A naked butler is a popular type of entertainment used at
hen parties and for corporate entertainment. It was introduced into the UK in the early 2000s and is now popular across the USA, New Zealand, Australia and Canada.
Attire
Naked butler
The standard attire for a naked butler is only an
apron
An apron is a garment that is worn over other clothing to cover the front of the body. The word comes from old French ''napron'' meaning a small piece of cloth, however over time "a napron" became "an apron", through a linguistics process cal ...
or
trunks,
cuff
A cuff is a layer of fabric at the lower edge of the sleeve of a garment (shirt, coat, jacket, etc.) at the wrist, or at the ankle end of a trouser leg. The function of turned-back cuffs is to protect the cloth of the garment from fraying, an ...
s,
detachable collar
A detachable collar is a shirt collar separate from the shirt, fastened to it by studs. The collar is usually made of a different fabric from the shirt, in which case it is almost always white, and, being unattached to the shirt, can be starche ...
and
bow tie
The bow tie is a type of necktie. A modern bow tie is tied using a common shoelace knot, which is also called the bow knot for that reason. It consists of a ribbon of fabric tied around the collar of a shirt in a symmetrical manner so that th ...
. It is seen as a more conservative entertainment option to hiring a
male stripper
A stripper or exotic dancer is a person whose occupation involves performing striptease in a public adult entertainment venue such as a strip club. At times, a stripper may be hired to perform at a bachelor party or other private event.
Mo ...
for a
Bachelorette party
A bachelorette party (United States and Canada) or hen night ( UK, Ireland and Australia) is a party held for a woman (the bride or bride-to-be) who will soon be married. While Beth Montemurro concludes that the bachelorette party is modelled af ...
as it can be suitable for a broader range of guests.
Topless waiter
In this case the apron will be replaced with smart black trousers. This option may be more commonly used during corporate entertainment where the attire needs to be smarter and the exposing of a butler's naked bottom is not appropriate.
In popular culture
Naked butlers have become a popular
gimmick
A gimmick is a novel device or idea designed primarily to attract attention or increase appeal, often with little intrinsic value. When applied to retail marketing, it is a unique or quirky feature designed to make a product or service "stand ou ...
on television shows in the UK and this is demonstrated by appearances on TV shows including ''
Deal or No Deal
''Deal or No Deal'' is the name of several closely related television game shows, the first of which (launching the format) was the Dutch ''Miljoenenjacht (Netherlands), Miljoenenjacht'' (''Hunt/Chase for Millions''). The centerpiece of this f ...
'', ''
Come Dine with Me'' and ''
the X Factor
''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
''. In February 2005, the role and job of a naked butler was discussed in the documentary ''Going to work Naked'' on
ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of:
** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
. In 2018, naked butlers were part of an international news feature after being hired by a retirement home as part of the resident's wish program.
References
{{reflist
2000s fads and trends
Erotic parties
Women in society
Pre-wedding
Entertainment