HEARD FROM THE GRAPEVINE...

Jameson Fights Moralists Over Arizona Lap Dance Club

$$$$$$ queen Jenna Jameson is begging dignitaries in Scottsdale, Ariz., to ignore religious zealots who are trying to put her exotic dance club in the city out of business.

In a letter to Scottsdale Mayor Mary Manross, the X-rated actress claims officials are being misled by a hardcore religious organization that is attempting to run her out of town.

Jameson club, Babe's Cabaret, faces closure under a proposed change in city ordinances governing "sexually oriented businesses."

But she claims the new laws were drawn up by "a well-known hired gun for the religious right," who has rewritten city laws in a bid to "shut down a business that has been operating peacefully and legally for over 20 years in the same location."

Jameson alleges the new laws will restrict business and ban lucrative lap dances, forcing patrons to look for their thrills elsewhere.

She fumes, "Mayor Manross and the council have been misled by a small but vocal group of moralists who want to impose their beliefs on the city of Scottsdale.

"Erotic dancing has been declared a legal form of artistic expression in court after court, including the U.S. Supreme Court. Whether you want to watch erotic dances or not is entirely up to you, but no one has the right to impose their own narrow moralism on the rest of us."

The Scottsdale City Council will vote on the proposed ordinance change, which would also bar serving alcoholic beverages at Jameson's club on December 12.