Friday,
December 29th, 2000
Taylor Marsh has written a new book about her experience as editor of Danni.com (owned by Danni Ashe). Here's an excerpt:
"Everyone in the office had an alias or web persona, to which all of the individuals in this story will be referred. Last names are not used unless the name is an alias or a stage name. Because of the nature of our work online, as well as the work the gals in the adult entertainment business engage in, real identities are guarded rather closely, which is understandable. The people who aren't directly involved with porn as performers often don't want to be identified directly, because their life beyond their work has nothing to do with the porn industry or adult entertainment. The stigma behind working in porn remains large."
Gene Ross, Rob Black Speak Out
At last, another salvo from GeneRossExtreme.com:
Rob Black tells Gene: "As I set here and watch and read all of the commotion this site has caused, I laugh. Now, up until now I have not spoken. So I guess I'm like some serial killer that only speaks when he proclaims his responsibility for the killings. Remember six months ago I began the master plan. Remember I sucked all you in. You all thought I was going nuts. All the while this was going on, Gene was working from the inside. When we staged the fight in the lobby, Gene was in on it. When Fishbein had armed guards at the door, Gene told us. For months we planned this thing, and you all got sucked in. Gene can't blow his whole load. He has to save some of it. And remember it's not a matter of if people care. It's the fact that you all know that I know AVN's corrupt. You all know Fishbein and company and their bulls---, good ol' boys club. But no one ever had balls to speak out and talk about it. So Gene does, and all you marks get sucked in as usual. But like I said, I don't choose to comment for the most part because I don't care what all the Internet marks and wannabe porn directors have to say.
"But when someone questions how big my balls are, or when people tell me to be quiet, that's when I speak out. Some asshole mark is saying on the Internet that Metro, IVD and GVA are the biggest distributors. First off, Metro is far from it.. In fact, I cut Metro off from buying our product four months ago considering they owe us $15,000. They have money that's 203 days old. So if you think Metro can tell me what to do, you're nuts. Metro's the biggest deadbeat in the entire business. And IVD? Call Frank K. Ask him if he silenced me. He don't give a f--- about AVN, and no one can tell me not to talk about someone or some other company. GVA? Call David Sturman. No one cares about those cunts at AVN. And no one can silence me. As far as my dad goes, he has not one care or thought in his body for spineless Fishbein whatsoever. My dad hated the old time establishment in this business, and he could give two s---s. AVN and its whole staff are gutless cunts, and if you don't think I have juice my friends you are mistaken. I don't think our product is like Evil Angel's. Our product is better. No distributor, no family, nobody can silence our rage. So if AVN wants to sue Gene Ross and Extreme, bring it on. I've been in a lot of lawsuits."
Tom Byron tells Gene Ross: "I love how that hick Mike 'Mr. bounce from company to company' South sits there on his f---in porch in Georgia, with all these authoritative comments to make about the industry when he's so far out of the loop he needs a passport to get back into it. Just imagine some poor girl getting conned and having to f--- this fat f---, ugly country bumpkin. And he's got the audacity to call into question the quality of our movies? Doesn't matter how many ugly skanks you show up with on your arms in Vegas, you're just another schmuck out there."
Luke says: Well, I was worried about Gene, that he'd been threatened with lawsuits and silenced. So I take the above as good news and I look forward to more damaging salvos from his site GeneRossExtreme.com.
MikeSouth.com says: as for Tommys comments all I can say is pick up a copy of any Blow Bang and tell exactly where Im wrong. The s--- is way over lit, hot spots all over it and even worse its is captured at such a high compression ratio that every line in it is all jagged. I rest my case.
I picked up another call from the Flashman today. He's been hanging around the adult industry for about a decade or more. I think he helps book girls into strip clubs.
Flashman says: "I'm pretty happy. I got about five calls this afternoon from six, seven, eight different people... Something about people emailing their thoughts about me... Uh oh. To some board you have on your website there. That's fine and dandy and I don't care if somebody says 'Well, the Flashman is a peculiar guy from Santa Monica. He's a bit of a boozer but he is a nice person. I don't mind that. But do me one big favor, I mean this truthfully. If something really derogatory comes in, not everybody is liked... I'm like you. I'm controversial. And there are some people who probably think that I talk too much or that I drink too much or that I am too much of a knowitall... If any message comes on your board that is really rotten, I mean very derogatory, I would appreciate it if you don't post it.
"Now, don't get me wrong. If somebody wants to say, the guy dresses really wild. He's crazy. He's fun. He's silly and he's a nut and he's a boozer and he's a rich cornball, that is all fine. But anything that was really rotten about me, if you didn't post it, I'd be happy.
"But then again, I think you post probably just about everything. And if anybody says anything really good about me, be sure to post that because people are calling me that people are emailing you. My only worry would be something very defamatory if there is such a word. So at any rate, I'm scared because I don't like criticism a whole lot. I can live with it if it isn't too terrible, like if somebody says that I am 60 years old or I had snot hanging out my nose or that I was flat drunk while driving down the Pacific Coast Highway with them, that might scare me... But everything else, I like it.
"Well, take care, I am going to get another martini at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. I also hang out at the Beverly Wilshire at the little bar in the back."
