Sunday,
December 10th, 2000
E!'s True Hollywood Story On Larry Flynt Dishonest
I thought the E! True Hollywood Story on Larry Flynt Sunday night exceptionally dishonest and a real suck job to Larry.
Here are some excerpts of my bio on Flynt which describes the dishonesty in the mainstream movie "The People vs Larry Flynt":
Gambino crime-family porn king Robert DiBernardo handled much of Hustler's distribution on the East Coast. "I've known a lot of mob people in my life," says Flynt. "I've even been friends with a couple of them."
Gangsters dominate Flynt's vocational choices - pornography, magazine distribution, bars, and vending-machine businesses. One Flynt employee had his car bombed and another was shot within eight months of the attempt on Flynt's life.
Neither Larry's autobiography - which he "wrote" after reading the movie script - or Forman's movie give an accurate picture of the pornographer. Larry claims there was "more hank-panky in a church pew than in my clubs" but a former exec says the clubs "had a policy of closing up around three AM, then turning the customers and dancers loose on each other." He says the only thing that kept the Hustler clubs from being whorehouses was that not every customer was guaranteed sex for his cover charge.
The moving scene where Flynt speaks at a rally in front of a screen showing intercutting images of naked women with mutilated bodies from various Vietnam atrocities, asking what is more obscene, war or a woman's body, never happened. Lawyer Herald Price Fahringer: "I was certainly the main speaker there. I don't know whether Larry spoke. ...But all this stuff about the First Amendment with that rear projection behind him, there was none of that..."
The movie shows Althea telling Larry that nuns at her orphanages molested her. But in both orphanages where Althea lived, there were no nuns.
Larry certainly didn't find out about Althea's AIDS while in prison, nor did Hustler staff refuse to shake her hand, nor did he wheel Althea to her final bath nor did he discover her dead body, nor did he cry when he heard about her death. The movie portrays all of the above lies.
Flynt owed millions of dollars to mob moneylenders based in South Florida. "Unknown to him, they considered Althea Leasure a "loose cannon" who "knew too much," and it was they who arranged her murder in the guise of an accidentaly drowning induced by a drug overdose." (What Wild Ecstasy, p.361)
Larry Flynt Publications frequently gag their employees from speaking to the news media. In 1976, Flynt fired Bill Margold for refusing to change a negative review of the book Show Me that Larry sold.
The white racist who confessed to the Flynt shooting, Oswald-type Joseph Paul Franklin, lives on Death Row after convictions for racially motivated murders. The government wanted him for questioning as early as 1980, and was indicted in 1984. He was never brought to trial because Larry and his lawyer who were shot didn't want to press charges of aggravated assault against a man already serving six life sentences for murder.
It is not at all clear that white supremacist Franklin shot Flynt. Instead, porn industry insiders suspect that it was a Mafia hit. Flynt owed the mob millions.
John Heidenry writes on page 209 of his 1997 book What Wild Ecstasy:
But his [Flynt] distribution company would turn out to be Flynt's one serious miscalculation. Many of the less successful and raunchier men's magazines were distributed by companies under Mafia control. But Flynt thought he was invincible, a superman who could buck not only the federal government, but the underworld... Flynt asked himself why he should pay a percentage to the Mob. After all, he reasoned, it amounted to only a fe cents a copy. They probably made so much money elsewhere, they would never miss it anyway.
But the Mob did miss that extra few cents, multiplied by several millions twelve times a year. Nor did it like an uppity hillbilly showing it no more respect than he displayed toward a centerfold with a bag over her head. Most ominously, Flynt was deeply in debt to Mob moneylenders, and was ignoring their demands for repayment. (pg. 209)
From pg. 231:
Flynt told Althea he thought the CIA did it [shot him]...But some inside the porn industry knew the Mob was angry that Flynt had been distributing his own magazine and decided to send him a serious message." (What Wild Ecstasy, p. 231)
Ken Wood's AVN Resignation Revisited
In my 6/27/00 update, I ran this:
Bighorn writes: "Luke , just wondering if you've heard about Ken Wood getting fired from AVN. Rumor is that he and Gene Ross were getting ready to start a net magazine to compete with AVN, and when Fishbine got word of it, her fired Wood. I called AVN today, and when I asked for Ken Wood, they transfered me to some woman [Rebecca Gray?], so I think he's really gone. If the rumors are true, Ross must be next on the list to get the axe."
Luke: I talked to Gene Ross and he is very much ensconced at AVN. He's got a job for life according to publisher Paul Fishbein, a loyal employer. Gene says that Ken Wood resigned from AVN last Tuesday to pursue his mainstream interests. Meantime, Gene and Rebecca Grey will take over his position.
Gene: "Ken resigned last Tuesday."
Luke: "I heard you were going to start a net magazine to compete with AVN?"
Gene laughs. "There have been all kinds of rumors but no rumors [are true]. Nothing to do with me and Ken. From what I gather, he was ready to go back to mainstream. He was just in for a short period of time. His feeling was, I don't have my roots in the industry. Personally I don't think he felt that comfortable."
Luke: "I can relate."
Gene: "Let's establish a fact - he got along very well with everybody in the industry. He was a valuable asset to AVN. He had an amazing rapport with all the video companies. Everybody liked him and he was very effective in the short time he was there. I just got the impression that at the age of 23 he had his sights set elsewhere..."
Luke: "Who will replace him?"
Gene: "In the interim, Rebecca Gray and myself... She's handling the internal structure of the whole editing process and I'm dealing with the public relations aspect of dealing with the companies."
Luke: "So you're not off to start your own internet magazine?"
Gene: "Christ, I don't even know anything about the internet. Everything I know about the internet, Luke, I learned from you."
Jas: lol luke if mangr. editor ken wood was well liked it wasnt' from his coworkers at avn! not from everything i've herd!
Bighorn: Luke, Gene Ross is full of s---. For one thing, a friend of mine at Wicked says that Wood was down there the day he left AVN looking for a job, and Wicked said no. Also, Wood has spreading all kinds of s--- about what he's doing now. He told one guy he was going to work for VCA, and then told somebody at VCA that he was going to work for Hustler. Supposedly, he also has been spreading the rumor that was spying for the FBI. Also he told somebody else that he has a bunch of s--- on Paul Fishbine, and he tried to blackmail him. Doesn't sound like the guy wants to go "back to mainstream" at all.
From GeneRoss.com 10/3/00
Gene Ross writes: During a Monday mid-day press conference in which he announced his candidacy for the Los Angeles mayoralty race, Rob Black promised some other excitement with Extreme Associates' highly publicized E-days beginning in October.
And that's exactly what Black got when he was presumably arrested two hours later by two LAPD [or thugs dressed as LAPD] after storming the AVN lobby accompanied by ten Extreme Associates employees, clicking cameras and major attitude. When asked what the cameras were about, Black said he wanted a record of how AVN has been systematically "screwing" his company. Black also insisted that AVN publisher Paul Fishbein was calling him a "deadbeat." Black immediately launched into a tirade of profanity and threats that would blanch a teamster, prompting someone from the office to call the cops.
Because Fishbein wasn't in the office at the time, Black asked to see Gene Ross. When Ross came to the lobby, Black began a one-sided dialogue that consisted of exaggerated finger-pointing and snarling accusations among which that AVN was totally blasé about everything he was trying to do on behalf of his company.
...Fishbein, stressing that the safety of his employees was a paramount issue, filed a report with the police who admitted they couldn't act unless Black returned and trespassed on private property.
Fishbein stressed that never at any time did he refer to Black as a deadbeat. "But he is a coward," said Fishbein. "What kind of businessman settles a business issue by bringing 10 guys to someone's office, with a video camera, puts on a show, tries to bully and intimidate the employees and then has his own arrest faked? We have the whole thing on tape from our security camera and if there was sound, I'd stream it on our web site. This is retarded."
