"They Think Foot Massage Must Be Something To Do With Sex"

Katherine Mangu-Ward | July 21, 2008

A crackdown on Chinese foot massage parlors is underway in Los Angeles: "Authorities have raided about a dozen foot massage parlors in recent months, from San Gabriel to Rowland Heights, charging operators and masseuses with fines of up to $1,000."

Which is weird really, because if you think about it, who needs a cheap foot massage more than a jackbooted thug?

An attorney representing a new association of foot massage parlor owners has argued that the industry employs more than 1,000 people—many of the poorest Chinese emigres hoping to establish a foothold in the United States.

So is it protectionism? Or prudery?

"They think foot massage must be something to do with sex," [shop owner Ching] Lau said. "They don't understand how popular this is in Asia. It's part of Chinese culture."

More on the thuggery of cosmetologists here and here.

Via Virginia Postrel's Dynamist blog.

Comments

|7.21.08 @ 5:33PM|#

that x ray is really gross.

Ironic|7.21.08 @ 5:38PM|#

"Which is weird really, because if you think about it, who needs a cheap foot massage more than a jackbooted thug?"

Perhaps if more people got foot massages there would be fewer jackbooted thugs? How can you oppress people if you are really relaxed? Why would you WANT to oppress people if you are really relaxed?

BakedPenguin|7.21.08 @ 5:40PM|#

"They think foot massage must be something to do with sex,"

She should already know that it's not just a foot massage.

|7.21.08 @ 5:46PM|#

In case you can't watch BakedPenguin's link, here's the payoff:

VINCENT:
I'm not sayin' he was right, but you're sayin' a foot massage don't mean nothing, and I'm sayin' it does. I've given a million ladies a million foot massages and they all meant somethin'. We act like they don't, but they do. That's what's so fuckin' cool about 'em. This sensual thing's goin' on that nobody's talkin about, but you know it and she knows it, fuckin' Marsellus knew it, and Antwan shoulda known fuckin' better. That's his fuckin' wife, man. He ain't gonna have a sense of humor about that shit.

|7.21.08 @ 5:52PM|#

What is that image? An X-ray of bound Chinese women feet?

|7.21.08 @ 5:58PM|#

My wife, as we speak, is at the podiatrist's office which, upon information and belief, provides reflexology services.

Marcellus Wallace|7.21.08 @ 6:04PM|#

I can't believe it took until the 4th comment to go to Pulp Fiction... Slackers.

|7.21.08 @ 6:07PM|#

An attorney representing a new association of foot massage parlor owners has argued that the industry employs more than 1,000 people-many of the poorest Chinese emigres hoping to establish a foothold in the United States.

No pun intended...

BakedPenguin|7.21.08 @ 6:09PM|#

Marcellus, while you're wandering the earth, you should learn to count...

Jules|7.21.08 @ 6:18PM|#

BP, while your snarking, you should learn who retired to walk the earth.

|7.21.08 @ 6:26PM|#

But she was touching the balls of his feet!!

|7.21.08 @ 6:26PM|#

ted, yes. (shudder)

B|7.21.08 @ 6:27PM|#

I can't believe it took until the 4th comment to go to Pulp Fiction...

I can't believe it didn't make into the title of the post...kids these days...

BakedPenguin|7.21.08 @ 6:28PM|#

Jules, yeah I think that was a variant of RC's law.

Elemenope|7.21.08 @ 6:47PM|#

Marcellus, while you're wandering the earth, you should learn to count...

Jules was gonna wander the Earth. Not Marcellus. Marcellus was recovering from that massive non-consensual ass-fucking he had just received.

You philistine.

Mr Anonymous|7.21.08 @ 7:03PM|#

"They think foot massage must be something to do with sex," [shop owner Ching] Lau said. "They don't understand how popular this is in Asia. It's part of Chinese culture."

I only know of one "asian foot massage parlor" in the area I live. It opens at 11 PM, closes at 4 AM and has about a bazillion cars in the parking lot during its hours of operation.

Add that to the fact that they asked me for a "password" the one time I wandered in drunk and suspicious (and threw me out when I made one up) and you can draw your own conclusions about whether foot massage parlors have nothing to do with sex. Let's just say the magazines in the 'waiting room' didn't have glossy photos of feet.

Whether the city of Los Angeles should care is another question.

Mad Max|7.21.08 @ 7:27PM|#

"many of the poorest Chinese emigres hoping to establish a foothold in the United States."

