Wednesday,
June 27th, 2001
Luke Struggles To Prove His Jewish Bonafides, Clings To Torah
Sheldon writes Luke: "Many of your readers seem to have a jaded or otherwise unsympathetic view of the community and it's treatment of you. I would daresay, as a non-observant but traditional and committed Jew (and patriotic Israeli) that I can't imagine many religious or ethnic communities that would ultimately and painfully pick through the vagaries of such a conundrum in so public and up-front manner, with concern for accuracy and fairness and the effects on peoples' lives. Of course, the Torah is a warts and all account of a community's history, written by members for the rest of the world to learn something. Alas, I don't have to tell you that the way things shook out, the account was subsequently used by various hostile parties to pick apart the foibles of the one demonstrably self-critical people on the planet. And so, just as your openness appears to have landed you in hot water or made you vulnerable, so it goes, ever and onward, with the rest of us. As they say about the Jews, we received the Torah (were chosen, so to speak) because we, of all peoples, apparently needed it most."
Rumdar writes: "And in the forum known as Luke F-rd.com. I predict the pros and cons of this topic will rage for months, years, it may be added as a supplement to the Torah! Was Levi unjustly expelled? Why was this devout Jew treated so shabbily and who is to blame? Let the debate continue."
XXX writes: Luke, this pains me to bring up but its part of the job and I apologize for the distress I will cause. Rabbi YYY tells me that you informed him some two months ago that you have not, in fact converted halachically [according to Jewish Law] to Judaism, and that you had asked him to intercede with DDD to undergo a conversion. He says that the issue with regard your being asked to leave was not your web site per se, but that you had been writing about your Talmud class on your site, which they felt was totally out of bounds not least because they believe you misconstrued and therefore misrepresented what was said), that you had been asked to stop, refused, hence the whistle got blown.
So far, there appear to have been three instances wherein people have accused you of misaapropriating or misusing confidential and/or copyrighted material (Dennis Prager, Jim Holliday, Rabbi YYY). It is of course possible that the Rabbi would have drummed you out just for your web site, but he does seem to have a basis for doing what he did notwithstanding the problematic nature of the material. Your story, apparently, is completely out there already, you should know. I think you may have to come to grips with the possibility that you might have handled this whole thing differently, and that the outcome might have been different. I think as well, if you will forgive me for piping in uninvited, that there may be an opportunity here for you to put things aright. Anyway, if you would like to comment, please feel free. Thanks, and I am really sorry how this is turning out.
Luke writes: XXX, I understand that you are doing your job and I have no quibbles with that. I understand also that the rabbis were just doing their job and I have no quibbles with them. Emotionally I would love to return to my shul of a week ago, but I accept that that is not possible at this time. I don't have the slightest criticism or complaint about any of the rabbis or persons involved except myself. I hold the rabbis in the highest esteem.
Regarding a possible article about me in the Journal of the Hollywood Gedolim. As you well knows, on May 21st, when I was first approached by XXX, I turned him down. I wanted no Jewish publicity. Then he asked if I would help him with an article on Jews in the pornography industry. I accepted so long as I was anonymous. Eventually I agreed to give XXX an on the record interview for DDD.
Last Friday, after getting expelled from my shul, I emailed XXX and said he could write whatever he wanted to about me in the Journal, my primary reason for wanting to stay undercover had been exploded. I have never given XXX the name of my shul nor any of the rabbis involved. Nor have I had anything disparaging to say about them.
* My conversion. I converted halakhicly [according to Jewish Law] in 1992. I had a Beit Din [a Jewish Law Court], a hatafatdam [ritual circumsicion] and mikveh [immersion]. But I understand that it is the right of any rabbi to judge the legitimacy of a putative conversion.
I have walked a highly controversial path through Jewish life over the past decade, one that would not always meet with the approval of my 1992 Beit Din. So therefore, I'm not whipping out the names of those involved in that 1992 Beit Din to have them publicly vouch for me or for that process. I've done that at times privately when joining a shul, but I do not want to take the risk of shaming that 1992 Beit Din [Jewish Law Court] publicly because of me.
I have been profiled about 20 or more times over the past four years, from the LA Times to the New Times LA to Entertainment Tonight, and I have always refused to name my 1992 Beit Din. I have always refused to name the synagogues I attended. I have always refused to name the rabbis I learn from or revere or seek counsel from. For the same reason. I do not want to take any chance of embarrassing them publicly with my own controversial path. I have also always refused to wear a kipa (yarmulka aka skull cap) or anything identifyingly sacred when photographed even though media have asked me to on many occasions.
For instance, in this Forward profile of me in January 2000, I refused to name anyone, and the writer had to find her own rabbi to comment on me... She turned to the famous Rabbi Schulweiss who had never even met me....
Similarly, XXX, I have not told you the name of the shul I've attended the past year, and was ejected from, nor have I mentioned the names of the rabbis involved. Nor have I offered any complaint or any negative word about them. All I've said is that I am emotionally upset, but I take responsibility for what's happened to me and I blame nobody but myself.
During my decade in Jewish life, I've belonged to several different communities and synagogues, at which time I've had to prove my bonafides, and sometimes this has been an extended process and sometimes I've given up with particular communities as not worth trying to prove myself.
Any rabbi has the right to say to a purported convert that he does not accept the purported conversion for many different reasons - perhaps a member of the Beit Din was not Sabbath observant, the presiding rabbi was out of the norm, that it was Reform or Conservative and hence not valid etc...Some rabbis hold that someone who converted Orthodox but subsequently did not stay completely shomer mitzvot (fully observant of Jewish Law) is not a valid convert, etc...
I've become keenly aware of these distinctions in my journey through jewish life. I know people who converted through Orthodox Rabbi JJJ whose conversion was not accepted by other communities in the Orthodox world. This is a pretty widespread problem in fact.
For the past year, I've seriously contempted making aliyah to Israel, where many of the rabbis do not accept conversion done in many parts of American orthodoxy.
Knowing these issues, I communicated with a local rabbi in April over what type of Jewish Law Court would be the most widely accepted around the world. He recommended the DDD. I had heard the same recommendation before.
I've talked to people who've gone through the DDD process and found it so humiliating that to this day they flinch and try to avoid the rabbis on their DDD Law Court. I'm not criticizing the DDD or anyone for this, I'm simply relaying the reality of how the DDD process is experienced by many people, including those far more observant and devout than I.
I have no problem that the DDD or any conversion process is rigorous but needless to say I did not look forward to going through it again...but as I've seriously considered making aliyah [moving to Israel], and I know the rigor of the shul I planned to join, and of the rabbi presiding over it, I decided in April 2001 to start the process with the DDD.
I did not review the particulars of my 1992 conversion with the DDD or my shul's rabbi. I did not want to risk the humiliation to me, and to my 1992 Beit Din [Jewish Law Court], of an invalidation. I simply told my rabbi and the DDD that I wanted a conversion that would be accepted by everyone (even if this is not possible, and can not be guaranteed). I can wish, can't I?
Regarding this: "He says that the issue with regard your being asked to leave was not your web site per se, but that you had been writing about your shiyur yomi on your site, which they felt was totally out of bounds not least because they believe you misconstrued and therefore misrepresented what was said), that you had been asked to stop, refused, hence the whistle got blown."
