There are a number of celebrities—good looking ones too—who, in the past, have performed on stage for a different profession than which they are currently employed. Exotic dancers, strippers, burlesque dancers, whatever you want to call them, these girls have done it, and have probably done it well!

When you’re young and a struggling artist sometimes you need to do what you need to do in order to catch a buck or two. And if you’ve got it why not flaunt it? These gals did. Some are quite surprising and others…well, yeah. We can see it.

Dita Von Teese

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Is this a given? Yes, but who doesn’t enjoy the thought of it. The elegantly styled Dita Von Teese—now a burlesque dancer, model, costume designer, author and actress—was at one time an elegantly styled stripper onstage. With her looks, moves and luring eyes we’re pretty positive she was quite good as well. What do you think?

Courtney Love

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Before being known as the lead woman for the rock band Hole, and more so Kurt Cobain’s former wife, Courtney Love was once an exotic dancer. Given her onstage performances in music, her intoxicated and nodding appearances on various roasts and flashing David Letterman we can bet that Courtney’s act was rather…unique?

Lady Gaga

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That’s right. The ‘Born This Way’ superstar was once a pole dancer. She’s been quoted saying, “I was working in strip clubs when I was 18. I discovered a real personal freedom through it. My act was pretty wild. I’d wear black leather and dance to Black Sabbath, Guns N’ Roses and Faith No More. Very Rock ‘n’ roll.”

It seems that Gaga hasn’t really changed much, other than being a crazily successful hit maker. Good for her!

Eve

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Eve had a pretty interesting take on some pictures that surfaced of her a few years ago when she was a struggling artist/successful stripper. “Rappers talk about drug dealing before they made it and it’s not a big thing, but me stripping is?” Not a bad point, huh? She also goes so far as equating the two, “Come on. That was a hustle, too,” she told Rolling Stone.

At the time of the pictures, Eve was 18 years old and “confused.” But it turns out that she was still hot.

Amber Rose

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Who would have thought it? Apparently a lot of people it seems. Before becoming a successful model, artist, socialite and girlfriend of Kanye West, Amber Rose took to the stage as a stripper in both New York and Philadelphia.

Given the pictures we’ve seen of her taken over the years and some of the outfits she’s donned during award ceremonies reading that Ms. Rose was a one-time exotic dancer is a shocker! Wait, is it?

Diablo Cody

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We all knew this one but it’s still something we love to mention. The famed Juno screenwriter has been very candid about her past as an exotic dancer. And something interesting… she didn’t hate it. She did it more for experimental purposes. “I’m a textbook adrenaline junkie,” she said. “I was at a place in my life where I felt underestimated. I just figured I would rather do something reckless than spend the rest of my life in a vanilla prison.”

When you look at it that way, Diablo has a pretty good outlook on life. She even released a book about her experiences in ‘Candy Girl: A Year In The life of An Unlikely Stripper’.

NeNe Leakes

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Before she was a TV personality on ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta’, ‘The Celebrity Apprentice’ and ‘Glee’, NeNe Leakes was known for undressing onstage. From watching footage of her appearances on Bravo and ‘The Celebrity Apprentice’, we’re pretty positive all of her customers, both on stage and in the back, were afraid to be anything but respectful. Come on, do you really want her yelling at you the way she did Star Jones?

Carmen Electra

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Maybe this one isn’t too surprising but it’s all too true nonetheless. Having been a stripper back in the day before her big break out, Carmen never seemed to mind bringing out her sexiness whenever needed. Here’s a woman who knows she’s stunning and doesn’t mind using it. Plus, she seems to still like the sport today.

We’ve all seen her Aerobics Striptease video haven’t we?

Renee Zellweger

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Yes and no. While Renee did work in a strip club when she was younger the blonde beauty from ‘Jerry Maguire’ always kept her clothes on. Renee worked as a cocktail waitress at a gentleman’s club in Katy, Texas while trying for her big break in Hollywood as an actress.

We’re sort of glad that Renee didn’t go nude on stage. She’s built up such a good girl persona it might ruin the image we’ve grown to love.

Catherine Zeta-Jones

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If only there were pictures! The gorgeous Catherine Zeta-Jones started on her way to Hollywood as an exotic dancer. Our guess is that she was pretty, pretty, pretty good. Lucky you, Michael Douglas.

Catherine admitted that all of the money she had earned as a stripper went to rhinoplasty. Then it was goodbye dim stage and hello silver screen!

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