I asked for a masseuse and you are a doctor !

One day at hôtel Maurice a client has been got a massage. Not a …

In American English, especially in slang, “masseuse” has sometimes been used to imply a sex worker because certain places pretending to offer massages were actually fronts for prostitution.

Historically, “masseuse” (which comes from French) just meant a female massage therapist. But because of illegal activities in some so-called “massage parlors,” the word “masseuse” unfortunately got tainted and picked up that shady connotation in popular culture — especially in movies, TV shows, and jokes.

That’s why today in professional settings in the U.S., therapists prefer to be called massage therapists, not “masseuses.”

It’s about respect and protecting the profession.

But masseuse is not an insult !

Alright, here are a few examples where you can really feel how the word masseuse got twisted in American pop culture :

Movies and TV Shows:

In a lot of American movies and series from the 70s, 80s, and 90s (like L.A. Confidential, Friends, Seinfeld), when someone says “I called a masseuse,” there’s often a joke or a wink implying it wasn’t just a massage.

(In Friends, there’s even an episode where Phoebe, who is a legitimate massage therapist, gets mistaken for offering “extra services,” and she’s furious.)

“Massage Parlors” in the Media:

In crime stories, the term “massage parlor” was often used to refer to brothels disguised as legitimate businesses. News headlines would say things like “Police bust illegal massage parlor” — linking massage and prostitution in the public’s mind.

Stand-up Comedy:

American comedians often used the word “masseuse” in jokes to imply something sexual. For example:

“My friend said he got a massage from a beautiful masseuse… and let’s just say he left very relaxed.” (audience laughter)

These jokes reinforced the double meaning.

Old Stereotypes in Ads and Signs:

Some shady businesses would use neon signs saying “Masseuses available,” knowing full well that it was code for more than just massages.

Today, real professionals hate being

called a “masseuse” in the U.S.

because of all this baggage.

They insist on “massage therapist”

to show they are

trained, licensed, and totally legit.

Here are a few famous American expressions and jokes where masseuse has that sneaky double meaning:

Classic stand-up joke

“I went to a masseuse yesterday… and for an extra fifty bucks, she really worked out my stress.”

(Translation: “worked out” sounds innocent but the audience understands it means something sexual.)

Movie line (example from Rush Hour 2)

Chris Tucker’s character walks into a massage parlor, sees beautiful women everywhere and jokes:

“Damn, I need a massage from head to toe… and maybe a little extra!”

(Again, the idea is that the “masseuse” is offering more than massage.)

Common American saying (sarcastic)

“Yeah, he ‘hired a masseuse’… if you know what I mean.”

(People use air quotes around “hired a masseuse” to imply it’s actually a sex worker.)

Old school New York joke

“In Manhattan, you don’t ask for a masseuse unless you want your wallet and your dignity stolen at the same time.”

(A cynical way to say that shady places pretending to offer massages would scam lonely men.)

Everyday bar joke:

“Buddy said he had a 90-minute massage. I said, ‘Was it Swedish or ‘happy ending’ style?’”

(Here, happy ending is American slang for a sexual act at the end of a massage.)

You see?

Every time someone in American culture joked about a masseuse, it was a kind of wink-wink, nudge-nudge moment — not explicit, but everyone knew what was implied.

That’s exactly why today real therapists avoid that word like the plague.