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girl.of.your.dreams
05/18/09

In reply to Nice Guys Are Bad Pimps
I'm a documentary junkie, and I think this sounds really fascinating. And I don't take the view that all sex work is exploitative.

Also, this photograph is FANTASTIC. I want to frame it and hang it in my house.
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NefariousNewt
05/18/09

In reply to Nice Guys Are Bad Pimps
A Good Man

A.K.A. Little Whorehouse in the Outback.
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pear.shaped.Sara
05/18/09

In reply to Nice Guys Are Bad Pimps
This kinda reminds me of retirees who spend their life savings opening a restaurant that will never make it. People, you should not start a business about which you know nothing!
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heykoukla
05/18/09

In reply to Nice Guys Are Bad Pimps
Funny, I always thought the saying "couldn't organise a fuck in a brothel" was just that - a saying. But Chris Rohrlach really is that guy.
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shorty63136
05/18/09

In reply to Nice Guys Are Bad Pimps
I wonder if he'd been a liiiiittle closer "to town" if it would've worked out better.

I'm not familiar with its location, but isn't the Bunny Ranch in kind of a rural area of NV? I've seen the show on HBO a bunch of times and its on a dirt road with nothing else around it.
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J.D.Regent
05/18/09

@shorty63136: yeah the article said there's been a boom of prostitution in mining towns. i guess the issue was not demand so much as supply. i would have advised him to design it like a retreat where sex workers could come for limited amounts of time and work in the local community; he could advertise the new people coming in and he would get a lot of repeat business as people would be drawn to the novelty of the new faces. And then the workers wouldn't have to LIVE in that tiny town. but nobody asked ME did they now?
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shorty63136
05/18/09

@J.D.Regent: I think they should've consulted you. That's a pretty decent idea there.
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J.D.Regent
05/18/09

@shorty63136: thanks, my psychiatrist just told me the other day I am entrepreneurial and I was totally shocked/stoked. too bad my business skills are apparently limited to Kiwi farmer fantasy-pimp. anyway yeah, the whole prison/summer camp aspect of the Bunny Ranch "compound" style places never really appealed to me, from an employee point of view. if i am a sex worker, i want to COMMUTE. i definitely want an escape. also, the overhead for the owner has got to be crazy.
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BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit)
05/18/09

In reply to Nice Guys Are Bad Pimps
I guess he kangaroos the day he decided to be a pimp.
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NefariousNewt
05/18/09

@BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit): The decision seems to have boomeranged on him.
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morninggloria
05/18/09

@BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit): Selling platypus was not his calling. He wasn't sure what to didjeridoo with his conflicting emotions.
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EasttoMidwest
05/18/09

In reply to Nice Guys Are Bad Pimps
Wait, did the wife become pregnant AFTER her stroke? Cause that seems... awful. To be a pregant parapalegic.
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EasttoMidwest
05/18/09

@EasttoMidwest:

Okay, here's the back story:

Chris Rohrlach is the "good man" of the title. Seventeen years ago, his pregnant girlfriend, Rachel, had a stroke that left her quadriplegic. She gave birth to a healthy boy and Mr Rohrlach married her and has looked after them both, spurning the option of full-time residential care for his wife.

It was when a second baby was due that he realised he had to find a way to supplement his income.
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Laulau
05/18/09

@EasttoMidwest: He had sex with a quadraplegic woman? I guess if she consented it's all well and good, but something seems a bit off there.
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J.D.Regent
05/18/09

@Laulau: well, she was his wife, not just some random lady.
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Benevolent_Dictatrix (patently absurd)
05/18/09

@Laulau: Why? Disabled people are entitled to sex lives too.
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slowpoke.r
05/18/09

@Laulau: Quadriplegics often have some use of their limbs; she may be much more active than you're thinking she is. The term simply means that her paralysis affects all four limbs to some extent.

Also, even if she has full paralysis in all four limbs, they are obviously both consenting adults, so what seems off to you, exactly?
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tailfeather
05/18/09

@Laulau: I think the way he has stood by her is remarkable and commendable. And quadriplegics and paraplegics ARE able to have sex lives! They're still humans and sexual beings, often with loving partners.
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slowpoke.r
05/18/09

@slowpoke.r: Er, not active- mobile perhaps is a better word? Didn't mean to imply that people with full paralysis cannot be active.
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Laulau
05/18/09

@slowpoke.r: Aha, this is more what I was wondering about. Clearly the disabled can, and hopefully will, have sex lives - by quadriplegic, I assumed she had no feeling below the neck, and that made vaginal intercourse seem only enjoyable for him, which was the part that bothered me.
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Laulau
05/18/09

@tailfeather: And let me also respond here so this shows up at the end of this particular thread - I certainly didn't mean to cast any aspersions on the sex lives of the disabled. Rather, I thought quadriplegic implied that she wouldn't be able to feel vaginal intercourse, and I am kind of touchy about social norms that can make sex seem like it's all about male gratification.
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slowpoke.r
05/18/09

@Laulau: Oh no, it just means that all four limbs are affected. I have a friend who is a quadriplegic and she has a full range of motion in her arms but no fine motor ability in her hands. There are hugely varying levels of feeling and movement in both quadriplegics and paraplegics.

