Stripper fees and the idiot premium

avatar for David9999
David9999
Someone brought this up on the other thread, that dancers by having to constantly deal with idiots, weidos, jerks, social misfits, and other rude customers, by that alone, it to a large degree justifies their often relatively high pay. There is some truth to that.

Look at is this way: in upscale clubs at least these clubs are (nearly) always stocked with a nice collection of attractive dancers 7 days a week and generally 13 plus hours a day -meaning they are offering private dance services to practically anyone who walks in off the street and has the requisite (lets say) 25 dollars

As normal customers its not our fault that these customers behave or were born that way, but we do benefit from the go-anytime-dance-anytime nature of strip clubs. So this idiot premium is like a tax that normal customers must pay, however in turn we are given access and convenience and this comes at an added price

Most normal people consciously or subconsciously filter out people from their lives not meeting certain minimally accepted standards of behavior or sanity, however public jobs by definition often require dealing with many many odd people. Anyone that for example that has directly sold their own house or particularly self owned investor type properties will understand this concept

Stripper jobs unlike nearly any other public job require both a high volume of customers along with often a level of intimacy w/o the ability to screen potential customers to any high degree

The bottom line is while I still believe strippers are overpaid relative to ongoing and upcoming trends occuring in the marketplace and the economy, I will admit that some part of the premium we presently pay them is simply compensation for them having to deal with either weirdos, idiots, or other undesireables of various types

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avatar for jablake
jablake
17 years ago
Hi David9999,

It is funny, but I think sometimes the dancers would rather have 100% jerks and weirdos.

There are so few dancers that I've met who have excess "love" available to share. That can actually give themselves emotionally without apparently a high cost to themselves. It is like OK, Mr. Stranger, you want to have a fantastic time tonight? I'm 100% real and love to have a fantastic time. I can deal with numerous emotional demands from nice guys and can have a wonderful time sharing the moment. If you decide to vanish, then I will just remember the fun and not think what could have been.

I'd rather deal with weirdos and jerks, then find 100s of women customers who could be Ms. Right only to see them disappear without explanation. Especially, if those 100s of women were regulars. That, at least for me, would be way too much emotional overload assuming I was feeling genuine emotions. It would also be extremely draining.

The solution seems to be to build an emotional wall even for those customers who click. I believe this emotional wall is sort of like a scar or in some cases it is just a toughening. This isn't "free" or "easy" money generally speaking from what I can see.

Now, the game wasn't always like that at least here in Miami. More small clubs and open discrimination for any reason use to be in play. It makes a difference. More small clubs equalled lower fees and fines hence less stress to shake booty for $$$. Also, it equalled different club cultures so that a dancer could probably easily find a club that was more like a fun hangout or a hell zone depending on her personality. A fantastic example was the old The Trap. Those dancers were having a good time. It was a friendly party atmosphere and you could see it in the dancers. I've talked with dancers long retired and they still feel very positive about The Trap and wish the good old days could return. Those good old days were definitely known to be good old days at the time, which also made it special. :)

And, customers hung around just like the dancers. It was fun, but a little upscale for me i.e. middle class.

I think it is also "Stripper fees and the emotional premium." Eliminate the emotions and I think the work becomes very easy even if there are jerks and weirdos. BTW, when I was in retail the jerks and weirdos really didn't bother me that much at all. Heck, I'm considered a jerk and weirdo by some people. :) It was being in tune with nice customers that was more draining. Little old lady loses her grandson, who was a piece of shit, and for me it would hurt. I'd feel for the little old lady because she was a sweet customer. Multiply that by a lot of sweet customers and it is like OK please show me some garbage customers so I can relax and be what I'm supposed to be. :)

avatar for ThisOldManPlayed1
ThisOldManPlayed1
17 years ago
To me, stripper jobs are no different than any other "public service" jobs, except it's in the sex industry. Pretty simple.
avatar for Book Guy
Book Guy
17 years ago
Generally we don't pay postal workers MORE for having to deal with the loonies who go to the post office every day. In fact, usually the jobs which deal with all the world's many misfits are jobs which pay more poorly than the jobs which deal only with the clean-cut and professional. Think of it. A typical corporate law associate wears a suit, attends an office, bathes every day, is expected not to curse or spit, went to a good college, and gets to spend all his or her time with other lawyers behaving similarly: $100,00.oo per year. A typical Wal-Mart checker has the "idiot premium" of having a much higher risk of fire-arms being brandished at him or her at the workplace, of having to act polite to stinky morbidly obese people who are wearing flimsy t-shirts and NOTHING UNDERNEATH, of handling items manually which might transmit diseases from other people, of having hours that are not desirable and colleagues that are poorly educated, and generally deals with misfits and idiots all day long: $15,000.oo per year. Doesn't seem that the idiot premium applies in those circumstances.
avatar for David9999
David9999
17 years ago
"To me, stripper jobs are no different than any other "public service" jobs, except it's in the sex industry. Pretty simple."

