I talked to Sindee Coxx around 8PM. She and many others in the industry, I found over the next few hours, believed that I had reported that she was HIV positive. Not true. I never reported such a thing. I did hear that rumor but never published anything on it because I could not verify it. She says she is HIV negative and has PCR/DNA tests to prove it.
Around 10PM, I talked to Brooke Ashley over the phone and encouraged her to come on Ed's radio show. She agreed.
I arrived at the CBS owned KLSX studios at 3580 Wilshire Blvd at 11:15 PM Saturday night to find AVN's Gene Ross and Ed Powers. Gene, who looks in his mid'40s, stands about 6' and weighs over 200 muscular pounds, with broad shoulders and thick biceps. Gene and I shook hands though it was clear from his demeanor how much he despised me.
Ed Powers, however, was his usual charming self. We talked about his traditional Jewish upbringing in Brooklyn. He started in the sex business in New York in 1978 on 42nd, performing in sex shows at places like Show World. He started his "Ed Powers" persona in 1988. The three of us agreed that he had probably sold more tapes during the 1990s than any other individual.
For about a year, Ed has hosted a 1AM show for an hour on FM 92.3, interviewing ladies who frequent dance clubs (not strip clubs). KLSX liked what they heard and hired him for his own three hour show Sundy mornings from midnight on. He debuted three months ago.
Bill Margold phoned Ed to say that he couldn't make it. Bill had an early call time Sunday morning. He was also busy counseling a drunk porner.
Jake Steed, a soft spoken athletic black man, wore a white and blue track suit, and sat in the lobby with us.
Mark Kernes appeared around 11:30. An amiable soul, Mark was coming from his birthday party filled with his many friends in the adult industry. He turns 50 y.o. on Monday.
While we waited to go on air, I attempted to start a conversation with Mark but he clearly was not interested in talking to me. He said that he had not posted much to RAME over the past few months because of his busy schedule. He said his favorite posters were people who knew what they were talking bout, like S. Andrew Roberts.
Tonight was Mark's first time on a radio show.
HIV positive Brooke Ashley arrived. She gulped down several thick anti-viral pills with water. She mentioned that her ethnic background was half-Korean, and some French and American Indian.
Ed's new contract girl, slender 18 year old Brooke Powers arrived with her 19 y.o. friend Theresa.
At midnight we crowded into the studio. Bill served as the engineer and I sat next to him in front of the control board. It reminded me of my years at stations KAHI/KHYL in Auburn - Sacramento. Ed sat at one end of the booth, with Blake next to him. They were later joined by "Bonita" aka Elizabeth, a slender young Latina who appeared in several of Ed's hardcore videos. Along the console, either sat or stood Brooke, Mark and Gene.
I began by briefly describing my childhood in Cooranbong, Australia. How I began in the fall of 1995 researching a book on the history of porn, and eventually, in the fall of 1997, putting up a web site.
AVN "executive editor" Gene Ross then said that he knew of no one who was more of a threat to the adult industry, sexual freedom and free speech in America than Luke F-rd. "You say that you are from the land of the flies [Aboriginal meaning of 'Cooranbong]. That describes your web site. I have seen so much erroneous information that has gone up there. You just blatantly throw stuff out there, and then two days later, you will say, 'I was wrong I what I said.' You have destroyed people's reputations. You have painted a picture of this business that is non-existent. And you have successfully polarized elements within this industry. If I were bent on destroying the fabric of sexual freedom, you are doing an excellent job…"
Luke F-rd: "Fair enough. I am not a supporter of the adult industry."
Gene: "So you do have agenda. You're going about writing a book trying to destroy this business."
Brooke Ashley flips when I say that I do not support the adult industry. "I have never known you to say that before. I just met you. I find it very odd that I am speaking so openly about my entire life to someone who is not pro-porn. I am very pro-porn. Porn has been a part of my life… [since Brooke became an adult]. This industry is my family and my life."
[Monday 7/20/98 at noon I have a lunch appointment with Brooke. She does not show up.]
Luke: "I am like a journalist who covers Bill Clinton…and does not necessarily want to see him elected. I have positive feelings towards porn and I have negative feelings towards porn."
Luke, and the rest of religious Jews are in a yearly period of mourning this month for the destruction the Temples in Jerusalem 2600 and 2000 years ago, and some of the other disasters in Jewish history such as the 1492 expulsion from Spain. During these weeks Jews are supposed to reflect on their own destructive drives, and to face down the parts of themselves that seek to hurt innocent people. Thus, Luke comes across in a mild, gentle and understated manner.
Ed: "Luke, do you get into the confidences of people…"
Gene: "And sucker punches them."
Ed: "Brooke, do you feel that way? Do you feel that you have opened up to this man…."
Brooke: "Very much so… I just assumed that he was pro-porn."
Ed: "What has happened in your life recently?"
Brooke: "I learned on March 29 of this year that I was HIV positive."
Ed: "How do you feel the industry as a whole has treated you?"
Brooke: "I was disappointed. I was expecting a whole lot more help and support. A lot of those who do help me, either financially or spiritually, want to do it off-the-record."
Mark: "There are lots of idiots out there on the internet like Luke who will print lies on the internet… They start with lies and false assumptions… They think they know what is going on. But none of them are insiders. They don't know…"
Gene: "One of the larger issues here is the internet. It has become a dangerous place."
Ed: "Unverified information."
Brooke: "Anyone can put information on the internet. You don't have to be certified…"
Gene: "Here's a story that we broke, not Luke F-rd. There's a child custody case coming up in Lancaster on Tuesday involving Busty Belle. Her ex-husband is taking her to court because her picture showed up on the internet and underneath it, it said 'anal queen.' This guy went berserk.
"Information has been thrown up flagrantly on that internet… Gossip, innuendo… that will destroy people's lives."
Luke: "I never reported on the Sindee Coxx HIV story."
Gene: "The hell you didn't. It showed up on your web site. He's talked about Kaitlyn Ashley, John West, Rocco… Guilt by either attrition or association…"
Ed: "Luke, I want to believe in you… I don't want to believe that I'm talking to Satan."
Gene: "You're talking to the son of Lucretia Borges…"
Ed Powers goes to his first call - from the editor of Hustler Erotic Video Guide Mike Albo and his columnist Sid Deuce.
Mike: "We're sitting here listening to the show…I'm glad that Gene is putting Luke in his place. When Luke says that he had 3000 pages of information…Most of it is plagiarized from Hustler Erotic Video Guide."
Gene: "And AVN."
Mike: "He lies all the time. He's a punk. He's a worthless piece of garbage. Anybody out there who is sending in money to his web site, or is looking to Luke for information, is so far down the wrong track… I'm sure that Gene would agree with me in the following: Luke is probably the worst thing that has happened in this business forever. He doesn't know what he's talking about. He's an idiot."
Sid Deuce: "Luke F-rd is printing on his internet that Kaitlyn Ashley is HIV positive [not true - though several months ago I did briefly post that false report from folks who confused her with another HIV positive porn actress Caroline]… She's moved to Maryland to have a baby. She's not HIV positive. Luke F-rd should not write stuff that he doesn't know. That she's not in the business does not mean that she's dying. Some of my friends tell me that Luke wrote that Sindee Coxx and Kaitlyn Ashley is HIV positive."
Ed: "Luke, it's in your face."
