Remington's dancers in the Gaiety

[Guest TorontoGuy]

I haven’t been on this board for a while, so I’ve been reading a backlog of NY Observer’s Gaiety reviews of the past few weeks. Reading these reviews back to back, I noticed an interesting trend in what regards Remington’s dancers that appear in the Gaiety; apparently not all the boys are equally admired by the clientele of both venues. I’m saying apparently since I’m basing this observation on NYO’s reviews and my own experience in Remington’s, which obviously only reflect our respective opinions. Case in point; Donovan (Remington’s Young Blood) and Todd (Remington’s Todd!). Donovan, a bona fide Remington’s star and one of its hottest commodities, received a lukewarm review from NYO while Todd, a Remington’s has-been, received a glowing one. I’m not sure if the hype that accompanied Donovan’s visit to the Gaiety on this board, which was initiated by his big Remington’s clique of drooling devotees, as opposed to the unheralded Todd, got on NYO’s nerves (or raised his expectations too much?) and resulted in the aforementioned lukewarm review. Or maybe it’s a question of chemistry. Nevertheless, the fact remains that NYO’s comments on these two dancers are in a sharp contrast of how each dancer is perceived in Remington’s, again based on my experience. I would, therefore, appreciate it if other patrons of both clubs shared their perspective about this curious (to me!) observation, whether in what concerns these two dancers or other Remington’s exports to the Gaiety :-)

[Guest Jake]

I can only reply about Youngblood, since he is the one with whom I'm familiar. In my case, all the hype led me to believe someone extraordinarily skilled and personable would be hitting the Gaiety stage. I was extremely disappointed. In the world of Gaiety dancers (and granted this is not the real world - Donovan would certainly make the grade there) he was a big disappointment. His dancing left a lot to be desired as well as his interaction with the clientele. He didn't look comfortable on stage and didn't display a unique personality (in my opinion, the kiss of death to a Gaiety dancer). I also didn't go for his body type. I can't speak for anyone other than myself, but I do feel all the advance praise worked against him, in my mind at least.

 

As far as NYO's review, if I remember correctly, he always inserts a paragraph about the reviews being his opinions only - which I guess is what reviewing is all about. I loved the George Wolfe production of The Wild Party on Broadway. The critics hated it. It closed. I still think they were wrong.

[NY Observer]

Hey Toronto,

I think we all have different perceptions of these guys and that's why they can all work. My evaluation of these guys is primarily from a stage and possibly lounge perspective, not from how they perform during a lap dance and/or private. I have heard good things about Youngblood and most of them are based on sexual performance. As I don't experience each and every boy at the Gaiety, I only evaluate based on what I see/feel. It's entirely possible that Youngblood is really the Jewel of Remington's and that Todd is washed up (I don't think my review of him was THAT glowing, to be quite honest, I just said he was a good performer on stage), it's all a matter of how one evaluates, what the criteria are and what weight each factor carries in the process.

I would never profess to be the end-all expert in evaluating talent. After all, how many of you check the bottoms of their feet (just kidding)

[Guest LITTLEANTNEE]

At the time I made no comment on the Youngblood stuff, "but since you've brought it up (LOL)". Youngblood did suffer in comparison to the "usual suspects" at Gaiety. Physically, he's slightly less "cut" then most there. His incredibly rude comments in the lounge left much to be desired in the personality department (but I did see him at what was, apparently, the end of a bad week -- or so he said).

 

But I think the disconnect between the Gaiety and Remingtons (and Campus, and Stock) may be that there is no lap dance at Gaiety. Some of the least interesting dancers at Gaiety do simply fabulous laps at home. My experience with Cameron at Le Bar Stock this last weekend proves this -- what a hottie. But at Gaiety I've never seen him shine like he does at Stock (ditto, Casey at Campus). It just proves the old addage that a jewel needs a proper setting to show it to its best advantage (or something like that). Both boys are simply stunning, and I look forward to their return (or to a Democratic Mayor in NYC, so we can touch the dancers again). Keep posting!

[shy]

i was going to reply in defense of nyo, who can speak well for himself; and since he already has i'll just add some observations and opinions. i am a wild devotee of remingtons and its great

variety of dancers(leaving tomorrow for another

4 nights of debauchery at remingtons). i was one of youngbloods' devotees singing his praises; more

for his sensual, accomodating privates than his

physical beauty. there he is undermatched compared to many of the remington dancers, and

especially to the high quality of physical beauty at gaiety. it doesn't surprise me that he may have had a bad week in nyc.

as for todd, when i first saw him at remingtons he

made a good impression on me as far as his physical appearance and his dancing on stage. i don't recall ever talking to him nor having a lap dance with him, but observing him on various occations i came to be annoyed with his mannerisms, especially his habit of taking tiny half steps both while walking through the bar area and on the stage while dancing. that said, i am thinking of trying him for a lap dance after some comments i have read on the message boards.

i'll end by again reminding you of nyos' weekly admonition that it is his opinion only and that

so much depends on the individual chemistry between two people.

