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['80s music playing]
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[audience cheering]
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[Candace] We were travelling
all around the east coast
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and by April, we landed
in Indianapolis.
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Nick De Noia.
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We played at a club downtown
called Don't Ask.
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It was a wonderful city,
a wonderful club.
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We were doing very,
very well there. We were...
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excited!
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Tonight. Tonight
we open at Don't Ask.
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[crowd cheering]
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[Candace] But I remember that Nick
had to leave in the middle of the run.
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He told me that
he was going to New York.
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And the night before he was
to leave we had dinner together.
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I have a picture of us
together that night.
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We toasted one
another with wine.
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He left me in charge.
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And he went to New York
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in April of 1987.
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[line ringing]
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[man speaking 1]
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[woman speaking]
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[man 1 speaking]
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[man 2 speaking]
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[man 1 speaking]
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[man 2 speaking]
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[man 1 speaking]
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[woman speaking]
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[man 1 speaking]
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[woman] Oh, wow.
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[phone ringing]
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[Geddes] I was at my desk,
and I received a phone call.
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That there's been a shooting,
at West 40th Street.
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And it appears to be a homicide,
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and they need the detectives
over there forthwith.
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So me and my partners get up
rushed out, jumped in our car,
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and proceeded to go to
the scene of the crime.
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We turned the corner,
onto 40th Street
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you could see there was a
police presence there already.
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One of the officers told us there's
someone shot up on the 15th floor.
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We got on the elevator
and went up to the 15th floor.
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We were met by
some uniformed officers,
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who directed us to the office,
where the shooting occurred.
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The victim was laying on the
floor with a bullet hole in his head.
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And the gentleman was dead.
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I was informed that he was one
of the owners of Chippendales.
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[Candace] Nick is in New York.
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And I get a phone call,
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from a good friend of Nick's
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and tells me...
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that Nick had been
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shot in the head,
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in his office.
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That a man had walked into
the office and shot him dead.
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I don't remember
hanging up the call.
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I just...
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was dead.
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My world came to an end.
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This was incomprehensible.
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New York City Police are
trying to determine the motive
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in the murder of an award-winning
television producer and choreographer.
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The victim, Nicholas De Noia,
was shot to death in his office.
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Investigators say there was
no sign of a robbery or struggle.
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Steve called me on
the phone and told me,
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that Nick had been
shot and killed.
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My mouth was hanging open...
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just shocked.
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I couldn't believe that
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tragedy struck again.
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I didn't wanna...
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believe that, that it really happened.
I thought it was a joke at first.
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[reporter on TV] De Noia
staged the original dance routines
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of the Chippendale
male strippers.
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It was devastating to, you
know, to have a friend...
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get shot like that.
That was just, you know...
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That was shameful.
It was just sad.
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[Geddes] One of the officers introduced
us to a gentleman by the name of Will Mott.
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He was the only
witness that we had
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at the scene when
Mr. De Noia was killed.
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You could see he was upset.
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He said that a gentleman
came into the office,
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male, Hispanic,
around 5'9" or so.
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And said, "Are you Nick?"
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He said, "No, Nick is in
the other office."
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Then Mr. Mott went
to the bathroom,
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which was located right down
the end of the hall.
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And he said, "I heard what
appeared to be a gunshot."
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Like a loud bang.
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Then he hears the exit door,
open and close.
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He ran into the office,
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and found Nick, lying on the
floor with a gunshot wound.
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And immediately called 911.
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[Candace] That night...
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I decided
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the show would go on.
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There's no question,
this is what Nick would want.
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They are scheduled to perform
and they will perform. As you can see,
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the ladies are already lined up.
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They go down this line
and then down...
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There's a moment
in the show however...
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when the Perfect Man,
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is revealed...
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[audience cheering]
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[Candace] ...and I was in
the back of the house
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and that moment
my mouth dropped open.
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And I just started to scream
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and howl.
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Like a dying, wounded animal.
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It was just primal.
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And nobody heard me.
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I walked the club like a zombie.
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Immediately after the show,
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the press was
descending upon the club.
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Our thoughts are with
his family right now.
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And that's about all we are
able to think about at this moment
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are his parents...
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and his brother, and his sister-in-law
and the rest of his extended family.
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[Candace] I felt like I was
bleeding from my pores.
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All the air
is knocked out of me.
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Nick is my friend, he's
my mentor, he's my companion.
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And he's...
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snatched.
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And gone.
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And the flashbulbs
are in your eyes.
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And they're asking...
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"Do you know who did it?"
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And I was convinced
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that it was Steve Banerjee.
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But of course I answer,
"I don't know."
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"I don't know."
"I don't know."
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[Dan] That was not Steve at all.
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That was not him.
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And people who say it was him,
didn't know him.
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Steve was blackmailed by
one of the guys at the club.
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And instead of making
a stink about it
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and suing and doing
all this stuff
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Steve paid him off
and let him stay at the club.
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Come on, that's not
an aggressive person.
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[Read] I couldn't envision him
being that person.
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He was too mousy.
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He let Nick De Noia berate him in
front of every employee all the time.
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And he didn't do
anything about it.
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That's not who I would think
from those interactions, would do it.
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[Bruce] When Steve told me
Nick had been shot,
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he said to me,
"I wonder who did this."
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Was it someone personal to Nick?
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Was it something tied
with Chippendales?
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An altercation he had
with a club owner?
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We just didn't know
at that moment.
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[Roger] Everybody had their own
ideas of who could have done this.
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It could have been anyone.
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Especially in New York City
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the way the crime rate
was very high.
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Police said De Noia was killed by
a large-caliber gun, perhaps a .45.
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They're looking for a possible
suspect who was seen in the vicinity
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00:10:01,134 --> 00:10:02,601
following the shooting.
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He's described as about 35 years
old, 5'6", 145 pounds. Wearing jeans,
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and a brown and tan jacket.
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[siren wailing]
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[Geddes] We looked into
Banerjee's criminal history
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and there was nothing there.
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People would say,
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"You know, they were always
arguing in the business and everything."
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You know, you have to take that
with a grain of salt too because,
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you know, business owners argue.
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Banerjee wasn't the only person,
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that Nick De Noia had
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business confrontations with.
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[Michael] I gotta tell you, a
lot of people had the potential
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of murdering Nick because,
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00:10:42,009 --> 00:10:44,309
he was really hard to work with.
