Channing Tatum Was a Stripper

Remember the other day when I said “Channing Tatum is a black hole of acting talent, sucking in and destroying every emotion that wanders into his path”? I had actually originally typed that “Channing Tatum has all the acting talent of an underwear model,” and then I found out that Channing Tatum actually used to be an underwear model. So it became less of a burn. But what I didn’t know is that Tatum also used to be a male stripper, which you can see in a safe-for-work video above. Here’s what US Weekly has to say about his former career:

Usmagazine.com has obtained a video of Channing Tatum, 29, dancing in a Chippendales-style revue called Male Encounter in 1999.

Then 18, the star — who performed under the alias “Chan Crawford”
— approached the troupe’s owner London Steele at a now-defunct Florida
nightclub about a job.

“He was shy at first, but he really knew how to work the stage,” Steele tells Us, adding that Tatum lip-synched in the act and earned $50 a night (plus tips) during his year-long stint.

“The women went crazy for him!” Steele added.

Unfortunately for them, the revue had a strict no-nudity policy.

Nevertheless, the actor — who wed his Step Up costar Jenna Dewan on July 11 — was so impressive he caught the eye of a female casting agent who put him in Ricky Martin‘s “She Bangs” music video.

So what’s more depressing: the fact that some lady goes to a male strip club and is the ultimate reason Tatum is cast as Duke? Or that Tatum’s utter lack of acting talent is evident in this video of him stripping? Good god. Pam Anderson has the talent of Helen Mirren compared to this guy. (Via Filmdrunk)