[Guest TorontoGuy]

Thanks for all who responded. I have a couple of bones to pick, though; first, Young Blood might appear to be a bit abrupt and gruff upon first encounter, but that is only a facade hiding a sensitive and shy person, sort of a defense mechanism. I would imagine being in a completely new territory like the Gaiety to have compounded this and made him appear rude. Cut the guy some slack (he’s barely 20!), get to know him better and don't be turned off by his apparent rudeness if you like his looks, that is (I most definitely do). Believe me you’ll be pleasantly surprised. He’s one of the sweetest –if not the sweetest- dancers I’ve ever known. This was bourn out by those lucky customers (me included) who had him for a private and who have nothing but high praise to say about his sensuality and willingness to please. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather spend some time to get to know a dancer even if he gives a negative first impression and not pass a judgment in the first few seconds before deciding whether he’s “private-material” than be fooled by a dancer like Travis who’s all smiles and flirtation only to discover that this is almost the same deal he offers in a private; smiles and flirtation ONLY! So, it certainly pays to invest some time in getting to know Young Blood and remember NONE of these dancers enjoys what he’s doing, so if you catch a dancer without that fake perpetual smile plastered on most dancers’ faces (especially the rip-offs), then you caught him in a moment of truth…

 

Second, answering to NYO’s comment, I went back to your review of Todd and found it was indeed glowing (you gave him many “awards” like best show and most sensual!). I think it doesn’t get much more “glowing” than that!! I just wanted to make sure I was not seeing things :-) But I fully understand the methodology (I know, it’s a big word for this context!) behind your evaluation of dancers and that your taste in men may very well not correspond with the taste of others, which I already emphasized in my original posting. I just fear that some worthy dancers might be short-changed by your rare unfavorable comments, which, as you stated, are mostly based on gut feeling gleaned from observation/conversation not practical (read: sexual) experience with the dancers and may, therefore, unjustly hurt their business which is based by far on their sexual performance, not their conversational ability. See, your weekly review has become the Gaiety bible to many including myself and that’s an influential tool to be used with caution. I suggest, if you indulge me, splitting the dancers you review in two categories, those you had privates with (or whose performance in privates was communicated to you by reliable sources) and those you talked with/observed, and leave it to the readers’ discretion to give weight to your comments in each case accordingly.

 

Finally, I don’t want this to be construed as an attack on NYO since I’m the first to thank him for his efforts in producing this informative and entertaining review of the Gaiety week in week out, which is far from an easy task.

 

Wow! I just realized how big this posting was when I saw the preview! Thanks for your patience:-)

[NY Observer]

Hi Toronto,

I am not at all offended by your post, I don't perceive it as an attack on me at all. As far as separating out my comments about who I've been with, I think that would detract from the format and since my private is a lot more timid than 99 percent of privates, I doubt I'd be telling anyone much of anything. Maybe that's why I get along with many of the dancers, they don't feel threatened by me sexually. Further, I don't really want to air out the name of every Gaiety dancer I've spent time with.

 

As for first impressions, I agree with what you say to some extent. I think mine are usually pretty good, but certainly not infallible. I am always willing to change my mind about a person if they give me reason to.

 

I don't think that anyone should take my comments as gospel, get to know the guys, make your own judgements. I know the ones I like, the ones I've gotten to know, the ones who push the right buttons with me. I am looking for one thing, you might be looking for something else, so my comments, while relevant, should not be the decisive factor in who a patron should make arrangements with. Everyone is different. I don't think I should be blamed for a dancer having a poor week. In fact, since my reviews are generally published after the week is over, they generally have little to do with the success or failure of a particular dancer, especially a new dancer.

 

I just write my opinions, hopefully not maliciously. I try to find good features in most performers. In the case of Youngblood, part of the negativity may have come from having such high expectations. I am sure he's a nice guy. I know how hard it must be to work at a place like the Gaiety. Having a few bad days to start can really make for a rotten week.

[HooBoy]

Good Grief,

 

New York Observer is a reviewer. He is stating his opinion. That's what reviewers do.

 

I really hate it when he feels he has to defend his position.

 

Get over it. Aida was trashed and I loved it.

 

I also love New York Observer.

 

Not in "that" way! :-), but he is cute.

 

HooBoy

Email: HooBoy@male4malescorts.com

[Guest TorontoGuy]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-10-00 AT 02:18AM (EST)[p]Hey Hoo, chill! This thread somehow became a debate on how NYO reviews dancers while I originally initiated it to get feedback from other Gaiety/Remington's customers -not NYO, since I already know his opinion from his reviews- on dancers who appear in both clubs to see if discrepancies existed. Just out of curiosity. As for NYO, he can continue to review dancers to his heart's content for all I care and I –and hopefully others- will continue to highlight any comments he makes about a given dancer that don't correspond with my experience with that dancer so that this board continues to be informative and unbiased.