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And I don't know many people
he rubbed the wrong way.
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You know, he was
very, very strict,
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and you know, very a control
freak and he was getting worse.
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[Geddes] We interviewed the
manager of the club here in New York.
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We interviewed the dancers.
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We interviewed some friends
that he was associated with.
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But there was nothing to
tie them together at all.
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We found out that his family
relationships were very good.
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00:11:11,638 --> 00:11:13,872
Nick got along with
everybody in the family,
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00:11:13,874 --> 00:11:15,907
everybody in the family
got along with Nick.
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They were just devastated.
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It was gonna be a tough case
and we knew that.
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[Candace] Nick was
a private person.
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00:11:27,287 --> 00:11:30,655
And so if there were
someone in his past
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00:11:31,390 --> 00:11:32,991
that he's done wrong,
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I didn't know anything about it.
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I thought Steve wanted
Nick's touring rights.
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I felt this was
Banerjee's motive.
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That was my personal opinion.
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[reporter] Shortly after
the shooting
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witnesses say they saw
a man leaving the building
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00:11:48,108 --> 00:11:49,974
A man who had
no reason to be there.
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00:11:49,976 --> 00:11:52,410
And so far that is
the only lead police have.
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00:11:59,151 --> 00:12:00,719
[Geddes] This investigation,
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00:12:00,721 --> 00:12:03,555
was basically built
on people's opinions.
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00:12:04,557 --> 00:12:06,057
There was no gun evidence,
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00:12:06,625 --> 00:12:08,259
no fingerprint evidence,
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00:12:08,627 --> 00:12:10,361
no picture evidence.
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00:12:10,363 --> 00:12:12,597
There was no
evidence whatsoever.
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00:12:16,402 --> 00:12:20,405
All we had was a description of
a man who came into the office.
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00:12:22,007 --> 00:12:23,208
And that's all we had.
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00:12:24,477 --> 00:12:25,443
We were just...
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00:12:26,112 --> 00:12:28,313
brick-walled.
205
00:12:28,315 --> 00:12:35,353
I have no idea how the New York Police
Department investigated Nick's death.
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00:12:35,355 --> 00:12:38,757
They didn't contact one person that
was on the road with Nick. Not me,
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00:12:39,425 --> 00:12:40,558
none of the dancers.
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00:12:40,893 --> 00:12:42,727
Nobody.
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00:12:42,729 --> 00:12:47,565
The whole thing of Nick's murder and
who did it became very frustrating to me.
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00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:51,269
So, we started a reward fund
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00:12:51,271 --> 00:12:55,874
'cause detective Geddes was telling us
that he hadn't been getting enough tips.
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00:12:55,876 --> 00:13:00,311
And when I called Steve to
get a contribution, he said,
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00:13:00,313 --> 00:13:04,048
"I'm not giving anything, I should pay
the guy who did it. He did me a favor."
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00:13:09,455 --> 00:13:11,923
[Geddes] After a certain
period of time,
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00:13:11,925 --> 00:13:13,458
there's only so much you can do.
216
00:13:13,460 --> 00:13:15,260
You can't work on
a case forever.
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00:13:15,861 --> 00:13:17,295
You feel terrible.
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00:13:17,297 --> 00:13:18,997
You feel like,
"Can I do more?"
219
00:13:18,999 --> 00:13:22,467
"Is there something else here
I'm missing."
220
00:13:22,469 --> 00:13:26,471
But at that point, our case was
what you would call a cold case.
221
00:13:27,873 --> 00:13:30,008
The only hope that
we had was that,
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00:13:30,010 --> 00:13:33,444
somebody would flip
and lead us to the killer.
223
00:13:33,446 --> 00:13:36,381
There's only three Chippendales
in the country. In New York City,
224
00:13:36,383 --> 00:13:38,316
in Los Angeles
and this one, the best by far.
225
00:13:38,318 --> 00:13:39,918
This is the best by far.
226
00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:41,319
[audience cheering]
227
00:13:41,321 --> 00:13:43,988
[Candace] When Nick died,
he did not have a will.
228
00:13:43,990 --> 00:13:47,458
And under law, everything
then passed to his siblings
229
00:13:47,460 --> 00:13:50,428
since he also did not have
a spouse or children.
230
00:13:50,430 --> 00:13:53,164
And they sold the rights
that Nick had...
231
00:13:56,035 --> 00:13:57,202
to Steve Banerjee.
232
00:14:01,373 --> 00:14:03,441
So I knew my time with
Chippendales was over.
233
00:14:07,646 --> 00:14:09,747
[Bruce] After Nick was murdered,
234
00:14:09,749 --> 00:14:12,150
Steve took over managing
the show himself.
235
00:14:14,353 --> 00:14:17,655
I wasn't sure that he had
the charisma necessary,
236
00:14:17,657 --> 00:14:18,990
as Nick did.
237
00:14:21,493 --> 00:14:22,527
But, you know...
238
00:14:24,129 --> 00:14:25,263
the show must go on.
239
00:14:27,733 --> 00:14:31,569
[news anchor speaking]
240
00:14:49,288 --> 00:14:54,559
[emcee] Put your hands together
for the men of Chippendales!
241
00:14:54,927 --> 00:14:57,195
Roger Menache!
242
00:14:57,197 --> 00:15:00,198
♪ Chippendales The
place to meet Uh-huh! ♪
243
00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:02,033
♪ Ladies in
The driver's seat... ♪
244
00:15:02,035 --> 00:15:06,404
[Roger] After being a full time
dancer for many many years
245
00:15:06,406 --> 00:15:10,742
I felt like my time was
maybe starting to...
246
00:15:11,143 --> 00:15:12,477
come to an end.
247
00:15:12,479 --> 00:15:18,883
And I noticed Steve hiring
fresher, younger guys, new looks.
248
00:15:18,885 --> 00:15:20,985
And I had a talk with
him one day
249
00:15:20,987 --> 00:15:25,890
and I said, "Steve I'm getting a
little older I feel that it's my time
250
00:15:25,892 --> 00:15:30,028
to pursue different
endeavors and opportunities."
251
00:15:30,030 --> 00:15:32,363
And he totally respected that.
252
00:15:32,365 --> 00:15:35,099
And he says you're
gonna be the new manager.
