Thursday, November 30th, 2000

Luke Gets Mail

Goddess writes: f---! I see that with all this AVN crap going on Gene has had to cancel his appearance at the Bunny Ranch. Get off your high horse with this s---, Luke. I got a ton of money saved for Nevada, and I'm just *dying* to spend it!!

Scoop Behind Michael Raven Controversy

Michael Raven and company at Sin City are happy with their numerous nominations for this year's AVN Awards.

Here's what set off the Michael Raven - Rob Black - John Bowen flame war last week on GeneRossExtreme.com and QuasarmanRants.com.

Sin City PR man Lief Rock was composing a press release about the company's main director - Michael Raven. Company owner David Sturman suggested "Put in something about 'Uber Director.'"

Uber is German for super, huge, big.

So Lief Rock did as he was told, even though the last time he used "Uber," most Sin City folks came to him to ask what it meant.

Off goes the press release, and the "Uber Director Michael Raven" remark set everybody off, starting with Extreme Associates owner Rob Black, who remembers Michael Raven for making one of the company's worst films ever - Mindf---.

Raven acknowledges that it was not one of his best movies.

Raven called Luke Thursday evening to say: "Please don't take that out of context. That "Mindf---" was one of the company's [Extreme's] worst films ever is Rob's opinion, not a fact. For being one of the worst films ever, it did garner an AVN nomination for me for Best Actor. So the movie could not have been that bad. Technically the movie was superior. There was nothing wrong with it. It wasn't extreme enough in the sex for Rob, that's why he didn't like it. Those are the facts."

Katja, Jessica Drake, Sylvia, Zoe, Shay, Kamiko, Teens

AVN Intrigue - Rebecca Gray's Plot To Fire Ken Wood

Luke talked to Gene Ross Thursday afternoon about Adult Video News. Listen here.

Ken Wood started worked at AVN in February of 1999. A year later, he took over as managing editor of the magazine and immediately ran into opposition from the "Arizona Mafia," a clique of staffers (Rebecca Gray, Mikey Ramone, Ken Michaels?) loyal to former managing editor Bryn Pryor.

Here's a copy of a June 8th letter from Rebecca Gray to AVN publisher Paul Fishbein. Ken Wood found the letter (and the plot to fire him) and immediately resigned.

Rebecca writes Paul (I've cribbed from Gene Ross where you can get the full scoop):

I am exceedingly disturbed that you were willing to write off the majority of your staff as suffering from some kind of collective insanity when so many of us came to you and complained about Ken Wood; but as soon as you caught a whiff of trouble at your front door, well, THEN you saw the necessity of acting. Shame on you.

Due to this and so many other reasons- not least among them my passing familiarity with your history of trusting bad people and then getting screwed by them- I need from you the following votes of confidence.

1. You are a savvy businessman, but you are no manager. The sooner you are relieved of this duty the better it will be for your magazine - which is, I feel it's time someone informed you, teetering on the edge of internal collapse. Ellen [Thompson] was the first to go.

Paul, Gene is NOT loyal. My god, your naivete is actually somewhat inspiring. You really will believe the best of people, no matter what. This is part of the reason I like you so much, I know; but I'm still INCREDIBLY frustrated by it. Don't take this with a grain of salt. Don't think you know something I don't. If anything, it's the other way around. Gene is SCARED. His FEAR will keep him here forever - NOT HIS LOYALTY. It's fine if you want to ask of him that he take over company liaisoning during his interim period; but if he requires anything of the internal system, he will have to go through me. THERE WILL BE NO SCREAMING DOWN THE HALL, no temper tantrums, no reigns of terror. I mean it. On pain of my leaving- instantly- there will be NO HYSTERIA from either of you. Any issue either have you with editorial you will take up with me and I will deal with accordingly.

2. I will be in charge of the first round of interviews for the managing editor position. Paul, I'm sorry, but I don't trust you with this. You are, as has been borne out many times before, NO JUDGE OF PEOPLE. You trust everyone. And you are too far out of the loop here to understand the politics and intricacies of working in this office. Let me conduct the initial interviews. I will bring you qualified choices...from there, you can make the decision. But in my opinion, you are not capable of doing this on your own, with any degree of efficiency or good judgment. I am.

