A New York Stripper's Story Part 1

In Part 1 of this week’s episode, Eboné takes us behind the scenes of the New York strip club world with her guest. She opens up about her personal journey as a professional stripper—from graduating from an HBCU, to working various serving jobs, and ultimately stepping into the adult entertainment industry. Tune in for an honest, eye-opening conversation about life on the stage, the realities of the industry, and the path that led her there.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Pretty Private with Ebina, a space where no
question is off limits and storylines become lifelines. The views
shared by our guests are meant to inform, entertain, and empower.
From the laughs to the lessons. Just remember, tough times
don't last, but professional Homegirls do enjoy the show.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
Hey, professional Homegirls, eshagirl Ebine here and I hope all
is cute. Now, before we jump into this week's episode,
let's do a little housekeeping. First things first, the new
website for Pretty Private with Ebina is officially live. Okay,
And with that being said, we are gearing up for

(00:48):
the Professional Homegirls second annual Turkey Drive in my hometown, Memphis, Tennessee. Now,
I am still working out the logistics, child, but listen,
it is going to be a whole community vibe. You
can come out, you can grab a turkey, you can
keep with me, and we are going to have a
good time. So if you would like to donate, please
because the goal is to provide two hundred turkeys, and

(01:12):
we also are working closely with Whole Food, so shout
out to them. Just hit the link in the show
notes below. And speaking of Memphis, chiall, listen, I actually
went back home to celebrate my twentieth year high school
reunion at the high school, Central High, and it was
just so nice seeing everybody, Like, Like, don't get me wrong, now,

(01:34):
I don't think I would ever move back home, but
it feels so good to be back home in the South,
Like I feel like I needed a change of scenery,
and going back home to Memphis is always like a
breath of fresh air sometimes. And plus I haven't seen
my classmates in forever. And for the most part, everybody
looked really good, very successful.

Speaker 3 (01:53):
You know.

Speaker 2 (01:54):
Shout out to Miguel. He took us out, got bottles,
drinks and shit like it was really a good time. Also,
everybody didn't even age like so for the most part,
everybody looked really good. So shout out to the graduating
class of two thousand and five Deed High School, Central High.
And also y'all, last but not least, we are literally

(02:14):
one hundred subscribers away from hitting one thousand on YouTube.
And once we do that, your girl can finally start
monetizing the channel. Okay, and let me tell y'all, pushing
out these videos on YouTube that all of y'all wanted
me to do is not cheap. Okay, so do me
a favor. Head over to YouTube, type in the professional
Homegirl and hit subscribe, Like right now, hold me down,

(02:36):
don't hold me up. Now, let's get into this speek's episode.
My guest takes us deep inside her world as a
stripper here in New York City. We get into some
hot takes about the industry, her journey from being at
HBC you grab to step in into this line of work,
and the path that led her there. We also unpacked

(02:57):
the growing conversations around strip clubs, becoming you and I,
and the realities behind this stage, especially being a brownie,
and so much more. So, y'all, let's get ready. This
is such a great episode, and also part two will
be dropping after the Spooky Series. I don't want to
interrupt the Spooky Series because they're so good this year
and I know it's everyone's favorite, so please stay tuned

(03:18):
for part two. But for the most part, get ready
because a New York strip of Story Part one starts now.
Oh my god, to my guests, thank you so much
for being on a show. How you doing, how you feeling?

Speaker 3 (03:29):
I'm so excited, Let's do it. Thank you for having me.

Speaker 2 (03:33):
Quice of course, man why you were saying earlier off
the area that she was nervous. What are you nervous about?

Speaker 4 (03:37):
You're a pro, I know, you know, it's so different
like being like, you know, the one like interviewing and
and being on the other side, even though you anticipate
this part of like you know, the storytelling to be
a part of this, Like I don't.

Speaker 3 (03:51):
Know why, but I just yeah.

Speaker 2 (03:55):
Let's tell everyone how we met. I think it's so cool.
I like to give these like little backstories with certain
keep on the show. So we have a mutual friend
shout out to Manny, and he was telling well, he
was telling each both of us about each other and
vice versa, all the good things that we're doing. So
he was like, well, how about we just go on
a three way call, and we was like okay. So
we got on a call and we just started keeking

(04:19):
and next thing, you know, our guests just came out
and said, yeah, like I'm a stripper, and I was like, huh.

Speaker 3 (04:27):
Yes, I live a double life.

Speaker 4 (04:29):
And you guys, shout out Manny, yeahsting industry right.

Speaker 2 (04:33):
Like yes, listen the podcast and the industry is truly
one of a kind. So definitely shout out to him
and everybody else's doing this because podcast is not easy,
as you know, because you were trying to get into
when you are in the industry, but you wanted to
do like a show and stuff, and I feel like
you you should still do it though.

Speaker 3 (04:51):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (04:52):
Yeah, I had actually just yesterday like an epiphany on
like the format that I want, like and like really
like nailed it down. Maybe we could talk off you know,
so or whatever to talk more, but it really like
put the battery in my back and I'm like, all right,
like we know we're doing, let's move, Like, so.

Speaker 2 (05:08):
Know what you're doing. Why are you so like I
feel like you like get in your own way with that,
like like you do you feel like you overthink with it?

Speaker 3 (05:16):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (05:16):
I think it's always a guessing game on how people
are gonna perceive me this line of work and do
they have the range to understand the duality that not
just that I have, but like that black women have,
Like we wear a lot of hats, like a lot
part of that is what structurally it's just set up
that way that we have to. But even aside from

(05:39):
like you know, the systemic stuff going on, like as
it relates to like being a black woman in America.

Speaker 3 (05:45):
It's twenty twenty five. This economy waits for nobody.

Speaker 2 (05:47):
So listen.

Speaker 4 (05:50):
Yeah, you have to like just be bold and audacious
with the line of work that you do.

Speaker 5 (05:55):
So yeah, yeah, So before we get into your story,
I want to do some hot takes because I just
love I just love how you put two or two
together and you always come out with for chow.

Speaker 2 (06:07):
Yes, okay, So meta glasses in the club?

Speaker 3 (06:12):
What are your thoughts chiw okay?

Speaker 2 (06:17):
Which I found so interesting because I'm like, wow, I
didn't even think about that, but that's fucking creepy.

Speaker 4 (06:22):
Yeah, I mean, listen, most clubs have like no cameras
kind of yeah, exactly, A no camera policy in the
club is pretty standard as soon as you walk in.
And I even want to put like an asterisk at
the end of that because I can only speak on
behalf of like New York City clubs, which is where

(06:43):
I've worked and where most of my uh like experience
comes from. Yeah, but at least in New York, most
clubs have a no camera policy. Now, whether or not
security enforces that is a whole different, you know, conversation.

Speaker 3 (06:59):
But you know, because metaglasses are.

Speaker 4 (07:02):
So much more covert even in the strip club because
let's be real, like people are like, oh, like you know,
the lights show on the glasses and stuff like that,
like you can.

Speaker 3 (07:12):
Tell, but like not really like a whole bunch of
lights are showing, and you know.

Speaker 2 (07:16):
That's what I was gonna say. But how like how
would you.

Speaker 4 (07:17):
Know exactly so meta in the glasses, it's a no
for me, dog, I mean, excuse me. Medaglasses in the club,
it's a no for me. Like I it's a concern
of mine. I made a little TikTok video that like
talked a little bit more about like the background of
cameras in the club, and yeah, I listen, these customers

(07:42):
are always trying to gonna try and get like more
for less, if that makes sense, Like it's never I
don't even know how much to say, but.

Speaker 2 (07:54):
To protect yourself and you don't want to say too much.
But I was looking at your TikTok video. I was
thinking about the because I'm like, wow, like you gotta
be a different type of nigga that bring some metaglasses
into the club.

Speaker 4 (08:06):
I have this theory that like everything that happens in
the club is just like a heightened like yeah, it's
just a heightened version of what happens outside of the club,
so like you know.

Speaker 3 (08:20):
What I mean, Like, for instance, if we're speaking.