Fishbein was particularly miffed that Black hadn't returned calls about money Black's company owes AVN for past ads. "I guess this started because I called Rob Black for money he owed AVN and he refused to return my phone calls," Fishbein said. "We've been doing a lot of business with Extreme, and my partner handles all the financial situations. This one got away from him, and I noticed that Extreme was several months behind in paying their bills. Since Rob wouldn't call my partner back, and he had trouble getting Tom Byron on the phone, he asked me to call.
"I called Rob six times over three days," Fishbein added. "His guys took the messages. They told me he was out buying new turnbuckles for his wrestling ring or something. Anyway, he never called back. I told my partner to just handle it the way he would anyone else who was behind in their bills. Why didn't Rob just answer the phone like a normal human being? All he had to do was pick up the phone and explain to me when he was going to pay his bill. That's all I cared about. And, as I said to you, why should we continue to give him all this publicity when he won't return calls."
From GeneRoss.com 10/4/00
Rob Black writes:
COME MONDAY MORNING OCTOBER 9TH WE WILL MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR PATHETIC LIFE FOREVER. YOU, AS OF YET, HAVE NO IDEA OF THE RAMIFICATIONS OF MONDAY OCTOBER 9TH. IF YOU THOUGHT WHAT I DID ON OCTOBER 2ND WAS SHOCKING, WELL, MOTHER f---ER, YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHING YET. MONDAY MORNING OCTOBER 9TH WILL BE A DAY YOU WILL REMEMBER FOR THE REST OF YOUR GREEDY, MISERABLE, WRETCHED f---ING LIFE. IT WILL RING IN YOUR HEAD OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER...
Now, let's talk about money, Fishbein. When Tommy and I first started Extreme Associates in 1998, you laughed at us, thought of us nothing more than a big f---ing joke and wouldn't give us the time of day. We even came to you and asked what we had to do to play ball, what we had to do to get the same coverage that all of these other jackass companies got. We, like so many other newcomers in the business, had to lay at your feet and ask for your blessing, simply to be "allowed" to be privy to the "mysterious information" the VCAs, Wickeds, Vivids, et all seemed to know and understand so well. They got the coverage, regardless of how inept or lame their news and updates might have been. And you know what, you rancid piece of human waste? You sat up there like the slimy cocksucker you are with that pompous s----ass grin on your face and said that the way to play ball was for us to get all our printing done at Great Western, our duplication at Trac Tech and, most important of all, to put a lot of big fat ads in your magazine. You looked at us as if our motherf---ing fate was in your hands, thinking that we would be like all of the other spineless losers who would get on all fours and eat your s--- to get a four-star review and a 1,000 word write-up.
Remember when we finally got a business report? After a month and a half of bitching and whining, it was a paltry page and a half. But what about Elegant Angel and that slimeball Patrick Collins?? That talent-less hack Randy Kaplan wrote a five-page piece on Elegant-the f---ing company that Tom Byron and I put on the map---how many pages did they get? Do you remember that, greaseball? Five and a half pages! Later there's a three-page business piece on Elegant Angel again, inferring that Extreme Associates is dead. Do you call that objective reporting, motherf---er? Do you call that objective reporting when it was basically a free forum to slam Extreme? Why was that, Fishbein? And to slam us into the s--- even more, our one and a half page business report shared the page with Digital Playground. Why was that, Paul? Was that because you were hanging out with Samantha Lewis at Musashi's?
From day one you treated us like dirt, but you know what pisses you off more than anything else? The fact that you were forced to cover us because we made news. It probably kept you up a lot of sleepless nights because you had NO choice but to cover us, because we creating the kind of excitement and product the consumer wants.
Now you talk about all the money I owe you? I'll take all the cash in my pocket (which is probably ten times more than you have in your savings account) and guarantee you that the amount of money that you say I owe is less than the money owed by most of the distributors and manufacturers who advertise in your magazine. I'll go so far as saying that many of them owe you double that amount. You may forget, Fishbein, that I deal with these same distributors and manufactures on a daily basis. And I know how they pay. And do your really think that they're going to pay you in a timely fashion? I'm fortunate though because the difference between my product and your product is the fact that the consumer wants my product and these distributors and manufacturers make money with my product. What the f--- does the consumer want with your f---ing magazine? They can wipe their asses with your f---ing magazine. So, c'mon, are these distributors and manufacturers really paying you in a timely fashion? I'll bet my last dollar that the answer to that question is no. And you want to know why they aren't harassed and extorted like me? Because they're part of the Good 'Ol Boys Club that you have your Thursday card games with together and your Cabo Wabo beach parties.
Even though it's creating a lot of tension within the company, Tom wants to give you this money you claim we owe you, but I f---ing don't. I resent being held hostage for money. This is driving a wedge between me and Tommy, which I totally resent, and which you will eventually pay for. What, do you think Tommy is going to come over there and dance with you, you putrid, disgusting, nauseating f---?
Now, what about that cover on the topic "Gonzo in the year 2000?" Who was the main guy featured on your cover? Ben Dover? I mean, c'mon, who the f--- is Ben Dover? You really mean to tell me that Ben Dover is more representative of gonzo than Byron, that this limey is the standard-bearer for this genre??? Please, that doesn't even deserve a f---ing response. If you think Ben Dover makes better gonzo videos than Tom Byron, Fishbein, you'd better retire right now. And I'm sure there are millions of fans out there who will agree with me on this. But, then again, I forgot, Ben Dover's with VCA with your right hand man, Darren Roberts. Isn't he married to Allison Shandobil? And wasn't she married to Walter Gernert, the part-owner of VCA? I may be way, way out of line here, but can that possibly be Ben Dover's juice.....????
Then there was the Matt Zane cover. The motherf---er is my cousin, but the angle of porn and rock, MTV meets porn, who was the first XXX filmmaker on MTV years before....I guess you forgot about that one...But does Extreme get a cover???
...AVN is mainly about politics, money, and juice. I mean, here we f---ing are with two adult productions companies, releasing 15 XXX videos/features a month, all out the door at close to 3,500 pieces. Our wrestling videos sell 20,000 units a month and have been on Vidscan -the top-selling sports video charts-for twenty-two weeks. We're also in negotiations for a 10,000 square foot building that will house our wrestling shows and our nightclub, Club X., yet we still are looked at by AVN as the bastard child of the industry.
Now, Fishbein, you talk about goons coming into your offices and harassing your employees? Well, you have harassed the adult entertainment industry for more than a decade, ripping off everyone you've ever come in contact with. But truth be told, Fishbein, I didn't bring in "goons" as you called them, I brought in directors like Luis Cypher, Luciano, Thomas Zupko, cameraman Derek Newcomb, legendary photographer Lance Kincaid-names that will one day be remembered far more than yours--just to show them what a spineless coward you are and so that they could document your sleazy hypocrisy, which pretty much went according to plan.
Believe me, motherf---er, I know s--- about you that would blow your mind, that would make you cower in the corner and piss your pants like you did when we arrived at your offices Monday morning.
Believe me, you aint seen nothing yet. If you think what we did on October 2nd was insanity, wait until Monday Morning October 9th when we tell the world who the real insane motherf---er is.
You can call me crazy or spiteful, but I speak for everyone in this business who has had to lay down at the altar of Paul Fishbein, who has been afraid to speak out because he thought the ramifications of such would kill his business. Each of these "little guys" has confessed to me in private what I am now stating publicly: AVN is all about politics and juice and has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of videos. I defy anyone out there to say otherwise. So f--- you, Paul Fishbein, and Monday morning October 9th will signal your death knell.
From GeneRoss.com 10/5/00:
Jeff Spicoli writes: "Now that Rob Black threatens to "expose" Paul Fishbein and Gene Ross and the whole of AVN, maybe we can finally hear the facts behind the firing of Kim his secretary who used to regularly rat him out to Luke F-rd. And didn't I recall Jessica Darlin making some comment in her interview that Rob and Tommy are making regular monthly payments to Van Damage? I'm no law school graduate, but it sounds to me like Van won his case against Rob. And, whatever happened to Jon Blatt?
