Monday, January 8, 2007
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L.A. Direct Models Party Jan. 7
Gwen Diamond Gwen Diamond Gwen Diamond Gwen Diamond, Justin Syder, Cayton Gwen Diamond, Justin Syder, Cayton Gwen Diamond, Justin Syder, Cayton Gwen Diamond, Justin Syder, Cayton Aline Aline Aline Jade Marcella Jade Marcella Mr and Mrs Randy Spears, Mr and Mrs Wankus pic pic Angie Miles, Greg Audrey Bitoni, Derek Hay Audrey Bitoni Audrey Bitoni Audrey Bitoni Marco Banderas, Lisa Lee Marco Banderas, Lisa Lee Derek Hay, Audrey Bitoni Tory Lane Tory Lane Tory Lane Tory Lane Tory Lane Tory Lane Regan Reese Regan Reese Cassie Young Cassie Young Cassie Young August August August Sandra Romain Sandra Romain Tiffany Sweet Cayton Cayton Cindy Crawford Cindy Crawford Regan Maddox Carly Parker Carly Parker Carly Parker Carly Parker Eva Angelina Eva Angelina Mr. Pete with a civilian girl Mr. Pete Dakota Cameron Dakota Cameron, Katja Kassin Dakota Cameron, Katja Kassin Katja Kassin Katja Kassin Dakota Cameron Dakota Cameron Ava Rose Ava Rose Penny Flame Penny Flame Penny Flame Lexxi Tyler Lexxi Tyler Lacie Heart Lacie Heart Lacie Heart Shy Love Shy Love Shy Love, friend Shy Love, friend Celena Cross, girl Abby Page, girl, Celena Cross Celena Cross Abby Page, girl, Celena Cross
Sunday night. Rouge strip club in Van Nuys. Bouncers won't allow people to smoke in the back parking lot.
Cayton, 19, just had her wisdom teeth pulled. She worries aloud that her face is puffy.
9:10 p.m. Fran from L.A. Direct yells at us photographers: "It's not exactly the Cannes Film Festival, is it? You coulda been a contenda!"
Sky Love says, "I've got to be in court in the morning."
I got a subpoena, I guess from her attorneys, regarding a video clip I linked to a few months ago, "Shy in Jamaica."
"You should see these shoes I got for Marcus London's wedding January 14," says Joe Lawrence. "I'll be all in white."
Cindy Crawford shows up with her husband Weasel and Devan Sapphire with Ava Rose.
Aurora Snow
Adam Glasser aka Seymore Butts emails:
Aurora is now being repped by my agency, Lighthouse Talent, and she just did her first scene for me last week. she looked great and devoured Tom Byron.... still one of the industry's great gapers! meanwhile 2007 has started off with a bang and vegas promises to be interesting as always...we have more than half our girls from the agency signing. by the way, i'm almost finished with that book...
Princess Holly Randall Bringing Her Own Sheets To The Venetian
HollyRandall: ready for Vegas?
Luke: i guess, you?
HollyRandall: yeah
HollyRandall: i've been buying stuff for my hotel room
HollyRandall: got my own sheets
Luke: why?
HollyRandall: the Venetian may be an expensive hotel, but their sheets
are like sandpaper
HollyRandall: so i'm bringing my own
HollyRandall: plus scented candles, and my own pillows
HollyRandall: i'm turning my room into my own sanctuary
HollyRandall: i figure if i'm not going to go out and party all night,
i'm going to relax in my room and take long bubble baths and read
HollyRandall: i can't tell you how much better i feel since i quit drinking
I have dinner with her and her attorney Michael Fattorosi Sunday night.
Luke: What did Paul Fishbein [AVN President] say to you after I saw you on set last month?
Emily: "He just wanted to make sure that things are going well with me and I felt OK about the situation."
Luke: "What situation?"
Emily: "He wasn't happy with the original situation."
Luke: "It started out that there was a thread on XPT that you had a voice mail from Mike Ramone?"
Emily: "I don't know how everything went out so public and so detailed. Whoever decided to publicize it was out of place. I should stop there."
Luke: "Was Paul concerned about how his staff was dealing with you?"
Emily: "Paul was very concerned. He's a busy guy and he found time to meet with me personally and let me that his intentions were not for his business to be run that way. He wanted to personally apologize to me. He wanted me to have an interview with AVN that wasn't fueled by sexual desire. That was the purpose of the second interview as well as that I'm good friends with Dan Miller [AVN Editor]. He had told Paul not only what was going on with the blogs..."
Luke: "What did Paul apologize for?"
Emily: "He wanted to apologize for any emotional distress and that he didn't intend for his company to be run that way. He wanted me to know that he was taking it seriously and it did bother him, just like any company would do if there was some form of sexual boundaries breached. Paul was very professional. I'm going to leave it at that."
Luke: "Who did the first interview with you at AVN?"
Emily: "Mike Ramone. Fresh off the Bus [June 2006 issue, I think?]. We were in the conference room at the AVN building."
"When I got into the business, it was a large joke to me. I had taken a large paycut to do films, at least half. I didn't care about career. I just thought it would be fun and that's how I expressed myself to Mike and that's how he wrote it in the magazine."