3. I will fire Michael [Ken Wood]. I will fire him on Friday, June 30, as discussed, after I have received all of this month's writing from him. I will come in early so it's just him and me, and I will help him box and move out. I'm sure he will want to talk to you. We will have to make arrangements to change locks and codes. I can set this up with Elaine starting June 26. It is the only option. I'm sure by now Michael has duplicate keys, and I've wondered if he's able to access our servers from home. We should make sure this is not possible, and change what we have to do if it is. Paul, if I leave it to you, it will never get done. Let me do this....this could be so simple. It's nothing to get excited about. It's easy. If you continue to contaminate it with all of your doubt and double-thinking, I can promise you more trouble. Let me do this. Everything will be fine."

Judge Gene Ross sez: "Let's put things in perspective, shall we. I WAS a loyal employee of 14 years with AVN, that is, UNTIL I saw this letter of Gray's, which, taken for what it is, stands as a rather unblemished, narcissistic, paranoid, delusional, undistilled portrayal of arrogance completely out of check- an employee capable of talking down to their employer, treating them like an enfeebled child who's practically incapable of wiping their own ass. But that's the spineless entity AVN has become and those that practice subjugating behavior there thrive among the flora and fauna of its hypocrisy. Sadly, it's not the magazine I remember.

"Unfortunately, I can only blame myself that a Rebecca Gray or others of her status exist in any life form. She's a struggling, over-the-hill SAG actress and was screaming bloody hell that Ona Zee had f---ed her for $500 on a script when I took pity and allowed her to smell the aroma of an actual paycheck. My mistake. The broadsides she takes against me are obviously my reward. It's also obvious, even to an idiot, that there was a well thought-out plan to eliminate Ken Wood which was going to take place over a span of 22 days, a cold, calculated f----you blueprint, that suggests if AVN is capable of devious means on this level, imagine what it can do on a broader one.

"Wood's only crime in my estimation was that he was my protege, and the spirited assassination attempt against him was also a symbolic one against me. What makes this even more galling is that the day I resigned, when I brought this email to Paul Fishbein's attention as one of my reasons for leaving, he played dumb, as he generally does, and denied its existence- that is until my command of the facts of its contents forced his hand. "Rebecca's out of here," he told me. "Considering her comments, why, as a measure of support for me didn't you just fire her ass back in June when you first got this letter," I asked him. Hemming and hawing, Fishbein assured me he was "dealing" with it. Dealing with it in the sense that Gray, of all people, has a starring role in the Fishbein-backed Internet "movie" The Money Shot, an idea, which, by the way, was lifted from under my nose by Gray and her cronies. But that's another story to be told in the painful, December days of hell that are certainly to follow." (Gene Ross)

Troublemaker writes Gene Ross: "Read your comments to Steph Dunn about AVN's DVD nominations, and, considering the fact that Bryn Pryor and Legend are at war, it's not surprising to see that Legend didn't get one crummy nomination."

Insider writes Gene Ross: "Regarding Ken Wood's account of Paul Fishbein saying, 'f--- Jenna Jameson' and how it's going to stack up to Jameson's emceeing the AVN Show - here's how it's going down. The fix is in. This being Jameson's last movie, Fishbein and AVN are going to let her go out with a blaze of glory by letting her win the Best Actress award and letting Dream Quest snag a couple of statues. Is Fishbein going to put Jameson in front of thousands of people where she can be potentially embarrassed by losing? I don't think so. Even Fishbein ain't that dumb. This is by way of saying you won't hear comments from Jameson. Even she knows enough to keep her big yap shut." (Gene Ross)

Luke to Gene: "Who's Rebecca Gray?"

Gene: "She's an assistant editor at AVN who I hired in 1998 as a proof reader and eventually she assumed more responsibilities and became a writer, blah, blah, blah. My understanding is that after Ken quit, Rebecca was going to leave AVN. She took over temporarily as managing editor until Mikey Ramone took that over. Then she said she was leaving but she's never left."

Luke: "Is she an essential cog at AVN?"

Gene: "Rebecca is as essential a cog as wings on a pig.

"As soon as Ken Wood discovered this email, he called me at home on a Saturday to come over to AVN. In fact, we were going to a Rob Black wrestling event.

"He showed me the email and of course I saw red. And Ken says, 'I'm quitting.' I'm going to offer my resignation on Monday."

