Jenna Bush ‘Butt Dance’ Video

A New York tabloid reports that Jenna Bush has been caught doing something called “the butt dance” at a bachelorette party.

New York Post Page 6:

VIDEOTAPE of Jenna Bush in very high spirits at a bachelorette party is being sold and could end up on national TV by the end of the week. Luckily for Jenna, the cameraman missed “the high point . . . Jenna on all fours doing ‘the butt dance’ — and doing it very well — as guys were ogling her thong,” said our source. Club patrons do the suggestive dance when the deejay plays the 1988 hit “Da Butt,” by E.U. The president’s blond daughter arrived at NerveAna, a ’90s-themed lounge on Varick Street, at 10:30 p.m. last Friday with several other pretty young things in a battered old blue minivan. Sources said it was Jenna’s third visit to the club, which features replicas of Monica Lewinsky’s blue dress and O.J. Simpson’s white Bronco. Jenna, who plans to teach school in D.C. next fall, wore jeans, moccasin boots and a midriff-baring, satiny blue top. She lit up a cigarette “and she was very polite when she was told she’d have to go outside to smoke,” said our source. Before leaving at 3:30 a.m., Jenna and her pals gamely joined a conga line and danced around the club.

Jenna’s much cuter than Billy Carter but almost as embarrassing for her President.

via Jeff Quinton

Chris Lawrence expresses his consternation that he’s never heard of E.U. or “Da Butt.” Via Google, I present this modern classic:

Alright. Come on. Sing it one time
(Yeah-ee yeah. Yeah-ee, Yeah-ee, Yeah-ee Yeah)
Sing! Ow!
(Yeah-ee yeah. Yeah-ee, Yeah-ee, Yeah-ee Yeah)
Ha! Ha!

Walked in this place surprised to see
A big girl gettin’ busy, just rockin’ to the go-go beat
The way she shook her booty sho’ looked good to me
I said, ‘Come here, big girl, won’t you rock my world
Show that dance to me.’ She was

CHORUS:
Doin’ the butt. Hey pretty, pretty
When you get that notion, put your backfield in motion, hey
Doin’ the butt. Hey sexy, sexy Ain’t nothing wrong, if you
wanna do the butt all night long

(Hey yeah-ee yeah. Yeah-ee, Yeah-ee, Yeah-ee Yeah)
Ow, what you gonna do about it
(Yeah-ee yeah. Yeah-ee) Shake it! (Yeah-ee, Yeah-ee Yeah)

I took that girl out on the floor
She rocked me from the backside
We did the butt til it made me sore
Now, it’s a physical thing, but not hard to do
You just shake-a shake shake shake
Shake-a shake shake
Doin’ the butt the whole night through, come on

CHORUS

That’s right! Shake your butt.
Come on! Gimme that butt! Gimme that butt!

Tanya got a big ol’ butt (oh yeah?)
Theresa got a big ol’ butt (oh yeah?)
Irene got a big ol’ butt (oh yeah?)
Melissa got a big ol’ butt now
And Sonya got a big ol’ butt (oh yeah?)
And Shirley got a big ol’ butt (oh yeah?)
Ol’ Tammy got a bubble butt (oh yeah?)
Little Keisha got a big ol’ butt, now, gimme the butt!

(Yeah-ee yeah. Yeah-ee, Yeah-ee, Yeah-ee Yeah)
I’m gonna drop you lines, before we set up
We’re screamin’ at girls with the big ol’ butt, sing it
(Yeah-ee yeah. Yeah-ee) Ow! (Yeah-ee, Yeah-ee Yeah)
I want your butt. That butt. That big ol’ big ol’ butt. Ow!

CHORUS

I’ve also learned,

E.U., originally known as Experience Unlimited, is one of D.C.’s original go-go bands, but they never scored a pop hit until 1988, when “Da Butt” became a dance sensation, thanks to Spike Lee’s School Daze movie. While they didn’t record many great albums — 1989’s Livin’ Large, which was riding on the success of “Da Butt,” came the closest — each of their records has something that would appeal to hardcore funk fans. But E.U.’s strength was never captured on vinyl — it was their energetic, groove-oriented live shows that earned them a large following in the ’80s, not their records. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

With fine lyrics such as those above, it’s amazing that they’d escaped my attention until today.