Whatever happened with Mark Kulkis? Whatever happened with Jane Waters? Didn't Waters direct Miscreants and Black take credit for it? Whatever happened with that Brazilian mobster's girlfriend? Whatever happened with ex-girlfriends Tricia Devereaux and Nikki? Whatever happened with Casa Black in Bell Canyon? Whatever happened with the big Hanco merger? Whatever happened with Ashlyn Gere? Whatever happened with Jon Dough? Whatever happened with Amber Lynn? Whatever happened with Nicole Bass? Whatever happened with Rob's wrestling shows at the L.A. Sports Forum? Whatever happened with the "Real Deal" Damien Steele? Whatever happened with Shane Douglas? Whatever happened with Rob's deal with the ECW where he was going to be a "character"? Whatever happened with Josh Lazie? Whatever happened with Jasmin? Whatever happened with the Max Hardcore-Scotty Schwartz fight that Rob was going to promote? I think the whatevers with Rob far outweigh all the mindblowing s--- he claims he has on you guys. In the immortal words of Desi Arnaz I think Rob's got some 'splainin' to do, Lucy. I just got a feeling that, come Monday, all of Black's big talk is going to evaporate just like all of his other big business deals.
From GeneRoss.com 10/10/00
Gene writes: Ross was referring to a series of stunts straight out of Black's XPW wrestling league when, last Monday afternoon Black, along with 10 company employees bulldozed his way into the AVN lobby, uttered a litany of profanities and attacked a potted plant. Black was subsequently arrested and handcuffed by actors posing as LAPD. Black followed that up with two in-your-face e-mails sent to AVN followed by a delivery of black roses and dead fish which were delivered to the AVN offices Friday afternoon.
Black now admits the whole deal was a setup and a publicity stunt to call attention to a gimmick called "E-Days". Black apologizes to anyone who took the events as real, that his actual intention was to bring Ross over to his company.
Says Fishbein: "Gene came to me this morning and told me he wanted to leave AVN and try his hand at something new. After 14 years, it has come as a shock. However, he has been a wonderful employee and a great friend and much of the success of AVN can be attributed to him. Through thick and thin, Gene has been the glue that has kept the magazine together.
"I wish Gene the best of luck in his new endeavor. He'll always be an AVN guy."
From GeneRoss.com 10/11/00
Gene writes: When Rob Black first formed Extreme Associates he made an offhanded remark that he'd like to hire me - that is, if he could afford me...
Ever the publicity hound, Black took a calculated gamble with the announcement of E-Days.
Black now tells me he had it in his mind all along to bring me over to Extreme but had to keep me in the dark in order to be an unwitting but effective Internet dupe to some of the gimmicks he intended to pull, such as the staged arrest, the name-calling, etc.
On Sunday, Black and Byron did their April Fool bit, revealed all and made an offer that I essentially couldn't refuse.
Now, my reasons for accepting: The fact that someone would go to these lengths is indicative of commitment not to mention personally flattering. Black certainly understands the value of publicity and the Internet's role in supplying that. And he's going to back this up with every resource available to make his Extreme Associates and XPW websites the most attractive and provocative there are.
The move to Extreme allows me to reenergize and reinvent myself in ways I could not have accomplished, otherwise. I have gone as far as I could go with AVN, and it's simply time to give someone else a chance to step in and become a clean up hitter.
On a more personal note, I laud the AVN editorial staff both for its work ethic and operating under often times less than ideal circumstances. By that I mean having to cope with all the nonsense, good and bad, that's attendant with reporting on the adult industry from an advertising-driven standpoint. Because I don't have to deal with the politics anymore, for some people who have dished it out royally in the past, that might not come as such good news.
From www.GeneRoss.com 10/12/00:
Esad writes: "dear gene, your behavior regarding the whole rob black pubilicity stunt at the expense of your employers personal safety is quite disgusting! if you weren't quitting you certainly deserve to be fired! are we to believe that you weren't in on the joke the whole time? your popularity within this industry will certainly decline once people don't have to tolerate your pompous attitude because of your position at avn. i can't wait until extreme fires your sorry selfish ass, and you can crawl back to Fishbein and seek employment ordering lunch for the editorial staff! best of luck, Esad
Gene sez: "Dear esad, the nice thing about going over to Extreme is that I won't have to tolerate goofballs such as yourself on behalf of AVN any longer. How about coming over to my lush, fully furnished new office [with brand new carpeting] at Extreme on November 1, and I can start by giving you a remedial reading and spelling lesson, and we'll go from there."
Adult Video Nudes
ZZZ porner says: "AVN advertising head Jennifer Rosenblatt is definitely Paul's little princess but she brings in the advertisers. AVN doesn't have as much influence over the internet as the video side. It's Klixxx magazine you should destroy."
Luke: "Why? I write a column for them every month."
ZZZ: "Look at the magazine. It falls apart. It's low quality. Very self promoting.
"There's lots of stuff you can unearth about Paul Fishbein and AVN, but that is their generation. Like Steve Hirsch and Russ Hampshire and Edward Wedelstedt and Ron Levi, these guys got to where they are by being shrewd businessmen. They are businessmen using the internet for their business. They're not internet businesses foremost.
"Eddie W getting busted with two million dollars cash at home is like you or I having $300 in our wallet. You're dealing with a major mogul, who travels the world constantly. He knows his limitations. He knows he doesn't know the internet. He's got a great team. Loyal. Their stores are clean.
"Eddie W got taught a lesson by the IRS a few years ago. And he survived. And you've got to respect that. He's intensely loyal to his staff.
XXX says: "Adult Video Nudes (a 1994 video written by Gene Ross) was about Adult Video News. And 'The Money Shot' sprang from that. Took it one step further. About a mythical magazine based on AVN. Rebecca Gray got credit for the script for The Money Shot but it was stolen from Gene.
"They, Rebecca, Ken Michaels, Bryn Pryor and the Arizona Mafia, took the whole idea from behind Gene's back. Gene was the one who organized the first meeting and brought them all into the fold. Gene said, I want you guys to be a part of it. Next thing Gene knows, they've taken the project behind his back and want to squeeze him out of it. Nice people."
Luke: "When Paul looks at me in the eye, I believe everything he says."
XXX: "That's what Paul's good at. Looking you in the eye and lying. He does that to everybody. He'll call you in like he's taking you into his confidence, and then he'll call somebody else in and give them a totally different story than the one he gave you. And you feel like you're getting a private secret. And then he wants to play people against each other. Yet he comes across as Mr. Sincerity.
"This may go back to Gene's tarrot card training. For the first time Gene met him, Gene didn't like him. But then he thought, adult. Sounds interesting. I'm in for the ride."
Gene recalls: "I'll never forget the first time I sat across the desk from AVN publisher Paul Fishbein. He had the phone craddled in his left hand, and I noticed that his right hand was snaking down his pants. Then I realized it. The man was playing with his balls. Even to this day Fishbein does that - play with his balls."
YYY Porner tells Luke: "I've long questioned how a trade magazine as big and powerful as AVN could maintain objectivity while covering the industry. Gene is just ripping them.
"This would make a great feature article in a mainstream publication. How you were out there first ripping them. Then Paul put Gene on the net to counter you. Then Gene leaves and confirms everything you've been saying for years."
Luke: "I love this because it validates everything I've always said."
YYY: "This is not a revelation to most people in the industry. They've known about these shenanigans. They know about Fishbein and his video stores back east and the good use he makes of spare video tapes. He buys them cheap off Christian Mann. You should examine Paul's close ties with Chris. They do favors for each other. The Lana Sands set up.
"Video Team gets consistently overlooked by AVN awards. One time Chris got really mad. He had lunch with Paul Fishbein. It was guaranteed that Anna Malle would get some nominations and she did.