Gene: "Luke is a liar."
Sid Deuce: "Luke, and what is this about you putting people's real names, addresses and phone numbers?"
Luke: "That is not true."
Gene: "It's absolutely true.'
Sid: "I've been on your web site."
Mark: "I have right here seven pages of performers' names and real names that he has published on his web site."
Sid: "He is lucky he hasn't printed mine because he would be in court."
Brooke: "Some people become very comfortable when they are speaking with anyone affiliated with the adult industry. People know that my real name is AnnMarie…"
Elizabeth: "Where did you get these people's real names, Luke? Get a life."
Mike Albo via telephone: "You [Luke] are a weasel. For instance, when you were printing up all this misinformation about her [Shyla Foxxx]… She calls you up and asks, 'where did you get all this information?' You said, 'Mike Albo gave it to me.' [Not true though I did say that Mike's magazine was one source for information.] You've got to take the heat for your own mistakes pal and not blame it on other people, because you're worthless. Instead of spending of spending all your money on those fancy yarmulkas that you wear, and the boy prostitutes…"
Mark: "I talked to Shyla Foxx at the Video Software Dealers Association meeting last week. She told me that she had been stalked and had crank calls…"
Mike: "Because of what Luke wrote."
Mark: "Because her real name is known to the public and is on Luke's list."
Mike: "Luke will do stuff like this and then blame other people. Take your own medicine, Luke. Be a man for a change. Take off that yarmulka and come down to my office so that I can stomp on your…"
Brooke: "Mike, we love you and we love Hustler…"
Laugher all round except from Luke.
Ed: "Luke, the heat is on. Are you going to change your ways at all? You don't care for this industry…"
Luke: "I am not an apologist for the adult film industry."
Brooke: "You said that you don't support the adult film industry."
Ed: "You masturbate to movies?"
Luke: "Yes, I do masturbate to pornography."
Ed: "Do you feel guilty?"
Luke: "Umm, I don't feel proud. I don't know if I feel guilty?"
Ed: "Do you have a girlfriend?"
Luke: "I have a relationship, but she's not really my girlfriend. But someone I'm intimate with…"
Gene: "A boyfriend?"
Mark: "May I read for a moment from Luke's web site: "I met a Jew who was a pornographer. I met a Jew who hated pornography. I met a Jew who exposed the real names of porn stars. I met a Jew who studied Talmud for hours every day in yeshiva and wanted to become a rabbi. I met a Jew whose father is a Christian evangelist. I met the enemy and he is me." So…he's saying that he hates pornography."
Brooke: "It sounds like that to me, and I've never heard you voice that before."
Ed: "Luke, it sounds like you need a friend."
Brooke: "My father, a Baptist, teaches Sunday School. My family's views are different from mine. I certainly don't try to mix my pornography and my spiritual ways… They are truly separate."
Ike from North Hills phones. "Luke F-rd, you mentioned HIV. Do you know where most of the HIV is, and how it's transmitted."
Luke: "As I understand it, most HIV is transmitted through male-to-male homosexual [anal] sex."
Bedlam. Brooke's voice rings out: "I disagree with you. I have an HIV specialist. It's a blood disease. Through unprotected sex, usually anally, it's easy to contract, or if a person has an open sore where there is blood to blood exposure."
Ike: "Where most AIDS is located?"
Luke: "I think it is Africa."
Ike: "Yes, and Haiti. And there is no pornography in Haiti or in Africa. How can you come out with a statement… You are putting innocent people in danger by giving their real names… What is your background? Are you a religious person?"
Luke: "Yes, I am a religious Jew. I am not orthodox."
Ike: "Are you aware that a person has a right to face their accuser? You are saying things, and putting them on the internet, even if true, I don't think you have a right to do that? You're not God."
Derek phoned to ask Ed if he was going to do another Bus Stop Series, or take his Debutantes series to Asia.
Ed: "Radio is now my priority… As for Bus Stop Tales, if I am going to work with someone, they are going to have to have a DNA test… I could take them from the Bus Stops to get a DNA test, but it would lose something along the way. I know it is compelling drama to pick someone up and do them… But it is not 1988 anymore."
Ed shouts: "Luke F-rd, you are a bad guy."
Luke: "I have done bad things."
Elizabeth: "Are you sorry for them?"
Luke: "Any bad things I've done, I'm sorry for…"
Mark: "But he's going to keep doing it."
Ed to Gene: "Would you give him a job at Adult Video News?"
Gene: "I'm glad you asked that question. A couple of years ago, Luke F-rd sent a resume to Adult Video News. I took a look at it. I laughed. He included a 2x3 glossy. This was a smirking picture."
Elizabeth and others laugh. "He wants to be in the industry."
Ed to Luke: "Would you be a male star in the industry if I offered you that opportunity?"
Luke: "I'd consider it."
Everyone seizes on the remark, convinced they now understand my motivations.
Gene: "We disregarded his resume. And then a couple of months later, I got a phone call from a guy who identifies himself as Luke F-rd [Spring of 1996]. He tells me that he's doing a book about the business. I said 'Fine, I talk to a lot of people who are either doing documentaries or books about the business.' But this guy was coming out of left field. It sounded like I was talking to a government agent. The texture of his questions were not the kind of questions you would ask if you were asking for some honest information about this business. We got into it for about 15-20 minutes. I hung up on the guy. I said, 'Sir, I have no more time for you.'"
Ed: "I think he's angry."
Gene:"Of course he's angry."
Ed: "It's your fault. You got him pissed off. Now look what he's doing. You should've given the guy a chance. He gave you a glossy. I usually get Polaroids."
Gene: "I've got glossies of you [Powers] in compromising positions and some of them involve barnyard animals.
"Anyway, two years later, this guy who is an investigative reporter…Luke F-rd is outside in the lobby [that night] asking dumbass questions about things he should know after two years of investigating the business. [I didn't know who a certain Hustler photographer was.] He's still at the elementary level. How good is this investigative reporter?"
Ed: "Luke, how good are you as an investigative reporter?"
Luke: "I'm ok."
Elizabeth: "That says it all."
Robert calls: "I've watched adult films but I've become turned off. Not only do you have to worry about AIDS, how about hepatitus and herpes? I saw this practice: An anal scene. He went from the anal into the mouth. That was nasty."
Brooke: "What you don't know is that oftentimes there's a pause between that… And people clean up."
Robert: "It was a black movie with Devlin Weed…"
Mark: "There are scenes like that… There's a whole discussion on the internet… [A2M]"
Ed: "I've not seen it [A2M]… That's not a [usual] practice…"
Robert: "You have your perverts out there, but for the average guy, that is pretty gross."
Ed: "…Who am I to judge?"
Brooke: "If you don't like it, you don't have to watch it."
Joe phones from East LA. "I think you should give Luke Perry a break. The public need to know is greater than any individual's right to privacy. You can ask that of any Hollywood star or any politician… Their lives become public once they put themselves in the public eye. People in Hollywood sells Maps to the Stars… They give tours where you can visit everybody's house. What's the big deal with this guy putting up porn actor's addresses? [Not true - I have never put up anybody's address.] There are stalking and libel laws."
Mark Kernes: "Alex Baldwin is suing a photographer right now for invading his privacy when his wife was bringing their baby home."
Ed: "Why should the adult industry be different from any other entertainment industry?"