Update (4-8): The Brits do the tabloid thing much better. The This is London version of the story:

Bush snapped shakin’ that ass

The daughter of US president George Bush has been caught on camera performing a raunchy dance at a nightclub. Jenna Bush was filmed on a hen night in New York. Onlookers said the partyloving 23-year-old writhed on the floor on all fours doing a ‘butt dance’ while a string of men ogled her thong. The video is expected to be shown on TV within a week.

Rather succinct.

FILED UNDER: Media, Popular Culture, US Politics, , , , , , , , , ,
James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Mark says:

    She’s going to teach, eh? Well, none of my teachers ever acted like that – not that any of them would be very appealing if they did…

  2. Red says:

    Mark,

    None of your teacher’s “that you knew of” ever acted like that. They are allowed to have a personal life.

    I guess none of us were ever in our 20’s and in a bar before acting in a manner that we we would never contemplate today. Glad there is no video of my Rugby playing days in college, as harmless as that all was.

  3. Just Me says:

    I almost feel bad for the Bush girls, because they aren’t allowed to do anything 90% of other college/just out of college people do without it being plastered everywhere.

    Yes, Jenna should certainly know better by now, but I know people from high school, college, and bachelor parties who have done just as bad, if not worse things and they managed to still be responsible, get jobs, and have families of their own.

  4. Eric says:

    I think the scandalous thing about this article is that there’s a 90’s nostalgia club in NYC. (And what a lame name. “NeveAna”) Why would anyone have nostalgia for the ’90s?

  5. James Joyner says:

    Jenna’s dad is PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. She didn’t ask for it, but that comes with certain responsibilities. And a few perks, for that matter.

  6. Dan says:

    Mark,

    None of your teacher’s “that you knew of” ever acted like that. They are allowed to have a personal life.

    I guess none of us were ever in our 20’s and in a bar before acting in a manner that we we would never contemplate today. Glad there is no video of my Rugby playing days in college, as harmless as that all was.

    Posted by: Red at April 7, 2005 13:16 Permalink
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    red,

    forget the “personal life” and “being 20” arguements. they are bunk.

    i think it’s more that our family and our political party doesn’t go around the country espousing “family values” and “morality” while our daughters/family members visit nightclubs for “butt bongo”…

    or provide white house press passes to gay escorts…

    get it?

    ahhhh… the stinking stench of hypocrisy… aint it grand?!

  7. Jim Henley says:

    I’m embarrassed for the media here. As the guy who came up with the concept, though not the execution, of Bush daughter-Kerry daughter slash fiction, I think it’s nevertheless vile for the media to report stuff like this. People like Britney and Ashton Kutcher and even model Lauren Bush are fundamentally in the sex business. They don’t have an appropriate expectation of sexual privacy. Jenna is NOT in the sex business. I suppose it’s no more or less appropriate to report on her shenanigans than on those of some child of a EUROPEAN royal family, but the prurience rankles.

    As to the President’s daughter business, if you bring me a story about Jenna abusing her connection to power to avoid some penalty that would befall an ordinary citizen, I’ll get interested. Your story will have a genuine public purpose. This is just crap.

  8. James Joyner says:

    Jim: I’d say that the Bush twins are legitimately public figures. They go on various publically-funded trips with their dad, they spoke for him at the GOP Convention (another embarrassment, unfortunately), and have otherwise put themselves in the limelight. Further, they’re of age.

    I agree that this isn’t scandalous. It is, however, not the way one expects the grown daughter of a sitting president to comport herself.

  9. Kent says:

    Dan,

    I’ve known many a good and decent parent whose kids were an embarrassment to them at times. It doesn’t make the parents hypocrites.

    One might speculate, on the evidence, that the change of heart Bush experienced in the early 80’s hasn’t taken with his daughters yet. Perhaps this is anecdotal evidence for the old chestnut that “anyone who is not a liberal when he thirty has no heart. Anyone who is not a conservative by the time he reaches forty has no brain.”

