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Friday, May 12th, 2000

Email Luke

Happy Sabbath Christians

Chaim Amalek writes: Luke, there is too much on your web site from women most men do not dream of screwing. It would be better if every day's effort included some playful banter with a verifiably sexually desirable (i.e., young) woman. (Again, this excludes the transgendered.) And stop - STOP - publishing anything remotely feministic. It is bad for the digestion.

PS All that feministic stuff reminds me of a few feminist jokes I know:

1. A waiter goes to a table of feminists and asks, "Is anything all right?"
2. Q: How many feminists does it take to screw in a lightbulb? A: One - and that's not funny.
3. Q: How do you make a woman have an orgasm? A: Who cares?

By the way, I learned all these jokes (and more!) from a gynecologist friend of mine in LA. (Interesting guy, he with the "thousand yard stare.")

No offense is intended by any of the above comments. Truly one of the joys of life is learning to laugh at one's self.

Make yourself a Gut Yontif, Jews!
Happy Sabbath, Christians!
Have a nice Sunday brunch, agnostics!

Chaim Amalek

Brandy Alexandre Settles With Forest Lawn

After Brandy Alexandre's blistering update on her negotiations with Forest Lawn, it appears as though they have reached a settlement. The terms of the settlement cannot be disclosed per the agreement, but she assures me that it's "fair." Pressed further, the usually talkative Brandy clammed up--unusual for someone who has shunned gag clauses all along. "Let's just say you have to give to get," she says, "and I could get something now, get something later, have attorneys fees, or not. It's one of those 'look at the big picture' things." Still trying to get some kind of clue as to the amount, I asked her what she was going to do first, "Have LASIK [laser vision correction] on my eyes... in Quebec." That doesn't help. How about second? "I think I need a new vacuum cleaner belt. Give it up Luke, I'm not even telling my mother!"

Luke On Lynne L-patin's Casting Couch

Curious writes: Lynn. Lynn. Lynn. Your methods of casting couch seduction are so transparent and ham-fisted. Luke is hardly the gullible babe in the woods that you imagine him to be.

"Oh, I was going to give you your own TV show with 50% ownership …but now you can forget it …blah, blah, blah." Come on!

Faithful readers of l-keford.com know that our humble narrator, Mr. Ford, would perform cunnilingus on Janet Reno during the Super Bowl half-time show if your offer had even one shred of credibility.

Let us suppose that Luke had been naive enough to be drawn into your web of fantasies. I suspect that the scenario would have played out just like a bad porno:

( The scene opens in a luxury, candle lit, suite at the Raddison Hotel in Sacramento during the Free Speech Coalition conference. )

Lynn: Luke, I have the Playboy Channel ready to sign you to a 5 year contract as the host of my new talk show.

(She pulls a contract from her bra)

Luke: Gosh! A television contract! When do I start?

Lynn: Slow down my dear boy. As your producer I have one small condition to be met before we can finalize the deal.

Luke: Anything! Name it! Anything!

Lynn: Luke. (She embraces Luke) I have an itch that only a six-foot, internet porn journalist, super-stud can scratch!

Luke: Gene Ross?

Lynn: No, you fool! You!

(She drops to her knees and begins to blow Luke)

Luke: Stop! Lynn I told you that our friendship must always remain platonic. (Sobbing) I must reject the sirens' call of gerontaphillia!

Lynn: Very well. Have it your way. (She rips up the contract) Kiss your television career good bye! I shall return to my minimum wage kennel-cleaning career. Farewell Luke F-rd.

( The scene closes with Lynn exiting as Luke lies sobbing in a fetal position covered in the shredded pieces of the television contract. )

Goddess writes: Looking over "Curious' " scenario with "Luke" and "Lynne" at the Raddison Hotel, I can see where "Lynne" made her fatal mistake. When "Luke" said, "Gene Ross?" She SHOULD have said, "Hell, YES!! Only a MANLY man will satisfy me!" Now if you'll excuse me, my vibrator is a hummin'....

Lynne L-patin (BDWLCL@worldnet.att.net) responds to Luke about Thursday's email from her daughter: "Legal? To run something from a 16-year-old? (17 in October) Making allegations about being "molested?" Anyway, I got an e-mail telling me about it, so I checked. Interesting to hear her perspective. But dangerous if her father finds out she's checking out porn on the Internet, I would think. Unless he's checking out porn and putting her up to it Which I still think is probably illegal -- encouraging a minor to view adult material. Anyway, I don't care to respond, but I suggest you pull the age reference for your own protection."

