HOOK: E-zine By, For, and About Men in the Sex Industry

HOOK: How did you get involved in stripping? How has your interest in stripping changed from the beginning to now?

Chris: I got involved a while back. A friend had done it and offered it to me as an easy way to make some cash thru college.

HOOK: Do you tell people you are a stripper? How do they react when you tell them?

C: I don’t tell everyone, but I don’t hold it back either. It’s also not my primary job these days though the extra cash is still nice to have. I haven’t gotten any bad reactions. My bud’s a personal trainer. We joke...I let old men touch me for money...he lets old women touch him for money. I’m sure some people would give a guy who only stripped a bad rap...but in reality...if you can make a decent living...more power to ya.

HOOK: Do you think you are good at what you do?

C: I think I am. To me it’s a no-stress second job. I try to have fun with it. There are nights I’d rather not be there...but we all have those. I’ve never liked being the stereotypical stripper...up on the box, untouchable...I like talking to people. I find being a real person with a hot bod gets me more money than just being a hot bod.

HOOK: Do you practice routines at home?

C: Nope. Like to wing it.

HOOK: The Editor of HOOK used to be a stripper and he thinks there are ‘methods’ to get more money while dancing. Do you have a method or technique?

C: I think this depends on the crowd. You can always lead someone on to get more money...but that can get dangerous too. I like to play with the crowd. Get people interested. Keep them guessing. Get them involved by playing with their friends. Personally I’m not big into thongs...but I have a customer that pays well when I wear one so I do...when he’s there. I try to be different. If there are five guys and four wearing thongs...I’ll be the one in a jockstrap. Playing into people’s fantasies always helps too. For instance, I know a couple that come in often that are big time into leather and B/D. So I brought a pair of handcuffs in and cuffed one of them to the bar. That got me a lot of attention for the rest of the night from them and others.

HOOK: How do you like being the center of attention? Is this different than when you first started out?

C: I don’t mind being the center of attention. Funny thing is my friends would laugh and probably say that without prior knowledge, I’d be the last person they’d guess to be dancing on a box in a room full of people. Part of the challenge is keeping people’s attention. Some guys do handstands.

HOOK: What is the best kind of audience for you? Prefer male or female audiences?

C: I like mixed to be honest...guys tend to tip more but girls can be more fun to play with. The best money I’ve made has been at gay bars with some girls in the audience. Girls just get more excited...or shocked.

HOOK: Has stripping lead to other opportunities like getting paid for sex?

C: Yes...though I’ve chosen to not go down that path. The furthest I have gone is have sex with another dancer and let someone watch for money. I obviously don’t have a problem putting on a show so long as I get to choose the participants.

HOOK: If so, how did it feel when you were first offered money for sex?

C: I take it as flattery...but decline mostly. To each their own. I do take offense to it when a person doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. I had to have a guy thrown out of a bar one night because he didn’t stop asking.

HOOK: Have you met anyone that you wanted to start a relationship with on the job?

C: Have met lots of friends and some hot boys. Never got far enough into anything to consider a relationship.

HOOK: How has stripping affected your love life? Are people intimidated when they learn that you are a stripper? Does it turn them on or off?

C: I'm generally not attracted to people to are intimidated by me stripping. I like open-minded guys and while a little jealousy is good...I like my dates to remember that it’s only an act/job. I’ve had a few dates come in to see me at work. That gets bonus points in my book and they get to say they’re going home with the dancer.

HOOK: What has stripping taught you about yourself?

C: That I can play the extrovert when I want to. I’m generally the reserved guy who observes more than opens his mouth.

HOOK: Finally, any tips on becoming a stripper superstar?

C: Find a good place to work. Work on stripping first...don’t go full force into the sex industry...especially if you’re young. Build up some street smarts. Be a nice guy...wise but nice.

Daniel sucks cock best after he’s been decently mind-fucked. A former go go dancer/stripper, he is now taking strides to fully develop his inner smut-peddler, but not spending nearly enough time accommodating his bisexual envy.

When doing neither things, he can be found in the kitchen cooking his spinster life away or strategizing to achieve his lifelong goal to be both an expatriate and cultural juggernaut by shamelessly promoting himself. Read his funny writing at www.amateurbastard.com, his politically-oriented work at www.spoonfedamerika.com, and saucy sex poems in the anthology, Take Out: Queer Writing from Asian Pacific America.