I can see why, if you thought she had no sensation, it might seem "off" that they would have sex, but it's important to realize that even if that were the case, they are both consenting adults and both would be deriving some pleasure from the act even if it's not immediate physical pleasure. There are lots of ways to have and enjoy sex that don't fit the mainstream definition.
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Benevolent_Dictatrix (patently absurd)
05/18/09

@Laulau: Even if she has no sensation during intercourse it's possible she would consent because she enjoys her husbands pleasure. I mean, I get what you are saying about suspect social norms, but I don't think it's a good idea to turn a social critique into speculation about one couple's sex life.
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Laulau
05/18/09

@Benevolent_Dictatrix I must I must increase my bust!: I genuinely appreciate the information on quadriplegia, which I obviously didn't fully understand, and in no way did I mean to suggest she hadn't consented. I just really hate that the "lie back and think of England" conception of sex for women still seems so prevalent today. Perhaps not among Jezebelles, but I find it shockingly common in popular culture.

That being said, Dictatrix is right that I don't have any insight into this particular couple.
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J.D.Regent
05/18/09

@slowpoke.r: right also to be fair guys this is in the context of this man's experience as a pimp so I think she was kind of predisposed to see something negative. if i may be so presumptive.
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la.donna.pietra
05/18/09

@Laulau: Here's a link to an article about teenager quadriplegic sex at summer camp that is simultaneously touching, sad, and sweet: [www.nerve.com]

It explains a lot about how disabled sex works, and just how horny teenagers can be.
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tailfeather
05/18/09

@Laulau: I understand your point, and thank you for explaining. Even male paraplegics are able to have intercourse, so I think (as an able-bodied person) that sex is more complex than that, and not just about genital sensation. It's also about kissing, and visuals, and pleasing your partner. Heck, sometimes it's even about love! :)
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Penny
05/18/09

In reply to Nice Guys Are Bad Pimps
Also, I can't really get behind this dude being a "nice guy" as he chose to push women as commodities, when he could have likely done a hundred other things. I don't know, nothing about this sounds charming or interesting to me, but perhaps I am missing something.
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Benevolent_Dictatrix (patently absurd)
05/18/09

@Penny: Agreed. He may have thought prostitution was as straightforward as farming, but women aren't (shouldn't be) livestock.
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NefariousNewt
05/18/09

@Penny: Well, he is a farmer; he knows commodities. I think he didn't take into account the fact that living, breathing people don't make good "commodities" under any circumstances.
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Penny
05/18/09

@NefariousNewt: He pretty much sounds like an idiot.
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KatrinaBullfinch
05/18/09

@ Penny: Thank you. There's little to no difference between a pimp and a slave owner.
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Plum-Pie
05/18/09

@Benevolent_Dictatrix I must I must increase my bust!: Feminism: the radical notion that women are people!
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ALittleBitGothic
05/18/09

@KatrinaBullfinch: In Australia, prostitution is legal, and sex workers organize and advocate on their own behalf. It's not like the US. Granted, I think it's probably a crappy life, but I highly, highly doubt that the women at this brothel weren't there because they chose to be. So: not slavery.
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Penny
05/18/09

@ALittleBitGothic: I'm not against prostitution. I am, however, not going to assume that any pimps are decent guys.
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slowpoke.r
05/18/09

@Penny: Am I wrong to think that there's a difference between a brothel owner and a pimp?

Maybe I've read too much de Maupassant, but I've always thought that the brothel owner typically uses their percentage to cover overhead and is responsible for vetting customers and offering a safe place for the women to work, whereas a pimp is someone who takes money from working women under the guise of protection without actually offering anything in return.
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Penny
05/18/09

@slowpoke.r: Perhaps that's right, I don't know. My opinion still stands, however.
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slowpoke.r
05/18/09

@Penny: No, you're right, your original point is valid whether he can be characterized as a brothel owner or a pimp. Even were the latter to be the supportive type I've found characterized in lit/ film, he's still involved in commodifying women for his own enrichment.

Sorry to get hung up on a side issue that really isn't important to your point; I hate when I do that.
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Whiskey and Popcorn
05/18/09

In reply to Nice Guys Are Bad Pimps
Funny, but sad. And now he has the same problems, but alot less money, alot more worry...
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sympathyforthebasementcat
05/18/09

@Whiskey and Popcorn: If he's selling the rights to his story though, he gets money for that.
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Penny
05/18/09

In reply to Nice Guys Are Bad Pimps
"I am broke, let's spend money and BUILD A BROTHEL."

That's just bad business. He doesn't sound very bright.
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Aesop's Foibles. YES.
05/18/09

@Penny: That's what I was thinking, too. Um, if you don't have sufficient funds to live on, maybe don't spend thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars on a new business venture.