Todd Eifert, 3D photographer, writes: "Hey Luke, the Flash is the coolest straight up hipster on the porn scene. He makes Kramer look grade A normal. Keep the kooky messages coming Flash, I love to see my machine blink."
Laura writes: all the cocktail girls here at the bellagio get a big kick out of the flashman and your website flashman stays at our casino and has become famous because of his personality and wardrobe we only hope he will be a bigger tipper in the new year best of luck from the bellagio cocktail girls.
Paige writes: Luke, I’ve known the Flashman for several years, and I have always enjoy talking to him, and it’s an added pleasure that you have recently started making available his audio files. He just makes me laugh when I listen to him; he is too cute…I remember when I first met him, dressed in his “Kid Rock” attire, talking a million miles an hour. And you know, in the two years that I have known Flash, I have NEVER seen him without his sunglasses. He did however express, that if I got my tits done, he would be happy to show me……..(I didn’t get the tits done) Flash loves the attention, but most of all, he is for real. He has never let me down and has always come through with any promises he promised to deliver. In this business, that is a rare commodity.
Don Benn writes: Luke - can't begin to tell you how nice it is to know that mine is not the only answering machine to be filled with phone calls from the Flashman on a friggin daily basis. As you know, Flash is a long time member of the TJSL-TV/SeXfiles family and is currently up for adoption consideration by Adult Stars Magazine. We are thinking of releasing a comedy album (CD) filled with the Best of Flash's messages. Your decision to place his phone calls on your website provides entertainment to your readers and performs a mitzvah for Flash.
I must warn you - like feeding a strange kitten - too much recognition of Flash can reak havoc on your voice mail system. Many is the day that we've come back to our offices to find an entire sixty minutes of digital recording has been filled with last night's antics of the Flashman. Why don't we all chip in and get the boy his own site?
Flashman Calls Flashman Calls Again
Johnathan Silverstein
I hear that former Cybererotica president Johnathen Silverstein (Jons@jonsmail.com) aka J$tyles is going to do a big deal with Houston publisher John Gray but when I talked to Silverstein by phone Friday afternoon, he was not aware of a John Gray.
I tried but couldn't get Johnathan to say anything bad about anyone. Listen here to my interview.
Kevin Blatt Update
SexToyNetwork.com marketing man Kevin Blatt was rushed to the hospital last night for dehydration and pumped with IVs.
Evan from Xpays.com: "Kevin is learning the business from the inside out. He's been down at M&M for a week, learning about the warehouse. M&M is the largest sex toy warehouse in the US. Owned by Eddie Wedelstedt. Ninety thousand square feet. We do their shopping cart and affiliate network."
Kendra Jade, DynaMite Make Up
DynaMite writes: Dear Luke: I just wanted to write to apologize to someone. I made a comment on your Radio show about my relationship with Kendra jade. We all Know I'm not a great speaker when it comes to interviews, and such, but I underscored our friendship when I said we talked. Kendra and I. As you, and, the people that read your site know have had a few differences. We have however been able to work past these. We still have some healing to do on both our parts, but hopefully that will help strengthen it even more. So to Kendra PLEASE forgive me if I hurt your feelings in anyway. I in no way meant to downplay our friendship. Your the BEST. Luv Always DynaMite
Here's an excerpt from Tuesday's Luke F-rd Live:
Dynamite: "Me and Kendra [Jade] are getting along again."
Jim: "You're real good friends?"
Dynamite: "We talk."
Luke Will Know Soon How Gene Ross Feels
I will know soon how Gene Ross feels. He's got me concerned.
Porn Pro writes: Let me get this straight. For weeks (until his sudden conspicious silence on the topic probably due to the threat of legal action) Gene repeatedly slammed AVN for purported conflicts of interest. Today, however, on his site, he starts reviewing the latest releases from Extreme, his employer. Not so-coincidentally, he gives boffo critiques to both Extreme Teen 12 and Abyss. Talk about a conflict of interest! Not to mention a double standard. Physician Ross, heal thyself!
Tim Connelly aka Jeremy Stone, the editor of Adam Film World, plays the drums Saturday night at The Mint, 6010 Pico Bl. Lots of porners will be there.
To the best of my knowledge, Connelly hates me with a passion.
XXX: "That's because you published his home address."
Luke: "I did not publish his home address. I've never published anyone's home address, except Kenny Guarino and Eddie Wedelstedt."
XXX: "He was married to a porn star. You published her home address and they got stalkers because of it."
Luke: "I did not. I published some real names. That's all."
AOL Sues Cyber Entertainment NetworK Over Spam
AOL has filed a $150 million suit against Netvision Audiotext dba Cyber Entertainment Network in the United States district court for the Eastern district of Virginia, Alexandria division. (Civil Action 99-1186-A)
Persons named in the suit include CEN owners John J. Bennett Jr, and Joseph Elkind, as well as Robert L. Atkinson, James Cattanach, Tim Perkins, Tracy Rizzutello, Kyle Vernon and others.
I interviewed CEN part-owner Joe Elkind Thursday afternoon. Listen here.
Luke: What's this about an AOL lawsuit against the Cyber Entertainment Network?
JoeE: I have no idea what you're talking about. I have not been served by anything and that is a fact.
