“Welcome to Chippendales” started on a very upbeat and humorous note, but as the series started progressing, we saw that Robert Siegel and his team didn’t hold themselves back from going deep inside the human psyche and exploring the vulnerabilities of an insecure mind. In the earlier episodes of “Welcome to Chippendales,” we saw how the rift between Steve Banerjee and Nick De Noia broadened so much that the latter decided to break the association and move to New York in search of greener pastures. Steve had met the handyman, Ray Colon, by coincidence, as in his absence, his wife, Irene, had hired him to do some repair work. Knowing that Ray also did photography, Steve asked him to take pictures of the dancers for the Chippendales calendar. Ray was an obsequious man who knew how to play his cards and be in the good books of those who mattered. Ray came at a time when Steve was in desperate need of somebody who could boost his ego. So, let’s see how Steve surmounts his own emotions and what other obstacles he has to face in the fourth episode of “Welcome to Chippendales.”
Spoilers Ahead
Otis Has A Problem With Steve
The Chippendales calendar had finally come out, and it instantly grabbed everybody’s attention and became a sensation. Otis was more than excited to see his picture, as it was probably the first time, he had been a part of such a project. He turned the pages of the calendar but couldn’t find his picture. He was perplexed as every other model who had been photographed was there. Otis understood that his picture had not been printed on purpose. He expected that Steve Banerjee would have a talk with him and make him understand what was the reason for not including him in the calendar. But Steve avoided the topic until Otis became too restless to hold himself back. Steve told Otis that he had given it a long thought but, in the end, decided not to have his picture on the calendar. Steve said that as much as he liked him, he thought it wouldn’t be good for sales to have a man of color on the calendar. It wasn’t that Steve didn’t have a reasonable point, but the way he dealt with the issue made it feel like he didn’t have any empathy for Otis and what he was going through. It was the 1980s, and a black man still had to face a lot of racism almost on an everyday basis. There were strict laws against it, so to speak, but when have laws stopped any white supremacist from being condescending towards marginalized groups?
Society was still very hypocritical, and Steve knew that though the ladies loved Otis and showered him with all the love, they wouldn’t want the picture of a black man hanging in their living room. Otis felt disheartened, and he had every reason to be so. He saw other dancers give autographs and enjoy the fame, and that gave birth to a feeling of animosity inside him. Steve didn’t understand that he needed allies, and he couldn’t afford another employee going rogue like Nick De Noia. Otis belonged to the first batch of dancers, and he had been there with the Chippendales since the very beginning. If Steve had dealt with the situation a little more delicately, he could have avoided everything. But, obviously, he didn’t. He told Otis to be practical about it and not take it to heart. But how can somebody become accustomed to racism? It feels bad not to be given something, when you know you deserve every bit of it. Otis had made peace with the fact, and he had decided that he would take his pictures and get them printed in his own calendar. He had thought that even if nobody bought it, it would give him some satisfaction to see himself on a calendar. Otis had gone to Ray Colon and asked him to develop the negatives and give him the photographs. He had told Ray that Steve was absolutely fine with him taking the photographs. It was not that Otis wanted to act behind Steve’s back, but he actually thought that Steve wouldn’t have any problem with it.
Towards the end of the fourth episode of “Welcome to Chippendales”, Steve was in a very bad mood due to the confrontation he had with Nick, who had just come back from New York. Steve had to vent out his anger somewhere, and seeing Otis print his own calendar made him lose his temper. Steve was feeling quite vulnerable at that moment because he felt that everybody was conspiring against him. Otis told him that he had no plans to be a competitor of Chippendales and that it was ludicrous to even think that he had the capacity to do so. But words have the power to cause a greater wound as compared to swords. Whatever Steve said in his anger really hurt Otis’ ego. Otis said that he had had enough and was leaving Chippendales for good. Steve didn’t want Otis to quit but now it was a bit too late to stop him.
‘Welcome to Chippendales’ Episode 4: Ending Explained – Did Nick Open Chippendales In New York? Did Steve Approve Of It?
Nick De Noia had moved to New York in search of investors. He pitched the idea to a lot of people, but nobody thought that a male strip club was the kind of thing that would work in the sophisticated environment of New York. Nick was frustrated, and he thought that he had committed a big mistake by leaving Chippendales. He was sitting in a bar, mulling over all that had been happening in his life, when he met Bradford Barton. Nick and Bradford hooked up that evening, and that is when Bradford told him that he would be willing to invest in his New York version of Chippendales Club. Nick had thought that he would open a club with the same concept, though he wanted to keep a different name so that there would be no controversy. But Bradford was of the opinion that it would be foolish not to take advantage of the already established brand. Nick made up his mind to once again go and confront Steve and keep his demands in front of him. Steve thought that Nick had come with the intention of reconciliation, as he would have realized that he was nothing without Chippendales, but obviously, he was wrong. Nick put him in a predicament by telling him that either they joined hands and worked together in coalition or Steve would have a new competitor in the market. Nick played a bluff, and he told Steve that the investors had gone gaga over the concept of a male strip club, and that they were ready to give him all the funding he needed. Steve was already in a very insecure state of mind, and this time too he let his inhibitions get the better of him. He accepted the offer and gave a green signal to Nick to open Chippendales in New York because he felt that he would be ruined if he tries going against the tide. Denise, Irene, and others welcomed Nick back on board, and a jealous Steve couldn’t help but feel secluded and helpless more than ever.
We believe that Steve would have analyzed his own actions and realized that he was getting insecure for no rhyme or reason, but Ray Colon made him become a victim of his delusions once again. Ray thought that Steve was annoyed at him for printing Otis’ pictures, and that is why he wanted to flatter him and get back in his good books. Ray fed Steve’s inflated sense of self-importance. He went down on his knees and kissed his hand, making him feel as if he was the Godfather, who would emerge victorious even if the odds were not in his favor. It was a fact that Denise, Irene and Nick gelled up quite well with each other, because they didn’t compete among themselves. Unlike Steve, Irene and Denise didn’t consider Nick a threat, but they believed that they were working together towards a common cause. Steve wanted constant validation and he wanted others to acknowledge his authority.
In the upcoming episodes of “Welcome to Chippendales,” we will witness how Ray Colon influences the decisions that Steve makes and becomes the reason behind the downfall of the so-called Godfather.
See More: ‘Welcome To Chippendales’ Episode 5: Recap And Ending, Explained: Why Was Chippendales Being Sued?