253
00:15:35,101 --> 00:15:38,102
I said, "Steve, I don't know
anything about managing."
254
00:15:38,104 --> 00:15:43,007
He says, "You'll learn. The guys
respect you, you were one of the dancers.
255
00:15:43,009 --> 00:15:46,377
And you know what
it takes to be a manager."
256
00:15:46,379 --> 00:15:51,883
So, here I was now on the
business side of Chippendales.
257
00:15:51,885 --> 00:15:53,551
[crowd cheering]
258
00:15:57,957 --> 00:16:04,195
By 1988 we had both clubs running
at full capacity and two touring groups.
259
00:16:07,066 --> 00:16:13,037
We were in every major city
in the US, including Canada.
260
00:16:25,551 --> 00:16:27,218
Give yourselves
a round of applause.
261
00:16:28,287 --> 00:16:30,188
We became huge.
262
00:16:31,156 --> 00:16:33,191
[crowd cheering]
263
00:16:35,027 --> 00:16:36,527
We love Philly!
264
00:16:36,529 --> 00:16:38,262
We'll see you soon.
265
00:16:41,300 --> 00:16:46,504
We were expanding, we knew what
we were doing, we were having our tours.
266
00:16:46,506 --> 00:16:48,940
But Steve wasn't satisfied.
267
00:16:48,942 --> 00:16:53,177
Many entrepreneurs are
like that. He wanted more.
268
00:16:53,179 --> 00:16:58,516
So, once we conquered America
extensively, we went overseas.
269
00:17:03,255 --> 00:17:07,125
We were well-received
everywhere, everywhere!
270
00:17:07,127 --> 00:17:10,895
Women all over the world
loved Chippendales.
271
00:17:10,897 --> 00:17:14,932
I don't see it as a strip show it's just
art and pure lust and smashing. [laughs]
272
00:17:16,335 --> 00:17:19,570
[speaking other language]
273
00:17:28,180 --> 00:17:29,514
Yes.
274
00:17:29,681 --> 00:17:32,116
Good evening, ladies, and welcome.
We're gonna lock those doors
275
00:17:32,118 --> 00:17:36,120
and nobody gets out
of here until...
276
00:17:36,122 --> 00:17:40,458
I was in Hawaii, Australia,
Philippines and New Zealand.
277
00:17:40,460 --> 00:17:43,161
And it was just packed houses
after packed houses.
278
00:17:43,163 --> 00:17:48,066
I mean it was just money after money
after money. Selling out merchandise...
279
00:17:48,068 --> 00:17:52,970
They went crazy over-- I mean they
just literally went crazy over the tour.
280
00:17:56,241 --> 00:18:03,748
[Roger] Things had evolved from a
small club in west LA, to this huge empire.
281
00:18:03,750 --> 00:18:09,153
And Steve was sitting at the helm
of a multi-million dollar operation.
282
00:18:11,056 --> 00:18:16,594
It was amazing to me knowing
how we'd started back in '79
283
00:18:16,596 --> 00:18:20,098
and this is where it was
at now, it was worldwide,
284
00:18:20,100 --> 00:18:23,468
it was performing
for 3,000 women a night.
285
00:18:23,470 --> 00:18:26,070
But it was the first time
in my life that I'd seen
286
00:18:26,072 --> 00:18:29,340
women going to a strip club
with binoculars.
287
00:18:29,342 --> 00:18:33,344
They're so far away, they had to
watch the show through binoculars
288
00:18:40,352 --> 00:18:47,558
And as far as the intimacy and
quality of the experience for the women
289
00:18:47,560 --> 00:18:52,964
I think was better in the old
days when Nick was in charge of it.
290
00:18:54,500 --> 00:18:56,100
It was more special.
291
00:19:00,472 --> 00:19:02,607
[Bruce] We were bigger
than ever.
292
00:19:03,442 --> 00:19:09,347
But after Nick died
the electricity was gone.
293
00:19:09,349 --> 00:19:13,351
And it became more of a routine.
294
00:19:13,353 --> 00:19:18,990
Now it felt factory. We
were punching out franchises.
295
00:19:18,992 --> 00:19:24,061
Doing touring shows.
No longer experimenting.
296
00:19:24,663 --> 00:19:27,465
We were institutionalized.
297
00:19:27,467 --> 00:19:31,335
Just seemed like
the energy had disappeared.
298
00:19:34,039 --> 00:19:37,742
Even though he hated him,
De Noia's death
299
00:19:37,744 --> 00:19:42,146
had some kind of
effect on Steve.
300
00:19:43,715 --> 00:19:48,352
One day, I was sitting in my office which
was exactly next door to Steve's office.
301
00:19:48,354 --> 00:19:52,723
And I had the door closed and
Steve opens the door and comes in.
302
00:19:52,725 --> 00:19:58,462
And, he said, "I can't
believe Nick is gone."
303
00:19:58,464 --> 00:20:03,634
And I said, "Yeah." He
goes, "I really miss the guy."
304
00:20:04,937 --> 00:20:07,939
And then turns around
and walks out the door.
305
00:20:19,051 --> 00:20:22,220
His name is Michael Rapp
and he is so hot
306
00:20:22,222 --> 00:20:25,690
that he does a number every
night entitled "The Perfect Man."
307
00:20:25,692 --> 00:20:27,758
Well, we checked out his claim.
308
00:20:29,962 --> 00:20:33,998
You know this guy, he's the man
who's become the ultimate Chippendale.
309
00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:38,436
The man who has the style in a
show that's sold-out, Michael Rapp.
310
00:20:40,038 --> 00:20:42,240
Which of the Chippendale
men is your favorite?
311
00:20:42,242 --> 00:20:43,374
Michael.
312
00:20:43,376 --> 00:20:44,408
- [crowd cheering]
- Why?
313
00:20:44,410 --> 00:20:46,244
Just look at him.
314
00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:52,617
I was the star of the show
New York city during the '80s.
315
00:20:52,619 --> 00:20:54,852
I mean it was
the Wild Wild West.
316
00:20:54,854 --> 00:20:57,321
I mean, you just had fun.
317
00:20:57,323 --> 00:21:01,058
♪ Relax, don't do it
When you want to go to it ♪
318
00:21:01,060 --> 00:21:02,760
♪ Relax, don't do it... ♪
319
00:21:02,762 --> 00:21:05,997
I just wanted to ask what your
wives or girlfriends think of this?