I think I may have mentioned twice on my site, in the past year, some of the particulars of the Daf I studied that day. Never have I mentioned any names of persons, rabbis or shuls involved, but only my personal reflection on the text. A friend of mine from shul reacted vehemently when I did this the last time, about two months ago, and I believe that I have not mentioned the particulars of any Gemara [Talumd] since. I received no other warning about this. There was no "they" telling me anything. Only I heard once from a personal friend from shul how much he disagreed with my perception of a particular gemara, that it was inappropriate for me to write so, and upon reflection I never reflected again on any Gemara on my site. I archive my site, so the truth of that is there.
Regarding the general issue of boundaries, I have sinned in this way at times. And it is something I need to work on. "So far, there appear to have been three instances wherein people have accused you of misaapropriating or misusing confidential and/or copyrighted material (Prager, Holliday, YYY)."
I have published about ten thousand pages on the internet over the past four years, I have published one book and many separate articles. Some of the things I've published have been wrong and I regret them and I hope I have learned from my mistakes. I have been sloppy with attribution and at times blurred public and private.
I have made myself a public figure. I have at least 7000 readers daily. I appear frequently on radio, TV and the media. I am very open about myself and my life. The only things that I am not open about are those matters that inextricably involve others. I agree that my flaws show through.
These matters of discretion and boundaries are my personal flaws of character that I need to work on. And I am working on them. I've been in therapy for three years with an Orthodox Jewish therapist, a member of the local Jewish community, and I have engaged in at least an hour a day of Torah study for the past ten years. I have never talked about my work in shul, except in the general terms that I am a freelance journalist writing on entertainment and crime. I don't mention anything unholy in a shul or around members of the community.
Chaim Amalek writes Luke: My Comments:
1. When you write about something that is worth writing about, something that is of real importance to you, you are not bad. Not bad at all. Good logical flow here, to the point, pointed, but not too pointed. Very nice. Too bad you content yourself writing about hookers and the men who pimp them.
2. The Juden have been losing the demographic war for many many centuries now. Time to let some fresh blood in.
3. The whole conversion process seems so degrading, that just to put one's self through it would seem to be a token of mental problems. Why do you keep defending yourself? If there is a God, then He knows whether or not you are jewish. @^%@#$^ the rabenim.
4. And speaking of @#$^% the rabenim, if you marry a jewess (which I do not recommend - you can do much better in life), you will have halachikly jewish kids, no matter what the @#$%@ rabbis have to say about it. At that point, you will be a lot tougher for them to kick around.
5. If you want AMALEK to write to the rabenim or to this journalist, just let me know.
XXX writes Luke: As you say, I am doing my job, but sometimes my heart weighs more heavily than others. I hope only to be fair, accurate and sympathetic to all concerned, I know and regret the pain this will cause you or others and can only say I didn't know this at the outset, and I don't know if I would have pursued this otherwise. If I commit any trespass as I wend my way through this, I ask your forgiveness. I hope I don't.
Rumdar writes Luke: Just like Judas ratted out Jesus... This whole affair has biblical overtones. I hope the Rabbis don't contract a hit on Levi. Luke, be careful, run if you see a mob of Romans (they might in this case be hired Mexicans) descending on your hovel with a wooden cross. I wonder if this snitch was paid off with a few pieces of silver?
Christine asks: "So which way are you going to go with this? Are you going to abandon l-keford.com?"
Luke: "No. I'm going to a different synagogue."
Christine: "Maybe you should go to one that is not so strict. The whole problem with religion, particularly Jewish religion, is that they stick so closely to the letter of the law. It's busy making so that people don't cause rebellions and riots. It keeps them busy and away from thinking about government corruption. You should go to a temple that discusses the spirit."
Sheldon Teitelbaum, journalist for The Jerusalem Report and LA's Jewish Journal, writes: Luke, I am not sitting in judgement of you. I am trying to understand you. As I think I told you, my operating philosophy is that everyone has a mother, and should be treated accordingly. I am hoping that something good can come out of this, because if not I will pay here or later. You may, by the way, quote me in your own site if it helps.
From jeff in nyc: tabitha stevens was on the Radio Chick show on wnew new york this a.m. highlights:she's from NY, she has never done a gangbang,she took her porn name from tv,her new project is the dripping wet series,she gets alot of people confusing her with the actress from bewitched,she was a bored housewife who was friends with racquel darrian and her husband-they got her and her ex husband the chance to do a vid-tabitha's boyfriend could not perform and she says it's because he was gay and he now acts in gay videos. She's done over 300 vids in her 6 year career,she's irish,she said when she and haven appeared on the jay leno show, jay recognized tabitha and NBC actually played a clip from a porn vid she and haven were in,tabitha has already had 3 husbands!she said she's 31 years old,she loves doing anal scenes,she said evan stone is her favorite on screen partner and once they did such a hot scene that she had to take a cold soda can and apply it to her private parts to soothe them.
Taylor St Claire In New York City Until July 2
Nici@Nicisgirls.com writes on BigDoggie.net: Due to the overwhelming demand we are keeping Taylor St. Claire in NYC until July 2nd! Taylor's rate is $1,500 per hour. To book Taylor call NYC Fantasies at (212) 253-8222.
hi- this is jeff in nyc: I have wondered about this for a long time and I now feel compelled to ask you the following:Taking Taylor St Claire as a prime example:I saw a foot fetish she made a few years back which co-starred her then boyfriend and I was sure that a girl with her beauty would never go full out into hardcore porn. I'm aware that lately she's done all kinds of things like anal,the dr fellatio series... MY QUESTION IS THIS:What makes girls like her go full fledged into porn when they are so beautiful they certainly could have had other options. A second example would be Darla Crane who I've been a fan of for years and started out doing fetish non-sex vids(in which she looked too classy to be in porn) for a long time-Then 1 day I see she's also gone full out into hardcore working with sean michaels and rodney moore. Can you or your readers explain what causes these girls to get caught up in hardcore? If they want only the $, why don't they just find rich guys to marry and live a less decadent lifestyle?
Luke says: Porn girls, like other human beings, have a myriad ways they can self destruct. People naturally tend towards moral entropy and self destruction without the presence of a moral discipline in their lives, like organized religion.
Teresa Strasses writes: When he pulled out the old "I think we’re both attracted to each other," it all came together; there was the headache, the stopping by at a late hour to not take me out for a drink, the flopping on my bed. This, my friends, was a textbook Booty Call.
"What’s the problem?" he asked. To which I replied that I’m really not a Booty Call kind of girl, that I’d need to get to know him, that there would have to be some sort of courtship.
Putative writes Luke: Have you ever met this Teresa Strasser person? She's the same age as you (bat mitzvahed 1979). And if you look at her archive of columns at the end of her piece she has an account of going to "friday night live".
Luke replies: Never, but I do have fantasies about her...