Speaker 4 (08:24):
Specifically on metaglasses, like people are filming people without their consent,
especially in the service industry right now anyway, as we speak,
like all of these like you know videos that are
viral on TikTok about like people you know, reviewing and
trying different foods and stuff like that, Like how often
is it called on camera that these people that are
wearing these glasses are like hey, like can I get

(08:46):
your consent before I film you? Or hey, heads up,
I'm recording right now.

Speaker 3 (08:50):
Is that okay?

Speaker 4 (08:51):
Like we very rarely see that in again, the real
world and like in the club. So yeah, and then
going back to what I was saying about the club,
like everything that happens in the real world is just
heightened in the club.

Speaker 3 (09:07):
Like okay, like you know, people like, Okay, I'm a.

Speaker 4 (09:13):
Black woman, I work in a gentleman's club right now,
and there is a difference between like a strip club
and a gentleman's club.

Speaker 2 (09:20):
It's one of my questions.

Speaker 3 (09:22):
Yes, yes, we can get into that.

Speaker 4 (09:24):
But like off the rip, like racist hiring practices happen
in the formal work sphere, they also happen in the
strip club in the nightlife of industry.

Speaker 3 (09:36):
You know, can I say nigga's on here?

Speaker 2 (09:43):
Gary Black, Like can say nigga? But yeah, like we
be famous now that we can.

Speaker 4 (09:52):
Look y'all.

Speaker 2 (09:53):
It's so funny that we missed. He was like, you're
doing a damn thing. You're doing such a good shot,
isn't it. I'm like, girl, we are the same, no.

Speaker 4 (09:59):
Really so yeah no, but like niggas saying all types
of wild shit like in the real world, Like it's
heightened in the club. There's alcohol, there's dark lights, there's
music that like enhances that type of environment. There's booty,
there's titties, there's gyrating, like there's all types of things,
and like, yeah, everything is enhanced in the club that

(10:23):
already exists in the real world. I don't I can
talk more about that, but yeah, off the top, like
that's just what like immediately comes to mind.

Speaker 2 (10:35):
Yeah, Now, what were your thoughts? And I thought this
one was very interesting. What are your thoughts on women
and men outside the industry taking pole classes or doing
post showcases for fun.

Speaker 3 (10:48):
Yeah, wow, you really did research.

Speaker 2 (10:53):
You know what's so funny because so I used to
take pole dancing classes, right, and shout out to her
Brooklyn Finance pole Dancing, but she closed down. She was
so good.

Speaker 3 (11:03):
I remember her.

Speaker 4 (11:04):
Actually, I think I took my first ever pole class
over there, Yes, in Brooklyn.

Speaker 3 (11:09):
Yeah, it's like in a Brownstone.

Speaker 2 (11:10):
Yes, god, yeah, she's a queen. I was so sad
that I couldn't make it out to support her last day.
But I'm gonna hit her up. I was she listening,
I'm gonna hit you up. But and I remember thinking
to myself like, wow, like it's just like appropriation because
I'm not a stripper. But I really enjoyed the classes

(11:31):
of course.

Speaker 4 (11:32):
I mean, first of all, shout out to you for
even like thinking that, right, because again I feel like
and also that pole instructor she actually is one of
the like them dancers that not yeah dancers like and
I'm not talking just like stripper because I don't even
think she was a stripper.

Speaker 2 (11:49):
I don't think she was either.

Speaker 3 (11:50):
Yeah, yeah, but she made me feel real comfortable in
her class.

Speaker 2 (11:54):
It's like through with it.

Speaker 3 (11:56):
Yeah, and bro, when I When I.

Speaker 4 (11:58):
Took that class with her, I think I was like
like five or six months into working as a dancer,
like i've been. I've been a stripper for four years now,
and I was what they call a baby dancer in
that class, and I remember, like, you know, she she
went around, she asked like, oh, hey, like how how

(12:18):
are you has your body feeling?

Speaker 3 (12:20):
And like why are you here? Type shit? Yeah, And
I told her, I was like, well, I'm a dancer
right now.

Speaker 4 (12:25):
I want to get better at pole like I've self
taught myself, but I just don't want to get.

Speaker 2 (12:29):
Hurt, like no, because she's technique for sure.

Speaker 3 (12:33):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (12:34):
And my dancer name at the time was sin like
Si n And like why she did. I just thought
it was like sexy and sultry and like you know,
like I don't know, I just felt like it gave.
And also I was working at the booty clubs at
the time, so like you know, in the gentleman's clubs,
they don't want like too much of a stripper name,
but like and the gentleman in the booty club and

(12:55):
the strip club, you could be like a stripper, like
for real.

Speaker 2 (12:59):
Now it's a booty club, like like is it like
booty club, then strip club and then so on and
so forth?

Speaker 4 (13:04):
Is it that order or it honestly depends on the
particular dancer, right Like I would say, if you got
somebody to you and like you like know how to
like move that little thing and like you know, you
you find joy and excitement and like picking out the
stripper fits the thigh high heels, you know, working the pole,

(13:24):
all of that stuff. I personally feel like, you know,
the strip club booty club is like more your thing
if you're a little slim gym like me and you know,
stuff like that doesn't come one hundred percent natural like
to you, right, yeah, I like, or you might just
have to find the right club for you. For me,
it just so happens to be a gentleman's club where

(13:46):
like they value I feel like, you know, more like
talking and like you know, vibing and.

Speaker 3 (13:52):
Like engaging exactly exactly. So yeah, there's that, But as
far as like a hierarchy.

Speaker 4 (14:01):
After it, you know, being dependent on the dancer, I
do feel that, like, Okay, there's I'll say this, like
there's more like singles like in the strip club and
then like in the Gentleman's Club. It's like more like
Big Bill's card transaction.

Speaker 3 (14:17):
Yeah. Yeah, so there's that. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (14:21):
So when you found out when so when they'll ask
you why are you here? You told that she was dancing.
What was her reaction because I thought she was.

Speaker 3 (14:27):
Like, yeah, she was not. I think I feel like
she was like, oh, okay, like where you wanted to know?
Like where what club?

Speaker 2 (14:36):
She was very intrigued.

Speaker 3 (14:38):
Yeah, like I'm wonder Yeah, exactly she was.

Speaker 4 (14:42):
She was super cool, Like she was just like okay, well,
like like show us what you're working with siin like
I would love to see a little something like And
she definitely had like a moment for me where like
she was just like, you're at the end of her classes,
write freestyles. Take what we've learned in the club, you know,
apply it to your own dance practice. And yeah, I

(15:02):
remember I learned how to do like this one little
trick where like you go upside down and like one
leg is like wrapped around the pole and then the
other is free and you could do.

Speaker 2 (15:10):
Like yeah, that's right.

Speaker 1 (15:14):
She was like, oh, I like what you hit there?

Speaker 3 (15:16):
Soon and you know, it felt like okay.

Speaker 4 (15:18):
There are very few places where I feel affirmed in
this world as a stripper.

Speaker 3 (15:22):
Right for the most part, I feel like I have
to really keep it to myself and stuff like that.

Speaker 4 (15:27):
But a pole class is one of the few places
where I feel like, Okay, this, I know how to
do this, I know how to perform, I know how
to work, I know how to dance, even though I
can't even really dance for real white it's all a performance.
And going back to your initial question about like, you know,
folks doing pole classes and not necessarily being strippers, totally okay, fine,

(15:50):
we support it, engage in this type of work. Any
type of movement is good movement. But I think it
becomes an issue when it's assumed that there are people
in this class that are also just taking this class
to like tap into their sexy or like get fit
or like do something fun. Like first you know, some

(16:12):
of us, at least for me, I was trying to
get my money up, Like I realized that I'm a
black woman in this industry in metropolitan New York, which
already is you know, they say it's super diverse and
stuff like that, but let's be so for real, like
it's very like it could be. It could get a
little anti black and massage dooristic quickly, especially when I
feel like New York City values that.

Speaker 3 (16:34):
Like like you know, foreign exotic.

Speaker 2 (16:37):
Yeah, and like a little for brownie s.

Speaker 3 (16:41):
A time exactly.