Luke: "I thought you were going to present at the AVN awards?"
Emily: "It was discussed. Dan called me a couple of weeks ago to say there wasn't room."
Luke: "Did you ever get an apology from Mike Ramone?"
Emily: "Me and Mike Ramone have not seen or talked to each other. It would be really hard for me to see him, not so much for what was said, but because I feel so bad for what happened. He was a great editor. He was a good guy. The man lost his job over gossip. That's harsh."
Evermoore was married from 17 to 21. She had two girls who've been put up for adoption. "It's an open adoption. I've had trouble making contact with the family. I hear the girls are doing well. It's better for them."
Luke: "Are you dangerous?"
Emily: "Only if you are afraid of looking at yourself."
She says her worst trait is follow through. She gets bored easily and changes direction frequently.
Evermoore says she hasn't used methamphetamines in months.
"Nobody told me how bad I was. That's what I needed."
She smokes dope regularly.
She hasn't spoken to her mother and sister since 2004.
"I am so selfish, I am so involved with myself that I never feel lonely. I don't think I'd make a thoughtful sister."
"I don't think I can be monogamous."
"America is great. It is the freeest."
Emily says her self-esteem is "too high."
"I don't like to ask for help. I'm too stubborn."
She has no problem with a quid-pro-quo favors for sex swap as long as it doesn't feel bad to her.
Emily says Dr. Riggs prescribed her medication that wrecked her kidneys (along with her methamphetamine abuse). Emily says the medication required doctor's supervision and regular blood tests but that Dr. Riggs required neither.
Evermoore won't sue because it would entail "too much negativity. A righteous person would do it to save the next person but I don't care about other people."
Kami Andrews writes on ADT about Mike Ramone: "some one should have dug up that pic luke had of me rob and mike from avn haha i never f--ked him, i would have but the steelers were playing."
The Endless Porn Dollar Question
Bob Armstrong writes:
I've been in the ranks of the low-ballers on annual porn dollar revenue figures, but I'm beginning to think the new almost $13 billion number AVN announced is on target, maybe even too low. I've gone over the ocean of numbers that have been batted about over the past few years, but one that Luke posted from another link simply astounded me, and yet this is a number that seems more plausible than any I've seen.
The number rings true because it came not from the top honchos in Pornlandia but the bottom of the chain, a guy working day-to-day in the trenches as a manager at one of the Fantasy adult stores in Portland, Oregon. He posted anonymously, but what he said certainly sounds credible, and he has no reason to lie.
He says the 6 Fantasy stores in Portland pull in a combined revenue of about $3.5 million a year. That's over a half million for each store. The AVN survey for 2006 retail store revenue says it is "based on an estimate of 15,000 stores that exclusively sell adult product or some adult product." That doesn't seem like an unreasonable number, although how much of this is "some adult" softens up the hard core number. But if we go with it and assume every store in the country pulls in a half million a year, or that is a reasonable average for a single store, that alone comes to $7.5 billion.
The Fantasy manager said his figure accounts for DVD sales and rentals, and novelty sales. He didn't mention skin mags but I assume that would be in the total. According to AVN, the total annual sales in those three categories at retail stores comes to a little over $6 billion. The Fantasy manager noted his numbers do not take into account expenses like the cost of product, wages for the clerks, rent and utility bills. But that too is porn money trickling through the system. He added his figures did not include an average of $580 a day at his store for jerking off in the arcades. That's over $200 grand a year in one store. It all adds up.
The arcade money brings to mind another source of big money at strip bars. The money the strippers haul in. I suspect the AVN number of $2 billion a year does not include the money the girls make, though I don't know for sure about that. How many strippers are on stage each night from Seattle to Miami? On average how much do they pull down each night? I'll leave that for somebody else, but it wouldn't surprise me if that put another billion on the pile.
In any case, I think the dude at the Portland Fantasy store has provided us with the the most solid number to date, even though we have to extrapolate a national number out of the rain.
A note to the manager if you're tuned in: I'd like to discuss this further with you. My e-mail is vanillaslim@msn.com.
Zartan writes on the Yahoo group FunWithPSEs: "Melissa's biggest problem was her nosy neighbors. You can't do that type (or any type) of business in an expensive, gated community. Too many nosy people w/ too much time on their hands in your business. At least she was investing right to have such a nice place."
Rob writes:
After looking at the pictures on that Georgia website about Melissa's bust... all I can say is GODDAMN she cleans up well for video work... and the "lifestyle" ages a woman like nothing else evidently, because that 30yr old looks 50. WTF?!? Anyone have any pictures of her in full pornstar regalia? But for her to have a million dollar home in Sugar Loaf, I have to say she's done VERY well for herself. Obviously if she's banking that kind of money, she's doing what she's doing for fun and thrills. She could easily live off the interest alone of her investments if she has that kind of assets.
Pornstarville
Tim writes: "I overheard a conversation today that a bunch of girl’s names on a flyer promoting a big AEE Vegas party called Pornstarville at the Empire Ballrooom have actually zero affiliation with the party. Many of these girls on the flyer have not been asked to appear let alone given their purmission to be listed as part of this event. I think shit like this gives all of the other legit activities a bad name and is very misleading to the public. I heard that one very big name has no idea at all about this party yet her name is listed prominently on the flyer. How bush league is that shit? Most of the girls listed are under 21 and if I remember correctly, Vegas is a 21 and over town. I’m stayin away from that misleading clustirf---."
