Dr. Dot
Dr. Dot | |
---|---|
Born | Dorothy Leckner[1] (1968-10-19) October 19, 1968[2] Manchester, Connecticut 07, U.S. |
Other names |
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Alma mater | Rockville High School |
Occupation | Massage therapist |
Years active | 1980s–present |
Children | 2 |
Website | drdot |
Dorothy Stein (née Leckner; born October 19, 1968), better known as Dr. Dot, is an American massage therapist. Dubbed the "rock and roll masseuse,"[3] Stein is known for her signature "Bite Massage" and her long-list of music industry clientele, including the likes of David Bowie, Simon Cowell, and Katy Perry.[4]
Early life and career
Stein was born and raised in Manchester, Connecticut.[5] She is of Swedish and Italian ancestry.[6] According to Stein, her Swedish ancestors were "chased from England and ended up drunk pilgrims in America."[7] She moved to Dover at the age of ten. Since her father was in the Navy, Stein moved often and attended fifteen different schools before graduating from Rockville High School in 1985.[8]
She started massaging at the age of five. Stein's mother encouraged her to bite her since she was not strong enough to give a good massage.[9] Her "hippie" parents taught her massage techniques followed by more formal training.[10] Her parents would also take her to concerts from a young age, including several Grateful Dead ones. Following her parent's divorce, Stein started to sneak into concerts, but then began offering her massage services in exchange for concert tickets and backstage passes. At age 15, her first clients were Def Leppard.[11] Stein commented that she "went to every Def Leppard show and massaged them. I built a network with those people and eventually started massaging bands to get into shows."[12] Stein traveled with The Stones on three consecutive tours[11] and went on three tours with the Rolling Stones, where she made $2000 per week.[13] She gained a reputation for "having hands of steel."[8] Stein estimates that she has seen at least 3,000 free concerts.[13]
Frank Zappa gave her the "Dr. Dot" moniker in 1988[14] in reference to her "expert skills."[11] Following the birth of her daughter in 1989, Stein moved to Berlin.[8] Stein worked for free until 1994 when Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts convinced her she needed to get paid.[4][10] Subsequently, Stein went to massage school and became certified.[8] She was trained at a medical massage school in Berlin[11] and received some professional training at the San Francisco School of Massage.[1]
Stein has a rule about not having sex with her clients. Her one exception was with actor Bruce Willis who she had a brief affair with after his split with Demi Moore. Stein noted, "That was the biggest mistake I ever made."[15] According to her, the actor threatened to sue her if she published anything about him in the United States.[7]
Stein took a break from massaging and attended the University of New Hampshire from 1987 to 1988 where she studied French and photography.[8]
Later career

Stein has built a repertoire of celebrity clients over the years.[16][17] Some of her clients include Katy Perry, Eminem, Courtney Love, Robert Plant, Simon Cowell, David Bowie, Juliette Lewis, Kanye West, and Mariah Carey.[4][note 1] To help keep up with the high demand of her services, Stein assembled a team of massage therapists. She named her business Dr. Dot International Massage and Chiropractic Team and the contracted therapists are known as "Dot Bots."[8] Stein employs a staff of over 1,000[13] across 30 countries.[11] Stein vets and approves each therapist who must be either certified or licensed and have at least one year of experience.[11] Treatment starts at $150 per hour and increases as it gets later in the evening.[14] Stein and her team of masseurs tailor their massages to address common physiological conditions in musicians, such as tendinitis, trigger finger, and myofascial pain syndrome.[18] Stein also provides a mobile spa service that offers facials, pedicures, and manicures.[8]
Stein released her own brand of massage oil made with argan.[11][18]
Bite Massage
Stein trademarked her Bite Massage in 2017[14][19] and videos of Stein's massages have gone viral.[9] Stein admits the Bite Massage is her "most controversial" technique.[13] She claims biting someone's back results in better blood circulation.[16][4] Without adding any oil, Stein bites the client's entire back in a "very fluent motion section by section" and avoids biting any bones.[18] Stein also bites the client's neck, shoulders, and sometimes the glutes.[13] Her bites are large but not enough to break the skin. According to Stein, the bites go deep enough to "tenderize" the back muscles and prepare them for the traditional massage that follows.[18] Stein only offers the Bite Massage to select clients.[9]
