GUEST COLUMNIST RODGER JACOBS WRITES:
I hear that Terri Hess, former owner of the now-defunct mail order companies Dechtar Direct and Voyages Catalog Group, is in L.A. trying to start up a new company. Dechtar went under over a year ago after a scandalous public offering went sour. Readers may recall Hess grabbing headlines last year after Hess, a transsexual, sued a swank Beverly Hills hotel after being ejected from the women's room, rather forcibly as Hess contends, by hotel security guards.
Is it just me or is the Marc Wallice scandal more sticky and muddy than ever before? Can it be that Gene Ross was in such a hurry to discredit Luke F-rd by offering proof that Wallice had been "exonerated" that certain items --- notably the unusual AIDS test showing that Marc was a 49 year old female --- were rushed into print before they could be carefully examined?
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Supersatan@aol.com: "I just returned from Austin TX and the SXSW Conference where I saw that lame ass 4th generation Kid Rock, Johnny Toxic perform. Johnny, I hate to break it to you - YOU SUCK! Stick with porn. Your dick size has got nothing to do with your musical talent, unless of course you can play a guitar with that cock."
The closest Luke gets to sex these days is through AOL's IM:
Sexy: Lukey, why has
your site been boring lately? Where's the action?
Luzdedos1: lazy
Sexy: Ah, stop! Get going! Gene Ross SUCKS!
Sexy: Maybe I can be your muse, ya know, like Gwyneth
Paltrow to Shakespeare. :-) I can even do that English accent
thing.
Luke's heard that the reason VCA owner Russ Hampshire resigned from the FSC board was to concentrate on his own businesses which have been slipping. Two years ago, Vivid and VCA did about the same yearly turnover ($20 million). While VCA has stayed constant since then, Vivid has doubled to $40 a year.
After spending Monday afternoon planting flowers in his backyard, Russ confirmed that director Stuart Canterbury returns to his native South Africa in the next few weeks to shoot porno for VCA. Russ says VCA was not slipping but rather expanding, with its new VCA Xplicit and DVD lines. Hampshire says his wife Betty is the first woman who is his equal. They married in 1991. Betty had worked for him for ten years and then she ran VCA while Russ was in jail for a year (for Interstate Transportation of Obscenity) 1992-93.
Murky Marc Wallice
Patrick Collins told www.geneross.com that Marc Wallice was most reluctant last April to take a DNA PCR test for HIV. The test showed that he was positive, and he's widely thought to be the source of infection for up to eight porn girls. All girls publicly known to have tested positive for HIV in the last four years had unprotected anal sex with Marc. There is no direct clinical proof, however, that Marc was the source of the infection.
A drug user and drunk driver (Marc has three DUI convictions), Wallice does not appear in interviews to be in control of his moral and mental faculties.
Marc says he did not know he had HIV until the April, 1998 PCR DNA test. He's been suspect of faking his ELISA tests for HIV (he was caught at least twice changing dates on his HIV tests, once by Alex deRenzy in SF and once by VCA, both around 1997). At least one of Marc's test, the 3/30/98 ELISA, shows him to be a 49-year old female.
For months before Wallice officially tested positive for HIV, rumors flew in the industry that Marc was HIV positive and numerous girls, according to rumor, refused to work with him because of their suspicions about his health. It's time for people to come forward with these stories. Which girls in 1997 refused to work with Marc because they suspect he had HIV? Who else suspected he had HIV before Marc officially tested positive 4/98. On what basis did people believe this? What evidence is there that they believed this? If many people believed this, why did no one tell Marc's agent Jim South, who's been a father figure to Wallice? Did Jim South hear these rumors?
South told www.geneross.com: "For anybody to even imply that me, or World Modeling, or anybody up here would give the go-ahead for people to work without tests, or outdated tests, or forged tests is absolutely ridiculous and ludicrous. They're asinine even to suggest it. Because if my recollection comes around right, World Modeling and Jim South helped get the AIDS testing started."
South echoed Russ Hampshire: ""If Marc Wallice did what people are saying that he did, then something should be done. On the other hand, I don't convict anybody until it's proven to me. You're going to have to prove it to me that not only did he forge the test, but he forged the test knowing that he was HIV+. At this point, I don't believe he did this. You'll never convince me somebody could purposely go out to kill people in this industry."