That "pretty simple" conclusion is very Yoda-like, however stripper jobs (like all sex worker jobs including streetwalking, MPs, escorts) are very different than typical interactions with the drycleaning lady, dental hygenist, or lady at the bank

The idiot premium I refer to is in the context of having to perform relatively (by female standards) intimate acts with random walk-in customers- this is not happening at Walmart or nearly any other business outside the sex worker business

Except for maybe streetwalkers, strippers have to also deal with (effectively) unscreened high volume - this is different with most escorts, many of whom only have 1 or 2 clients a day plus the upscales (at least) usually screen - now MPs and AMPS often while open (e.g walk-ins) to the public still have limited volume relative to typical strippers

Volume + Idiots = higher price
avatar for David9999
David9999
17 years ago
"The solution seems to be to build an emotional wall even for those customers who click."

Of course the normal problem is when the customer likes the dancer, but yes dancers do sometimes like customers (at least as people) and very very rarely something beyond that - however I doubt most women can successfully build such an emotional wall, possible in theory but unlikely in practice

avatar for Yoda
Yoda
17 years ago
Idiot Premium? WTF are you talking about? SHE IS NAKED! That is why she is charging what she charges. Can you get strange women off the street to strip and grind on your lap for free? If so let us all know where so we can go too.
avatar for arbeeguy
arbeeguy
17 years ago
OK I just want to tease Book Guy a little bit cuz over the many posts he has provided, I have gotten to respect him as smart, well-informed, articulate, etc. but his post a few frames up from here was well below his usual standard. First of all, $100,00.oo - what kind of nonsense is that. I assume he meant one hundred thousand dollars. But that ain't what he wrote. Secondly, it is ridiculous to compare an average law firm associate with an average Walmart employee and draw ANY meaningful comparison. To become an associate in a law firm requires around seven years of college, thousands of dollars of tuition etc., self discipline, brains, etc. Even with all that, it ain't at all easy to snare a one hundred thousand dollar job at a law firm. Probly 10 qualified applicants for each opening. Walmart obviously is a different story. What does this have to do with Strippers? Nothing. I am just suggesting that Book Guy being one of the most articulate posters should think through what he has to say and make sure it makes sense before he writes it down. That's all, and have a nice day, everybody.
avatar for David9999
David9999
17 years ago
Lets assume a stripper is an 8 or higher level girl, which I believe should be the min level at least for the upscale clubs, and now lets assume she's going to put the same effort into her job as a lawyer, dentist or doctor starting out in their career - actually lets assume 50%of the effort, because in those professions, you are working nearly around the clock or least very very long hours the first 10 years

I'm not even going to take into account the 7 years it takes to be a lawyer and the bar exam or 10 to 14 years with internships and residencies for medical doctors, or 8 or 10 for dentists - or the cost of that education -lets just assume the girl will work almost as hard

By that comparison she's double-shifting 2 or 3 times a week, she's using some variation of the "wanna dance", she's improving her "art" all the time, working to improve all the time - now with all that she's has a great shot of making MORE than most starting out professionals, particuarly when you take out the tax hit, plus many are working 20 years or more if they take care of themselves

Actually many have made more JUST working 5 shifts a week, and I know of cases with girls definitely hitting in the 100k to 130k range

The question then becomes why dancers are paid so much when they do relatively little compared to other even more intimate sex worker positions such as AMPs and escorts

To explain this "premium" or extra amount of what should be a more normal rate, one has to ask what type of things does the job require, and I've noticed that dealing with the public to the extent they do and offering relatively intimate services w/o or hardly any screening at all - that has to be factored into the price for dancers

Otherwise you'd have a huge flood of girls into the profession which would lower prices, but most cannot stand dealing with the type of patrons strippers (very often) have to deal with on a day-to-day basis

Of couse going nude is expensive to the buying party, however it still seems to be currently priced excessively relative to other comparable professions
avatar for Yoda
Yoda
17 years ago
You are obviously preaching to the choir here on TUSCL...

Why don't you bring this topic up in the club on your next visit. I'm sure the ladies would be up for a spirited debate on subject. Just don't plan on getting any decent dances after you tell them that they charge too much.
avatar for chipitin
chipitin
17 years ago
I believe the premium they make is because clubs can provide legal prostitution for customers. Prostitution is technically touching breasts, legs, butt, genitals, etc to cause sexual arousal for the exchange of money. Strip clubs are the only "safe" place to engage in this act without fear of being arrested, especially for the customer. It's never advertised that you get this service in clubs, but look around this site and you can see this is the expectation of almost all of the members here. Have you ever heard of a customer being arrested for getting carried away in a club? No, because it is safe for us and I never have to worry about making that embarrassing call home. Strippers can be arrested, but usually don't as long as the touching does not include FS or BJ, etc, and the club provides a perfect place for them to participate in good money business without worrying about security and being able to control mileage to their liking. Sure one can get more action from an escort for the same amount of money, but with that luxury carries considerable additional risks legal, security, unknowns, etc.
avatar for FONDL
FONDL
17 years ago
They get a premium because they're willing to do stuff that most girls wouldn't do. There's a shortage of good dancers, which is why many clubs have little choice but to hire girls who shouldn't be dancing. That shortage translates into higher earnings, just like it does anywhere else where there's a shortage of qualified people.
avatar for David9999
David9999
17 years ago
"They get a premium because they're willing to do stuff that most girls wouldn't do."

As Yoda stated on the blue side of the pink site, dancers have to deal with anything from "raincoats to romeos.". Its that large range of effectively unscreened men, some Ok but some very odd, a group probably considerably larger than any other group of sex workers (except maybe streetwalkers) that has a direct impact on turnover and women's willingness to stay in the profession - and all of that impacts the final price to the normal every-day patron
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