Luke: I will shoot you the URL of a JPG of a civil action supposedly against you by AOL.
JoeE: All I am saying is that I have not been served.
Luke: Do you have any idea what this is about?
JoeE: Yeah, I will tell you real quick what it is about. AOL is going to sue one of the big companies there is in the adult business, which is us, and if we don't squash the lawsuit they're going to sue every other adult affiliate program and every webmaster. We're the ones who are going to have to take it on the head again just like we did with UU.net, and squash this thing. This is unfounded because we never spam.
Webmasters might spam. We cut them off. We terminate them as soon as we find out without pay.
I had the flu. I was puking for two days straight.
[Lee Noga writes on Netpond: Was reading the Luke F-rd site, and I cannot stand misinformation, so let my anal rententive self correct this myth: JoeE may have puked for 2 days but the FLU is respiratory and not stomach inflicted in adults. Nope, there is no such thing as a "Stomach FLU". There are viruses that can cause these symptoms but it ain't the flu....]
Print that Brad Shaw is a dick. Everybody agrees. He wants to see the GIA [Global Internet Alliance] fail because he can't make it in business. He's not as smart as the rest of the guys. He blasts other people because that's his way of getting his name and ego out there instead of being helpful to the industry and working with people. He just wants to blast people. Not share an opinion, he just wants to blast people and talk personally at them. Sharing an opinion and blasting people personally are two different things.
He can go f--- himself. I'm going to punch him in the face at the Vegas show.
Luke: I thought he was a friend of yours.
JoeE: If you can't hit your friends, who can you hit?
Evan from Xpays provides a rejoinder. He says that Shaw's comments have no validity. It appears the two of them will fight this out in court.
Brad Shaw tells Luke: "I saw JoeE posting on Netpond how he has a plan to save our industry. He's trying to make himself look like a superhero and if you still want to be in business in a year, you better get in line and get along with him and go to his little meeting. Originally I wasn't aware he was talking about the GIA because he wasn't putting a name with it. And then I found out he was basically speaking for the GIA. And the problem I had was that he was trying to make himself out like he was trying to save the whole business.
"The truth is he is only out for himself. He's not out to help anyone else. Noone will speak the truth so I figured I had to put my two cents in.
"He's been posting for the past couple of weeks. About a meeting... I just got fed up with it. He's probably not going to fool most people but I wanted to make sure that he didn't threaten anyone. He's out for his own interests. He's trying to make himself look good like he's trying to bring everybody together and save the business.
"JoeE should be spending his time getting his own house in order... That goes to my beef with the GIA. These guys are out for their own interests and they should just get their own houses in order like I have done. I have spent the last three months, especially after the FTC, RJB stuff, making sure my own house is in order."
Luke: "What is the GIA?"
Brad: "That's a good question. As far as I know, they're trying to put together an organization to represent the adult internet. I guess it was founded by eight guys, the bigger guys in our business."
Luke: "Ron Levi, JoeE, RB..."
Brad: "I have some information as to what their goals are and I am not interested. I attended one of their meetings and I looked around the table, and I asked 'Brad, do you want to be associated with all of these people?' There was more than one person there that I would not my name associated with."
Luke: "Have you heard anything about the GIA planning to sue VISA?"
Brad: "I heard about it a couple of months ago but recently I have't learned anything about it. They're trying to launch it [GIA] to webmasters at the show in January... I would encourage anyone to go listen to what they have to say. I feel it is too little too late. With all the unscrupulous billing practices that go on and all the other scams that go on, it is too little too late.
"The government has just started coming into our business... If these guys present themselves as our leaders, they're the ones the government will go after first."
Luke: "What did you think of the FTC crackdown on RJB Telcom?"
Brad: "We all knew that at some point there was going to be a crackdown on someone. But never in a million years I would never guessed it was RJB. If it was any other company, they would've folded. It says a lot for RJB that they've persevered this long and in the end, I think they're going to come out with a clean bill of health. It's obviously a difficult situation for them. I don't feel that they have ever done anything wrong.
"I say there are probably a couple of people in this business that run things 100% legit. They're [RJB] is one of them."
Luke: "What do you think of this AOL civil suit against CEN?"
Brad: "We all knew it was coming. They're not going to be the only one. AOL has been investigating things along that line for a year and a half. And I guess they decided to go after CEN because they are one of the bigger companies... I wouldn't want to be on the other end of a lawsuit from AOL."
Luke: "What is going on between you and XPays.com?"
Brad: "For the past couple of months we've been trying to hammer out a settlement over some images that they used of ours without proper licensing. They took some of our images and put them in a magazine [ads in AVNOnline magazine], which is against the license of the image. They're only for internet use.
"We've played a lot of phone tag. About two months ago, I spoke with Michael at Xpays [the partner of Evan]. And we agreed that during the negotiations, there would be no bad blood between us. That I would keep my mouth shut and he would keep his mouth shut.
"About a month ago, I got an email from them saying: 'Thanks Brad. We're cancelling our party in Las Vegas because we've been told that you narc'd us to the police.' And my response was, 'Narc'd you for what? What are you doing at the party that you are so afraid of?' And I guess they had created in their heads that I had turned them into the authorites for running some drug laced party.