Luke believes that the "innocent until proven guilty" mantra about Marc Wallice and others accused of evil behavior goes too far. It's the approach of the American criminal justice system but that does not make it the right approach for us to follow in daily life. Legality does not equal morality. O.J. Simpson was cleared of criminal charges of murdering two people but that does not mean he's innocent of the murders. Luke is not suggesting that we string up Marc Wallice. Luke does think it reasonable that people's views of Marc be shaped by the preponderance of the evidence. "Proof" appears nigh impossible in these matters.
South told www.geneross.com that it's not an uncommon occurrence to have wrong information like 49 & female appear as it did on Wallice's 3/30/99 ELISA test.
South: "In a meeting of free speech, it was discussed by Bill Margold that that isn't uncommon. It really isn't. We've found everything in the world from the wrong name, or somebody walking in to get a test where they don't even ask for ID. They can come back and say they're female when they're not. They can have the age screwed up. The key issue here, and I'm not being facetious, isn't the age; it's whether or not he [Wallice] forged the test. And more key is whether or not he knew he was infected, which I don't believe unless it's proven to me."
If it is common for industry HIV tests to have wrong information, such as 49 & female, then something appears very wrong with industry HIV tests.
Porners Descend on the Capitol
The Free Speech Coalition lobbies Sacramento (the state capitol of California) April 12-13. About ten porn girls will fly up to Northern California April 10, put on a strip show at a Sacramento club, attend an all-day training seminar April 11 on how to lobby and then descend on the legislature the next two days with a couple of dozen other leading porners like FSC president Gloria Leonard.
Mike Ross replies: "1) [VCA owner] Russell Hampshire is no longer on the FSC board before his term was up. Why? I will give you two reasons, you decide which one is best..... First, he left the board so that anti-trust problems will not be a pain in their side; or he left because he has no confidence in their future, especially since they no longer represent "dance clubs and cabarets." Either way, he will always admit that he is "very busy and didn't have time to fully attend to duties of the board.""
Standing outside on a beautiful Spring Monday smoking Marlboro Reds, Russ said that Mike's theories were nonsense. "If he thinks we're violating anti-trust laws, he should hire an attorney and go after us. Why doesn't Mike Ross call me for an interview? Mike Ross doesn't know why I left the FSC board. Mike Ross knows nothing. He deals in rumor and innuendo like you do."
Ross and other observers question the professionalism of the FSC sending porn girls to lobby legislators. Hampshire, who's never made the annual FSC trip to Sacramento, disagrees. "Most people think that porn girls have nothing between their ears. This event will show a different side of porn girls. It's an effective media event."
Mike Ross: "2) As for price fixing - sure, I am positive it was never discussed at the board, but, its not whether they do it there or not, it's the image that they portray to the general public, media and government. If over 50% of the industry is represented in terms of "sales" then it appears to be a cartel working in collusion. And what do you work in collusion to do? Simple.... protect prices.
"3) The term price fixing is very subjective. For instance, if a company says that only this type of movie [condoms] can be produced and distributed, isn't that the same as "price fixing"? (Rather its commodity control) From what I have heard/read, the FSC and the "board" have said to distributors... don't sell that persons films because they don't have condoms. That policy is anti-competitive.
"4) [FSC President] Gloria Leonard should learn that every time she talks, she helps my cause out. Why? She knows absolutely nothing about what she is talking about.....has no political background and does not understand my subjects, needs and field. I understand my subjects... for instance, if I am so bad, why is it that clubs across the country are supporting what I am doing, and not the FSC?
"5) If I am so bad, evil and "misinformed", why is it that adult businesses are hiring me around the nation. Additionally, why is it that I raised over $100,000 a couple of weeks ago and at the same function, FSC raised about $100?
"Obviously there is something going on, and its this... FSC is losing ground, and the industry recognizes it. What are they going to do about it? I don't know, but, I do know this... I am winning this "game," and by the end of the week, just watch what happens!"
FSC President Gloria Leonard responds that "to characterize the group participating in the lobbying event as merely "porn girls" does us all a disservice. The women attending who are also performers, are only a small part of the entire contingent and from last year's experience, most were well-informed, articulate and enthusiastic about making a difference. Several brought their significant others, who did us all proud as well. However, the entire group is comprised of a diverse bunch which includes professors, manufacturers, distributors, directors and others who have an abiding concern about how our industry is affected by restrictive, overbroad legislation.
