A Magic Mike Love Story, Leon Budrow Reflects on The Romance That Ignited His Music Career.
“Whenever I look back on all of our memories, I’m just hoping that you’ll always remember me” — Leon Budrow “Think About You”
It was just another night of for Leon Budrow, navigating down a sunlight filled Route 76, through Philadelphia traffic en route to Hunk-O-Mania’s Male Revue.
“I thought I was in for the typical Saturday night show, but you never know who you might meet” Budrow states while looking back on what proved to be such a monumental night.
Upon arriving to the venue, Budrow quickly began preparing the space for the evening’s festivities, arranging the tables and chairs for an empty room soon to be packed with women celebrating many different occasions, all with one common interest — male strippers.
“Hunk-O-Mania is known around the world as the premiere male revue for all occasions” Leon Budrow affirms. “Whether you are celebrating a birthday, a bachelorette party, or even just a girl’s night out, we provide the hottest and best male dancers to give you the night of your life.”
Though it’s all about the ladies, little did Leon know that he himself was in for a night to remember.
As the doors opened the women began filing in to their seats. Vibrant, loud and dressed to impress, the ladies were ready for what was bound to be a fantastic night. The music was pumping, the drinks were flowing and the bottles were popping.
The show was about to begin.
A few acts in the girls were going wild over Hunk-O-Mania’s energy filled, choreographed dance routine’s. The room full of woman loudly screamed “TAKE IT OFF, TAKE IT OFF!!” as the chiseled men seductively stripped out of their outfits.
It was in that moment of chaos that Budrow spotted his future muse in the crowd.
“I still remember the way she caught my eye.” Leon Budrow recollects. “I made my way through the crowd towards her group when her friend suddenly pulled me aside and told me to talk to her.”
It turns out Budrow, the “male stripper with the backwards hat” had caught her attention as well.
As the two danced together, their time was cut short as the show host requested over the mic that Budrow return to the back room to prepare for the next act.
“I told her I had to go, to which she gave me this look and simply replied — “Find Me When You’re Done.”
As the show came to an end, Budrow finished out his night cleaning up the venue and thanking all of the ladies for coming to the show. As he wished everybody a safe ride home, his girl waited for him and asked if he’d like to join her and her friends out in the city.
“I typically don’t go out after the shows, so I initially turned her down.” Budrow laughs as he recalls the moment. “Even my dancer friends were telling her that I never go out, but she gave me that look again and I just couldn’t say no.. so I agreed”
From there the rest is history.
What began as an ordinary night working the male revue quickly turned to a life changing memory as this was the catalyst to spark Leon Budrow’s rapidly growing music career.
“We ended up dating for the rest of summer.” Budrow explains. “Even though it was short lived, it was that rare type of summer love that you only ever hear about in songs or see in movies. The type of summer love that you rarely get to experience in real life.”
“Everything we did was like a movie moment, that’s what makes it so easy to write about.”
A few years removed from that summer, Leon Budrow has grown immensely as an entertainer. Now managing, performing and hosting Philadelphia’s Hunk-O-Mania Male Revue. Budrow has also launched a successful music career. With over 29 released tracks and a nationwide tour under his belt, Budrow still draws much inspiration from his summer love experience.
“Quite a few of my songs are influenced by that time” Budrow explains.
Budrow’s most recent single “Think About You”, looks back on all of their memories with a smile, closing out the song with the couple’s trademark line “Find Me When You’re Done”
“At the end of the song, I sing her own line back to her. Lyrically it represents the poetic possibility of finding each other again. To find me when she is done finding herself, when she is done growing. Maybe then we might cross paths again.”
As for where the unrequited couple stands now, both have since moved on from that summer, living separate lives in separate states.
“We’ve remained friends and somewhat keep in touch from time to time, but not too often.” Budrow says. “Just a collection of good memories now.”
For Leon Budrow, those memories make for great song writing material.