Showtime Does Debbie Doc
Bob Preston writes for XFanz.com:
Chris May, supervising producer of Debbie Does Dallas Again, said that Showtime planned to augment the documentary with a full website and lots of extra footage.
Gaming Channel Interviews Joanna Angel
Joanna chats with Layla Kayleigh.
American Hardcore
Jon writes:
One of the American Hardcore guys got into a fight and it was caught on tape. There were a whole crew of them in AH hats and some guy started to mouth off to one of them when a guy from their group jumped in. It was pretty scary. Incidently, I have been told that they are some of the scariest people you'll ever meet. They are also bodyguards and muscle for some dangerous people.
TJ di Reda who is part owner of the company was the first one to get into the fight. He was with 10 Samoan guys. The guy in the video is Tah Dow. Some of the other guys names are pretty funny - Cobra, Gangster, and Godfather. From what I'm told TJ di Reda has a temper and has a reputation for being confrontational.
Scorpionking emails:
I'm no tough guy, but if Jon thinks that was scary, I think he needs to get out more. From what I saw that was nothing more than some drunk mouthing off and NOT getting his ass kicked. I've seen worse when I visit New York and go to the Bronx.
TJ DiReda is one of the nicest most affable guys you'd ever want to meet. Compared to a lot of porn guys, he's pretty honest and straightforward. Maybe that's what they call confrontational in L.A.
I'm quite confused about your AVN ticket request. You mean your're not sitting with your old pal Steve Hirsch?
The AVN AWARDS will be closely monitored by undercover police
Jon writes: "I was told from one of my sources at Mandalay Bay that law enforcement will be working closely with casino security in an effort to monitor drugs and prostitution. Anyone having an after party at Mandalay Bay should rethink their plans. Most people agree that having the awards there was a huge mistake and as a result many have decided not to attend."
Paul Fishbein talks to Adam Carolla about this year's awards.
MCarchives.com, the leading Mariah Carey fan site, published this incorrect news report on Jan. 4:
There is no danger anymore that Mariah will be confused with pornstar Mary Cook. A judge has decided that Mary may no longer call herself Mary Carey. Mary Ellen Cook started using the name Carey in 2002. Last summer, she used this name to run for governor in California against Arnold Schwarzenegger. But when she wanted to trademark the name Mary Carey, Mariah Carey stepped in. ]
Before the lawsuit, Mary's attorney David Beitchman was self-confident and said, "Do you really think the fans would confuse Mary with Mariah?" But according to the judge, this could be the case and he prohibited the pornstar to use the name for DVD's, websites and movies.
Mary calls me Jan. 5. "I did not lose the case. I have 40 days from the 27th of December to respond. I am meeting with my lawyer today."
"I'm sober and going to business meetings. I hung out with Harold [Mary's ex-boyfriend] for two days. He's not doing too well. A little too strung out for my liking."
"The biggest thing that people feel is that I'm irresponsible. I'm meeting with someone today from a really big company today about changing my image."
Mary Carey's attorney David Beitchman emails me:
This is in response to your article posted January 4, 2007 regarding the same subject identified above. We are attorneys for Mary Carey.
Please note that your article is factually incorrect and grossly misstates the nature of the proceedings referenced therein. Mariah Carey's Opposition was filed before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board on December 27, 2006. By statute, Mary Carey has forty (40) days from that date to respond to the Opposition. Thus, no Judge has heard this matter yet, a response has not yet been filed, and no decisions have been rendered. Mary Carey is fully entitled to the continued use of her name, contrary to what your article states.
If you maintain your position as indicated in the article, we are curious to know what action you are referring to and what Judge handed down the decision upon which your article relies. Kindly forward that information to us at your earliest opportunity. Otherwise, we would appreciate you updating your website to reflect the truth of the matter, thereby not misleading your readers.
So You Want To Start A Porn Company...
Oren from Anarchy Films posts on ADT:
To put a movie on the self doesn't cost you $11,000. An average gonzo cost about $13,500. Than editing hard and soft is about $1,200. Design a sleeve is about $600, authoring is about $700, sleeves are about $500, replication is about $1,500 for 3000 pcs. So if you do the math right you looking into a $18,000. A good distributor will bring you back about $19,000 in the first 45 days of release. To keep a company going you need to release about 50 movies a year with an invesment of at least 1,000,000 in cash. (do the math).
Montcalm Publications (Gallery, Fox, Lolipop) Late Paying
A source writes: "Have you heard any complaints from photogs etc. about Montcalm not paying up? I heard this week that they're telling some people they pay one year after use!"
Montcalm has run up tens of thousands of dollars in debts.
Canyon Publishing (Smooth, Cuddles magazines) is also late paying bills (for tens of thousands of dollars).
Global Media (owned by Susan and Gil Traub, they publish Oui, Oriental Women, Adult Cinema Review, Blueboy, Machisimo) owes tens of thousands of dollars.
With the exception of LFP, Score, Great Eastern, Club, Lair, Magna (Genesis, Swank, Velvet, Busty Beauties), it seems like most magazine publishers are way late in paying their bills.