 

BTW, I hated Aida! With a passion!! (and I didn’t even pay for the ticket :-))

[Guest fedssocr]

I'm not sure that I would agree with you that NONE of these guys enjoys what he's doing. I'm sure that none of them enjoy it ALL THE TIME, but I think to say that they all hate their job is a little silly. Either they're incredible actors or I'm even more naive than I think I am. :-) For instance, I don't think little Ethan was faking it when I spent so much time with him last month. He sure does know how to work the crowd that's for certain, but in our conversations I did come to believe that he enjoys what he's doing, at least for now.

 

I never really got what all the Youngblood hype was all about either, but that's just cuz he's really not my physical type. Thank goodness there are guys out there for each of us to enjoy.

[Guest TorontoGuy]

Dear fedsscor, before we fool ourselves into believing that the dancers we see in the Gaiety or similar clubs like what they are doing in privates, imagine with me –if you will- being in a room with a horny bitch (most likely middle-aged or older) which you –obviously- have absolutely no sexual attraction to and you’re required to perform sexual favors for her AND look happy doing it! Now tell me how you'd like this situation. That’s roughly what straight dancers (and I’m sure you know Gaiety dancers are overwhelmingly straight) have to endure when a customer is slobbering all over them in a private. Heck, the picture is hardly rosier if the dancers were gay. Granted, they appreciate the money and probably -but not always- the customer giving them the money, but that doesn't make they “like” what they're doing, but rather bear with it until their financial circumstances pick up. Believe me, they’d much rather earn (similar) money doing ANYTHING else if they had the chance (that’s a big if!) And yes, if some of them make you feel thoroughly convinced that they like what they’re doing, then they are GREAT actors.

 

Sorry to be the one to break it to you…

[alankay]

The uptight, Anglo, phobic comments you have just posted are certainly reflective of the general atmosphere in Toronto and New York City. I have long ago dumped either of these venues from my itinerary and travel often to Montreal. Sex is more open, enjoyable and free is this francophone metropolis. If you want to really enjoy yourself I suggest you drop TO and NYC. (Unless of course a Democrat is elected the next mayor of NYC).

[Guest TorontoGuy]

Alan, I got news for you, many of Remington’s (and the Gaiety’s) dancers are French and my uptight blah blah comments apply to them to a T.. Moreover, I go to Montreal all the time and dancers there are the same, which is to say they all put on that cheerful facade to endear themselves to customers, but deep inside they wish they could make similar money any other way (quoting from a handful of my regulars who opened up to me, though this fact is intuitive enough and doesn’t warrant quoting) See, they are all HUMAN. As for sexual freedom, I do more with dancers in Toronto than in Montreal and I enjoy Toronto’s Remington’s more that Montreal’s clubs combined, and while you may have a point regarding NY, there is absolutely no grounds for saying Toronto is less liberal (particularly sexually) than Montreal. In fact, this notion is ridiculous.

 

In short, you completely miss my point which isn’t how permissive dancers (much less cities!) are, but rather whether they “enjoy” their trade. And, in case you’re wondering, I’m neither Anglophone nor Francophone (not that being either is relevant!) so I’m not biased one way or the other.

[Guest carlos]

I totally agree with TG. I too, have lots of regulars and they told me exactly that although they like meeting people, they never liked their job... especially private shows. They are indeed GOOD ACTORS.

[Guest MrB]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-12-00 AT 02:16AM (EST)[p]I'm sure it's not so B&W... many (straight) dancers and escorts when they go with old, overweight or unattractive clients will certainly wish they could do something else for a living. But I know there's also guys who truly enjoy what they are doing.

Please don't let's make these generalisations. Not all escorts are straight guys who wish they were somewhere else. Not all clients are unattractive.

Try and find an escort you like and who sincerely likes you too--this has happened to me on a number of occasions and it can be fun for both sides.

If that was acting, they're so good they actually could be making the same money another way :-)

[Guest fedssocr]

I've never been to Gaiety, but I assume it's similar to other places I've been. As I said, I don't think any of these guys enjoy what they're doing all the time, but I think that if it was truly so awful they would find other things to do to make money. It's not a job I would choose, and thankfully I don't have to. Furthermore, not everyone who patronizes these places is middle-aged, overweight, or "unattractive" (not that there's anything wrong with being any of those things). In fact, the last time I was at Remingtons there was a ton of cute customers there. Also, not everyone (thankfully) has the same idea of what is attractive and what is unattractive.

 

Believe me I am under no illusions when I go into these places. But I almost always spend enough time talking to someone before I go into the backroom to make sure we both at least seem to be comfortable with each other, otherwise I know the time won't be much fun for me. To say that no dancer is ever attracted to any of the people in the club, or that none of them are exhibitionists who totally get off on what they're doing, or that none of them ever enjoy what they're doing is just plain wrong. Of course they are performers, and some of them are better at it than others.

 

I guess I just don't see the world in such a black and white way. Luckily we're both entitled to our opinions. :-)

 

Glenn