Coverjock isn’t the issue
We’ve all heard about it. The machine that’s coming to take our jobs and our incomes; the machine that will ruin our lives. Coverjock, known as the first automated D.J. system, has become a source of unending controversy amongst P.A.N.D.A.’s. So much so, that the topic will die down and then roar back to life months later, and that’s been going on for YEARS. So we pose the question: Is it the death of our jobs? I truly don’t believe it is. In fact, I find it a blessing. When the discussions heat up, that’s when the insight comes from P.A.N.D.A.s that prove that we are irreplaceable in the booth. That as long as we strive to be better and move our organization forward we have nothing to fear. Let me tell you why.
First off, I want to say I’ve never seen the system in action. I’ve heard of it and it’s abilities, but I haven’t sought it out to see it firsthand. The consensus seems to be that it can run a slower shift or day shift, but not the power shifts. And that’s where the beef begins. If you take away those smaller jobs and slower shifts, you’re taking out a great deal of D.J.s. Especially the D.J.s of the future. We all have to start somewhere, none of us just walk into a club in a major city with a multiple stage rotation comprising over 100 entertainers and know what we’re doing. So the beginning starts in a small club, during daytime, with a handful of girls. These jobs are also how jocks break into new markets that aren’t familiar with them. So these shifts are very important to the lifeline of this job. Taking away those jobs can cripple the future of our careers. But I think that’s exactly what something like P.A.N.D.A. can change. Right now they are selling the machine on the fact that D.J.s can drink too much, disagree with the dancers, and computers doesn’t require a tip out. Those issues are slowly fading away as what we’re working towards, as a group, spreads across the country. D.J.s now have a place to talk to each other, to get tips, to learn and to grow. You can have a top D.J. from Las Vegas teach a neophyte the dangers of drinking on the job. Or teach them properly to handle interactions with high-maintenance entertainers. Add to the fact that the machine needs to be operated by someone, who the club must pay, plus the system has a handsome fee to use on a monthly basis, so it costs the owners MORE to run it. We also have great representatives, like Luke Lirot, who are out there combating the lawsuits that keep coming. Our industry is being manipulated by shysters who are just out for a quick buck and are ruining the lives of our entertainers and our staffs…but that’s a topic for another article.
I honestly believe the solution to this problem comes from within. Informing ourselves is the most important weapon in this battle. We have to take each shift and show it the same respect. It doesn’t matter if you’re running 400 girls at Sapphire or 3 girls on day shift in Fuck Fuck, Oklahoma, we must take pride in every shift. I can be the worst offender, so know that I’m speaking from the heart when I plan to make this improvement in my own work ethic. It’s hard to take a slower shift as seriously when you’ve worked the bigger, crazier shifts. However, if we work towards this goal, making every shift count and putting our best foot forward, I think that our future will shine brightly enough to extinguish the threat that faces us. As always, thanks for reading.
Cheers,
Ron “D.J. Ron James” Sparkman