Brooke: "Once you [Joe] become involved with porn, you'll be able to speak with more expertise."
Mark: "This is the sex business and a lot of Americans are crazy about sex. They watch it, but they fear it. People who are involved in having sex are prime targets for stalkers, because they're [stalkers?] crazy."
Brooke: "Anyone who is a closet pervert and can not be open about their sexuality, who is very sexual and has strange sexual proclivities…and can not be public about it, most of those people end up being child molestors."
Ed: "This is different. It's [porn] so personal. We do it for entertainment and education. You may go by Clark Gables house, but you're not going to go by John Holmes house."
Elizabeth: "You don't know how fans of adult movies are until you become one [a member of the porn industry]. You go out and do one video…"
Ed: "They expect that they can touch you and kiss you…"
Elizabeth: "Yeah, they're [fans of porn] are different."
Mark: "One adult star, whose name does appear on Luke's list, had her home broken into and a box of her dildos stolen."
Liz: "Luke, give them back."
Paul Fishbein, publisher of AVN, phones: "Ed, you've become Larry King. This is the best radio going. You were born to do this.
"So Brooke, I was under the impression that you had enough work. If you need work, we can get you a job in two minutes. A lot of what is going on is lack of communication. There's so much information and misinformation… We try to have Free Speech meetings and talent meetings, where you have ten people show up… The reality is, there's not a lot of communication. There are 20 companies that would hire Brooke in a minute. We'd just have to make a phone call. Any of the girls that can't work in the industry any more… We can get them jobs. All the pro-condom companies have said that they will find work for these girls.
"We have four ads in the newspaper this week for jobs, so even we could hire you. So, the work's out there. We just need to communicate better."
Ed: "Would you like to say anything directly to Luke F-rd?"
Paul: "Can I improve upon Mark and Gene throwing the facts in his face, and him quivering, sitting in his little seat quivering? I don't have to say anything. I've got Gene and Mark there."
Ed: "Brooke, we've known each other a long time. Love stands through time and distance… There's a lot of love out there for you."
Brooke: "And I love you all."
Ricky Rocket from the rock group Poison phoned in. "Ed, how many girls have you been with?"
Ed: "Five thousand…"
Liz: "How many have you been with, Ricky Rocket?"
Ricky: "When you tour with Poison, a lot."
Ed: "Have I influenced you at all?"
Ricky: "Oh yeah. Would you like to put some of my songs in your movies?"
Ed: "Great…"
The phones were jammed throughout the night.
Mark Spiegler, a frequent guest at Rob Spallone's Star World Modeling, phoned from Venice.
"Luke, don't reporters have to substantiate their reports?"
Luke: "Absolutely."
Mark: "You have a report on the internet right now that I am a "trust fund baby." A. Who told you that? B. I have never received in my life from a trust fund.
"When someone tells you a joke, that Rob Spallone's mom is a hitwoman for the Calimari family… You report that as a fact. How did you substantiate that?"
Liz: "And if it was fact, why would you report that?"
Luke: "I quoted a hilarious satirical post by Director James DiGiorgio, about Rob Spallone's mom… There is no Calimari family."
Ed: "Luke, I heard that you're an egg plant."
Mark Kernes: "That's the problem. Luke hears things from all over the place and puts it up on the web. It may be true, it may not be true. It doesn't matter."
Liz: "It's like the National Enquirer of porn."
Mark Spiegler: "Libel laws require that you do not have a reckless disregard of the truth. I don't think you're checking anything out.
"Who said that I receive anything from a trust fund?"
Luke: "That's your reputation among many of your peers."
Mark: "Name two."
Luke: "I am not going to name my sources."
Widespread derision and laughter at Luke.
Gene: "Luke, you never name your sources. All you refer to is, 'my sources.'"
Ed: "Luke, Mark [Spiegler] is offended. Would you apologize to him?"
Luke: "I'm sorry that you are offended, Mark."
Mark: "You still believe that I have a trust fund?"
Luke: "I believe that is your reputation with some of your peers."
Mark Spiegler: "In your entry, you did not say that somebody said it. You said it straight out, 'trust fund baby.' Now, if I have money coming to me that I don't know about."
Mark Kernes: "We have six of Mark [Spiegler's] peers right here and we have never heard that Mark has a trust fund."
Ed to Luke: "Have you ever reported that Mark says he does not have a trust fund?"
Luke: "I don't remember."
Mark: "I talked to him [Luke] the other day for two minutes, then I see on the internet the next day that I am a trust fund baby. I want my money."
Liz: "Print a retraction."
A caller complained about the numerous ugly male performers.
Ed Powers to Gene Ross: "What would you think about Luke F-rd doing an Ed Powers movie?"
Gene: "I would like to see Luke F-rd do a snuff movie.
"…This business is different from other businesses… We're the only ones who've been selectively prosecuted by the government over the years… "
Ed to Luke: "Have you ever been persecuted for anything?"
Luke: "Uhh, yes."
Liz: "Anybody ever care about what you do?"
Luke: "Certainly. The real name issue hits directly home to me. In Jewish orthodox life I use my Hebrew name. And once it became known in orthodox life that I wrote about pornography, I was thrown out of one of my favorite synagogues. Great stigma was attached to my name, even though in orthodox life I use my Hebrew name, Levi. But because enough people knew that I was also Luke F-rd, they were talking. And it became painful."
Brooke: "What's so bad about just being who you are? I am not for religion. I think that more people died from religion than anything… I'm very spiritual. I believe in God."
Liz: "If it hurt you [Luke], why can't you understand other people not wanting [to have their real names exposed]?
Luke: "I can understand their not wanting…But what people want is not the sole criteria for what I write."
Brooke: "I love Jewish guys. You don't drive on weekends? Are you orthodox?"
Luke: "I will sometimes drive on Sabbath. I am not orthodox. I am not fully observant."
Brooke: "Do you eat certain meats?"
Luke: "No, I am a vegetarian. I keep kosher. I observe about half the laws of Judaism. I am a bad Jew. I do not live up to the ideals of my religion."
Brooke: "It's not like everybody is ganging up on Luke… But if we're going to be attacked, we have a right to…"
Luke: "I understand why many people in the industry hate me. Bill Margold often says that I am the most hated person in the industry."
Liz: "You are not in the industry."
Mark: "Enough people do not know the true Luke F-rd. I hope that we at AVN can help them understand… Apparently, people are still letting this guy on sets…"
***
Brooke: "Jamie Gillis gave me a call [2/98]… He wanted me to do this new series [On The Prowl?] where you pick people off the street and have sex with them. You use a condom but no tests… I didn't want my name involved in that… I couldn't understand that Jamie Gillis was back, or that idiotic to do something like that."
Ed: "We should not say that someone is idiotic… For me, it is not the thing to do.
"I really love women. I have tremendous respect for them…
Three year video veteran actress XXX phoned: "Rebecca Schaeffer, an actress, was murdered. A person posed as a journalist, and went to the DMV to get her real address. Do you [Luke] feel as a journalist that you can do these things?"
Luke: "I am privy to a lot of personal information. And I would never reveal someone's address or phone number."
Christy: "By revealing their real names, someone can go down to the DMV and come to their house and kill them. We are put at risk by your exposing real names. Do you want that responsibility on your head? I have fans who write scarey stuff. And they show up at my appearances."
