"We've gone through cars, flowers, gems, perfumes, colors. You'll always find a Mercedes or Porsche or Ruby."
So says Rick's Cabaret spokesman Lonnie Hanover, in an interview with the New York Post. It seems that the largest operator of gentlemen's clubs in the country has just about run out of names for its dancers.
The Post reports:
Rick's has employed more than 3,000 strippers over the past half-decade, including 1,000 on its current roster. But no two "active" dancers -- girls who've stripped in the past year -- are allowed to have the same working title. Hanover says requested names serve as a popularity poll for each generation's sex symbols. "I've been going through Pamelas for 20 years. There have been a lot of Giselles," says Hanover. "I've run out of suggestions."
It was bound to happen. There are simply more women entering the industry these days.
In February, Atlanta Journal-Constitution police reporter Megan Matteucci noticed large numbers of women lined up at Atlanta Police headquarters every time she went to pick up reports. Detectives told Matteucci the women were applying for a license to strip. Intrigued, Matteucci made a Freedom of Information Act request for numbers on adult-entertainment permits and discovered some interesting facts.
She writes:
"Atlanta police say they've seen a spike in applications for adult-entertainment permits in the past year or so due to the recession and the recent change in Georgia law that allows nude dancers to be as young as 18."
And:
"Among the usual aspiring actresses and dancers, there are more college students, single mothers trailing toddlers, health and office professionals and even a few age-defying grandmothers -- all looking for well-paid work in a city with unemployment above 10 percent."
Angelina Spencer of the Association of Club Executives, a national trade association comprised of club owners and professionals, told Mateucci, “Women who may not have ever thought about working in the industry are rethinking†the idea, said , manager of the Washington, DC-based trade group. “Unfortunately, mortgages, car payments and groceries don't go away in a bad economy.â€
Apparently, neither do strip club patrons.
Economist Donald Ratajczak of Georgia State University's Economic Forecasting Center maintains that even a conservative estimate of the economic impact of such clubs translates to a staggering $200-$240 million, which is more than the economic impact of the Braves, Hawks and Falcons combined.
It's difficult to argue with. According to the Association of Club Executives, the industry "boasts 3,829 adult cabarets nationwide that employ over 500,000 people" and "a single gentlemen's club in a major metropolitan area grosses between $10-20 million per year. A small club in a rural area (Less than 5000 square feet) can generate over a million dollars while cities in secondary markets such as Cleveland or Pittsburgh boast clubs that gross approximately $2 million per year."
As for the dearth of stripper-like names still available to Rick's dancers, well...this may signal a return to basics, as we're currently seeing in other areas of society.
How long will it be before "Amber to the main stage," is replaced by, "Betsy to the Champagne Room?" And what will this "back to basics" movement mean for the Socionomists watching this development for insights into what the future holds for financial markets?
Comments
last commentPerhaps some Chinese names? Or just Betsy1, Betsy2, Betsy3, . . .?
xmanuela
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This article reminds me of a classic science fiction story by Arthur C. Clarke called "The Nine Billion Names of God". In the story, there is an order of monks in Tibet that are compiling a list of the names of God. It was their belief that when their work was done, the world's purpose would be served and our universe would come to an end. They bought a computer and hired programmers to compile a list of the names of God. The programmers decided to run off before the job was finished just in case the monks got violent when the foretold Apocalypse failed to happen- as they left they looked up at the sky and noticed the stars began to wink out...
Geez, hope the stage lights don't shut off at Ricks just because they've run out of names for the dancers :p
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Gee, thanks, Sam - as if I didn't have enough things to worry about...
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I would be interested in seeing Rick's stripper name database.
Here is my own tentative attempt at a stripper name taxonomy:
Ends in “i†– Bambi, Nikki, Lexi, etc.
Ends in “y†- Tiffany, Roxy, Lilly, Cherry, etc.
Flowers – Daisy, Rose, Violet, Dahlia, etc.
Foreign Cities – Paris, London, Milan, etc.
US Cities – Austin, Madison, Savannah, Dallas, Cheyenne, etc.
States – Montana, Jersey, Dakota, Cali, etc.
Countries – Brazil, Jordan, China, etc.
Colors - Scarlett, Amber, Ebony, Red, etc.
Jewels – Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, etc.
Nature – Robin, Ivy, Sky, etc.
Decoratives - Silk, coral, crystal, etc.
Calendar girls – Summer, April, Wednesday, January etc.
3 Letter Names – Ana, Gia, Ava, Mia, etc.
Soul sister – Alieya, Kiari, Shayla, etc.
Brazilians – Giselle, Adrianna, GiGi, Marianna, Leticia, Ana, Gabriela
Russkies – Sasha, Nikita, Karina, Sophie, Katrina, Tatiana, etc.
Asians – Leilani, Maui, China, Jade, etc.
Sweets – Candy, Honey, Sugar, Cherry, etc.
Fates- Karisma, Exotica, Exstacy, Destiny, etc.
Weather – Storm, Sky, Dawn, Sunny, Sunshine, etc.
Biblical – Angel, Eden, Eve, Heaven, etc.
Boys Names – Payton, Taylor, Stevie, Carter, etc.
Autos – Porsche, Mercedes, Lexus, etc.
Latinas – Maria, Carmen, Isabella, Selena, etc.
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I have been to a few clubs that should use animal names. Those like, Whale, Cow, Pig, Walrus, and others.
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How about names based on STDs? Gonorrhea, Clamydia...
Colors? Amber, Fuscia, Scarlet (already in use), Taupe, Mauve, Alizarin Crimson, Ochre...
Animals? Cheetah, Gazzel, Toad, Marsupial, Otter...
Shapes? Rhombus, Hourglass, Sphere...
Can't leave out plant names... Fern, Lily, Rose (already in use), Oak, Elm, Fir...
Just a few suggestions. :)
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So that's why John Lennon wrote "I Am The Walrus".
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I humbly suggest "BBBJ75," "CFS150"... these would be useful.
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What is the profit margin on a $2M gross? Could be a business opportunity in Calgary for me. Retirement boredom could vanish.
Wait. I would be the strippers' boss not the customer. Very bad idea.
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Yeah, but think of the possibilities, farmerart. Open a club, we'd have a home away from home up in Alberta. I like Calgary, I skiied in the mountains west of Calgary, I enjoyed the day I spent in Calgary. Give me a good reason to come back and I'll give your place good reviews too. LOL
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art, being their boss can have more benefits than being their customer, probably more headaches too ;)
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Dumb asses could always click on babynames.com
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I don't think the name Diarhhea has been taken.
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Rhombus...LOL...
If they have a rule that there can't be any dancer within the entire national chain that has the same stage name, then that's a stupid rule IMO. I can see not having two dancers with the same name working at the same club or even in the same region of the country, but anything else is overkill.
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