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One Night Standard-Girl-in-the-Box Speaks

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 8300 Sunset Boulevard [map], West Hollywood, CA, United States, 90069

by juliana | March 22, 2006 at 1:33 PM | 0 Comments

A HotelChatter Exclusive

On two separate occassions, months apart, HotelChatter has been in the Standard Hotel on Sunset in West Hollywood and seen the same exact girl-in-the-box behind the front desk. Or as blogger Shawn Burke called it, "The Chicquariaum."

There she sat in her white boy shorts and white tank top chatting on her cellphone--she was a 4 on her best day--yeah we are that superficial. Far below what we would expect from the Standard, but maybe the hotel's novelty is wearing off. We began to wonder, do Hollywood wannabes get their start in the glass box? Is there life after a night in the box?

Little did we realize, we actually knew someone who spent a night working the box. (And she's way better looking than that other girl.)

Her story has all the usual elements of Hollywood--pretty girl hits Sunset seeking fame, fortune, or at least enough for a rent check. What she finds are unfair hours, bad wages, demeaning jobs, and a one-night-stand.

The Girl-in-the-Box True Hollywood Story post-click.

Our friend has since moved on from her Box days and is now a successful Hollywood suit. In fact, she only lasted one night, but was more than happy to give us the low-down on what goes on in the box, and whether or not is a stepping stone to Hollywood fame:

HotelChatter:
How long did you work for?

Ex-Standard Girl:
The hours were from 7pm to 2am with two 15min breaks and one 1/2 hour break.

HotelChatter:
Wow! That's not a lot of break time, but you are just sitting in a box. Did they pay you well?

Ex-Standard Girl:
The pay is like $10 an hour with no taxes taken out.

HotelChatter:
Hmmm...$70 to spend a night in the box--seems low, but what can you do in the box?

Ex-Standard Girl:
You can do whatever you want in the box: sleep, read, talk on cell, use the computer....It's like your own little home. And you can only wear white. Preferably white boy shorts or boxers.

HotelChatter:
Only white? Just like Wimbledon. Did people hit on you a lot?

Ex-Standard Girl:
No, you are not allowed to make eye contact with any one, you can't wave, or smile back at anyone or wave back. You pretty much have to pretend that there is no one there. And no one is allowed to take pictures of you.

HotelChatter:
Ah, you pretend no one is there, so this is an acting job. Oh, and yeah we found out about that no picture thing.

Ex-Standard Girl:
I only did the box once. The funny thing is you can hear everything that's going on outside, yet people don't think you can hear them. I heard so many conversations that night.

She only did the box once? So what is she saying here, she didn't inhale? Embrace your chicquarium experience we say. You did the box and it may or may not have catapulted you to a blossoming career in Hollywood. If any other Standard girls want to share their story, we are ready to listen.

In the meantime, we suggest the hotel might pick up their service as the reviews that keep coming in are not good:

The furnishings are lower than Ikea quality. No shower pressure or exhaust fan in bathroom. It's an old hotel that, to me, the owner came in and put a band-aid on, flipped the sign upside down and did some trendy cosmetics....

It's hard out there for a former nursing home that's for sure.

Related Stories:
· Standard reviews [TripAdvisor]
· LA Hotel Scene: Standard Hotel No Photos Please!" [HotelChatter]
· Standard Hotel coverage [HotelChatter]

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