Luke: "It's an unanswerable question. When you step in front of the camera and become a star, when you're written up in newspapers… If I wasn't here, your real name would still be out there from your arrest in Texas. Stardom is a two-edged sword."
Liz: "You wield that sword."
Christy: "I wouldn't expose my real name. You are bringing it to the public. This is what I know about this person. My fans who have psychological problems could come to my doorstep. Does it take someone getting seriously hurt for you to stop? Do you care? Are you human?"
Luke: "There are numerous porn stars who use their real names… Though there's a possibility that someone could come to your home and murder you…"
Ed: "Luke…"
Uproar in the studio.
Ed: "Our industry is a fantasy."
Brooke: "In our interview, you put part of my real name several times… You have since corrected it…"
Christy: "How would you feel? If someone got hurt, would you feel responsible for that?"
Luke: "I would not feel that I was responsible if some jerk uses information on my site and does evil… I would not be totally innocent nor fully responsible."
Christy: "I tell my fans not to use their real names [in Christy's Fan Fuxx series]… I don't want someone going psycho on them. What possesses you to think that you have the right and power to expose people's real names without their permission?"
Ed: "He says he's a journalist and an investigative reporter and he has every right to bring to the public information that is even that personal."
Luke: "There are certain basics to journalism - Who, what, when, where, why…"
Ed: "Death is going too far."
Brooke: "He doesn't care."
Liz: "If there's the slightest chance of anything, why would you want to be responsible for that?"
Luke: "There was a slight chance when you drove here tonight that you would be in an accident and become a paraplegic."
Someone yells, "there's a chance that someone is going to beat you up." That is repeated several times to me during the evening.
Mark Kernes: "I wonder who gets their jollies finding out real names? They are doing sex for you, which is a very nice thing. Yet, their real names get exposed in public… It opens them up to getting stalked and killed…:
Ed: "Let's look on the brighter side. Let's hope that Luke's conscience will ring true."
Brooke: "And his spiritual side will come through."
Ed: "Did you expect to hear this?"
Luke: "Yes."
Ed: "And how do you feel about that?"
Luke pauses. "I have a whole welter of feelings. The real names issue is a tough issue. People want to have the benefits of being a star while minimizing the problems. I am out to maximize my self interest. Adult performers are out to maximize their self interest. We're all out to get as much as we can while suffering as little as we can. When you perform in front of the camera, there are going to be advantages from that, and disadvantages from that... If I didn't exist, most of these real names...would be out there anyway.
"It's been out there since porno has been around. People have been writing about pornographers and printing their real names. There is no other group in America that we give an exemption to, and say, 'ok, let's not use their real names.'
"The media in the industry has been very protective of real names. That is part of the territory…from being within the industry and looking out for the good of the industry. Politician Gary Hart was born Gary Hartpence. When he became a public figure, people dug up and found what his real name was."
Ed: "I want my name on the Hollywood walk of fame."
Phil Downey phones. He says that he worked in porno at age 14 in 16mm in New York. "Lots of women wouldn't work with me because I was too large…"
Ed's producer frequently forgets to bleep obscene words like "f---," on the radio show.
A caller asks Jake if he enjoyed working with Toy.
Jake: "No, she was more into working with the opposite race [white]."
Caller: "What happens to the girls when they get out of the business?"
Jake: "Mostly, the girls get into other types of sex for money work…"
John Allen phones: "I am the editor and owner of Southern California Nightmoves magazine. So I'm a journalist too. I have a question for Luke on real names. Variety and Hollywood Reporter never refer to actors in mainstream by their given names. We owe the same thing to people in our industry. Sure, everybody knew Cary Grant's real name, now that he's dead… But Variety never referred to Cary Grant by his real name when he was still around…"
Luke with relief: "Finally, an easy question. Variety and the Hollywood Reporter are industry magazines that censor the news for the good of the industry. As does AVN, which works for the good of the adult industry as they see it. I am an outside reporter. The LA Times does not work for the good of the Southern California movie industry. Their job is to simply report the news."
John: "Even when the LA Times writes a movie review, they don't say the real name of the actors. When they're reporting on the business, they don't use the real names… So what makes you any different?"
Luke: "They frequently use real names."
John: "They do not. There are journalistic standards that you have to adhere to."
Liz: "He has no idea [what are journalistic standards]… "
John: "When Kenneth Turan [LA Times critic] reviews a movie, he does not use the real name of the actor. When Kevin Thomas writes an article about a movie deal, he does not use the real name of the actor. So I don't understand where you feel that as a journalist, a term that you use, that you have a right that the rest of us don't. Sure, I could publish real names but I don't think that is morally defensible."
Luke: "Turan is a critic. He's not a journalist. He writes movie reviews. When they [LA TIMES] do a profile of a performer, they are going to use the real name most of the time."
Ed: "Here's the six million dollar question. Do you plan on making money and profit out of what you are doing?"
Luke: "Yes, I make my living off my web site."
Ed: "So you plan to make money off this business…"
Liz: "Like a leach."
Luke: "I make money from my reporting on this industry."
Ed: "That should answer it all John."
John: "His facts are not even correct…"
Liz: "Where did you get these real names?"
Luke: "From the LA Times, from the New York Times, from AVN…"
Gene: "I addressed that issue in the editorial [7/98 AVN]. Real names inadvertently get put on review credits…That's the fault of the company."
Luke: "AVN uses real names all the time… Like Paul Little, Jay Shanahan…"
Tony phones in: "If you put yourself on film for a million people to see, and then you expect to keep your privacy… If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the fire… There are people like him [Luke] in every industry… You can't expect to have all the money, and the fame, and not have the other part…"
Brooke: "Why can't he write something positive about our industry?"
Mark: "It's a specific part of their life that they are putting on film. They are having sex for you…and they are displaying their body. There is no reason that they have to display their name for you. They did not contract for that. You may like that.
"Is it ok for Luke to publish their tax returns on his web site?"
A caller: "Three days ago the LA TIMES gave the real name of Tom Cruise."
Mark: "Fortunately, Tom has enough body guards and security around him, that he's not likely to be stalked or robbed. It is difficult to get his phone number. He is not likely to get crank calls. Unfortunately, poor people do not have that kind of money."
Gene admitted that he had penis enhancement surgery. I think he was kidding.
Gene: "I went from 12 to 14 inches. I wanted to inspire fear in the hearts of women."
Liz: "No way. Are you serious?"
Ed: "No, we're just pulling a Luke F-rd right now."
Gene: "And Luke is taping this and it's going to appear on his web site."
Ed: "Luke, if I said to you that I thought that Gene had added two inches on to his unit, would you print that?"
Luke: "Yeah, I'd print that. And I'd put in brackets that I thought you were kidding."
Liz: "Have you done that before? Brackets…"
Luke: "I do it all the time."
Gene: "I have a question for Luke. In your ongoing search for truth, justice and the American way, I noticed a couple of days ago that you put on your web site that director John T. Bone bounced a $500 check to Cassidy. What's the point of that?"
Luke: "Well, John Bone has bounced checks to a lot of talent over the last few weeks."
Gene: "If you knew anything about this business, pal, which you obviously don't, you'd know that bounced checks are a way of life in this business. That someone bounces a check is not big news. This is descriptive of the fact that you are totally naïve and totally incompetent to handle this task."
Liz: "Yeah. You're an outsider looking in. You're not reporting directly."