If I may: DUH.
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rosasparks
05/18/09

@Penny: I am just confused.

He doesn't have enough dough to pay for medical bills and to adequately feed his family. Why is he spending gobs more? Especially since he's clearly not comfortable with the product he's selling.

Emotional and moral issues aside, that poor business model will fail.
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LatestBy
05/18/09

@..now it's just Aesop's Foibles.: Maybe he qualified for some sort of small-business loan?
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J.D.Regent
05/18/09

@Penny: FWIW, I think he needed a home based business because of having to care for his wife and child full time. Not saying that means "start a brothel," just noting.
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rosasparks
05/18/09

@J.D.Regent: I get that part. But, if you don't believe in the business you're pedaling, why are you doing it? It will fail, regardless.

The thing that I'm not connecting, either, is if he was so uncomfortable with the 'product', i.e. selling of HUMAN BEINGS, then why did he make that jump to begin with?

It doesn't make him more admirable because the business failed simply because he was grossed out by it. The fact that he chose that type of business is disgusting enough. It's not noble, in fact, it's far from it.
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SmallbutMighty
05/18/09

In reply to Nice Guys Are Bad Pimps
"nice guys are bad pimps"... which is really too bad. If there is an industry that could use a few more nice guys, I'm guessing this would be it.
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Laulau
05/18/09

@SmallbutMighty: Yeah, I'm thinking pimps are not nice guys by definition. Want to prostitute yourself? That's a choice. Want to form some sort of collective or union with a bunch of other sex workers? Awesome. Want to make money charging the women who actually perform the service to find them clients and give them a room? Strikes me as lazy.
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checkyaself
05/18/09

@Laulau:

I can never understand why (many) feminist love madames but hate pimps. By definition it is the same thing with different genders.

Yes madames may or may not treat their pros better they are still making money off someone else's services.
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Laulau
05/18/09

@checkyaself: I can't say I've ever met a woman who was pro-madame. I mean, I guess it's at least a woman getting hers, rather than a man, but there's also clearly something worse about knowing what it's like to be one of the oppressed, then turning around and doing it to the next person.
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IBleedGlitter: The High Priestess of Tinsel
11/18/08

In reply to Daughter Of Bikini Waxing, Creepy Dad Featured On Cathouse
Well, now I know what I'm gonna wear next Slut-o-ween!
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YourScreenplaySucks
11/18/08

In reply to Daughter Of Bikini Waxing, Creepy Dad Featured On Cathouse
I remember you posting about this family. In fact, Creepy Bikini Waxing Pedo-Dad and his never had a chance daughter haunted my nightmares for months. And here they are again. Will the lambs ever stop screaming?
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Vivelafat says Sweep the leg, Johnny.
11/18/08

In reply to Daughter Of Bikini Waxing, Creepy Dad Featured On Cathouse
Ok, I want to confess that I love this show (except I forward through all the weird fake sex shit) I just like looking at the women who choose to become sex workers. It is fascinating how they all have different clientele.

Also, can we talk about how they get "hooker bucks" that they use to buy things at the hooker gift fair that the brothel puts on every month? Way to motivate, Dennis.
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Lawyerette will perform legal services for food
11/18/08

@Vivelafat says Vive La Obama: Wait, do they get hooker bucks in lieu of wages? That they can only spend at the Company Store? I think that's a violation of federal labor laws. As if the whole sex factory thing wasn't weird enough.

As an aside, what does one buy at a hooker gift fair?
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Pleasure
11/18/08

@Vivelafat says Vive La Obama: Um, can you really say that this Summer girl chose to become a hooker? She was literally groomed to it, in what is CLEARLY child abuse. Her step-father is a monster. It's called incest. She's barely over 18.

And she's going to live with the trauma, and with the knowledge that this is public information, all her life. Trust me, I know, my dad sexually abused me too.

I'm sure there are women who choose to become hookers but she's not one of them.
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Vivelafat says Sweep the leg, Johnny.
11/18/08

@cacrawford99: No, they give it to them as a sort of incentive for good behavior. And believe it or not they by exactly what you would expect at the hooker gift fair, lingerie, hair extensions, blow dryers and perfume.
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Vivelafat says Sweep the leg, Johnny.
11/18/08

@Pleasure: No, I don't think she chose to become a sex worker. I think that she was definitely pushed into it. However, I wasn't referring to liking her situation, I was referring to liking the show.
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VPea
11/18/08

In reply to Daughter Of Bikini Waxing, Creepy Dad Featured On Cathouse
Summer looks like a child. It is a little sad to look at her knowing the creepy dad backstory
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UnSeelie...I am baaack!
11/18/08

@VPea: the girl right next to her looks even younger. Summer looks like she is 16, at the most.
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langtry
11/18/08

@VPea: I was just thinking that she looks about 14. This clip is all kinds of wrong, and that's numero uno on the gross-out scale.
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