320
00:21:05,999 --> 00:21:07,365
Do they mind?
321
00:21:07,367 --> 00:21:09,166
Actually it gives me
a pretty secure ego,
322
00:21:09,168 --> 00:21:11,302
so I don't have any
jealousy problems with that.
323
00:21:11,304 --> 00:21:14,739
And my wife she's a beautiful
woman, she's a model herself,
324
00:21:14,741 --> 00:21:18,309
so she's understanding
of the whole thing.
325
00:21:18,311 --> 00:21:22,947
[Michael on video] There is
my beautiful wife. Nice legs.
326
00:21:22,949 --> 00:21:26,717
But as time went on,
Chippendales became my identity.
327
00:21:29,554 --> 00:21:35,226
Pretty soon the Michael Rapp,
that quiet kid, you know,
328
00:21:35,228 --> 00:21:38,195
and the guy onstage
started to blur.
329
00:21:40,999 --> 00:21:45,303
There wasn't that separation
anymore. I started losing the real person
330
00:21:45,305 --> 00:21:47,772
and becoming the stage person.
331
00:21:47,774 --> 00:21:51,108
There was something about
stepping up on that stage
332
00:21:51,110 --> 00:21:55,546
that cured everything, that made all
my worries all my problems go away
333
00:21:55,548 --> 00:21:58,382
for those five minutes
that I was performing.
334
00:21:58,384 --> 00:22:01,185
You know, yeah,
that was my safe place.
335
00:22:01,187 --> 00:22:04,155
That was the only place
that I had control over.
336
00:22:07,225 --> 00:22:11,629
Because after about two years in New
York, I was completely out of control.
337
00:22:19,004 --> 00:22:23,607
[Nancy] This was the era of drugs
and craziness, partying all night.
338
00:22:23,609 --> 00:22:27,244
You know, after we had our son,
339
00:22:27,246 --> 00:22:29,780
I wasn't partying like he was,
340
00:22:29,782 --> 00:22:31,582
[child speaking]
341
00:22:31,584 --> 00:22:35,720
Maybe, once on a weekend I
would go out and party a little bit
342
00:22:35,722 --> 00:22:37,488
For him, it was everyday.
343
00:22:39,991 --> 00:22:44,862
He started lying about doing it.
Like, one night he came home and
344
00:22:44,864 --> 00:22:47,998
I go, "You've been doing blow, haven't
you?" And he said, "No, I haven't."
345
00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:50,301
And he had a big white
ring around his nose.
346
00:22:51,503 --> 00:22:55,272
So then it started
becoming a problem.
347
00:22:58,543 --> 00:23:04,315
I begged him all the time to "Please
stop, don't do any blow tonight.
348
00:23:04,317 --> 00:23:08,486
Please come home."
I constantly begged him.
349
00:23:08,488 --> 00:23:12,456
I would call Chippendales when
he wasn't home by, say, midnight.
350
00:23:12,458 --> 00:23:14,959
And sometimes they'd go
and find him in the club
351
00:23:14,961 --> 00:23:17,695
and sometimes
they'd tell me he left.
352
00:23:21,833 --> 00:23:25,936
The night times became
the nightmare, you know.
353
00:23:26,738 --> 00:23:29,607
I would lay in bed and cry,
cry all night.
354
00:23:34,012 --> 00:23:37,748
I would lay there and think
about getting a can of gasoline,
355
00:23:37,750 --> 00:23:40,151
pouring it around
the whole club.
356
00:23:40,153 --> 00:23:43,387
I wanted to burn the
place down. I hated it.
357
00:23:43,389 --> 00:23:44,555
I hated it.
358
00:23:45,390 --> 00:23:47,925
[crowd clapping]
359
00:23:47,927 --> 00:23:51,495
When I was at Chippendales I would
forget all about my responsibilities.
360
00:23:51,497 --> 00:23:55,266
I would forget all about, you know,
the people that I loved and cared for,
361
00:23:55,268 --> 00:23:58,569
the people who were expecting me
to be home and to be there for them.
362
00:23:58,571 --> 00:24:00,271
Say, "Hi, Daddy."
363
00:24:00,273 --> 00:24:03,941
- Daddy.
- Daddy. Say, "I love you!"
364
00:24:03,943 --> 00:24:07,945
But, yet, from the outside, you
know, people would probably look at it
365
00:24:07,947 --> 00:24:11,449
and say, "Wow, what a great
marriage, beautiful couple, happy family."
366
00:24:11,451 --> 00:24:15,886
We were living that lie of
happiness and the perfect couple
367
00:24:15,888 --> 00:24:17,087
[man] What about infidelity?
368
00:24:18,723 --> 00:24:20,191
You want to remain...
369
00:24:20,559 --> 00:24:21,492
Absolutely.
370
00:24:21,494 --> 00:24:23,160
- Absolutely, for you?
- [Michael] Yeah.
371
00:24:23,162 --> 00:24:24,295
Okay, you're married
for how long, Mike?
372
00:24:24,297 --> 00:24:25,763
- Five years.
- Five years.
373
00:24:25,765 --> 00:24:28,098
- And you have-- - And we lived
together three years before that.
374
00:24:28,100 --> 00:24:29,467
And you have no desire
375
00:24:29,469 --> 00:24:31,469
- to ever be with any other woman?
- No.
376
00:24:31,471 --> 00:24:35,606
Well, I mean, I love to look, don't get
me wrong. I'm in the business of flirting.
377
00:24:36,875 --> 00:24:40,845
[Nancy] I started feeling
like he was cheating.
378
00:24:40,847 --> 00:24:47,084
I would see girls at the club, the
way they looked at me and him,
379
00:24:47,086 --> 00:24:50,721
it was just an intuition, I knew
he probably had been with them.
380
00:24:52,858 --> 00:24:55,659
I wanted to hear him deny it.
381
00:24:55,661 --> 00:24:59,396
To just make myself
try to believe it.
382
00:24:59,398 --> 00:25:02,099
Because he still acted
like he loved me.
383
00:25:03,768 --> 00:25:08,472
But one time I'd found a phone
number in his pocket and I called it.
384
00:25:08,474 --> 00:25:14,144
And the girl answered and I told her, "I found
your phone number in my husband's pocket.
