True crime shows have taken over in 2022, and as new drama series based on real establishments continue to surface, you’ve probably asked yourself “Is this story real?”
Now streaming on Hulu, Welcome to Chippendales is another show that likely has you pondering this question. While things can look too insane to believe, given its label as a true crime show there is definitely some truth to this wild story.
Here’s all you need to know about Welcome to Chippendales and just how true this crazy story really is.
Is Welcome to Chippendales a true story?
Yes, Welcome to Chippendales is based on a true story, and many of the characters in the show are portrayals of people that truly exist. Chippendales is the most well-known male strip club in the world and this series gives viewers a glimpse into its dark, chaotic beginnings.
Much like creator Rob Siegel’s other work Pam & Tommy, the series makes some changes to the story when benign adapted for the screen. Speaking to Esquire, Siegel said that he wanted to avoid making true crime stories feel like a Wikipedia page.
“You always want to tell the true story without being bound to it or restricted by it.”
In this show, the focus is on Chippendales founder Steve Banerjee who was very much a real human being. As you progress through the series you’ll see the descent into paranoia expertly portrayed by Kumail Nanjiani.
While Banerjee remains mostly faithful to the true story, Siegel did share that some of the characters are mostly fictionalized for the show’s purpose.
“I would say Otis and Denise would fall into that category of mostly fictionalized. And then the only one that’s truly fully fictionalized is Andrew Rannells’s character, Bradford—Nick Denoia’s lover.”
While episodes are airing weekly on Hulu, if you want to skip the wait and learn about the story that inspired Welcome to Chippendales you can read more here. Otherwise, episodes will land on Hulu each Tuesday so you can be all caught up while it airs.