Speaker 4 (16:43):
And I do get a little annoyed when there's like
too much goofing around and playing around. I'm like, y'all
like get out the way, Like I like, I'm I'm
I'm here. I could have gone to work, but I'm here.
I want to get my moves up and like improve
my practice and make more money.

Speaker 2 (16:59):
All to me, Like this is you studying low key?

Speaker 3 (17:02):
Yeah, it is my continued education and my degree exactly.

Speaker 4 (17:10):
And I just I find a lot of the times
like now, if I really want to, you know, specifically
pay attention to like my practice without any like noise distraction,
I just pay for like a one on one with
like a pole instructor you know who understands and is.

Speaker 3 (17:26):
Like you know, a part of they get it. But
you know that costs money.

Speaker 4 (17:31):
A lot of these instructors one on one it's like
one hundred dollars an hour or more. Ye, So yeah,
those are that's my hot take on like wole dancers
in the club versus like strippers in the club, Like
as long as everyone is able to take it seriously
and like you know, doesn't come into it thinking that
like there is not like a stripper in this room

(17:52):
right now, or shit, even your instructor to be a
stripper in this room right now.

Speaker 3 (17:56):
Right, you know, then it's no problem.

Speaker 1 (17:59):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (18:00):
And last, but not least, what are your thoughts what
is your thoughts on strip clubs being unionized? Because I
know it's only one so far.

Speaker 3 (18:08):
Right, Yeah, I actually even think that one got closed down, Like, oh,
come on, I know, I know, bruh, I know, And
I think, okay, strip clubs being unionized.

Speaker 4 (18:19):
I think it's so interesting that the only strip clubs
that we've ever seen being unionized were all in the
West Coast because New York City is like home of
like where unions kind of started, right like the industrial
era and like you know, workers rights and stuff like that.

Speaker 3 (18:36):
That's like a New York thing.

Speaker 4 (18:38):
And so there was a strip club that was unionized
in nineteen ninety seven in San Francisco.

Speaker 3 (18:44):
That club closed down. Did it work or not? Who knows?
Who knows? Yeah, Like I mean even today, in like
the formal economy, like unions could be.

Speaker 4 (18:55):
A little spicy with their leadership. There's like what is
it called like people that there are people?

Speaker 3 (19:02):
How do I say?

Speaker 4 (19:03):
The leaders of unions are oftentimes quote unquote like sleeping
with like the leaders of these like formal companies, right,
it's not specific, like what is it called? Like what
is the word I'm looking for? Not literally like sleeping
with each other? They yes, yeahactly, they are working.

Speaker 3 (19:21):
Together because there's some type of financial gain or something.

Speaker 2 (19:24):
So I can only imagine what it looks like in
this space.

Speaker 3 (19:27):
That's what I'm saying. Yeah, there, I don't think there
are any unionized strip clubs right now. I might have
to fact check that. We did see like a club
in LA.

Speaker 4 (19:36):
In twenty twenty two or twenty twenty three they were
working to unionize, they it got passed. Did they build
a union though?

Speaker 3 (19:43):
Who knows.

Speaker 4 (19:44):
I think the club actually like closed down so that
the union doesn't exist. And when they did unionize, they
were with like an actor's guild or something like that.

Speaker 3 (19:54):
Yeah, I guess entertainer. I don't know.

Speaker 4 (19:56):
But all that to say, I think it's a start.
We'll see. I think it's it's safer, I guess, But
here's the caveat, Like when you become like a unionized club,
does that strip you from your like independent contractor role right,
like which you know, being an independent contractor, you're able
to create your own schedule. You know, no one can

(20:18):
tell you how we're when to work. All these different
benefits that come with like being an independent worker. I
think when you're in a union, you have to become
like a true W two employee, and that excludes a
lot of people who work in this industry. Like if
you want to be like, okay, folks that are undocumented,
folks that are like yeah, folks that are you know,

(20:42):
I'm disabled, Like a lot of us work in this
industry because we have a hard time finding work in
the formal economy, and when we unionize, that might put
that at risk, that freedom to like work. I think
unions are fine in like twenty twenty five, right, that's
like basically what we have.

Speaker 3 (21:02):
But I think what would take it a step further
is like.

Speaker 4 (21:05):
If these clubs just knew that, like we're an organized
group of people, and like you get a union so
that you have like a community to back you up
in cases something goes wrong. I think what would be
best is just like strippers being so organized and collectivized.

Speaker 3 (21:24):
That there is no need for a union.

Speaker 4 (21:27):
And yeah, like these these companies that are often mail
led just get it the first time that we say something,
and yeah, we go from there.

Speaker 3 (21:37):
So I don't know.

Speaker 2 (21:42):
What's up, y'all. It's Shagara m and A here, and
be sure to follow me on Instagram and TikTok at
pretty private podcasts, and don't forget to subscribe to my
YouTube channel at the Professional home Girl. Now let's get
back to the show. You know, when I'm listening to
you speak and I'm thinking to myself, like, wow, like
we're in twenty twenty five, and like I thought you

(22:04):
would think that the worst of like what people experience
in this industry has already passed because all the documentaries
and things we have witness But I'm like the fact
that people are even considering to start a union in
this industry lets me know that people, especially women and
especially with those who have like disabilities or anything else
that's restricting them to get a job in this economy.

(22:26):
But it just lets me know, like people, it's still
rough out there, yeah, and people are still being treated unfairly.

Speaker 4 (22:34):
Yeah, I honestly think that's gonna be us foreverything really,
Like I don't want to put that out.

Speaker 2 (22:41):
There, I know, but it's just so crazy because I'm
just like with all the race and stuff, and like,
I don't know, shrip clubs today is not the trip
clubs of yesterday. Like it's a complete difference. And the
only reason why I know because I used to always
go to strip clubs, especially when I was younger and
being from the South. So it's just crazy how like,
And obviously you could see a big different in strip clubs,
but it's just crazy how people the union is needed

(23:04):
in today's strip club industry because I feel like it
would have slowed down a little bit.

Speaker 3 (23:10):
Yeah, I don't Does that make sense? Yeah, no, it
does make sense.

Speaker 4 (23:18):
Yeah, I genuinely feel that, Like again, unions are what
we have right now, right, because that's just like the
most successible like answer.

Speaker 3 (23:26):
But again, like why do we even need unions to
begin with?

Speaker 2 (23:29):
Like, right, I think?

Speaker 4 (23:30):
And I think that's not just for again, everything that
happens in the strict club is just like emphasized version
of what happens in the formal economy.

Speaker 3 (23:38):
Why does anyone need a union?

Speaker 4 (23:41):
Like, and it's because these companies are gonna they just
like these men in the club, You're got to try
and take the most for the least. And that I
mean that when it comes to like a customer that
pays for a forty dollars dance, they are going to
try and like touch somewhere where they're not supposed to
or something like that. That's why you got to give
them their little leg marine and the rights, like, hey,
heads up before we get started, you know, let me

(24:04):
know if I make you uncomfortable, and I'll do the same.
This is a no contact club, or you might even
have to tell them, like I'm a no contact girl,
like even if that's not the club's rules. Each dancer
has their own boundaries and their own you know, just
rule of like how they do business and work. And yeah,
it's the same way that a customer is gonna try

(24:26):
and get the most for the least, always try to
underpay you and overwork you.

Speaker 2 (24:29):
It's the same way that in corporate America that I do.

Speaker 3 (24:32):
Yeah, exactly exactly.

Speaker 4 (24:34):
And again corporate America, they have unions as well, and
there are still lawsuits that get violed workers' rights that
get violated pretty regularly.

Speaker 2 (24:44):
So yeah, really not surprised. Maybe I just I felt
like that because I mean, times have changed so much
and I feel like the strip and you can correct
me if I'm wrong, but I just like the strip
club culture is not what it used to be, you know.

Speaker 4 (24:56):
It's definitely not like even like there's times where like
like I joined the industry after twenty twenty, So that's
you like when you talk to the girls that have
been in this work for like you know, before COVID
and stuff like that. Yeah, like you try to tell them,
oh my god, like I had a five thousand dollars night,
like I did so good.