Luke: "How do you think Gene Ross is coming across?"
YYY: "Very credible. But I've been in the industry for years and I know virtually everything Gene's saying is true."
Luke: "When the implications of what Gene's said, sinks in, people will start siding more against AVN."
YYY: "How will this affect the AVN Awards?
"Tod Hunter's page. My God. How boring."
Luke: "He's the wrong personality for that job. He's a smart guy and a good writer but he doesn't like to hurt people.
"Overall, this controversy can't help but be good for me."
YYY: "I'm surprised you haven't gloated more. I'm really impressed that you're showing that much restraint because you have all the reason in the world to gloat. They put Gene Ross out there to counter all the things you said about AVN."
Jew Hatred At AVN?
James DiGiorgio and I interviewed former AVN managing editor Ken Wood, a Jew, this past Tuesday on Luke F-rd Live.
Jim: "Did you and Gene plan this assault?"
Ken: "No. I was visiting Gene one day and he said, oh, how about doing an interview? It was not planned in advance. But of course we both have plenty to say."
Luke: "How does AVN approach Vivid? Mainly with loving kindness."
Ken: "Mostly in the realm of video reviews. Anyone at AVN who takes a videotape knows off the bat that if they're not prepared to give it a stellar review, they better prepare to lock horns with the publisher because inevitably there will be hell over at Vivid over a negative review. That's why you rarely see a negative Vivid review other than their gonzo line.
"Vivid, in 1998, was touting Babylon as one of their top features of the year. They said they'd spent an enormous amount of moeny making it. It was Lexus's last video for them. She did anal and all that stuff. They were touting it as a special feature. When it was initially reviewed by one our staffer it did not get a flattering rating.
"Somehow, whenever a Vivid tape gets reviewed, Steve Hirsch seems to know what the rating is before the review has gone through the proper editorial process. It is possible that before the managing editor knows what the tape got, Steve Hirsch knows.
"Steve Hirsch would then call Paul Fishbein and yell and scream about how could this happen. We spent so much money on this. So Paul would then pass the orders to editorial to have someone different review the tape. We always had our understanding of who on the staff would be more positive to a Vivid feature."
Luke: "A Mark Kernes."
Jim: "Do you think my reviews would've been better if I'd been making movies for Vivid?"
Ken: "I'm sure they would've been."
Luke: "It seems that it is very important to Paul how much money is spent on a movie and that he feels that AVN has a special moral obligation to big budgeted films like Search For The Snow Leopard from Adam&Eve. Most folks who saw Snow Leopard laughed at it."
Ken: "This is the way Paul looks at it... The high budget movies are important to the companies that make them. And if those companies are advertisers with AVN, it then become important to Paul. He knows what the reaction will be if he doesn't promote them.
"Search For The Snow Leopard came up at several times at our awards meetings. Some staffers thought it deserved some nominations... For some reason, our publisher [Paul Fishbein] was conspicuously promoting that movie to be included in many categories in which the majority of the staff thought it shouldn't be. And it ended up winning awards."
Jim: "How do you explain how Rob Black's partner Tom Byron can so consistently get so many Editor's Choices when there wasn't much money spent for his movies?"
[LF: AVN likes Tom.]
Ken: "This is a different genre. Vivid makes features. Big budget films are features."
Jim: "I got four AVN nominations for a feature I did last year that was very modestly budgeted. You could say it was because I did it for VCA but VCA spent way more money on other movies that did not get nominations."
Ken: "I look back on my tenure at AVN with mixed feelings. There are some fine individuals who work there. I've learned and grown a lot from working there. It was a lesson in reality."
Luke: "How did Paul Fishbein feel about his editorial staff?"
Ken: "Paul runs hot and cold depending... He can go from praising his editorial staff to blasting them for professional or personal [reasons] because he feels they're ungrateful to him."
Jim: "Why do you feel compelled to join Gene's vendetta against AVN?"
Ken: "There's no reason why these things shouldn't come out. Personally, I don't have a vendetta against anybody there. It is my understanding that Paul has recently been complaining about people betraying him, like Gene. That's what I heard from AVN. The party line is 'Gene betrayed us.' Nothing that Gene has published is untrue. So if you wanted to prevent things like this from coming out about AVN, or if your Paul Fishbein, against you, then maybe you shouldn't have done these things in the first place. Then you'd have no controversy.
"That Gene is a channel for all of the crap that has gone on there for 14 years shouldn't be held against him. And the fact that I am talking, I don't believe should be held against me. In my mind, I'm just washing my hands of a sordid affair."
Jim: "Well, let's suppose it is held against you. Is Extreme or Gene Ross going to help fund your legal defense?"
Ken: "I have my own means for legal defense. I have several relatives who are in law. One of them, a cousin of mine, when I told him about all this, that if it did go to court, you've got to let me work it for you. He's one of those lawyers who loves to bring people into court.
"If Paul's lawyers look at my comments, all they can do for Paul is shake their heads and say, 'I'm sorry but they didn't do anything actionable.' We didn't sign confidentiality agreements with AVN.
"I got up from the table [at the AVN Awards, 1999] where Bryn Pryor was sitting because at the time he was in charge. I just looked at him and said, 'This is fixed.' He smiled and shook his head."
Jim: "Was this for Best Video or Best Film?"
Ken: "No, this was about a half hour into the show, over the course over the first ten awards, that a lot of us could tell that things were not exactly kosher... By the facial expressions of editors at my table, I could tell that they didn't vote for it [the winners]. I didn't vote for it. It strikes an odd note when every single freelancer for that magazine would've had to have voted for that one tape in the category."
Jim: "Maybe they threw out the dimpled ballots."
Luke: "Ken, whenever Paul Fishbein looks me in the face and tells me something, I believe him."
Ken: "Most liars tend to do that. They have a lot of practice. I definitely believe that Paul Fishbein was not truthful when he described the political situation at the magazine.
"I noticed that Luke and Gene jumped all over my comments about Tod Hunter dating porn star Sonja Redd. I've never had a problem with anybody having a relationship with somebody in the industry providing that they did not seek to influence things on that person's behalf at awards time..."
Luke: "So you don't feel moral outrage at porn journalists who have relationships with porn stars?"
Ken: "If I did, then I wouldn't be able to talk to you."
Jim: "Luke, you're a serious journalist and you've had relationships with porn stars. Does that violate your own code of ethics?"
Ken: "I'm not sure that Luke F-rd is serious or a journalist."
Jim: "When you were at AVN, what did they think of Luke F-rd?"
Ken: "Every member of the editorial staff, with the possible exception of Mark Kernes, checked Luke F-rd's site every day. Love him or hate him, they wanted to know what he was saying."
Jim: "Do you think that they were mostly reading it for the spiritual advice?"
Ken: "I don't believe so. I would not classify many of the AVN editorial staff as being spiritual."
Jim: "Luke's the only guy I know who mixes the Torah with porn."
Ken: "That's a pretty tough..."
Jim: "It's a different angle on the thing. It's his hook. Everybody's got to have a hook."
Luke: "What did people at AVN tell you about my comments on AVN?"
Ken: "When I first came to the magazine, I was assured that most of the things I had read on l-keford.com were erroneous. The longer I was there, the more I found out that certain things were true... People reading your site would say, yeah, that happened. Or so and so did say that. I think your batting average improved. I think you went from .250 to .650."
Luke: "What are your thoughts on the state of porn journalism?"
Ken: "There are different types of porn journalism. The kind that AVN runs, trade magazine journalism, differs from a regular magazine. People at Hustler make no bones about the fact that anything that comes out with the Hustler name on it are going to get good reviews. People don't expect them to be objective. Nobody's going to make a buying decision based on something in that magazine. But because AVN presents itself as the objective arbiter of what is marketable in porn, we're telling stores what they should stock and in what quantities, people expect us to be objective and evenhanded."
Luke: "What do you think the morale is like at AVN now?"
