ATLRetro

Brook Bolen poses as Miss April in the Pinups for Pitbulls 2011 calendar. Photo courtesy of Pinups for Pitbulls.

There oughta be a song about it. Guy dumps girl. Girl gets dog, starts a rock band called the F’n Heartbreaks, poses with her dogs as Miss April in the Pinup for Pitbulls 2011 Calendar to help more dogs, and performs at DOG DAYS OF SUMMER, Pin-Ups for Pitbulls’ latest fundraiser this Friday night (Aug. 12) at The Basement beneath Graveyard Tavern in East Atlanta.

While that fairy tale could be Brook Bolen’s life story, this fun fundraiser is for anyone of either sex who loves dogs, especially pitbulls, and righteous Retro entertainment. In addition to The F’n Heartbreaks, there’s the Hot Rod Walt Trio, an offshoot of rockabilly daredevils Psycho DeVilles (read ATLRetro’s recent Kool Kat interview with Hot Rod Walt here), and plenty of burlesque goodness from the tantalizing Talloollah Love, the sexy Sadie Hawkins and Barbilicious of Blast-Off Burlesque, and Little Darling from Pennsylvania, who also is the charity’s founder. Plus merchandise for sale, a raffle and silent auction to support the cause, and pinup girls aplenty!

ATLRetro caught up with Brook to find out the full scoop on Friday’s festivities, as well as a little bit about the F’n Heartbreaks, her passion for pitbulls and how you can become a Pinup for Pitbulls calendar girl, too.

Pitbulls often get a bad rap. How did you get involved with Pinups for Pitbulls and why does supporting this charity and pitbulls mean so much to you?

I discovered Pinups for Pitbulls about four years ago and was immediately drawn to them because they fit me effortlessly. I have two pitbulls, love pinup style and was literally heartbroken from working in a high-kill animal shelter where I saw countless pits die needlessly. This charity is the perfect way for me to effect some positive change in a way that is authentic to me. Our work is fundamental to me not only because of my own pitbull babies but because of the tens of thousands I met working in Animal Control who were also wonderful, loving companion animals.

How did the idea for Pinups for Pitbulls get started? Wasn’t it founded by a burlesque performer?

It was founded by an amazing pinup model and burlesque performer, Deirdre “Little Darling” Franklin. Her lifelong love of animals led her to volunteer in an animal shelter, where she fell in love with a pitbull but was prohibited from adopting it. She learned that many shelters employ similar policies—so going to shelters is essentially a death sentence. She decided to use her pinup/burlesque fan base to start educating and advocating for the breed.

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