For Lone Wolf: And what did they expect?

Submitted by dee on 6 October, 2008 - 21:24.

Well, the Dispatches programme on strip clubs and legislation was interesting....vaguely. The sight of an undercover reporter repeatedly declaring his unease got a tad boring, and the lack of involved discussion of what legislation could be changed and how marred what could have been a great demonstration of how women are exploited - some have to pay to dance?- whut?. The programme on the WI discussing legalising prostitution was much more concerted, warmhearted and open to differing viewpoints.
Having said that, I could just be jealous of the supreme muscle and body control the dancers evidenced.
What did you make of it?

6 October, 2008 - 21:59

pole dancing is the best bodyweight exercise evers, those girls are strong as fuck. There are loads of strippers on a bodyweight forum I post on and they are all much stronger than me. fun fact: I am barred from a strip club smile

6 October, 2008 - 22:49

I saw some of this, looked grim as fuck. Who the fuck would go to a strip club?

7 October, 2008 - 00:50
xConorx wrote:
Who the fuck would go to a strip club?

weeler wrote:
fun fact: I am barred from a strip club :)

7 October, 2008 - 08:43

Thank you Feighnt.
I have to ask now tho - why were you banned weelers?

7 October, 2008 - 09:01

I didn't go in. I was talking to the strip club bouncers about the gay sauna next door while smoking outside a bar. I was winding them up and it progressed from there, I am also not welcome in the gay sauna.

7 October, 2008 - 15:06

Poor Weeler. isolated from gay and straight places of potential sexual entertainment. My heart bleeds fo you. smile
Though having said that, I doubt you'd have to pay for entertainment now you have your plush camera which seems to attract people.....

7 October, 2008 - 15:42
dee wrote:
plush camera which seems to attract people.....

I can testify that this is not a guarantee of success.

7 October, 2008 - 15:42
dee wrote:
plush camera which seems to attract people.....

I can testify that this is not a guarantee of success.

7 October, 2008 - 16:05
dee wrote:
Well, the Dispatches programme on strip clubs and legislation was interesting....vaguely. The sight of an undercover reporter repeatedly declaring his unease got a tad boring, and the lack of involved discussion of what legislation could be changed and how marred what could have been a great demonstration of how women are exploited - some have to pay to dance?- whut?.

From what I'm told, paying to dance is the norm in Montana. whut? indeed...

7 October, 2008 - 17:06
xConorx wrote:
Who the fuck would go to a strip club?

People that want to see boobies and bottoms.

7 October, 2008 - 21:05
jef costello wrote:
dee wrote:
plush camera which seems to attract people.....

I can testify that this is not a guarantee of success.

saying it twice: protesting too much?
If it does work I'll invest in a camera. Probably a disposable one knowing my past experiences with polaroids.....

7 October, 2008 - 23:55
dee wrote:
jef costello wrote:
dee wrote:
plush camera which seems to attract people.....

I can testify that this is not a guarantee of success.

saying it twice: protesting too much?
If it does work I'll invest in a camera. Probably a disposable one knowing my past experiences with polaroids.....

I never protest too much.
Never let the other person keep the photos dee wink

8 October, 2008 - 01:25

Dee

Cool that you started the thread! tongue

Yeah i was a tad disappointed that the prog was not a bit more hard-hitting as Dispatches often is when investigating other topics - I get the impression that as well as the embarrassed reporter, the programme-makers were a tad coy as well - naive well-meaning liberal types regarding such matters i am sure!

I knew the prog would not be about the experiences and exploitation of sex workers per se as, to be fair, the prog did not purport to be about that. It met its somewhat narrow remit imho, which was to show how, in order to get a "public entertainment" license the owners of these clubs deny it is a "sexual encounter" club when clearly the undercover footage shows it is. (Like we didn't already know but some of these liberal types really are painfully naive! ) What it showed clearly is how the legal statements put out by the clubs saying they are keeping to the law and that any transgressions are the result of rogue isolated sex workers who are to blame is shown to be absolute toss. The prog clearly shows how the girls are instructed etc - to ignore eg the one foot rule.

So the programme showed how the girls need to operate in order to a) keep their job and b) make money so i do not feel the prog scapegoated the workers. In fact it showed how they are scapegoated but yeah, it got so frustrating when they touched on the possibility of all sex workers working out of fully licensed premises as a one time future legal option but took it no further. Didn't catch the WI prog when it was on; sounded good - I will try and catch it when it re-runs.

The biggest weakness in the prog imho was that it did not even fully look at why the relaxation to the licensing laws took place in the first place, apart from one statement about New Labour's commitment to a "cafe culture". The main reason imho is not some kind of contintental wish-fulfilment fantasy on the behalf of govt but rather the desire of MP's to take the bribes that would be on offer from the sex industry. Snout in trough time! Time to suck up to teh major players in the sex industry for votes, funding etc (Dispatches looked at dodgy party funding just last week funnily enough - they were on stronger territory there. tongue )

Also just wanna point out just how ridiculously lucrative for the owners running these clubs is. As Dee and Boze pointed out, they don't even pay the "employees" - the "employees" pay them for the privilege of working there!!! And of course have no rights at all etc vis a vis a contract etc. Punters pay twenty quid just to walk through the doors, drinks start at eight quid, a bottle of (prolly poor-quality! ) champagne is a staggering £170 etc etc. (I am using the chain called "Secrets" as an example - LR used to frequent them. roll eyes ) It is an absolute goldmine and money for old rope so it is hardly surprising club owners will do anything to hold onto their position.

It is kinda funny tho when middle-class cloistered types have to deal with the sex industry appearing in the high street. It is like, yeah, welcome to the real world hon. tongue

Love

LW XX

8 October, 2008 - 21:20
jef costello wrote:
Never let the other person keep the photos dee ;)

I didn't let them - they hid them. I'm still nervous in case they turn up sometime. Having said that, they are not as embarassing as the photos of me as a kid in a nurses uniform, or colouring in with my tongue sticking out (tho apparently I still occasionally do that when writing and focusing on something.....) embarrassed smile

Sorry I didn't respond to your post earlier LW - was at work doing work for most of today. It is an uncomfortable aberration that will not be repeated if possible.

The coyness was slightly overdone, and I honestly do not believe that any reporter who had done even minimal research would think that these clubs would adhere to what seem shifting definitions of 'acceptable' behaviour. I also noted the tendency to try and blame "past management" and individual women as the scapegoats. I agree with you on the financial incentives for local govt. and overall legislators, though I must admit I found the outraged responses of residents amusing. "It shouldn't be on the high street" - well where then? an industrial park next to Kwikfitters, Curry's and the drive through? smile