Ken: "Pretty low. Just the fact that most if not all of the staff are probably glued to these websites [LF.com and GeneRossExtreme.com] should say something. And from what I've heard, there was a rumor control meeting held at AVN yesterday [Monday, 12/4/00] to address the issues. So the fact that you're holding a meeting to address these things, you're admitting that there is a problem.
"If this was just Luke F-rd two years ago writing things about AVN, I don't think there were meetings held to address these things. But when it's Gene Ross, who served the magazine well for 14 years, that is a different story. Because people throughout the industry reading his site will say, well, there must be something to this."
Luke: "What was the morale like at AVN before you left?"
Ken: "I couldn't say that the morale was ever high there. People were always disenchanted and it was just a matter of to what extent they were. There was always the most tension between Paul Fishbein and the editorial staff. Paul had his stereotypes of the editorial staff and they had theirs about him."
Luke: "It seems that there was a current of antiSemitism flowing through some in the editorial department against Paul Fishbein, who is a Jew."
Ken: "That's exactly what I said to Gene. It did happen. More than one member of the editorial staff used that phrase that I had mentioned ["Paul Fishbein is a cheap Jew"]. There was a person there who used the expression that I don't want to identify them because they're a sensitive person who would be distraught about it. That struck me as odd. This was supposed to be the haven of politically correct liberals. It was shocking to see indicators of antiSemitism."
Luke: "What about in the industry generally? There are a disproportionate number of Jews in the industry."
Ken: "There's a difference between antiSemitism and jealousy. And I think that's what a lot of that is. That so many of the people who control the porn industry are Jewish. But it is just a coincidence, I believe, that they are Jewish. It is not like a group of Jews got together and decided, 'Let's run the porn industry together.'"
Luke: "You don't think there's a Zionist plot here?"
Ken: "No. But once Jews in the industry sense there is antiSemitism, that is motivation to band together. Not because of any premeditated plot."
Luke: "Do Jewish porners stick together?"
Ken: "...Company heads do. The only exception that I know is that people accuse Russell Hampshire of being the biggest antiSemite in the industry. From what I know, most of his sales staff is Jewish and they have a peaceful warm relationship with their employer."
Jim: "Ken, are you working for Extreme?"
Ken: "Not officially. I'm not getting hundred dollar bills for payment."
Jim: "Are you doing little things for them?"
Ken: "Yes. Nothing official. Nothing on the books.
"And as for performing in front of the company, I would require too much money... As I am a Jew, it's all about the money."
Jim: "I think we covered it all. I'm not into the political intrigue like you are, Lukey. I just want to know why I didn't get better reviews and why he doesn't know who I am. Those are the tough questions."
Porner Don Barzini says: It's amazing how everybody's extremely sensitive about themselves. Even an ultra tough guy like Gene Ross. You can see he's irked by me and Esad, etc. I think Gene Ross and Ken Wood are out on a limb right now. I don't think that anyone in the business thinks what Gene is doing is cool. Porners think he's breaking the code of omerta.
You can't work at a place for 14 years and escape culpability. Goddess called it for what it was. If you singlehandedly built that magazine, why didn't you say at one point, 'I'm leaving or I get a piece'?
I don't think anyone in the business will hire Gene now if his deal with Rob Black falls apart. Because they won't trust him. They won't feel safe letting him on anything. And because they will fear Paul Fishbein's AVN wrath.
Gene's not doing this for a sense of porno justice. Gene and Extreme have a goal here, and it is to take down AVN. And replace them as the industry's mouthpiece.
Or is it just personal? Do Gene and Rob Black just hate Paul Fishbein that much? AVN gives Rob a lot of pages and a lot of publicity and a lot of awards and they're kind to his shows.
Tom Zupko looked like a fool venting so much anger over getting an AVN Spotlight Pick vs an Editor's Choice.
It was bizarre for Herschel Savage, Thursday night at Hustler Hollywood, to bring his whole family to see his induction. I wouldn't bring my kids to the AVN Awards even though they're over 18. It was weird to see Herschel, with his 12-year old son, put their hands in cement.
Larry Flynt, Jimmy Flynt and the Flynt klan, Dennis Hof the Nevada pimp, were at the ceremony along with Tod Hunter from AVNGossip.com. Tera Patrick, Sharon Mitchell, Kid Vegas and his girlfriend were there. Tina Tyler. Alec Metro with his girlfriend Heather Lynn. Dozens of fans showed up outside the private party in the coffee room.
I've been around various porn companies and AVN, and nobody has brought up the revelations on GeneRossExtreme.com.
I'm surprised Gene hasn't gotten into the Bobby Sox controversy. The (1997?) Vivid film was reviewed badly at first by AVN, then suddenly given a great review and then won all sorts of AVN awards. That's the only film I remember in recent years where I heard porners speculate that it was fixed.
Lunch With Search Extreme
I had lunch today with John Gotti from PornStarTrading.com, Adam Grayson of SearchExtreme.com and Seth Stevenson. A writer for Newsweek, Slate, and Details, Seth's doing a 2500 word article for Rolling Stone's College issue on Grayson, the journalism major at Northwestern who's developing a porn search engine.
We had lunch on Pico Blvd and walked up and down for several miles, past various synagogues that have thrown me out over the years. We crested our journey at the Museum of Tolerance.
Persian Kitty
I talked with Persian Kitty about my book A History of X.
"A lot of people think that if a woman can go out and have sex with 15 black guys, she'll make a good wife."
--Luke F-rd to the Persian Kitty on audio tape
Chaim writes: Sir, you are a racist.
PS I, Chaim Amalek, do hereby propose marriage to the Persian Kitty. I am counting on you, Luke, to make the case why this young jewish woman, this Esther, should spend the remainder of her years with an elderly 375 pound impoverished jewish man living in a hovel on the upper west side of Manhattan.
PPS Does she know her voice is on your web site, and the uses to which some less cultivated men might put it?
Semantic Pollution
Chaim writes: Luke, listening to you talk sex with the Persian Kitty, I am appalled by the staggering amount of semantic pollution you are pumping into her young mind. Her nice jewish persian sephardic parents did their best to raise her, and here you are introducing her to perversions that she would have been far better off never having learned of.
Please send me a revealing photograph of her.
Luke replies: I think you may be right. So if I am doing this to Persian Kitty, think how many others i'm doing this to... perhaps I need to quit my job so i don't spread such pollution into the jewish community?
Chaim replies: While I said it in jest and you responded in kind, in fact you ARE guilty of semantic pollution. No young woman of child rearing age benefits from learning of all the world's many paraphilias. Some thoughts are best left unshared.
While I am not a prude, I think your association with porners has warped your sense of what is acceptable for most people, and for what is good, as well. Really, most young women who do not know what beastiality is do NOT gain from learning of its existence.
Luke replies: How can we ever warn people against sin unless they know what it is?
Chaim replies: Luke, if this is how you treat women, is it any wonder that you are reduced to having sex with skanks and spinsters? And you seem to treat the Jewesses with less cavode than you reserve for the shiksas. Is this a reaction to rejection, or a Pierce-like atavism on your part? A few years from now you will deeply regret the wasted opportunities of this phase of your life.
Luke replies: What sort of wasted opportunities will i regret? With women?
Chaim replies:
1. With women.
2. Your career.
3. Women.
4. Women.
You are at the outer limit of where your looks can take you. Once those start to go, as they will very shortly, you will be just another creepy middle-aged guy with a huge porn collection who lives on the floor of a garage out back behind some foreigners.
My advice to you is that you have sex with each and every one of them unless you can think of a damn good reason not to (as in "damn she is ugly").
And it certainly is true that women can tell when a man has been with another woman. The chemist who figures that one out on the molecular level will make billions and earn a Nobel Prize or two.
PS Any luck with the Persian Kitty?
PPS When was the last time you had sex with a jewess? [17 months]
PPPS How much of this is due to your appearance on E! and related TV shows? [Some.]