Nice Jewish Girl writes: Lynne Lynne Lynne, why is your daughter so angry at you? How does she even know about Luke F-rd? Did you tell her about that website? And Luke himself, why oh why did you fly down to see Luke? I hope you do not disillusion yourself that he gives a whit about your existence, because sadly he does not. Oh sure, he likes you as a friend, but even being Luke's friend is difficult to maintain. He's very much into himself and his mirror. There's no one else that he loves as much. He hurts everyone that cares about him because he is incapable of caring about anything except, the dark haired dark eyed jewish women that don't like him (it has nothing to do with his income, no matter what he keeps telling himself). But good for them for not going out with him and being bedazzled by his so-called beauty. Lynne you have always maintained that this relationship with Luke is one-way, you're into him and he's not into you. Hasn't he proven it over and over? He is a WOT - waste of time. But if you want to have a non-emotional relationship with him that is fine, he won't be able to hurt you... Sincerely, NJG- who has been there. P.S. Love you Lukey :-)

Rumdar writes: Luke, This is great. Nice Jewish Girl is back with a full arsenal of destructive guilt weapons. At first I thought she was going to castigate the obviously deranged Jewish Lynne Lopitan for being such a terrible mother and peddling her Yiddisha tush in such a sordid business all these years. But while she initially points her guilt howitzer towards Lynne, NJG quickly re-aims and starts lobbing guilt mortars in your direction.

Let's see Luke, what was your crime? Oh! You weren't a good enough friend. Yes, you should burn ever after in Herbrew Hell for that one. And what exactly does she want? Did you boff her Luke? Shame on you. If you only boinked her one time you should be instantly obligated to the following:

A. To listen to all her neurotic psycho babble all day and at any hour of the evening

B. To "be there for her"........

C. To "not be afraid to move ahead"..This includes relationship, marriage, and other distasteful, expensive things you don't want to be involved in.

Hey, NJG....It is understood you are closing in on menopause. You made a lifetime of bad romantic decisions. You probably choose guys who like the talented, handsome and rakish Luke were charming but bad for you. Everyone but yourself knew this and perhaps told you so. However, you went after the pr etty boys anyway and scorned the well meaning, sincere but not too cool journeymen of society. Now your ovaries are on the griddle and you are turning into a bitter person. In short, you will be cleaning up dog s--- in a kennel with Ms. Lopitan if you don't wake up and stop blaming others for what you perceive as your sorry position in life. Put your guilt guns away NJG..no one is interested. From somewhere on the frontier.....rumdar

Lynne writes: Dear NJG: You know, I have absolutely no idea as to how my daughter and Luke found each other, but the only truth in her statement is that I've not had any contact with her for years, so it certainly wasn't through me. She's angry at me because she was brought up to be that way -- for some reason her father thought it was the right thing to do. As to Sacramento, I had this airline credit to use up before the end of the month, so I thought, why not? Take a trip out of town, see a lot of people I know and avoid doing the dishes for one more day. The casting couch scenario was so perfect! The tape really IS on the desks it should be on to make a deal, which Luke knows, and I asked him ahead of time -- will you have lunch with me? And he didn't say no, just said call me. Then he didn't answer his phone! Not only is he a WOT, he's also a WOD (Waste of Dimes). Luke may be pretty, but he's such a geek! He's just using me to make copy for the site, I know, and because he likes hearing me tell him how beautiful and precious and brilliant he is, but as soon as a real guy comes along, I'll drop Luke like the not-so-hot potato he really is, I promise.

And what is it with you guys and menopause? You hurl the word about like it's some kind of catastrophic, world-shattering climactic event! It's a non-issue! It's a marketing ploy! Guys are the ones with mid-life crises -- the belly spreads over the belt buckle, the hair falls out, the dick loses its turgid state.... We women remain as vibrant as ever, seeking adventure and new accomplishments, with the wisdom and maturity of experience to guide us. It's men who mourn their lost youth, buy red convertibles and waste money chasing women young enough to be their daughters....

Luke: I attract menopausal women. I just bring out something in them. I'm needy for mothering.

Rumdar: They are out there buddy...I get them all the time. The Jewish ones are the worst but they are all totally crazy. Hope I wasn't too hard on her. You don't have to print it. I just unloaded. I don't want to chase people (seems to be the Jews) off your sight. Hey, I have to shower and get ready. I have a deranged menopausal Asian to boff tonight. This one is nuts....never leaves the house except to go to work. But she is somewhat tasty, great in the sack and EASY on the wallet.

