In the Belly of the Beast

Over the years as a reported, I’ve written on a variety of topics and situations. I specialized in going places that most people stayed away from and knew little or nothing about.  My work has appeared under the Associated Press heading and various other places. Here's a peek at what many hear about, but don't know about.

Everybody knows the reason men go to strip clubs—to see naked women. If you thought something else, you been living in a hole, but actually that’s only partially correct and in some cases, dead wrong. Depending upon the age, status and financial means of the male, naked women may be only a small reason why men go to strip clubs.

Crowds at strip clubs vary by location and cost. Generally, the more upscale clubs draw patrons with varying amounts of disposable income, including movies stars and professional athletes. These clubs generally offer top shelf liquor, a variety of cuisine and the best looking women. They also are more expensive and out of the range of teenagers and “I just got my first job” men. “There no competition at these places like that of the local "meat markets." You can get all of the time you want with any dancer if you pay. Sealy, a long time patron a one particular strip club said, "The best part  of coming here is  that rarely is any man judged." Dennis, 35, another longtime patron, who is married with children told me the same thing. He sees  no conflict in patronizing a strip club.

"Man, this is all fantasy. None of these women is going home with me and I know that just like they do. I talk to them about some of my fantasies or just anything that comes to mind. It’s a good way to be in the company of a pretty women without becoming involved.” He is not alone in his assessment. There is research to show that one of the main reason men go to a strip club is for the personal interaction with the dancers in the form of conversation and attention.

“I appreciate a beautiful female body. Over here I get to see all I want and I also get the feel of walking on the edge,” Pete said. Pete is what they call a “regular.” He has been coming to the same club for more than a year and always spends his time with one particular dancer. “Walking on the edge” is another common reason for strip club attendance. Because mainstream society sees strip clubs as part of an unsavory subculture actually gives appeal to many men even though it is legal.

Make no mistake, at many skin clubs real sexual activity occurs raging from oral sex to actual intercourse. Many patrons are louts, but they are asses any other place they go. Drugs can be a problem at many strip clubs, both selling and using.

I’m talking with “Sparkles,” obviously not her real name, and she is telling me how the other girls hate because she is more beautiful and more talented. I’m looking at her and thinking, “You’re loaded and probably drunk.” Drug addiction and alcoholism run rampant in many of the less savory clubs. Many of the women have children, often two or more.

Going to a strip club to talk has the same wring as reading Playboy for the articles, but there is truth in both ideas. Playboy Magazine actually had interesting interviews with celebrities, authors and sports figures, including Norman Mailer, Gore Vidal and Arthur Ashe. According to some regulars, strip clubs offer the same opportunity—only it is live.

“I’ve been married 20 years and there isn’t much happening sexually between my wife and I. It’s not that I don’t love her,  because I do, but this gives me a chance to have a little variety without stepping outside of my vows,” Pete said. “I know none of it is for real but that makes it even better because when I leave—that’s it. I go home and some of that exotic atmosphere stays with me.”

Talking with the exotic dancers leaves no doubt that the majority of men come for companionship and talk. “I have several friends who stop by a couple of times a week, BJ said. “Sometimes they just want to talk and other times they may want a dance, but talking is always a big part of it,” she said. BJ who is 29, which is old by exotic dancing standards, said it is not unusual for men to spend their money for talk.

“I’m a cheap psychiatrist or expensive bartender, depending upon how you look at it. Taking off my clothes is a small part of this job. My real job is making customers happy and usually that means listening,” she said.

It is clear that female flesh sells, something that Wall Street advertisers have known for years as they use the female body to sell everything from Summer’s Eve to Mercedes-Benz. Now it is starting to move into the mainstream as stripping is becoming more acceptable. The crowds differ in all the clubs ranging from a blue-collar manual labor clientele to white collar business executives and women. Women are increasingly patronizing upscale clubs because many of their business clients want to go there.

Once, women were required to come with a male escort to enter traditionally male oriented strip clubs, but that requirement disappeared when clubs became more upscale and now women frequently drop in for a drink or just to talk with the friends they came with. Now, they have strip poles at work-our classes. In fact, many athletic establishments actually teach how to dance like a stripper.

What did I learn from my little tour through the skin business? Nothing I didn’t already know. As a reporter I’ve interviewed prostitutes, death row inmates, cancer victims, sports figures, politicians and more. So, I learned nothing I didn’t already know, but I hope I passed along a little information about a subject few know anything about.