A Life Plan
Chaim writes Luke: Good to see that you have gotten over your gerantophilia phase. Now you can see just how unhealthy it is for a man to be with older, biologically non-viable women. You know, since you have no resources to speak of, if you knocked up a few of these chicks now, you likely would take very little of a financial hit. I mean, what could a court do - order you to live in even more modest circumstances? Not likely.
Use your fame NOW to the fullest and get all these women pregnant. This will tie them to you forever, and perhaps if they are financially successful, you will be able to mooch off them with what they need not spend to raise your children.
James DiGiorgio Does New Delhi
Director James DiGiorgio says: I think the internet's bringing the world closer together. I had cybersex one night with a girl from New Delhi. I kept rubbing the dot off her head. I thought she'd be all into the Kama Sutra because that was the country where that all came from. But she didn't do any special positions or anything. Of course, it was all cyber.
Prepare For US Government Onslaught Against Porn
Joe Elkind writes on Netpond: Heading home from a long trip.... Thanks for the love.... Very important lessons on this trip.. Government will come after adult internet and print next year... Processing will be tougher... Write those two down Fathertime;-))))
Block your tours out and "free sites" should be equally concerned... We are in a "gray" market arena and the adult industry has been left alone for 9 years.. otherwise I am having a very positive B-day.. Heading to lauderdale.. emails have been bouncing so resend.. Special thanks to FM,Holly and Dumas, JG,Rob Gould, KB and http://www.mercedesashley.com ;-)))
I believe that there may be a new version or Variant of COPA comming. As you know the COPA Commission has been very busy little bee's and they may be comming close to some conclusions. Might help some ratings to dig around this subject some, it will indeed put some real fear into the hearts of our industry.
Fay Sharp writes on Netpond: This is not new news...... the money has already been allocated, just waiting for whoever the new attorney general is. We are fortunate that the new Pres will have his hands full, but the new attorney general will be out to make a name for himself. Particuliarly from the republican side - protecting 'family values might be a popular theme. So, don't get too comfortable! There is a whole world of difference between Noga and JoeE - so when you hear it from both sides - time to hedge your exposure.
Larry Flynt On E!
http://www.eonline.com/On/Holly/
E! True Hollywood Story:
Larry Flynt Sunday December 10 9:00 pm and 12:00 am
E! invites you to venture into the often bizarre world of Larry Flynt. Born into poverty in the backwoods of Kentucky, Flynt took his 8th grade education, Southern determination and "don't give a damn" attitude and parlayed them into a publishing empire. In the process, he became known as a flamboyant crusader for First Amendment rights. Now, Flynt bares all, including his tale of surviving an would-be assassin's bullet that left him confined to a wheelchair for life.
Gemini writes on RAME: My favorite Larry Flynt quote is: "To all you born agains, just take some Lithium and the voices will go away."
Larry admitted that his own "born again" phase, was part of his bi-polar manic depression.
To me, Larry is a true American hero. He did things in court rooms, that most of us only dream about doing. He called one judge a "Heartless son of a bitch", and then he threw an orange at him. He wore the American flag as a diaper, and he even wound up in a mental institution for defending his and our first amendment rights.
Is Luke Hacking Websites?
Brent Wyatt writes: Dear Luke, I was wondering if I could enlist your aid in unraveling a little mystery. I recently received cryptic message, in the form of a hack attack on my mother's site, via authorize.net mentioning "Bo and Luke". My initial reaction was that this was a reference to the Dukes of Hazard, but now I am thinking that maybe it had another meaning. If I remember correctly, their was someone named Bo in connection to the site Porngossip, right? In which, case, the message sent to me would have a completely different meaning.
I think I finally figured it out. Bo is porngossip. Which leaves two possibilites.
1) Someone is telling me that they are going to keep hacking me unless I work a deal with you guys
2) You guys are the ones hacking me. IF it is the former then I am willing to talk, if it is the later then just confirm that you are my enemy, so at least I know who is responsible.
If I don't hear back by next friday, I will assume it is just the later.
Luke says: Dear readers, how should I respond?
I've been reading Gene's site.
He seems to allege that Fishbein and Edward Wedelstedt were business partners for years until a recent breakup. This allowed Paul to publish a story on how the feds busted Wedelstedt and found about two million dollars at his home. The AVN article at the time promised further updates but Paul apparently put the kabosh on that. There have been no further AVN updates on the Wedelstedt bust.
Gene writes further in satirical mode about Metro Home Video's Kenneth Guarino: "Howdy Paulie had made similar mistakes in the past when he had the show's clown character, Clarakernes, report on the hilarious antics of Buffalo Kenny G. Buffalo Kenny G. was pissed off about that and Howdy Paulie, copping ignorance, sold out Clarakernes and the show's Indian character Chief Thunder Ross. Howdy Paulie had even threatened to fire Chief Thunder Ross, even though the story on Buffalo Kenny G. was commissioned by Howdy Paulie himself in front of witnesses. Reruns are now available in syndication so today's kids can enjoy all the rollicksome antics in Paulieville."
Earlier in the week, Gene published an email from Extreme director Thomas Zupko who alleged that an AVN reviewer "was bribed with cash, whores, and various other unsundry pleasures as an enticement for a positive review and award eligibility."
Ross then receives an email which names the reviewer as Mark Kernes.
Bruno writes Gene: "Kernes was 'allegedly' wined and dined by Ray Pistol and supplied with entertainment of the female persuasion - this in exchange for coming out to Vegas, and doing an on-the-set piece and later lauding Goddaughter 5 in a review. Divine Brown winning a Best Screenplay nod? Wasn't that the hooker that sucked off Hugh Grant? And isn't she Ray Pistol's girlfriend? How cozy. And that's not all, Kernes is in deep with Seymore Butts. Why do you think Kernes is so pro-Butts in his write-ups of the Sunshine decision? Talk to Chuck Martino. Seymore has a smooth way of patching up the bodywork in Kernes' dented 401K. You bet. If this is all true, the stench of Mark Kernes' ball cheese is all over Goddaughter 5, a movie that's actually worse than Godfather 3."
Goddaughter 5 got nominated by AVN for Best Video, Best Director [Bud Lee], Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Group Sex Scene, Best Overall Marketing Campaign and Best Screenplay.
Esad writes on l-keford.com: dear luke, please tell gene ross that i am deeply offended that he thinks i am Bryn from Avn! I happen to be alot funnier than Bryn and i purchase my computers from stores that take credit cards! Nice try Geno, but believe it or not you have people within your own little porno world that dislike you and your holier and thou attitude. the way you would hold court at the CES show giving away AVN talent tickets like you were King Solomon (jew reference for you, luke ) dispensing wisdom! Gene you make Fishbein appear to be almost human, or at least his skin color and hair are! Luke will you post some very funny pictures of gene and paul if i can find them? have a nice weekend! esad"
Gene responds: "Okay you fat f---. That posting gave you away. The next time you come into Extreme I'll walk up to you in front of everybody and scream Esad in your face, you fat-faced, f--- piece of s---, poor excuse for a porn star. That comment about the tickets was your undoing. And you want to know why you never got a ticket? It's because Fishbein never recognized you as a porn performer you fat f---. So go steal some more phone numbers and make midnight obscene phone calls to women. That's what you're best at doing. Leave the Internet games to the big boys you alcohol-pasted fat-faced f---. You're going to rat out Extreme? You're done at Extreme. You're done in this business, you fat-bellied, Internet-mark f---. How dare you talk about wrestling angles to Luke F-rd, you piece of fat f--- s---. As Rob Black stated weeks ago, we invented the game."
I believe that Ross may refer to a former assistant to Jim South.
David Aaron Clark writes Gene: "I must say all this new-found frankness rings a little false in the context of who's footing the bill -- looking forward to those exposes of Extreme's bad business dealings and inhumane attitudes with my breath held, y'know? Much less a detailed expose on the various crimes against humanity committed by our mutual old pal John T. Bone."
