5 Questions with a Male Stripper

Darren Michaels, creator of Workouts For Busy Professionals, and author of the upcoming book The Science of Stripping, is a mild mannered chemist by day… by night he is one of the Bay area’s most in-demand exotic male dancers.?

1. How exactly does one wind up a male stripper?

It’s is all about connections.? I was very fortunate to get trained by a veteran dancer who provided me a valuable lesson in learning to get the money before the girls.? When I started, I just wanted to get the girls.? I didn’t realize that when the money flows, their juices flow.? I learned that if I just satisfied our mutual thirst, then I would have pissed away much precious coin.? This lesson taught me to go after the money, then the girls.

Also, a near death experience turned my life around.? I went from being a boring, unattractive nerd who stood in night club lineups, paid cover, and consistently struck out with girls to becoming a Jedi in the art of exotic dancing.? In 2005, I spent five days bedridden in a hospital, my eyes fixated on a white ceiling, missing the sunshine and sandy beaches of California. ?One of my organs was gone for good.? I reflected on everything I had done up to date, realizing that the first 27 years of my life had gone by in a blur, without me accomplishing any of my goals.? Sure, I had gone to school, finished with two university degrees and got recruited by a pharmaceutical giant.? And I was making a decent wage, and driving a fast car. ?But my death experience was my catalyst for freedom.?? And right now, I’m living the life. ?I have a lean physique with ripped abs.? I wrote a book, produced a workout DVD, and then formed my own company, ABmiration.? When I go to the clubs, now it’s exclusively VIP; “cover charge” is no longer in my vocabulary. ?

?Even though I’m a nerdy scientist by day, photographers snap me when the sun goes down. ?I meet tons of women, and trust me, taking their money and giving them an ex(r)otic adventure is no problem for me, either. ?Learning how to become a male stripper has been a blast for me.

2. What was your scariest night stripping, and why?

Back in the early days, when I was still earning my stripes and taking dancing lessons, I landed a bachelorette party in a rugged east bay town in Northern California.? The party consisted of an African American female motorcycle gang, most of whom were twice my size, all decked out in tattoos.? Harley’s littered the premises; ?the bedroom that I changed in had their official biker jackets.? The host greeted me with: ?”White boy, you better be able to move!” I was super- intimidated, but showed no fear.? I was very authoritative in instructing the girls, and getting them to take turns in the hotseat.? I didn’t build up suspense in shredding my business suit.? Instead, I took it off like it was on fire, and gave out lap dances right away .? I got the party in high gear.? I never made much money at that gig, but it gave me confidence in handling any situation.? Now, after 281 parties, I wouldn’t even sweat a party like that.