Speaker 3 (25:15):
They'd be like, girl, you should have been here in
twenty sixteen, like like that ain't shit like.

Speaker 4 (25:19):
They said it no money, yes, uh, And yeah, like
I think, yeah, strip clubs are so different right now,
not just like bruh with like the money that's made,
but also just like the roles, right like there used
to be promoters in clubs again, whether whether or not
they helped or hurt who knows.

Speaker 6 (25:38):
Like it was like a real ecosystem, yes, exactly, exactly,
exactly exactly. And to add on to that, like at
my particular club, Like the people that work in the bathroom,
they don't get paid an hourly, like there's strictly tips,
and so how you pay the dancer is ultimately how
like other people in the club get paid.

Speaker 4 (25:59):
And so back going to your point about like an ecosystem.
I actually even learned from this book that I was
reading by an author named doctor Lashawn Harris. She wrote
a book called sex Workers, Psychos, and Number Runners, and
it was about black women in New York City's underground economy.
Oh make an amazing point that like the informal funds

(26:20):
the formal Like when you think of like this underground
work that's under the table, work that's often unlicensed, untaxed,
stuff like that, you know that is the money that
gets pushed into the formal economy. When I come home
from work and I got to go home, I have
to call an uber or something like that.

Speaker 3 (26:39):
The money I made from the club is what's paying
that Uber driver to take me home. And ultimately what
does that uber driver do with that money? You know,
they put it back into their own community.

Speaker 1 (26:50):
Right, even if you go.

Speaker 4 (26:52):
Back to like the bumpy Johnson's of them all, like
those like oh G, you know like that that street
money was all simly being used to fund and finance
like turkey drives and all types of like community like
you know get togethers and stuff like that, like literally
injecting the community with like research so that those people

(27:13):
can continue to do the same thing. So there really
is an ecosystem, Like.

Speaker 2 (27:18):
Nah, it really is.

Speaker 3 (27:19):
It really is.

Speaker 2 (27:20):
Okay, So how did you get into this because I
know from us having conversations you graduated from an HBCU.
Uh you have degrees yeh, So how did it How
did you get from graduating from HBCU to get into
being first introduced to dancing?

Speaker 3 (27:40):
Yes, okay, so boom I have been boom boom, it
just happens. Shell. I was, I am.

Speaker 4 (27:49):
I've been a journalist for the last six years working
in the public radio sphere and like yeah, in podcasting,
like back when it wasn't even cool child, Like I
mean we're talking to like twenty eighteen.

Speaker 3 (28:03):
Like yeah, and.

Speaker 2 (28:05):
Yeah, I was I think a podcast and like only
like five people had podcasts, but they were like they
was like the Godfather's Godmothers of.

Speaker 4 (28:13):
It exactly, yes, and then the fo had them before
were largely like white like they're like no shade, but
like these like white losers talking about.

Speaker 2 (28:21):
Like just not It's like people thought podcasting was radio
exactly exactly.

Speaker 4 (28:27):
And so I think I joined the journalism industry towards
the tail end of the journalism industry essentially being like
defunded and like dying for real, like right, And so
I had a few like back to like freelance jobs
and like three month contract roles and they just kept
three month contracting three month contracting.

Speaker 3 (28:50):
And during that time, I was working on a specific
really well known show.

Speaker 4 (28:54):
About the economy, and I I was working there, and
I was also working at a restaurant and in the
restaurant industry. They got rid of my role as like
a lead server, and they were like, hey, like we
got rid of your role, but you could become a
manager you get paid more but no tips, or you

(29:16):
can stay a server and get paid.

Speaker 3 (29:18):
The same, and like that's just what it is. Those
are our options.

Speaker 4 (29:22):
And at that time, my role as essentially like a
business reporter kind of they just ended like a three
month contract and there was no other renewal. So I
guess something about like working on a show about the
economy and money all the time and listening to people,
you know, our guests talk about money, combined with like

(29:44):
you know, being in the restaurant industry where like I
kind of learned like, okay, this is how you create
like a really warm and welcoming environment in a restaurant.
And you know, I'm noticing like when I wear some
lashes and I put on a little face, like my
tips are increasing and stuff like that. I just like, yeah,
like combined it and maybe perhaps also going to college

(30:05):
in Atlanta where it's so normalized, or I should say,
going to college in the South where it's so normalized.
Like the strip club like I mean the girls in
Magic City had parking lots, I mean parking spots dedicated
to them.

Speaker 2 (30:17):
Yeah, I'm just saying the South is so different than
compared to New York for obvious reasons. Moy some time
when it comes to strip clubs, like I remember, not
to cut you off. I remember when I used to
go to ship clubs in the South, Like you know,
bitches get naked, like but as naked, but it's like
a party, Like it's a vibe like hot ways, everything,
good music, rappers and shit. I started going ship clubs

(30:38):
in New York.

Speaker 5 (30:38):
I'm like, what is this?

Speaker 2 (30:40):
It was a culture shock.

Speaker 4 (30:42):
I have theories about that too, and I feel like
it's rooted in like blackness, right, like what's more present
in the South compared to like what's missing in New
York and like girls allowed to like get away with
on the pole and on the stage in New York
compared to like how they give it up in Atlanta.

Speaker 3 (31:00):
Like it's and it wasn't always like that, but yeah,
that was deep guys.

Speaker 2 (31:08):
But because they don't will be working up here.

Speaker 3 (31:11):
No, And New York City is a very like star
tenders centric like region.

Speaker 2 (31:17):
Like, yeah, even in New York, that was good.

Speaker 4 (31:25):
I think it's even interesting that, like, and I know
we were like beering off, so like really back people
on whatever. But I think it's interesting that in New
York a lot of the stages wrap around the bar.
And I feel like it's because in New York, like
the bar is what makes the most money in these
New York City strip clubs, right, and and the startenders
that work the bar and then the stage is behind

(31:47):
like wrapped around the bar. There's even this crazy rule
that like when you throw money, whatever hits the ground
is the startenders and then whatever makes it to the
stage is the dancers.

Speaker 2 (31:57):
So like you're literally like that could not find magic city.

Speaker 3 (32:03):
No, but no magic city where there's like whole ass
like again going back.

Speaker 4 (32:07):
To the ecosystem like sweepers, yes, pushing the money to
the dancers, Like no, that would not exist in you.

Speaker 2 (32:15):
Know, in Atlanta, and it would be a whole brawl
like what.

Speaker 3 (32:20):
It makes no sense?

Speaker 4 (32:23):
But yeah, well and that was something that so initially
I wanted to be a star tender because they seem
like they had the most visibility, they were making the
most money, Like it seemed like, okay, the money is clear,
it's it's the star tenders that are making it, not
the dancers. And I applied to I reached out to
the manager.

Speaker 2 (32:41):
Wait how did you get to that point? Like you
leave the restaurant and like you know, I'm gonna try
this out.

Speaker 3 (32:47):
Oh boom. So they got rid of my role and
I just decided I was like brou at that, like restaurant,
I'm getting overpaid and overwork like underpaid, yeah, excuse me,
underpaid and overwork.

Speaker 4 (33:01):
Like if anyone is going to underpay and overwork me,
I truly feel like it should be me, Like why
they're never gonna understand my value. They're never gonna And
also they were like bringing in more servers and starting
them off at higher hour these like even though I
was the one training them. It was crazy and yeah, no,
I was just like enough is enough, like you know,

(33:23):
And also I remember someone else I knew from college
was a startender in Blue Flame in.

Speaker 3 (33:30):
Atlanta, and like she looked like she was like a
great life life.

Speaker 4 (33:34):
On social media, like hair, always done, traveling, you know,
truly didn't do it right. Yeah, it didn't seem like
she was having like the problems that I was having.
And I was like, you know what, that startender, that
night life might have to be the move, Like I'm young,
why not? I was twenty four at the time. I'm
twenty seven now about to be twenty eight next month,

(33:56):
so yeah, why not? And out to the folks at
Starlets and I was like, hey, like what, like what
do I need? What do you need from me? I
want to be a startender?

