the Father did next.
“He ran around all crazy and shit. Saying,“ “We put an alter here where the girls can spread the word and solicit donations. An alter on the other side for Sacrament-On-Demand. A group confessional in the back and a VIP confessional up front. We dress the ushers in tuxedos and valet park the parishioners cars. We can even have local cab drivers do our proselytizing and reward them for bringing potential followers to hear our sermon. Lap dancing strippers doing god's work.”
With so many potential followers all ready unconscious on the floor, much of the work of finding more followers was all ready done.
Financing and construction[edit]
Father Sarducci rolled up his sleeves and got to work. Unable to secure funding from the Arch Diocese, the father secured a loan from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters pension fund, paving the way to commence construction on the building on Western Ave.
Construction began in August of 1979 and moved at a fevered pace. A main alter was constructed on the north end of the building from which the apostils could perform interpretive dances depicting the gift of life and procreation. On the south wall a large sacramental alter was built with 2 pulpits (one on either end) for a closer view of the churches good work. On the west end was built a choir loft (thou often there was only a DJ as opposed to an organist and singers.) Next to the choir loft was constructed a a counseling chapel where Apostles could congregate with visitors and share the Sacrament and on the far east end was located the main entrance flanked by combination Baptismal / Restroom to the north and VIP Private confessionals to the south.
Opening the sanctuary[edit]
December 7, 1979 saw the grand opening of Cheetahs. The 7 PM ribbon cutting was attended by some of the most famous people known to frequent Las Vegas in the late 1970’s including Bob Guccioni, Larry Flynt, Ted Binion (who would later be murdered by Sandy Murphy, A Cheetahs Disciple dancer.). Harry Reid. Mob Lawyer ( And Future Mayor of Las Vegas)Oscar Goodman to name a few. Also in attendance were 150 members of the now nationally organized Pimps.
After the ribbon cutting, Father Sarducci ascended the main alter and delivered the following benediction and dedication,
| “ | We gather here today, oh Lord, to dedicate father Sarducci’s Girls Town dba Cheetahs Gentleman’s Club to the women of the world. Struggling to feed their addictions and when convenient, children, one dollar at a time. We dedicate Cheetahs to our men’s group “PIMPS” (Also see "Knights of Columbus")who have worked tirelessly to keep the ladies of Cheetahs focused on what’s important. We dedicate Cheetahs to the proselytizing cab drivers who keep new parishioners and donors flowing through the doors. We dedicate Cheetahs to the doormen who like the pimps and valets, depend on the work of the girls to support their habits, evade their child support and live out their fantasies with an inebriated Cheetahs Apostil in the bathroom of a Denny's at 6 AM.
Bless all who enter Cheetahs oh Lord. Let their ATM cards have no daily limit. Make Cheetahs a place where the future daughters of Apostles , Doormen, Pimps and patrons feel they can carry on the good work of their mothers. Allow the sacrament to flow through all who enter this holy place. May the alter be lined with donors. May the confessional have dark corners where Apostils can work out the demons of patrons unafraid. Spare innocent witnesses the trauma of seeing what the doormen do to patrons in the parking lot. We ask this of you Lord in the name of Benjamin Franklin. Amen. |
” |
With that, the good Father pointed to the Choir loft and signaled the DJ to start the first mass with Rick James “Super Freak,”
1980 - 1990[edit]
By the early 1980’s, the ministry had gone to a 24 hour operation. Said Father Sarducci “Vice doesn’t sleep, Money doesn’t sleep and neither will Cheetahs.” Apostles called Cheetahs home. By this time, a small community of support business’ opened in the area of the church including a Ukrainian owned pizza parlor, 2 tattoo shops offering discounted tramp stamps to the Apostles, The Artesian hotel with a full bar and hourly room rates and a seven eleven which boasted the largest selection of contraceptives of any seven eleven outside of Hunts Point, NY. Many freelance entreasures also frequented the club (and continue til this day) providing the Apostils with an assortment of imported and domestic narcotics.
The late 1980’s and early 1990’s also saw the emergence of “Featured Dancers” from the adult film industry. Ginger Lynn, Amber Lynn and Barbra Dare were just a few adult film actors to trod the boards of the alter at Cheetahs continuing the practice of travelling ministry. Traci Lords Started a 2 month run at Cheetahs in 1985 but was asked to leave on the third night when it was discovered she was actually only twelve years old. In a stroke of genius while unable to secure a male adult actor to visit Cheetahs, Father Sarducci started the now long lived custom of having a few fat hairy apostles in the club at all times to fill the void left when Ron Jeremy refused to appear.
