Is There Life After the End of a Long Marriage?
One man's journey to find a new life after the break-up of a marriage of more then 20 years.
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Boob-jobs, The Other White Meat
Part 3
I wanted to preface this chapter because I know that after reading the first two parts, some of you will think that you know why my marriage failed and that I am just a womanizer, plain and simple. The fact is, I was a faithful and loving husband and father for more than 20 years, (which is more than can be said for my ex), and it wasn’t until we separated that I even entertained the notion of another woman. For my life since then, I make no apologies. All the women that I have been with have been consenting adults and as far as using someone goes, I would say we were even. So hold someone else up to your high moral standards, because meeting yours doesn’t concern me in the least! And since I have no plans to run for political office it shouldn’t concern you either.
Vanity, thy name is…
The Showgirl’s obsession with her appearance is just a natural by-product of her occupation. Sure, most dancers are, on average, more concerned with the way they look then the girl on the street. And since nowadays most dancers completely shave their pubic regions, every blemish, wrinkle, stretch mark and mole is on display. Vanity is a necessary component of the Showgirl’s personality. Without it, few would have the courage it takes, (and believe me it does take courage), to get up on stage night after night in front of a crowd of strange men.
Many men, (at least the one’s who have even thought about it), assume that the Showgirl takes the night off when she is on her period. On the contrary… most can’t afford the luxury. Most I have known simply snip off the tampon’s string and push it in out of sight. The problem is, without the string to remind them, some may forget that they already have one in and insert a second one behind it. This can make the first one extremely difficult to retrieve. A professional Showgirl rarely makes this mistake twice. Most dancers are fastidious about their hygiene and a package of baby wipes is an absolute necessity in every Showgirl’s bag. Every trip to the ladies room warrants a full inspection in the mirror for the errant piece of toilet tissue, which if missed, will glow brightly under the black lights on stage.
Cosmetic, or Vanity Surgery takes many forms these days. But for the Showgirl the breast augmentation, or the “boob job” is far and away the most popular. Having paid for a few of these and served as caregiver to their recipients post-operatively, I am well acquainted with the procedure. But if you want the full “411” there are websites which do it better than I could.
When it comes to “their boob-job” most dancers have the “Dolly Parton” or “Pam Anderson” Syndromes. That is, if a large “C” cup looks good, then double-D’s must be even better. This quest for extreme size often results in a cartoon-ish appearance, stretch marks, wrinkling and an increased appearance of blue veins near the surface of the skin. Many girls simply don’t have the skin elasticity to contain these over-sized implants and they appear as if an alien larva will burst forth from their chests at any moment. In accordance with the old adage, “you get what you pay for”, the strip club is a virtual showcase of the very best and the very worst cases of breast augmentation surgery. The good one’s make the botched ones look even worse by comparison. Though they don’t, the best boob-jobs should earn their recipients a referral fee from the surgeon. They are walking advertisements and the best are always asked who did them.
With the possible exception of Hollywood starlets, no one is a stronger proponent of cosmetic surgery then the strip club headliner. These are the traveling Showgirls who make their living “on the road”. They have usually done several nude pictorials in the popular men’s magazines and many have starred in X-rated features. Usually the “Porn Queens” are most in demand as headliners. In an attempt to prolong their careers and increase their bookings, many will opt for liposuction to trim and sculpt their problem parts. This is a hard life of hotel rooms and fast food. Relationships are hard to maintain and after awhile many find that it is just not worth it.
The most extreme case of stripper cosmetic surgery vanity, (to my knowledge), comes from a dancer friend of mine. She was so self-conscious of her labia, (pussy lips), that hung down a few inches, that she had them surgically reduced. She was so pleased with the results that less then a week after the surgery she rushed over to my apartment to get my opinion before the stitches were even out. What many people can’t even fathom is that a Showgirl’s makeup, costumes, and yes, even cosmetic surgeries, may be legitimate tax deductions.
Vegas baby, Vegas
Nowhere in the world does the advantage of large breasts factor in then in the adult playground of Las Vegas. Strip clubs around the nation suffer periodic lulls in business for a variety of reasons. And it is usually during these times that local Showgirls will consider making a trip to work a week or two in the Nevada clubs. Las Vegas clubs certainly cater to a more affluent clientele but some dancers opt for Reno clubs as well. These clubs have very strict standards and small-breasted Showgirls simply do not make the cut! I have known dancers that got boob-jobs simply so they could work Vegas. What can go on in the VIP rooms there is not for the squeamish dancer. It is one place that money will buy the well-heeled patron almost whatever he wants. Many girls form groups to travel to Vegas together to share expenses and hotel rooms and to lend moral support. I have known girls who have made $5,000 per week and up, though their expenses often offset these profits. Almost all of the girls that go to Vegas say they spent much more than they planned during their trip and most return with new costumes that can also eat up some of their profits. Oddly, very few of the dancers I know spend much on gambling on these trips.