Gene: "You have no clue."
Luke: "What a tremendous condemnation of your own industry that bounced checks are a way of life."
Liz: "We're just human."
Luke: "To the people, a dozen or so, who received those bounced checks… To them it was not an insignificant matter."
Gene: "They deal with it all the time. It happens."
Jimmy, a caller: "The guy asked what was the purpose of reporting on bounced checks. Well, it makes it look like you banged for free. People want to know that."
Ed: "Maybe it's legitimizing us a bit to treat us more like regular entertainment."
Jimmy: "You've got to admit that this guy [Luke] is interesting. I'll be online tonight. I won't stalk anybody, but I want to know who these people [porn stars] are. What makes you turn into a freak like this?"
Mark: "This guy is putting out people's real names and maybe addresses… Well, the people that this industry caters to…are sickos…"
Luke: "It's amazing how much contempt people in this industry have for people who buy their products. Gene says it is no big deal that producers bounce checks…"
Gene: "You don't understand how the distribution process leads to that… It happens… I'm sure it has happened to you…"
Luke: "People in the industry who say that fans are a bunch of stalkers, creeps… They're going to come to my home and hassle me…"
Ed: "Fellow people in the adult business - I have a lot of faith in our fans… I may not agree with all these names… I'm on the list… But if it wasn't Luke, there would be another Luke [doing this]… I think that legitimating this industry is more important."
Mike from Upland phones: "Don't go bouncing checks if you want to be a legitimate business…"
Robert phones: "I am a buddy of Bill Margold. I subscribe to AVN where I read about Brooke Ashley's unfortunate circumstances… I wanted to ask if you had tried alternate sources of healing like herbs?"
Brooke: "I have done lots of reading and research. Someone guided me to an organization called HEAL."
Robert: "That's what I was going to…"
Brooke: "Well… I believe that by just going on herbal therapies, and taking care of your body and doing hydrogen peroxide that that is not the way to deal with the HIV crisis… I feel more confident bringing my viral load down to the undetectable level…
Scott phones: "Porn makes guys turn sick. Porn made my father rape my sister. He was a porn fanatic. He's locked up right now. He videotaped it and showed it to people too."
OCRROB@juno.com wrote to rec.arts.movies.erotica (RAME) under the title: "Ed, Luke, AVN Radio Battle Royal."
"That pretty much sums up the Ed Powers radio show on KLSX in Los Angeles last night (midnight on 97.1FM). This corner hosted by Ed Powers was Brooke Ashley, Gene Ross, Mark Kernes (Gene and Mark from AVN) vs the challenger Luke F-rd.
"The battle got hot and heavy at times, with Gene Ross calling Luke a liar and bad mouthing the internet as a source of untruths and misinformation (to my knowledge he did everything except refer to rec.arts.movies.erotica by name). At one point early in the program Sid Deuce called in and took her best shots at Luke as well.
"When asked if he was a defender of the Adult Film Industry, Luke replied "no", but stated that he was a reporter and a journalist. Ross accused Ford of plagiarizing hundreds of pages from AVN (Adult Video News) and Huster's Video Guide as the foundation for Lukes upcoming book.
The many personal attacks made during the portion of the show that I listened to gave it a Springer like quality and didn't do much, in my opinion, to bolster AVN's credibility. For further reading enjoyment you can check out Gene Ross' editorial titled, "F.O.R.D. -Fix Or Repair Daily" in the July issue of AVN.
Wonder what Ed has in mind next week to top this performance!
Torris: "Funny how not a word was brought up about the real issue at hand, the spread of HIV on adult sets. I guess these guys were just having too much fun flogging Luke. Talk about killing the messenger. You should have put Patrick Riley or Mike South in the booth and see how much smack Kernes and Ross could have gotten away with. Luke is as docile as a lamb. It must have been like pulling wings off a butterfly. How professional of the "industry bible.""
Brad Williams: "Hey Luke F-rd: did you get to see HIV tests before the broadcast? Sounds like you were in an intense gangbang with loads of anal.
"Really loved how Gene Ross asked if you had a "boyfriend" after you talked about your girlfriend....I guess he forgot AVN covers the gay segment of porn, but hey, what's a little "fag-bashing" when you're accusing him of destroying "sexual freedom" and the "1st Amendmant." LOL. Real deep-thinker, that's Ross. I would LOVE to be on a radio show with Kernes and Gene Ross at the same time."
MsHappyBee@aol.com: "This is pathetic! These people have obviously never heard of free speech. I'm guessing here that if Luke F-rd hadn't broken the HIV positive stories on the net, it would have taken a LOT longer to come out through "regular" channels.
"It sounds to me like Luke walked into a typical set-up, in which no one had any intention of letting him defend himself or tell his side of the story. These guys didn't what to hear what Luke had to say, they just wanted to attack him. Too bad. If AVN, or any of these other ladies and gentlemen wanted to disseminate info, they could use RAME just like Luke does. It sounds like sour grapes because Luke is not printing puff pieces about the industry."
From Hart Williams of http://hartwilliams.com:
"I've always hoped that porn was big enough to handle someone NOT entirely convinced that it's the greatest thing since sliced bread sniffing around.
But not the AVN boys!
No, indeed: attack Ford's sex life, attack his religion, yank quotes out of context and crow that you've proven he's "anti-porn" because he doesn't grovel at the smiley-face "have a nice day" pro-porn philosophy of AVN?
I half expected someone to pull out a loyalty oath and demand that Luke sign it.
Well, somebody's pathological here, kiddies, but I'm not entirely sure it's Luke. Still, AVN has managed to gang up on the kid in print, and now on radio, and I'm just wondering why Fishbein, et al, feel so THREATENED by one guy with a tape recorder and a website.
You know: ideologues make for poor thinkers and robust bigots, no matter how "ennobled" the ideology.
And what we got here, boys, is a passel of ideologues.
Julian Sanderson (juliansan@aol.com):
"Ed Powers hosts a 3-hour talk show on the porn industry Sundays from midnight to 3 AM on KLSX 97.1 FM radio in Los Angeles. I tuned in last night for the first time and was thoroughly entertained from start to finish.
Ed Powers has a flair for radio. He seems amiable and warmhearted, keeps the show rolling, and has a good sense of humor. He's a very likable host.
Last night's show was nothing less than "bash Luke F-rd" night. About 2 of the 3 hours was devoted to attacking and condemning Ford, who was outnumbered 6 to 1 in the studio. Although the purpose was to discredit and humiliate him, the result was quite different. It wasn't that Ford emerged victorious, for his comments and rebuttals confirmed that as a reporter he is as lame as his published work suggests. Rather, Gene Ross and Mark Kernes, carrying the torch for AVN, came off as buffoons, heaping insults and abuse on Ford at every turn, with such passion, indignation and repetition that the assault quickly became an exercise in overkill, transforming the verbal interplay into burlesque, then jetting the entire proceedings into high camp. Ross and Kernes revealed a knack for saying stupid things. I'm sure they left the studio in a celebration of high fives, totally oblivious to the mockery they had made of themselves.
Ed's guests in studio were Ross, Kernes, Brooke Ashley, another actress (whose name I forgot), Jake Steed, and Ford. Margold had agreed to be in studio, but failed to show up. Callers from the industry, insulting and threatening Ford over the air, added to the overkill and helped transform the program into camp.