Some medical experts have raised concerns about Stein's Bite Massage.[4][20] Physician Holly Phillips says that "about 10 to 15 percent of human bite wounds become infected by bacteria. There is also the potential for transmission of viruses like hepatitis B."[4] Joshua Zeichner, an assistant professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital, stated that human bites can transmit infectious diseases and "does not recommend, under any circumstance, being bit by another person."[21]
During an appearance on This Morning, Stein demonstrated her biting technique on host Eamonn Holmes, first biting his hand then his shoulder.[22][23][24]
Mikheil Saakashvili
In February 2009, Stein flew in to Georgia to treat then-president Mikheil Saakashvili. Stein posted an image of Saakashvili's arm around her on her blog and an account of her trip. Some members of a Georgian opposition group used the photo as a poster campaign against Saakashvili. Russia Today sought to portray Stein's visit as "a sign that Mr. Saakashvili is using his office to live a life of at least mildly kinky luxury, fit for a rock star." Stein responded that "Georgian media and opposition were distorting the contents of her blog by taking things out of context."[25][26][27] Opponents of Saakashvili accused him of using public funds to fly Dot to Georgia for a massage.[8] Giga Bokeria, a top advisor to Saakashvili, stated that the government did not spend money on Stein's visit and the president's opponents were "trying to smear his reputation."[25] Saakashvili maintained that he received only a single massage from Stein. However, Stein said she massaged Saakashvili multiple times and received €2,000 in compensation. Stein also said Saakashvili gave her "a bunch of presents" including a gold necklace with a religious pendant.[28][29][30][31] In 2014, the Prosecutor's Office filed embezzlement charges against Saakashvili; one of the expenditures included Stein.[32]
Saakashvili's association with Stein worsened the image of his party, the United National Movement, in the eyes of Georgian voters.[33]
Other ventures
Stein is also a popular sex advice columnist. Her column, "Ask Dr. Dot," ran in Penthouse and the New York Press and now is published exclusively in the English-language German magazine Exberliner.[8] Stein has also posed in Penthouse.[26]
Stein published a book, "Backstage and Butt Naked," in Germany in 1994.[7][15]
Stein was approached by General Motors in 2015 to help create a unique in-car self massage technique.[11][34]
When Stein first arrived in Berlin, she worked various jobs, including a waitress at an Irish Pub, a cleaning lady, and as a Madonna doppelgänger.[35]
Personal life
Stein dated musician Joey Ramone for three years. She was 14 at the time and maintains that Ramone did not know her real age.[8] Stein had a daughter at age 21 with a German man she met at a Grateful Dead concert. Stein stated that they are "still good friends" and he takes care of their daughter when Stein visits Berlin on a tour.[7] Stein later married and divorced her second husband, a Turkish national, whom she had a son with. Stein is raising the child on her own.[8] She speaks German.[35]
Stein splits her time between Berlin and Hoboken, New Jersey.[8]
Notes
- ^ See here for a full list of Stein's celebrity clientele.
References
- ^ a b Catlin, Roger (October 18, 1999). "Rock 'N' Rub". Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on May 15, 2022. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
- ^ Stein, Dorothy (October 16, 2004). "Arabs with knives and West German skies". Dr. Dot's Blog. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
- ^ Sprengelmeyer, Julie (November 25, 1995). "Massage therapist rubs rock stars the right way". Journal Inquirer. OCLC 1001982618.
- ^ a b c d e f Griffith, Carson (2016-07-21). "The Massage Therapist Kanye West, Katy Perry and More Pay to Bite (Yes, Bite) Them". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2022-05-07.
- ^ Sullivan, Al (2016-05-16). "Dr. Dot, masseuse to the stars". Hudson Reporter. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
- ^ Primi, Michelle. "Un tocco rock". Rolling Stone (in Italian).
- ^ a b c d Gizowska, Anna (March 16, 2003). "A life in the day: Dr Dot, masseuse to the stars". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2022-05-07.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Henderson, Janice (October 26, 2014). "Star masseuse: Dr. Dot hasn't forgotten Seacoast roots". Foster's Daily Democrat. Retrieved 2022-05-07.