Stage Presence
A large part of a Showgirl’s stock in trade is her stage performance. So much attention is paid to it that some strip club franchises sponsor “Showgirl of the year” and “Pole Olympics” contests to showcase these talents. There are often cash prizes for the best in each category and the sponsoring club is often filled to capacity with patrons. The best performers display a level of athleticism, style and grace that compares well to that of Olympic gymnasts. I have known many Showgirls who take it very seriously and who have practiced thousands of hours to perfectly choreograph their stage performance. Many will agonize over their selection of just the right costume, music and stage lighting. If one dancer uses another’s music or copies a move that she considers her trademark, all hell can break loose.
Strip club Dynamics
The last topic concerning the life of Showgirls that I will address is the work environment itself. Not unlike other occupations, workplace politics, backstabbing, cliques and employer-employee loyalty issues permeate the strip club. Unknown to many, including the majority of patrons, most Showgirls are not employees of the club. They are, in fact, independent contractors. Usually no withholdings are taken from their pay (except rent), they get no benefits, (no medical/dental insurance, maternity leave or retirement), and they assume full responsibility for reporting, (or not reporting), their income to the IRS.
Are you just happy to see me…
Or is that your hand in my pocket?
The majority of Showgirls are paid directly by the customer either for lap dances or in the form of tips for their stage performances. The club receives its cut in the form of an admission fee and drink minimum charged to the patron at the door, rent paid by the Showgirl, (the rent charged to a Showgirl is currently $140/shift at Déjà Vu in Seattle), a cut of each dance performed and on the drinks sold to both the patron and the drinks the patron buys for the Showgirl. State laws vary with respect to the serving of alcoholic beverages but many states do not allow alcohol where total nudity takes place. It is not uncommon for a club to charge $5 to $10 dollars to a patron for a coke that costs them less than fifty cents. Many clubs pack more than 100 girls on the floor to up their take from rents that have more than doubled in the past five to seven years. The final insult to the Showgirl comes at the end of the night where she must tip the Deejay, the Bouncers, the Doorman and the parking lot attendant on the way to her car.
Just an opinion, but for your consideration… There are about 2,400 Strip clubs in the nation, which employ 500,000 to 750,000 people and rake in an estimated $15 billion annually. Besides dancers, strip clubs employ beverage servers, disc jockeys, bouncers, retail clerks and parking attendants. If these workers were to form a cohesive union for the purpose of collective bargaining, they would be one of the strongest unions in the country. I have seen the word “union” strike terror in the hearts of strip club owners.
I wanted to preface this chapter because I know that after reading the first two parts, some of you will think that you know why my marriage failed and that I am just a womanizer, plain and simple. The fact is, I was a faithful and loving husband and father for more than 20 years, (which is more than can be said for my ex), and it wasn’t until we separated that I even entertained the notion of another woman. For my life since then, I make no apologies. All the women that I have been with have been consenting adults and as far as using someone goes, I would say we were even. So hold someone else up to your high moral standards, because meeting yours doesn’t concern me in the least! And since I have no plans to run for political office it shouldn’t concern you either.
Vanity, thy name is…
The Showgirl’s obsession with her appearance is just a natural by-product of her occupation. Sure, most dancers are, on average, more concerned with the way they look then the girl on the street. And since nowadays most dancers completely shave their pubic regions, every blemish, wrinkle, stretch mark and mole is on display. Vanity is a necessary component of the Showgirl’s personality. Without it, few would have the courage it takes, (and believe me it does take courage), to get up on stage night after night in front of a crowd of strange men.
Many men, (at least the one’s who have even thought about it), assume that the Showgirl takes the night off when she is on her period. On the contrary… most can’t afford the luxury. Most I have known simply snip off the tampon’s string and push it in out of sight. The problem is, without the string to remind them, some may forget that they already have one in and insert a second one behind it. This can make the first one extremely difficult to retrieve. A professional Showgirl rarely makes this mistake twice. Most dancers are fastidious about their hygiene and a package of baby wipes is an absolute necessity in every Showgirl’s bag. Every trip to the ladies room warrants a full inspection in the mirror for the errant piece of toilet tissue, which if missed, will glow brightly under the black lights on stage.
Cosmetic, or Vanity Surgery takes many forms these days. But for the Showgirl the breast augmentation, or the “boob job” is far and away the most popular. Having paid for a few of these and served as caregiver to their recipients post-operatively, I am well acquainted with the procedure. But if you want the full “411” there are websites which do it better than I could.
When it comes to “their boob-job” most dancers have the “Dolly Parton” or “Pam Anderson” Syndromes. That is, if a large “C” cup looks good, then double-D’s must be even better. This quest for extreme size often results in a cartoon-ish appearance, stretch marks, wrinkling and an increased appearance of blue veins near the surface of the skin. Many girls simply don’t have the skin elasticity to contain these over-sized implants and they appear as if an alien larva will burst forth from their chests at any moment. In accordance with the old adage, “you get what you pay for”, the strip club is a virtual showcase of the very best and the very worst cases of breast augmentation surgery. The good one’s make the botched ones look even worse by comparison. Though they don’t, the best boob-jobs should earn their recipients a referral fee from the surgeon. They are walking advertisements and the best are always asked who did them.