Ed kept the ball rolling by returning to the bash-Ford-topic time and time again, sometimes asking tongue in cheek questions that sparked another outburst of indignation and invective toward Ford. Here are a few of the highlights of the 3-hour show:
HIV:
The HIV topic did come up in the first hour but it was not discussed at great length. Ross and Kernes and one or two callers accused Ford of posting that one actress (Sindee Coxx) was HIV+ when in fact she was not. Ford denied he had claimed she had the virus. Ford was also attacked for not knowing much about HIV, how it was contracted, which country it was more prevalent, and so forth.
Marc Wallice's name was not mentioned once. No one brought up his case.
Brooke thanked several leaders in the industry for arranging for her medical coverage and other support.
AVN's Fishbein called in and made quite a spectacle of offering to find Brooke work if she needed it. He named a couple of companies in the industry who would surely have a job for her (I wonder if these companies knew that Fishbein was volunteering their services?). Why, in a gesture befitting a benevolent uncle, Fishburn thought out loud right there on the radio, by golly, yes, if he remembered correctly, AVN currently had 4 openings. Even *he* could offer Brooke a job at AVN . . . if she really needed it.
Ford not an industry supporter:
Early on Ford stated that he was not an industry supporter, not an industry apologist, apparently wishing to distinguish himself, whom he calls an independent investigative reporter, from AVN, which is, above all, a supporter and apologist for the industry. Ross and Kernes were more than shocked at this admission. They were stunned beyond belief. They were horrified. In a fit of utter contempt, they leveled their guns at Ford. They called him an . . . outsider! He was nothing more than a . . . leech!
Brooke added a very significant note to the score. She jumped in, asking Ford how he could possible say such a thing, that he didn't support the industry.
How could he say that after she had given such a long, intimate, candid interview (which was published on rame a week or so ago)? Sensing this was more a rhetorical question than one designed to elicit a response from Ford, who had remained silent during all these histrionics, Powers broke in, urging Brooke to continue. But Brooke had nothing more to say. She said nothing about being shocked that the interview was published, she said nothing about being misquoted or about words being twisted or about secrets being revealed.
She had nothing more to say. The news that Ford was not an industry supporter is what overwhelmed her. The apparent implication was that she would never had agreed to the interview if she had known Ford's true colors. There you go. See how deceitful people can be?
Ford publishes real names, addresses, phone numbers:
Early on the Ross/Kernes team accused Ford of publishing on the net and on his website the real names, addresses and phone numbers of the actresses. Ford denied that he published addresses and phone numbers. He said he would not do such a thing. But Ross and Kernes are real pit bulls. No way were they going to let Ford loose. And on this topic, by far the most enduring and heated of the evening, they had lots of help from industry callers. One male caller [Mike Albo], with Sid Deuce sitting next to him on the couch at home, was so belligerent that he wanted to rip poor Ford apart. Thank god he wasn't in the studio, right?
People were reluctant to acknowledge that maybe Ford didn't publish addresses and phone numbers. But it didn't matter. Publishing real names is the same thing, they claimed. Once you have the real name you can get addresses and phone numbers just like that. All the well known arguments against publishing real names were rehashed over the air, including those relating to stalkers, rapists and murderers.
The most stunning display of rhetorical excellence occurred when an editor/publisher of another industry magazine used his cellular phone to voice his contribution. His tactic was to draw a parallel between the porn industry and the movie industry. Fair is fair. We all know that the actresses in both fields are in truth sisters in the same industry. Right? After all, it is just a small step from the warehouse facilities in Chatsworth to the studio offices in Hollywood, right?
So this caller took dead aim at Ford, saying that publishing real names is unconscionable. The Hollywood Reporter or Variety, he said, would never publish real names of actresses. Ford reminded him that these were industry magazines like AVN was to the porn industry. On the other hand, an independent newspaper like the LA Times does in fact publish real names. A chorus of horrified sounds filled the airwaves. Someone reached into the arsenal and brought out the names Kenneth Turan and Kevin Thomas, saying that these two LA Times writers would never publish real names in their movie reviews. Ford said he was talking about articles, not reviews.
The next caller threw cold water on this part of the debate. He reminded everyone that 3 days ago the LA Times ran an article on Tom Cruise, citing his real name in the process. So much for that point. Yet, there was one retort, namely, that real movie stars can afford bodyguards whereas porn stars can't.
A prime example of the Ross/Kernes buffoonery occurred when one of the two rattled some papers in his hand. The thrust of the argument against publishing names was the potential physical harm that could come to the actresses.
One of the AVN duo said that he had in his hand a printout of the real names that appeared on the Ford website. In an attempt to drive home the point that Ford was creating potential harm by publishing names, this AVN stalwart, his voice thick with contempt and derision, said that he could see by looking down the list that Ford got some of the names wrong. That may have reflected on Ford's lack of accuracy, but not on the point at hand.
The Lancaster court battle:
More AVN buffoonery. One of the strangest moments occurred when one of the AVN duo brought up the case of a court battle being waged in Lancaster, CA. The topic being discussed at the time was Ford's unscrupulous practice of publishing real names. The AVN paladin informed the listeners of something like the following: a former porn star is being sued by her husband for custody of their child because her photo appeared on the web with the words "anal queen" under the photo. If that is true it is most unfortunate. What wasn't clear was whether her real name had been published with the photo or whether Ford had anything to do with her photo or her name. However, as it turned out, whether or not Ford was connected with this unfortunate incident was not the point of the story. The point was that the story about the lawsuit broke in last couple of days, and it was AVN, not Luke F-rd, that was on top of it! Can you believe it? AVN was vilifying Ford and yet felt so defensive it had to zoom off in a completely different tangent and assert that it, AVN, not Ford the outsider, was the agency that broke stories in the porn industry.
Ross & Kernes--bounced checks are no big deal:
In one of the zaniest exchanges, Ross and Kernes displayed a flair for numbness. Apparently Ford had recently published that a producer/production firm had given a number of performers bum checks. The AVN duo didn't dispute the truth of matter. They attacked Ford for having reported it. Ford was nothing but a low life, an outsider. Had he been an insider, he would have known that passing rubber checks isn't news in the porn industry. Well, most of the rame readers and most of the porn consumers aren't in the porn industry.
Rubber checks is news to us. When asked how the talent like being paid with bad checks, the AVN duo just shrugged their shoulders, saying that is the way it is in the biz. That's just great. No wonder AVN and the producers would like to keep their practices within the porn family. I wonder how often advertisers stiff AVN?
Ford should be victim in snuff film:
Ed teased Ford by asking him if he would perform in a porn film. Then Ed, still tongue in cheek, turned to one of the AVN duo, I think it was Kernes, and asked about Ford being in a porn video. Whoever it was, Kernes or Ross, was not amused. His contempt and loathing was unrelenting. If fact, he was so choked up with malevolence that he could barely squeak out his reply: Ford should be in a snuff film. That's the spirit!
Fishbein has nothing to add:
When Ed asked Fishbein, who was on the phone, if there was anything he wanted to ask Ford, Fishbein declined. He said that Ross and Kernes were quite capable of representing AVN. He had nothing to add. Well, he was wrong. He could have added a lot. He could have added to the buffoonery that Ross and Kernes were creating. Another voice, another dimension.
