Jacelyn Cooper | Struttin' / 2021

just follow the nicely tanned ass

by Douglas Messerli

 

Lucas Tamaren and Zach Zucker (scenario), Thumpasaurus (song), Jocelyn Cooper (director) Struttin’ / 2021

 

I suppose given the changes in sexuality in the US, despite the equally negative rightest reactions, that such a bi-sexual video would have inevitably have to have been created around the beauty of the male derriere (after all, George Michael spent a lot of his career in focusing on it).

     In “Struttin” funk, jazz, experimental, and new wave Los Angeles artist, Lucas Tamaren wipes away the gay-boy affectations of someone like Troye Sivan, and even the naughty sexual experimentations of J. Pee (Jesse Peppe)—although I do still find him far cleverer—as Tamaren, hitchhiking his way through the desert West, suddenly reveals his naked butt nicely positioned between chaps and goes “Struttin’” into a small town desperate for any sexuality activity.    

   Boys and girls both drop whatever they’re doing—some of their activities also in drag and transgressive behavior—and quickly link up with the new sexy stranger in town, who arises the sexual wrath of the sheriff (Henry Was) and his horny deputies enough to encourage an unlikely showdown. Although all the boys, including the local priest (Jeremy Elder), go gaga over the stranger’s nicely formed buttocks, Tamaren’s major attentions appear to be on the Strutgirl (Petie Sjogren),

     In this song, all Tamaren has to do is rhyme a few clever rap-like lyrics and strut down the main street revealing his cute butt. I’d gladly follow in the parade as Tamaren sings:

 

 

Here's my strut, do do do

Struttin my way on over to you

you like my strut? I like yours too,

Struttin my way on over to you.

 

Seems like these days I got nothin' to do

hit the sidewalk and strut for you

Struttin in the morning, struttin at noon

Struttin in the night time under the moon

 

Hey you, I like you too,

and do you mind if I strut for you?

Baby feel free to strut for me

you got a strut everybody should see.

 

 

 

Watch that thing go side to side

strut so hard with your struttin' thighs

strut your way into my mind I'm a fool,

cuz you're struttin so fine.

 

How about a little strut id don't cost a dollar

take my dog don't forget the collar,

but I'm the dog and I like your smell can't help,

that you strut so well

 

and baby, you got a head start,

struttin your way into my heart.

Take your hat off make yourself at home

how about stay the night, and strut on home…..

 

………

 

Don't need to go fast when you're struttin' with me

I got all night got nowhere to be

pretty fine just walking with you

hold your hand while you whistle that tune

 

Tell you what, if you like my strut

I'll walk on ahead and you can look at my butt

objectify but don't cross the line

cuz you can be bad when its struttin time.

 

Cuz you strut that thing just like a cock

work that thing up and down the block

flash your feathers and walk on by

you strut so hard you make jimmy cry

 

Cant believe that you're struttin with me

let's strut somewhere everybody can see

next to you I'm filled up with pride

we go boom boom side to side.

 

     Tamaren as Thumpasaurus performed his number, sans bare butt on the Jimmy Fallon show, and had an impact even on that granny-beloved performer Michael Bublé, who performed a short piece from it (in full suit) on Tik Tok. But no one can match Tamaren’s ass.

 

Los Angeles, June 19, 2024

Reprinted from My Queer Cinema blog (June 2024).