Indecent Proposals, revisited

[Bricker]

Back in 2003, we did an IMHO thread about your "Indecent Proposal" price. I was the OP, and here I am again, perhaps proving I have an unhealthy fascination with the idea... :)

Anyway, in the eponymous movie, Robert Redford's character pays a cash-strapped couple a million dollars to have one night of sex with Demi Moore's character. Her husband, played by the redoubtable Woody Harrelson, encourages her before the act, but afterward finds himself consumed by jealousy.

So that's the set-up for this survey, timely again because we have a bunch of different active posters than we did in 2003, and, hey, we're in a recession, which may affect the supply and demand price of all sorts of commodities.

Because I feel that Robert Redford is an unfair factor, I substitute an ordinary-looking person of the gender you normally sleep with. Not hawt, not hideous.. just an average Joe or Josephine.

How much money would it take for you to spend one night of relatively unbridled sexual congress with Joe (or Josephine)?

[Manduck]

How much money would it take for you to spend one night of relatively unbridled sexual congress with Joe (or Josephine)?

How much does she want?

[Lanzy]

about twofity

[Manduck]

Sold!

[Vinyl Turnip]

How much money would it take for you to spend one night of relatively unbridled sexual congress with Joe (or Josephine)?

Can I find out which it is before I pay, or is it a "grab bag" kind of thing?

[Giraffe]

Can I find out which it is before I pay, or is it a "grab bag" kind of thing?

Your bag is probably getting grabbed either way, but I know what you mean.

[MeanOldLady]

$30 and a bucket of gin.

[EmAnJ]

So I'm married (which I am), right?

Hm. I'll go with a million. I'm sure my husband would be fine with this too.

And that reminds me of a similar Q my husband asked me a while ago...off to create my own thread!

[Oredigger77]

I'm a 27 year old single male. They would have to be very ugly for me to charge anything and even then I'd have trouble justifying much, maybe a grand top end.

On the other hand if I was married I'd want at least 3 mil and would probably push for 6 since that's my number to retire and live life my way forever.

[Czarcasm]

Currently checking with My Beloved to see what my going rate is, but I wouldn't mind if, after you handed the envelope off to her, you slipped me a fin on the side.

[Arnold Winkelried]

The OP needs more details:
Am I doing this with the full consent of my spouse? Because then this becomes a joint decision really - 'how much would you and your spouse accept to have you sleep with someone?'

Or is it for a married person 'how much would you accept to sleep with someone, without telling your wife, and hoping you won't get caught?'

Or is this directed at a single person, asking 'how much would I have to pay you to have sex with someone who is not stunning, but not hideous?'

Also, do I get to keep the money regardless of how satisfied my partner is? Because I could take the money, make a five-minute effort, say "sorry, my dear, failing to perform happens to everyone at least once" and then escape discretely through the bathroom window.

[toofs]

No fucking (heh) way would I say yes to anyone laying pipe with my wife.

Man, this gets me all riled up just thinking about it. You can get your ass kicked making an offer like this.:mad:

[hajario]

The OP needs more details:
Am I doing this with the full consent of my spouse? Because then this becomes a joint decision really - 'how much would you and your spouse accept to have you sleep with someone?'

Or is it for a married person 'how much would you accept to sleep with someone, without telling your wife, and hoping you won't get caught?'

Or is this directed at a single person, asking 'how much would I have to pay you to have sex with someone who is not stunning, but not hideous?'.

If it's like the movie, you are married and the spouse is in on the decision.

[Vinyl Turnip]

No fucking (heh) way would I say yes to anyone laying pipe with my wife.

Man, this gets me all riled up just thinking about it. You can get your ass kicked making an offer like this.:mad:

How about this: you relieve your aggression by punching me as hard as you can in the face, and when I regain consciousness I get to fuck your wife.

[Bricker]

The OP needs more details:
Am I doing this with the full consent of my spouse? Because then this becomes a joint decision really - 'how much would you and your spouse accept to have you sleep with someone?'

