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Anorak News | David Beckham, The LA Thai Massage Parlour And The NoTW’s Paywall

David Beckham, The LA Thai Massage Parlour And The NoTW’s Paywall

by | 19th, September 2010

KNICKERS off to the NoTW’s James Desborough for writing an article about David Beckham getting a Thai massage and making it sound like so much more.

Following the Pakistan cricket sting – a good story laughably hyped as the“the most sensational sporting scandal ever” and Wayne Rooney’s alleged sex with prostitute Jennifer Thompson (a story first broken by the Mirror), the NoTW needs to come up with a sensation every week. And with the NoTW online going behind a paywall, the need to deliver the goods is even more acute. But if no scandal is brewing, the next best thing is to suggest there might be one.

Desborough is no keen amateur. In 2009, he won the showbiz reporter of the year prize at the British Press awards for his uncompromising scoops which mean no celebrity with secrets can sleep easy“.

But what is the scoop just isn’t there and space needs filling with sex and stars? Get a load of this from Mr Desborough. The headline informs us:

David Beckham visits cheap Thai massage parlour

Cheap?

The England and LA Galaxy striker visited the Lamai Thai Massage shop last week when wife Victoria was in Britain.

The wife was away, eh…

He paid $40 (£26) for a full-hour treatment before jumping into his minder’s waiting car at 10.15pm for the 14-mile trip home.

He didn’t use his own car. eh…

There are dozens of parlours closer to Becks’ LA mansion – and he has a massage therapist and physiotherapist provided by Galaxy to help him recover from a torn Achilles tendon.

Hmm…

A worker in the shop then says David has been there a couple of times for a massage. He sometimes has a cup of tea before he leaves. She says:

“He gave me a good tip, $20, but it wasn’t much more than other customers.”

Just $20? Desborough presses on:

The massages are given in private booths, enclosed by green curtains. Clients are asked to strip to their underwear then put on loose linen trousers, which are provided.

Strip. Private. Clients. This is the language of the brothel. But Beckham, is at a Thai place to get a massage, just as millions of others do.

A look at the parlour website shows neat clean beds lined up close to each other. The “booth” is a “station”, a small area in a bright, well-aired room. It’s not in the least bit seedy. Oh, the place also specialises in a baby massage for newborns.

Desborough duly gives his readers the sideways eyes and whispers:

LA’s Thai massage parlours are notorious for offering sexual favours – known as “happy endings”.

All of them? Everyone who works as a masseuse in a Thai parlour in LA is a prostitute? Well, not all of them

But Lamai does not provide sex services, and bills itself as a reputable centre for injury treatments and deep-tissue massage.

So. Let’s rewrite. – LA’s Thai massage parlours are famous for offering a top quality service to the world’s elite sportsmen, like David Beckham.

In other news, David Beckham is not being tossed off by a Thai woman in a massage parlour.

More news from behind the pay wall to follow…

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Victoria Adams (Posh Spice) and David Beckham the Manchester United footballer leave the Hotel near Crewe today (Sunday) where the announcement of their future wedding was made.



Posted: 19th, September 2010 | In: Key Posts, Sports Comment | TrackBack | Permalink