Famous in Love: Yes, Topless Maids Are a Thing

Warning: Mild spoilers for Famous in Love's first season below.

Famous in Love's lead ingénue Paige Townsen Without a D (Bella Thorne) may have lucked out when she landed the starring role in a blockbuster film, but her roommate and BFF Cassandra (Georgie Flores) isn't nearly as blessed.

Paige's perennial understudy Cassie doesn't come from as much money as Paige nor does she have a high-paying acting gig to rely on for tuition, but what Cassie does have is a strong work ethic. Unable to make ends meet as a full-time student, Famous in Love's early episodes tease that Cassie found a less-than-savory way to pay her bills. However, it's soon revealed that Cassie isn't a sex worker, as was implied -- she's a topless maid!

To those of us who live outside the Los Angeles area, Cassie's chosen profession might seem silly, a thing of fantasy (or Craigslist). However, as any L.A native will tell you, topless maids are downright prolific in the City of Angels! If you spend enough time in Hollywood, it won't be long before you start noticing pink and black vans with "TOPLESS MAIDS" painted on the sides wherever you turn. They're everywhere. They're even on Ellen!

However, unlike Famous in Love's depiction of topless maids -- in which Cassie is a legitimate maid who just so happens to be topless, but otherwise wears normal clothes -- real-life topless maids don't focus so much on actual cleaning. Instead, topless maids just do a little dusting and "light chores," which apparently consists of sexy dancing with a Swiffer while dressed in lingerie, according to Thrillist. Anything beyond that costs extra and has to be performed by another person with actual cleaning supplies (and probably clothes).

One thing Famous in Love does get right is that topless maids are in no way sex workers. When one of Cassie's new clients mistakes her exposed chest for a willingness to trade sex for cash, Cassie gives him a hard no. When the client still presumes her body can be bought for the right price, Cassie decides to get a little revenge, tricking the client into getting locked outside his house completely nude. Ever the professional, Cassie then proceeds to pick up the vacuum and finish cleaning the (now very angry) client's living room.

While we doubt anything like that would fly at the real company behind 818-66-HUGE, we do appreciate Famous in Love making the distinction between a topless maid and a sex worker crystal clear. More importantly, we love that Cassie's career choice isn't shown to be shameful or tawdry. When she admits how she pays tuition to her boyfriend Adam (Tom Maden), he shows her nothing but support. "Well, a hooker would have been bad," Adam admits, "but a topless maid?" Who cares? You use organic cleaning supplies, right? So what's the problem?"

If only Cassie's best friend was that open-minded. When Paige discovers Cassie works as a topless maid, the privileged movie star can barely hide her judgment, apparently unable to comprehend why someone would prefer to make their own money rather than live in her shadow and accept handouts.

But ultimately, Cassie stands her ground and refuses to be slut-shamed by Paige. Because you know what? They are just boobs.

Famous in Love's entire first season is available to stream right now or you can catch it Tuesdays at 8/7c on Freeform.