Anthems like “Bands A Make Her Dance,” “I Endorse These Strippers,” the aging “I’m in Love with a Stripper” and the advent of “twerking” merge the culture of strip clubs and exotic dancing with popular culture. Instead of run-of-the-mill exercise, there are now pole dancing classes. Rather than getting dance lessons for parties and events, twerking tutorials are available on Youtube for anyone’s viewing, without judgment.
Although exotic dancing is more acceptable and even intertwined with everyday culture, various negative connotations and stereotypes follow the culture of strip clubs and erotic dancing. 
Nancy Smith, an ex-server at a local strip club and bar whose name has been changed, said her experience was horrible, and her apprehension about the adult entertainment industry was reinforced by her time working at the venue.
“There was so much going on there that shouldn’t have been,” Smith said. “They (exotic dancers) were terrible. I never thought anything much of strip clubs, but I do now.”
 Joe Johnson, whose name has been changed, has been to many strip clubs and said he thinks if people are going to a strip club for the glamour portrayed on TV, those patrons will be disappointed.
“I’m a fan of strip clubs but what’s portrayed on TV is not what you get in real life,” Johnson said.
Johnson also said he feels today’s culture has made the questionable nature of strip clubs more acceptable.
“It’s easy money, and I don’t judge them for that, but our culture has made it way more acceptable than it really should be,” Johnson said.
According to 11points.com, most exotic dancers are students trying to put themselves through college. Some are trained dancers who cannot find work and use exotic dancing to support themselves.
A Chicago native and adult entertainer, who goes by Jaycee Luv on stage, is currently taking a break from dancing. She said her near-decade of exotic dancing was enjoyable, but tighter restrictions on dancers have caused her absence from the stage.
“It’s a learning experience and it’s fun,” Luv said. “I’ve been doing it on and off again for nine years. I’m currently not dancing because I don’t have my license and some places insist you have one to dance.”
Luv said the media and the economy’s downturn could be responsible for the sudden wave of exotic dancers. For women, she said, exotic dancing could be an attractive job in a time of widespread unemployment and layoffs.
“One main reason (people dance) is the economy, and the people are getting laid off. And when you’re a girl you look at dancing like it’s a great way to pay your bills,” she said.
According to Payscale.com, an exotic dancer can earn anywhere from $17,802 to $142,509 dollars, not including health benefits.
Luv said she believes the media encourages the flashier, appealing side of exotic dancing without revealing exotic dancing is a market that fluctuates like any other. 
“It’s definitely glamorized by the media, and it sets people up for failure,” Luv said. “Most people get there and think they’re going to make a lot of money, but it’s an up and down thing like anything else.”