During the event, several “Fabio” impersonators pumped iron, flexed and wowed the crowd with unbridled physicality. In the background the song “I’m a Sex Machine” blared with
its rough, yet sensual familiarity.

Nico, a twenty-something hardbody male dancer with a flowing black mane began to undulate and pulse as James Brown’s voice echoed throughout the million square feet Northgate Mall.

This was a family shopping center and the performances of the contestants was rather unexpected. Perhaps the $2,000 first prize was enough incentive to sacrifice inhibitions.

The reactions of many female shoppers was a combination of delight and frenzy.

Following the event, I received several anonymous and awkward phone calls from what appeared to be respectable female shoppers who literally begged me to give out the contact number for Nico, the black-haired dancer. It turns out that one of the women was a well known radio personality who had seen the contest. Actually, she was one of the judges.

Surely it was the irresistible beat and rhythm of Brown’s song that transformed demure sales seeking shoppers into retail sex machines.

Michael Kirner

I was at the Apollo Theatre on a Saturday night in 1970 with Leon Altman, my childhood friend. We were the only two white guys in the place. We were more than a little nervous.

Then the band came on, then James and it turned into the most thrilling night of my life. There is no music that has ever sounded like James Brown did that night live. “The King of ‘em all.”