TP writes: "Gene: I work at Vivid. Just thought you'd like to know that Steve Hirsch just issued a new company-wide edict: anyone at Vivid who talks or e-mails you will be fired on the spot. This all stems from the e-mail you received from Mike Barbella a few days ago. Hirsch saw it and blew a gasket. He dressed Barbella down in front of several people, saying he didn't want his company or anyone who worked for it associated with "trash like that.""
Gene sez: "Should that story be true, wouldn't you think this single courageous act would qualify Hirsch for a Freedom Isn't Free Award this year at Night of the Stars?"
According to Ross's site, "Fishbein had a very clever way to obtain email lists which he then sold to a marketing firm for big bucks. Under the guise of creating another bogus annual retailer survey, Fishbein wanted it rewritten in a way where the questions in the survey wouldn't matter. Not that it ever did. It was fluff to support his wily purposes - to get the retailers' email addresses. The survey said if you give your email address you'll get a free subscription to AVN. The whole point was he was going to sell tens of thousands of email addresses to an Internet marketing firm. Of course not telling people that is very unethical, like that would matter to the commandante. Basically, retailers, if you're getting lots of spam mail these days, thank Fishbein. But that's okay. Fishbein made out."
Frank writes: Do you suspect that Rob Black is going to use Gene and then dump him? Gene is burning a lot of bridges right now.
Luke says: Rob and Gene have been good friends for years and I believe their relationship will last a long time.
Frank: Why does Rob hate AVN enough to finance this attack?
Luke: Rob hates the inner AVN-Vivid-VCA clique which dominates the industry. Rob also loves publicity. Rob and Gene are a good fit.
Leah Stephenson
I understand that she found God and left porno.
Mondo Family Madness
Colonel Rob writes from MondoFamilyFilms.com: Hey Luke sorry to get back to you so late (please if you post tonight repost tomorrow) Mondo Video is proud to announce that Bill Margold has come through like the real champ that he is. Thanks to Bill the lovely Anita Cannibal, Alicia Rio, Kim Chambers, Salena Del Ray, Adajja, and Brook Hunter will be joining us this Christmas Eve. Also we are proud to announce the first public appearance of Miss Catalina, a really hot new talent. Stars of Mondo Family Films will also be present.
If you want the real low down make sure to listen to Mondo Chrissy and I on the Ed Powers shows on Friday December 15th, and Ed's Camp Erotica reunion show on Saturday December 16th , on 97.1 KLXS from 11:00 PM till 3:00 AM. Ed has told us he will provide us with more talent. Now what will it be Luke an evening with the unruly nieces and nephews, or a chance to make it with a really hot chick? Luke you and all your fans have an invitation to attend our party. There will be food and drink and beautiful women. We don't want to be assholes but we want everyone to remember that the party is a fundraiser for the legendary Titus Moody. We will not require guest to pay for their attendance, but we will point out all freeloaders to the girls.
As a special holiday stocking stuffer, we will be offering both "Brides of Countess Recula" and "Camp Erotica" at the unbelievably low price of $16 tax included, a dollar of proceeds going directly to Titus Moody (cash money). Luke kosher eggnog will be available!
Countin' Chad On Shabbas
Chaim Amalek writes: Luke, I am here down in Florida, where I've been counting chad. I tell you I have seen all kinds in the few hours that I was at this prior to the Supreme Court's edict - hanging chads, pregnant chads, even aborted chads. Fortunately, they thus far have all gone for Al Gore. Please pray that the Supreme Court lets me finish my work. PS Does it violate the sabbath to be counting chad?
Luke Gets Mail
Mangler Marc writes: Look, We all love porno, and nothing will ever stop us from viewing and participating in it. But, their is absolutely NO reason to express your religious views on these subjects. I do not think Moses would approve of scat, golden showers, anal, or any form of porno. I could care F 'ing less about your religion. Stop putting that crap in your essays. You are fastly losing your credibility in my great opinion. if we love porn we are all truly EVIL, and I love it................. RAGE SATANIS!!!!!!!
Dirty Bob writes: Hey Luke, I wanted to e-mail you and let you know about this interesting story. There is a company out of florida that had a site called www.voyeurbus.com. Well to make a long story short the bus was confinscated in New York City a few days ago! Tell all to go to my site www.saveourlapdances.com to read the recent news of what is happening about this. I am doing the best that I can right now to keep the site up to date with new stories that I find and would also like to post links to stories that others find interesting.
Bill writes: luke, im not an attorney, but i will give you free legal advice. YOU'RE A MORON!
Alien writes from SinCityFilms.com: Good Morninng Luke:) Hope your having a nice Saturday. Alien is curious about the AVN hiring you. Are you really in dialogue with Fishbein? Alien knows some would slam him for saying this but he truly believes you at AVN would be, not only shocking but very very rewarding for everyone. Well okay realistically, after AVN's first shot glass taste of l-keford and the initial shudder's are shaken off by the industry it could truly stand to be a very rewarding combination. Alien likes daring moves by the way, it is what keeps the whole thing in this industry entertaining, but my vote is nill and moot and but a fallen chad in a bigger picture. None the less it is my vote and our system has a great way of insuring a vote these days does it not? Tame and refine Lukes wonderful talents, let him speak Tora prose in your columns, well at least let him have the scriptures in his office he might need them from time to time. Sure he pissed you all off , he has manged to piss everyone off at one time or another but they (The Audiences) still can not stop reading him. Luke is investigative, a great speculator and above all he even can entertain.
Besides.. Look at the below:
Exhibit A: Luke F-rd is really sly at shedding lawsuits and is mindful of how he speculates such that he does not loose audience confidence when recalling libalous statements.
Exhibit B: Luke F-rd has got more moles in the industry than the Soviet Union had in the pentagon during the coldwar!
Exhibit C: Luke F-rd can help supress the risings of inferior publications that stand to gain market share on you in 2001.
Ian writes: Congratulations on your site. Though you still have a number of visitors complaining that you're covering the wrong thing, I'm finding your current coverage both substantial and entertaining. I did try out Gene Ross's site a little while ago, but found it somewhat bombastic for my taste. Your tone is just right, though I admit to having little sympathy with your periodic expressions of guilt at transgressing the Torah. I'd never look for morals there. The Golden Rule, which can be found, with variations in wording, in philosophers' writings throughout the ages, from Confucius, through Jesus Christ - the man, not the God - to Kant, is much more reliable. (The Rule, of course, is roughly translatable as 'Do as you would be done by.')
Hi Luke, "Luke: Meni, what's not to write about here? RJB Telcom operates the largest adult paysite on the web, receiving the most traffic, with the largest webmaster affiliate program. They've had a sterling reputation for integrity. Now the FTC has swooped down upon them..."
I was startled to see the above on your site. You're asking for RB to take you to court for libel... What the FTC has done to RB is obviously designed to allow them to carry on their business, though under strict conditions. RB and its well-wishers contributing to your site seem to be saying that the FTC have settled quickly because its case was a thin one. From what your amateur legal correspondent has said, however, RB etc are talking nonsense. Their wings seem to have been well and truly clipped, and their most blameworthy kinds of activity (especially dialers) put out of action. That looks to me like game, set and match to the FTC.
On another matter - do you know how one might get a net conversation with Lynne L-patin? She seems a very interesting lady. Does she, for instance, have her own site?
Luke says: Lynne's site is l-keford.com. You can email her here: BDWLCL@worldnet.att.net.
Steven writes: Hi Luke, Just wondering if you or your readers have had a problem with Tabitha Stevens Website. I've been trying to cancel my membership for 2 months and still they charge my credit card 19.95 a month. No one responds to my emails asking for a refund. I really like Tabitha Stevens, however if this is the type of business she runs, I won't be purchasing anything that she is in anymore. Any ideas to get this situation solved?
