Des Moines strip club hosts Miss Nude World contest

Another international event is taking place this week in Des Moines. Last week, it was the World Food Prize presentation that included a Nobel Prize winner and eminent scientific researchers from around the world. This week, it’s exotic dancers and porn stars from around the world vying for the title of Miss Nude World at a Des Moines strip club. It may sound like a bawdy, sleazy event — but not according to Josh Ackerman, the manager of the Lumber Yard, which is hosting the contest. He says it’s a classy affair, kind of like the “Miss America” pageant, only without clothes. Critics say the women are being exploited and used as sex objects — but Ackerman doesn’t agree. Ackerman says everybody’s entitled to their own opinion, but he says the girls don’t find it degrading. He says they look at it as a talent, and says it’s not just taking a matter of taking off your clothes. He says “you have to have skill to do this.” Ackerman encourages critics and those who want to protest the event. He says they’re more than welcome to come out and give them more publicity. The 20 to 30 women are competing before a panel of judges and an audience all this week for a 25-thousand dollar top prize. He says every day they do a show that’s 15 minutes, and the winner of the Miss Nude World title will be announced on Saturday. Ackerman says the audience won’t be exclusively men. He says there’ve been a lot of women who’ve called for tickets to the event, and he says it’s open to both men and women. While it’s not an event that’ll be touted by state tourism officials, Ackerman expects it to bring a lot of money into his business.Ackerman says he has no idea how much money he’ll make from the contest, which he says is bringing in several hundred people each night.