Luke: "How did Ken find the email?"

Gene: "Good question. You might have to ask him that one. He's a smart guy. And thank goodness he did find it. It is an eye opener.

"It strikes me that she's referencing a conversation she previously had with Fishbein... This was already in the works...

"There was nothing wrong going on at AVN. The simple fact is that Ken Wood took over the reins and everybody included Rebecca Gray fought him tooth and nail. It was like a Republican in a house of Democrats. They refused to do anything. They held their breath and kicked their legs like little f---ing children until they got their way. They did not want this guy in there."

Is Luke F-rd An Original Journalist?

Alec Jensen writes: Mr. Luke F-rd,

I am curious as to how you can consider yourself an original journalist when you basically post gossip bulls--- that is e-mailed to you by brainless porno people?

If that is not enough, you cut and paste your other stories off the Gene Ross (Tod Hunter) site and the Gene Ross Extreme site?

Again, I ask you, where does your self proposed journalistic talent I see you boast about yourself on your site?

I hope to see you in Las Vegas during the CES awards show and convention, because I would very much like to ask you these questions in person. Or do you not venture out in public where your "fans" can physically get a hold of you to break your puny neck that holds up your ever inflated head. Perhaps your boss at McDonalds will give you the weekend off from flipping burgers during the day so you can come out and play with the real professionals.

I sincerely hope you post this e-mail on your site, because I hope that you do not only post gossip about other people. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to seeing you soon.

P.S. I hope XXX took you for a large sum of money. You deserve everything you got.

Luke says: Where have I boasted about my journalistic talent?

Jeremy Steele Writes Rebecca Bardoux

Luke, I read what Rebecca Bardoux wrote.. and I would just like to say to her that I worked with you in 97 around right before I left the biz for a while and you (in pocahotass 4)were a nice lay and a nice person.. if I wasn't involved with some psycho bitch at the time I probably would've sought to know you better.. So cheer up because this business, and especially the awards shows .. to paraphrase Fiona Apple "is a bunch of bulls---".. There are plenty of people who don't and will never officially get recognized, (myself included perhaps?).. Noone gives a f--- about awards shows except people within the business.. And do you Really think they care about us talent anyways? If they did.. They would be pushing about some fair compensation, unionization, medical coverage, etc..

All of this patting ourselves selectively on the back is just politics and money.. The production companies are just laughing all the way to the bank at our expense anyways.. What matters is that you know there are people out there who really appreciate you.. You've met them.. and that's what real.. Not any little statue which my babeball little league trophy I helped win when I was 8 years old eclipses in comparison, and some award show which Howard Stern and the rest of the world laugh at how serious we sex performers take it.. And who's paying attention to it anyway? Everyone's there getting high and figuring out how they're gonna screw the person sitting next to them later on after the show finally ends... We all want to be loved, appreciated and rewarded for our efforts but the real validation comes from people you meet and get to know in the real world, outside the business, not inside ...But again let me say, as a fellow performer that you were a fine piece of ass and a nice gal.. And congratulations on your marriage.

Extreme Raven Exchange

Mutt writes on Netpond: So is Rocco Siffredi getting the Irving Thalberg award this year or are they going to postpone the inevitable for another year?

Alien writes from SinCityFilms.com: Hey Luke:)

I noticed a brief exchange between Michael Raven, John Bone and Rob Black. Not that you could hold a huge candle geniuine honesty to the nominations that were finally released from the industries most reliable source for video news but then again I do my best to believe there maybe some geniune honesty in them this and every year. I can see clearly that Extreme and Mr. Bone got next to null in the nominations while our "Antichrist Suitcase Pimp" has managed turn out nearly 30 nominations all by himself. We didnt even have to pay anyone off for our nominations. But none the less when will people clearly see when they see it, that a superior production actually gets recognized.

I mean, when I see another adult site that is better than mine I do no go. "Hey f--- you Cybererotica I think you all suck!", No I go, "Damn that's some really good s---! I better get my f---en note book out and recognize..." Perhaps it is just a simple lack of intelligence within the porn industry these days and through out most of it's days.