- ^ a b c Karydes, Megy (2018-03-28). "There's a Psychological Reason This Biting Masseuse Went Viral--and Your Startup Can Use It". Inc. Retrieved 2022-05-07.
- ^ a b Wilson, Craig (January 4, 2013). "What's the rub? Celebrity masseuse tells all". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2022-05-07.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Warrington, Ruby (2015-09-02). "The Go-To Massage Therapist for the Stones, Katy Perry Expands Her Empire". The Observer. Retrieved 2022-05-07.
- ^ Galbraith, Alex (2016-07-22). "Dr. Dot Gets Paid Thousands Of Dollars To Bite Kanye West, David Bowie". UPROXX. Retrieved 2022-05-08.
- ^ a b c d e Helman, Peter (July 21, 2016). "David Bowie, Kanye West, & Sting Agreed To Be Bitten By This Massage Therapist". Stereogum. Retrieved 2022-05-13.
- ^ a b c Izon, Juliet (2017-06-28). "Kanye West and Lady Gaga Pay This Woman to Bite Them". Architectural Digest. Retrieved 2022-05-07.
- ^ a b Parry, Wayne (January 19, 2004). "Dr. Dot: Up Close and Personal with Stars". The Associated Press. Retrieved 2022-05-07 – via News & Record.
- ^ a b Avila, Theresa (July 22, 2016). "Celebrities Now Paying to Have People Literally Bite Them". The Cut. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
- ^ Bryant, Kenzie (2016-07-22). "Justin Bieber Moaned and Someone Bit Kanye: An Unprecedented Week in Celebrity Massage News". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
- ^ a b c d Gordin, Karina (2018-01-25). "Bodywork: Tuning the Instrument of the Soul". Music and Medicine. 10 (1): 18–21. doi:10.47513/mmd.v10i1.555. ISSN 1943-863X.
- ^ "Trademark Status & Document Retrieval". United States Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
- ^ "The Gossip: The next Bond girl (probably) is..." Newsbeat. BBC News. 2016-07-27. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
- ^ Gilbert, Kylie (July 26, 2016). "Celebrities Are Paying to Be Bitten—Seriously". Shape. Retrieved 2022-05-07.
- ^ "Eamonn Holmes gets chomped by bite massage specialist on This Morning". Belfast Telegraph. June 29, 2018. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2022-05-07.
- ^ Mozafari, Laurence (2018-06-29). "Masseuse bites Eamon Holmes on This Morning". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2022-05-14.
- ^ "Eamonn Holmes getting bit by massause is the strangest thing you'll see". Heart. June 30, 2018. Retrieved 2022-05-07.
- ^ a b Mackey, Robert (2009-04-08). "A President, His Masseuse and Her Blog". The New York Times. Retrieved 2022-05-13.
- ^ a b Stern, David L. (April 23, 2009). "Can humor, and a masseuse, bring down a president?". The World. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
- ^ "Pro-Opposition Youth Groups Step-up Campaign in Lead up to April Rallies". Civil Georgia. April 1, 2009. Retrieved 2022-05-13.
- ^ Horowitz, Jason (2014-09-19). "Exile in Brooklyn, With an Eye on Georgia". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
- ^ Taub, Amanda (2014-09-21). "What you need to know about ex-President, current hipster Mikheil Saakashvili". Vox. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
- ^ Evans, Lauren (2014-09-19). "Ex-Georgian President Fits Right In Here In Williamsburg 2014". Gothamist. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
- ^ Klikushin, Mikhail (2015-02-16). "Georgia President Who Ate His Tie Advises Ukrainians How to 'Capture All of Russia'". The Observer. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
- ^ "I love Saakashvili! – Massage specialist Dr Dot". Georgian Journal. August 14, 2014. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
- ^ McGlinchey, Eric M. (September 2009). "Searching for Kamalot: Political Patronage and Youth Politics in Uzbekistan". Europe-Asia Studies. Routledge. 61 (7): 1147. doi:10.1080/09668130903068665. ISSN 0966-8136. JSTOR 27752341.
- ^ Bowen, Alison (September 10, 2015). "Zen commute can take you to a better place". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
- ^ a b "Dr. Dot: Building an empire one massage at a time". The Local. 2010-03-09. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
External links
- Official website