Hustler Honeys
Midnight emails:
2006 wasn't a great year for Hustler Honey's -- Kayden Kross, Joey Hart, and Shy Love were all signed with great fanfare only to be uncermoniously dropped like so much used douche within a matter of weeks.
At a recent industry event a Hustler Video executive confirmed that Shy Love was dropped from her contract for “being very difficult to work with, besides the fact that she just wasn’t that good a performer.”
Naturally, one wonders why Hustler didn’t just watch her videos to see what sort of performances Shy delivers BEFORE signing her to a directing, performance, and distribution deal. The same exec claimed that given their preference Shy would have never worked for Hustler at all. Ditto for Kross and Hart. Asked bluntly why any of these women were hired in the first place, the exec declined to point the finger at any specific person. “Sometimes you just have to go along with the powers that be….of course, we all knew they would be dropped sooner than later.”
While Kayden and Joey weren’t exactly great Hustler Honey picks, neither of those “ladies” has a reputation nearly as bad as Shy’s.
While the exec was aware that a number of people claim that Shy Love owes them money, the exec claimed that Shy’s character flaws went far beyond that. “A whore that has been used up in over 900 movies in 3 years isn’t worth the headache – and this girl causes a lot of headaches. This is a bitchy industry, but even still, I have to admit being surprised by the number of people that this bitch has burned. Now we're forever associated with all of the shit Shy gets herself into. Until no one pays any attention to her -- which could happen any day - she's in her late 20's, so she's coming up closely on the grey ceiling. ”
LFP's head of production, Drew Rosenfeld, replies:
I’m not going to debate on the comments made from “Hustler Video Exec.”, who ever that is. I will say that it was a mutual departure between Shy Love and Hustler Video. Shy is a very hard working girl. She has a busy schedule dancing all over the country. Unfortunately it conflicted with our needs several times. After discussing it with her, both parties felt it best to part ways.
Kayden Kross is a beautiful girl, who at that time just wasn’t ready for video. She shot a magazine layout for us. She did a great job and looked gorgeous. We offered her a video deal, put her in front of the camera, and she froze. It happens. Apparently now she’s ready. We’ll see for how long.
What’s interesting about the comments made from so called “Hustler Video Exec.”, is that there are very few Executives on this floor. Mostly support staff and assistant personnel. These comments sound like they come from someone on the outside. I’m fairly certain that none of us from the “Executive pool” would make comments such as these. They are obviously speaking from a personal point of view and have no real incite on Hustler Video.
Houston Don emails:
I think in the case of Joey and Kayden, someone at the company thought their looks would overcome any issues that might arise. The industry is so competitive that evryone wants to capture the "next big thing", often taking chances on a director or performer, then finding out afterwards that things didn't work out so well. Joey Hart has a lot of potential and her beauty is undeniable so maybe she'll do better with round two.
Shy Love, on the other hand, has given many companies some really heated performances. Whatever her business dealings may be, it's tough to deny that a gal working as much as she has in the past few years could be that big a problem. If she was such a drama queen as the bit made her out to be, few folks would have hired her (certainly not the made up "900 movies in 3 years" worth of people).
When companies hire a performer again and again, it kills the limited credibility of someone making such a charge that they are old, tough to work with, or about to fall off the map (greed is the ultimate reason why people hire particular performers; if the woman will make them money, she gets hired for more jobs). In general though, you'd be amazed at how few "company executives" watch their own movies, never mind those of the competition. In most other industries, such people would be expected to have a working knowledge of their own product, their competitors product, and actively looking for performers, directors, and other employees that fit with their way of doing things. In porn, the sleight of hand approach extends to all aspects of the business (hence the exaggerated numbers bandied about concerning sales, profits, circulation, and other factors) with a great many believing their own marketing hype (usually written by people that have not seen the movies or watched the performer at work).
Aurora Snow Update
Bob writes: "Hi Luke: How about an update on Aurora Snow? Has she married Jay? Future plans etc?"
I saw her on set last month. She was with Jay though they have not married. She was going to college.
Gene Ross Held Hostage By His Webmaster
Gene has been dealing with Philadelphia webmaster Dan Friend for three problematic years. Now Ross has finally made the switch to a new webmaster and he's up at 411pornstars.com.
Ross inherited Friend as a webmaster from Wankus who started Adultfyi.com.
AVN Estimates For Industry Size 2006
CHATSWORTH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Consumers are watching more adult content on cable and pay-per-view, buying more sex toys and moving online, according to AVN Media Network, operator of AVN.com, the most frequently visited news site for the adult market. Dynamic shifts have occurred in key segments of the market, which AVN estimates at $12.922 billion in the United States, or just under $13 billion in 2006. Adult Movies remain the largest sector at more than $3.6 billion or 28 percent of the adult entertainment market. Falling prices for adult DVDs caused a drop of 15 percent in revenue in that segment, but unit sales were up, indicating a continuing market for adult films. Distribution over cable channels showed the strongest growth in 2006 at 34 percent. AVN estimates the Adult Cable/PayPerView segment (home and hotel TV movies) now represents $1.75 billion in revenue, annually.