With the possible exception of Hollywood starlets, no one is a stronger proponent of cosmetic surgery then the strip club headliner. These are the traveling Showgirls who make their living “on the road”. They have usually done several nude pictorials in the popular men’s magazines and many have starred in X-rated features. Usually the “Porn Queens” are most in demand as headliners. In an attempt to prolong their careers and increase their bookings, many will opt for liposuction to trim and sculpt their problem parts. This is a hard life of hotel rooms and fast food. Relationships are hard to maintain and after awhile many find that it is just not worth it.
The most extreme case of stripper cosmetic surgery vanity, (to my knowledge), comes from a dancer friend of mine. She was so self-conscious of her labia, (pussy lips), that hung down a few inches, that she had them surgically reduced. She was so pleased with the results that less then a week after the surgery she rushed over to my apartment to get my opinion before the stitches were even out. What many people can’t even fathom is that a Showgirl’s makeup, costumes, and yes, even cosmetic surgeries, may be legitimate tax deductions.
Vegas baby, Vegas
Nowhere in the world does the advantage of large breasts factor in then in the adult playground of Las Vegas. Strip clubs around the nation suffer periodic lulls in business for a variety of reasons. And it is usually during these times that local Showgirls will consider making a trip to work a week or two in the Nevada clubs. Las Vegas clubs certainly cater to a more affluent clientele but some dancers opt for Reno clubs as well. These clubs have very strict standards and small-breasted Showgirls simply do not make the cut! I have known dancers that got boob-jobs simply so they could work Vegas. What can go on in the VIP rooms there is not for the squeamish dancer. It is one place that money will buy the well-heeled patron almost whatever he wants. Many girls form groups to travel to Vegas together to share expenses and hotel rooms and to lend moral support. I have known girls who have made $5,000 per week and up, though their expenses often offset these profits. Almost all of the girls that go to Vegas say they spent much more than they planned during their trip and most return with new costumes that can also eat up some of their profits. Oddly, very few of the dancers I know spend much on gambling on these trips.
Stage Presence
A large part of a Showgirl’s stock in trade is her stage performance. So much attention is paid to it that some strip club franchises sponsor “Showgirl of the year” and “Pole Olympics” contests to showcase these talents. There are often cash prizes for the best in each category and the sponsoring club is often filled to capacity with patrons. The best performers display a level of athleticism, style and grace that compares well to that of Olympic gymnasts. I have known many Showgirls who take it very seriously and who have practiced thousands of hours to perfectly choreograph their stage performance. Many will agonize over their selection of just the right costume, music and stage lighting. If one dancer uses another’s music or copies a move that she considers her trademark, all hell can break loose.
Strip club Dynamics
The last topic concerning the life of Showgirls that I will address is the work environment itself. Not unlike other occupations, workplace politics, backstabbing, cliques and employer-employee loyalty issues permeate the strip club. Unknown to many, including the majority of patrons, most Showgirls are not employees of the club. They are, in fact, independent contractors. Usually no withholdings are taken from their pay (except rent), they get no benefits, (no medical/dental insurance, maternity leave or retirement), and they assume full responsibility for reporting, (or not reporting), their income to the IRS.
Are you just happy to see me…
Or is that your hand in my pocket?
The majority of Showgirls are paid directly by the customer either for lap dances or in the form of tips for their stage performances. The club receives its cut in the form of an admission fee and drink minimum charged to the patron at the door, rent paid by the Showgirl, (the rent charged to a Showgirl is currently $140/shift at Déjà Vu in Seattle), a cut of each dance performed and on the drinks sold to both the patron and the drinks the patron buys for the Showgirl. State laws vary with respect to the serving of alcoholic beverages but many states do not allow alcohol where total nudity takes place. It is not uncommon for a club to charge $5 to $10 dollars to a patron for a coke that costs them less than fifty cents. Many clubs pack more than 100 girls on the floor to up their take from rents that have more than doubled in the past five to seven years. The final insult to the Showgirl comes at the end of the night where she must tip the Deejay, the Bouncers, the Doorman and the parking lot attendant on the way to her car.
Just an opinion, but for your consideration… There are about 2,400 Strip clubs in the nation, which employ 500,000 to 750,000 people and rake in an estimated $15 billion annually. Besides dancers, strip clubs employ beverage servers, disc jockeys, bouncers, retail clerks and parking attendants. If these workers were to form a cohesive union for the purpose of collective bargaining, they would be one of the strongest unions in the country. I have seen the word “union” strike terror in the hearts of strip club owners.
D.A. Wright, 12:02 AM