Have you ever noticed that for every smart guy in the biz there are f---en 100 idiots? The Geneross website has enormous bad and broken links on it, dudes with gun's on it, even you Luke man got a gun... That's just f---en stupid, and tastless, as I never been a fan of violence or even inuendo of it. I seldomly goto generossextreme.com and when I went there this morning I was pretty dissapointed. Perhaps the backer of Gene Ross ought to invest in a decent webmaster rather than cute photos of dudes with firearms don't ya think? No harshness towards Gene but ya deserve better, I just hope ya get a webmaster in there, maybe break em off some so ya got a better platform to speak your message. We webmasters are not that expensive for christ sake nor that violent! All love for the industry, picken on the weak spots... Alien

AVN Creepiness On Howard Stern

Joner1: Hello Luke...I have some news to share...if you have a moment..some news and some questions.both involved AVN sorta scandalous stuff that has gone unnoticed and unmentioned. Items to discuss.... 1. a gene ross /AVN website scandal item? 2. an avn awards promo hypocrisy..shameful item? 3. a very creepy paul fishbein on stern TV show item...didnt anyone else notice this besides me?

Joner1: Did you catch the quick ultra edit Gene Ross did on his site related to the stern show/leanna heart transcript? That was one very long transcript... vanished.poof.... whered it go?

Luke says: Here it is:

http://www.geneross.com/archive/oct2000/101800_b.html

Joner1: Remember beetlejuice from teh stern show at the AVN awards last year? Have you seen the new AVN ads for the show?.NOV 2000 AVN issue..Beet is featured prominately...his picture. They scorn him at the time....toss him off the stage. Then the VERY next year they use HIM as promo for their new show....major oops. Typical AVN..... Did you notice that?

Joner1: Using Beet as a sorta attraction for this years show.... Joner1: like.remember how neat it was at last years show..etc etc. Joner1: like remember how GRWAT and funny beet was..as they tore him from teh stage.. Joner1: to quote Paul on stage.."alisha klass we need you now!" He was worse then alisha?....and now they use him as promotion?..huh? Joner1: nota biggee..just something of note.

Joner1: anyhow..did you catch Paul Fishbein on the Stern Tv show recently? The TV airing of his radio appearance with Penthouse Pet of the year Juliet Cariaga and Nikki Fritz. Watch their eyes as they speak.... I have the tape.... I've checked it out a few times. Well..they were so hesitant to say anything without Paul's approval.

Luzdedos1: interesting, i believe that.

Joner1: They kept looking to and at him as they spoke.to see if they should shut up or continue etc Joner1: they speak to Howard with their eyes on Paul the whole time...

Joner1: You do know that the name marc wallice was mentioned... Joner1: did you hear the call?..or read the transcript? Joner1: and BTW-- i have the original call.and genes long long transcript was sure to leave out some negative to porn detailed items...but that's the norm. Joner1: Gene put it up in his form..then soon it was gone.the next day in fact.. Joner1: did you see kendra on the stern Tv show last night?. Joner1: she was looking the best she ever has on sterns Tv show...but tons of makeup.. Luzdedos1: no did not see it, i do not watch tv Joner1: ok..i understand that.. Joner1: no exceptions for the dearest kendra?. ;-)

Joner1: BTW- kendra knows who i am. Joner1: i mean.who i am and what i do....if she remembers ;-) Joner1: also......about Paul on Stern. In his [TV] segment, they cut out the part where they all talked about the mafia control of the porn biz...but they made a reference to it later on...in regards to the mafia having control over AVN..quite funny and interesting

Joner1: i know for a fact that paul/mafia/porn calls were screened out by the stern call screeners... Joner1: stern/porn/paul/avn/org crime stuff//connections

Joner1: the beet thing just really bothered me....its kinda racist of AVN to be goofin' on the lil black guy like that...using him...etc Luzdedos1: i'm particularly curious about any AVN connections to organized crime Joner1: its like come to the AVN awards minstrel show..... Joner1: we have silly performing lil goofy black guys to entertain you.... Joner1: and i love beet....he is a super hero. Joner1: he just goes with teh flow...he has no idea taht avn is using his image to promote..but AVN has the rights i guess...i hope hes getting something for it..doubt it. Joner1: i guess they comped him good in vegas last year as fair payment. Luzdedos1: ok, i gotta run Joner1: still.....image is everything....AVN.take a look at how you market your silly awards show will ya..jeeez.

