Sex Sells!
Wow, this is interesting. I had no idea this was going on in strip clubs ("Strip Club Stardom," Jonathan Cunningham, October 16). Thanks for sharing. Now, J.C., tell the truth: How much money did you have to spend on cover, parking, drinks, and mileage for this story? I'm impressed with the variety of DJs and strip clubs you included.
Orchid Pham
Baltimore
Editor's note: Cunningham racked up more than $400 in strip club costs, and his expense reports are still a point of speculation in the New Times newsroom.
Interesting stuff. Bottom line: Sex sells! If you can get in where you fit in, why not? If strippers are eager to "drop it like it's hot" to a slamming beat that makes them turn on the clientele and get paid, why wouldn't a wanna-be-known rapper go that route? It is what it is.
We're all out here tryin' to get paid, right? Hats off to the writer, who had me clearly envisioning the scenes as if I were a patron — or dancer — at all the clubs he detailed!
Dorrian McGhee
Detroit
Great story. This is a phenomenon all over the South, but I'm sure that in a strip-club mecca like Miami, it's even more prevalent. It's fascinating the way it all works.
Name withheld by request
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Any story that involves strippers and hip-hop that's not derogatory but rather informative is cool with me.
Name withheld by request
Via the internet
Oldie But Newbie
Great skating article, Amy Guthrie ("Roller Jam," October 9). You really captured the history and icons of a bygone era that hopefully will linger for many more decades. As an old-time South Florida skater, you got my skating blood shufflin'. Thank you for your great writing skills and for highlighting South Florida's passion for graceful movement.
Kevin McGee
Coral Springs
Joe's No Terrorist
As the immediate past chair and past vice chair of the Broward School Board Diversity Committee, I have been honored to work alongside Joe Badran for the past several years ("A Jihad on Joe," Michael J. Mooney, October 9). Badran has been a productive and congenial member of the Diversity Committee who has volunteered his time and efforts in the best interest of the students, faculty, and administrators of the School Board. His has been an important voice who has advocated for the rights of those in the system who otherwise would have had no one to stand up for their rights. Badran advocates for those of Middle Eastern origin just as other members of the committee advocate for minorities in communities they represent.
Joe Badran is not a terrorist. He was raised in Texas and has a southern Texas accent. He has made comments supporting Hamas — which is the democratically elected government of Palestine. He does not support terrorism and has made statements against the Fatah and other violent radical Islamic groups. For Joe Kaufman to repeatedly post on his blog and in the newspaper that Badran is a terrorist is slanderous. School Board Member Robert Parks should be commended for supporting his appointee and should not let himself be bullied by bigots who have no respect for the rights of others.
Randy A. Fleischer
Davie
Heart of a Woman
So it may be old news now, but I just finished reading your article ("The Real Girlfriend Experience," Michael J. Mooney, September 18). It's weird that your inspiration was a guy who was actually compelled to date escorts and document it rather than someone who wanted to create a groundbreaking piece of literature. Oddly enough, maybe writing his book was an exercise in his fetish of writing and of dirty women. In any case, I think it was a cool story that kept my attention the whole time. A mildly humorous glimpse into the gritty world of escorts. Good job.
Jerry King
Hollywood
While waiting for someone I'd met the night before in Miami, a pretty hooker came up to me. Asked if I wanted a good time. Before you know it, people thought I was her pimp and were asking me how much. She joked with me, and I ended up spending a good 45 minutes talking to her. Said she lost her job and she went "loony tunes." When she first walked past me she was a hooker, and she waved goodbye as a person.
Name withheld by request
Chicago