Steven writes: Dear Lynne,

Thank you for your response and the acknowledgment of point, but at the risk of belabouring the issue, ( too late Im sure) Im still somewhat surprised at the justification you began with. As I read the accounts in various archives, nothing whatsoever indicates that any of the "Aids scares" were thought of lightly. In fact even Mr. Fords somewhat glib writing style turned sober. As for testing, I think the question someone in this position should ask themself is this; What are the acceptable odds when it comes to someones life? "One irresponsible person"...as with so many things, is all it would take.

You are absolutly right in your assertion that we all bear the weight of sexual responsibility when in a relationship, and you may very well be right regarding the "boyfriend" being more of a risk to her than her profession. BUT, (last one I promise) Im sorry, you can in no way equate "your mate having an affair", with "your mate working as talent", if that was indeed the underlying thought in your remarks. Or maybe they do...and its my view which is skewed. Anyway..my response wasn't meant to demean you or your opinions, in truth, it was the fact that your postings are always articulate and thoughtful which prompted me to write. Thanks again for taking the time to respond.

Lynne writes Luke: All this great news from the forefront of the adult industry, Luke, and you prioritize me. It would be sweet if it weren't so full of anger. And you ruined the joke by identifying me as the author of my own sarcastic tirade. It was much funnier when people got to guess who'd written it. I choose to swim with the sharks, so I expect to lose a limb now and then. I just sew it back on, and keep on swimming. Certainly can't blame the sharks.

Funny that a man such as Mike South, who is not a pretty young boy in the best of shape, doesn't have any conflicts with being in videos and screwing his actresses (er, I mean performers) but should I do the same thing, whoa Nellie! This is called the "double standard," and is so entrenched in our culture that I pay it no mind. It would be a truly awful thing for the men in this world to have to live up to the image of porn stud in their personal relationships. Women would be constantly laughing at their petty efforts and funny-looking penises.

Anyway, returning to the subject of pornography, attached is the piece of my sociology text on the adult industry (in Word). This is being taught to thousands of college students in sociology and feminist studies programs as the final word on pornography. My own college library, which is excellent on all other subjects, had nothing on the shelves one could use to refute the text, which has gone through several printings.

My paper, on gender differences between porn made by men and porn made by women, is due May 24. Compared to mainstream movie production, there's a much higher percentage of women producers/directors in the adult industry. Seems to me that until quite recently the difference in their products was more a difference in their markets, with the cable market being one type of movie (couples oriented features) and the bookstore market another (what we once called "loops" and what AVN now calls "wall to wall"). Within the last few years, though, stuff from certain male-dominated companies has gotten a lot rougher.

Funny that if the genders were reversed, and a woman was peeing into Max Hardcore's mouth, we'd call it a fetish tape, but when it's Max who does the peeing it becomes regular sex. Should AVN will have a special section for "misogynistic video?" So that wholesalers and retailers can identify those tapes which might create a problem in their community, should their community find misogynistic sex prurient?

As a capitalist, Luke, I assume you believe in market forces as the drive behind businesses creating merchandise -- if it sells, it gets made. Given that so few copies of any tape are sold, it is obvious that there are enough misogynists out there to provide a market. And it may indeed be that those are the consumers who really crave porno -- one can have a sweet, romantic relationship with one's girlfriend, but peeing in a girl's mouth, or animal sex, or group facials are acts that most guys are probably going to experience only vicariously through videotape.

It may be that enough sexuality has drifted into our culture to satisfy those with vanilla natures, and that porn will become more extreme until it crosses the line of community standards and law enforcement intervenes once again, at which time there will be another shakedown of players, and we'll be left with the meek and mild. Maybe it's just a cycle like women's hemlines, up and down, extreme or tame.

Jack writes Luke: whats with all the mike south airplay? me and my buddys rented one of his flicks and the lighting was so bad we couldn't tell if the chick was black or white.

MikeSouth.com replies: To answer Jack who complained of bad lighting. Actually it probably wasnt, all my stuff is very well lit and top quality. The problem is that in my early years the company I was with used very cheap duplication equipment, even the edit masters were done on SVHS so it is possible that the quality of one tape could have been good while another identical title may have been poor. There is also the potential that you got hold of a pirated tape. If the tape you rented was not in an original box and did not have the title silk screened onto the tape I want to know about it. CSP offers a 5,000 dollar cash reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone pirating our tapes. If the Title was Southern Belles 2000, BlowGirls, or Peaches and Cream and it appears to be a pirated copy please notify me immediately at msouth@mindspring.com

Lynne L-patin on Ebay.com

Helpful writes: Attention Luke F-rd Fans! Available now on Ebay: Mature Kink #2 DVD featuring Lynne "Diana Roth" L-patin!!!!!!!! Get your bids in now!! Ebay Item # 323747482. Check out the box cover Luke. Which hottie is she?