385
00:25:15,180 --> 00:25:17,214
I know he's cheating
on me with you."
386
00:25:17,916 --> 00:25:21,619
And she finally owned up to it
387
00:25:25,390 --> 00:25:27,725
I mean, it was
the ultimate betrayal.
388
00:25:32,797 --> 00:25:37,134
[Michael] I'm the star of the
biggest male show that there is
389
00:25:37,136 --> 00:25:40,471
and people are just giving you things,
people are just throwing themselves at you,
390
00:25:40,473 --> 00:25:44,041
you know, and you've
never had this before.
391
00:25:44,043 --> 00:25:48,779
To turn it down would be ridiculous,
you know? I mean, it would be crazy.
392
00:25:49,381 --> 00:25:52,917
So, I would do the drugs,
393
00:25:52,919 --> 00:25:56,587
that would lead to the women
and then the moment that I climaxed
394
00:25:57,355 --> 00:25:59,557
the guilt just come over me.
395
00:26:02,360 --> 00:26:06,163
I couldn't get dressed fast
enough. I remember coming home,
396
00:26:06,165 --> 00:26:09,333
you know, the sun coming up, people
going to work and feeling just like...
397
00:26:09,335 --> 00:26:10,768
And I was gonna have to lie.
398
00:26:13,038 --> 00:26:16,473
And the very next day
I would do it all over again.
399
00:26:19,911 --> 00:26:24,281
[Nancy] It just got to the point
where I couldn't take it anymore.
400
00:26:25,951 --> 00:26:30,921
And I told him, "You know I
have to. I can't stay here anymore.
401
00:26:30,923 --> 00:26:33,524
I can't live this anymore."
402
00:26:33,526 --> 00:26:36,360
[inaudible]
403
00:26:36,362 --> 00:26:41,432
I knew that I loved her and she would
probably be better off without me, you know?
404
00:26:43,902 --> 00:26:47,771
[Nancy, voice breaking]
We sat down and told our son.
405
00:26:47,773 --> 00:26:51,775
We told him it wasn't his fault,
he had nothing to do with it.
406
00:26:51,777 --> 00:26:57,214
And our son cried and it
was just a really horrible time.
407
00:26:57,216 --> 00:26:59,416
[Michael on video] Say
Merry Christmas to everybody.
408
00:26:59,418 --> 00:27:02,586
- Come on, Daddy.
- Say Merry Christmas.
409
00:27:02,588 --> 00:27:04,288
[Michael] I lost my family.
410
00:27:06,524 --> 00:27:09,526
I had chosen Chippendales
over my family.
411
00:27:12,230 --> 00:27:16,900
And it took me to a
dark place and probably
412
00:27:16,902 --> 00:27:23,107
started giving me a perfect excuse to
start doing more drugs and to go drinking.
413
00:27:34,319 --> 00:27:38,889
[reporter] What goes on inside Chippendales
makes for some hot conversation,
414
00:27:38,891 --> 00:27:43,861
almost as hot as the legal problems
that seem to engulf the nightclub.
415
00:27:43,863 --> 00:27:47,564
But sometimes showbusiness
isn't all it's cracked up to be.
416
00:27:49,868 --> 00:27:54,471
[Bruce] From the outside, we were a hugely
successful multi-million dollar business,
417
00:27:54,473 --> 00:27:57,908
but the bigger we got the
more the problems piled up.
418
00:27:57,910 --> 00:28:02,246
[man] In spite of repeatedly
being fined and brought into court
419
00:28:02,248 --> 00:28:07,418
and being put on probation and being
notified by my people with notices and
420
00:28:07,420 --> 00:28:12,523
being shut down for the night. They have
repeatedly not paid any attention to that.
421
00:28:12,525 --> 00:28:16,727
Whether it was something that
happened through a government agency,
422
00:28:16,729 --> 00:28:19,863
the fire department or
the police department.
423
00:28:19,865 --> 00:28:22,332
The Los Angeles Fire Department
is threatening now to take action
424
00:28:22,334 --> 00:28:25,135
to try and shut
down Chippendales...
425
00:28:25,137 --> 00:28:30,340
There was also one occasion where a
gender discrimination lawsuit was filed.
426
00:28:30,342 --> 00:28:33,277
We're seeking general damages,
according to proof, for trial,
427
00:28:33,279 --> 00:28:37,314
attorney's fees and a permanent
injunction preventing Chippendales
428
00:28:37,316 --> 00:28:42,386
from refusing to admit men to the
male strip shows based on their sex.
429
00:28:42,388 --> 00:28:46,123
[Bruce] In the past we were
able to shrug all these things off.
430
00:28:46,125 --> 00:28:51,862
But now our LA club faced real threats of
closure and that really frustrated Steve.
431
00:28:51,864 --> 00:28:57,401
The city thinks a male revue
for women is immoral.
432
00:28:57,403 --> 00:29:02,706
Various city agencies have been trying
to close us down the past nine years.
433
00:29:03,908 --> 00:29:09,513
And I think they are trying
to legislate morality.
434
00:29:09,515 --> 00:29:13,717
And I'm sure once this goes
to court our legal counsel...
435
00:29:15,553 --> 00:29:21,191
[Roger] When I wasn't on tour, I was
in the LA office mounting the next show.
436
00:29:21,193 --> 00:29:25,295
I could feel the tension
and Steve being stressed out.
437
00:29:25,297 --> 00:29:29,533
And that's when I noticed the
big change in his personality.
438
00:29:30,869 --> 00:29:34,438
It was always about
money and lawsuits.
439
00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:37,241
Steve was not
the happy-going guy anymore.
440
00:29:39,944 --> 00:29:42,346
[Bruce] Steve had achieved
the American dream.
441
00:29:42,348 --> 00:29:46,016
But it was really built
on shaky foundations.
442
00:29:46,018 --> 00:29:47,985
And there was one lawsuit
in particular
443
00:29:47,987 --> 00:29:51,588
that was becoming
problematic for Chippendales.
444
00:29:51,590 --> 00:29:53,991
These people will be
given notice
445
00:29:53,993 --> 00:29:56,593
of their right
to file a claim...
446
00:29:56,595 --> 00:29:59,229
[Bruce] What happened was,
after the show was over
447
00:29:59,231 --> 00:30:01,398
Steve would open
the doors to men
448
00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:04,001
and Chippendales would become
a regular nightclub.