Putative replies: well, to paraphrase mr. AMALEK: "luke, i think you should do everything possible to introduce yourself to this woman." (matter of fact, i get the sense she'd dig hearing about your latest shul misadventures. so write her! in exchange, i will compose as thoughtful a letter as possible to this rabbi ... will send you a draft before i fire it off to him. might take until next week, but it'll be an honor to write it.)
Chaim Amalek responds: The thrust of this article and others like it seems to be that men and women rush into "relationships", and that this is the root of the problem of the unattached. Wrong. The root is that western society, especially in well educated, consumption oriented circles (disproportionately occupied by jews and other over-educated folk) socialized its young incorrectly re mating. People ought to mate early in life - late teens to early twenties - have their kids and raise them, and then worry about their damn careers.
Luke Gets Mail
Ashley Kennedy writes: Luke, I just saw Jenna yesterday at her home in Scottsdale. Without makeup, she looks like a 15-year-old girl. For a minute, I wasn't even sure it was her. I thought it might be her kid sister or something. Jenna washed up and aging? That's a laugh. She probably still gets carded for cigarettes.
Evil Drunk writes: Hey Luke--great site as always!! What is the story on your Porn Tour? I thought it was supposed to kick-off on Monday June 25. I think the concept is outstanding and if you could get Jimmy D. involved it would be even better.
Bell writes: Is it true that Chasey Lain is an uncontrollable drug addict? I've always trusted your website to be truthful and unbiased, but I find these posts to be somewhat far-fetched. The thought of her turning tricks on the street for drug money makes me want to throw out every video I have of her.
Curious writes: Overall I love Gene's new site design. It is so much more organized than before, but what is up with his horrible photo? I have three far superior shots of Gene that would vastly improve his site's visual appeal. Faithful readers, please cast your vote for your favorite photo of Gene today. Select either photo #1, photo #2, photo#3.
El Zorro writes: The "Truths" Guardian {how many truths are out there?}, should reread his own dictionay"s definition and realize that in none of the three acceptations offered, the word race is never mentioned.And this is the point that I was trying to make about Dee's pronouncement that she is not black but Puerto Rican.The Guardian's own text confirms that nationality (legal place of origin) and ethnicity(common culture,language,social customs,etc) are separate concepts from race and that Dee was trying to use nationality (Perto Rican) as an aliby to deny her race (black).This would be as Benicio Del Toro claiming that he is not white but Puerto Rican or Cameron Diaz saying that she is not white but Cuban or the Rev.Farrakah stating that he is not black but muslin. Of course this would be nonsense, please!
Next Mr.Guardian tells us that Rob, Mr Dee,could not possibly be a pimp because: 1-he simply advises others about what rates to charge,what to do and not to do with clients and guides their careers.Well, I always thought that is exactly what pimps do in addition to collect their share. And No2.:Mr.Dee cannot be a pimp because he is great for sales and a good bussinesman!
Well Mr.Guardian,of course pimps have to have these qualities otherwise you would'nt see them driving expensive pimpmobiles and fancy pimp suites. One of the things that interest me most as a cultural observer of the Porn world is the little psychological nuances and make up their inhabitants wear to cover up their own very conscious sense of shame and guilt.It is very interesting that Mr.Guardian regales us with the information that the Dees entered the porn world for the "Fun " to be found in it.This,I have noticed is a very oft-cited rationale by their members.
Now, one must ask,what is so "fun" about having to screw mostly ugly, out of shape strangers in from of 30 people in a 120 degrees set? Where is the the "fun" in watching your spouse doing this several times a month so you can pay the rent and drive a car? What is so "fun" abouth risking your health by catching venereal deseases and the lethal AIDS? Where is the "fun" in waiting for your assigned partner to get wood only to lose it again? and what kind of "fun" is it to suffer the degradation and humiliation of having your face sprayed with the semen of some one who was paid to do so?
This, Mr Guardian, is not called fun, this is called a deviant pathology of severe proportions! Another interesting and frequent rationale used by the porno people is to point out how they are only a short step away from joining the mainstream entertainment industry. Observe how the Guardian casually throws around straight brand names: MTV, VH1, Cinemax, HBO, etc, as being at the Dees' hands. Well this is nothing but a chimeric myth that will never come to reality. I guarantee you that Mr Guardian because the reality is that pornography is based on the exchange of sex for money and therefore it is a form of prostitution. (Check your dictionary again). And, sadly, this is the only Truth about it worth being guarded.
inferno213@hotmail.com writes: hey whats up my name is james and me and severl girls would like to be in the industry but world modeling are being stuck up and west coast prod..just want to be jerks.....can you send me and my girl friends information on production companies that will hire us ....we all look good and we will pay you for setting us up...can you help
Online Porn Intertwines With Mainstream Internet
From Washington D.C. Business Journal:
Data from Nielsen Net Ratings and a Web tracing engine at Netcraft.com shows graphic sexual content is being hosted by several major Web-hosting firms with ties to Greater Washington:
Laurel-based Digex, through its affiliation with Business Internet, hosts Sexspy.com, one of the top 20 sites in the adult industry, with 1.3 million unique visitors in May. Digex's primary business comes from high-end Web-hosting for major corporations, such as United Airlines. But it also hosts erotica like 4Asiansmut.com and Amateurfreehost.com.
Verio, which has 500 employees in the D.C. area and has a major data center in Springfield, hosts Pimpserver.com, which drew 1.7 million visitors in May.
UUNet, an Ashburn-based subsidiary of WorldCom, hosts Cybererotica.com, one of the top sites in the online porn industry.
Level 3 Communications, a Colorado-based Internet firm that has a data center in McLean, hosts dozens of porn sites, including Smutserver.com, Playboy.com and Sleazydream.com.
Exodus, which has a campus of data centers in Sterling, hosts a site called Adultfriendfinder.com, a directory for swingers and sex personal ads.
With an estimated 40 percent of all Internet bandwidth taken up by adult sites, it's a tough sector to ignore -- or avoid -- even though companies won't reveal how much of their revenue comes from the online porn industry.
Gilles writes: Hi Luke.I would be curious if you would make a research on how many members does the porn star web site get per month.It look obvious that Jenna is not getting very much of what she was hoping to do and also,it seems that with the economic slow down,a lot of girls (porn stars or glamour models as well) are getting a hard time to keep afloat. For many reasons girls you have good contact with like Jenna, Asia, Lori Michaels, Julie Rage and Kendra Jade won't want to answer how many paying members they got per month but maybe if you promise them to not divulgate their name with the numbers, it would be interesting to see the result.
Whatever Happened To Joanna Williams?
A woman, Joanna Williams directed the 1978 pornos Little Girls Blue and Expensive Tastes, now almost impossible to get because of underage and rape themes. I hear Williams now directs episodic TV. What is her real name?
Drugs On Set
Ransom writes: In light of the stories about Chasey Lain addictions, was Vivid lacking in responsibility? Were they aware she had a problem or did they deal her the narcotics just to do a scene?
[Tom] Byron has it down perfectly apparently. The right amount of dope for the perfect blowjob. He took her chunkiness in account, most likely. A bit of the stronger stuff. Doesn't he realize, pushing dope, leads to jail!
Gene Ross: Kristy Love looks like a pretty good buttf--- or at least I would gather from Zupko's Shades of Hades.
