Bernie Barker (USA) was incredibly proud of being the world’s oldest male stripper.
The sexy senior embarked on his stripping career in 2000 when he was aged 60.
He’d originally taken it up as a hobby to get fit after recovering from prostrate cancer, but he soon found a home on the stage.
Bernie gave up his previous job and focussed on stripping instead – and he clearly had a natural talent for it.
By 2004, he’d won 42 striptease contests and by 2005, he was working at the Hard Rock Café in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Bernie sadly died just a couple of years later, in March 2007 at the age of 66 years 233 days, but to this day, no one has taken his record.
Bernie proved it wasn’t just a young man’s game as he thrilled audiences with his performances, with screaming women lining up to stuff cash into the band of his tiny underwear.
He even appeared on the first ever series of America’s Got Talent in 2006 in the hopes of winning over the nation with his dancing skills.
In a clip from the show, he said: “My name is Bernie, my age is 65, almost 66. I was a nuclear engineer, my field was radiation protection.”
Teasing his act, he went on: “Some of the craziest reactions to my act have been females passing out, the screaming, and having them cry at some of my shows and I’ve won more contests than anybody and I’m still doing it.”
Bernie took to the stage dressed in cowboy boots, black bedazzled trousers and a matching shirt unbuttoned to his naval, completing his look with a black cowboy hat and sunglasses.
Introducing himself, he was met with shocked gasps from the audience as he said: “My name’s Bernie Barker, I’m the world’s oldest male stripper.”
The show back then was hosted by Regis Philbin, with Piers Morgan, David Hasselhoff and Brandy Norwood acting as judges.
Brandy sought some clarification by asking him: “Wait, stripper as in you’re going to take off your clothes?”
“I’m gonna do it,” Bernie told them cheerfully.
Dancing to Ricky Martin hit “She Bangs” and waving a glow stick, Bernie had a huge smile plastered across his face as he whipped off his shirt and swung it around.
Piers was quick to press his buzzer, while the cameras panned to a woman in the audience covering the eyes of her young child.
Brandy, clearly a little embarrassed, pressed her buzzer as she spun her chair around to avert her eyes, but Baywatch star David was loving it, popping his feet up on the desk to sit back and enjoy the show.
But as Bernie began lowering his trousers, Piers and Brandy both lunged over the desk to press David’s buzzer, prompting the audition to end and the actor to stand up in protest.
“This is talent,” David screamed at his fellow judges.
Piers wasn’t very favourable with his feedback on Bernie’s performance, although he did say he was “a nice old guy”.
“I think America would love this guy though,” Brandy said, changing her tune. “I think America would definitely root for Bernie. Bernie has the ‘it’ factor, I’m sorry.”
David gave him a resounding ‘yes’ and Brandy followed suit.
I vote 100% yes, I love you, you’re hot. - Brandy
While Piers clearly would have voted ‘no’, it didn’t matter and Bernie made it through to the next round.
After his audition, he said: “America’s gonna see much more of me, I’m gonna come back with my glow stick and much less clothes.”
Unfortunately, Bernie didn’t make it through to the semi-finals and his AGT career began and ended at his very memorable audition.
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