"Mike Ross, who claims
I have no political background ought to take a look at the hundreds
of tv and radio appearances I have made over the years with legislators
of every stripe - has he been on CNN (Geraldo, Larry King and others),
20/20, Montel, Oprah, Sally, Maury et al? I have also lectured at dozens
of colleges and universities. Why? Because I DO know what I'm
talking about and am capable of putting coherent paragraphs together.
The only thing this guy seems capable of is dissing anyone or anything
he believes is in his way. If he and John Weston want to be kings of
dance club problems, that's great - we certainly have plenty on our
plates to deal with. And again, his allegations of "price fixing" are
too ludicrous to address. Consider the source, folks. Your innuendos
about Russ Hampshire are equally uninformed. Russ has been contemplating
resignation for the past year and I personally talked him out of it
on one occasion however, the man certainly knows what his own life schedule
is like. He'd rather be playing golf in Hawaii and who can blame him
after all his years of hard work and hard time too! The Free Speech
Coalition is just fine, thank you, and my gut instincts tell me that
we'll be around long after johnny-cum-lousy Mike Ross is gone, which
can't be soon enough for me."
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From the 8/16/97 Independent (London newspaper): "Hollywood Blue by Harris Gaffin (Batsford, pounds 14.99) A breezy exploration of the lucrative sub-stratum of Tinseltown which specialises in such gems as For Your Thighs Only, and The Best Chest in the West. Declaring that "the porno people are mynoble savages", the author is scarcely a fly- on-the-wall reporter. Like Rupert Bear, he appears in almost every illustration in his book. Throughout this assiduous study, which takes him from the FOXE Awards (Friends of X Entertainment) to the set of Conquest, a porn pirate epic, Gaffin maintains an unwilting interest."
Beech, Sturman Run For Jamaica?
The Free Speech Coalition has no position on the following three bills in Sacramento which affect the porn industry. Senate Bill 77 would make it easier for friends and relatives of AIDS victims to collect workers compensation by extending the filing deadline from one year after termination of employment to one year from death. The implications for porners, many of whom either have AIDS or know people who do, are obvious. If this bill passes, big porners like Kevin Beech and David Sturman may run for Jamaica rather than face the huge liability of paying compensation to friends and relatives of porn's AIDS victims. The bill would effectively make it more difficult for porners to treat performers like independent contractors rather than employees entitled to benefits.
SB209, "the Savannah bill," limits rights to make money off the pictures of dead people. Mike Ross takes no position on SB77, opposes AB182 and is monitoring AB209 "was in attendance to hear "testimony" (On that day, Kat was in sunny LA having fun with AVN and the FSC Board - I guess she had to explain why she lost California's clubs to some idiot named Mike Ross)."
AB182 is the "upskirts"
bill, which appears to prohibit stuff like www.upskirt.com.
Existing law makes it a misdemeanor for anyone to look through a hole
or opening or view into the interior of a room, where the occupant has
a reasonable expectation of privacy, with the intent to
invade that privacy.
This bill would make it a misdemeanor to secretly videotape or photograph another person under or through his or her clothing, for the purpose of viewing the body of, or the undergarments worn by, that other person, without the consent or knowledge of that other person, with the intent to invade the privacy of that other person, under circumstances in which the person would have a reasonable expectation of privacy, whether in a public or private place.
AB 182 would amend Section
647 of the California penal code thus: "Every person who commits any
of the following acts is guilty of disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor:
(a) Who solicits anyone to engage in or who engages in lewd or dissolute
conduct in any public place or in any place open to the public or exposed
to public view. (b) Who solicits or who agrees to engage in or who engages
in any act of prostitution. A person agrees to engage in an act of prostitution
when, with specific intent to so engage, he or she manifests an acceptance
of an offer or solicitation to so engage, regardless of whether the
offer or solicitation was made by a person who also possessed the specific
intent to engage in prostitution. No agreement to engage in an act of
prostitution shall constitute a violation of this subdivision unless
some act, in addition to the agreement, is done within this state in
furtherance of the commission of an act of prostitution by the person
agreeing to engage in that act. As used in this subdivision, "prostitution"
includes any lewd act between persons for money or other consideration.