Byron: She was alright. She's kind of chunky.
Gene: For guys who like that...
Byron: Yeah, she was good. I got her stoned and her mouth was really dry. So when she was sucking me off we had to keep giving her water.
Gene: Did you have to get her stoned for this?
Byron: No. She just volunteered.
Flashman Calls From Internext
Flashman says: "It's Tuesday Luke and all the porn stars are coming in to the Venetian Hotel. I'm at the Venetian here in Las Vegas for the Internext convention. Already spotted in the crowd, Anita Cannibal, Keisha, Minka, Ashlyn Gere, Candi Roxx and Mimi Miyagi. Lots of gorgeous girls setting up booths. It's going to be a huge great convention at the Venetian. It's 109 degrees outside but they have the air conditioning on... Also, there will be an Erotic Ball this year at the Tropicana Hotel during the Internext convention where the Miss Nude Las Vegas pageant is going on. And at the Rio Hotel, the final for the Hooters Restaurant Girl of the year. And after the fourth of July, the FOXE Awards, Erotica LA and The Night Of The Stars [Free Speech Coalition dinner dance]."
Partying With Rob, Jim And Brooke
Rob Spallone phoned Tuesday afternoon.
Rob: "How's the new temple?"
Luke: "It's ok. I haven't really found a home yet. I'm not going to shul every day any more to study and pray. I don't want to risk getting thrown out again. I need more time to heal."
Rob: "You should've come out with us last night. We went to the Key Club in Hollywood. Dyanna Lauren's band was playing. A lot of industry people there. Brooke Lane, Mike McCormick."
Brooke laughs in the background.
Rob: "Brooke thinks it's funny that Mike didn't talk to her. He didn't even look at her.
"We're just coming back from the beach in Ventura... Herschel Savage did Monique DeMoan and Brooke did a solo masturbation scene."
Luke: "Did she show up sober?"
Rob: "As sober as could be."
Brooke: "We had a great time last time. Teri Weigel, Shay Sights and I were hanging out. We got up on stage. Saw Mike McCormick and he didn't even look at me. He totally acted like I wasn't there. He's big and bad on the computer but doesn't want to... Rob and Jim were wasted. They were f---ed."
Rob: "Ok buddy, call me tomorrow. I just wanted to check up and see how you were."
Rob calls back: "Hey, next time, make it look like someone else gives you the information."
Mike McCormick writes: Yes Brooke, I saw you at the Key Club but I already told you to go f--- yourself the day I fired you for being late and drunk. Did you feel that it was necessary for me to do it again at the club? Just curious. I'd hate to seem like a coward to someone as important and well liked as you.
Rumdar writes Luke: You have been treated harshly... It is not like you stole from the collection box for Christsakes! And as I have mentioned before, the underlying message of l-keford.com has always been anti porn. If it were anything but, your close advisors would not be contributing the errrrrr! reams of verbiage that we do. I believe Jews do not do enough to reach out to those who could be useful to the cause. Ask yourself this, where is the Jewish Pygmy? The Jewish Native American ?(Chief Lips---z if you will) The Jewish Eskimo? The Jewish Aborigine? If these didactic Rabbis would get off their duffs, into canoes and start rowing upstream looking for converts it would be beneficial for a greater Jewishness. Take a page from the Pope. The old cocker can barely breath but he is stumbling around the world going places he is not even wanted to further the cause of Catholics everywhere. Come on Jews. Wake up. You heard it first from me. You need more Luke F-rds not less. Welcome Luke F-rd back into the fold for I believe he a serious son of Judea.
A Conversation With Clay Dunning Of Internet Fulfillment Company
I talked Tuesday afternoon with Clay Dunning, the court appointed receiver of IFC2000.com, the internet's first big sex store.
Clay: "You know that there is a squabble going on between the partners. And the partners that filed the suit asked for a receiver to operate the business until the squabble is resolved. I'm the receiver. Unrelated the that, the bank (Capital City Bank) that processed credit cards for the company, pulled out of the business in April. We have located another bank, IPayment Technologies. We started processing credit cards May 21st.
"That set us back as we went through that challenge. We have cleared the backlog of unprocessed orders. Out of respect for our customers and affiliates, we continued for a couple of weeks to process orders after the bank terminated processing, believing that we would get a replacement account quickly. We took the risk on our nickel, meaning, shipping our inventory without verifying the validity of the cards. We stopped that after a couple of weeks.
"We are on the verge of a significant new affiliate announcement. We are previewing new store software at the Internext over the next three days."
Luke: "Affiliates have asked me when are they going to get paid?"
Clay: "All of the checks for March have been reissued and sent. We are issuing checks to cover any bank charges. Some of the subsequent commission checks have been distributed..."
Dunning, appointed by the court, is a neutral party in the dispute between IFC2000 founder Norm Wilson and his business partners. Clay has no experience in the porn industry but feels no trepidation at doing so. "Business is business whether you are shipping adult novelties or irons.
If the case goes to trial, Dunning should be on the job for about a year.
Beloved Responds To Scoffers
On my June 25 update, I published a long email from a man who managed to escape immorality and instead embrace marriage, God and religion. In response to his story, I received numerous scoffing emails from Godless Jews and Gentiles.
Beloved now responds:
(1) I have a strategy of accessing www.l-keford.com/text.htm instead of the root URL to avoid the majority of the banners on the site. If there was another way to read Luke's biographical material then I would definitely use it.
(2) I mentioned public schools to emphasize my lack of exposure to any kind of theistic upbringing. I did have a lot of wonderful teachers. I was also a National Merit Scholar, if that means anything.
(3) My experience of AOL was different in 1995-96. I didn't have a scheme to lure women or deceive them. Chat rooms were really used to get the word out about parties the chat room regulars set up at local nightclubs -- just regular drinking and dancing spots. Even during my wild years I told all my female acquaintances never to meet anyone for the first time in person alone. Over time I realized that even if one is never raped or physically abused, the emotional and spiritual damage of promiscuity still takes its toll.
(4) I don't necessarily view masturbation as a gross "cardinal" sin. There's no specific mandate against it either in the Torah or the Christian scriptures. However Jesus clearly teaches that to look at a woman lustfully is equivalent to the act of adultery. So fantasies = lust = leave it behind. Not to mention the fact that in all my sexual experiences, the actual physical pleasure I receive during sex with my wife is an order of magnitude greater than anything or with anyone else. I can honestly say that I'd rather have my wife than anyone or anything else in a sexual sense. There's a freedom and joy in the marriage bed that doesn't exist anywhere else, as well as all the affection and afterplay that I always missed. I can only imagine that it would be even better if I had waited until marriage for sex -- my body a gift to her only, no need to heal the hurts and heartbreaks of the past, etc. So, I see lots of great reasons to flee immorality even when it only involves oneself. For those who have ears to hear.
Chaim Amalek writes: Sounds like this Christian is really on the ball and has got his act together. Can any of you secular (or other) jews claim to be living a better life away from Jesus than he has found with Christ? Hmmm?
