I'm in Love with a Stripper

Alone on Christmas Eve, Michael makes a last-ditch effort to win back his ex-girlfriend. Although repelled by his sudden reappearance, the promise of $1000 buys ten minutes of Honey’s time as she reluctantly sits through his declaration of love. Michael’s dreams of a heartfelt reunion are shattered when he is promptly rejected by a stripper who refuses to participate in his fantasy, challenging toxic romantic comedy tropes normalized through contemporary media. Based on her semi-autobiographical stage play, Never Walk Alone, Julie Phan offers a desensationalized interpretation of sex work through an intimate representation of the person underneath the projection.