"Then today one of their partners [Evan] goes to the boards and starts running his mouth. I said, screw it. I'm not going to negotiate with them anymore. They're in the wrong. I'm going to turn it over to my attorney and they're going to lose. They used images without proper licensing."
Luke: "What kind of December are adult webmasters having?"
Brad: "As far as traffic, things are good. But as far as the state of business, a lot of people are really dependent on RJB and a lot of people are really nervous about what is going to happen with that. And after looking at who got elected president, especially the Attorney General [John Ashcroft], a lot of people are scared. I think the people who are worried are the people who didn't have their house in order.
"There are a lot of people who did not have good Christmases. The money is not what it was a year ago. A lot of these big programs are not paying what they used to pay. They still tell you that they're paying what they used to pay but they're not. The average webmaster is not making the same amount of money. I know smaller webmasters who were making $10,000 a month who are now making $3000 a month.
"The bigger want to be big, that's why they've all joined together to form this alliance. That's why there will be a bigger gap between the big webmasters and the smaller webmasters and there are going to be very few left in the middle."
Luke: "If webmaster affiliate programs say they're still paying out the same amount of money, how do they get away with paying less?"
Brad: "Some of them are scrubbing their credit card databases harder so it is harder to get a join. There are programs that only pay you on memberships that actually convert to $35 a month memberships. You might get 100 signups, but only 50 of them convert. So you only get paid on 50 signups. And I am sure there is some out-and-out shaving [where joins are not counted] going on someplaces. We send most of our traffic to MaxCash RJB. That's the reason I send it there, because I'm confident there is no funny business going on there. But it is getting harder to get the traffic to convert. Also because the surfers are becoming smarter. And there's so much free s--- out there, it is difficult to charge someone $30 a month.
"I read that quote on your website that JoeE was going to punch me in the face. Yeah. I think that says a lot about JoeE. He talks a big game, but when it comes down to it, he's usually with a 6'8" body guard. So I don't think JoeE's going to be punching anyone in the face. Especially me.
"I seem to really get under his skin. He talks about how I am a failure. At the end of the month, I bet I put more money in my pocket than JoeE puts in his pocket."
Luke: "But his company is huge?"
Brad: "He's a partner. He's got 70 employees, I've got six. He blows a lot more money than I blow. On one trip to Vegas, he can blow $200,000."
Luke: "How can you spend $200,000 in one weekend in Vegas?"
Brad: "Gambling, hookers, drugs... I'm not saying JoeE does drugs. Just talking in general. And feeling the need to impress all of your friends. Take care of all your friends.
"It's not uncommon. I saw something published on your website about the last show in November, about kids spending $13,000 in a strip club. That's nothing. Those are the smalltime webmasters. It's just all to impress each other. They've got to have the $5000 bottle of wine. They've got to have all the strippers and hookers hanging out [with them]. Some of these companies at the show in January will spend upwards of a million dollars.
"We're spending six figures plus. But they're throwing money away. We have a 30 by 30 two story booth. We've got six models. We're flying out Hank the Angry Drunken Dwarf from the Howard Stern show. I'll bring out my staff. There goes $100,000 plus right there. But the difference is that we will sell content at the show to offset our costs. A lot of these guys are selling nothing."
Luke: "I thought you and JoeE were friends?"
Brad: "I would consider JoeE a friend. It's an interesting business that we're in. If I was in South Florida, I would call up JoeE and we would go out to dinner. It's just that we have differing philosophies of business. Outside of business, JoeE is Joe. Inside business he's JoeE Money, where all that matters is how much money he makes. Anything to make a dollar, that's his bottom line."
Luke: "What do you think of his celeb site?"
Brad: "I wouldn't touch one with a ten foot pole but when JoeE evaluates his risk, he feels that the money is worth the risk. Who knows the legality of a celeb site? Is Britney Spears going to sue everyone? And the millions they are making off the sites, obviously they feel the up site is worth more than the down side. I'm not out to make a quick buck.
"There are also the fake bestiality sites."
Luke: "Even Vivid is promoting that."
Brad: "I think they advertise that... Vivid doesn't run any of those sites. But a few other companies do. Even some that I am friendly with. I wouldn't send traffic to those sites. Babenet has several celebrity sites and several fake bestiality sites."
Luke: "What is a fake bestiality site?"
Brad: "To the surfer, it looks like bestiality. They're really not sure until they join. Then they join and it's a naked chick sitting on the back of a horse. I don't think it is good for our business. I think it fools the surfers. When I first saw the sites, I thought they were bestiality sites. On a couple of them, real small at the bottom, they will say 'This is not a bestiality site.'"
Luke: "I think what our industry needs most is a full hardcore bestiality site with integrity."
Brad: "Plenty of those overseas. I think what our industry needs most is a big shakeout. I think our industry needs people to go out of business. I think our industry needs some people to run into trouble for doing some stupid things. And at the end, there will be some people standing and there will be some people not standing. There are several people who if they went out of business, I could care less. And then there are people like RJB, who if they have problems, I would do anything for those guys.
"You've seen a big trickle down effect from Yishai pulling out from buying all this traffic. And you've only seen the start of it. The free hosts are having financial troubles because he's not there anymore. And there is no one who can take his place because no one can take his place. No one can do what he did, make money off that traffic."
