The Life and Times of Gypsy Rose Lee

Soundcheck | Jan 18, 2011

Burlesque dancers then and now take a cue from Gypsy Rose Lee, the most famous burlesque performer ever. This vaudevillian, stripper, writer, and actress garnered fans as diverse as Harry Houdini and Eleanor Roosevelt. A new biography by Karen Abbott, called "American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare, The Life and Times of Gypsy Rose Lee," chronicles the burlesque dancer's life--and puts her popularity into historical context.

WNYC is funded by sponsors and member donations

Top Stories

Malcolm Gladwell on “The American Way of Killing.” Plus, Grandmaster Flash on “Birth of a Culture”

The New Yorker staff writer believes that under-policing is at the root of our problem. Plus, the groundbreaking d.j. on the turntable innovations that led to hip-hop.
The New Yorker Radio Hour |

NYC's top watchdog launches probe into what mayors knew about post-9/11 air

The news comes just over a week after Mayor Zohran Mamdani released some 170,000 documents related to the air quality around Ground Zero following the attacks.
Gothamist |

Advice for Personal Money Management

Personal finance expert Amanda Holden, author of the book How To Be A Rich Old Lady
Please Advise: A Pop Up Show from WNYC |

Neil Patrick Harris Plays a Camp Director for Kids with Cancer

All Of It with Alison Stewart |
YOU ARE ONLINE