Coming to a halftime show near you — tits?
by Jay Stevens
Steve Edgar today defended himself and his Hooters’ restaurant in the Missoulian, just as he did here on 4&20 blackbirds. (I’m still awaiting news that Rebecca and Patia will be taking Steve up on his invitation and visiting the restaurant and reporting back!) I don’t think any of us think the restaurant should be banned, etc & co, but we’re not crazy about another chain restaurant on Reserve.
I won’t go into Edgar’s testimonial here – you can read it yourself – but this line did catch my attention:
Our uniforms are very similar to that used by the University of Montana dance team during Grizzly and Lady Griz basketball games.
D*mn, if that isn’t true!
Of course the UM dance team is doing their little numbers for free…
Anyhow. You know what to do. Discuss!
Update: I should have mentioned that Edgar was writing in response to a Missoulian editorial that frowned on the new restaurant. Have to agree with Pogie that the editoral “strikes exactly the right note.”
Yet Another Update: (by Rebecca Schmitz)
Steve Edgar provided defended his business again in the comments section of my original post yesterday. Apparently, a local celebrity is looking for employment at Hooters:
The Missoulian told me the majority of letters they have received are from girls wanting to know where to apply to be a Hooters Girl as well as parents requesting the same information for their Daughter. It is interesting that a previous Miss Teen Montana has already contacted me and wants to work there as soon as we open. She is a very outgoing successful young lady with great morals and standards.
A Miss Teen Montana [sic], eh? I thought those girls were supposed to work towards eradicating hunger and poverty. Whatever happened to wishing for world peace? Oh well. I guess this is officially one of the signs that Missoula is, by and large, dependent on our service economy; even our beauty queens are setting their sights low.
Recent Comments
Miles on A New Shelter for Vets or an E… success rate for In… on Thirty years ago ARCO killed A… Warrior for the Lord on The Dark Side of Colorado Linda Kelley-Miller on The Dark Side of Colorado Dan on A New Shelter for Vets or an E… Former Prosecutor Se… on Former Chief Deputy County Att… JediPeaceFrog on Montana AG Tim Fox and US Rep.…
4&20 blackbirds 
February 12, 2008 at 12:21 pm
I noticed Steve didn’t offer the Missoulian staff a free dinner.
February 12, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Maybe the first writer got the dinner…
February 12, 2008 at 12:36 pm
What about the Indy? They wrote a critical editorial too. Surely someone over there deserves a free dinner, Mr. Edgar.
February 12, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Nobody reads the Indy any more.
February 12, 2008 at 1:01 pm
I initially wrote the following as a letter to the editor but it was nixed because I used the word “titty.” Can’t blame ’em, though, the Missoulian is a family newspaper.
It’s not called the Great Service Restaurant, the Fine Dining Cafe or the Big Screen Sports Bar. It’s called Hooters. Doesn’t the name say it all? To claim that this establishment is anything more than a glorified titty bar is dishonest.
I’ve followed with some amusement the initial news story, the posts and comments on various blog sites (mainly 4&20), the editorials and guest columns about Hooters. I’m sure there are other important, local, current events that could probably use all this coverage but where’s the fun in that.
I’m sure Hooters will do well in Missoula. This is, after all, a college town. I won’t be going there but as many have commented, we live in a (relatively) free country. If folks don’t like the idea of a restaurant/bar based on our species’ mammary glands, then don’t go.
When it comes to cup size, and I’m not talking beverages here, I really couldn’t care less about my server’s anatomy or, for that matter, gender. Give me regular Montanans that are pleasant and get the job done. And give me locally-owned establishments that serve as much locally-produced food as they can while keeping their profits in the local economy.
February 12, 2008 at 1:50 pm
I’d like to comment, but given that my previous honest appraisals being based on the fact that I’ve actually been to a Hooters (or 5, 6, or 7) being used against me like a backhand to keep me in line (:cough: jhwygirl :cough:), I think maybe I’ll keep my mouth shut this time around.
:P
Pete sums it up nicely, though.