Complete AVN report. My thoughts. New York Times reports.
The AVN report says: "AVN estimates that revenue from Video Sale & Rental at retail brick and mortal locations has fallen by around 12% from $3.4 billion to $3.2 billion. As compared to the mainstream sales and rental, adult is only around 14% of the size of that $24.6 billion dollar market. (The Entertainment Marketing Association (formerly VSDA) does not include stores that sell only adult product in its reports, thus estimates have been put forth previously that the adult market is 10% of the size of mainstream.)"
Yet the Entertainment Marketing Association in its 2005 report listed porn as 2% of DVD sales, not 10%.
How To Start A DVD Company
This is Part III of John T. Bone’s series of articles for newbies and those considering entering the world of adult movies. How much does it take to start a DVD company, in this article John T. Bone gives the reader an excellent estimate of how much money it takes to start and run a production company through its initial start up period. “Porn” is no longer a situation where anyone with a camcoder and a willing female participant can get rich quickly. This is an industry and with that it requires money to make money.
Layoffs At Goalie Entertainment
Al Siegel and company are gone.
Ashley Blue: 'I Hate Muslims!'
Harry writes on ADT: "That's a clip from "Inside the Porn Actors Studio," on Howard Stern's TV-on-demand thing. The whole thing is satirical and tongue-in-cheek, and it's a bit silly to be calling it "racist.""
I have been through some tough times and the industry has been wonderful to be there for me, when I needed them, to help me back up on my feet. They were hands that fed me, due to my own mistakes and own bad luck that they did not cause. I am sincerely thankful for that.
I hope to make it clear to everyone that the personal issues in my relationship with Mickey G are just that, personal issues between him and myself. It isn't anyone's fault for what went wrong in our relationship. Mickey is naturally dramatic and I have an anxiety disorder. We had problems and made mistakes.
People were right for not rushing to judgement on Mickey, they know Mickey like I do. Mickey served the industry for 12 years and never had a record of behaving anything less than a gentlemen.
I was uncertain about supporting to put Mickey in prison and showing people the proof they needed to make a real judgement because I know that he is in no way a danger to anyone at all, other than someone who gets involved with his "love-deprived heart," intoxicated by drugs. It's a fact, Mickey will do anything at all for love. It is a paradox that he craves it more than your normal guy. After all, Mickey has had sex with some of the most beautiful women in the world. But that is his curse. Mickey has told me about how his heart looked for love in other lands. He was over in Europe when one of his girlfriends recognized his penis in an adult film and rejected him because of it. I overheard his parents call him disgusting for being in porn. In the industry, he is haunted by the heavily limelighted marriage between he and his bi-sexual ex- wife. The relationship of many didn't work out. And he can't seem to find the true love he needs anywhere. He is cursed inside the industry and he is cursed outside the industry. This man has a situation of love deprivation and yearning for true love.
I called KSEX to report Mickey's attack on my lover and never followed up with it. I bet there are tons of girls who want to be a pornstar so badly that they would try to crush someone else to do it. Plus, it came at a time, after there were already rumors. I showed up on sets pitching a bloody fit or my eyes rolling back into my head. My skin looked like a pepperoni pizza, I was flaky and unpredictable,and probably could have used more work. And if attention is what I wanted, what better way to do it, right? Then, after reporting his actions, I don't show any proof at all. I sound like a raving lunatic on the phone to KSEX. Then, I give Mickey his passport, and I supposedly write apologizes from my known MySpace page to him and confessing to be a crackhead streetwalker (oh that was a bad boy, Mickey). I wouldn't believe me either!
Mickey knew that I was upset with him for going to jail and used Ken in order to get back into the house. Mickey asked Ken to stay with me while he was in jail, in order to keep me company. But he asked me not to have sex with him. When he returned, Mickey then encouraged Ken and I to have sex together so that I would have sex with him too (meaning Mickey). Then, Mickey became jealous because I had sex without his knowledge. Mickey called himself giving me "bear hugs" when he choked me and wrestled with me to hold me down after finding us together. He was hurting me, so I had to call police. He wouldn't stop. I was hurt that Mickey had been released from jail and didn't come back. However, I didn't know that the state filed a restraining order on my behalf and told Mickey to stay away. Mickey did not come by or call one single time for over a month. Then, he shows up yelling that it is his house and all hell breaks loose.
Ken now faces many surgeries, eye drops, ointments and doctors poking and prodding at him. This will never end for the rest of his life.
Ron Jeremy: The Hardest (Working) Man in Showbiz
From Publishers Weekly:
With more than 1,750 porn films under his belt (and director of more than 135), Jeremy is still cranking them out two decades after most adult film performers have retired. His memoir (co-written by humorist Spitznagel, author of Fast Forward: Confessions of a Porn Screenwriter) details a life of relentless self-promotion that often borders on the excessive (who else would call himself "the biggest porn star on the planet" and attach an appendix of the mainstream projects he was almost cast in or was cut out of the final product?). Fans won't find much introspection, and the incessant celebrity name-dropping is daunting, but the book is like Jeremy: self-effacing, affably vulgar, eager-to-please and constantly on the run. The anecdotes fly by: trying to direct a performance out of John Wayne Bobbitt's reattached organ in Uncut; having sex with an 87-year-old co-star; battling the LAPD on pandering charges; offering instructions on autofellatio; and hanging with Sam Kinison and Rodney Dangerfield.
