Club Cobra, a North Hollywood gay bar, is using the popular OnlyFans site to its advantage amidst the pandemic.
Since spreading rapidly last year the Covid-19 pandemic has decimated numerous businesses throughout the United States. The hardest hit being restaurants, nightclubs and bars especially LGBTQ spaces.
Club Cobra, a LatinX LGBTQ space on Burbank Blvd, popular for its drag shows in Spanish, go-go dancers and the longest running trans LatinX night in Los Angeles has been hit hard by Covid-19.
Marty Sokol, founder of Club Cobra, has turned to filming content for OnlyFans to keep the club alive. OnlyFans is a platform where people can pay to subscribe to their favorite creators to view often pornographic photos and videos.
However Cobra’s fog-filled exotic dances are filmed at Sokol’s home without nudity. One of the programs that Sokol says he’s trying to bring back is based on the club’s show Transfix. It’s the only trans-focused night in L.A. run by trans women. It’s been a place where trans people could come for advice, friends and safe hookups. Most of all, it’s been a special community for trans people to share experiences.
The Club Cobra team has made it work despite expensive costs. They use high-quality lights, camera gear and editing software to produce the shows every week.
Sydney native, Antony Tadros, has worked for Sokol for almost five years and is the self-described jack-of-all-trades for Club Cobra from bartending to booking talent. Now, he films the show. He says Club Cobra’s pivot to OnlyFans has helped the team connect more as a family.
Sokol has plans to bring back Club Cobra in person but will still create content on OnlyFans even after the club reopens.