Or is it for a married person 'how much would you accept to sleep with someone, without telling your wife, and hoping you won't get caught?'

Or is this directed at a single person, asking 'how much would I have to pay you to have sex with someone who is not stunning, but not hideous?'

Also, do I get to keep the money regardless of how satisfied my partner is? Because I could take the money, make a five-minute effort, say "sorry, my dear, failing to perform happens to everyone at least once" and then escape discretely through the bathroom window.

The movie involves the offer being made jointly, as it were, to both husband and wife. But if you're single, you may respond as well, stipulating that you're single. (Obviously, it's less complicated for the single folks, but not without at least some moral quandry, I would imagine).


But if it helps, you may imagine that this offer is being made to you. If you're married, you may choose to involve your spouse, or you may decide that for a sufficiently big payoff, which you will use to both you and your spouse's benefit, he/she is better off not knowing details.

Or whatever other flimsy rationales you may conceive of. :)

As to how good your effort is... the well-heeled billionaire is acting in good faith, and expects the same of you. Sure, of course you may legitimately be unable to rise to the occasion, but you have to try, for real.

[Bricker]

Oh, and to answer my own question: decline. Don't get me wrong -- a few extra million kicked into the retirement fund would be much appreciated, but there's no amount of money that would make me risk damaging my marriage...

[Algher]

When the movie came out, my wife was in graduate school and I was working my way up the ladder. During a cocktail party we discussed this.

She said that she would never do it. However, she said that I was welcome to go for it for $250k or more for one night, assuming all disease checks were made in advance and that the money went into our joint account. Only other stipulation is privacy - this is not to be done in a way that is known publicly. In the vernacular - she is willing to pimp me out, but not whore out herself. I would put our price higher today - and a million would certainly suffice.

[Arnold Winkelried]

Similarly to Bricker, I wouldn't want to damage my marriage. I would discuss it with my wife first and get her agreement. Looking at it objectively, is one night of sex really that bad? Compare it to something else - cooking a fine meal for that other person and doing the dishes afterwards, or telling that other person your deep dark secrets and baring your soul to them? Would you do that for a large sum?

I could see myself doing it for, I don't know, $2,198,347.53 dollars or some such amount. On the other hand, when I ask myself how much someone would be willing to pay me to have sex with them, I estimate the best I would get would be around $2.56. So there goes that idea.

[alice_in_wonderland]

I have to say 'No thank you.'

Money just isn't that great a motivator for me given my husband and my current economic situation (we're comfortable).

I suppose if we were destitute and I needed to pay for surgery for him (in an alternative universe where Canada doesn't have universal healthcare) my opinion might change, but right now - I'll pass.

[Bricker]

Similarly to Bricker, I wouldn't want to damage my marriage. I would discuss it with my wife first and get her agreement. Looking at it objectively, is one night of sex really that bad? Compare it to something else - cooking a fine meal for that other person and doing the dishes afterwards, or telling that other person your deep dark secrets and baring your soul to them? Would you do that for a large sum?

I could see myself doing it for, I don't know, $2,198,347.53 dollars or some such amount. On the other hand, when I ask myself how much someone would be willing to pay me to have sex with them, I estimate the best I would get would be around $2.56. So there goes that idea.

Yes, obviously most of us would not be realistically able to command the kind of money that makes these things fun to talk about. (On the other hand, I'm reminded of a Dilbert cartoon in which the evil Dogbert has come into a huge sum of money and says to some random passer-by, "I'll give you ten thousand dollars to wallow around in that mud over there." The next frame shows the person writhing about in the filthy mud, and Dogbert musing to himself, "I don't see how rich people can ever get bored.")

But my wife would, I'm fairly certain, be accepting of my decision to cook a fine meal for someone else and doing the dishes afterward. Not so much, the sex. And for my point of view, I'd have no problem with my wife cooking a fine meal for that other person and doing the dishes afterwards, either, but I would have a hard time getting past the idea that she banged him, no matter how fat our checking account got the next day.

