Fox News Falsely Calls Historic Albany Bar a 'Strip Joint'

The Hotsy Totsy Club, an 87-year-old neighborhood bar, is not and has never been a strip club, says owner Jessica Maria.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 9:52pm

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During a recent episode of the Fox News talk show "The Five", guest host Emily Compagno incorrectly referred to the Hotsy Totsy Club, an 87-year-old bar in Albany, California, as a "strip joint" where "a lot of girls on drugs" go. The bar's owner, Jessica Maria, says the Hotsy Totsy has never been a strip club and was transformed from a seedy dive bar into a charming neighborhood hangout when Maria and her co-owner took over in 2009.

Why it matters

The Hotsy Totsy is a beloved community institution in Albany, and the Fox News hosts' false characterization of it as a "strip joint" has upset many locals who feel their neighborhood landmark has been unfairly maligned. This incident highlights the potential for misinformation and inaccuracies to spread, even on national media platforms, and the impact it can have on small businesses and local communities.

The details

During the Fox News segment, Compagno, who is from the nearby city of El Cerrito, referred to the Hotsy Totsy as a "strip joint" where "a lot of girls on drugs" go. She also incorrectly stated that the bar is located in El Cerrito, when it is actually in Albany. Host Greg Gutfeld further compounded the errors by saying he used to "drive down El Camino in El Cerrito", when there is no El Camino in that city.

  • On a recent episode of the Fox News talk show "The Five"

The players

Jessica Maria

The owner of the Hotsy Totsy Club, an 87-year-old bar in Albany, California that she and her co-owner transformed from a seedy dive bar into a charming neighborhood hangout.

Emily Compagno

A guest host on the Fox News talk show "The Five" who incorrectly referred to the Hotsy Totsy Club as a "strip joint" and said it was located in El Cerrito, when it is actually in Albany.

Greg Gutfeld

A host on the Fox News talk show "The Five" who compounded the errors by incorrectly stating that he used to "drive down El Camino in El Cerrito", when there is no El Camino in that city.

The Hotsy Totsy Club

An 87-year-old bar in Albany, California that was transformed from a seedy dive bar into a charming neighborhood hangout by its current owners.

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What they’re saying

“I just found the funny in it, of how you can take an 87-year-old Albany landmark and reduce it down to a drug-infested strip joint in El Cerrito. All the information is wrong.”

— Jessica Maria, Owner, Hotsy Totsy Club

“Clearly she's never been in there, because then she would know it's not a strip club.”

— Jessica Maria, Owner, Hotsy Totsy Club

The takeaway

This incident highlights the potential for misinformation and inaccuracies to spread, even on national media platforms, and the impact it can have on small businesses and local communities. It serves as a reminder of the importance of fact-checking and responsible reporting, especially when discussing local institutions that are deeply rooted in their communities.