I guess you could call Jeannette Maier a lucky Madam, as unlike Deborah Jeanne Palfrey the so called DC Madam, for when the FBI raided her New Orleans Brothel in 2005 she just lost her livelihood but not her life. In this fascinating documentary on the life of the media-dubbed ‘Canal Street Madam’ what comes shining through is the very likable and strong personality of Ms. Maier, but also the sheer hypocrisy of a patriarchal society that ensures that when it comes to paying for sex, that only the women will be persecuted and punished, often by the same men who have been their best customers for years.
The Canal Street Brothel was a family affair, run by Jeannette’s mother Tommie, and her daughter Monique was working as one of the ‘girls’ there, and all three were arrested after a team of 10 FBI Agents who took turns in tapping all phone calls for 4 months (around Sept 11th 2001!) finally decided enough was enough.
Federal prosecutors threw the book at the women, charging them with prostitution conspiracy. They faced up to five years in prison, but their very famous and powerful clients in high places who had been taped on the phone conversations were let off the hook and never charged. The women’s Lawyer made it very clear that they were going to answer truthfully all questions asked of them, and suddenly there were a lot of important dignitaries in town who became very worried indeed. The ‘list ‘ of clients was reputed to have 500 names on it.
Full credit to Maier for surviving this very public ‘mauling’ and whilst she may have lost her business and very profitable livelihood, the film shows she never loses her indomitable spirit. She’s rather tough to read as she flits between dating man and women, and she never really carries out her threat to expose all the hypocrites who humiliated her so. She does at least name Sen. David Vitter who admitted to be a client of the DC Brothel but professed to that being a one time ‘slip’ whereas in fact he was a regular customer at both Brothels. These revelations did however not stop the people of Louisiana re-electing this ultra conservative politician and devoted family man back TWICE to the Senate.
Maier always maintains that no legal body of any law should stop any two consenting adults having sex even if it is for money …. she incidentally no longer works as a whore (her choice of words) but sells candles for $300 and throws in a ‘free’ romp.
The DC Madam was not so lucky. Soon after she was found guilty of ‘laundering money’ she was discovered dead in her cell. allegedly of suicide, and in this movie they more than hint of a conspiracy theory as her Washington Client List was even more explosive than Maier’s. (One US Ambassador had to resign, and Palfrey’s lawyer still maintains that V.P. Dick Cheney’s name was on the list too).
A fascinating movie …. and the sad thing is we know that there will be others to come as long as (male) politicians and the justice system maintains their hang-ups about sex.
P.S. There was also a made-for-TV fictionalized movie made in 2004 with Dominque Swain & Ellen Burstyn ‘The Madam’s Family: The Truth About the Canal Street Brothel’