    I will generously assume that you are under forty. I am not.

    The part about providing a White House press pass to a gay ex-escort is a canard. [Canard: That’s the polite and learned way of saying “gratuitous cheap shot.”]

  10. Dan says:

    Dan,

    I’ve known many a good and decent parent whose kids were an embarrassment to them at times. It doesn’t make the parents hypocrites.
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    okay, what if said parent came out against removing an ill woman’s feeding tube, but then it was find out that the same parent signed legislation as governor of texas to have feeding tubes/life support removed AGAINST a parent’s wishes?

    would said parent (i.e Geroge W. Bush) be considered a hypocrite then?
    ——————————————

    One might speculate, on the evidence, that the change of heart Bush experienced in the early 80’s hasn’t taken with his daughters yet.
    ++++++++++++++++++++

    would that be the change of heart that caused him to think it wise to invade an unarmed nation that never attacked the united states?
    —————————————-

    thanks, but i know what “canard” means…

    let me test you….

    lemming?

  11. Jack Tanner says:

    Dan –

    I’m sorry but are you for prohibition or just against dancing? Or are you just a fucking hypocrite?

  12. Bithead says:

    Embarrassing?

    Interesting choice of a word.

  13. Melissa says:

    OK guys, personally, I feel sorry for the Bush Twins. They are TYPICAL 20 yr olds! Can you say you didnt do THE SAME THING at that age?? I’m only 25, but dang, this crap happens. The ONLY reason people are making such a big deal out of it is because of WHO they are… BIG DEAL…IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THEIR FATHER WAS A PARTYER TOO WASN’T HE?

  14. LJD says:

    Nothing fishy about “tabloid reports” and “our source says the cameraman missed the high point”.

    This is so lame, it’s all heresay. There may not be “proof” of anything (although I’d love to see the video).

    The morality police need to chill.

  15. Teresa says:

    Gannon is a male prostitute not a canard. Man, did you see his website with the pictures and the menue of what he would do for how much? I wonder which Bush family member he blackmailed to get that premanent press pass? Yikes

    Yup, the Bush family and the republican party is hypocritical for preaching family values. It’s sickening.
    To pretend that all 22 year olds would act like these girls is ridiculous.

  16. Melissa says:

    um Teresa?? are you saying that most 22 yr olds DONT act like this? come on…..I did, I’m not ashamed of it…ITS FUN!!! Living a lil is NOT a bad thing to do. They are basically kids still. Get over it.

  17. Melissa says:

    eh, I’m not saying EVERYONE did it, but MOST people in their 20’s these days are doing it. Um, most people in their 20’s DO/DID it as well. I just think they need to lay off them a little bit, let them live, its not like their doing something WRONG. Dancing is NOT wrong to do.

  18. Just Me says:

    As for the morality police. If Jenna Bush protrays herself as the morality police, then her Butt dance would matter to me.

    Jenna is an adult, she can make her own choices now, and sometimes those choices are going to be bad ones, but there are too many kids of too many good parents that make the same bad choices to make this out to be something unusual. The only thing that makes it different is she is the Presidents daughter, and could use better judgement in this regard.

    If president Bush and Laura Bush start butt dancing in bars, I will note your objection to the morality police, although I am not sure that president Bush has actually come out against bars or butt dancing.

    I just think it is hypocritical on this issue, especially from those of you who claim the libertarian position. Jenna as far as I know hasn’t made any claims in the area of morals or family values, and Jenna is of legal age to go to a bar, she is of legal age to drink in said bar, and unless there is some ordinance prohibiting dancing, her dance was legal.

  19. Kent says:

    thanks, but i know what “canard” means…

    Is that why you just posted two more?


    let me test you….

    lemming?

    I take it back — that’s three.

  20. schar says:

    So, if our President expects to set the moral majority and his own theocracy upon all of us, by making laws and judging how we choose to live, have sex and die, then why do not his daughters model those values?
    He can’t be my judge and jury, and not be held responsible for doing such a bad job as a moral parent to his own daughters. Get it?
    As you judge so shall you be judged!

