NORTH HILLS : Access Ordered for Nude Entertainers

Seeking equal opportunity in its barest form, the city of Los Angeles has ordered managers of an adult nightclub to either stop using a shower in which nude dancers bathe in front of customers or add wheelchair access to it.

The elevated shower attraction at the Odd Ball Cabaret in North Hills violates state code, the Los Angeles Disabled Access Appeals Commission ruled, because it would not be accessible to wheelchair-bound entertainers. The club has never employed a nude dancer who uses a wheelchair.

“It doesn’t matter what you’re doing, you can’t discriminate against the physically disabled,” said Ron Shigeta, chief of the Disabled Access Division of the city’s Department of Building and Safety.

“The code doesn’t recognize whether or not there would be a disabled person working there,” he said. “When you construct something, it has to be accessible.”

The commission voted 4 to 0 in January that the shower could not be used unless modified. Commissioner David Honda abstained from the vote, calling the issue “absurd” and “anti-business.”

The enclosed shower and viewing area, which is wheelchair-accessible, have been closed, and it is unclear whether the owners will eventually decide to install a ramp, lower the shower or remove it altogether, said Bill Markley, assistant manager of the Odd Ball Cabaret.

While the attraction was operating, one or two customers would pay $20 each to watch a nude woman shower for the length of one song.

The issue came to light after a Building and Safety inspector reported the shower, which had been built without a permit, said Marsha Broderick, commission vice president. The inspector apparently had gone to Odd Ball to inspect a newly installed, wheelchair-accessible bathroom, she said.