The History of the Hot Bod Contest
By Nicol Jenkins
Editor
A herd of wide-eyed males stood poolside staring is awe of sun-kissed bathing suit clad beauties strutting long legs and curves in the center of the pool.
The males chanted for their favorite while the ladies posed in hopes of winning the praise of being named the hottest bod in South Florida.
This is a weekly Sunday afternoon at La Playa in Fort Lauderdale, where its annual hot bod contest has become a staple for locals and tourists alike.
“It’s the best place to be on a Sunday afternoon,” said Deena Rahill, the Operating Manager for La Playa. “It’s a whole day pool party from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. It’s sunny, and we have a pool, hot girls, beautiful staff, great music, a sexy atmosphere, and celebrity encounters. You never know what to expect.”
But what you’re sure to expect is a good time and of course hot bods. And the local bar has many years to prove its success. The hot bod contest has been a staple in South Florida since it began in the mid-1980s. The concept was sparked by the original owners of Bootleggers and Shooters, Reg Moreau, Mel Lahaye, and Mel Burge- after the movie, Where The Boys Are Now, was filmed at the bars.
“In one of the scenes of the movie, they did a dance contest called the hot bod contest,” said Jan Idelman, who was the Vice President of Marketing for the original owners. “The owners said we should have an actual hot bod bikini contest, and that’s how the concept was formed.”
Idelman said the contest was an instant success because “it represented the casual, sun-and-fun-loving South Florida lifestyle.”
“It was the thing to do every Sunday in Fort Lauderdale,” Idelman said. “Another key factor is that it provided a destination for boaters.”
La Playa leased the location, previously known as Bootleggers, in September 2006, and continued the bikini tradition.
“We renovated and upgraded the place,” said Rahill. “We knew Sunday’s Hot Bod was the key attraction.”
Nowadays, entertainer Deejay Snezana mixes dance beats while gogo dancers and belly dancers sway hips around the bar. Naughty Natalia from 93.1 Rocks is the emcee of the event.
“It’s the place people go to round up their weekend. It’s a predictable good time, and it’s a staple in South Florida,” said Natalia of her freelance gig. “But there is always something new that is happening.”
Natalia says she enjoys being able to get a birds eye view of the diverse crowd, which sometimes includes celebrities, athletes and club owners.
“What’s great about La Playa is the diversity and great customer service. It’s a well run machine,” she said, adding, “Also, it’s a great place to go rather than driving all the way down to Miami, and it offers something just as good and on a different level. There is no cover, there’s good food, and you can come as you are, and be surrounded by beautiful people of South Florida.”
Hot Bods
Besides a great location on the intracoastal and great food, the main draw is the hot bods. Each Sunday, up to ten women compete for cash prizes and recognition of having the hottest bod in South Florida. The girls compete in two rounds. For the first round, it alternates between a lingerie contest and on some weeks the women wear cocktail dresses, but for both the women are introduced to the crowd. The second round is the swimsuit contest, where the winner is voted on by the cheering fans.
“A lot of times, these girls get noticed there. One was in Playboy and others on soap operas. You never know who’s going to be there,” said Renee Jaquith, who sometimes provides women for the contest, although any girl can register to participate.
Jaquith says the contest has been such a success because many locals come to cheer on their favorites and because of the atmosphere.
“There’s no other place you can go to on a Sunday to see beautiful girls compete in swimsuits,” she said.
La Playa is stepping up the contest and prizes for Labor Day weekend. The bar will host Miss La Playa 2008 Model Search. There will be three-rounds and celebrity judges. The women that will be competing are the winners from past contests since the Fourth of July.
Deena Rahill believes the hot bod contest will continue for many years to come because of the reputation of the contest and longevity among, of course, the draw of the hot bods in bikinis.
“People always like to see beautiful people in bathing suits, and the contest is representative of South Florida’s casual lifestyle with the girls and the pool. It’s the Fort Lauderdale lifestyle,” she said.
For more information on La Playa and the hot bod contest, visit www.myspace.com/laplayafll.
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