  21. Indeed, those are classic lyrics… thanks James!

  22. Red says:

    Dan,

    I guess its a crime to go to a night club and dance? What is this “Footloose”?

    “forget the “personal life” and “being 20” arguements. they are bunk.”

    Forget it? She is. How can one forget it? It just must be terrible to be a Lib these days. Can’t go after the father so you attack the kids. It just makes you all that much more appealing.

    Funny the MSM wasn’t talking about Gore’s son little issues when Tipper & Dan were trying to censor music.

    Of course she should know better, but she is no different than any of my friends kids that age.

  23. Kent says:

    So, if our President expects to set the moral majority and his own theocracy upon all of us, by making laws and judging how we choose to live, have sex and die, then why do not his daughters model those values?

    Perhaps because the President isn’t trying to impose a theocracy — even on his own daughters.

    He can’t be my judge and jury, and not be held responsible for doing such a bad job as a moral parent to his own daughters.

    You disapprove of his daughter’s behavior, then?

    Children have minds of their own. I’ve seen too many good people with rotten kids to rush to judgement on their parenting skills. Your garbled quote seems applicable here.

  24. Brian W says:

    The Bush twins aren’t 20, they’re almost 24 years old. When do people stop being foolish teens? Jenna is not a kid, she is an adult woman who is the daughter of the POTUS. It seems Jenna has a problem.

    I was struck by the immaturity displayed by both daughters during their appearance at the republican convention.

    I wonder whether Bush influence will be able to prevent the video from being released. Will stations that plan to show it be threatened with an FCC fine for showing inappropriate content? Wouldn’t THAT be something!

  25. McGehee says:

    When do people stop being foolish teens?

    Bill Clinton is 58 and counting…

    [/cheap shot]

  26. John says:

    The only thing about this whole business that worries me is the possiblity that Jenna may be repeating her father’s career track.

    Here’s how I see it: in about 30 years we’ll be presented with the truly ugly spectacle of another Raging Republican, ‘born-again’ ex-substance abuser protesting, ‘that’s all in the past’ and, ‘I’m a reformer with results’ in order to grab the presidency again.

    Of course, that’s presuming that there’ll be a country left by that time.

    Did you ever see “Cabaret”? There’s a scene I think you’d like: it shows a beautiful blond brown-shirted Hitlerjungend singing “Tomorrow Belongs To Me”. Now there was real Family Values for you! Face the facts, Jenna just doesn’t measure up.

    So…if you guys in the Republican Bund are going to make your Happy Meal Revolution happen, you’d better ditch the bitch, and get your house in order. Othewise you might give those mean, nasty old Democrats what they need to make a come-back.

    We’re just waiting…

  27. Juliette says:

    Ahhh, those lyrics take me back to various airman and NCO clubs of times past–doing the “butt dance.” No thong showing though.

    This is a non-story.

  28. Ted Nugent says:

    Ah, the memories…

    See you there with your cheshire grin, I got my eyes on you
    Shake yout tail feather in my face and there’s no tellin’ what I’ll do
    Well looky here, you sweet young thing: the magic’s in my hands
    When in doubt, I whip it out.

  29. LJD says:

    JOhn-

    Great plan, but there’s one thing missing- those mean, nasty old Democrats need a platform! How ironic to lecture on “getting one’s house in order”!

  30. John says:

    Dear LJD,

    Oh! Ouch! You cut me to the heart with your amazing wit and sharp intellect! With guys like you on the Republican Team, I’m sure the Happy Meal Revolution will win!

    John

  31. Laughing Donkey says:

    All I want to know is how would Rush report it if it had been Clinton’s daughter? Or the Kerry girls?

    The Bush twins should not be blamed, though. The partying gene runs in the family. At least so far they have not been snorting coke like their dad.

  32. Stop Crying Over Kerry says:

    She wasn’t even naked. Get over it. Linking this with the Republican right is ridiculous.