Speaker 3 (34:07):
What do you think?

Speaker 4 (34:09):
And they invited me in and then they like looked
at my Instagram. I printed out a resume. She literally
put that down. She kind of just like looked me
up and down.

Speaker 3 (34:19):
And like asked to see my instagram and like I
was like, what did you have on? I was just
wearing like a.

Speaker 4 (34:26):
Little light slim fit like shirt and like some black
like yoga pants. Definitely something like a little bit more formal.
Ye had form fitting like it was still getting fashion now,
but you know it was still getting fashion. I didn't
go in just dressed as anything. Haroin, little low braided
ponytail with some you know, baby hairs, child like all

(34:47):
of it right, And she kind of just like looked
at my Instagram. I asked her like, oh, is there
anything you're looking for specifically like that I could perhaps
like you know, expand on and she was just like no,
and she just handed back my phone and she was
like we'll call you and let you know.

Speaker 3 (35:02):
And of course there was no call.

Speaker 4 (35:04):
And I reached out and I was like, hey, like
any updates, and they were like, okay, we're not hiring
for startenders, but you could be a dancer, like come
in and like pay the house feed and go from there.

Speaker 3 (35:16):
How much is that? How much does the house feed?

Speaker 4 (35:19):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (35:20):
So at like booty.

Speaker 4 (35:21):
Clubs and strip clubs, I genuinely feel like the house
fees are much more expensive than gentlemen's clubs.

Speaker 3 (35:26):
Of course, yes, hour and I think.

Speaker 4 (35:31):
It started at like eighty dollars or something like that,
and then it increased ten dollars every hour until I
think midnight, where it's just like one hundred forty dollars flat.

Speaker 2 (35:40):
And wait, you got paid for every hour?

Speaker 4 (35:44):
No, no, the time that you come in, Oh, exactly.
So if you come in at eight o'clock, house feed
starts at eighty at yeah, eighty dollars. If you come
in at nine, it'll be ninety dollars. It's the one
time payment kind of thing. And that specific to New York.
There's some clubs in Atlanta where like you have to
pay like a certain percentage of all of the.

Speaker 3 (36:03):
Money that you've made. And there's even I think Area
twenty nine in Houston.

Speaker 4 (36:10):
All the money that gets like kind of made or
whatever for the whole club, they have people counted up
and then they divide it by how many dancers are there,
so like everyone is working or everyone is getting paid,
even if they didn't put in any work. Like it's
a crazy system. And that was just for starlets, like
and I was like, you know what, but that there
is a black strip club in New York.

Speaker 3 (36:32):
It was called the More Cabaret.

Speaker 4 (36:33):
They're closed now, but it was actually the people that
owned it were justin Leaboi and his brother.

Speaker 3 (36:39):
Like the l boy thing.

Speaker 2 (36:40):
Oh I remember that, yes, yes, yeah, and that's fact
because he used to be a party promoter.

Speaker 3 (36:46):
Yeah yeah, and for you.

Speaker 4 (36:49):
I know, his brother ended up opening like a strip
club in Brooklyn and that was like the only strip
club in New York that had like black startenders because
I shortly learned after joining the industry that like if
you want to be a star tender, like the requirements
essentially are you have to be racially ambiguous, you know,

(37:11):
double bbl cackd up, like you know, there is a
whole kind of list of things that you need before.

Speaker 3 (37:18):
You even get through the door.

Speaker 4 (37:20):
And that specific club in Brooklyn, they were like the
only club that had like black star tenders that like
we're still you know, surged and stuff like that. But yeah, anyway,
I just decided to like be a dancer there. I
was like, whatever, let's try this out.

Speaker 2 (37:39):
And how often was this your first time dance? Like
that was your first night there?

Speaker 3 (37:43):
I'm so skipping this Okay, hold on.

Speaker 4 (37:45):
There was another club actually in Queens that I started
at that was my first time ever dancing. It didn't
even have a poll in it. I paid seventy dollars
to get in and I made three hundred and fifty
dollars that night. And I think the only reason why
I made hundred and fifty dollars that night because there.

Speaker 3 (38:01):
Were no other dancers there, Like it was just me.

Speaker 4 (38:05):
The four star tenders out were there and like a
group of niggas that just wanted to celebrate a birthday.

Speaker 3 (38:10):
And I kid you not.

Speaker 4 (38:11):
When they first came in, like it was just me,
it was my first night. They were like okay, like
a little bit, but I was just there for the experience, goddamn.
Like I think being a journalist, you know, a part
of me was just like, you know, I'm under cover.

Speaker 3 (38:28):
I'm on the job, right, Yeah, Like a win's a win.

Speaker 4 (38:34):
And yeah, they came in and they were like, Okay,
we're gonna wait till the party gets a little bit
more lit. Nobody else came in. An hour had passed,
the drinks started flowing, they were like all right, cluck
it just danced for us and they just like kept
throwing money, like three hundred and fifty dollars and like
it all went to me.

Speaker 2 (38:52):
It was there.

Speaker 3 (38:53):
It was like five or six, but they were all men.
It was a it was a mixed group.

Speaker 4 (38:58):
The birthday boy was the mail and then like maybe
one or two other dudes and then the rest were
like women.

Speaker 3 (39:05):
So I was like two two shook. If they were
all you.

Speaker 4 (39:08):
Know, niggas, I probably would have been like a little
more like lord like right, But I was just like
look like this, I'm not even in this side of queens,
like regularly who cares?

Speaker 3 (39:19):
Like let's and I needed the money, like I had
just bought a car, like it was time.

Speaker 4 (39:25):
So at the car notes were you know coming up
or whatever, I was like this is do or guy, Yeah,
I had my first night. I did need like a
little like shot or two just to like yeah yes
and like get my head in the game. And I
think I left at like three am or something like that,

(39:45):
and it was just like what like two or three
hours of like dancing and I made three hundred and
fifty dollars and it wasn't a lot like but I
think in that moment I was just like okay, like
three more nights of this, and like this is like
way more than I'd be making like at the restaurant,
like way more than like my journalist job where I
was getting cap dollars an hour. Like it all just

(40:06):
started to make sense to me and I just locked
in from there. I stayed at that club for like
a month or two, and then I went to you know,
the a More Cabaret or the Brooklyn Strip Club, and.

Speaker 3 (40:20):
From there it was up.

Speaker 2 (40:26):
So how was your experience there and did you, like,
did somebody take you underneath their wing? Because I do
know like I have I know people who have danced
in the past, and they always talk about like it's
important to have like the right people in your corner
and also just you know, get like a mentor in
the game.

Speaker 3 (40:41):
I think that like mentorship and the strip club was
much more of a thing back then than.

Speaker 2 (40:46):
It is, and I think it's really changed.

Speaker 4 (40:49):
I'm saying, yeah, I felt like, because let's be real,
if you have like a young dancer in the club
that doesn't know how this works, they can suck up
the money for every like if they're doing like, you know,
dances for like way less than like what they all
and stuff like that, like you know, it is in
your best interest to pull that dancer aside and be like, look,

(41:11):
this is how it goes, like don't let them touch you.
Don't let them like they have to work for like
whatever is like for us, Like they're here for us.
You are you know, the thing that they want to
come in here for. Use that as leverage, right, So, No,
there wasn't any like mentorship for real in the club,
like when I came in, because again I joined in

(41:32):
like twenty twenty two maybe or twenty yeah, twenty twenty
three or the yeah, like late twenty twenty two, And I.

Speaker 2 (41:41):
Mean do they even still have house moms? Is this
still a thing?

Speaker 4 (41:44):
Yeah, there's house moms there. Some of them are former dancers,
some of them are not, like they all for the
most part are like older and like you know, so
I mean yeah, like some cares, some don't, like they're
you know, nobody in the club is like your friend though,
like knowing. But but the role of the house mom
once upon a time, yes, was definitely to like make

(42:04):
sure that your hair was good and your nails were good,
you're up to standard, like.