Luke: "He sent it all to Crescent?"
Brad: "I believe so. Obviously he was able to make money off the traffic. And no one else can make money off it. A couple of years ago, we bought some of the free host traffic off one of the larger free hosts and it converted one in 36,000 on our best converting site. That was a couple of hundred dollars per signup."
Luke: "I hear he's got more money than anybody in the industry."
Brad: "That wouldn't surprise me.
"About the GIA, I think our business is too fragmented to ever work towards one common goal."
Luke: "Why is Serge Birbrair still posting on Netpond?"
Brad: "Serge is retired. He has more money in the bank than these guys who are still in business. It's fun for him. That was his home for a couple of years. Now he likes to come back and have fun with people.
"Serge is a very smart guy. Serge is brilliant. And he just likes to play with people. I have a lot of respect for Serge. People think that Serge and I aren't friends. That's the furthest thing from the truth. We're about to take a vacation together."
Evan from Xpays.com tells Luke: "Our business is exploding. In the last five days, we're averaging over a thousand joins a day. I have three of the top ten internet portals in the world doing cost acquisition partnerships with us. All of them have kicked off... Sales are through the roof and I've got this putz wasting my time.
"We originally licensed this content... Brad brought Fresh Photos for...$40,000. And the day Brad bought it, I emailed Brad Seychelle (sp?) at Internet Supply [who sold FreshPhotos.com to Brad] and Ron Cohen and Howard Perkins, and I said, guys, this is a big mistake. Everything this guy does turns into litigation or some sort of a war. I wish you hadn't taken Fresh Photos and given it to Brad. It's like putting a silk hat on a pig.
"When we did some big traffic deals and some big domain deals with Internet Supply, they owned Fresh Photos at that time. And they threw in six CDs of Fresh Photos [content] with a five site license, only there's no copy of the license anywhere. Fresh Photos doesn't have it.
"I called Internet Supply and talked to Howard Perkins while he still owned Fresh Photos. I said, dude, I have a webmaster publication, AVN, non-nude, no nipples, no sex, I need girls to put around our logo in AVN. They said, hold on one second. He gets back on the phone and says, Evan, no problem. You can use those [photos] in a webmaster publication like AVN. So for eight months or more, we were using the photos in a webmaster trade publication. I.Supply has no problem...
"Brad takes over the company [FreshPhotos.com] and somewhere in the mix, ISupply didn't provide all of the documentation for all of the licensees. Brad was going to honor any existing contract. When he didn't have a contract, Brad, in my opinion, saw this as an opportunity to take advantage of the situation...
"Fortunately, for XPays and our print ads, Vivid Video let us go through their chrome room and they gave us 30 ultra high resolution pictures of Kobe Tai and Taylor Hayes and Jenteal and all their big stars.
"As soon as Brad said, don't use these [images] in print, we're like, f---, we don't want to use these in print. We can use other images. Why would we want to take other changes on something that costs a pittance? We're not a content company. We don't own any pay sites.
"Today Brad started badmouthing the GIA. JoeE is on the board and he is promoting a meeting where we are going to invite the world's top webmasters who care to come to the GIA and see what our vision is for the GIA and see where the GIA is going and how it benefits them and how it benefits the industry.
"On the boards, Brad is calling every member of the GIA except for one, a scumbag. He's calling our parties drug infested parties. This has nothing to do with the business at hand. He's calling me all kinds of names.
"Basically, anybody who is anybody is at our parties. They're sweet. We've been doing them since Montreal two years ago. Our parties are not cancelled. We only said they were cancelled because Brad keeps trying to get on to the VIP List and instead of telling him no, I keep telling him it's cancelled.
"Brad's trying to interfere with our business. He's definitely defamating me and slandering me personally. He's aggravated almost everybody who matters in the adult internet. Michael and I are good Jewish boys. Xpays is a big company. We run an honest business. We have never failed to pay out on time. We've always had honest reporting. Our network is unique. Xpays has been in the top 100 adult sites for a year.
"The Xpays.com works is that we take a customized version of the best sites on the internet. The best means integrity in the advertising, meaning, that what they say is there is there. It is editorially approved by us. We customize the ads and host them ourselves. The way we customize the ads is to remove any external links. So if there's a Viagra link, we'll brush it out. Everything is to push the user towards a join. If they don't join, they'll get an exit console that rotates through different sites. We're doing a thousand joins a day.
"Brad wrote me an email claiming that his blood relative is a DEA agent in Las Vegas and he was joking in the email about getting his cousin involved. Also, I got a couple of calls from concerned webmasters who'd heard Brad talking about our parties as being "crack infested" when really our parties are just food infested, beverage infested and great people infested.
"We're doing deals with Yahoo-like portals... We are the exclusive pay per performance ad partner for several portals that have been doing everything on clicks and impressions. They came to me. They're local companies.
"They put up our banners like a standard Xpays affiliate and they learned that they made more money on a rent share with us, getting paid like an affiliate, than the money they made on impressions and clicks."
Luke: "Are you part of the GIA?"
