The story behind the viral 'Get Your Booty to the Poll' PSA
ATLANTA - It may be the one political spot that no one will forget after this election season. Several exotic dancers in a red, white and blue themed public service announcement urge men to vote in the upcoming general election and every election afterward. The hook, "Get Your Booty to the Poll," runs throughout the PSA with a male voice putting down a heavy bassline. But the dancers are, no doubt, the main attraction in the video.
"Yes, we were provocative, but we didn't do anything that sold our souls. We just sold a message," said Coy Malone, who is featured prominently in the video with speaking and dancing roles.
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Malone is one of several Atlanta exotic dancers cast by producers Ashley Bedford and Paul Fox, admittedly, to raise a few eyebrows and raise awareness about voting. He also noted the director of the video is Angela Barnes--a woman who also wanted to drive home the significance of voting, not just in November, but also in future elections.
"We decided to bring the issues to the table that a lot of Black men have, but don't necessarily express because of how few of us actually vote," said Fox, who works in Atlanta's film industry.
The video was released in late September and has been viewed on multiple social media platforms more than five million times. Critics have said it exploits and sexualizes women to get men to the polls. The dancer and the producer insist that's not the case.
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"What I say to that is well, we got your attention and now we're talking about voting and this is about voting," said Fox. "This video really started with the death of George Floyd in May and us feeling like there was a better way to voice a need for change than just walking around with signs for a few days. We wanted to do something different and get people, especially men, to vote.”
Malone, who has a degree in computer technology, is registered to vote in Fulton County and hopes apathetic or disgruntled voters will consider all the other important issues on a ballot beyond the presidential candidates and head to the polls as soon as early voting begins next week.
"There are taxes on the ballot, school superintendents, district attorneys and judges who you can vote in or out. These are people who will make a difference in the quality of your community. If you can stand in line to buy shoes, you can stand in line to vote. Those who disagree with the video should just close your eyes and listen to the message and see how true it is across the board," said Malone, who's been an exotic dancer for seven years."
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