EP31: More From Our Favorite Author & REAL Show Girl, Diane Christiansen!

Diane Christiansen waited nearly twenty years to finish her Las Vegas showgirl memoir. Now she returns to Dr. Scott Asmar: The Man & Everything In Between for part two, and a deeper conversation about The Last Real Showgirl and the stories behind the book.

Diane started writing in 2006 at the Stardust cast and crew reunion, shortly before the hotel came down. She recalls dancing alongside the Stardust Las Vegas showgirls in the Lido de Paris, the two writing coaches who helped her find her voice, and the childhood chapters she avoided for years. Her publisher cut 30,000 words, but the hardest stories stayed in.

She also shares a discovery she waited fifty years to hear. One phone call with an old dance friend exposed a betrayal by a mentor she had trusted for years, and Diane explains why she believes her career unfolded exactly as it was meant to.

Then comes her honest movie review of The Last Showgirl. Diane praises Pamela Anderson and Jamie Lee Curtis, then explains why real dancers reject the way the film portrays them. These women were gladiators in heels who built second careers before turning thirty, and the film shows none of this.

From a sold-out panel at the Mob Museum to a TIME interview tied to Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl album, Diane's story keeps finding new audiences. Press play for the full conversation and hear what the movie version of showgirl life leaves out.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Welcoming Diane Christiansen Back for Part Two

01:20 The Stardust Reunion That Sparked Diane's Las Vegas Showgirl Memoir

03:00 Finding Her Voice Through Two Writing Coaches

05:50 How Her Publisher Shaped the Final Manuscript

08:45 Success at 21 and the Grueling Vegas Show Schedule

10:05 Inside the Iconic Showgirl Costumes and Dita Von Teese's Rescue

12:25 Diane's Honest Take on The Last Showgirl Movie

15:32 Diet Pills, Objectification, and Writing About Family Secrets

18:27 The Rockettes Betrayal Diane Uncovered Decades Later

22:31 Diane's Whirlwind Book Tour and Media Coverage

28:15 The Mob, the Strip, and the Real Casino Story

28:54 Advice for Young Dancers Today

31:14 Where to Find The Last Real Showgirl and Upcoming Book Signing

Links

Connect with Diane Christiansen:

Visit The Last Real Showgirl website

Follow The Last Real Showgirl on Instagram

Connect with Dr. Scott Asmar:

Follow Dr. Scott on Instagram

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm