BRAVO TAPS INTO THE POPULAR REVIVAL OF BURLESQUE WITH THE SERIES PREMIERE OF 'FORTY DEUCE' ON APRIL 7

'FORTY DEUCE' IS A FOUR-PART ORIGINAL SERIES FOLLOWING THE LIVES OF THE OWNER AND DANCERS OF RED-HOT HOLLYWOOD CELEBRITY CLUB FORTY DEUCE

BURBANK, Calif. -- March 8, 2005 -- For those in the know, there is a walk-on-the-wild side burlesque club tucked away in Hollywood called Forty Deuce: its name and style pay homage to the glamour days of New York's 42nd Street. The women are sexy, empowered, and their energy is impossible to resist. These are not the performers of modern-day clubs, but trained, professional dancers from a bygone era. Beginning Thursday, April 7 at 11:00 p.m. ET., Bravo takes viewers into the exclusive world of Ivan Kane and the private lives of this nightlife visionary, his wife and business partner Champagne Suzy, and his dancers -- including popular headliner Carolina Cerisola -- and chronicles Kane's aspirations to open a new club in Las Vegas' celebrated Mandalay Bay.

"Forty Deuce has established itself as a late night destination of choice for celebrities and the Hollywood 'in' crowd, and we're excited to bring the energy and excitement of the club to viewers," said Bravo President Lauren Zalaznick. "This special four-part series truly reflects the unexpected and diverse popular culture and arts entertainment programming offered on Bravo."

"It's not a strip club. There is no nudity. These are the best dancers in Hollywood who share my vision of redefining burlesque and put it back on the map," said Ivan Kane in the series premiere.

Forget what you think you know about Los Angeles nightlife and Forty Deuce -- a popular late night destination for the city's movers and shakers and A-List celebrities such as Mick Jagger, Sharon Stone, Brad Pitt, Nicole Kidman, Nick Lachey, Jessica Simpson, and many others -- for beneath the brassy exterior are the real lives and ambitions of Kane, Champagne Suzy, and dancers. It's far from what one might expect, as all are passionate dancers, artists and, in true sense, family.

The man at the helm of this burgeoning enterprise is Ivan Kane, who realized the potential for a sexy, upscale club reminiscent of the burlesque houses he'd skip school to visit while growing up in New York. With the widely successful clubs deep and Kane under his belt, Forty Deuce was a logical next step, and possibly his most passionate undertaking. Night after night the dancers of Forty Deuce, led by the energetic and inspired performances of headliner and crowd favorite Cerisola, wow packed audiences and hold Hollywood's power players captive. Interestingly enough, it isn't just men -- but women -- who find the performances inspiring, as to be a dancer at Forty Deuce is to be comfortable with one's body, femininity and strength.

Bravo's "Forty Deuce" finds Kane on the cusp of his decision to expand and open a second Forty Deuce in Las Vegas. "Be careful what you wish for," cautions Champagne Suzy as Ivan commits to his decision and the work ahead. The race is then on to recruit new dancers -- and more importantly, a headliner worthy of stepping into Cerisola's fast moving shoes -- and seal the deal with the executives at Mandalay Bay.

Adding to Kane's anxiety, and jeopardizing the successful opening of the second club, are the uncertain futures of the clubs biggest draw, Cerisola and established favorites Tracy Phillips and Jade Ruggerio, also featured on the series. Not only must Kane find not one new headliner -- but potentially two, when Cerisola's visa expires and she learns she might be forced to return to her native Argentina, and later suffers a back injury while performing on the same night as a new recruit -- and possible replacement. Phillips -- a former Denver Nugget cheerleader, gifted choreographer and actress, and granddaughter of football legend Bum Phillips -- is loyal and does what she can to help Kane achieve his dream but is spread thin with her own aspirations. Then there's Ruggerio whose talent and infectious personality is often eclipsed by her unreliability and reliance on alcohol.

Watch what happens as Bravo delves into the private lives of Kane and Champagne Suzy as they recruit their new crop of talented dancers and prepare for the opening of Forty Deuce Las Vegas, as well as set the stage for additional nightclubs nationwide. Through revealing interviews viewers will learn what drives Kane, his wife, and the dancers, and how it is they've created a family for themselves that's in stark contrast to what one would expect from a Hollywood nightclub proprietor and his talent. And in the end, Bravo will explore the artistic freedom inherent in burlesque and why these women are compelled to give it their all and come alive on stage each night under the lights and to the accompaniment of the three piece band.

"Forty Deuce," a four-part Bravo original series, premieres Thursday, April 7 at 11:00 p.m. ET and will air four weeks consecutively.

"Forty Deuce" is directed by Zalman King ("Nine � Weeks," "Red Shoe Diaries"), and produced by The Zalman King Company for Bravo. Executive producers are Zalman King, Ivan Kane and David Saunders.

Bravo is the cable network that plugs people into arts, culture and pop culture with original programming, movies and by showing a whole different side of celebrities. Currently available in more than 78 million homes, Bravo is known for breaking exciting new personalities, shaking up the way we look at style, media, fame and Hollywood, pulling back the curtain on the creative process and making influential and inventive original programming. Its critically acclaimed and award-winning original programming includes "Inside the Actors Studio," "Celebrity Poker Showdown," "Project Greenlight," as well as the 2004 Emmy winner for Outstanding Reality Program, "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy." The network's latest hits include "Project Runway," "Blow Out" and "Showbiz Moms & Dads.

Bravo is a program service of NBC Universal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBC Universal one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Bravo has been a NBC Cable Network since December 2002 and was the first television service dedicated to film and the performing arts when it launched in December 1980.For more information visit www.bravotv.com.