Episcopalian Porn Star Tatum Reed available in Washington D.C., New York, LA
Tatum Reed posts on TER:
Are you ready to join the leisure class? I'm the perfect mix of porn star and Fashion Maven. The Episcopalian girl next door. I am ready for consumption and available for decadent fun. Please e-mail or complete the reservation form on my booking website. I am a delightful dinner date, a consummate conversationalist and an engaging temptress. I provide the ultimate PSE experience.
Police: High-Priced Call Girls At Sugarloaf Country Club
DULUTH, Ga. -- Authorities say two women have been arrested for prostitution in a case in which "dates" could cost as much as $10,000. Forty-two-year-old Lisa Ann Taylor was arrested yesterday at her million-dollar home in the exclusive Sugarloaf Country Club area. District Attorney Danny Porter says she was charged with violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, also known as RICO. Porter says she also was charged with prostitution, keeping a place of prostitution and conspiracy to possess cocaine.
Taylor, who goes by the name Melissa Wolf on the site, boasts that she is "North America's Most Published Centerfold and one of Penthouse Magazine's Most Published Pets" on her personal Web site.
Jim Brock writes in the Gwinnett Daily Post:
Information regarding Probert and Taylor's alleged business venture was posted on The Erotic Review, a Web site where customers, who refer to themselves as "hobbyists," post comments about services rendered by call girls who operate in various cities nationwide. The Gwinnett Daily Post sent information to Porter's office in early November after an editor was informed of the site's existence.
"I'll be interested to look at (The Erotic Review) discussion boards tomorrow," Porter said, adding that he anticipates Wednesday's arrests will become part of the online conversations that lately made mention of massage parlor busts in Clayton County. "It's been a very enlightening investigation."
Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Greg writes on the Yahoo group FunWithPSEs: "There were a few non pornstar providers busted in Cincinnati over the last couple of nights. I just don't see the crime here, the majority of the ladies don't need our money. IMHO, having sex with your favorite pornstar is not much different than having a catch with your fav. baseball player or jamming with Gene Simmons (It's just a lot more fun). I just hope that if TW visits the midwest, she is still available!"
Dominant responds: "Personally I'm all for p4p sex. But if the girls didn't need our money I doubt many would be out there. Reality is coccaine, houses, cars and clothes aren't generally free. Wake up and smell the anal lube."
Such arrests of prominent prostitues who advertise over the web are easy, so why don't cops make more such busts?
Venkatesh and Levitt are currently collaborating on a study of street-level prostitution in Chicago (after street-level drug dealing, the “second worst job in America” in terms of wage to potential consequence ratio, according to Levitt). The study isn’t published yet–he said I could look for it in three to five months or so–so he couldn’t go into details, but the basic methodology involves giving the prostitutes “tracking sheets” on which they write down information about their tricks. One of the interesting findings is that about 1 in 10 tricks are freebies to the local police.
Melissa Wolf has made few porn movies and does not cause a ripple in the industry. She's a former skin magazine model now working as a 42-year old hooker who lists her annual income at $140,000 (on her divorce application), which sounds about right.
Police took a ledger from Melissa's house with the names of her clients.
Wolf owned a home in the ritziest country club in Atlanta.
Law Enforcement says it was easy to trace IP numbers and phone numbers from posters on The Erotic Review.
Melissa's real estate agent license had expired. Her real estate agency was a cover for her prostitution operation, and it was the same photo number as Melissa posted on The Erotic Review.
Wolf is getting divorced. She's accused her husband of abusing her.
The last prominent bust of porn star escorts was of Exotica-2000 in December 2004.
Ugly George Goes HD
Ugly George emails Jan. 3, 2006:
Imagine what michael moore missed by having NO BOOBS! Here's UG @ the recent NYC 2006 Halloween Parade being shot for the new "Fahrenheit911 & Ugly George" epic film. You will be shocked to know that this amateur parade gets some of TV's highest ratings; could that have anything to do with the many naked girls & gays who march in it? UG was forced to fondle many of said boobs--and it's all on HD! The Grand Marshal wuz Gene Simmons of KISS; who's said to have fallen into a snit because UG's pic is downloaded more often than his; we hear that his white make-up turns red when UG's name cums up...How many flicks have Presidential Mothers (Lillian Carter), would-be Prezs (Sen.Geo McGovern) and Stars like Jerry Orbach ("Law & Order") talking about SEX ON TV? Get your popcorn & condoms ready...pic pic
Oren Cohen emails: "The industry seems to be projecting quite a bit of stuff onto this young lady. Somehow we've managed to completely confuse cerebral prowess with emotional stability. Our brains are quite skilled machines of deception. Our hearts never lie. I don't know about you but the list of stuff I defined as personal truth at 18 looks pretty alien at 28. That's ok though. That's called growth. I guess it just bums me out that her journey has to be trivialized and distorted by our media machine.....lets not confuse Sasha's vocation with her identity."
Vegas Sets Tone For New Year
Porners come to AEE and Internext to do business. hook-up, and to get phone numbers.
