The portrayal of strippers in the media
duomaxwell
So, I saw "We're the Millers" last night (spoiler alert!) and as many of you are aware, Jennifer Aniston plays a stripper/the love interest. Throughout the movie, jokes keep being made at her character's expense with Jason Sudeikis constantly referring to her as a "dirty stripper" (despite the fact that he's a drug dealer, but I guess that's somehow better?) and implying that she sucks dick for money at her job.
At one point in the movie, a character that I think is supposed to be the manager at the strip club she works at comes in and informs her that she'll now be required to have sex with the customers and Jennifer Aniston quits. "Boner Garage" cheers. You guys would like Boner Garage.
So, in the movie: Jennifer Aniston is behind on her rent, had a deadbeat boyfriend that drained her bank account and maxed out her credit cards and is somehow less human than every other character in the movie because she works at a strip club.
Thinking about it, that's kind of how just about every stripper in a movie is portrayed. I can't think of one where a stripper isn't a downtrodden individual getting shat on by everyone from a homeless gutterpunk to a low-ranking drug dealer.
Every time something happened involving Jennifer Aniston my friend would look over at me to check if I was offended and while I did think the movie was pretty funny, most of the humor I found in it was thinking that the writers must have read the TUSCL discussion board.
At one point in the movie, a character that I think is supposed to be the manager at the strip club she works at comes in and informs her that she'll now be required to have sex with the customers and Jennifer Aniston quits. "Boner Garage" cheers. You guys would like Boner Garage.
So, in the movie: Jennifer Aniston is behind on her rent, had a deadbeat boyfriend that drained her bank account and maxed out her credit cards and is somehow less human than every other character in the movie because she works at a strip club.
Thinking about it, that's kind of how just about every stripper in a movie is portrayed. I can't think of one where a stripper isn't a downtrodden individual getting shat on by everyone from a homeless gutterpunk to a low-ranking drug dealer.
Every time something happened involving Jennifer Aniston my friend would look over at me to check if I was offended and while I did think the movie was pretty funny, most of the humor I found in it was thinking that the writers must have read the TUSCL discussion board.
26 comments
I'm NOT surprised considering how the majority of posters here FEEL about dancers. Their views of them are pretty LOW and often misogynistic.
One such film that I can recall, "Showgirls," from the mid-1990's portrays a Las Vegas stripper, who works her way up the entertainment ladder and becomes a Las Vegas showgirl. At least there's some job and life progression being portrayed there.
For more, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Showgirls
After I see "The Millers," I'll be happy to give you a further opinion.
But there are enough exceptions to the rule to beat that notion down. There are just enough clubs around (and we are all trying to find them) where just the right play will get you whatever you need from a hot beauty fro a reasonable price. In many parts of the country that is basically chasing a unicorn. In other parts there is action to be had but the women are over the hill, lacking in aesthetics, or the club is pretty loose and so they have to compete by providing those services. But the vast majority of the time, there are no extras to be had by beautiful women at bargain prices. Just not going to happen. It is that fringe activity, however, that provides enough of a nugget to keep all those misconceptions afloat. And there will other movies with broad brushes of the stripper leads. Sorry, Duo; wish it weren't so.
At least Aniston's character is shown as quitting when the edict to have sex with customers is conveyed to her. I assume "Boner Garage" is anther stripper...
Of course, that raises the question of what her parents expected when the named her Boner, given that their surname was Garage ;-)
They both are good people who I like as individuals as well as sex objects. I'm a customer of the first, so I'm no better on that perspective and I think we should judge people by what they do, rather than whatever they may be. Does the addict piss me off with her erratic behavior and unpredictable behavior? Sure. But I don't think she's ever intentionally hurt anyone. I'd still jump on Jennifer's bones given 1/2 a chance.
In "Players Club", Lisa Raye goes on to become a reporter. Jaime Foxx doesn't play the typical douchebag DJ.
"Porky's" had happy strippers.
But, the only strippers who I know or know about who aren't constantly broke aren't broke because they're doing extras. I don't live in Las Vegas or New York, I live outside of Pittsburgh, and there isn't that much money floating around. And every stripper who I know who is over 30 is worried about where she's going to be and how she's going to pay the rent and put food on her table in 10 years. Every stripper who I know who is younger talks about what they're going to do to quit stripping. Go to school, get a job as a waitress, etc. I've only known strippers personally outside of the club for a couple of years, but I don't know any who have successfully moved on from working as strippers. One has, kind of, but she has a sugar daddy supporting her.
I'd agree with Canny that most don't do extras. But there are plenty of stripper who I know are making bank without doing extras and manage to piss it away and lack an exit plan.
Of course it takes more nerve and Hopefully good looks to do it in a club.
Might be like Darth Vader speaking telling Luke Sky walker, "I am your father!". Then you hear, Noooooooo.
No offense intended Duo.
I grew up watching all the bruce lee, chuck norris, jean claude van damme movies I could get my hands on thinking that was the real deal, then entered a tae kwon do tournament and well, them thar movies aren't accurate AT ALL!!! You want to see real martial arts in action, peep this footage from the tournament
http://youtu.be/9X0SiqUXUQo
I do find it stupid that a drug dealer is portrayed as being superior morally to a stripper.