Luke: Dear reader. Helpful is simply hurt and bothered that I did not fulfill my promise to introduce him to the vibrant Lynne L-patin at Sacramento's Radisson Hotel Sunday afternoon.

Free Speech at the Capitol

LT writes: Luke, thanks for the great coverage of the FSC trip to Sacramento.

Amused is right, what AVN, the Ross site and certain industry posters will put out there...is that it was an overwhelming success. Everything they do always is. No matter what happens, the unknowing public will only get the positive PR spin from these "sources". Propaganda is a more apt description.

I suggest there be a photo op response, again with women portraying the justices wearing black robes - most with prosthetic boobs stuffed under them, at least one looking drugged, one looking frail and gaunt from the latter stages of full blown AIDS, one with a black eye and split lip and maybe even one with urine dripping out of her mouth (of course, she'd have to be wearing pig tails and white anklets). I think that would be fair representation of the current state.

Brandy Alexandre's "Wipe Paper" points were excellent and hit exactly the same ones that have stood out to me (thanks for posting that Brandy). It does read slightly different than before, but good grief!...that's even more irresponsible, they've made changes, but not to THE most glaring lies. Those "facts" of theirs weren't true in 1996 and are even less true now.

Bill Lyon's responses - I'll give the benefit of a doubt, but I noticed how he was quick to portray every one of your questions as if they didn't exist. At least Ms. Sunlove gave a cursory reponse. Mr. Lyon had to make it look good (and you bad) for the other reporter. My reply would have been "Gee, you don't know much of what is going on in the industry you represent, do you?."

You asked (or were asked) if the porners had even met with any of the legislators. The only one I know of on public record is Orange County's Scott Baugh, a guy with his own rap sheet. I always assumed his main reason for meeting with them was to pick up tips on how to avoid jail time in his upcoming trial.

Thanks for the transcript and report. You did a good job Luke. Just to add to your self loathing, your questions were very good save for a couple of good missed opportunities:

When Ms. Sunlove and Mr. Lyon responded to your question about Rough Sex (or Ms. Sunlove about Max Hardcore), you should've quickly pointed out that two (or is it now three?) women in the Rough Sex vids have said activities went well beyond what they were told in advance. Same for Max Hardcore of course, the times women have said he did more than they were informed of.

Your response to the "White Paper" should have been: I've been over the "White Paper" and it fails to address these issues. It reads as a simple and sweeping denial." feel free to use t that Luke :-)

Did Mark Kernes curse you out this time?. I've noticed that he seems to get extremely touchy and particularly short fused near elections (so do a lot more of the porners and their support system).

I've left the most important question to last - what did Will Jarvis get at the salad bar?

You ought to have replied that if their industry shills would report both sides evenly and fairly, instead of manipulating things to suit them, you wouldn't have to be there at all.

In other words, you want me to go away?...clean up your act!

Lynne writes: I got banned the next day [at the FSC lobbying days] for being your "friend," and Kat [Sunlove] was RUDE. Bobby Lilly is a sweetheart, bless her.

Join Luke and Traveling Shabbat Singles at Israeli Festival Sunday

From Traveling Shabbat Singles: On Sunday, May 14, Join us [Luke and his disciples] at Israel’s 52nd Independence Day Festival - 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM - Free admission - Stop by our Traveling Shabbat Singles booth, say hello, hang out, socialize, and have fun with us and other singles throughout the day. Our booth is # 8, and our sign will say “Traveling Shabbat Singles”. We will be sharing the booth with these other groups: JAS (Jewish Active Singles), The Chai Center (Rabbi Shlomo Schwartz (AKA “Schwartzie”), and Westwood Kehilla. The festival will have arts and craft vendors, many food varieties, many booths, and continuous entertainment. Pan Pacific Park (by Farmer’s Market), 2 blocks east of Fairfax Ave ( at Gardner St.), between Beverly Blvd. and 3rd St, Los Angeles. There is free festival parking in the CBS parking lot (near Beverly Blvd. and Fairfax Ave.), (818) 757-0123, Website: www.IsraelFestival.com

Luke: Tonight I will be at Friday Night Live at Temple Sinai in Westwood.

