As the industry continues to commodify sex through print, live bodies, and Internet technology, however, the consumer population is also expanding (Egan, 2006). Gay and female-centered pornography, female-friendly sex shops, and male exotic dance clubs provide an opportunity for men and women of various sexual orientations to participate as consumers in the sex industry (Montemurro, 2001; Smith, 2002). Women with same-sex attractions who are interested in participating as consumers in male-oriented strip clubs pose a unique challenge for such establishments to meet the needs of their “new” and diversified customers (Clements, 2003; Yancey, 2003).

Most strip clubs that feature female exotic dancers allow both male and female patrons to enter, although the majority of customers are men (Thompson & Harred, 1992). Previous studies consequently have focused on male customers, although research has noted the presence of women in strip clubs by including a brief sentence in reference to a woman present in the audience during field research (e.g., Ronai & Cross, 1998). While several have researched female patrons in clubs with male dancers (Dressel & Petersen, 1982; Liepe-Levinson, 2002; Montemurro, Bloom, & Madell, 2003), a recent shift in the consumer base of strip clubs featuring female dancers has involved women attending in larger numbers. Contemporary researchers have yet to fully assess the experience of the female patron in male-oriented strip clubs. As more women frequent strip clubs, how do dancers and clubs integrate them into a sexualized space traditionally targeted to male customers? How do interactions within the strip club facilitate or inhibit the erotic experience for female patrons?

The majority of research on strip clubs has focused on the strippers themselves: how strippers manage stigma (Thompson & Harred, 1992), who strips and why (Skipper & McCaghy, 1970), and how strippers negotiate their interactions with clients and customers (Boles & Garbin, 1974; Enck & Preston, 1988; Forsyth & Deshotels, 1997). Research also has focused on the emotional labor involved in sex work, how exotic dancers construct their narratives, and what is entailed in the performance of eroticism (Barton, 2002; Bell & Sloan, 1998; Chapkis, 1997). Given that most studies involve male customers by default, our research attempts to align itself with a diversifying sex industry that has a growing female consumer base.

This study examines the negotiation of female customers in a space designed for male sexual subjectivity and consumption. Data were gathered through ethnographic methods at four strip clubs and in-depth interviews with eight exotic dancers. Drawing on Goffman’s (1959) dramaturgical analysis to probe the interactional dimensions between dancers and customers, we find that dancers interact with female patrons through passing over and sidestaging rather than recognizing them as viable customer marks. We argue that only when a dancer tailors a lap dance to fit the needs of a female patron is the woman able to engage as an active customer in the strip club. We also consider how the strip club may foster an environment conducive to women exploring same-sex desires through eroticism and play.

Is It All About the Money? Generating Profit by Qualifying Viable Marks in Strip Clubs

Since strip clubs are profit-oriented businesses like restaurants and other retail establishments, the objective of both owners and dancers is to make money (Brewster, 2003; Erickson & Tewksbury, 2000; Pasko, 2002). Dancers make most of their profit from giving lap dances or VIP dances (Barton, 2002; Ronai & Ellis, 1989). The dancers must therefore continually interact with the customers in the club by walking around and attempting to solicit drinks and lap dances, usually scanning the floor of a club to find the best (i.e., most lucrative) customer to target. Pasko (2002) likens this exchange to a confidence game (Goffman, 1952; Schur, 1958), wherein the dancer “qualifies” the customer or “mark” by sizing up his appearance and personal characteristics. Once the dancer approaches her mark, she creates a false social relationship with her customer using calculated interactions and manipulations that eventually result in monetary gain (Pasko, 2002, p. 53). Such tools typically are gendered, meaning the dancer appeals to the customer’s masculinity and attempts to fulfill his sexual desires (Frank, 2002).

Dancers rely on cues such as clothing, shoes (Massey & Hope, 2005; Murphy, 2003; Ronai & Ellis, 1989), age, and even race (Brewster, 2003) to identify their marks, which make certain customers more appealing (i.e., more profitable) prospects than others. Some studies focus on the ability or power dancers have to “choose” their mark based on these cues (see Massey & Hope, 2005), while others concentrate on the social relationship that develops after a mark has been chosen (Forsyth & Deshotels, 1997; Frank, 2002; Ronai & Ellis, 1989). Such research exemplifies how a customer, upon entrance into a strip club, is sized up and therefore negotiated accordingly in order to ensure the most profit.

Companies may not like it, but the workplace is a fertile flirting grounds. Office romance can create managerial headaches, cost people jobs and result in messy lawsuits, but ignoring it won’t make it go away. Office romance is fairly common these days as the office is where we spend so much of our time. Handled well it can lead to a relationship. Handled badly it can lead to a lawsuit for harassment.

It is not surprising that romance springs up at the office. We spend a third or more of our lives in the office or other places of work. It is a non-threatening environment where we have an opportunity to meet potential dating partners and learn more about them than just what they look like. Yet romantic involvement between employees is loaded with dangers for both the employees and for their employer.

