A sex show is a form of pornographic performance, where the customers pay to see live persons perform sexual activity. The performers (usually female, only occasionally male) may be naked, or perform a striptease. Often, they will seek extra payments (called tips) from the customers in exchange for performing particular acts in front of the customer.

A peep show is sex show whose performers are behind a barrier. Each member of the audience has their own window or peephole, usually from within a private cubicle, thus permitting the customer to masturbate. Visibility through the window or peephole is often restricted by a coin-operated timer mechanism. "What the butler saw" machines also operated on the same principle, operated by coins; they were also called peep shows [1] (http://www.mutoscope.co.uk/history/what-victorians-did.asp?adapt=true&cd=32&ww=975&reload=1).

A private show is a lapdance or striptease performed in an enclosed booth with the performer and customer within the same space. Generally touching is claimed to be off limits, but since the space is private, there are understandably differing accounts of what actually takes place inside the booths. Usually amenities (such as tissues) for the performance of masturbation are supplied for the customer. In some rare cases masturbation is prohibited. Private shows usually occur in striptease clubs or in the backrooms of sex shops.