Kid Vegas Needs To Change His Soiled Diapers

Farrell Timlake of Homegrownvideo.com writes: Luke, Farrell from homegrownvideo.com here, and I just read how Kid Vegas thinks he bested the brothers Timlake and I had to respond. First of all, I was willing to give Kid Vegas, formerly Baby Reno until too many people referred to him as Baby Reemo, some credit as being a human being. I met him at CES where we shook hands and traded compliments over our former strident exchanges. Now I have to see that he feels like some sort of conquering hero. Of what? Taking the title of Mr.Gen-X is a little like saying you have the best mullet in Mayberry. Saying you are cool because you work for Legend. Whoopie, me and my brother own our company tough guy. So while I can give you props for being an outspoken budsmoker, Kiddie, I would have to say that you must be pretty high to think you are better in any way. Remembering back on our last exchange, I ran circles around your feable retorts until your Mommy and Daddy at Legend told us to go easy on you because you were new and did not have a clue. Now, lets see, what can you take credit for? Puke videos? Bet they do great in Japan. Since you are such a wannabe rock star maybe you should go do a live show in Budokkan. Call it "The Great Kiddie Veggies Wannabe Rock and Roll Porn Fiasco".

Now, when you start doing mind bogglingly cool and entertaining live sex shows on the internet like we are doing at Homegrownvideo.com, then maybe you will have a pot to piss in, Kiddie, but then you will of course realize that you are never going to be as big as us. You are never going to find talent as pretty. You are never going to have as many fans, your product will never be a market staple, and you are never going to have as much fun as we do. Then your nuts are going to shrink to the size of gallstones and your funny colored hairline is going to recede a little more under your hat and you will finally wish you learned a lot more about respect before having to learn such a long hard lesson in humility. Great luck to you in your career as most outspoken lackey. I am sure you have a fun filled career ahead of you mopping up after Jim's bukkake shoots.

Luke, thank you for letting me respond on your board. On a side note, don't buy into that psychobabble. What good will your work be when those energy vampires spend eight years sucking you dry of your personality? Thanks again for being the guy that says the Emporer is not wearing any clothes. This kingdom is better for it, and you can tell Mark Kernes I said so.

Andy Edmond Controversy

SexTracker.com owner Andy Edmond writes on Topniche.com general posting board: This "roasting" the day after we release a community tool to help put CP producers in jail is frankly a bunch of horsecrap. I don't need your appreciation or support on the issue, and you guys can continue to roast me all you want - I am going to get on with my day and make sure iQcheck and our other abuse systems are being extended to do the things it needs to do. My intent, and my only intent, is to put these people in Jail. From Alex I've heard that all he thinks these people deserve is being delinked. From bush pilot, all I hear is that what is on the surface counts, and not taking an agressive legal and litigious approach to these criminals is all that counts. I don't believe in your surface remedies, and certainly don't appreciate the tone you are taking with the one person that ANY OF YOU can point out that is doing something as agressive as we are. At the end of the day, iQcheck and our other abuse programs are going to be responsible for putting thousands of people in front of a judge. You guys can continue to debate here over the 1% gray area I refuse to have you lynch mob up and ask me to trounce on the rights of the 1st ammendment, and I will focus on the criminals that are responsible for the untolds of thousands of ruined lives. I'll be putting people in jail, while you guys continue to roast me. Hope you feel good about yourselves. Good day.

Bushpilot writes: You [Edmond] can attempt to avoid reality all you want....spout off about your moral uprightness....but the bottom line of all of this debate is really quite simple....and the irony of this situation does not escape this newbies notice....the money you are throwing at the problem was made in great part by listing thousands of marginal sites that funnel and feed traffic to the illegal sites...hiding behind the first amendment....and statements like "drawing the line at the crime in order to prevent this community from becoming a lynch mob"...what complete and absolute horses---! If the day ever comes when your link lists, counters and free hosts are free of this despicable crap...then maybe you will have the moral currency to brag about what you are doing to rid the net of CP...until then....you really haven't earned the right to say "look at me...see all the good I did today". You could throw 10 million dollars of your "feel good" money at this problem....but as long as you continue to profit off the "marginal" sites you list and host...hiding behind these bogus arguments...there is not much separating you from the sick f*ckers that take little girls into their basements and take pictures of them.....you are just wankin' it in a higher class neighborhood!

