Shablee

Shablee is a dark-skinned makeup artist who is working at La Costa Lotta. She is revealed to have been born a man, is still a man (is actually a cross dresser), and thus possesses a penis, and is a homosexual character (at which point the gender pronouns used change to masculine for the character).

He or She is one of the characters whom Larry must seduce (or be seduced by) in order to win the heart of Shamara Payne.

Background

Larry meets her at La Costa Lotta, when he wins an all-expenses paid trip there in Leisure Suit Larry 6: Shape Up or Slip Out!

Unbeknownst to Larry, Shablee is actually a gay transvestite and likes dressing up as a woman, and acting as if he is a woman. (she was born a he, and that is why "she" knows what a 'man' really wants). Once Larry realizes she has a penis (when Shablee puts on his condom, instead of Larry himself), Larry starts to spit and gag due to their prior kissing. While he preoccupied and vomiting, Shablee comes up behind him and Larry screams as the screen turns to black (with Shablee raping Larry). The next morning he takes the warm remnants of Shablee's champagne, deciding it's okay to take it as he had "EARNED this".

Of all the women Larry has ever met in all of his games, Shablee gives him the biggest, and most unwelcome, surprise. He meters in the make-up classroom at La Costa Lotta health spa in Larry 6. She promises him a wonderful time as a reward for an item of clothing. And she certainly comes through on the each at night, but in a very unexpected way. For it turns out she is no lady.

Personality and traits

He has a beard and is good at covering it up with his expert makeup. He is also said to have a twelve inch tongue. He only has an interest in men according to his exclusive interview.

Gallery

Behind the scenes

Shablee is listed as one of Larry's "Girls", however the gag is that she turns out to actually be a 'man'.

The game forshadows the twist at several points during the date:

Wow! Shablee!! I've kissed quite a few women in my time, but I've never experienced anything quite like that!

Larry, perhaps you've finally found someone who really knows what a man wants!

She's ready to give you even more than you can take, Larry!

Before finally revealing the 'big secret':

No wonder Shablee knows what a man likes!

The official hintbook also hints on the fact that Shablee is actually a man, and also jokes that possibly Larry is possibly 'bisexual' and 'enjoyed it':

Take the condom. Soon it will be night, and you'll join Shablee at the beach for a moment you'll always remember!

Learn the truth about Shablee (and possibly yourself?). After gargling in your bathroom, head for the beach.

In the Design documents, she is described as follows:

Shablee is our perky little black transvestite spa guest. Beautiful babe, good dresser, nice make-up, hair. She "hangs out" in the Make-Up Classroom, trying to powder over her beard, although no one will ever suspect this from her picture...

When it discusses putting on the condom it questions her 'gender' pointing that Shablee is not actually a woman:

...an unusual girl who waits until the crucial moment to ask Larry if he has a condom, then wears it "herself"...

When you give it to her, she discretely turns away to put it on "herself".

Further more if that wasn't enough to spell it out it also states at several points throughout the document (one even indicating that Shablee is a gay rapist):

Click the condom on her. Learn she's no she. Wake up in your bathroom the next day, gargling your heart out.

If you gave Shablee the evening gown, he/she is waiting for you here....Larry's body covers her genitals, but its plain to see her new gown is riding up noticeably in front. Larry does a take sickens as he realizes what he's done, and begins spitting, trying to get that taste out of his mouth.

Complimentary Condom: ...Used on the beach with your girlie-man, Shablee.

Warm Champagne: Take from the Beach the morning after your first (admitted) homosexual experience...

From the Official Book of Leisure Suit Larry we have:

Yeah, and you're gonna learn she's no lady! That was a dirty trick you played on me, Al."

Was it? Heh, heh. No harm done, just a little shock, Lar. So you wake up in your room the next day.

Shablee appears to be a 'transvestite fetishist' as a male who gets pleasure off of wearing women's clothing. When you first meet Shablee "she" is wearing more or less unisex workout clothes, and as some of the guides point out more covered up (wearing more clothes) than most of the other 'female' characters (but dreams of having a fancy women's dress), which foreshadows his sexual fetish, though the breasts seem to imply that he has had some form of cosmetic surgery done (or at the very least very realistic prosthetics & makeup work). At least one guide (and some jokes in the game) does try to suggest that he is actually flat chested (thus why "she" wears such baggy unrevealing clothes, and is also good at hiding his beard). ...or it even be Larry's own 'beer goggles' as the narrator seems to point out...:

You can only imagine what must lie beneath that top. (Since you'll never actually see it in THIS game!)"

Not yet, honeybunch. But, believe you me, I could rip this sweater off and be all over you in an instant. But not without protection. No siree, not me.

Another interesting change is in the The Official Book Of Leisure Suit Larry Shablee is completely removed from the list of "Larry's Ladies" since Larry confirmed she was 'no lady' since the Third Edition (where as in the previous book "she" had been listed as Larry's Lady #10).

Once the character's true gender is discovered many of guides switch to calling 'her/she' a 'he' or a 'man' as 'his' true gender.

Shablee is very likely a stereotype and satire of the transvestite character from The Crying Game.