Evan: "Yes, and Brad is not. I'm one of the original members. Our bylaws and structure are now in place. The GIA was formed by the top adult companies. It was formed because the adult internet had reached a maturation stage where you need a trade association. We've retained McDermott, Will and Emery as the attorneys. I'm on a subcommittee with JoeE and Frank Panuccio. We're recruiting new members. I do big business with JoeE. I do more than 500 joins a day with him."
Luke: "What do you think of AOL suing CEN?"
Evan: "It is a source of great concern. I think it is very depressing that AOL is going to go after the affiliate programs when it is a well known fact that... any affiliate network, because of the way model works, you can give instant gratification to a scammer. Because anyone can sign up...
"I'm screening everyone on the way in. I'm killing accounts if the phone number doesn't work. I kill it. If the email address is bogus, I kill it. If the Social Security number is bogus, anything that looks suspicious, then we kill the account. But what happens is that these guys sign up, then they spam. We kill the account. It's a big pain in the ass. It requires a great deal of labor to administrate all that...
"The way to get around it is to run a good double opt-in email program. You don't get the complaints.
"The reason that Netpond sucks so bad is that it is an insecure medium. You have people posting under ten different names. It's just fraught with fraud and forgery and bulls---. Actually, a few months ago, we caught Brad Shaw forging an email... He said it was from me and that I had sent it to Greg Enders, one of his employees. I never sent the email. And it was a threat. He was trying to damage my business by making it look like I was threatening him. You don't see me pissing with Brad. You don't see me pissing on Netpond. You go to Netpond every day. It's half your site's content.
"When JoeE is trying to get webmasters excited about the GIA, I support that 100%. And I don't support someone coming in bashing every member of a trade association.
"He did tell me at a party in December that he was shaving webmasters. He was laughing about it. I have witnesses. And that probably made him bitter about us.
"We have no paysites. We have no billing. We have no content. We're an advertising agency in the software business. We have a very hot product in Xpays. It's a hot system. It's a hot reporting model. It's so hot that companies [like Vivid] license our software from us."
Luke: "Why wouldn't people just put up banner ads sending their traffic straight to the different paysites? Why go through your Xpays.com system?"
Evan: "It's difficult for me to give you a concise answer because I don't want to say anything negative about the very folks whose affiliate networks we're promoting through Xpays. We have a unique set up.
"I can see why Brad would resent us. He doesn't have any of our successes.
"Taboo: Sacred, Don't Touch" by Kay Taylor-Parker
Many years in the making, Kay's very personal story bespeaks her deep reverence to her life's purpose and what she calls her "mission." She chronicles not only her early life experiences and her adventures during her career as an adult film actress, but looks at the thread running throughout all of her lives bringing her to the present and the essence of her work as a spiritual mentor.
For her long time fans it will be perhaps no surprise that Kay's autobiography is no ordinary chronological accounting of a singular life experience - to her that would simply not tell the story accurately of a woman whose deep passion and responsibility is to inspire love, compassion a new way of loving in what she calls "The New Paradigm." Here is your opportunity to receive one of a limited number of first edition, personally signed copies of "TABOO: SACRED, DON'T TOUCH." For more information, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: Kay Taylor-Parker P.O. Box 407 Santa Monica, CA 90404
I was interviewed Thursday evening about the Weird Porn Stories 2000. Listen here.
Goddess writes: sorry, but most of the stories in your "weird porn stories of 2000" sounded like normal goings on in the porn industry to me. but I think ya kinda left out the weirdest story---gene sneaking up behind paul and smacking him over the head with a folding chair...figuratively speaking, of course.
Marc writes: great conversation with the deejay fellow. as you know, i love hearing that stuff. (needless to say, your whole rap i've heard before, it's the people on the other end of the line who never fail to amuse.)
Luke says: I felt so dirty afterwards... Those rock stations are as dirty as porno.
Marc writes: same type of guys involved, but much crappier pay than $300 a scene. keep us faithful updated on what other stations come calling. (slow news week as it is ... the naked news is all over the toronto media today ... check nationalpost.com or thestar.com for those articles.)
you never answered before--and are more than welcome to not answer at all--did FANtastic ever come through with what they owed? just curious. now that dot-com journalism is a dead concept (i read that salon is down to 42 cents a share today) glad we were able to ride its glories.
Luke says: I'm owed $30k.
Rumdar's Sex Vacation
John Arnold writes: To Rumdar: I read here that you were going to Bangkok soon. Will you take photos of Thai bar girls and post them here? I'd sure like to see them. I'll even buy you a roll of film and send it to you to encourage you.
Rumdar replies: Luke.. Tell Mr. Arnold thanks but I have lots of film. I think the term "bar girl" is rather crass. I am not going to Bangkok on a sex trip although getting boinked is a delightful option no matter where one travels on this planet. Actually I might check out Jewish and Christian influences in that most Buddhist of countries. Are there any Thai Jews? Are there synagogues? If there are Thai Jews, are these Jews Luke F-rd fans. There is an outside chance Dr. Al Julian might be coming with me. That is, if his wife believes the fabricated malarkey he is feeding her as I type. I'll be reporting back to Luke F-rd.com, as I did from Bali last year, and will scan any pictures I think might be of interest to Luke readers.
James DiGiorgio Analyzed
I got this analysis on my Luke F-rd Live cohost James DiGiorgio.
