Going a Bit Deeper with Bruce Nahin, Former Lawyer of The Chippendales

Hey Bruce!  Thank you for letting us interview you for our blog launch. How are you doing and please tell our audience in a few sentences who you are and what you currently do in the entertainment industry. 

 I am a 70-year-old LA native. I work as a producer of TV and Movies and also in business affairs. I started out driving for Jane Fonda and others in 1975, Got involved with Chippendales in 76′, Film commissioner of North LA County in 87′, Death row 92′ and working on the Paramount lot in 2007. For more info go to http://www.imdb.me/brucenahin

Iove sharing what I know. Who knows maybe I’ll be a full-time professor at a film school. Watching my mentees go out into industry and make a mark for themselves is great seeing. I’ve mentored many famous people who have won industry accolades and that frankly is my legacy. At 70 there are hundreds I’ve taught and hopefully they feel it was a good experience for them. I also love working as a lead producer where I can teach on the set and with young lawyers starting their practices. As a producer, scholarly in my studies and with business affairs I don’t just answer questions but try and explain the answers.

We watched “Curse of the Chippendales” on Discovery+. After watching it do you think Chippendales would still be a huge hit today if Nick Denoia was not murdered and why?

It is now on MAX also. This gives us an even great audience. My view is that no one person created this thing. Steve Banerjee tried, and claimed created for it and yes, he was the majority shareholder (my share was only 10%), but he didn’t invent anything. Nor did Steve Jobs. They were marketers. Nick was certainly responsible with the touring shows and Daytime TV appearances in broadening our fan base, selling calendars and causing great excitement for the touring shows. But we had a great show with Richard Barsh our first emcee, and Nick was certainly the driving force to open NYC and the tours, but we were also on the perfect wave. It was the 70’s Helen Reddy was single ” I am woman hear me roar” The second wave of feminism had just begun with NOW, Fredan and Steinem, my old boss Fonda. At the time women believed they needed to mimic men to be successful, so sex clubs were one such avenue of claiming feminism. Pelosi, Clinton still refuses to wear dresses, which was part of 2nd wave. So would we have been a hit without Nick, probably but who knows. My partner was murdered in 1987 and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t wonder how life for me would have been different if Steve hadn’t taken Nick from us.

In Whole, what has your career in entertainment taught you and how has it helped you become a better individual?

I love organizing things, building businesses, and in a sense each film is its own business competing with all the others in the market. We have a monthly mixer on the 2nd Thursday of the month at Gathering spot. it has grown to 165 attendees. I’ve learned to be the calm stoic one in the storm. Watching various directors and producers has taught me that there often is no one right way and that does humble you.

What exactly can you do to help entertainment creatives in the industry with their projects and how can they get in touch with you?

If a young producer cannot afford me full-time we can do a weekly session where we help them produce, give them ideas, help fix issues, templates and referrals. Mostly for the DIY type producers. I’m always open to having someone buy me lunch or coffee and talk with me about their needs too or simply call or write to me. Best way to write is on IG @bruce nahin or bruce.nahin@gmail.com