Luke Gets Mail

Kaspar Gomez writes: Yeah thats right luke. When I eat my meat I want some vegetables to go with it. Wath are you doing running that weirdo crap from "Earl" attacking Mexican people for picking vegetables for anglos? Dont you and he know that if you didnot eat vegetables and fruits but just ate meat that you would all get cancer and die? You anglos should be grateful that we Mexican people are willing to come to your country to do the dirty work you are too lazy to do!! You would die in your own filth without us.

Lynne's Term Paper on Porn and Gender

Lynne L-patin writes: This piece on pornography comes from my Sociology & Gender textbook. This book is apparently the most popular in the country being used to teach college students in Gender Studies and Sociology classes.

It scares me, because I'm guessing that most of the people who accept this as truth have never been inside an adult video store, receive no refutation in class, and don't know that this is just plain wrong.

I've decided never again to take a class where I know more than the instructor does about anything. If this misinformation is present on a subject I do know about, what other misinformation that I cannot identify is being taught in this course, by this instructor?

In 1969, the President's Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence concluded in its report that media portrayals of violence can induce individuals to behave violently. In 1971, the Presidential Commission on Obscenity and Pornography concluded in its report that there is no causal relationship between exposure to pornography and subsequent sexual violence against women. Pornography, it said, is basically harmless. In 1986, the Attorney General's Commission on Pornography (also known as the Meese Commission) brought the issue full circle by concluding that violent pornography is causally related to both sexual violence and discrimination against women.

The inconsistency that characterizes these official reports reflects the general confusion that historically has clouded debates about pornography and its effects. Before we take up this issue, let's first define what we mean by pornography, since there are conflicting definitions of what is pornographic. Certainly, few people would be willing to argue that any pictured nude or any description of a sexual act is pornographic, but where does one draw the line? As Supreme Court Justice Douglas once noted in an obscenity trial, "What may be trash to me may be prized by others" (quoted in MacKinnon, 1986, p. 69).

Still, we can discern important differences between pornography and what may be called erotica. Gloria Steinem (1978) makes this distinction by pointing out that:

"Pornography" begins with a root [porne] meaning "prostitution" or "female captives," thus letting us know that the subject is not mutual love, or love at all, but domination and violence against women. (Though of course, homosexual pornography may imitate this violence by putting a man in the "feminine" role of victim.) It ends with a root [graphos] meaning "writing about" or "description of" which puts still more distance between subject and object, and replaces a spontaneous yearning for closeness with objectification and a voyeur. (p. 54)

In contrast, Steinem tells us, erotica is derived from the root eros meaning "sensual love" and implying the mutual choice and pleasure of the sexual partners. We can see, then, at least two distinct features of pornography. First, it depersonalizes sex and objectifies women. Secondly, and more importantly, pornography is not even about sex, per se, but rather the degradation of women and often children through sex. In fact, the sex depicted in pornography is secondary to the violence, humiliation, and domination it portrays (see also Mayall & Russell, 1993). To be sure, not all pornography is violent, but the objective of all pornography is the objectification and control of women-male dominance of the female body for the purpose of sexually arousing the male consumer-and often violence is one of the ways pornography accomplishes this goal (Dines et al., 1998)

Researchers have not been able to conclusively establish a direct causal link between viewing pornography and violence against women. However, there is substantial evidence that pornography, especially violent pornography, is a factor that contributes to violence against women. At its most extreme, violent pornography takes the form of "snuff" and "slasher" films in which women are tortured, disfigured, murdered or dismembered for sexual pleasure (Russell 1993). However, a common theme in all forms of violent pornography is rape. "[N]ot only is rape presented as part of normal male/female relations, but the woman, despite her terror, is always depicted as sexually aroused to the point of cooperation. In the end she is ashamed but physically gratified" (Scully & Marolla, 1985, p. 253; see also Dines et al., 1998). In laboratory studies, researchers have found that exposure to violent pornography increases men's sexual arousal and rape fantasies, lessens their sensitivity to rape and rape victims, increases their acceptance of rape myths and most importantly, increases their self-reported possibility of raping (Allen et al., 1995; Donnerstein, 1983; Weaver, 1992). Experimental research, though, has been criticized for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that is "unnatural" or "artificial" (Brannigan & Goldenberg, 1987; Donnerstein et al., 1987). However, research that relies on women's and men's accounts of the use of pornography and "real life" sexual violence shows a strong relationship between the two. Women who have been sexually abused frequently report that their abusers directed them to act out scenes the men had seen or read about in pornography, sometimes mentioning specific films (see Dines et al., for a detailed summary of this research). Research with men, including sex offenders, shows that pornography helps shape a male-dominant view of sexuality, contributes to a user's difficulty in distinguishing between fantasy and reality, and is often used to initiate victims and break down their resistance to particular types of sexual activity. As Jensen (in Dines et al., 1998, p. 119) describes it, pornography provides a training manual for abusers" (see also Jensen, 1995; Norris & Kerr, 1991; Scully & Marolla, 1985).