Mike South writes: Hey Luke, Tod-Hunter.com asked for suggestions but he deep sixed mine REAL fast. So I figure OK they can be read somewhere...Tell me what was so objectionable here? I'm guessing it's the Free Speech cabal stuff...wonder what they are hiding....reckon Gene will turn an eye on them. If theres a rat in porn I bet dollars to doughnuts they hole up at the FSC.
Tod, OK you asked so I'm gonna answer, even though all my previous rants were summarily rejected. You are gonna have to have some controversy every now and again. Call it a loss leader, so to speak. I would like to see some political discussion/activism here, why are so many porners die hard democrats? Talk about misplaced trust. Here is the number ONE thing I would have done had I inherited this site:
I would attend EVERY Free Speech Cabal meeting and taken minutes, right down to who was responsible for doing what, then at the next meeting I'd have held some feet to the fire. It is time these people were forced to take some responsibility. I would have pushed a VERY proactive agenda on them. Including REAL lobbying, support for ALL members, including talent, store owners and everyone else. Real benefits for members. They would have become a VERY hot topic.
Second I'd have given it some appeal for the masses...some on the set coverage of shoots, complete with pics.
Third, I'd have brought in Goddess as a regular writer, she is hilarious, intelligent and witty.
Fourth, I would have boosted my presence on the net by occasionally dropping in and contributing to RAME and to pornstar-trading, there is a wealth of info in both places.
Fifth anything that even LOOKED like a press release would be summarily rejected, who cares that some director reviews his/her own movie/website/whatever and determines it to be the best ever made/broke down the servers blah, blah, blah.
Sixth, yer a bright guy add some of your own flavor to it, give it some personality, tell people what YOU think sometimes...tell ya what next time digital playground sends you a press release forward it to me and I will show you under what conditions I would post it (with my comments of course) now at least its a funny read and Samantha still gets her PR.
When a guy asks you how to get into the biz tell him what I tell them. I say this:
OK I am gonna audition you, we are going down to the mall Saturday afternoon and we will start at one end, you will pull it out and get it hard and walk through the mall with it in your hand without losing your erection. If he hesitates or complains that he would need a girl then I know he isn't the man for the job because like it or not that is the kind of concentration that is required.
If he still insists he can do it I simply say OK bring me a girl I want to shoot who will work with you and you will get your chance.
Luke Apologizes For Head Games
Luke says: On Friday I apologized to pornographers for playing headgame with them and experimenting on them.
Fred Porner replies: Well, I was going to point that out to you, but I wanted to make a few more observations concerning your behavior before doing so. In particular, I was going to apply some stimuli first, observe your reaction, and then point out to you that you were experimenting on us, just to see how that made you feel.
Now honestly, Luke--if that isn't your reason for delving into porn, isn't that a significant side benefit? And by the way--there is no sin in that. I have to admit--I get a kick out of observing kooks. All kinds of kooks. I used to love watching Jimmy Swaggart. I love reading left wing crackpots, right wing crackpots--all kinds of crackpots. Let's face it--that's part of the entertainment value.
I have a book called "High Wierdness by Mail", which is basically a catalog of nut groups (all kinds of nut groups) that have mailing lists. The book is written in an amazingly cynical manner, loaded to the brim with fairly witty ridicule. My favorite line is in the forward, where it invites the reader to sit back, "smuggly ensconced in real or imagined superiority." There's no sin in that.
Luke's Plan
Chaim writes: Hate to say this Luke, but the handwriting is on the wall for l-keford.com. Yes, you were a trailblazer in your little field, offering the first taste of critical journalism to the world of wanking, and you made a name for yourself. But now, several years on, you have been studied, disected, and improved upon by others who have greater personal and material resources than you. Judging from what the other sites offer in the way of original material and interviews (e.g., snagging Heather Baron), you are becoming the Atari Home Computer of critical porn journalism. Sure, people will remember you, but ......
So have a blast doing what you are doing while you can still milk it for some bucks, but think about what you will do NEXT with your life. And what WILL you do next with your life? Does not sound as though you have a plan.
Helpful replies: I think Luke can ride this thing as long as he wants to, but does he want to? The answer is clearly NO! I know you are having fun banging on AVN now, but ever since Israel your enthusiasm has been diminishing. Blame the lack of financial support from your sponsor (Are those bastards paying you yet?). Blame the increase in competition (Quasar and the Meaner Gene Ross). Blame the lawsuits (That would dampen my soul). It's probably all three with a dose of maturity thrown in.
I saw on the nvbrothels.com board that you are seeking to write a book on sex industry workers. Why? Books do not pay well (Did History of X yield even on protein bar?). Plus, it will force you to linger on in the sex industry sewer. You need a plan. You've had months to devise one. What is it?
Luke says: My plan has always been to get as much attention and fame as possible as a platform for whatever I do - something along the lines of acting, writing, broadcasting... So i will continue to work to get mainstream attention (though I have no stomach for directly approaching anyone in media to write on me or use me, etc)...
If I can make a living writing for the rest of my life, no matter what the topic, I will be very pleased.
Chaim writes: How much time did you spend on that book [A History of X]? Granted, it led to other things and had other uses, but the $/hr yield from that does not seem like much. (On the other hand, being a published author puts you above those who just criticise books for a living, and is impressive in its own right.)
Luke: I spent about two years on the book. I've so far earned about $1400, which breaks down to about 5c an hour.
Chaim writes: OR about what a good stripper makes in an evening for flashing her chest. Yes, you are having a good time at it. But to be honest, I just skim the stuff, as I do not have a dog in that fight. And aren't you borrowing most of your ammo from that other guy?
Luke: Yes, most comes from Gene Ross.
Chaim writes: Listen, "Chaim Amalek" is a nobody. Literally. I mean it. So take this advice with a grain of salt. It is time you used your measure of fame to vault you into broader markets, where you can have sex with women chosen from larger groups.
PS I saw this book on "Half Jews" in the local Barnes and Noble, which listed all these hot "half jewish" chicks in Hollywood. Funny thing is, in each case, these women had jewish fathers and christian mothers (e.g., Joan Collins in her prime, Alicia Silverstone, whom you should marry, etc.), which means that none of them is really jewish. Why do you suppose there are no hot famous women with jewish mothers and christian fathers in Hollywood? Or are there?
Luke says: I'm serious. You would have to convert to Orthodox Judaism for me to marry you. Because most of my spare time revolves around those activities. I want to create a jewish home, which i can only do with someone who shares my commitment to Judaism. I know this sounds bizarre...
First, I must know more about your fertility. Are you up to bearing lots of children? How wide are your hips?
Christina replies: I have converted to Greek Orthodox for a man named Zorba and his small milk providing goat "Feta." You see, you're too late. I think you should move here. We could live on Saltspring Island (a little artsy Gulf Island close to Vancouver Island) and raise cattle and sheep. We will sell organic cheese. I will knit, churn butter and play the piano for you, while being constantly pregnant giving you a brood of beautiful blued eyed babies. All the while you will be hard at work writing a wonderful work of fiction.
Of course, we could meet and take an instant disliking to on another......
Chaim writes: Have you considered running for public office? Chicks dig politicians. Just look at what Newt has been getting.
The Cure For Racism - White Women
Posted By: the answer man Posted On MrMarcus.com: 12/07/100 01:59
Marcus, The answer is that racism is alive and thriving. The solution cannot be supplied by affirmitive action or any government program. The only one that can end racism in this country is the white woman. She must deny the white man what he considers his right to mate with her and must choose, preferably, the black man to father her children. In a small way you are doing something to facilitate this. Women are now a very large part of the x-rated audience. I think seeing you and lexington etc help them to become curious about the black man's sexual prowess. The bottom line is this, it's good for America. We need more nublile white woman to marry black men and produce children. In time assholes like this boxer will know their days are numbered. Good luck and keep balling only the finest white woman! Preferably the ones with blue eyes and blonde hair, Mr Boxer otta love that.