Jake Steed promotes his latest video:
During all the hatred, abuse and ridicule, Steed remained silent. From time to time someone would comment that Jake was tired. However, whenever a caller asked Jake a question, he urged the caller and the audience to buy his latest vid, which he is apparently promoting himself. While the others yapped about journalistic principles for 3 hours, Steed held fast to the principle that really matters: move product. I think Steed was the sanest of them all.
Rezolution@midspring.com:
I caught the last 1/2 hour only. God Ed fumbled about attempting to take calls. I assume the Godster has a producer for this show but he/she/it wasn't doing Ed any favors.
It sounds from the transcripts that Luke didn't do himself any favors either. It appears the majority of the show consisted of Luke getting beaten up for the posting of pornstar's real names at his site.
As I find this practice to be counter-productive for any journalist attempting to gather accurate info from the industry, I'm not surprised the group huddling with God Ed got in Luke's face about this. It also didn't surprise me that Luke's response was luke-warm (rimshot).
As far as a discussion of the more serious issues facing porn, (HIV, scumbags, etc.), I would NOT want Luke to confront the industry. The 5 on 1 nature of this fiasco was s---ty but even 1 on 1, I fear Luke would be as ill-focused as his "reporting" .
Rather than another one of these shows where 3 hours were spent grinding Luke for publishing those damn names, I'd much rather listen to Brad, Nick, Eden, Tim, Hart or Patrick go head to head with Kernes, Ross, Fishbein, Powers AND Margold.
Now, THAT might produce some compelling radio.
Art writes:
Talk about walking into the enemy camp. This setup makes them look even worse in my eyes, if that is possible. And what an esteemed panel.
This obviously was not an open debate but Luke F-rd vs. the world. I'm just suprised Margold and his platitudes were missing. Ed Powers, you should be ashamed of yourself. If you wish to create a respectable radio show at least you could've lessened the odds of 10-1 or whatever it was.
By attempting to embarrass Luke you and your bully cronies just embarrassed yourselves. Ed Powers bully pulpit.
And what's with Brook? An industry apologist? The girl was recently infected with HIV and now there's a lot of love going around?
And how convenient Paul Fishface calls in and Mike Albo to further stack the deck. And then Egomaniac Powers asks Ross: "Would you give Luke a job at AVN?" And Ross says: "Oh, I'm glad you asked that question."
Right. He didn't know that was coming. {dripping sarcasm} I could randomly pick two RAMERS out of a stack of names to debate these wimps and the RAMERS would stomp them into oblivion. Too bad we couldn't insert a bit of fiction into this tale of woe. A kind of SPRINGERESQUE ending. Luke, fed up with the one-sided verbal assault, decides to take matters into his own hands. Luke suddenly stands, assumes his karate position, (Luke has a black belt to the Bruce Leeish degree) and smashes the table to smithereens with just a single blow.
"AAYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Next, Luke smashes Curds and Ross' head together three-stooges style knocking them unconscious. It ends with Powers knocking over Brooke running down the hall for his life. Luke calmly sits down in Powers chair, puts on the headphones, and says in a soft voice; "this is now the Luke F-rd show at KLSX FM 97.1."
A reporter for a major paper:
Gee, I just read on and it sounds like Luke and his defenders comported themselves well. And what is baffling to me, as a journalist, is the apparent lack of knowledge about the differences between independent journalism, if you want to call it that, which can be anything or anyone from the LA Times to Luke and even people selling Maps to the Stars Homes to industry-sponsored journalism, which obviously has a vested interest, which is natural and anyone with a brain can filter through. There seems to be a lot of media ignorance out there. But I guess that is not surprising. One thing I do find kind of funny though, is the use of the term actresses applying to porn talent and the analogies made to mainstream actresses when it is beneficial.
This is absolutely hilarious. I am amazed that Luke defended himself so well against such a whiny suddenly anti-free speech crew. Actually, I am not surprised, I have met Luke twice and found him to be intelligent and articulate, albeit a tad flaky and naive-appearing. On the other hand, most -- not all -- of the porn crowd I have run into, especially the women, are um, well, to be kind, generally ill-educated. To listen to them lecture on libel law and privacy issues is like audting a media law/ethics course taught by a hooker. It is so far-fetched it is ludicrious. One thought that does hit me is that the industry's interests and the fans are so different, which shouldn't surprise anyone. But apparently, the industry seems to believe that its fans really buy or should buy the usual p.r. crap that any industry spews out. Luke, although he makes errors -- and what media outlet does not -- cuts through the p.r. crap --, the whole we're a family, we're a clean-cut mainstream industry, we're safe, blah blah blah. That's why Luke has a following, and it seems the more the industry tries to decredit him the stronger they make him. Like I said a long time ago, if the industry is really theatened by him, they should just co-opt him. Have AVN offer him a job. He'll probably shut up and tow the industry line then, as would Brooke and any others who are not politically correct. Be smart guys, hire him if you want to shut him up. Or else he's is heading for Midnight Blue and then the E channel. Mark my words.
Porn star Tina Tyler:
I wanted to address a couple of things regarding the general attitude in the biz about Luke F-rd.
I've only met Luke once. He was pleasant and respectful. I found his interview was carried out in a professional manner.
One thing people have to remember is that Luke is a journalist, just like the folks at AVN. His writing may go to a different meduim, but that doesn't make him any less a journalist. As a member of the fifth estate, objectivity is important. Luke says that he is not pro-porn. I don't see the problem with that. I'm sure there are reporters out there who are anti-war, but still report on it. Now I'm not saying that porn and war are one in the same, but you don't have to be a chicken to eat eggs.
As to erroneous information reported by Mr. Ford, let those without sin cast the first stone. I used to write for an on-line magazine (Smutland), I can't count the number of times something I wrote was edited out of context, or changed completely. These things happen.
Talent needs to be more clear abour what they mean, or be more responsable about follwing up on what was said. In Luke's case, it's all too easy to add context or correct mistakes. He's on the INTERNET.
You can post corrections! WOW, what a luxury.
If a print publication prints something blatantly untrue, we don't have that recourse.
As far as printing real names on the internet is concerned, I can't say that I'm too fond of this practice. That's putting it nicely.
Women in porn, especially, need their anonymity. As I said in my interview with Luke, we're naked and vulnerable. BUT (and this is a big but) this practice is not a new one, nor is it only a problem in porn. For example, it's common knowledge that Tony Curtis is actually Bernie Schwartz and Marilyn Monroe was Norma Jeane Baker (Mortensen).
Talent needs to take responsability here, again. If you want to guard your privacy, be more vigilant about it.
As I was reading the posts regarding Ed Powers' radio show I was disappointed, but not shocked to see such a kindergarden mentality.
I've always said that porn is akin to junior high school. There's all sorts of cliques. Luke, I have sad news for you. You'll never be one of the IN crowd. I know, you'll cry yourself to sleep tonight.
Torris:
I think the major difference between Luke and the "folks" at AVN, is that Luke is beholden to no one other than himself, and I think that is why he has met nothing but suspicion and hostility from people like the writers Ross and Kernes at AVN. They are beholden to a special interest and since Luke isn't tethered to the same pole, they look at him as an interloper who can't be trusted with access to the inner sanctum. And then Luke uses the same sources and has access apparently to the same people that they do and rather than keep the info to himself or put an industry postive spin on the info (a la Boneyard), he lets the cat out of the bag for all to see. Warts and all, the raw interview transcripts. The reader draws his own conclusions. Unlike the spoon fed pablum served up to the reader in AVN. And who gets first crack at this industry info: we mere mortals who subscribe to RAME who have no right according to Andrew Roberts, Kernes etc. to know how the hallowed ground of the porn industry turns its gears. And instead of giving Luke the cold shoulder, he gets more and more people to talk to him. Brooke Ashley interview? Then Marc Wallice? Luke did you sell your soul to the Devil to get such cache'?