Speaker 2 (42:08):
You know, I've been trying to interview a house mom
for so long, and I've been in conversation with this
one woman and I just stopped hitting her up. She's
in uh Miami, okay, And what's the club of Miami.
King of Diamonds.

Speaker 3 (42:22):
I think there's King of Diamonds, There's Booby Trap, I.

Speaker 2 (42:26):
Think one of the other. But she was supposed to
come on the show, and this is when I would
have first started, so it had to be like almost
damn near five six years ago, and I've been trying
to hit her up for like two three years and
she's like, yeah, I get no word or and I'm like, girl,
you cannot be that busy, Like.

Speaker 3 (42:42):
Come on now, bro.

Speaker 4 (42:44):
Everybody in the ship club, I feel like they just
want to get paid, like to like do like anything,
like be featured on the show whatever, like like girl
like honestly, but I have some house foms that would
be down to talk with you, I think, like if
and they were like working back when, like you know,
New York was like lit as like a stupend.

Speaker 3 (43:05):
Like in New York.

Speaker 4 (43:07):
So yeah, I definitely need to set that up. But no, yeah,
mentorship in the club, no, but at that particular club,
like there was I feel like yeah, maybe I'm gonna
say the name, but like feel free to do whatever.
I don't think she would mind at all though. But
like there was a girl who ended up being on

(43:30):
Johnson's Cabaret like recently, and when there was a night
where only the two of us came to work, we
had like I kind of kept to myself at that
at that particular club because like it was a little hood,
like you have to walk tough like a metal detector
to come in, and I just felt like the safest
thing to do, which is just keep to myself.

Speaker 3 (43:52):
Be that like weird girl that don't talk to nobody
in the dressing room on the club. Fine, Like I'll
do that, I'll be that. That's fine.

Speaker 4 (44:00):
But there was one night, it was like a Wednesday
night and it was only the two of us that
came to work, and there was customers that came and
like this girl like she got a body for real,
Like she does ballroom as well, so like she like
is a true performer.

Speaker 2 (44:15):
So like, oh she's dark skin. That's not a conversation
you had, yes, yeah, oh yes exactly.

Speaker 4 (44:21):
And she it was just us too that came to work,
and she's like a og dancer and you know everyone.

Speaker 3 (44:29):
When I saw it was just us.

Speaker 4 (44:30):
Two coming to work, I was like, lord, like, she's
about to take all the money. It's fine, I'm not
no hater. Let me just sit because that particular club
you couldn't leave before three thirty, like, which was definitely
like not allowed. But like again, who's going to hold
them accountable?

Speaker 3 (44:44):
No one, But.

Speaker 4 (44:46):
Yeah, you couldn't leave before three thirty like we had
like once you were in, you were in, and that's that.
So I was like, child like, let me just wait
till three thirty, get out of her waist so she
could make her money and like just take an l
for tonight, try again tomorrow.

Speaker 3 (44:59):
It is.

Speaker 4 (45:00):
It is cool, and I think but they were still
doing like stage rotation, so they were calling her on stage,
calling me on stage. Took a break for a little bit,
started again, and she knew how to work the poll everything,
and when there were customers that came and they threw
all their money on her, like she definitely made over
like fifteen hundred dollars that night, like in a few hours.

(45:21):
And I went on stage just to kind of like
waste the time, do what I needed to do. So
I don't get in trouble, and she threw a hundred
dollars on me like like like as a dancer, and
I was like, what, like that is.

Speaker 3 (45:34):
So kind, Like what the fuck?

Speaker 4 (45:35):
Like you've definitely kept that all for yourself and like
it is what it is, that's the name of the game.
And then like that night, just like you know, I
was like, hey, like I drove here.

Speaker 3 (45:45):
You want me to drop you off?

Speaker 4 (45:46):
Like and we just like bonded in the car real quick,
and like we ended up being like cool, and she
kind of lent some like mentorship along the way, and
not in like a way of like you know, this
is how you do it stuff like that, but it
was like casual conversation, Hey, I just joined this industry
a few months ago, like this is what I've learned.

Speaker 3 (46:08):
Have you noticed this as well? What do you think?

Speaker 4 (46:11):
And yeah, it just kind of worked out that way.
So yeah, I think like the mentorship in twenty twenty
five or like contemporary post COVID, it looks more like
genuine bonds that are fostered and created in the club,
and you know, there is like a level of like
individualism in the club, like whether that's to keep you

(46:33):
safe or just like whatever.

Speaker 3 (46:35):
I don't think that that same like ideology.

Speaker 4 (46:39):
Of like the wrong dancer in the club can mess
up everyone's money if you don't like pull them to
the side. I think there's more just like now, like
it's just us anyway, so like how you creat that
girl is not going to be how they Okay, if
you want like a twenty dollars dance from Diamond, go
get a twenty dollars dance from Diamond, But not that
for me.

Speaker 3 (46:59):
And that's just where we are.

Speaker 2 (47:00):
So yeah, I feel like strip clubs today are not
as competitive as they were back.

Speaker 1 (47:05):
In the day.

Speaker 3 (47:06):
Yeah, I mean yeah, probably because like yeah, there's.

Speaker 2 (47:12):
Yeah, because like I said earlier, like back in the day,
like they'll be like no, girl, we're not doing it
because you're gonna fuck it up for everybody else. But
I think now it's like, girl, you do what you
do and not do what I do.

Speaker 4 (47:22):
Yeah, I think it depends on the club, and I
think it depends on how much like foot traffic is
coming in the club.

Speaker 3 (47:29):
Like I think if there's not that many people coming in.

Speaker 4 (47:31):
The club, the girls start to switch up like real
quick for free, for a dollar for anything, a dollar.

Speaker 3 (47:40):
For anything for free, like because I mean it's only
a certain amount of customers coming in and there's more
if there's more dancers and there are customers, like you know,
someone's not gonna get paid and like you're determined that
it's not gonna be you. So yeah, and then also.

Speaker 2 (47:59):
Like they've gotta be stressful, man.

Speaker 4 (48:01):
Yeah, there's no friends like in the club at least
like in New York. Like again, I think maybe because
there's more money in the South or like these other
like Miami, like these real strip club capitals Vegas, like
maybe different, but in New York like because also you're
dealing with like the only fans kind of phenomenon that happened.

Speaker 3 (48:22):
I think it's very.

Speaker 4 (48:23):
Digital now, so which a lot of dancers I think
have just like completely like left the industry and do
the digital thing now.

Speaker 3 (48:32):
But yeah, that I have in the past.

Speaker 4 (48:35):
But like even when I was doing it, I wasn't
like I was just doing like qutc artsy fartsy like
you know, hot girl first traps like but nothing that
like I would I wouldn't put out anything that would.

Speaker 3 (48:48):
Be like, oh my god, it got leaked like it was.

Speaker 6 (48:51):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (48:52):
Yeah, like so because and I want to be like, yeah,
I mean this is just a moment in time right now,
like four years. I liken it to like, you know,
time doing undergrad, like you know, four years collage, four years.

Speaker 3 (49:10):
No, No, I've certainly outgrown the role.

Speaker 2 (49:13):
Like it's why it's what they call it a fifth
time senior.

Speaker 3 (49:19):
Yes, exactly, exactly, I'm completing my victory lap. And that's
just that. Like I actually I told myself, I want
to retire before this year is over.

Speaker 4 (49:29):
Like and I want to get like a formal job
by the time I or you know, pop off with
like what substack or like something else that's more like
independent and separate from the club.

Speaker 3 (49:39):
But no, it's time.

Speaker 4 (49:41):
But to be clear, I like the like financial freedom
and I like being like my own boss, and I like, yeah, like.

Speaker 3 (49:50):
It definitely speaks to like my entrepreneurial you know, it's
like spirit.

Speaker 2 (49:54):
But I mean this is entrepreneurship for sure, like so much.

Speaker 4 (49:59):
That's self management of it all, creating your own schedule,
pain people like that help you in the club to
like land sales and stuff like that. Like yeah, that's
definitely a thing. But I'm ready to like lend those
skills elsewhere, like I don't.

Speaker 2 (50:15):
I mean it feels are transferable now they are.