Along the same lines:

I'm glad the government is putting its foot down and stamping out this illegal activity. These people need to toe the line, or else get nailed. They may say it's just a foot massage, but I say that providing illegal services is the sole reason these places exist. I'm glad the cops used some shoe leather on this case.

Mad Max|7.21.08 @ 7:29PM|#

If they start their business careers giving foot massages, they're starting off on the wrong foot. The police chief gave his cops their marching orders, and the cops are giving these establishments their walking papers. Everyone needs to keep instep with the law.

Mad Max|7.21.08 @ 7:31PM|#

Sock it to them. Oh, that this toe, toe solid flesh would melt.

|7.21.08 @ 7:58PM|#

A good foot message is better than sex, and much harder to get. If I went into a foot massage parlor and all they offered me was sex, I would be very disappointed.

|7.21.08 @ 9:11PM|#

Those aren't necessarily bound feet. Thats just the way the talus bones are shaped. Learn to biology, guys.

Andy|7.21.08 @ 9:13PM|#

I only know of one "asian foot massage parlor" in the area I live. It opens at 11 PM, closes at 4 AM and has.. blah blah

I think you're lying. Name the city you live in. I think it's pretty obvious - look at the picture in the article. It's an open room, and the customers only remove their shoes/socks. This is a waste of tax dollars - if the government are so concerned about licenses, why don't they work with the businesses instead of these heavy handed tactics? What right does the government have to storm into these places of business?

|7.21.08 @ 9:32PM|#

"I think you're lying."

Hooray internet!

/In before Godwin at least...

|7.21.08 @ 9:42PM|#

Stupid Scumbag Cops. Apparently there is a sudden shortage of REAL crime to contend with in CA.

JT
http://www.FireMe.To/udi

|7.21.08 @ 10:11PM|#

I can't believe it took until the 4th comment to go to Pulp Fiction... Slackers.

Tarantino's foot fetish kind of freaks me out.

|7.21.08 @ 11:32PM|#

The massage parlors in New Orleans were usually whorehouses when I lived there ten years ago. Especially the ones in New Orleans East.

That said, I've had a bunch of foot massages in China and there's never been any indication of sex involved. It was just a foot massage. And those places are everywhere.

The article says this place charges $15/hour. What are you really going to get for that money?

|7.21.08 @ 11:34PM|#

I tried the Chinese foot massage thing when I was in China. I went there with my wife, father-in-law, and his wife. It was definitely pleasant: they'll bring you juice and snacks, and you can watch TV if you like. You could even smoke, if you were so inclined.

This place was totally professional, and I doubt there was any way you'd get sex there. They even have a system so that they don't have to smell your foot stench: they soak your feet in hot water with herbs before beginning the rubdown.

Marcellus with a sore ass|7.22.08 @ 12:41AM|#

If he ends up in a chinese foot massage shop, I want some muthafucka to pop up out of a bowl of rice to cap his ass.

The Wine Commonsewer|7.22.08 @ 1:55AM|#

They think foot massage must be something to do with sex

Yeah, well you just never knew my old friend Jim. If you did, you would understand that foot massage has everything to do with sex. For him, anyway.

|7.22.08 @ 4:11AM|#

For some reason the Mika song "Happy Ending" popped into my head when I read this article.

|7.22.08 @ 6:46AM|#

Dude, all you ungratefull fuckers complaining about this.

Imagine how bad shit would be if there were murders, robberies and rapes in LA. Cops wouldn't have time to do stupid shit like raid massage parlors.

You fuckers are lucky to live in a crime free area where the cops have time to waste on shit like this.

|7.22.08 @ 12:04PM|#

I sure as hell hope its really about SEX. And I hope it comes to Maryland - they got rid of all the massage parlors, so maybe we can get foot massages with a happy ending

Ska|7.22.08 @ 1:27PM|#

The article says this place charges $15/hour. What are you really going to get for that money?

So there isn't a big sign saying "Blowjobs $25" Surprising.

Sean|7.22.08 @ 3:47PM|#

Bush and Cheney started an illegal war in which thousands have been killed or injured for life, and all for oil. Yet, we're preoccupied with foot massage parlors as a society? At least the foot massage parlor owners and masseuses are being fined $1,000. Bush and Cheney haven't paid a dime. Nice to know the extent to which we Americans are on top of our important interests.

Justin|7.22.08 @ 6:18PM|#

Don't you realize that we have to crack down on followers of Bokononism?

So I said good-bye to government,
And I gave my reason:
That a really good religion
Is a form of treason.
-The Calypsos of Bokonon