"Girls see me on stage at the Players Ball," says a friend, "and I get enough numbers to last me for three months."
Luke: "What's the word on the street about AEE and Internext?"
Source: "Nothing. A lot of people are not going to Internext."
Luke: "But Internext has a great panel discussion with Steve Hirsch and a bunch of people who don't usually sit on panels."
Source: "Nobody goes to panels but newbies and the employees of people on the panel."
Kevin Beechum Married Last Week
An asian girl.
Sam the Man is a Terrific Film
It's about a blocked novelist who struggles with infidelity.
Sam the Man is the first time I've disagreed with the rankings on imdb.com, which I've usually found to be the best gauge of a movie. IMDB.com gave it a 3.6 on a 1-10 scale, probably because it was shot on digital video.
Brian J. Dillard in the All Movie Guide writes:
Before he broke out with the J.D. Salinger-esque Tadpole in 2002, producer-turned-director Gary Winick filmed this little-seen relationship drama. Fisher Stevens stars as the title character, a writer with one novel under his belt who can't seem to deliver the follow-up. Instead, he spends his time compulsively cheating on his photographer girlfriend, Cass (Annabella Sciorra); giving the runaround to his agent, Richard (Ron Rifkin); and trying to keep his landlord, Murray (Luis Guzman), at bay. Things take a turn for the worse when the husband of one of Sam's conquests (Maria Bello) confronts him, leaving Sam covered in hard-to-explain injuries. Soon, with the help of his barkeep brother, Lorenzo (Saverio Guerra), Sam is holding down a day job for the first time in years and reexamining every aspect of his life. After the success of Tadpole, the Independent Film Channel picked up Sam the Man for broadcast on cable television. The film's cast, filled with notable and lesser-known New York actors, includes George Plimpton, Griffin Dunne, and Rob Morrow.
There's an interesting idea for a movie contained in the final scenes of Sam The Man, about a writer who deliberately sabotages his personal relationships so that he'll have something to write about. By the time we've gotten there, though, it's too little too late—we've already been forced to sit through the self-involved, depressing little tale of a self-involved, depressing little man.
My Favorite Book Of 2007 - Radicals for Capitalism: A Freewheeling History of the Modern American Libertarian Movement
You won't buy it for the prose (not a memorable sentence) but you'll love the even-handed presentation of ideas that matter. This is an indispensable book for anyone interested in libertarian thought.
It is an important book and I couldn't put it down.
Questions I have for its author Brian Doherty of Reason magazine (Hillbilly philosopher Mike South answers them):
* What things make you doubt libertarianism?
I can't think of any, honestly. The whole premise that provided you pose no threat to my life, liberty, property or pursuit of happiness then how you live your life is your own business appeals to me greatly.
* Can you perceive a circumstance where you would come to the belief that illegal immigration was bad?
I personally feel that immigration is part and parcel to what has made this country great. I don't like the term illegal but lets look at immigration as a whole. So long as people come here peacefully, abide by our laws, work, support themselves and their families the I have no objection to their being here. I do not believe they should be able to come here and live off the public teat but by the same token I don't think US Citizens should be suckling the public teat. I dont like the idea of the government using deadly force to take my money and redistribute it to someone else
* What are common relationship interpersonal issues for libertarians?
As Libertarians we really shouldn't have any...see the above about leaving people alone to live their own lives.
* How has your personal life affected your libertarian philosophy and vice versa? Have you had urges you could not control, urges that left you wishing the government would ban what you sought/limit your choices?
I don't have urges I can't control, thats just called acting responsibly and asking the government to assume responsibility because I cant is flat out stupid. You cannot force people to act in a responsible manner. Its all about individualism and personal responsibility and Libertarians know this.
* Is the libertarian able to overcome the instinct of ownership of one's spouse? How would a rational libertarian think and feel about his spouse having an illicit affair? Is libertarianism any solace?
A Libertarian would never assume to own another person. The rational Libertarian would deal with an affiar within the confines of his and his mates own spirituality or religion. Libertarianism isn't a religion, nor does it recognize any religion or lack thereof. Once again those are things that are better left to the individual to decide whats works best for him/her.
* Are libertarians more or less religious than the general population?
I would say they are no different than anyone else except that we don't recognize any scripture as being a worthy basis of law, instead we recognize individual rights as the basis for law.
* How does a libertarian stay happy with a decidedly non-libertarian country and world? How do you avoid depression?
Libertarians are by definition individualists and as such organizing us is like herding cats so in reality we would like to see more Libertarian ideology but at the same time we arent the type to ram it down anyones throat, we simply hope the rest of the country/world will evolve to the level of intelligence and wisdom that we have. Thus we live our lives according to our own principles and we try to stay out of anyone elses personal matters and thus there is little basis for depression. We don't try to force change on the world we try to bring about change by example.
* Economists tend to have more wisdom than any other branch of the Nobel prizes (Dennis Prager). Why?
I wouldn't agree at all with that statement, a much wiser man (William Blake) than Dennis Prager put it best "The road to wisdom is paved with excess" and I believe that to be correct. The truly wise have had to gain that wisdom from making mistakes and learning from them. If you were an alcoholic who was looking to quit drinking would you ask a man who never took a drink how to do it or would you ask a man who had been face down in the gutter for some part of his life and had beat it?. Wisdom can only come from experience. I would say that someone like Charles Bukowski could give you much more useful advice than Dennis Prager does. Prager can preach to you but Bukowski can hold up a mirror and show you yourself.
