Jahna Erica Steele was a Las Vegas entertainer who was voted "Sexiest Showgirl on the Strip" in 1991, "Las Vegas Entertainer of the Year" in 1992, and "Most Beautiful Showgirl" (1993). That was the year after which she was "outed" by syndicated tabloid TV show "A Current Affair" as a transgender person, for which she was fired from Crazy Girls. On January 24, 2008 Jahna Steele died of what was deemed an accidental overdose of morphine, cocaine, and hydromorphone. She was 49 years old.
Born John Matheny in San Antonio, Texas, Jahna underwent a sex change in her early 20s and from the late 1980s to early nineties was a showgirl in the Crazy Girls topless revue at the Riviera, a role for which she was awarded the above accolades. After her identity became public, Jahna first became a staple on the chat-show circuit, discussing her experience, and appeared in an episode of "NYPD Blue," before moving to Hawaii and dropping out of show business for several years. On Hawaii Jahna eventually returned to the stage, performing in a version of Boylesque, before finally returning to Las Vegas.
A kiss-and-tell memoir called Always a Lady was in the works (click the link to read an excerpt) and Steele returned briefly to the Riv to host "The World's Most Beautiful Transexual Contest." According to Norm!'s column in the R-J, Steele's last job on the Strip was reported to be as a warm-up announcer for La Cage, Frank Marino's former long-running female impersonator show at the Riviera.
Click here for the performer's former website, where you can see photographs and read a little more about Jahna Steele.
