Chapter 5: Types of Male Stripping

*Note: The following chapter is an excerpt from my book, "Behind the G-String: Dion's Guide to Becoming a Male Stripper" that is available here.  


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There are several different branches of male stripping. While they all involve dancing and taking off your clothes, there are fundamental differences. Let’s examine the pros and cons of each type and see which one best suits you.

Private party

The male stripper travels to the clients’ party location and performs. This can be a hotel room, a residence, condo, club, or bar. Most of these parties fall into the category of bachelorette parties and birthday parties.

These performances rely more on interaction with the customers than a choreographed dance routine. The majority of male strippers perform at private parties. The stripper performs alone for a group of females.

Pros: Good money. More personal time for the crowd. Easier to manage the performance due to a smaller crowd. The performance usually only lasts around an hour. Sometimes the customers offer you food and drink, or they invite you to go out with them afterwards. Guaranteed good money for the stripper just for showing up. Performing alone means no competition for tips. No waiting for your turn to perform. Easier to work incognito. Fairly easy to break into compared to the other types of stripping.

Cons: Travel required. Sometimes you lose the profits at the gas pump. Solo act means you’re all alone when things go bad; it also means that you have to work the crowd on your own. Work schedule is very sporadic. Seldom repeat customers.

Strip Club

The male stripper performs at a designated strip club on stage. He has a set work schedule. In most scenarios, his act involves a choreographed routine followed by crowd interaction both on and off the stage. Because of the dance routine, most strip clubs require an audition. The movie Magic Mike depicts a realistic example of male strip club work.

A male stripper who works at the strip club also needs several costumes, since the whole dance act can cover several different themes.

Pros: Set work schedule. Repeat customers. Coworkers and employer can assist you when things go bad. Sometimes an emcee helps you work the crowd. The only travel required is the club. Other strippers can provide help and insights about the job. The staff can kick out the obnoxious customers.

Cons: You compete with your coworkers for tips. Repeat customers might include crazy people who stalk you. Longer work hours. Slow nights result in less money. Gossip regarding you and your coworkers spreads worse than STDs. Auditions make the selection process more difficult.

Regular Dance Club

A male stripper at a regular dance club is there to augment the atmosphere and provide customers with extra eye candy. People can tip him, but he’s not the center of attention. Gay clubs tend to hire male strippers for this purpose. Skinny guys are eligible for this job.

Pros: Set work schedule. Men are rumored to tip more. Get paid to go clubbin’ all night, free drinks usually included! Repeat customers. The gay clubs are the perfect place if you like getting groped by other men. Easiest job to get for a male stripping gig as the requirement level is the lowest. Skinny guys can apply here and do very well.

Cons: Limited money. Dancing the entire night at the same club gets old fast. A bad place to be if you hate getting groped by other men. No room to improve because you’re really just there to be part of the scenery. Someone in your town may recognize you. You get unwanted solicitations for sex a lot.

Male Revue

A specialized event where male strippers travel to perform. The location can be a bar, club, large venue, auditorium, concert hall, or wherever you can cram a bunch of excited women. The stripping act is similar to the male strip club, except male revues always involve travel. An organizer rounds up male strippers and sends them out to these locations.

Pros: Some establishments pay very well for male revues, and a large crowd can bring in a flood of money. Sometimes there are some very horny women. You have other male strippers working with you to assist with the crowd. You can keep a low profile from your job, family, and friends if you’re away from home.

Cons: Crowd size and participation are hit or miss depending on the location. If the crowd is small, kiss your earnings goodbye. Some women at male revues are overly aggressive. The staff at these establishments aren’t usually very helpful. Male strippers often incur the travel expenses themselves.  

Chippendale (or similar touring troupe)

The top tier of male stripping. Unlike the other types of stripping, these guys get a salary along with paid travel and accommodations. They work for it by rehearsing, touring, and staying in top shape. Entry into the Chippendales is highly competitive since there are usually only 24 Chippendales in the world at a given time.

Pros: Steady salary. Set work schedule. Travel. Paid hotel and food expenses if you’re on tour. Huge fan base. Easy access to sexy women. Work with the other guys as a team. Chippendale name is famous worldwide.

Cons: Large workload. Constant rehearsals and touring. Fierce competition means that you’ll have a better chance at winning the lottery than getting this gig. Life on the road can be strenuous. Aggressive women. Less flexibility regarding your other plans in life. Once again, you need to be the best of the best to land this job.

The Black Male Stripper Circuit

A serious business opportunity for black male strippers performing for a black female audience. The ladies usually come to see these performances out of feminine desire and eroticism rather than the celebration of a special occasion. These ladies may be dedicated fans or groupies, traveling from afar to see their favorite male strippers.

Pros:  A serious cash cow opportunity. A legion of fans. Celebrity treatment.

Cons: Fierce competition. Requires an excessive amount of performing talent. You must be black.

Summary

Just because there are several different types of male stripping out there doesn’t mean you have to stick with only one. You can work at a male strip club, do private parties, and travel around for male revues at the same time if you’re ambitious.

Personally, I enjoy private parties the most. They offer quick and easy money for an hour-long performance, along with a flexible work schedule. Plus, I prefer smaller crowds. I own a home and have a full-time job, so the prospect of touring doesn’t appeal to me. 

Choose whichever type of stripping suits your abilities and lifestyle. If you like to travel, join a touring male revue group or the Chippendales (if you can). If you like to stay near your home, work at private parties. If you just like to get laid and earn money, pick and choose any of the above.

For future reference, most of this book will focus on private party stripping unless noted otherwise, because private party male strippers make up the bulk of the industry. 


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