They’re spontaneous and sexy, and they know what women want—Las Vegas male revue the Chippendales are no strangers to Singapore, having sent hordes of gals (and guys) into a frenzy when they were here last March. I-S corners one of the group’s more recognized performers Kevin Cornell for a quick(ie) chat.

How did you become a Chippendale?
All the guys have different stories on how they got involved. Years ago, my mom went to see the Chippendales and she was really excited about what she saw and when she came home she was like, “Oh Kevin, you’ll love it. This is so you.” I thought she was crazy. She kept bothering me till I went to an audition.

And it worked! How was it like easing into the role?
When I started practicing, I found out I was actually a terrible dancer. I had to take dance classes before I got started. The dancing part is very difficult. A lot of guys think that because they can dance at the club, they can also dance to a choreographed piece with ten other guys.

What do you look for when you’re scouting for talent?
Personality is very important when it comes to doing this well. We had some guys who thought they were the king of the world and that they were better than everybody. However, that just doesn’t work.

But it helps to have a hot bod, right?
Yeah, of course. But we will work on that along the way. When we’re at home in Vegas, we go to the gym every day. Our diet is also very important; we eat egg whites, chicken breast, brown rice and other kinds of food that are high in protein but low in carbs and fats. We try to cook as much as we can because that’s the cleanest way to eat. Restaurants put butter, oil and sauces into the food to make it taste better but that makes it just harder to maintain the body. Plus, we do a very high energy show and that involves a lot of cardio. So yes, performing is great exercise.

What is the weirdest thing that you’ve had thrown at you on stage?
We get all kinds of stuff—car keys, underwear, flowers, phone numbers written in underwear, stuffed animals—we get all kinds of fun stuff. I don’t know what’s weird anymore. The girls get really excited when they see the show and they always want to meet the guys. We always arrange to meet the girls after the show and some of them make some indecent proposals then.

Indecent proposals sound like fun! What else is fun about being a Chippendale?
Traveling is great! I’m at the Singapore Grand Prix – that’s really cool! To be able to travel the world with my friends and hang out is really amazing. Plus, a lot of locals recognize us and hook us up with clubs and stuff; it’s great.

Is there anything you wish girls would do to you other than what they’re doing now?
We just want the them to come out and enjoy themselves. The best part of the show is that it’s kind of like a dance party.

Is it hard to be in a relationship when you’re a Chippendale?
It’s very difficult. I’m only home maybe six months a year. I travel a lot. It’s also tough when you’re getting attention from girls all over the world.

Why do you keep coming to Singapore? Do we look like we need the action?
I think girls all over the world need the action. There’s just so much entertainment out there for men but barely enough for women. I think Chippendales is a great thing for women. It’s healthy for relationships and its mental stimulation.

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