Spotted on national television...Nikki Fritz..a Producer for AVN..in a titter giggling over the potential of a sexual harassment lawsuit being filed against AVN management...all the while locking nervous eyes with Paul Fishbein sitting quietly in the corner pulling the puppet strings.

This is an event that happened that I thought you would have been all over by now with detailed accounts and your usual unique reportage. Paul Fishbein grilled on national radio directly about the mafia and AVN and the silence that followed from the XXX press.

Luke....are you telling me that you missed the grilling that Paul Fishbein took on the Stern radio show concerning the "mafia" and control of AVN during AVN's growth period.(1985-2000)

Paul was in the radio/TV studio for only a few minutes before the topic came up. Both Howard and Robin asking Paul about his magazine and his money and most of all asking him why the mafia that supposedly runs the XXX biz didn't just come and beat him up and take control of his magazine away from him.

This was a very interesting line of questioning from Howard and Robin..as expected..Paul was in denial mode and tried leading them away from the subject matter. This entire line of questioning was *noticeably* cut from the TV version of the Stern show. There was a slight reference to this topic left in the TV version of the interview when later on in the talk Robin Quivers says jokingly to everyone..."screw the mafia!..WE should have been the ones to beat him up and take over control of his magazine!!..ha ha haha!!"

Robin's line seemed out context because of how the TV show was edited..leaving out the entire earlier line of questioning.

Luke says: Read Gene Ross's transcript of the Fishbein appearance on Stern here:

http://www.geneross.com/archive/oct2000/102700_a.html

"The porno industry has been accused of being run by the mob. Why hasn't the mob just beaten you up and taken over your magazine," Stern wanted to know.

"There is no mob," said Fishbein. "I've never seen the mob in 18 years of doing AVN. Never." Stern asked Fishbein if he was in the mob. "You've never been approached about someone buying your magazine from you?" Stern asked. "I've been approached by someone buying the magazine but they weren't in the mob," Fishbein said.

Luke says: That's an interesting thing for Fishbein to say. In January of 1997, while at CES with Gene Ross and Mark Kernes and company, Fishbein came across a story (probably in the local Las Vegas paper) about the trial of Kenneth Guarino and Metro Home Video for working with the Gambino crime family. Fishbein thought it important that AVN also cover the story which Kernes eventually did, appearing in either the March or April 1997 issue.

Metro Home Video eventually pled guilty to working with the Mafia family.

When AVN's coverage arrived, Metro owner Kenneth Guarino threw a fit and called a Paul Fishbein. Fishbein, who'd originally been red hot to publish the story, publicly dressed down Kernes and Ross for running the story he, Paul, originally ordered.

So, in other words, Paul knows very well that organized crime and the Mafia plays a role in porn.

Metro Home Video sponsored (for about $75,000) the first AVN Expo in July 1999.

A Call For Restraint

JCJoe writes on RAME: I realize this letter will step on a few toes, but I feel it should be written. I just had the experience of viewing a video titled, Ass Clowns, and came away, not with a hard-on, but with a stomach ache. I chose the movie because the beautiful Taylor St. Claire was in it, and I have ALWAYS looked forward to her films. Instead, I saw a beautiful woman degraded and brutalized in such a way that it will be very difficult for me to ever visualize that beauty again.................... You can say that I am a bit "old fashioned," but I feel there IS a fine line in the sand (so to speak) between what is pornography and what is degradation and filth, and even adult film directors and producers should respect it!

We are in this country on the precipice of a First Amendment "DISASTER"--from Greek-against the stars-- when the new administration of "Bush & Chicanery" take over, with their right-wing religious fanatic followers (especially here in the Bible Belt) and the porn industry will be its MAIN target........... I assure you, if I had to take ONE movie to court in order to demonstrate the degradation and filth of the adult film industry, it would be "Ass Clowns!" UNLESS the adult industry movers and shakers don't get together and discipline themselves to bring people such as Rob Black and Max Hardcore back across this "line in the sand," THAT discipline will come from what, within two years, will be an "Ultra Conservative" Supreme Court, hand-picked by two of the Bush-Chicanery Administration's principal supporters, Jerry "fall far to the right" Fallwell and Pat "robber of rights" Robberson!

Christmas Brothel Schedules

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