pre-audition rudeness in NYC--wtf?
So I went to one of the mid-tier gown clubs in NYC to audition this afternoon. I've danced before, so I brought my gown, shoes, etc., with me. The woman I spoke to told me the day shift was full and to come back later that night to audition.
As I was leaving, one of the men doing security followed me up the stairs, yelling, "Excuse me! Excuse me! HEY!" Then he goes, "Excuse me, if you are going to come back at night to audition, I would suggest that you try to look nice, and try to do yourself up and look presentable." He then waved his hand towards me and made a face that suggested that I looked horrible.
OK... WTF. First of all, I was wearing this: expensive designer jeans, a $300 cashmere sweater, nice flats, and tasteful makeup. I have short, spiky hair, but I mean who gives a fuck--I wear a wig when I dance. I was completely shocked, but smiled sweetly and said politely but firmly, "Well, *I* think that I *do* look nice, thank you..." and started to walk away.
He says, "No, you do not. You should really try to...." blah, blah, blah and then he makes that face again.
WTF, people? I know for a fact that I look nice---I MODEL, for fuck's sake---and why does this guy feel the need to get into my business? It doesn't affect him whether I'm hired or not hired. I just felt awful and frustrated because normally I'd tell a person like that to shove it, but obviously I couldn't say anything, because talking back to one of the security men is like a sure-fire way not to get hired. Anyway, I thought it was completely out of line and wanted to rant....! Jesus, I'm so mad. I hope he's not there when I go back tonight.
Re: pre-audition rudeness in NYC--wtf?
He's probably one of those bouncers who tries to tell dancers how to make money and has one single idea of how they should look and act. Fortunately he won't be the one hiring.
However, if they tell you the night shift is full and to come back during the day to audition, you may want to reevaluate the "stripper appeal" of your look. Also, if you're going to dance in a wig, you should be wearing it to the club when you plan to apply or audition -- you should present yourself as you plan to look when you work there.
Re: pre-audition rudeness in NYC--wtf?
yea, i agree abotu wearing the wig when you go in, and do your makeup as stripper makeup, not just tasteful. i mean, there are definitely ways to do tasteful stripper makeup, but dont tone it down to be more tasteful. pile it on as you would when you work.
but yea, totally uncool of the security dude.
Re: pre-audition rudeness in NYC--wtf?
I think, also, that when support staff are rude at the beginning, it's to scare off those ladies who can't handle it. They are, after all, the ones who deal with the drama and tears. Still, it was very misguided.
Re: pre-audition rudeness in NYC--wtf?
I would respond with "Do the dancer's here tip you? Yes? Keep that in mind when talking to a potential source of income."
He likely won't recognize you when you have your wig on. It's kind of funny how the people you work with can't get past something as easily changed as a hair style.
Re: pre-audition rudeness in NYC--wtf?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Chrissy68
yea, i agree abotu wearing the wig when you go in, and do your makeup as stripper makeup, not just tasteful. i mean, there are definitely ways to do tasteful stripper makeup, but dont tone it down to be more tasteful. pile it on as you would when you work.
but yea, totally uncool of the security dude.
Good point. I'm going to another club tonight---might as well throw "tasteful" the hell out the window, even if I am in street clothes!
Re: pre-audition rudeness in NYC--wtf?
YES - you are supposed to do yourself up as you would for work. They don't want to see tasteful, they want to see what you'll look like at work. Put the wig on and stripperize the makeup. It's an audition, so you should look the part, and they don't care if you look like a tramp with stripper makeup in street clothes.
Agreed though, the bouncer was an ASS.
Re: pre-audition rudeness in NYC--wtf?
Curious as to which club this was...
Re: pre-audition rudeness in NYC--wtf?
OK. I gotta say something about this and not all of you are going to agree 100% with me. That bouncer was a DICKHEAD and downright rude. VERY inappropriate of him. No excuses! I don't care if he was trying to test you or see if you had a thick enough skin to work there(a'la the bar owner in the movie Coyote Ugly). It was rude!
Like you said, you were dressed in expensive and classy clothing. You were wearing tastefully applied make-up. I don't see the problem with it. When I go to auditions, I don't put on dramatic stripper-style make-up when I enter the door...I will put on a decent amount of "day" make-up, then put on the heavier make-up once I'm in the dressing room getting all dolled up for my audition. What do they expect? Especially in a big dangerous city like New York, do they *really* expect us to walk around outside and then into the club looking like hookers? Come on! I don't think you did anything wrong.
The only times that someone would look "inappropriate" or "not good enough," would be if they had a drastic flaw in their looks. For example, someone who was wearing torn-up street clothes reminisce of the homeless beggers that probably hang around the street alleys nearby that club. ANY type of "homeless beggar look"...unwashed, unkempt, sleazy clothing, etc. Or someone that is dirty or slobby. Another type that would be looking "inappropriate" would be a girl wearing an obscene T-shirt or too drastic of a style, such as tons of face piercings with a half shaved head and purple hair on the other side...you get the idea. Or maybe someone who is morbidly obese, missing teeth, or some other drastic detriment that makes the girl look way too ugly to be a stripper. But you were wearing nice clothing! So what if you have short hair?...I've seen dancers with short hair before. You said you are a model...I am sure that you are very cute and I think that bouncer has an attitude problem.
If you have your heart set on working at that club, yeah I'd say to go in during night shift wearing your wig and ask to audition then. If you wear your wig, perhaps the asshole bouncer won't even recognize you. But if you get brushed off, not hired, or decide not to go back...it won't matter what the club managers think of you at that point...so in that case, I'd suggest calling up the manager and telling him/her how rude their bouncer was. Get that bouncer in trouble! He was very rude and rudeness is unacceptable. Yesterday, my friend told me that she went to a strip club and reported a very rude dancer to the manager...and the rude dancer got fired on the spot!
Re: pre-audition rudeness in NYC--wtf?
thank you! I appreciate it, and that's a good idea re: calling the club about the bouncer. I ended up going to another club and getting in---this time I wore full makeup, wig, etc. and that probably made a difference. I don't know. But seriously, it was annoying---I take the subway, and let me tell you, doing myself up in a wig and dramatic makeup and walking around the streets and subway platforms of Manhattan, not to mention my neighborhood in Brooklyn, attracted way more attention than I was comfortable with.