449
00:30:05,303 --> 00:30:09,239
One night, a young man,
well-dressed,
450
00:30:09,241 --> 00:30:13,210
tried to get into the club
and the doorman found
451
00:30:13,212 --> 00:30:15,512
some excuse not to allow him in.
452
00:30:15,514 --> 00:30:17,347
Even though he saw
453
00:30:17,349 --> 00:30:21,318
less well-dressed,
less well-behaved men come in.
454
00:30:22,720 --> 00:30:25,622
The problem with this
young individual
455
00:30:25,624 --> 00:30:29,893
was he was also
a law clerk for the head judge
456
00:30:29,895 --> 00:30:31,395
of the US District Court.
457
00:30:32,864 --> 00:30:35,265
A discrimination
lawsuit was filed.
458
00:30:36,568 --> 00:30:39,703
Except this wasn't
a gender discrimination case.
459
00:30:40,638 --> 00:30:43,340
Steve did not let this
young man in
460
00:30:43,342 --> 00:30:44,441
'cause he was Black.
461
00:31:04,596 --> 00:31:08,498
[interviewer speaking]
462
00:31:19,944 --> 00:31:21,311
[interviewer] Young...
463
00:31:21,346 --> 00:31:25,883
[Bruce] Steve and I were as
close as Steve would allow intimacy.
464
00:31:25,885 --> 00:31:28,518
He just wasn't really
a deep person,
465
00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:30,387
as far as talking about
466
00:31:30,389 --> 00:31:33,123
his issues and his problems.
467
00:31:33,125 --> 00:31:35,158
We talked business
most of the time
468
00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:36,426
when we got together.
469
00:31:36,828 --> 00:31:38,862
But over time,
470
00:31:38,864 --> 00:31:42,766
little tidbits of information
allowed me to get
471
00:31:42,768 --> 00:31:46,370
a more total outlook
of who Steve was.
472
00:31:50,375 --> 00:31:51,675
You don't know the ways,
473
00:31:53,177 --> 00:31:55,345
[Eric] We'd spend a lot
of time together
474
00:31:55,347 --> 00:31:57,848
if we were driving somewhere
he would talk,
475
00:31:57,850 --> 00:32:00,250
you know, occasionally
about his father.
476
00:32:00,252 --> 00:32:03,086
He was very careful about
who he opened that door with.
477
00:32:03,721 --> 00:32:05,188
The only time I actually,
478
00:32:05,190 --> 00:32:07,324
in the eight years
I worked for him,
479
00:32:08,326 --> 00:32:11,428
got a feeling of
a personal connection was...
480
00:32:13,264 --> 00:32:16,400
when I saw that
interview video of him.
481
00:32:16,402 --> 00:32:17,367
[interviewer speaking]
482
00:32:19,170 --> 00:32:21,338
[Bruce] Steve's real name
is Somen.
483
00:32:21,340 --> 00:32:24,341
He called himself Steve
instead of Somen,
484
00:32:24,343 --> 00:32:26,476
because it made him
sound American.
485
00:32:28,313 --> 00:32:32,749
From what I understand, Steve
came from a middle-class family.
486
00:32:32,751 --> 00:32:35,018
His father earned a good living.
487
00:32:35,020 --> 00:32:36,920
[interviewer speaking]
488
00:32:36,922 --> 00:32:38,388
[Steve] Yeah, but my
father always told me,
489
00:32:38,390 --> 00:32:39,957
"Get the hell out of here.
490
00:32:39,959 --> 00:32:41,491
Find somewhere
better to work."
491
00:32:45,730 --> 00:32:49,466
[Bruce] I think Steve always
wanted his father's approval.
492
00:32:49,468 --> 00:32:53,770
To have his father think his
decision to come to America
493
00:32:53,772 --> 00:32:55,739
was a wise decision.
494
00:32:55,741 --> 00:32:58,208
[interviewer speaking]
495
00:33:10,254 --> 00:33:12,122
My mother said, "Go ahead
and be a doctor."
496
00:33:12,124 --> 00:33:13,924
My father would say,
"Why do you wanna be a doctor?
497
00:33:13,926 --> 00:33:17,294
You can buy a damn hospital, have
a hundred of them working for you."
498
00:33:17,296 --> 00:33:20,130
In Steve's mind it wasn't
about a nightclub,
499
00:33:20,132 --> 00:33:21,999
it was to be the next
Hugh Hefner.
500
00:33:22,533 --> 00:33:24,134
It was always Hugh Hefner.
501
00:33:24,136 --> 00:33:27,537
[interviewer speaking]
502
00:33:31,909 --> 00:33:36,179
[Bruce] But Steve believed, that while
he can have the money and the control,
503
00:33:36,181 --> 00:33:39,216
he couldn't be
the Hugh Hefner public image.
504
00:33:43,421 --> 00:33:46,223
[Eric] I was hired to focus
on the after 10:00 market.
505
00:33:47,358 --> 00:33:49,760
So we advertised for
schlubs like me,
506
00:33:49,762 --> 00:33:53,263
to bring in guys to the club,
to meet the hot-looking girls.
507
00:33:54,399 --> 00:33:58,101
And Banerjee would stand
at the door after the show.
508
00:33:58,103 --> 00:34:00,203
To see the kind of men
coming in the door
509
00:34:00,571 --> 00:34:03,240
and if a guy was Black,
510
00:34:03,242 --> 00:34:04,841
he would just give a nod
to the doorman.
511
00:34:04,843 --> 00:34:06,977
And the doorman would come up
with some excuse
512
00:34:06,979 --> 00:34:09,279
to not let the guy in, like
"We have a dress code here."
513
00:34:09,281 --> 00:34:12,416
And then a white guy that
wasn't well-dressed at all
514
00:34:12,418 --> 00:34:14,684
who was just a total jerk,
would be allowed right in.
515
00:34:15,353 --> 00:34:18,021
He believed, as a fact,
516
00:34:18,023 --> 00:34:22,292
that Black men
drove out white women.
517
00:34:22,294 --> 00:34:27,464
My recollection is that there was probably
never more than one Black dancer at a time.
518
00:34:28,733 --> 00:34:31,468
Maybe there was one
Black calendar person.
519
00:34:31,470 --> 00:34:33,370
Maybe not even.