Nice Jewish Girl writes: Dear Luke: I really like what Beloved has to say. I can't believe that I agree with Chaim on an issue! But what Beloved has to say is real, it's good, it's a spiritual message. I think a lot of people tune into you Luke to see how your spiritual progress is doing. We like to read how you are struggling as it is reflective of our inner states perhaps. I hope Beloved continues to write to you and that you give him an outlet. It is interesting that both Chaim, myself and you all feel that what he has to say is of importance spiritually and lovingly.
Randy West Replies To Jenna Jameson
Jenna Jameson in an interview with Howard Stern on Friday said West paid her $10,000 to do her first scene. West tells GeneRossExtreme.com that he paid Jameson. $1,000.
West is particularly miffed about Jameson's "gross" comments in describing the experience she had with West.
West tells Gene Ross: "Jenna wrote to me at the time saying she was a fan and wanted to get in the business. If I was that gross, I don't think she would have done that. She didn't fake anything. She told Stern she was faking it. She's not that good of an actress to fake it that well.
"I did the first scene with her and Kylie [Ireland]. It couldn't have been that bad because Jenna came back and said she wanted to do the second scene with just me and here. So I don't know where she's coming from to tell you the truth. Actually I was working with Kylie in one of her first scenes and Jenna happened to show. Jenna had done one other scene before I shot her- a threeway with Jonathon Morgan and some other girl. She was telling me she didn't like it and Jonathon had problems and he was sweating all over and she didn't like the other girl."
Jenna Jameson writes Luke: Randy paid me 2000 dollars for the first scene with Kylie and him. He cornered me at that shoot and asked me to do a scene with him. I said i would only do that for big money. He said no problem. He paid me 6000 dollars for that scene. So, I made those two days I made 8000 dollars. Second, he contacted me, through Julia Parton and asked me to be in his series... Trust me, it wasn't because I was a fan. I didn't know enough about the business to be a fan. Randy is a really nice guy... he is just much older than me, and that freaked me out. s---, I was 19! It worked out well in the end though, it was his biggest selling tape. Or so he told me. My apologies to randy, I didn't mean to make him mad. Things can get out of control when you are on Howard, and I hope he doesn't take them personally.
Howard has definitely calmed down. He is really tired. Probably because he has a new girlfriend.
Tony Montana Marries Laurie Holmes, Runs For AIDS
Also on Gene Ross, I found this interview with Tony Montana, who will run in an AIDS marathon in Honululu December 9th:
Tony says: "I went to John Stagliano and he said, 'Do you think I'm going to sponsor you to go around the world?' He goes, 'I'm not going to support you; I'm not going to be paying for you to go around the planet. Don't make this a habit.' Out of all people I thought he would have said Tony, come in. It's tax deductible.
"He was very nasty on the phone and just completely blew me away. I guess he don't want to be reminded that he's got a deadly disease going through his veins and has to take medication like clockwork and people won't touch him because he's sick."
Tony Montana and Laurie Holmes married in April. "Her 11 year-old son was my best man," says Montana. "The ceremony in Boulder City was totally cool. My whole family drove down there; her family was down there. It was better than the first time I got married. I wasn't high and I wasn't drunk."
Farrah Returning To Video
Tall blonde porn star Farrah (who owes Kevin Beech six movies) writes: HELLO Luke F-rd LONG TIME HUH? ANYWAYS I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IF YOU WOULD KEEP MY OUTSIDE THE PORN BUSINESS OUT OF YOUR WONDERFUL WORK YOU CAN PRINT THIS IF YOU WANT TO ON YOUR WEB SITE IM SURE SOME WOULD AGREE. I WILL BE RETURNING TO THE ADULT INDUSTRY VERY SOON,SO THAN YOU WILL HAVE PLENTY TO TALK ABOUT THAN AND IF YOU WANT YOU CAN COME ALONG AND GET A "REAL" TRUE STORY. BUT UNTILL THAN IF THERE IS ANYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO CONTACT ME...
P.S OLIVIA IS STILL WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU TO FIX THAT MESS IT WOULD MEAN ALOT FOR YOU TO CONTACT US AT SOME POINT. KEEP UP THE GOSIP AND CLEAN UP THE BULLs--- THERE IS MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO GOSSIP ABOUT THAN PEOPLES "PERSONAL"LIFES OR PROBLEMS,STICK WITH THE "PORNO" JUICY GOSSIP THERE IS PLENTY OF PEOPLE TO BE TALKING ABOUT ,WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR BUDDY CHUCK,DID HE PAY YOU OFF TO SHUT UP ABOUT HIS MANY PROBLEMS,EXS,AND ETC HABBITS WE ALL KNOW ABOUT WHICH ENVOLE THE "PORNO" BIZ .
I HVE BEEN OUT OF THIS BIZ FOR AT LEAST 1 YEAR IF NOT MORE STAYING GOOD AND HEALTHY AND HAPPY,WHY DONT YOU WRITE ABOUT THINGS LIKE THAT,OR IS IT NOT "GOSSIP"? WE HAVE ALOT OF YOUR KIND OF "GOSSIP" WHICH DOES NOT INVOLVE HURTING A REP.AND INVOLVES THE INDUSTRY,WE HAVE ALWAYS LIKED YOU LUKE BUT WISH YOU WOULD JUST CALL US FOR ANY QUESTIONS INVOLVING US OR OTHERS MAYBE TRY GOING TO THE SOURCE YOU MAY GET SOMETHING BETTER,OLIVIA AND I BOTH WILL TALK IT COULDNT BE ANY WORSE THAN TALKING TO CHUCK EVERYONE HAS A LIFE OUTSIDE THIS "BUSINESS" LETS START FOCUSSING ON HELPING PEOPLE WITH THERE "GOSSIP" RATHER THAN PROVOKING MORE GOSSIP.I AM SORRY IF I SAID ANYTHING TO OFFEND YOU, I PROBABLY DID NOTHING BUT MAKE AN ASS OUT OF SELF,BUT I JUST FELT TO VOICE MY OPINION FOR ONCE . THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HOPE TO GET A RESPONSE.
Luke says: I talked to Farrah Tuesday morning while she took in some Los Angeles sunshine. We discussed the competing interests of a sex star and sex gossip columnist.
Is l-keford.com Advertising Bestiality, Scat & The Australian Porn Mafia?
I have nothing to do with the banners that are placed on my site. That is controlled by a third party. They don't tell me what to write and I don't tell them who to advertise. I give them all advertising space on LF.com and they send me a check every week.
Anyway, I clicked on some of the new banners on my site and when I tried to leave the advertised sites, they popped browsers for s---city.com, a scat site, and several bestiality sites - barnyardbitches.com, farmyardsexx.com and pet-sex.com. The sites appear to be owned and operated by Scott Phillips operation PinkBits aka AdWealth.com.
Synagogue Sanctity
Ian writes: Hi Luke, What would be your feelings if, going to your synagogue, you found yourself rubbing shoulders with some new members you knew made their livings from porn (magazine publishers, directors, cameramen, performers, etc)? Would you:
a) feel that the synagogue memberships was going downhill?
b) rejoice at the tolerant attitude of the established members of the
synagogue (assuming that they were aware of the backgrounds of these
new members)?
Luke says: I would feel that the synagogue memberships were going downhill.
