The Queerty Interview

EXCLUSIVE: “Luckiest Girl Alive” On What It Was Like To Have Joe Manganiello Strip For Her All Day

The best stripping scenes in Magic Mike XXL doesn’t happen on stage. Instead, Joe “Big Dick Ritchie” Manganiello tries to get a rise out of a bored cashier in a convenience store. His steamy moves for her give new meaning to the phrase “quicky mart” and we will never look at a bag of Cheetos in the same way again.

Joe Manganiello MMXXL

In an essay about her many hours on the Magic Mike set with the friendly heartthrob, Atlanta actress Lindsey Moser describes the challenge of not cracking a smile during filming and what it was like keeping the scene a secret until the film was released. We must say, she does deadpan really, really well.

“It was basically the best day ever,” she writes.

Despite the sexy scene, and many other like it, chick flick has not caught on with gay men.

So we thought we’d catch up Moser to get the women’s take. Queerty had some additional questions for Lindsey — or as we call her, the luckiest woman on the planet.

Lindsey, do you have any earthly idea how many gay men are living vicariously through you right now?

A lot of people are. It’s a fun scene, a gorgeous man is stripping in a mini-mart! I think all the actors in the movie know and love their audience. They are showing love to people across the board. I’m happy they’re inclusive.

You write that you are prepared to be “on a continuous loop in gay bars.”

A lot of things have happened in my life that I could have never prepared myself for and this sounds like one of the more fun and entertaining things! It would be incredibly fun and super humbling to be on a continuous loop, but my main goal is to work. I love what I do with all my heart and I love that people enjoy this scene. Thank you Joe Manganiello! I am so grateful to the whole MMXXL team.

Joe Quicky Mart

Some say the film has a feminist message about men paying more attention to their women. Can you get behind that?

Yes, of course as a woman I am totally down with men being more attentive to their women and women being more attentive to their men. Overall, I just hope and pray that people as a whole start to enjoy the wonderful things about each other instead of looking at our differences as a bad things.

I love what Matt Bomer said in one of his interviews, something about the routine the guys had for the film, workouts and diet I’m assuming, gave him a greater appreciation for what women go through. I just love that he was focusing on the empathy that he had for women. I pray that we can all learn to have empathy for one another and that that changes our mindset from exclusion to inclusion.

Lindsey Moset MMXXLYou’re from Atlanta, one of the strip capitols of the country.  Ever been to one of the gay strip clubs?

Honestly, I haven’t been to a strip club of any kind in over 10 years but what I loved the most about gay clubs are the drag shows. Drag shows are just an all around good time!

There’s a debate right now about straight women being cock blockers in gay clubs.

If straight women are getting in the way of romance I would say, stop taking your straight friends!

Gay men could easily debate their favorite parts of Joe Manganiello’s appearance. Having seen it up close and personal for so long, what did you find most impressive?

Joe has some great dance moves for sure. But once he took his shirt off it was hard to focus on one particular thing. Of course, the one handed push-up looking back up at you isn’t too shabby!

Lindsey Moser photo: Charles Green. Joe Manganiello: Warner Bros, Iron Horse Entertainment.

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