[Bricker]

I have to say 'No thank you.'

Money just isn't that great a motivator for me given my husband and my current economic situation (we're comfortable).

I suppose if we were destitute and I needed to pay for surgery for him (in an alternative universe where Canada doesn't have universal healthcare) my opinion might change, but right now - I'll pass.

Yeah, obviously this may change if we were Bulgarian refugees in desperate need of an exit visa, or something. Or if the one surgeon who could save my son's life with a rare operation somehow took a shine to me and decided she'd only do it for services in exchange or something. Plenty of alternate universe stories might change the equation...

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

How much money would it take for you to spend one night of relatively unbridled sexual congress with Joe (or Josephine)?

Fitty cent.

And, if you're good, I'll give you a quarter change.

mmm

[Wargamer]

Yeah, obviously this may change if we were Bulgarian refugees in desperate need of an exit visa, ....


I think you meant Letters of Transit, didn't you....Rick?

[Bricker]

I think you meant Letters of Transit, didn't you....Rick?

Captain Renault was in charge of the ordinary exit visas; it was that prize he was dangling in front of Annina. The letters of transit were the documents stolen by Ugarte, Peter Lorre's character, that "could not be questioned" because they were signed by General Weygand.

[Arnold Winkelried]

But my wife would, I'm fairly certain, be accepting of my decision to cook a fine meal for someone else and doing the dishes afterward. Not so much, the sex. And for my point of view, I'd have no problem with my wife cooking a fine meal for that other person and doing the dishes afterwards, either, but I would have a hard time getting past the idea that she banged him, no matter how fat our checking account got the next day.I understand how someone would feel that way, because of how our culture conflates sex with love, but intellectually, it just seems wrong to me that we should feel that way. Especially considering that, nowadays, there is a good chance that spouses have had previous relationships. It shouldn't matter (even though it does.)

[Telcontar]

Oh, and to answer my own question: decline. Don't get me wrong -- a few extra million kicked into the retirement fund would be much appreciated, but there's no amount of money that would make me risk damaging my marriage...
I'm yet to be married but...yeah. my financial situation is comfortable (by my standards) and my current relationship is far more precious to me then any non-insane amount.
When the movie came out, my wife was in graduate school and I was working my way up the ladder. During a cocktail party we discussed this.

She said that she would never do it. However, she said that I was welcome to go for it for $250k or more for one night, assuming all disease checks were made in advance and that the money went into our joint account. Only other stipulation is privacy - this is not to be done in a way that is known publicly. In the vernacular - she is willing to pimp me out, but not whore out herself. I would put our price higher today - and a million would certainly suffice.
In a reversal, i would do it myself given those stipulations, but am far too jealous a person to let my SO do it. Having said that, she's far too jealous a person to let me do it, so it hardly matters.

[Chessic Sense]

$5.

If I have my current girlfriend, then I'll have to get back to you. If I don't have to tell her...$1000.

[Maggie the Ocelot]

I, personally, would have no problem with either myself or Husband doing so, given a substantive amount of money. It's one night, it's just sex, and it's not like either of us came virgin to the relationship.

Now, if they offered me $1M to leave him? No.

[LouisB]

As of this morning I am no longer married but if I were, I would have to discuss the proposition with my wife. I'm sure she would go for it if the price was right---she would be wiling to negotiate but as close to $1,000000 as possible.

But what happens if I show up with her to seal the deal and the buyer suddenly says that he now wants my wife and not me? Could the price be renegotiated?

[Anaamika]

See, now, shallow as this sounds, it really depends on the looks of the person. The average Joe? It'd have to be a hell of a lot of money. Jude Law? Probably do it for $5. Or hell, a lunch.

But it would never happen. I would be pretty OK with my SO having sex with another woman, for one night, for $1 million, say. I'd really rather not know about it, and have him tell me he won the lottery, and I'd never want to talk about it. So I'd probably just not tell him about it if I was to do it....