David writes: Luke: If you are a journalist as you proport to be, why would the rabbi have any problem with you covering the news. If your synagogue started having members that covered journalism in very sticky areas, would you think the membership was going downhill?
I think the real problem the rabbis have is with your idea of the porn tours. This all happened after the show aired. Although you make no bones about your opinions here at your forum, the show's editing probably made you seem more like a proponent of porn than an objective observer. On the other hand, wearing a yarmulke would have been just as bad. You are truly caught between a rock and a hard place. I wonder what the ACLU would say about your being kicked out.
Luke says: Those are sharp observations. If I wrote for the LA Times about porn once in awhile, nobody would have any problems. The problem is that I have immersed myself in the industry and make my living off porn advertisements.
David replies: Exactly. You did a porn movie once -- as much for the experience as anything. I really don't think you planned to make your living at it. I was a psychic for a 900 number for about 8 months. I was planning to write about it but I still tried to do a good job while I was there. Does this mean that I'm permanently tainted? If so, I'm tainted. Maybe when I'm rolling around with the dregs of society, some cool Jewish guy like Jesus will still bother to befriend me.
Luke says: I am reminded of an aphorism attributed to the late Jewish philosopher Ernst Simon: "Those with whom I pray I cannot talk to; those with whom I can talk, I cannot pray."
Man On Way To Brothel Finds His Wife Working
BERLIN (Reuters) - A man seeking gratification in the red-light district in the German town of Aachen was surprised to run into his wife, who was secretly working as a prostitute, police said on Monday.
Prostitution is not illegal in Germany but police were required to calm an argument between the couple that broke out after the chance encounter in the small hours of Saturday morning.
Is Porn Becoming Boring?
Matt writes on RAME: I have decided that the recent lineup of porn, both stars and movies, is becoming rather boring. It might be that I have just become jaded from numerous years of watching porn, but I just don't find many movies or actresses nowadays that really turn me on. I still check out the movies at the local video store, but rarely do I see something that looks worth renting. I use to be a big fan of the Gang Bang Girl series, but recently I have found that to be a disappointment. The same goes for Little White Chicks...... series. I have also lost interest in most of the Anabolic and Diabolic movies. I still enjoy the American Bukkake series. It is a bit of a freak show, but it certainly is unique. Does anyone else feel that the latest installment of porn is becoming rather lame or is it just me.
Belgalen writes on RAME: You are experiencing a temporary loss of interest. It has happened to many of us from time to time. Like mainstream movies, porn industry hits a lull, then start making better movies. One day your interest will come back with ever more vigor.
Nick Adams writes on RAME: That's been happening ever since the porn gods decided plot was an unnecessary burden. Porn without a story is like watching Chinese basketball. If you don't know the players, the teams to the standing, it's hard to stay interested in the mere physical act.
The way to revive porn is to come up with stories that engage the viewers and pull them into the action mentally. The problem is that will never happen. Viewers have become so used to fast forwarding through the dialog that most of them wouldn't even notice if you somebody made an incredibly interesting, well-acted movie. All they'd see was those boring sex bits. In today's market, I doubt good porn would sell any better than bad porn. And since bad porn is cheaper to make, where's the incentive to do better?
Debating ClubJenna.com On Netpond
Brad Shaw writes on Netpond: Jenna a millionaire? Questionable. Her fame is fading quick, she better hurry and get Jenna Cash off the ground;-) Her web strategy is terrible. I know, we were in negotiations with her for some time. Anyone recall the first version of clubjenna.com? Best move she made was hiring MikeW to do the redesing. Maybe would help if she hired people with a clue. Reminds me of sex.com , missed opportunity.
Kevin Blatt writes on Netpond: Now now boys let's play nice..... Jenna IS the highest paid performer. PERIOD. In all of adult. Call Fishbein and ask him Brad. Brad I know you wouldn't be all sour grapes just cause Jay passed on your deal....right?
MikeAI writes on Netpond: Meni, no disrespect to Jenna, I am a big fan of her work. But she is overexposed, getting older, competing in a industry that thrives on the next new hot YOUNG girl. No disrespect just reality. She should have had a site rolling 3 years ago...
Meni, as a key advisor to Jenna, you should get your investment to stop smoking cigerettes. They surely won't help her shelf life on this planet, and they will not make her look any younger either...
Jenna Jameson's boyfriend Justin Sterling addresses Brad Shaw on Netpond: Hey Fat Ass, You wanna talk your s--- about myself, Jenna,and my company...whew... I hope you can back up your talk...Because you just unleashed the heat. If you think for a minute I'm am going to listen to you blow s--- out of that Hole you call a mouth and laugh, you have another thing coming. You think you were in negotiations..you are a joke- I still have your joke of a proposal! The reason we did nothing with you was a direct result of it...You have no business skills. Do you even know what a proposal is? My point exactly. You should spend a little more time in school learning and less time posting on the board and maybe you would have 1/10 the business acumen that myself,my brother, and or Jenna have. I look at my PNL over the past decade and smile. My brother retired at 36, never needing to work again. I sold my last company and have no need to work either. Jenna has more money in cars than you are worth. We started Clubjenna as something fun to do, and something for her fans. Not a company to rip off its customers. Brad you are a bad businessman, and I use that term loosely. I will finish this conversation when I meet you if you are even man enough to stand in front of me.
Brad Shaw makes fun of (Jenna Jameson's boyfriend) Justin Sterling's business skills: Jay, here is some math. Nice and simple for you. You are so rich that leaving this $ on the table is no big deal though, right. 1000 sign-ups a day, pay $30 a sign-up Each sign-up in the long term worth $42 after CB's, credits, expenes, etc You are leaving over $4millon on the table easy. I know you may not understand this, but try.
Jay, you make me laugh. Your internet operations make me laugh. It took me about 30 seconds of speaking with you on the phone to realize you know nothing about the adult internet business.
Sure you know video, but this is not video. The real money to be made is here, but you lose, you are missing the boat.
You are very defensive about my comment about Jenna's wealth. Why care what I think. Who the hell am I? Why be so defensive? I have done million $ deals with a contract I have written up in 5 mins. Why would I waste my time on a drawn out proposal when it was obvious you were not willing to put up capital to start a webmaster program that could compete in the market.
You think you know it all, sure $30 a sign-up with no trial is going to attract traffic, sure! And as for Club Jenna and your internet operations, you are CLUELESS. You have Jenna and you are not raking in millions a month off that site, something is wrong with your operation.
Kevin Blatt writes on Netpond: Brad: My body guards number is 1-800-Bad-Dude. I don't think even he would touch this one though..... After all, Jay [Justin Sterling] is from Cleveland. That means in translation " apologize and kiss ass now before your face is reconfigured".
Hooper writes: Lets stop this stupid Jenna debate... it's clear that she's not making as much of her name as she could. f---... like somebody said... lost opportunities. Nothing personal to anybody involved but why sell your pink pussy for 34.95 (or whatever) a month to 1000 people when you could be selling it for 39.95 to 1,000,000 people?