(c) Who accosts other persons in any public place or in any place open
to the public for the purpose of begging or soliciting alms. (d) Who
loiters in or about any toilet open to the public for the purpose of
engaging in or soliciting any lewd or lascivious or any unlawful act.
(e) Who loiters or wanders upon the streets or from place to place without
apparent reason...
(i) Who, while loitering,
prowling, or wandering upon the private property of another, at any
time, peeks in the door or window of any inhabited building or structure,
without visible or lawful business with the owner or occupant. (j) Who
lodges in any building, structure, vehicle, or place, whether public
or private, without the permission of the owner or person entitled to
the possession or in control of it.
(k) Anyone who looks through a hole or opening, into, or otherwise views,
by means of any instrumentality, including, but not limited to, a periscope,
telescope, binoculars, camera, or camcorder, the interior of a bathroom,
changing room, fitting room, dressing room, or tanning booth, or the
interior of any other area in which the occupant has a reasonable expectation
of privacy, with the intent to invade the privacy of a person or persons
inside. This subdivision shall not apply to those areas of a private
business used to count currency or other negotiable instruments.
(l) Any person who uses a concealed camcorder, or photographic camera
of any type, to secretly videotape or photograph another person under
or through the clothing being worn by that other person, for the purpose
of viewing the body of, or the undergarments worn by, that other person,
without the consent or knowledge of that other person, with the intent
to
invade the privacy of that other person, under circumstances in which
the other person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, whether in
a public or private place.
According to the author,
"AB 182 specifically stems from three incidents in Orange County where
video cameras were found at Disneyland, the Garden Grove Strawberry
festival and at a beach. These cameras were positioned in precarious
places to view victims either up their skirts or down blouses, etc.
In some cases, these images were placed on the Internet and could be
viewed for a fee. In these cases, the individuals involved were caught,
but law enforcement was unable to file charges against them because
of a technicality in the law . . . Because 'public' place was not clearly
defined under the 'reasonable expectation' standard, thus the offenders
were released. This measure also addresses another type of problem created
unintentionally by the advancement of electronics . . . .Some persons
have found that infrared technology acts as an 'x-ray' in normal light
allowing them to view victims through their clothing."
Analysis: "This bill potentially makes a photojournalist using a telephoto lens to photograph a celebrity sunbathing on a public beach a criminal. How will an ordinary citizen be able to determine whether the other person has a reasonable expectation of privacy in a public place, whether there has been an actual invasion of privacy, and whether the other person's public conduct indicates either consent to or knowledge of being viewed by others?"
The California Attorneys
for Criminal Justice states, "This bill appears over broad and thus
would criminalize unintended behavior. Private investigators are often
asked to photograph or videotape a person claiming disability but engaging
in some behavior which is inconsistent with that claim. If the person
photographed is wearing a garment that may be translucent or transparent
when seen at a particular angle, the investigator would be liable under
this
bill. Similarly, magazine photographers often try to obtain candid photos
of celebrities in public places and they would be liable."
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Stripper Tawny Lions looks for Gene Ross
I recently bought this 1977 book by Steven Ziplow, "The Film Maker's Guide to Pornography." Who was Ziplow?
I'm trying to i.d. people on pg. 9... Anyone remember Beau Buchanan who produced Captain Lust?
Who is the Mr. Brown credited with producing such films as French Schoolgirls, French Classmates, The Honeymooners?
And Mr. Blue... who produced Slip Up...under the name Robert Walters? as well as Dear Pam and Fringe Benefits.
Dsl1999@aol.com writes on RAME (newgroup rec.arts.movies.erotica) about the twelve most influential persons and companies in porn:
Ginger Lynn--one of
the best and prettiest of actresses...and all-around
universal favorite
Traci Lords--for the notoriety
John Stagliano--for his style
The Dark Bros--for their styles
Jenna Jameson--for her present-day popularity and break into mainstream consciousness
Linda Lovelace--for
her role as a breakthrough performer and critic of the
industry
John Holmes--for obvious reasons
Alex deRenzy--for his films
Hustler Magazine--for pushing the envelope
Vivid Video--for bringing
style and class in this gutter-industry