February 12, 2008 at 2:12 pm
I love the shout-out to your own blog in your letter to the editor, Pete.
February 12, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Chris – that was a full-frontal slap, my friend. Nothing I do is backhanded.
:-)
February 12, 2008 at 2:41 pm
well, what about the UM dance team? I mean, all this chatter about Hooters, but the UM squad is “providing” the same “service” to game goers…
February 12, 2008 at 2:41 pm
What, no link to the Missoulian editorial? What do I have to shake to get some attention around here?
February 12, 2008 at 3:02 pm
You know, I thought somebody posted that around here, but I now realize that was Pogie at ID.
February 12, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Rebecca: “What about the Indy? They wrote a critical editorial too. Surely someone over there deserves a free dinner, Mr. Edgar.”
If that happens can I ask Plum Creek for land as well?
February 12, 2008 at 3:56 pm
I’ve never seen the UM dance team. Do they serve wings and all but sit on your lap when they take your order?
Is THIS the Missoulian editorial in question?
February 12, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Actually, Rebecca, I added the 4&20 reference when I commented here. I often miss those shameless self-promotion opportunities.
But Jay, you bring up a good point. Maybe it’s all in the name. At least the UM dance team isn’t called the Hooter Squad or Tit Team. Also, there is some talent and coordination involved with dancing … but there’s talent needed to do a good job waiting tables. Hmm, I’ll have to give it some more thought. Or maybe some of erudite readers will offer insights into this quandary.
February 12, 2008 at 4:15 pm
ohhh…somebody said TIT….
February 12, 2008 at 4:21 pm
That’s it! I’m gonna write something slamming Bernice’s Bakery!
You’ve got a point, Jay, and it’s not just the one under your hat. What makes cheerleaders so different from the Hooter Girls? Not a whole heck of a lot.
February 12, 2008 at 4:39 pm
As a 47 year old man I can honestly say that I’ve never chosen to go to a particular restaurant because they have good looking waitresses, unless it was the Old Post.
February 12, 2008 at 5:51 pm
When I was a younger man, I went to pet stores, book stores, bars, restaurants, wherever there was an interesting woman. Even joined a food co-op for that reason.
February 12, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Does “interesting” translate to “tits” for you, goof?
February 12, 2008 at 8:12 pm
The problem with the Old Post is that by the time you learn a waitress’s name, she’s gone.
February 12, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Are you sure that’s not just you and your sweet, sweet stalking ways?
February 12, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful, Rebecca.
February 12, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Man-whore alert!!!!
February 12, 2008 at 10:05 pm
No. And I won’t stoop to taking advantage of that straight line.
but have I frequented a restaurant based on how good looking the waitresses were, AND whether I thought they’d date me?
Yes, and as I said, shopped, joined, attended, etc.
February 13, 2008 at 10:58 am
Second man-whore alert!!!
February 13, 2008 at 12:07 pm
what else do you call serving cheap wings at hooters if not working towards eradicating hunger and poverty?
February 13, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Yeah, jgirl, so? Like I’m ashamed of havin a plan.
Hooters are even more of a distaff desert than the regular sports bar. The only place a guy’s less likely to strike up a meaningful conversation is a Rock Springs bar.
But once, just once, I’d like to show up in a sports bar and there’d be Ashley Judd, by herself like she was at last night’s game, rootin for her favorite team, and I’d buy her a beer and a celery stick, and we’d talk college hoops. If that happened, well, I’d give up sports bars and beer and become a liberal and a monk.
Otherwise, I’m still a sports bar hanging beer swillin middle of the road heathen. I’d guess I’m at least part of Hooters’ customer demographic.
February 13, 2008 at 6:51 pm
The last time I was at a sports bar for a sporting event was the De La Hoya/Mayweather fight at the Press Box. I almost got in a rumble with some buxom redhead who flipped me off. I have since avoided them. The poor women working that night probably would have told you they couldn’t be paid enough to be doing that job.
February 13, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Oh boy, I think I know that redhead.