Times are really bad.....
but funny how some RTT are able to club freely while their hubby
work their arse off.....
wonder if they take part timers....
source
IN her own words, she's happily married to a businessman
who lavishes her with expensive gifts and dotes on their
sons.
Her two teenage boys are 'good kids, obedient and
respectful'.
But all that is not stopping the 42-year-old tai-tai from
seeking - and paying for - the company of toyboys at karaoke
clubs.
Yes, she said she knows that her nights out could easily tear
the family apart, as her husband thinks she's out playing mahjong
with her tai-tai friends.
Yet, said Madam Wang, who agreed to be interviewed on condition
we did not use her full name: 'The temptation is just too
irresistible.
'I'd feel something was missing if I had to skip one of my
regular visits to the club.'
Her regular haunt is one of several KTV-like clubs catering to
women that have sprouted across Singapore.
There are at least 11 such clubs, all of which opened in the
past year.
Young, good-looking men sing, dance and cuddle up with women
like Madam Wang at these places.
The New Paper on Sunday team spent four nights over three weeks
at seven clubs in areas such as Tanjong Pagar, Katong, Jalan Besar
and Shenton Way.
Women easily made up 95 per cent of the clubs' clientele - and
they were treated like queens.
Whether it was raucous sleaze or discreet fun, everyone got a
chance with the male hosts.
When we first spotted Madam Wang at a club in Jalan Besar around
7pm on a weekday, she was on a high chair, leaning across the
glass-top table, smiling at a Thai host.
He held a slice of watermelon, teasing her. Each time she was
about to nibble at the watermelon, he'd move his hand away and her
lips would nearly meet his.
The routine, repeated several times in the four hours that Madam
Wang was at the club, left her giggling.
She said later: 'It may sound silly to you, but he made me feel
young all over again. That's one feeling I don't get from my
husband any more.'
That 'youthful feeling' comes at a price. The bill for about
three hours of chatting, entertainment, a plate of fruits and three
jugs of beer for our team at the club came to nearly $500.
Madam Wang said she spends about $1,500 each night. If she takes
a male host out to supper, it can set her back by another $150 an
hour.
'Selling dreams'
Such clubs are successful
because they 'sell dreams' - as it says in the club's tag line. At
such places, said psychologist Richard Lim, women can 'indulge in
the thrill of an alpha-female relationship' and 'fulfil their needs
to be desired'.
The club's black, wooden doors appear intimidating. But the door
bitch (or bouncer) was far less intimidating than those you're
likely to encounter at some other clubs.
She is likely to usher you into the dimly-lit club without much
fuss - even if you have not made a reservation.
With a friendly smile, she settled her guests into the sofas,
couch seats or bar stools - all arranged in a mix-and-match
fashion.
There is no dress code. Women customers were dressed mostly in
office attire or simple black dresses.
At two-hour intervals, about 30 male entertainers from Thailand,
China, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea - and even Singapore
- took turns to strut on the stage.
They were geared up to dazzle in smart, fashionable attire.
Some wore body-hugging shirts or tight tees that showed off
their toned muscular arms. Others were suited up in sleek leather
jackets and black pants.
And almost all of them sported immaculately waxed and tousled
hair, like trendy pop celebrities.
After the emcee called out their numbers - no names - they
stepped up and mumbled into the mike. Most times, we couldn't
really hear what they said, except the names of their
countries.
What followed was like what goes on in Thai discos where
customers can buy flowers for their favourite entertainers, with
the two floor managers approaching customers to stake their claim
on their choice for the night.
Garlands of plastic flowers were priced at $30, $50 and $80,
while sashes started from $100 and went up to $1,000.
There was no live band. The men sang karaoke-style and performed
with much gusto and improvised dance moves.
Results varied drastically, ranging from some who could do a
nifty imitation of professional singers to those who seemed to be
tone-deaf.
But singing appeared to be secondary. Most of the men were young
and hunky, with some sporting model looks.
PEEK:The hosts introduce
themselves one by one
PICK: The women buy flowers
for their favourites, and a staff member hangs the garlands on the
men
Making their rounds
The men went
from table to table between their sets to chat or play dice games
over drinks.
They flirted and teased, sometimes with a hand on the lap, or an
arm across the shoulder, a whisper or just holding hands.
Think simple 'boyfriend touches' - an effect that is probably
lacking in the women's lives.
There were no vulgar moves in the club, except for the
occasional over-indulgent woman. One was locked in a tight embrace
with a Chinese entertainer - despite the presence of her eight
women friends.
The Chinese host seemed to be the most popular, getting about
$1,800 worth of garlands and sashes whenever he sang.
While the owner of the club declined to be interviewed, he
insisted that the club was 'like any other normal karaoke
club'.
What takes place after closing hours is beyond his control, he
added.
That is when the story becomes murky, with some women and the
men singing different tunes, as we discovered during our
stake-out.