Here are some important things you should know about the NYC companies that have night club male revue shows AKA male strip clubs and their bad business practices. This is a must read for all bachelorette party and girls night out planners.

Multiple Names and Addresses for One Male Strip Club Location

There are only three actual male strip shows in New York City - That’s 3 physical locations. They are: 1) Hunkmania at Club Duvet 45 W.21st Street New York, NY 10010 www.hunkmania.com,  2) Savage Men 199 Bowery Street New York City www.savagemen.com and 3) Manhattan Men 225  E Houston Street New York City www.manhattanmen.com. If you do a  search on Google you’ll find see a ridiculous amount of names of shows, bogus addresses, side door addresses etc.

For example, the location on Houston Street has at last count 32 websites, satelite pages, names addresses and phone numbers. This simply causes confusion in the market place and gives our industry a bad name. Here’s how that works… Say you buy a show ticket for USA Hunks at 225 E Houston St. NYC and you go to the show. Then a month later you buy a ticket for Manhattan Men located at 191 Essex Street NYC. You go to that address only to find that you’ve been duped into the same USA Hunks show because… the Essex Street address is the side door to 225 E Houston St!

Brand Stealing

That same location has no trademarks for most of the names it uses.  Google fails to police the search results as well as they should.  Often times customers will buy tickets to the wrong show simply because the customer did not pay attention to the URL or web address from where they are buying from.  It could be as simple as having a dash in the name, an extra letter or the city name following the brand name. You would never see the official web address for IBM as  www.IBM-NYC.com or www.I-B-M.com. It is simply www.IBM.com.  Same thing here.  If you want Hunkmania simply go to www.hunkmania.com.  So pay attention and don’t be fooled.

VIP Up-Sell Tactic

If you buy a general admission ticket to Houston St location they will make you stand outside until the show starts and pressure you into buying a VIP ticket to get in from the cold.  After that  you are directed to your “VIP” table  aka… folding table,  only to be told at 1030,  only to get up from your folding table so they can get the club ready for its dance party patrons.  Before you buy VIP ask EXACTLY what are you getting.  Some of these prices can run as high $650 for folding tables!

Fire Hazard

My inside source  at the Houston Street club tells me the legal occupancy is 308 excluding the folding tables and chairs cluttering the escape routes.  With them the legal occupancy is considerably less.  It is unconscionable that an operator would put the safety of its customers second to profit, but this is the case.  Check the posted sign on the wall whenever you are in a venue.  Note that the NYFD calculates a safe legal capacity without portable furniture like stages, folding tables and folding chairs.  The legal capacity can be reduced by as much at 75% when an operator changes the design of the space with these portable items.  Report unsafe conditions by dialing 311 immediately.  They will send a fire inspector over to investigate within minutes.

Two Drink Minimum Scam

If the moment you walk in the door you get hit with a two drink minimum, be sure you compare it to the prices of the drinks inside the bar.  Although two drink minimums are not a scam on their own you should be aware of how much drinks are in the club .vs what you pay for them in advance or at the door.

Hidden Charges

Before you buy tickets ask if there any hidden charges such as processing fees. The three clubs listed above all own their own website and there shouldn’t be any fees.

Phony “Review” Sites

Let’s get something straight. There is no team running around the city and writing reviews of the male strip shows and then putting up a website about it.  It’s just another phony website that bad mouths all the competition with horrible reviews only to give themselves glorious reviews about their location and claim to be the best.  This INCLUDES the reviews on CITYSEARCH or any other community site.  They are all bull. Do not believe the good or bad reviews.  These reviews are written by hired subcontractors in India. Indian subs work for as little as $2/hr. Their job is to create multiple identities, login and then post the reviews to these various websites.  Do you really believe long winded favorable reviews with 5 stars one after the other? I love the negative reviews as they use words like “stinky” to describe the dancers at the competitor locations. They are all about directing your business to them .  Ask your friends.  You are bound to come across someone who’s been to one of these locations and they can give you a straight and honest answer.

About Me

This article is written by the Tommy - the Producer and owner of the Hunkmania.com, Hunkamania.com and Hunkomania.com trademarks and websites.   I wrote this article because I love this business and the industry.  I care about my product and my brand.  It saddens me to hear the constant confusion created by deception.  There’s no need for it.  With only 3 shows in NYC there is plenty of business to go around. True business people know that competition is good. However it is my belief that competition should be about quality & service and not about who’s better at fooling the public or deceptive business practices.  See my Hunkmania Show at Club Duvet 45 W21st Street NYC male strip club page.  I guarantee a good time.

Asian Male Stripper - Before and After Pic of Xander. Good inspirational shot.

Asian Male Stripper - See more of Xander  I think we may have the only Asian male strpper in the business over 6′3″ tall!  Come check him out at our Male Strip Club in New York

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