Jay [Justin Sterling].. Do us all a favor and just stop. Stop typing. Stop thinking. Stop breathing. We'll all be happier, healthier and wiser because of it... You can f--- Jenna all you want... but the greatest and wisest phrase of all time is always going to stand true... "No matter how hot she is... no matter how often she sucks dick.... somebody.. somewhere.. is SICK OF HER s---!"
Jenna Jameson writes on Netpond: Wow, how harsh are some of you guys... I'm not even involved, and some of you feel the need to bash me. Nothing even came out of my mouth, so how can you be sick of my s---? (Hooper) I bet you will be so sticky sweet to my face, when I meet you in Vegas. I probably won't even know who you are, and will be my same sweet self. I will do my best to find out who all of you nasty people are just so I can talk with you about your views on me and my "worth". I would enjoy it if I could get a little respect here. I think of all the people in this industry, I deserve it.
Brad Shaw replies: Jenna, I think your real problem should be with the anon attacks. Not everyone is going to like you, life goes on, I am sure you know this by now.
Not too many millionaire retired dancers or porn stars sitting on a beach somewhere. In fact, I can not think of any, unless they made their fortunes on the net. And some other free advice Jenna. If you want to make big $ on the net, surround yourself with people who understand this business. Not the best talkers, the best partiers, but the best business people.
Jenna Jameson responds: Brad, trust me... If I was bothered by what you had to say, I would have responded last night. Although, I don't really understand why you wanted to business with me so bad if "my star is fading". With concern to your advise on who I should surround myself with, I surround myself with people I trust. I think that is the most important thing when you are the talent in this industry. I have been ripped off way too many times. I have just begun to learn everything there is in the internet industry, how long have you been in business? Also, I WILL NEVER concern myself with anons. It pisses me off more when people I know, that claim to be good people take it apon themselves to judge me, call me names, and speak about me "sucking dick" ,, that piss me off. Because I know they will be my best friend when I see them in Vegas.
Mike, I am definately not angry about people saying I suck dick... I am proud of my skills :) But I am also a business woman, and would like to be treated as such. I also love to hear everyones opinion, as long as it's not rude comments that do absolutely nothing but take jabs at my character. I agree I should have done this three years ago, but I was busy building the "franchise" everyone knows as Jenna Jameson. It took a lot to get to where I am. I am only one person. And, it is never too late. I know this, because I am still #1.
I may be old (27) But I'm still having my door knocked on by everyone of these #1 companies. Why? Because they need this old lady to bring them traffic.
Blahhh Blahhh writes: Hi Luke, Trust me I don't want to get involved in the Jenna bashing, I'm a huge fan of hers. I've got nothing but love for you Jenna. But I truly don't understand how Jenna could be a millionaire. I have very limited understanding of the porn biz but from what I've seen and heard the girls really don't make that much and get burned out pretty quickly. I've heard there are no royalties based upon sales, or airplay on TEN or the Playboy channel, like in mainstream. Is this different for contract girls? I thought contract girls got a fixed amount for a finite number of movies. For Jenna I could see that being $250k/year. Dancing as a feature I'm sure can gross a lot of cash with appearance fee's, selling pictures etc. but I'd be surprised if that could gross more than $3-400k for even the biggest star working 35-40 weeks per year.
And her clubjenna.com site just got started so I'm sure there is a long way to go there. I joined for a month when it first came out. Lots of pics, but hardly any vid's and that's what I wanted to see so I cancelled. I've heard that most memberships to porn sites only last 2-3 months. So I don't see that as a very reliable source of income unless you constantly upgrade content. Which of course means Jenna has to stay in front of the camera for a couple of years. Which I thought she didn't want to do anymore. So basically it boils down to one question. How could this sort of wealth been accumulated? cuz I don't get it. All of the above at best add's up to $750-850k per year before taxes. And I think I'm being very liberal in my estimates. Certainly that is a very respectable income, and more than I make but it doesn't make you a millionaire. Not even close when you consider Jenna is going to have some heavy expenses. Help me understand. Oh and Jenna, pretty please with sugar on top, do a threeway with Bunny Luv and Miko Lee.
AnalCynic writes: If Jenna is so rich, then why is she hocking that car on Ebay? My first thought was, to raise capital.
Let's face it, Jenna's success is based upon her looks, not her personality, acting talent or innate charisma. When her looks go, she won't have a career, period.
We have no way to tell what she is actually earning off Club Jenna so it all might be a bunch of talk in an attempt to hype a product in a sea of like products. Those who are making a million, usually lurk quietly. They don't scream "Hello. IRS, I'm making 1.5 million a year." Give me a break.
Luke Gets Mail
LT writes: Luke, Been a while since I caught up. I did see your visage on my TV screen when the "National Enquirer - Uncovered" aired the segment on the Porn Tour. You came off much more at ease this time. Almost comfortable.
I noticed they focused on T.J. Hart. Let me guess, of all the women there, she had the largest fake boobs. Right? That's what they were looking for, the most stereotypical porn starlet. Blonde and big fake boobs. I'm sure the only reason that Nancy Vee got any air time at all was because of her mom being there. If you'd have taken them to someone who has had problems with her implants and had her tell them her story, not only would it have not aired...they'd have run away like certain regions of their bodies were on fire. TV folk fixate on fake boobs, usually promoting them. Anyway, good job and you came across the best I've ever seen you on the tube.
Second, Heather Lyn is fine...she doesn't need breast implants. And she should know if she gets a discount, it's going to come with a price. Half price = twice as bad. Notice how she brought up "how nice Dr. Fisher is"...well of course he's nice, nice in the same way a car salesman or real estate agent is. They are trying to drum up business!. They don't want to blow a possible deal and the money that goes along with it. Luke, when you've been on a set, how often does the talk of implants come up?
Luke says: Frequently.
Ian writes: Hi Luke, There have been a number of references recently to photographer Jake Jacobs on your site, so I was interested to see a film ("Exile") on UK cable tv which credited JJ as something like 'photography director'. The intro reminded me of 'Alien' - very high quality. There's no doubt - clever photography can make a world of difference to (my) adult film enjoyment. And there's certainly quite a lot of bad photography about.
Hi Luke, You say: "Americans are just so damn nice and friendly and tolerant." Spoken like a true immigrant who wants to be liked! Your statement sounds like a triumph of hope over experience (a phrase originally made about second marriages.) Since you are someone who makes his living in a way about which much of US society is extremely intolerant, and having recently related a painful experience of intolerance in your local synagogue (or shul, or whatever), I'd have thought you were among the last people likely to make such an optimistic remark about US society, which has given us such examples of institutionalized intolerance as Southern bigotry, McCarthyism, North-western bloody-mindedness, etc, etc. But perhaps you were being ironic, and my ear was slow to pick it up.
Luke says: No irony. I was deadly serious.
In the immortal words of John McEnroe, 'You cannot be serious!' Individual Americans, I am sure, can be very nice, and even tolerant, but I believe it to be a highly conformist society, in which anyone who steps outside fairly narrow bounds is likely to find himself ostracized.
Luke replies: I can not think of any society that is more tolerant - we have far more diversity here in America than you do in England or Europe or anywhere in the world. America has more racism because it has more races. We have less class structure and more freedom. For instance, we have a far freer press and far more social mobility than anywhere in the British Commonwealth.