520
00:34:33,372 --> 00:34:38,942
But I think that Steve wanted
Chippendales to be a white brand.
521
00:34:38,944 --> 00:34:45,449
[Eric] The calendars were scrubbed
to just have mostly white guys.
522
00:34:45,451 --> 00:34:51,755
His view was a legitimate
sex symbol would be white.
523
00:34:53,124 --> 00:34:55,158
And so, Banerjee was
scared to death
524
00:34:55,160 --> 00:34:59,096
of being seen as
the head of Chippendales.
525
00:34:59,098 --> 00:35:03,200
He would say, "Look, if we had to sell
Chippendales with me, we'd be out of business.
526
00:35:03,202 --> 00:35:05,268
No one's going
to pay to see me."
527
00:35:05,270 --> 00:35:08,772
He studied
the culture of America.
528
00:35:08,774 --> 00:35:12,109
And then comes here and
figures us out as Americans.
529
00:35:12,111 --> 00:35:18,949
How to sell to American women,
male sexuality.
530
00:35:18,951 --> 00:35:24,955
His whole goal was to monetize
sex in the most optimum way.
531
00:35:24,957 --> 00:35:27,757
And he saw that
through racial...
532
00:35:27,759 --> 00:35:29,326
You know, discrimination.
533
00:35:32,330 --> 00:35:35,132
He was perpetuating an image
of white America.
534
00:35:35,933 --> 00:35:37,234
And he capitalized on it.
535
00:35:38,970 --> 00:35:41,838
I think we've proved that
there's still illegal conduct
536
00:35:41,840 --> 00:35:43,874
being carried on by businesses.
537
00:35:43,876 --> 00:35:46,343
That society hasn't risen
to the level
538
00:35:46,345 --> 00:35:47,878
where everyone
is able to recognize
539
00:35:47,880 --> 00:35:49,779
that everyone should be
treated equally and with dignity.
540
00:35:55,953 --> 00:35:59,556
[Bruce] As a result of the
numerous lawsuits we had against us,
541
00:36:00,057 --> 00:36:02,893
we lost our liquor license.
542
00:36:02,895 --> 00:36:06,963
And we were unable to
continue to operate the club in LA.
543
00:36:09,734 --> 00:36:11,968
Steve was angry,
544
00:36:11,970 --> 00:36:15,305
and I wasn't about to tell him
it's his own fault.
545
00:36:16,374 --> 00:36:19,976
[reporter] Steve Banerjee is
pouring his last drink here
546
00:36:19,978 --> 00:36:23,813
because last week, the state
revoked his liquor license.
547
00:36:23,815 --> 00:36:26,850
I think they should pick up their
business and find another place,
548
00:36:26,852 --> 00:36:31,588
move it elsewhere, because this is a great
place for a lot of fun and crazy women.
549
00:36:32,723 --> 00:36:35,792
[Bruce] We had lost
our Los Angeles club,
550
00:36:35,794 --> 00:36:38,028
which was the heart
of Chippendales.
551
00:36:41,332 --> 00:36:45,135
And this, basically, was
a foretelling of our future.
552
00:36:48,272 --> 00:36:50,373
It was the beginning of the end.
553
00:37:06,023 --> 00:37:08,692
[Read] When the LA club
finally got closed down,
554
00:37:10,228 --> 00:37:13,096
Banerjee had to find places
that the show could go on.
555
00:37:14,966 --> 00:37:17,601
We found a theatre
on Wilshire Avenue.
556
00:37:17,603 --> 00:37:19,469
An old theatre they
turned into a nightclub.
557
00:37:19,471 --> 00:37:21,404
And then we moved
to a restaurant
558
00:37:21,406 --> 00:37:24,074
called Carlos' N Charlie's
right off of Sunset Avenue.
559
00:37:24,408 --> 00:37:26,309
And literally, we were
560
00:37:26,311 --> 00:37:28,245
changing back
in the old kitchen.
561
00:37:30,948 --> 00:37:32,449
You know, it was sad.
562
00:37:32,451 --> 00:37:35,585
The morale was low,
it wasn't like the days of,
563
00:37:35,587 --> 00:37:37,587
"Hey, we're the hottest
thing in town."
564
00:37:37,589 --> 00:37:39,956
It almost became
565
00:37:40,291 --> 00:37:42,892
kind of laughable.
566
00:37:42,894 --> 00:37:45,362
Every night was like a battle,
"Oh, I'm going to Chippendales
567
00:37:45,364 --> 00:37:49,332
and dance for 50 ladies
instead of 500.
568
00:37:49,334 --> 00:37:53,370
Or 2,000,"
I mean, it got difficult.
569
00:37:53,372 --> 00:37:55,438
Tonight's show,
ladies and gentlemen,
570
00:37:56,107 --> 00:37:59,309
male strippers.
571
00:37:59,311 --> 00:38:03,580
And at that time, knockoff
groups started happening.
572
00:38:04,348 --> 00:38:07,217
Those started popping up
everywhere.
573
00:38:07,219 --> 00:38:11,187
And a lot of them would try to
take the name of Chippendales.
574
00:38:11,189 --> 00:38:13,523
And if Steve Banerjee found out,
575
00:38:13,525 --> 00:38:15,525
oh, you would have hell to pay.
576
00:38:15,527 --> 00:38:17,227
It got crazy.
577
00:38:21,332 --> 00:38:23,466
[Roger] While I was
in the LA office,
578
00:38:23,468 --> 00:38:26,002
I overheard a few conversations.
579
00:38:26,004 --> 00:38:30,573
These copycat shows,
nightclubs stealing his ideas.
580
00:38:32,209 --> 00:38:34,477
I told them Chippendales
was the Rolls-Royce
581
00:38:34,479 --> 00:38:36,146
of male dancing.
582
00:38:36,148 --> 00:38:38,948
And all these other clubs
will probably not make it.
583
00:38:43,954 --> 00:38:45,889
But one of these copycats
584
00:38:45,891 --> 00:38:52,028
were former Chippendale dancers
and choreographers that branched out
585
00:38:52,030 --> 00:38:55,332
and started their own group.
And they called it Adonis.
586
00:38:58,903 --> 00:39:02,372
Adonis was the newest, freshest
587
00:39:02,374 --> 00:39:07,043
hippest show, you know, with the most
incredible cast of talented singers and dancers.