Speaker 4 (50:18):
And like also bruh, Like this is a young bitch sport,
Like I'm about to be twenty eight. My body hurts,
like I sleep in Tiger Bomb.

Speaker 3 (50:27):
Like, yeah, it hurts. I have to stretch for like
thirty forty minutes.

Speaker 2 (50:31):
Now listen, poll. This is not easy, y'all because when
I was pretty good at it. But when I tell you,
it feels if it felt like I got hit by
a bus. I'm telling you, like, and I bruised easily.
So for me just being in the poll and doing
tricks and stuff, like, I had so many bruises on me,
Like it is no joke. It's a lot of work,

(50:52):
like I have. I always respect the strippers because I'm
like Dan, there's like a lot of work. But when
I actually started doing it myself, I'm like, oh my god,
you have to have such body strength to do this shit.

Speaker 3 (51:03):
Not that the heels like everything.

Speaker 4 (51:06):
Yeah, Like and again I'm I've only been in the
industry for like four years, and I always say, like
I'm not a good stripper. I think I'm a great entertainer,
Like you know, I can talk like I can make
people laugh all those different things I can dance.

Speaker 3 (51:20):
But like you know, also too, I think.

Speaker 4 (51:22):
It's important to figure out, like what your selling point
is in the club, right, Like for some people it's
lap dances for some people at stage, like I found
for me like stage yapping like talking, which is.

Speaker 3 (51:35):
Also a very gentleman's club kind of thing. And then
are the club close.

Speaker 4 (51:40):
That for if it's two am and I ain't make anything,
I'll do a lap dance or to like find whatever.
But even still like three for a hundred like minimum,
and that's it, like cause we only got two hours
for club clouses, we gotta make most of this Like
that's that's the business model that is going to make
sure that we don't leave with nothing.

Speaker 2 (51:58):
So yeah, now talk about the difference because we touched
on it earlier, but about strip clubs and gentlemen clubs,
because I've been to a gentleman club somewhere in this
stuff and I was like, oh wow, like this is
a stark difference.

Speaker 4 (52:12):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (52:13):
Did they start food? I that one too.

Speaker 2 (52:16):
I want to say yes, but I think the reason
why we didn't eat it because it just didn't look appealing.

Speaker 3 (52:23):
Oh wow, oh my god.

Speaker 2 (52:25):
Yeah, like like I'm from strip club Aaron, like the
fool was. People will go to shrip club just to eat,
like that's how good the food was. Yeah, And I
like the Gentlemen's Club. And I think also I was
just like like how I used to like kind of
like undcover, Like I was just so intrigued by like
like oh wow, this is a really big difference, Like
the women don't have to do much, like it's more
of it's a conversation, you make you a little titty

(52:48):
shake here in there, but it's very like sensual.

Speaker 4 (52:52):
Yeah, yeah, I think okay, like strip clubs, like Bro,
I think the major difference is like Bro, it's just
like race in class.

Speaker 2 (53:00):
And whip, yes, because there was no brownies and the
Gentlemen's Club maybe one or two exactly.

Speaker 4 (53:06):
And chances are those black girls that are in the
club or like swim are more like yes, might have
like a bad wig maybe.

Speaker 2 (53:15):
Like you know what I mean, that's a fact.

Speaker 3 (53:18):
But I would say like gentlemen's clubs are four.

Speaker 4 (53:23):
I mean I think traditionally, bro, gentleman's clubs come from
the playboy clubs back in like the sixties that used
to be in Chicago, it's.

Speaker 2 (53:30):
A little bit more sophisticated.

Speaker 4 (53:32):
Quote unquote, right, yeah, I think it's like it's okay,
Like the difference between gentlemen's club is like cigars in
the gentleman's club, like hookah in the strip club, wings
in the strip clubs, steak in the gentleman's club. You know,
it's that kind of leather in you know, the gentleman's club.
And then like in some of these strip clubs, you

(53:54):
can't even stand unless.

Speaker 2 (53:55):
You have bottles, you know, your are you standing on counches?

Speaker 3 (53:59):
Right exactly? So that's that.

Speaker 4 (54:03):
But I think, unfortunately, yes, like gentlemen's clubs are more
like white clubs, and then like strict clubs, booty clubs
are like black and brown, I guess. And it's unfortunate
too because I.

Speaker 2 (54:14):
Feel like thout it though it definitely is like.

Speaker 3 (54:19):
The like gentlemen's clubs.

Speaker 4 (54:20):
Unfortunately, Like again, the reason why I work in a
gentlemen's club is because, you know, for again, the desirability
of it all. Like I think I just fit that
profile a little bit better. I'm slim, I'm a.

Speaker 3 (54:30):
Black girl that could switch up the way that she talks,
and you know, I have a loose curl to my hair.

Speaker 4 (54:36):
Like you know, I have like friends that still work
in like the Queen's clubs or like the strict clubs,
and they're like, oh, like how's your club?

Speaker 3 (54:43):
Can I get there? And I have to like literally
be like you can try, but like I'm letting you know, now,
this is like a.

Speaker 4 (54:48):
Club that like has like racist hiring practices, like they
want like they're not looking for like caked up like
you know, bodies and stuff like that. They unfortunately want
anything that is the white standard or adjacent to the
white standard.

Speaker 3 (55:05):
And even even though I'm like.

Speaker 4 (55:07):
A swim girl that can switch up the way that
she talks, has a loose curl or whatever, like, I
still have like issues in the club, like I certainly
don't make as much as like the white girls that
work there, or like y'all gonna get mad at me,
but I call them white Tina's like the white Latin girl.

Speaker 2 (55:23):
Yes, yes, facts because you don't know if you know,
they experish, but the way they present themselves is very white.
Yes that's a fact they are white, but anyway, right
that part.

Speaker 4 (55:37):
But so yeah, that's that's the larger difference. But like
you know what really like hones this in is that
like they're earning potential. In gentlemen's clubs, I feel is
like higher and more than like the strip clubs, even
though like again in the strip clubs, like the house,
thea is higher, like but bro, your compromise again, the
last strip club I worked that I had to work

(55:58):
through walk through a metal detector, like you are compromising
your safety. The security is not as like aud it
as you know the gentlemen's clubs right like at my
club right now, it's no contact. Customers can't touch you
like right or if they want to touch you they
do like the VIP experience or whatever. But even so
you can like you know, negotiate like whatever your.

Speaker 3 (56:19):
Boundaries are and stuff like that. And that's another thing.
Like strip clubs don't have champagne lounges and stuff like that.

Speaker 2 (56:27):
Gentlemen's clubs do, right, But yeah, so what the strip
clubs have, like VIP rooms and stuff.

Speaker 4 (56:33):
I feel like they just have sections like VIP sections
where like okay, like a group of niggas get a
bottle or two a hookah, they get in, they get
like a section in the club and there they probably
get like, you know, a couple hundred and singles or whatever.

Speaker 2 (56:49):
Now what they want some additional services? Like isn't like
a special room that can go to in the back
or something.

Speaker 4 (56:54):
But I don't think that's Like did your strip clubs
have like a ship came luch like that, Like they
were like a VIP but.

Speaker 2 (57:02):
They had some VIP rooms rooms. Yeah, and he goes
like a little separate yeah, but was it like I
mean I never been in there, y'all.

Speaker 3 (57:13):
It wasn't like a sunny private kind of thing with
like a curtain.

Speaker 2 (57:17):
Yeah, Like it was private, like you paid for the
room and the person in the service that you would like.

Speaker 3 (57:22):
Okay, wait, like the service that you would like, like
full service service, Like.

Speaker 2 (57:27):
I'm pretty sure they was giving it the full service.
What do you feel like you don't know?

Speaker 3 (57:32):
Watching my no, because I don't, bro, Like.

Speaker 4 (57:38):
I mean not you.

Speaker 2 (57:39):
But have you ever like anyway in the clubs that
you worked there, Like I'm gonna say this.

Speaker 4 (57:44):
Like, and I get most of my intel from customers,
not until I'm so serious, bro, I don't talk to
nobody in the club.

