I forgot to post that this article is ready for grading. Thank you.

Introduction

Former Governor Eliot Spitzer was exposed as a john and identified as Client #9. His entanglement with the prostitution ring known as the Emperor’s VIP Club and the coverage of the scandal that ensued, focused almost exclusively on the presence of Silda Spitzer during his press conference, the full birth name and MySpace profile of the prostitute involved, and his devastating “fall from grace.” Example

This paper focuses on the structure of the Emperor’s VIP Club’s bargaining process, with specific attention to the diamond-rating system used to rank and price the women prostitutes. It is my contention that this particular type of commoditization allows the john to forget or at least distance himself from what it is that he is buying and the less-than-glamorous realities of prostitution and sex trafficking. In this sense, both Spitzer and the public at large have fallen for the same distraction. Both Spitzer, engaging in such a system (albeit knowingly) and the public’s fixation on the “high-priced” factor of his indiscretions, keep the conversation of the marginalized on the margins. Finally, there is also the question of whether Spitzer has engaged in a replication of prostitution in this sense, making a deal as a politician to trade his bodily freedom (to avoid incarceration) in exchange for his office.

This paper will not explore this hypocrisy or (im)morality of his actions, his possible addiction, how he could possibly have been dumb enough to leave a paper trail of his purchases, nor will it discuss the quickness of Mr. Spitzer’s resignation that ignited suspicion of larger indiscretions than were publicly acknowledged. There are many complicated facets worthy of discussion that for the sake of brevity or my personal disinterest are forgone here.

Whore Diamonds: Part Leff, Part Veblen

The transformation of what is considered to be morally or socially depraved into an elite luxury begins, of course, with a strong pricing scheme. The Emperor’s VIP Club has a diamond rating scale. Women are rated from one to seven diamonds; however, the club is quick to boast that they only carry women worth of three diamonds or higher. Source The rates are separated by diamond status and include dawn-to-dawn or hourly rates. Mr. Spitzer’s companion was allegedly ranked at four diamonds and cost $4,300 for the evening. It is noteworthy that, without going to graphic detail, what is purchased with the regard to the diamond scale is not related to the specific services provided. Rather, the ranking and cost are supposedly correlated with the “quality” of the woman including, pedigree, education, and recreational interests. The Elite Emperors Icon women are “carefully selected based on quality and level of education, family background, intelligence, personality, ability to create an enjoyable atmosphere and physical beauty." Source. The valuation of the prostitutes in this manner, the design of the website and frequent self-identification as an “elite” service, all contribute to the conspicuous consumption. Prostitution exists everywhere in the Unites States, but this service sells more than sex; it engages its johns to participate in a “luxury” bred by the air of exclusivity. Johns become “clientele,” further classified by the service as “90% comprised of international CEOs, partners or owners of large companies and firms.” Prostitutes become “Elite Icon models.” Source

Is this just a simple Squaresville sales pitch? Arguably, the men participating in this service are fully aware and intend to purchase sex and seek out these particular types of services. What is the difference between johns who call from a phone book, make arrangements on a website or drive to a dark corner for prostitution? Surely, they are all purchasing sex. Is it simply the price? There is no real correlation between “safety” and price, as it is especially common to pay an exclusive service more money for riskier sex. Mr. Spitzer was apparently no different. Source

Using Leff’s analysis, the importance here is not what is being purchased but how it is purchased. Once in this venue, the up-sell is also part of the lure and the scam. The business of purchasing sex through the Emperor’s VIP was conducted entirely via email and telephone contact. Imagine a sales pitch that sounds something like this: “All of our girls are rated from 1 to 7 diamonds. All are happy to provide full-services. For three diamonds, you can date Ashley. For five diamonds, Kelly. And for the most-elite, Veronica for seven diamonds.” Ashley, Kelly and Veronica are, of course, the same person. The imbalance of knowledge is as much a part of the up-sell as the drive for conspicuous consumption supporting the rationale that if you pay more, you must be getting more.

Media Fixations: We all bought the scam, too.

For lack of a better term, I refer to the frenzy and scandal presentation on radio, blogs, and “trusted news sources” collectively as the media. Unintended is the connotation of a big, bad “other” separate from public participation. The media, while not always reflective of public opinion (or truth for that matter), is representative of a collective response.

In addition to whatever elements drive the market for prostitution, another important role is played by the distinction of prostitution as an “elite” service. Consumers of these so-called “elite” services not only do so due to invidious or conspicuous consumption or as marks victim to swindling tactics, they do so in part because it allows the false understanding of their consumption as fundamentally different from other prostitution. Where there is prostitution, there is homelessness, child abuse, sexual abuse, other violence and extreme poverty. Source Source

There is something dank and trashy about picking up an anonymous whore from a street corner. To avoid such connotation, in every major news report of the then-breaking story of Spitzer’s demise, he was consistently referred to as being involved with a “high-priced prostitution ring.” Once the prostitute’s identity was released, there was frenzy about Ashley Alexandra Dupre, aka “Kristin.” Her MySpace page became front page. Her life story, with little emphasis on the allegations of abuse and short homeless period, was framed as a perverted tale of the American Dream “from rags to riches.” Source

This whole process has already been replicated by the recent news of Thomas Athens, who was caught having relations with a prostitute for a mere $150. You may not recognize his name, as he is rarely identified by it. He is the husband of U.S. Senator, Debbie Stabenow. The prostitute involved is Alycia Martin (her MySpace page and middle name are readily available as well). The convergence of public fascination for scandals and the focus on individuals operate to quash any discussion of how insidious prostitution is in all parts of society. The pictures in the headlines feature both Senator Stabenow and Ms. Martin. Thomas Athens is nowhere to be found and little mentioned. That incident has already been calculated publicly as worth about “.046 whore diamonds.” This prostitute is referred to as a “hooker.” Source

Conclusion

As an American public, we have bought into the notion of “elite” services as separate from the world of commonplace prostitution. The discussion of the status of prostitution in America has centered on what happens in “elite” brothels, featuring interviews with porn stars, other “high-priced prostitutes” and Heidi Fleiss. There are no hookers interviewed. There is little connection made to the systems of oppression that operate, of the millions of U.S. children prostituting themselves. Source Little mention of power differentials supported by the legal system is made, as evidenced by the structure of laws pertaining to johns and prostitutes.A little about Sweden's System. A little about the U.S. System Mainstream, public discourse has arguably been swayed by the same factors to see Mr. Spitzer’s purchase as something different than exploitation.

-- MiaWhite - 07 Apr 2008

Wow. And I quote from Ms. Alycia Martin's website:

"If you cant handel me at my worst, den you dont deserve me at muh best** Life too short for sadness alwayz smile its worth it no matter wut! BELEIVE IT!!"

.046 diamonds indeed.

-- JosephMacias - 08 Apr 2008