Despite these findings, it is often argued that regulating or outlawing pornography infringes on the First Amendment right of free speech, and some observers fear that such regulations could be used to legitimate (sic) government censorship of any sexually explicit material including information on contraception, "safe sex," and so on. Recent government efforts to censor art exhibitions, such as the Robert Mapplethorpe photography exhibit, are frequently cited as examples. The First Amendment argument has prevailed in law; antipornography laws that were passed in Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Cambridge (Massachusetts), and Bellingham (Washington) have been overturned by the courts on the ground that they violated First Amendment free speech guarantees. But to those who worry about encroachment on the First Amendment, antipornography activists ask if they would maintain the same position if the material in question was violently racist or anti-Semitic.

As Russell (1993) argues:

Indeed, there would be a public outcry-and rightly so-if there were special nonpornographic movie houses where viewers could see whites beating up people of color, or Christians beating up Jews, and where the victims were portrayed as enjoying or deserving such treatment. But if it's called pornography and women are the victims, then it is considered sex and those who object that it is harmful to women are regarded as prudes. (p. 11)

It is unlikely that the debate over pornography will be resolved soon. Feminists themselves are divided over the questions of whether pornography is harmful and should be outlawed (see Berger et al., 1991; Dines et al., 1998). There are those, for example, who maintain that pornography, even in portraying sadomasochism, is potentially liberating for women in that through it, women may become less puritanical and sexually passive and more open or aggressive about their sexual desires. This argument has not been lost on the porn industry, which has attempted to market more products, primarily videotapes, to women. The biggest market in pornography-about $1 billion a year-is in videotapes that can be rented or purchased in neighborhood general interest (as opposed to "adult") video stores. About 15 percent of pornographic videos are rented by women (Russell, 1993). Research indicates, however, that while women may go to the video store to rent the movie, the idea to watch it most often originated with their male partners. Women usually describe such films as boring, unimaginative, offensive, and exploitative of women (Rubin, 1991). Indeed, studies who that women do not react to pornography the same way men do and are more often upset and negatively affected by it (Senn, 1993)

The pornography industry is not grossing billions of dollars a year only from videotapes. In recent years, the industry has branched out into new areas. Phone pornography, or "phone sex" as it is sometimes called, is one new form (Russell, 1993), and as Box 8.3 on page 268 shows, the Internet is fast becoming a profitable international marketplace for pornography.

Princess Luke Posits Himself As Heterosexual

Reflecting on her bitter experience with a devious Luke in Sacramento, Lynne L-patin writes:

I asked you if you would sit down with me and have lunch and discuss it. You said yes. Instead you lied to me over and over, humiliated me, stood me up three times in twenty-four hours and generally did all the things you are known for doing. I flew down there to have lunch with you. To see if you could handle it. Obviously you could not. Nor could you even be honest about why not.

I do not think your journalism teacher would be proud to know that you let your friend, someone who has worked with you and would work with you, wait by herself in a bar while you hung out in the lobby knowing she'd been waiting since 9:30 that morning to make an appointment with you because that is what you told her would work for you. And then you lied twice more. Amazing.

What happened to telling me the truth? Overnight you changed your mind? If the truth is what you put on the site, that you were tired, that you arrived, that you hung out in the lobby instead of checking in with me at any point...Haven't I always been understanding and happy to grant you what you need? Surely you knew you were encouraging a bad situation....and didn't you get exactly what you didn't want? Anger, trouble and enough problems to avoid the whole situation with no regrets?

I tried all day today to be nice and amiable and sober and suitable for contact. Obviously you no longer consider me your friend, although what I've done to you I wouldn't know. Done to you....really done to you. The prospect of working gets me really excited. Sorry. I will never express any interest in working with you again. If that's what upsets you. They keep asking me whether I'm sure you or David don't own that movie. I'm getting really sick of being humiliated because I'm a female.

Luke: >Lynne, i never asked you to fly to Sacramento...you took in on yourself... I >was out of range with my cell phone till this afternoon, when i checked my >messages...

Lynne: According to your site, you were swimming over at Mike Ross's. You told me Sunday evening when we spoke on the phone that you would check your messages, because I would be leaving them. That was lie #3.

>You push too much, with david and with me and probably with others. Pull >yourself together and don't ask more of people then they are ready for...