The most beautiful film I've seen about a girl coming of age. I love it like Cinema Paradiso (the director's cut is my favorite film of all time -- thanks for the recommendation Dennis Prager).
I'm falling in love with Italy and Italian cinema. I loved Il Postino. Yes, I loved that big ol' lug of a communist.
I know I'm going to love a book or movie when it starts with a cliche scene and then surprises me.
Asia Carrera Fights For Her Life Insurance
I'm still working on the life insurance thing. That's another nightmare. They're launching an investigation because I'm filing less than year after we signed up... you know, maybe I shot the wheels of the Jeep out from 150 miles away with my death ray because I WANTED to lose my husband while I was 8 months pregnant... *sigh*... I know it's just their policy, but why does everything have to be so flippin' HARD??? I've been sitting here all night trying to fill out all the documents and affadavits and forms they want, and it's so hard to figure out what they want when I'm crying too hard to read. I never actually read Don's death certificates before. I just shoved them in a drawer when I got them. But the insurance company wants to know what the death certificate says, so now I learned Don died from "Injury due to blunt force motor vehicle trauma". I have this lovely image now of Don's head all over the... yeah, you know what I'm picturing.
Please Respect The Porn Star's Privacy
I have plenty of newer movies out there. I stay low-key. I have been working on getting my website together, and getting a feel for the director hat. Just so you all know, I have not been posting here much, I have drama obviously, and I can tell you all his much: IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE TALKED ABOUT ON THE INTERNET, or any other place on the World-Wide Web. I may have mentioned something about a stalker, but for GOD'S sake, why the f--- does that have to be posted here? I want to come here and post messages and responses to people that want to talk about my nasty sex scenes. I truly feel bad that every time I send messages to people who moderate this site, that it is about the typical industry BS that is talked about in adult forums. I loved ADT since the first time I posted here, but could people PLEASE keep your opinions of my PERSONAL life off of ADT? Skeeter (love you) had these issues in the past on this site as well. As most people notice he does not post here anymore if at all for that matter. I don't want to be the next person to not post here for the same reason. People do NOT need to dump personal info on here or anywhere else on the internet. We may be whores, but bygod we are still human beings, and I would like to keep posting on ADT as long as possible. I want a reason to keep coming back to ADT. Thank you to those of you who support me, fans and industry-alike. Thank you to ADT for respecting my wishes everytime.
Nietzsche responds: "Kelly, can you go into lengthy detail as to the things we're not supposed to mention here?"
Ex-Porn Clerk Can't Rent An Apartment
Nate Glass (nateglass@hotmail.com) emails:
Did you know that because of my history as a porn clerk I am denied the ability to rent an apartment? That's right. 8 years ago I started working for New Fine Arts in Dallas. I was mislead by NFA to believe that the routine obscenity busts would not affect me later in life, unless I had intentions of being President. I went to jail for New Fine Arts 11 times, and have 9 counts of obscenity on my permanent record. I have since been denied apartments in Dallas and Austin, Texas due to having "crimes sexual in nature" on my record. I would consider this to be discriminatory practices by the apartment complexes, since my "crimes" pose absolutely no risk to my fellow residents and all occurred over 6 years ago.
This week, 2 days after Christmas actually, we were contacted by AMLI here in Austin and were told we were being evicted. You see, I'm not on the lease here, I can't be, because they would deny me if I were, so my girlfriend and I didn't put me on the lease and 4 years went by, AMLI unofficially knew I was living here, but had no reason to care, until some alleged "family" found me on some website claiming that I was a felon, registered sex offender and convicted of Indecency. None of those 3 things are true. My charges were for obscenity, class A misdemeanors and I am most certainly NOT a registered sex offender. I asked AMLI to provide the website they found this incorrect data, as I think it's a matter of defamation of character, and they refuse to release the information to me. So we were being evicted because I wasn't on the lease, and we couldn't put me on the lease because I would not meet their requirements based upon my criminal background.
So, there must be other current clerks and former clerks out there like me that have been marginalized in society for a crime that shouldn't even be a crime, and certainly shouldn't lump us in with the child molestors and rapists of the world. Much less deny us the ability to rent an apartment, when these same apartments do NOT disqualify an applicant with Breaking & Entering on their record...who's more of a risk to the fellow neighbor here? Any lawyers out there want to help? And is New Fine Arts still telling it's clerks there's no risk in pleading No Contest? Do they know they'll be denied apartments? I've even been denied jobs, supposedly any place that is FDIC insured will not hire someone with Obscenity on their record...this means banks, etc? Can anyone help?
I'm going to contact a group out of NYC called the Legal Action Center (http://www.lac.org), they have pushed for housing authorities to no longer be able to discriminate based upon charges like the ones I have. My New Years' Resolution is to make Austin the 2nd city in the country that can not discriminate based upon charges like this.
John Gray emails: "Typical Bill Becker and Gary hartstine telling lies like they have before to their employees aand others! