Screen Africa was rather taken by a report which appeared on the Consumer Electronic Show website which looked at the effects of the recession on the event through the eyes of a taxi driver. The reporter, Daniel Terdiman, decided to make his observations about the deepening recession based on the business the local strip clubs got during the show in Sin City.
“ ‘In an entirely unscientific survey, my conclusion is that CES was hit hard by the downturn, at least if the experience of one local taxi driver is any indication.
‘We taxi drivers, we’ve got a thing with the strip clubs, where we get a kickback…so it’s big money if we can get the guys to go to the strip clubs," said Darryl, a 54-year-old cab driver who asked that his last name not be used.
‘I went to the clubs (during CES), thinking maybe I could get some guys to take them back to their hotels, but I didn’t have any luck. And a friend, he was hoping to get some strip club rides, since they pay us $50 a head, and he didn’t have any luck…They weren’t going out of their way to spend money like they normally would, for that extra type of entertainment.’”
Terdiman concludes his report based on his own judgment of attendance and exhibits.
“… in the end, I’d say that while CES was still packed with attendees and exhibitors spread over the full breadth of the mammoth Las Vegas Convention Center and the Sands Expo and Convention Center, there were noticeably far fewer people here than in past years.
