Today many of the relics from twenty years ago are still plying their trade. When I perform in the gay clubs a frequent jibe is often directed at certain strippers in their 40s and how they have let themselves go. Yet they are still invited back and must therefore be doing something right. All of the strippers from that ‘golden era’ tell me that it just isn’t as good as it was back in the day. Apparently fees are down and demand is less

Given the seasonal nature of the ladies nights, male strippers (at least those who are gay or without prejudice) survive during the quiet time by performing at gay shows. These vary from large gay clubs that have regular theme nights to small country gay pubs. Most gay clubs/pubs that have strippers tend to have them on a fixed night once a week in the hope of bringing the punters in to consume their liquor. However, even the gay scene is in decline. Many venues that used to have strippers have ceased and changed their entertainment. In London about fifteen years ago there were approximately 20 venues that had a regular stripper, now that figure is nearer five. The venues argue that strippers were just attracting a band of hard-core regulars who never bought enough drink. Some have griped about a lack of new faces, others simply say that stripping is old hat and is not in fashion anymore. If that is the case it will no doubt see a revival some day soon. Some gay venues will always have strippers thanks to the whim of the owner/manager. Typically, these venues will also only receive visits from strippers that please the booker.

Personally, I have often found it easier to play the gay scene, simply because you tend to be looked after better. Because the gay venues are used to receiving strippers, they have somewhere for you to get changed, they offer you a drink and although a gay crowd are frequently very expectant they are usually very appreciative and rarely malicious. This applies also to the majority of the female audience, but there is usually a far from silent minority who find it amusing to heckle. Such behaviour has to be expected by any performer, where it becomes more annoying is when people try and invade your dressing room while you are changing or steal your costume as a memento of the evening. This rarely happens at the gay venues, but frequently does so on ladies nights. I have lost count for example of the numbers of pairs of underwear and Sailor’s hats that I have had stolen.

Male strippers generally have a very bad reputation for punctuality and frequently don’t turn up at all. Various theories abound for this. One of these is that a fair proportion of strippers are mind-altered through drugs and simply forget. Also, a disproportionate amount of male strippers seem to carry a lorry worth of personal baggage that seems to upset their work. I don’t know why the profession should attract so many such people; I’ll leave you to work it out. Certainly this applies to more than might be expected. Most non turn-ups occur because the stripper is simply offered more money to play elsewhere and seems to have no booker loyalty. He typically phones up offering the ‘my car has broken down’ line. I have always found this astonishingly short sighted as a car only breaks so often and not every other week. One would assume the strippers that practice this would soon be devoid of work, but it doesn’t appear to be the case. More fool the venues that still book them. The moral of this story is let the booker be aware and ensure you ‘qualify’ your booking well.

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