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Getting off on the economics of hooking

The continuing post-Spitzer articles about why-high end escorts make so such money are, let's admit it, porn. Wonking about the economics of high-end sex and money is a great way to pretend there's nothing titillating about it. This week, Economist blogger Allison Schrager asks how these girls can charge so much — that is, she asks everyone but the escorts themselves.

Who does Schrager poll?

Men in airport lounges
Men she works with
The male commenter who triggered the piece in the first place

Their consensus? Hookers are so unmarriageable after they leave the biz that they're calculating their retirement into their rates. True, no escort agency I know of offers 401(k). But after all her digging into the details of what the women who do this work look like and fuck like, she ignores the most basic Adam Smith answer: Supply and demand.

What makes a highly paid escort successful isn't mere ability to fake enjoyment on the job, but to convince the most boring hedge fund manager that he's James Bond — daring, sexy, and of a class above mere mortals. It's a luxury experience, one most women just can't deliver. You might as well ask why having Robin Williams keynote your conference costs so much.

Back to my original point: Why is it when journalists want to talk about hooking, they pass over the hookers themselves for a bunch of econ profs? It's not like there aren't any MBA or Ph.D. call girls out there that The Economist could have sourced. Seriously, Allison, how do you think they pay for those degrees?

(Photo: Mistress F)

12:00 PM on Fri Apr 11 2008
By Melissa Gira Grant
2,817 views
20 comments

Comments

Rachel Marsden at 12:21 PM on 04/11/08
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Melissa, I wrote an academic analysis of prostitution and pornography, below. Perhaps you might find it of interest.

[www.angelfire.com]
matto at 12:22 PM on 04/11/08
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You had me all the way up until you assumed I'd know why I would pay for Robin Williams to keynote.
Aph at 12:29 PM on 04/11/08
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Singularity Event -> More 'existence' to take place in virtual worlds -> Sex becomes digitized -> programmers becomes the masters of purchasable sex -> Women loose control of the oldest job ever
Aph at 12:30 PM on 04/11/08
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woops Freudian spelling error. Lose.
Fake Jimbo Wales at 12:32 PM on 04/11/08
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@Rachel Marsden: I did a brief vlog post about you and your political analyses, I hope you enjoy it:

+ Watch video
Rachel Marsden at 12:38 PM on 04/11/08
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@Fake Jimbo Wales: Thank you, dear. I stopped watching, however, at 1:08, when I witnessed interracial gay hugging.
sample032 at 12:42 PM on 04/11/08
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So is it supply and demand or a combination of looks and acting ability?
sample032 at 12:43 PM on 04/11/08
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@Aph: Some of us already have quite digital sex lives, thank you very much.
Hopeless at 01:27 PM on 04/11/08
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@Rachel Marsden: You assume we care about the intellectual side of this. I think I speak for all men when I say "who cares about the economics? are these chicks hot and how much do they cost?"
rumourone at 02:14 PM on 04/11/08
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"highly paid escort successful"???

now there is an oxymoron.

"Successful?"

Does being "highly paid" make someone successful?
Fidel on the Roof at 02:16 PM on 04/11/08
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This whole "I'm smart and a whore" bit is pretty sad.
yawnster at 02:37 PM on 04/11/08
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well... they are kinda smart...

they don't need to go to college, don't need to learn much skills, and make a pretty good living in bed :)
MistaFab at 02:55 PM on 04/11/08
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those ankles look like they belong to a man...
fear_me at 03:08 PM on 04/11/08
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The Fake Jimbo Wales comment was the best part of this story. Can we at least get an NSFW image here, people?
Torley at 03:42 PM on 04/11/08
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Speaking of Robin Williams, I like how he has a tendency to keep things interesting and do improv comedy when technical difficulties interfere. They're like, surprise keynotes!
Hopeless at 03:58 PM on 04/11/08
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@MistaFab: Is that Julia Allison in that pic?
random_play at 08:15 PM on 04/11/08
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@Fake Jimbo Wales: Phil Roll! Proper.
drewB at 11:09 PM on 04/11/08
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Honestly, comparing Robin Williams to high class hookers? What have you done with MGG?
Fidel on the Roof at 01:59 PM on 04/12/08
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@yawnster: How would you feel if some fools gave you lots of cash for a colonoscopy. What if you made your living this way? Do you think you have it good?

Some people would say yes. I would say no. See that clown down the street? The guy with the rash on his butt and bad breath. His wife has VD. He is looking for some fun while she is out. That guy is a client. So... that makes you his "date."

Not glamourous. Not cool... and certainly not smart. I've noticed that most of the high priced whores always come up with "I'm smart and well traveled. I'm looking for an intelligent conversation. I speak Russian, German, Afrikaans, and Mongolian..." Compensating for something? Need to lift yourself to make you and others not concentrate that you are a WHORE?

:-)
SeanPara at 09:12 AM on 04/14/08
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those ankles look like they belong to a man...

or Miss Piggy?