Amazing and obviously infuriating to the crowd at AVN who don't want this outsider invading their turf rendering nearly anything they have to contribute in their pages old news, stale and too late for "spin doctoring".
His writing may go to a different meduim, but >that doesn't make him any less a journalist. As a member of the fifth >estate,objectivity is important. Luke says that he is not pro-porn.
Which according to the interview with Ed is his biggest sin. He's not pro porn, ergo he's anti porn. It's really part of the paranoid mindset the porn industry ought to get past at some point.
I >don't see the problem with that. I'm sure there are reporters out >there who are anti-war, but still report on it. Now I'm not saying >that porn And war are one in the same, but you don't have to be a >chicken to eat eggs.
And it's funny to see such supposed free speech warriors as Kernes and Ross show their true colors and almost gleefully hoping to stomp Luke's right to gather info into the dust.
>As to erronious information reported by Mr. Ford, let those without >sin cast the first stone. I used to write for an on-line magazine >(Smutland), I can't count the number of times something I wrote was >edited out of context, or changed completely. These things happen.
Luke, b/c he is not "anointed" by AVN is expected to be infallible.
>As far as printing real names on the internet is concerned, I can't >say that I'm too fond of this practice. That's putting it nicely.
Is that the biggest issue facing the industry right now? They sure make it sound like it.
>As I was reading the posts regarding Ed Powers' radio show I was >dissapointed, but not shocked to see such a kindergarden mentality.
>I've always said that porn is akin to junior high school. There's all >sorts of cliques. Luke, I have sad news for you. You'll never be one >of the IN crowd. I know, you'll cry yourself to sleep tonite.
Luke F-rd didn't have to say a word to let Kernes and Ross hang themselves. It was truly something wondrous to read.
Pat Riley writes on RAME:
Interview: Brooke said her lawyers had told her not to talk to the press.
Brooke appears on Ed Powers radio show.
Interview: Brooke whined that all PAW and by implication, the industry, had provided her with was $200.
Radio show: Brooke says the industry is paying her medical bills.
(all? to date? forever?)
Interview: Brooke moaned about how the industry had let her down (this is all she gets after seven years, etc)
Radio show: Brooke says she "pro-porn" and she wouldn't have talked to Luke if she had known he wasn't "pro-porn".
Radio show: Brooke turns up arm-in-arm with Kernes and Ross (they may not literally have been arm-in-arm but that's the impression).
Radio show: Brooke doesn't even raise the issue of who infected her, lack of adequate testing etc. I know that wasn't the topic but wouldn't this be the biggest thing on your mind? Wouldn't you shift the topic to HIV in the industry? Unless...
Is this Barbara Doll redux? Has Brooke had a sudden financial good fortune contingent upon her becoming decidedly "pro-porn", recanting, and disappearing to somewhere where she might be a little less accessible?
And this business of these slimeoids offering her a job really gets my goat. Are they offering to pay the same as she was getting when she was opening her butt to all and sundry? Of course not. They're offering a Mc-job which she can find at the local supermarket scanning the groceries or at the local restaurant waiting tables. Really big of them <keyboard dripping with sarcasm>! Has the added advantage for them that they can keep an eye on her and if she gets out of line (talking to Ford for example) they can remind her of this great "favor" they did her.
Again and again the moral bankruptcy of this industry proves itself!
Dan Bongard writes on RAME:
Hart Williams (wmz@hartwilliams.com) wrote:
: No, indeed: attack Ford's sex life, attack his religion,: yank quotes out of context and crow that you've proven: he's "anti-porn" because he doesn't grovel at the smiley-face: "have a nice day" pro-porn philosophy of AVN?
I dunno -- sounds a great deal like Luke's "reporting" technique. Rumor, myth, innuendo and personal bias reported as facts?
Standard Ford material, ladies and gentlemen. People have been kissing his ass since he broke the news about Wallace -- conveniently overlooking the fact that, since Luke reports EVERY rumor he hears without confirming it, OBVIOUSLY he was going to be the first to report on Wallace. You can't excuse shoddy journalism by pointing to the handful of times it yields correct information.
Just because the AVN reps are sleaze bags doesn't excuse Luke's behavior. Reading this transcript was like reading the transcript of a Jerry Springer "Let's bag on some porn stars" episode.
torris@mindspring.com wrote:
: >When asked if he was a defender of the Adult Film Industry, Luke replied: >"no" , but stated that he was a reporter and a journalist. Ross accused: >Ford of plagiarizing hundreds of pages from AVN (Adult Video News) and: >Huster's Video Guide as the foundation for Lukes upcoming book.
: Six against one hardly a fair fight. I'm sure AVN had stiffies over: giving it to the big bad internet. Too bad we'll still all be here: tomorrow and AVN will still be a lumbering dinosaur that can't get the: scoops to the street anymore.
Torris, nobody with a brain believes ANYTHING they read on the internet unless it is either reported by a reputable news organization or confirmed by a large number of personal accounts. Neither of these standards applies to either Luke F-rd OR AVN. Yes, if you listen to Luke you will hear about everybody who has HIV. You will also hear about everybody who DOESN'T have HIV but whom Luke reports "supposedly" has HIV because Joe Random Pornstar hinted to Luke that he heard from his friend's brother's girlfriend that they did.
>I give Luke respect for sitting in on this and not losing his cool. All though what was accomplished by the flogging of the Internet's messiah is beyond me.
Messiah? Please. There isn't an intelligent person on this group who trusts anything Luke says. The "messiahs" of RAME, inasmuch as there is any such thing, are the moderators and the reviewers who actually provide some content to go with the unending swirl of rumors and innuendo.
torris@mindspring.com wrote:
: Funny how not a word was brought up about the real issue at hand, the: spread of HIV on adult sets.
That wasn't the topic of the night's program. Contrary to your beliefs, there is not just one "real" issue in porn.
: You should have put Patrick Riley or Mike South in the booth and see: how much smack Kernes and Ross could have gotten away with.
That would have been a show worth hearing, because then AVN would have been faced with opponents who _weren't_ even sleazier than they are. Ed basically tracked down one of the few individuals with lower standards than the porn establishment and gave that person the opportunity to be the other side of the argument.
: Luke is as docile as a lamb.
What choice does he have? Sure, he was the victim of personal attacks, but every one of them was either on the mark or an echo of Luke's OWN previous remarks. The problem with being a person of no moral or professional character -- ie, the problem with being Luke -- is that you can't effectively defend yourself against accusations.
4:25 PM. Jasmine St. Clair phones Luke F-rd: "I took a few diet pills last year but it was never an addiction. I've had a hyperactive thyroid since I was nine years old. I've been under medication the past few years.
"I eat properly and active in the gym and on my rollerskates, which is something that some people [Zoe or Kendra or John Bone?] won't know about.
"If John claims that
I am a troublemaker, why didn't fire me before?"