Yes, fans come for football ... and the DCC!

I got addicted to America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, a new docuseries on Netflix.

It’s so good I raved about it with one of my favorite Santas as we toasted over toast and coffee at Manhattan Diner. I said, “The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are sooo good. You don’t even understand.”

I mentioned that fans come for the football, and they expect high-end entertainment, including the cheerleaders. While senior DCC may earn as much as $75,000 a year, according to the New York Times, others earn $14/hr. In comparison to the football players, who can earn tens of millions, the women’s salaries are nearer to those of a “Chick-fil-A worker,” says one former cheerleader.

Their hair is perfect. Their kicks are to the face. Their jump splits take a toll on their hips, but they keep smiling and working second jobs.

I brought this up because clients come to holiday events to see Santa. Of course. And they expect high-end entertainment through the elves and Mrs. Claus.

I don’t mind making a little less than Santa if he works more hours, interacts with the children more, and is expected to perform more feats of skill than me. I do wonder when my pay is significantly lower than his. (I have sweet ways of asking around.) Often, I am expected to jump around and dance to get the crowd excited, which as a performer, I love to do. My point is that it’s my privilege to make people smile. And I’m working hard too. My time, energy, and expertise have value.

What did my Santa friend say?

He stopped me.

“I want you to get paid the same amount as I do. When I have the opportunity to negotiate contracts, I demand it,” he said.

And this is why he is one of my favorite Santas.