1991 - 2000[edit]
By 1992, many other competing ministries had come to Las Vegas. Some with the same sermon format as Cheetahs except their Apostles were 20 years younger. What saved the Cheetahs ministry was the first generation of daughters bred from the doormen and Apostles were just coming of age. Not only did Father Sarducci have the newest, youngest Apostles in Las Vegas but they were born of Apostles to be Apostles.
The few years of overlap as the daughter apostle learned her craft and aligned herself with a Pimp and the mother Apostle prepared for dialysis and the departure of her Pimp allowed for the most sacred of rights ever seen at Cheetahs. To parallel the Holy trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Father Sarducci introduced the Mother, Daughter and bottle of Spirits lap dance in the private confessionals. This right is practiced about every three years as the next group of Cheetah female offspring come of age.
In 1998, Apostle Sandy Murphy was accused of intestinally killing Casino owner Ted Binion with Heroin. Sandy Murphy now dubbed “Silver Digging Sandy” offered one defense; "I’m a stripper… I mean apostle… If he died from an overdose of Lortab and Meth, you might have me, but you don’t have shit. I smoke crack and pop pills. I don’t shoot up!” A Las Vegas Jury (being surrounded by apostles wherever they go in Las Vegas and knowing perfectly well what they are on) bought Sandy Murphy’s alibi and acquitted her on appeal of murder charges, however, the Jury upheld the previous Jury’s verdict of Guilty on 3 counts of succubus stripper charges, tax evasion and poor vaginal hygiene.
2001 - Today[edit]
Embroiled throughout the decade by controversy, Cheetahs struggled. Fund managers from the Teamsters were wrapped up in “Strippergate,” a bribery scandal involving members of the Clark County commission as well as members of the San Diego City Council. Father Sarducci, now 72 and ailing from a reoccurring case of syphilis (though he contends to this day that he has maintained he vow of chastity) stepped down as head pastor at Cheetahs. Father sarducci remained on the board of directors but day to day operations were handed over to Pauly “The Tuch” Lambiornelli.
The era under The Tuch saw many changes at Cheetahs. Apostles were now referred to as “Entertainer” and required to obtain licenses from the State of Nevada and Clark County to “Entertain.” The Pimps who were the backbone of the Sarducci administration and given wide latitude at the church were now required to buy drinks at the sacramental alter and were forbade from negotiating business on behalf of the “Entertainers” while in the church. This resulted in the Pimps moving to Larry’s Ville on Rancho and 95 where the “Entertainers were now required by the Pimps to come meet up after hours to “Make the money straight.”
A series of Anti-Lapdance laws were authored by Commissioner Lynette Boggs-McDonald after she found her husband taking communion from the navel of a Czech transvestite Apostle in a private confessional at Cheetahs. The new laws that required entertainers to limit physical contact with patrons was a blow to the church. Apostles who formerly had great success raising funds for the church with a tactile approach were now forced to rely on personality and intelligence… The church was in danger of failing.
As other clubs around Las Vegas struggled to teach entertainers how to read, speak in complete sentences and in general be sexy without actually giving a patron a hand job, The Tuch got to work lobbying for less stringent club laws with the city and county. After the purchase of 500 cases of Bombay Sapphire that was delivered to an unidentified person, the city of Las Vegas loosened up their laws regarding lap dancing.
Where are they now?[edit]
Of the original players in the Cheetahs story, Some have found success, some have not.
Boo and Trixie moved to Oakland, CA. in 1986 where Trixie started working San Pablo Ave. They have 3 daughters ranging in age from 17 to 22 who all work with mom. They are happy to sign autographs at the corner of 63rd St. and San Pablo Ave… For a fee.
Ginger and LeRoy stayed together until LeRoy was arrested in Los Angeles for Statutory Rape and Exploitation of a minor. With a daughter from a previous pimp born in 1976,
two sons from LeRoy, A Daughter sired by a doorman at the church born in 1982 (in between lap dances) an other daughter from an unknown father and a Ethiopian son she adopted in 2004, Ginger has had to keep dancing. She celebrated her 30th anniversary at Cheetahs by giving a triple dance to the first ten patrons of the day with her oldest daughter Magenta and her grand daughter Shadow.
LeRoy was released from San Quinten in 2002 and became a fundamental preacher. He rents a room from Boo and Trixie in Oakland.
Father Guigo Sarducci was killed in 2006 when he was hit in the head by an Apostles acrylic shoe. Father Sarducci has been cryogenically frozen and is displayed during the annual San Ginerro Festival in Las Vegas. His name has been submitted to the Pope for canonization.