Jack says: I was listening to your show with my girlfriend and she was laughing her ass off at Jim. The stuff about Jews talking with phlegm in their mouth. When he said Jew Church. He knows it is a synagogue. But Jim's playing a character. An uneducated sleazy pornographer.
Jim did three years of standup comedy. He didn't play himself up there. He came up with a character, who was 180 degrees away from the character Jim's doing on your show. It's what Jim wanted to do in standup but his comedy coaches told him he'd be too intimidating on stage, acting that way. The audience would be scared. They'd laugh out of fear that he'd hit them.
So Jim played a cross from Jim from Taxi with a kidlike teddy bear. So when Jim said something that got a big laugh, he'd look at the audience as though he didn't understand what they were laughing at.
Jim's character on your show is so scary that nobody, except Lynne L-patin, will diss him.
Jim DiGiorgio writes: Luke...Who the f--- do you talk to??? I guess someone I know. First off, I don't do characters. This is all me, the real me, and nothing but f---ing me! And I ain't a scary guy. I'm your basic sensitive kinda guy. So get your s--- straight, will ya??
Lynne writes: Thank you, Jack, for your insight into Mr. DiGiorgio's past. It appears I must reassess my opinion of Mr. DiGiorgio. Apparently it was his character, "Jimmy D" sleazy pornographer, who offended me on Luke's radio show.
I guess, having dealt with plenty of "sleazy pornographers" in my time, and perhaps being one myself, I didn't catch on to the act. I rest my case that "Jimmy D" makes everyone sound stupid -- how else would a conversation with a sleazy pornographer sound? Like a roundtable on PBS!
It must be my experience hanging around with sleazy pornographers that made me angry, rather than scared, at Jimmy and Luke. Doing business with stupid, sleazy pornographers is the name of the game in porn. Fortunately most of the people in porn, though outlaws, are not idiots, and one can pick and chose one's business contacts to some extent.
When Luke subjected me to Mr. DiGiorgio on his radio show, he set us to cross purposes, in that I was coming on to discuss Chronic Fatigue Syndrome based on the research I'd done for an "A" paper in Anatomy & Physiology class, as well as the changes at Adult Video News and, of course, Luke. My persona was supposed to be that of an educated Friend of Luke, discussing science and health, and of Porn Veteran discussing the History of Porn, not "sleazy slut" discussing "Jimmy's dick." It would please me very much to meet the "real" Jim DiGiorgio, so that I can form an opinion based on the man rather than the character.
If Mr. DiGiorgio was playing the character Luke negotiated as co-host for the show, I must forgive him, and direct my anger where it belongs, toward Luke. Perhaps I should call Luke and blast him with profanity like a real sleazy pornographer would. Or threaten to tie him to the bedposts and anally penetrate him with my firearm like they did in the good old days...
Luke Gets Mail
Diva writes Luke: I think you're totally f---ing hot, and I can't wait to meet you. Are you going to Vegas? Of course you are, you warped little studguppy. How could you possibly stay away from all that potential gossip? You'll shake my hand, and not even know I wrote this, and you'll be asking yourself the entire time you're there "is this the chick that wants to suck the chrome off my bumper?"
Porn Ace writes: Girls Ranch?! You box out pics of beautiful womens vaginas and then you have a banner for a "Girls with Horses" site on your page Luke? What up with that??
Luke: I'm simply giving an example of the decadence running loose on the web. It's a matter that I discuss above with Brad Shaw and Evan from Xpays.
CyberPifey writes: What, exactly, did the ever-so-sanctimonious Ms. Alexandre think she was doing when she getting paid to let guys jizz on her face in front of the camera? Promoting world peace, perhaps? Curing cancer? Saving the rain forests?
BA should forget the literary career and instead try to snag herself a cabinet post in George DUHbya Bush's administration. She'd obviously feel right at home in the midst of all that hypocrisy.
XXX writes Brandy: I cracked up when I read your post on l-keford.com about your being solicited by the escort agency. That woman's response was so funny, "...you don't have to be so mean ..." s---, she was calling you a whore for chrissakes! Good for you, Ms. Alexandre.
Mavis writes: Hi Luke, Saw your quote: "Luke says: I called Extreme today and talked to Gene Ross. All seemed normal. Gene said there was a technical glitch that kept him from updating his site. Other than that, it was business as usual."
It's interesting that the extreme message board on Gene's site didnt have a technical glitch, there were alot of postings on Thursday the 28th., But Gene had a tech glitch from updating the home page text- ALL DAY?. Perhaps some informed webmaster could explain this.
LT writes: Ask Gene about AVN's editorial policy regarding breast implants. At one time Gene made some strong negative remarks about breast implants in his gossip column, likewise some other reviewers, most notably Mark Kernes. But, suddenly, there was an editorial in 1995 by Gene on how AVN "would not be reviewing the female performers" and the negative comments about boob jobs ceased. The only negative comment after was one slid in by Mark Kernes about Nikki Randall, and it was quite mild in comparison. Strangely, Rich C. Leather's comments praising women that got boob jobs were allowed in. And even more interestingly, Leather's praise was heaped on women who I happen to know were very, very unhappy about even winding up with boob jobs. I believe it was Gene who lauded Nicole London for suing her cosmetic surgeon after his botch on her breasts, commenting that going after the porn biz resident "Dr. Frankenstein" was "long overdue" and adding that other women might join in. Why the sudden change? Word from Fishbein? Complaints from the big ad buying companies? I'd love to hear from Gene about this.