He, however, gets (somewhat) charmingly old-fashioned when such things come up and gets his back up. So he'd never do it (yeah, I know, there's always a chance, you never know someone, blah, blah...) and he'd never consent to me doing it.

P.S. If I was single, it wouldn't really be a problem...the money part obviously is more bothersome than the sex part.

P.P.S. I don't find Robert Redford very attractive. He's so generic, like cookie-cutter looks. Pshaw.

[Cyningablod]

The real question for me (and for many of us who are married with kids, I would assume) is not, "Would you break your commitment vows to your SO for x amount of money?" but rather, "If offered a much better life for you and your family, would you do it?"

Money per se doesn't interest me much. I love my wife much more than I love material security or lifestyle comforts. So on that level, nuh-uh. No way. No thanks. Not for $1M, not for $1B.

But we have a child. And like all parents we love her FIERCELY and ENDLESSLY. So if my wife and I were discussing this in terms of a trust fund, college tuition, etc., etc., for our little one, the answer might be very different. Few parents that I know would refuse to do something on moral grounds if it were more or less socially and legally consequence-free, and could assure their child(ren)'s material security for the rest of their child(ren)'s lives.

So I wouldn't want to become a man-whore just to get filthy rich.

But to secure my daughter's future, which money can come pretty damn close to doing?

Yeah, let's start the negotiations...

[Tastes of Chocolate]

I, personally, would have no problem with either myself or Husband doing so, given a substantive amount of money. It's one night, it's just sex, and it's not like either of us came virgin to the relationship.

Now, if they offered me $1M to leave him? No.

Bingo.
As long as things were talked out between my SO and I, I'd be fine with it. Having sex with someone else isn't going to "ruin" either one of us.

$100k = not worth it.
$1mill = probably worth it
$5mill (financial independence) - absolutely worth it
(condom use required, STD tests required)

Leave my SO? Nope, I'll live in a cardboard box first.

[Bricker]

Bingo.
As long as things were talked out between my SO and I, I'd be fine with it. Having sex with someone else isn't going to "ruin" either one of us.

$100k = not worth it.
$1mill = probably worth it
$5mill (financial independence) - absolutely worth it
(condom use required, STD tests required)

Leave my SO? Nope, I'll live in a cardboard box first.

In the movie, things are talked out between the husband and wife -- in fact, he encourages her and she's reluctant to do it.

After the act, the husband discovers that he wasn't as fine with it as he thought he would be. He can't stop thinking about it, unfairly blames her and suspects she enjoyed it, etc etc.

So the key element would seem to be (if you're Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson, anyway) being SURE that your S.O. would be Ok with it.

[AClockworkMelon]

I'm jealous and paranoid. The idea of my SO having sex with someone else would eat me alive. I'd probably give her thumbs up if we were being offered millions but it'd make a wreck out of me.

[Zeriel]

I'd be comfortable with it for any significant amount of money, say, $50k or more.

Ultimately, a one-night stand is not going to damage my marriage, and even as little as $50k (a solid down payment around here) would measurably improve the house and household wealth we're soon going to bring a child into.

[Really Not All That Bright]

So, wait - am I Woody Harrelson or Demi Moore in this scenario?

[Really Not All That Bright]

Assuming I'm Demi, the price depends entirely on how okay my wife is with it. If she's all, "woohoo, Maui vacation", probably pretty cheap - assuming the chick isn't too ugly. If she's all, "I am so not okay with this!", then... uh... Ferrari money.

[Roland Orzabal]

26-year-old single male. What Oredigger said. If I was feeling particularly cocky (;)) that day, I'd ask for an offer and accept whatever number they threw out.

I almost added something about making sure they weren't cops fishing for a really weird sort of hooker, but assuming they just approached me with this offer out of the clear blue sky, they're either not cops or else they're the stupidest cops ever. The latter would actually be pretty funny, so I might go with it anyway.

[faithfool]

We struggle from paycheck to paycheck, so I'd be okay with either myself or my spouse agreeing to it for about $50,000.00. Anything less than that would be needed for a specific reason (say surgery). Both of us would have to clear things though.