If I am instigating a project which requires a lot of pushing, and a lot of masculine, aggressive behavior, it upsets many people and doesn't upset others, who realize that is how work gets done. If people are offended so be it -- it isn't a popularity contest like FSC. As a reporter, do you stop hounding a source until you get the story (or a restraining order)? Robert Spallone is pushy. Russ Hampshire was pushy for years, until he got where he wanted to be.

>I did not look forward to meeting with you on this trip...i simply have other >things on my mind...you push and pushed and this is what happens... You chose >to fly to Sacraamento..i did not ask that of you...I did not want it.

Then say, "No, this would be a really bad time, as I have lots of things on my mind this weekend." Not "Yes, it is okay to call me" if it isn't. I chose to fly to Sacramento because you indicated that it would be okay, not "not okay." Don't find blame me for doing my job because you dropped the ball and panicked about something you assumed I would want from you that you weren't up for, whatever the hell it was, and then chose to lie over and over again thinking that would make the situation go away.

> >You push me way too much, and others...pull yourself together Lynne.

I am very pulled together and capable of being in charge and putting together a multi-dimensional project requiring a great amount of supervision and attention to detail. I don't wait for the performer to tell me when to make the movie -- I set the schedule and the deadline and the employees show up when they are told. If they cannot, I find someone else to do the job who will. My schedule is as valuable as yours; my free time is as valuable as yours. Maybe more. It is one thing to have a friendship and another to work together. Working together involves abdicating control when appropriate. Unfortunately the timing is that Playboy is watching that movie THIS WEEK.

We all have other things on our minds. I don't care if my editor broke up with his girlfriend -- sure I care as a person, and as a woman, but I still expect the work to get done. As a business partner, if this is the last chance I feel I'll be able to get away cheaply and easily to get the rest of the work done and some work done on paper, then that needs to be respected -- you do not get to call 100% of the shots. Unless you are the director. Which specifically you are not -- which specifically I am, until I hire someone (with your approval) to take over. Which has to do with budget considerations, not lack of skill. Something I have to do until there's money for someone else.

I woke up in the middle of the night, wide awake, and it occurred to me -- Luke IS gay. That would make his position as a commentator on the hetero porn scene highly suspect, and a very dangerous and scary position from which to operate. That I'm serving as a "cover" -- That you print the love letters because it looks so hetero of you. (I'd spent my afternoon with my gay producer friend, with whom I watched the tape. He actually enjoyed it -- most heterosexuality he'd seen in years. He posited your homosexuality. I said I thought you were just confused in both directions.)

Then I went back to sleep and had a long involved nightmare about not being able to call and confirm a job, and getting stuck in a haunted Hollywood, and just insanity. Until I escaped, after which I woke up in peace. I'm not your girlfriend. Or your boyfriend, for that matter. What would be the point of orchestrating a tv show project if I can't deliver the goods because the goods don't "feel" like it that day and don't feel the need to listen to me when I say, "Suck it up and deliver!"

In that regard, the weekend was very productive. We are having a power struggle. I wanted to see if you could make an arrangement to meet with me and stick to it. You cannot. I am glad that it was not in the Playboy offices. Or David Geffen's offices, for that matter. So what's on your mind that's bigger than a TV show, that should make me postpone my discussion with cable networks to cover your ass without me looking incompetent? I put all the feelings in a letter and will send the letter and be done with the feelings, but you are the one who wants the TV show.

I have the skills to put it together, but you may not want to work with me. Perhaps you would prefer another producer, who kisses your butt a lot more but who may or may not get the work done. My goal is to put it together and walk away, believe it or not, leaving you a proven commodity who can proceed on his own.

So YOU PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER and act like an adult with a goal, not a faggot having a hissy fit because the curtains don't match the upholstery.

You posit yourself as heterosexual, but my friend James, who I went to see when it became obvious that you were trying to avoid me (and those are his words) is an exceptionally intelligent person, very comfortable with his own sexuality (his porn reflects "real men" rather than Hollywood pretty boys) took a look at you on tape and at the situation and made an analysis based on his own extensive experience with sexual variance and concluded what he did.

If you cannot be my Prince Charming, and would prefer to be my little Princess (which is what James calls you -- Princess), I'm just as happy. Actually more so. I no longer have to compete with the ideal woman. I don't have to fear abandonment because I'm not physically this or that -- it becomes irrelevant. It becomes a genderless friendship, and not only is there nothing wrong with that but at this stage in my life, as we've discussed, it's a lot more valuable.