Nomi Malone is a young drifter who hitchhikes to Las Vegas hoping to make it as a showgirl. After being robbed by her driver, Nomi meets Molly Abrams, a costume designer who becomes her roommate. Molly invites Nomi backstage at ''Goddess'', the Stardust Resort & Casino show where she works, to meet Cristal Connors, the diva star of the topless dance revue. When Nomi tells Cristal she dances at Cheetah's Topless Club, Cristal derisively tells her that what she does is akin to prostitution. When Nomi is too upset to go to work that night, Molly takes her dancing at The Crave Club. Nomi is arrested after causing a fight involving James, a bouncer at the club. James bails Nomi out of jail, but she pays him little notice.