Ours is one of the most misunderstood, negative stereotyped facets in the entertainment industry. Anyone who has no experience with clubs and dancers already has his own opinion and a mental "visual" of what he thinks goes on. My estimate is that 99% of them are dead wrong. These people have made up their minds using TV, shitty movies, and manifestations about everyone and everything we do.

I really don't care what anyone thinks or says about me. When they attack my club, my girls, and/or my industry , then I have a problem with them. It would be a complete waste of time to try to change their preconceived notions. So what I suggest to do (seeing they seem to talk the loudest ) is to shut them up by proving them wrong.

Here's some DO's and DON'T's, starting with the DON'T's:

DON'T go out looking like a hooker . Unless you are a hooker and then make sure no one associates you with the club. There's enough trouble with legalities that no one needs even a remote inkling that prostitution has anything to do with our industry.

This means DON'T wear your heals out unless you're going to a formal ball or someone else will be wearing them too. DON'T draw adverse attention to yourselves in public. It makes it hard for your regulars to explain how he knows you when his wife asks "Who's that?'.

Enough negativity... Let's move on to the positive side!!!!

If you give something back to the community (even if it's anonymously) people will know where it came from. Although it may not be appropriate to donate to the Boys and Girls Club from a strip bar, you can use a different name ie: the owners corporate name (have permission), a talent agency (make one up ) or numerous other routes. People will figure out who's helping.

My club has an unbelievable report with our local police department. This is imperative to keeping the noisemakers quiet. It seems every time some zealot goes on a "clean up our city" tangent, the first place they go is to the cops. I am notorious for being in charge of police harassment. The police come in, I harass them. I have several officers ( over 20 ) that I consider GOOD friends. Their home and cell phone numbers are programmed into my cell phone, they come to after-hours parties off duty, they come to club parties, I know their families, and I've even been to some of their houses. ( They've all been to my house at one time or another and so have a bunch of cops I don't know, but I don't want to talk about that right now) I'm no angel.  They know that, but we work the same crappy hours, laugh at my donut jokes, and we get along. I respect them and they don't want to talk about me. It works. We have a low crime incident rate because our neighborhood is family.  We are our own Neighborhood Watch From Hell. The police appreciate that our staff will let them know if there's something going on we can't or shouldn't handle. ( In my one year at Sapphires, I have never been aware of a single 911 call from the club) Having the police on your side and on your guest list can "shoot" down a screamer before he gets started.

Being in the adult entertainment business limits SOME of the immediate public charities but there is a vast untapped sector out there. If you have any dancers , staff members, or anyone who is truly an entertainer, get them involved in the community theatre. This entertainment genre cross-over opens an entire new social chain, that for the most part, has no idea we exist. ( Get them before they're corrupted) I've been approached about doing "Rocky Horror Picture Show" on stage at a historic, newly renovated theater in our metro area. Talk about reaching people with enough pull to stop a zoning problem. This is it. (Whether or not they'll be able to relate to me remains to be seen, between rock musician, strip club DJ, and nude photo shoots, I guess I'll try to blend). I will approach musicians I've worked with for the rock band part of the pit orchestra, as well as, get some of my girls involved in the production. Even though we won't be representing our club, the public will still know.

Volunteering is another way to sway public opinion. I was the first adult in the state of Iowa paired with adolescents in the Compeer program through our county mental health center. ( No it was NOT punitive community service either) The kids parents I worked with loved the 'bad boy' image because their kids would talk to me when they wouldn't anyone else. It was truly rewarding and I may do it again. Habitat for Humanity is another great program. If you feel your life is shit, I suggest helping out at a shelter.  You will appreciate everything and everyone you have and come out feeling great because you helped. In all these settings you don't have to advertise because people will know what you do and it won't matter because you're helping. They get to know you and it will change the way they think and they will stand up for our industry the next time someone spouts off ( of course there's the ones who are not going to change but we're not after them anyway).

Good taste, class, community service and good P.R. can change peoples opinions towards clubs and entertainers. There are too many negative aspects out there so if we keep our own little corner of the world looking legit, we may head off that one fight to close another club that could cost us our jobs.

Until next time.
Krazy Ted