Speaker 3 (57:52):
I'm scared of them.

Speaker 4 (57:53):
Why but I think I get my intel from the
customers at the club, and I'll be asking them because
I is too like and I've asked, like you guys
haven't like because Okay, my club, an hour in the
room I believe is sixteen hundred like US dollars and
it is, and like half an hour is like seven hundred.

Speaker 3 (58:16):
And here's the thing though, if you get a half
hour room, the dancer only gets.

Speaker 4 (58:21):
Paid two hundred eighty five dollars of that seven hundred
dollars or whatever.

Speaker 2 (58:25):
Yeah, I might know, you fucking lion.

Speaker 4 (58:28):
Oh unfortunately, I wish I was in an hour where
they pay like between like fourteen and sixteen hundred.

Speaker 3 (58:34):
It depends also on the host too, which that's another thing.
Like strip clubs don't have hosts that like, you know,
their role is to like sell the room and stuff
like that. Get who though, But in.

Speaker 4 (58:46):
A sixteen hundred dollar room, we only get paid like
what five eighty five from No. Four eighty five actually
of that money And so since we're only getting paid
forty five, you know, you are trained to like and
again this is a damn that like is like you know,
telling you you should ask for a tip, not management
or anything, but you know, you oftentimes asked the dude

(59:07):
that's sold like bought the room, like, oh, did you
want to leave a tip or whatever? But I've asked
these customers like y'all aren't really like, you know, fucking
back there, right, because again we only get paid like
four eighty five dollars back there.

Speaker 2 (59:22):
But is the cameras in the room because if they
only if they paying the base feed, they can always
slip the strip or some money, right, there.

Speaker 4 (59:28):
Are no cameras in like my club in the room
or whatever. But definitely in like the old club that
I used to work at, and they're.

Speaker 3 (59:35):
Little like whatever that was. It was like a bench
and like a curtain like and a mirror like what
Like That's what I'm saying, like what can you do?

Speaker 6 (59:43):
Right?

Speaker 3 (59:44):
I'm sure it happens, and there was a camera. I'm
sure it happens, but I don't. I don't know.

Speaker 4 (59:50):
But yeah, I've asked like, Okay, are y'all like fucking
in there? And they've said yes before, Like but I
think they tip them like the money like maybe a
thousand or two thousand or something like day, they giving.

Speaker 2 (01:00:03):
Them money before before they start.

Speaker 3 (01:00:06):
Before they start. I mean that's smart, Like I don't.

Speaker 2 (01:00:09):
Get mad about seventy five percent up front and then
we can go and get to it.

Speaker 3 (01:00:12):
That's but that's what I'm saying, Like as like, what
type of money do y'all have? Gang, Like an hour,
you paid sixteen hundred dollars for the room.

Speaker 2 (01:00:20):
I don't niggas find some money for some ass. Okay,
they do have some money for some ass.

Speaker 4 (01:00:25):
This is true, but yeah again, but again that's why
I say I'm not a good stripper, Like I feel
like I'm.

Speaker 3 (01:00:31):
A good entertainer like.

Speaker 4 (01:00:33):
You and shit, yeah wine, like you know, I might like, okay, cool,
we're here, like I'm also, but this is my strategy,
like because I'm not like a full service girl or whatever,
I'll offer a massage, get them comfortable, Like tell me
about this?

Speaker 3 (01:00:51):
Did you know that you were gonna be this lit?
Like I can't. I want to be you when I
grow up, like you.

Speaker 4 (01:00:55):
Know, just like their ego, like and like just oh
did you like if you're drinking that I calla the
bartender again And I'm not even gonna lie, like okay
if the room, I don't even do our rooms, cause
like I don't even be wanting to like be locked
in a room that long with like a nigga. Let's
be real, like I prefer a half hour and then
if you want to like add on to that, you

(01:01:15):
could do another half hour like that. But that's again
for me, but okay, boom, the room starts at half
an hour. I'm setting my personal alarm to like twenty
three minutes, twenty five minutes or something like that, and
like my phone is gonna go off and be like,
oh no, happen hourd like because again, like I don't
want to be up in here with you, like and

(01:01:36):
I get my customers, like if people are already giving
like weird vibes and stuff like that, I'm good, Like
I'll just take the l tonight at like I'm not
in it like that like it is.

Speaker 3 (01:01:47):
But yeah, and also in my.

Speaker 2 (01:01:49):
Club, you could do karaoke in the VIP room, so
like we do that too, Like I feel like you
be playing what's the most you ever made it work?
If you don't mind share, I feel like you be
at work just like you're like, no, I'm not doing that, and.

Speaker 4 (01:02:03):
I think for me like it it helps like cause Okay,
to answer your question, most of ever Made at Work
was about maybe like fifty six hundred like like that's
not like too amazing. But again, like I'm like a
danswer that like has like very like I'm strict. I
run a strict program like don't make me uncomfortable.

Speaker 2 (01:02:24):
Like just because set for sure.

Speaker 4 (01:02:27):
Yeah, and like if I do something that's going to
compromise like my sanity, how am I supposed to go
back to work the day after the day after?

Speaker 3 (01:02:34):
You know what I mean? Like I even really like
drinking at work because like we're not friends, like yeah,
but but yeah, but you know, I'll say, like, bro, I.

Speaker 4 (01:02:45):
Was at work, what today is? Thursday? I was at
work Tuesday and that was a cute little like thousand
and seventy five dollars night. I paid twenty dollars to
get there, and then the friday before that there was
like a thousand and fifty dollars night.

Speaker 2 (01:02:59):
So like, you know, my numbers are pretty like okay,
it's consistent.

Speaker 4 (01:03:04):
Yeah, Like there are nights where like you definitely leave
with like I haven't had nights recently where I've.

Speaker 3 (01:03:09):
Left like in like the negatives or like netted zero,
like I only made my house feedback and like that's that.
But there are Like.

Speaker 4 (01:03:17):
Prior to that, I did have like a little dry spell.
Like the month of August was like I think a
record low for me. Like I was leaving like two
hundred dollars, three hundred dollars.

Speaker 3 (01:03:25):
I was like, good lord, Like what is happening?

Speaker 4 (01:03:27):
But I think that's a regional thing. Like in New
York August, like everybody's what in the ham.

Speaker 3 (01:03:32):
Fins or traveling like yeah on the vine yards. But
exactly now September's back the kids in school.

Speaker 2 (01:03:38):
You know what I mean, like running like it's back
on the clock.

Speaker 3 (01:03:42):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:03:44):
And I'm finding too that like I feel like I
make most of my money from like tourists that come
here and not like like I feel like every customer
has an expiration date if they're.

Speaker 3 (01:03:54):
Like a local, you know what I mean. Yeah, there's and.

Speaker 4 (01:03:57):
Especially fucking with me because I'm not a full service girl,
Like there's only gonna be so many Vike rooms where
I'm giving you massages and yapping your head off and
doing karaoke for and Nigga's like, all right, so when
does the sex start?

Speaker 3 (01:04:11):
And I'm like, oh, like I don't know, right, And
even still.

Speaker 4 (01:04:15):
My strategy is like, oh well, like maybe we could
bring another girl in the room and like we'll see
like where that goes or whatever, but like nothing is
gonna happen, like I'll dance with a girl like you know,
like I'll like a moment like that and hopefully that works.

Speaker 3 (01:04:31):
But no, Like.

Speaker 2 (01:04:35):
This concludes part one of this week's episode. Part two
is dropping really soon, y'all. It's not coming next week
because next week we are starting our spooky series, and
y'all know how much we all love the Spooky series.
So I promise you, I promise you. I promise you.
As soon as October is over with, part two will resume.

(01:04:56):
But let me know what you think about this week's episode.
You can email me a at the psgpodcast dot com.
Make sure to follow me on YouTube at the Professional Homegirl.
We are literally shy away from one hundred subscribers in
order for me to hit a thousand to start monetizing, okay,
so please make sure to support and until next time,

(01:05:17):
everyone later. Pretty Private is a production of the Black
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(01:05:40):
and you can connect with me on social media at
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