Ian writes: I seem to remember that when America had relatively few races (say, in the 19th century), racism was as bitter as it had ever been. I don't know if you're familiar with the history of the American South a few years after Lincoln's assassination when the southern states were given back the power to govern themselves (I think it was called Reconstruction) and they used it to crush the 'uppity nigras' into a virtual state of slavery again. I don't think those feelings have properly gone away (Governor Wallace is not such a long time ago), and that situation has NOTHING to do with the number of races. All you need is two.
Dean writes: Hey Luke'ster, was wondering if you could put the word out for us that we're doing a model search and trying to find the next "Penthouse Pet"! J. Stephen Hicks (ddgirls.com) has been working with Penthouse for over 15 years and has been a regular contributor to other mens magazines for well over 25 years. We're also looking for new model-agents and agencies to work with to bring us new and fresh talent. We "really" treat our agents well ;c) All interested models, agents or agencies should submit pics by email to me at dean@hicksphoto.com or send them via snail mail at our office at: Stephen Hicks Photography c/o Dean 13323 Washington Blvd. #101 Los Angeles, CA 90066
Internet Pornographers Prepare For Internext Expo In Las Vegas
AVN's Internext Expo, formerly IA2000, begins Wednesday in Las Vegas.
I called Kevin Blatt Monday around noon. His bodyguard Bruce answered.
Kevin: "Now I have go ship some wooden dicks to the Venetian. I've got seven Big Woodies and one pussy that we're giving away at the Players Ball (ThePlayersBall.com). Jenna Jameson will give away the Player of the Year [among porn webmasters]. We just got all our merchandise yesterday for the Players Ball. Snoop Dog's playing. It's going to be outrageous. We've Shaquille O'Neal and a bunch of celebrities coming. And I'm freaking."
Luke: "Why are you freaking?"
Kevin: "My brother Darren has brought in a lot of old time rappers, old school, for past editions of the Players Ball. Snoop Dog is probably the biggest act on the map right now. He commands the most money."
YYY writes: "Snoop Dog's agency William Morris voted him last week The Most Likely Not To Show. He's held up directors on multi-million dollar video sets for days and it has cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars. But I hear Snoop Dog is pumped for the show because he knows pussy's involved and he knows that Jenna Jameson is going to be there. He's got ten bodyguards."
Luke: "Is he black?"
Kevin: "You've never heard of Snoop Doggy Dog?"
Luke: "I don't know anything about him."
Kevin: "Everyone in porn knows who he is. He's costing us $100,000. It's Friday night. Cybererotica, D-money.com, qwikmed (a big Viagra company) and CyberAge are major sponsors. It's the biggest press event. We have Source magazine, Rolling Stone, Revolt, a bunch of UK magazines, America Undercover, The Man Show..."
YYY writes: "Tuesday is the first day you can set up your booths for the convention. So most everybody is getting to Las Vegas tonight. Tuesday night JoeE's CEN and SmutCash and SilverCash are throwing a huge party for webmasters.
"A lot of people will look into Sex.com at the show and see what it's true value really is. The GIA (Global Internet Alliance) will have their annual meeting.
"Albumside's been down for three weeks because of a major flood in Georgia. And Bell South has been messing with Dokk, and not getting his stuff back in order.
"You'll see the big adult webmasters showing off with big dinners this week, stretch limos, playing blackjack for $30,000 a hand. Many of these guys are the quiet giants. You've never heard of these guys but they have as much traffic as Ron Levi. There's an old saying that the only time a whale gets harpooned is when it surfaces. So a lot of these whales like to stay below the surface. Like Greg Lasrado, Yishai Habari, Scott Phillips...
"It's funny how many webmasters getting on elevators talking bad about people and they don't even realize who they're standing next to. The internet industry is largely anonymous. The video industry is different. You would never dare talk bad about James DiGiorgio in an elevator or Steve Hirsch if he was standing next to you."
Darren Blatt writes on Netpond: The Players Ball passes will be issued out at the Cybererotica booth during the trade show. Please stop by there to pick up your passes, don't wait til the last day, they might be all gone. People that are wearing Players Ball hats and hockey jerseys should have passes on them to hand out, so find those peeps if you see them. The VIP line starts at 11:00 pm, regular addmission will be at 12:00 am. Please be on time, don't pull that late bulls---, or you won't get in.
You MUST dress pimp or ho, or don't bother coming. Find at least a pimp hat of feather boa. If anyone is looking for me, I'll be on the DL for the first couple of days, not feeling well, got sick. But if you know me well enough, you know I'll have your passes on me, so just wait until you see me. VIP passes are given out by the sponsors of this party, check out the site to find out who they are. If you have a VIP, you have 1 hour to get inside before the rest. I'd suggest you show up between 11:00 and 12:00, cause it might get busy after that. No passes have been issued yet, all passes get handed out at the trade show. It's my door people this time, so if you had a bad experience at the last Players Ball, give it one more try. The Big Woody Awards will be presented by myself and Jenna with other famous pornstars.
Luke Apologizes For Publishing Gossip Masquerading As News
About three weeks ago, I published on my site that I'd heard there was a big news story that would shake up everyone in the industry. Today I found out that what I purported to be news was only gossip of a most tawdry nature - a leading pornographer moving out from his wife and establishing his own separate residence. As an observant Jew, Luke F-rd does not indulge in gossip.
Serge Birbrair, Charles Carreon Talk With Stephen Cohen
That charming rogue Stephen Michael Cohen spoke with his former rivals Serge Birbrair and Charles Carreon by phone from his hideout in Mexico over the past few days. Cohen used to operate sex.com until it was stripped from him by a court and returned to Gary Kremen.
Carreon, who's suing Kremen for payment for his legal services, has completed 17 chapters of his book on the Sex.com saga.
I hear that Meatman has taken over the adult web's premier discussion board Netpond.com from its former operator Nick@Ilynx.com aka Johnathan Appleby.
Devotion, desire drive youths to 'martyrdom'
Here are some excerpts from this chilling article in the USA Today:
ZARQA, Jordan — The Hotaris are preparing for a party to celebrate the killing of 21 Israelis this month by their son, a suicide bomber. Neighbors hang pictures on their trees of Saeed Hotari holding seven sticks of dynamite. They spray-paint graffiti reading "21 and counting" on their stone walls. And they arrange flowers in the shapes of a heart and a bomb to display on their front doors. "I am very happy and proud of what my son did and, frankly, am a bit jealous," says Hassan Hotari, 54, father of the young man who carried out the attack June 1 outside a disco in Tel Aviv. It was Israel's worst suicide bombing in nearly four years. "I wish I had done (the bombing). My son has fulfilled the Prophet's (Mohammed's) wishes. He has become a hero! Tell me, what more could a father ask?"
Lured by promises of financial stability for their families, eternal martyrdom and unlimited sex in the afterlife, dozens of militant Palestinians like Hotari aspire to blow themselves up, Israeli and Palestinian officials say. Their goal: to kill or injure as many Jews as possible in the hope that Israel will withdraw from Gaza and the West Bank. Israel captured the land in 1967.