Shane writes: Lynne: You are right, X's addiction/fixation with internet porn had nothing to do with me. But having never been through anything REMOTELY like that before I did take it very personal. Despite it not being anything about ME, it was personal in that I was denied having a sexual relationship with him because he was already having that with several other "women" (really just pixels).
I'm sure many people will disagree but I felt he was cheating on me. If he had made me a part of it, I know that we could have had fun with it. The secrecy, lies and pure deception were the things that hurt the most. NO ONE LIKES BEING LIED TO! There were other issues of addiction within the relationship that complicated things. Maybe if it had just been one thing I could have dealt with it. I will allow a man to love the things he loves, stupid as they may seem to me, but within reason. Addiction/obsession/fixation to anything is unhealthy, be it stamp collecting or porn viewing.
Lynne replies: Shane, strange to say, it wasn't really a sexual relationship he was having with porn, although his obsession sure cheated you out of one with him. And that, of course, is unacceptable in a relationship -- cheating each other out of sex. Obsessing on, rather than enjoying, porn is a way to avoid a real-life sexual relationship (with all the messy emotional complications that accompany it). Good porn makes me want to have sex, not avoid it.
Darrin writes Luke: I love your site. Keep up the good work. How about using your connections to promote a Bunny Luv--Peter North scene. Bunny is the most naturally beautiful girl I have seen in the industry in some time. She would look great on the box cover for a "North Pole" volume. Does she have a fan club/e-mail address?
Imouse writes: Hi, Luke: Goddess of ERA suggested you and your site for an inquiry. What has become of Jesie St. James, the great porn actor of the 70s-80s? I saw many of her videos and am quite surprised that there is no reference to her at all in bio sections and the like, a fact I found as I wandered from one site to another. Goddess thinks she saw a bio here, (which I can't find) indicating that JSJ became a surrogate, but nothing else. For clarity, as I'm told a number of actors used the name or something close to it, I refer to her as being in Insatiable I, Vista Valley PTA, and Talk Dirty To Me.
Luke says: Click here for my Jesie St James bio.
Goddess writes: Guess what? Jim Gunn just sent me his pic. Is he not the sweetest video director in all of the South or what?!
Lynne, Curious On Lethargy, Love, Luke & Asia Carrera
Lynne L-patin: I am going to have Spurious Chronic Fatigue Syndrome...get
someone else to type for me, open my mail...brush my teeth
CURIOUS: you need an intern Lynne L-patin: It is all I can do to get
out of bed and let the dog out...then get out of bed to let the dog
back in... I think I have interns...Luke has new babes to break in
Lynne L-patin: I'll bet that Shane is a real looker, too.
CURIOUS: sarcasm?
Lynne L-patin: not at all, actually...
CURIOUS: You need to warn these unsuspecting babes!!!
Lynne L-patin: because she described her "boyfriend" as having money...and
that's what it takes to get the "babes." I did write a couple of paragraphs
on why Luke would never marry
CURIOUS: I think he will ... probably more than once too!
Lynne L-patin: He's gonna be 35 in May, or is it 36?
CURIOUS: 35 I believe.
Lynne L-patin: I just can't see any woman who lives up to his 'standards'
accepting all his baggage....she can do better CURIOUS: I guess there's
no hope for me at 38?
Lynne L-patin: I don't understand why you haven't been married for a
long time...you are a sweetheart
CURIOUS: It stems from my parents divorce. I know that now. Plus I do
treasure my solitude. Lynne L-patin: Every time I see a cute, nice girl,
I think...would Curious like this one?
Lynne L-patin: marriage is difficult, but not impossible. Hard work,
but rewarding.
CURIOUS: But the young ones don't dig me or so you say.
Lynne L-patin: the young ones don't have the maturity to give you the
space you need, either
CURIOUS: They won't buy the "How can I miss you if you won't go away"
bit?
Lynne L-patin: marriage is a continual compromise, and you have to accept
that's the price of it, and that it is time and energy well spent for
the long term goal... Gee, that's the first time I'VE heard that one!
CURIOUS: I'm thinking Gene Ross may have the key. He says stay single
and use prostitutes. It's cheaper.
Lynne L-patin: Bruce and I preferred each other's company to that of
other people...
CURIOUS: I suspect that would be the case between Asia Carrera and me
too. ;-)
Lynne L-patin: have you ever met Ms. Carrera?
CURIOUS: not in 3D
Lynne L-patin: do you really have a crush on her?
CURIOUS: Not really I like to bug you about her.
Lynne L-patin: I just want you happy
Lynne L-patin: I would gladly extol your virtures to any porn star you
wish
CURIOUS: My personal code is if Bud Lee f---ed it. I won't eat it. Sorry
Asia.
Lynne L-patin: Every time I see a slim blonde woman in her late twenties
who smiles a lot, I want to set you up
CURIOUS: You are so sweet. Dammit why did you quit porn? You could've
been my porn match maker!