588
00:39:07,045 --> 00:39:09,512
[upbeat pop music playing]
589
00:39:16,020 --> 00:39:18,355
[Read] I didn't know
who was behind the show
590
00:39:18,357 --> 00:39:20,757
but I knew that they had
already sold out
591
00:39:20,759 --> 00:39:23,760
more than 500,000 seats.
592
00:39:23,762 --> 00:39:28,231
They raked in tons of money.
Almost 200 shows sold out.
593
00:39:28,233 --> 00:39:31,434
So it was huge competition
for the first time.
594
00:39:33,904 --> 00:39:36,306
[Bruce] Steve got very angry.
595
00:39:36,308 --> 00:39:40,009
But I kept explaining to him,
he doesn't own the idea.
596
00:39:40,011 --> 00:39:43,213
We can't stop other people
from having male dancing.
597
00:39:48,219 --> 00:39:50,086
[Eric] His personality
became more manic
598
00:39:50,088 --> 00:39:52,088
and he was really
difficult to talk to.
599
00:39:52,590 --> 00:39:55,191
I mean, he would
call me at night,
600
00:39:55,193 --> 00:39:58,061
like at midnight,
to talk business
601
00:39:58,063 --> 00:39:58,962
and I would have to play the,
602
00:39:58,964 --> 00:40:01,064
"Hello, the line's
a little weak here.
603
00:40:01,066 --> 00:40:02,766
Hello? Can you hear me,
Steve?"
604
00:40:02,768 --> 00:40:04,300
And hang up.
605
00:40:04,302 --> 00:40:07,170
It was just getting wilder
and wilder and, I think,
606
00:40:07,172 --> 00:40:08,738
a lot of it was driven by coke.
607
00:40:11,008 --> 00:40:13,209
[Bruce] It made him paranoiac.
608
00:40:13,211 --> 00:40:16,913
Made him more untrustworthy,
if you can imagine.
609
00:40:16,915 --> 00:40:18,815
Very hyper.
610
00:40:18,817 --> 00:40:22,652
And there were times that,
it took over.
611
00:40:25,222 --> 00:40:28,625
[Eric] In the morning he'd
come in, really clogged up.
612
00:40:28,627 --> 00:40:30,026
And he'd be bitchy.
613
00:40:30,028 --> 00:40:31,161
Like yelling about stuff,
614
00:40:31,163 --> 00:40:33,062
you know, "I'm not gonna
pay this or that."
615
00:40:33,064 --> 00:40:38,201
I really believe that cocaine pushed him
to a point where, he didn't give a fuck.
616
00:40:40,471 --> 00:40:44,007
The fun things about the job
were evaporating.
617
00:40:44,009 --> 00:40:47,343
It became more of
a Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
618
00:40:47,345 --> 00:40:49,446
in paranoia land
with Steve Banerjee.
619
00:40:50,347 --> 00:40:53,183
So, I just faxed in
my resignation.
620
00:40:53,185 --> 00:40:56,252
And that was the end of it.
621
00:40:57,888 --> 00:41:02,258
[Bruce] It was increasingly
more and more lawyers around,
622
00:41:02,260 --> 00:41:07,997
that Steve was talking to and both my
professional and personal relationship
623
00:41:08,766 --> 00:41:10,567
with Steve became estranged.
624
00:41:10,569 --> 00:41:12,569
And I was no longer involved.
625
00:41:14,238 --> 00:41:17,207
[man] 5, 6, 7, 8.
And 1, 2, 3, 4...
626
00:41:17,209 --> 00:41:21,678
[Read] I got a call from one of the
producers and promoters of Adonis.
627
00:41:21,680 --> 00:41:26,516
And they said, "Hey, would you be
interested in taking on a role in the show?"
628
00:41:26,518 --> 00:41:30,720
And I said, "Yeah, I would love that,
but I wanna move to the next level.
629
00:41:30,722 --> 00:41:32,188
I wanna be part of the show.
630
00:41:32,190 --> 00:41:33,890
I wanna direct,
I wanna create."
631
00:41:33,892 --> 00:41:35,959
He said, "Well,
you could do that."
632
00:41:35,961 --> 00:41:40,330
So we kind of agreed on becoming
a partner of the show, Adonis.
633
00:41:41,499 --> 00:41:44,734
I flew over to England.
634
00:41:44,736 --> 00:41:49,305
To join the Adonis group
and start the next phase
635
00:41:49,307 --> 00:41:54,677
of, hopefully, my career as a director
and producer of the next Chippendales.
636
00:41:55,746 --> 00:41:58,281
And that's where it
got a little interesting.
637
00:42:15,733 --> 00:42:18,268
I was in Blackpool with Adonis
638
00:42:18,270 --> 00:42:22,872
doing a show at the Winter
Gardens for three to four weeks.
639
00:42:22,874 --> 00:42:24,741
you ladies think you could
go for something like that
640
00:42:24,743 --> 00:42:28,411
right now, right here,
with American Adonis?
641
00:42:28,413 --> 00:42:33,483
I got one or two shows
under my belt as the emcee.
642
00:42:33,485 --> 00:42:36,019
We are gonna show you things
you have never seen...
643
00:42:36,021 --> 00:42:39,155
[Read] One night, I was just
getting into the show
644
00:42:39,157 --> 00:42:42,258
and all of a sudden, the producer
and the promoter of the show
645
00:42:42,260 --> 00:42:45,128
comes over and he asks me
to step down off the stage.
646
00:42:45,130 --> 00:42:47,263
He said, "You need
to come down, we got to talk."
647
00:42:50,100 --> 00:42:52,569
We walk into this little
office space.
648
00:42:52,571 --> 00:42:55,071
And there are two gentlemen
and they're in plainclothes,
649
00:42:55,073 --> 00:42:57,407
suits and ties
very professional-looking.
650
00:42:59,376 --> 00:43:04,047
They introduced themselves as
detectives for the Blackpool area.
651
00:43:06,216 --> 00:43:10,353
And they said,
"We've been notified
652
00:43:10,355 --> 00:43:13,089
that there is a plot.
653
00:43:15,426 --> 00:43:19,095
That men have been
sent over here
654
00:43:19,097 --> 00:43:20,964
to assassinate you."
655
00:43:24,435 --> 00:43:25,635
Wait, what?
656
00:43:28,305 --> 00:43:30,306
[theme music playing]
54224
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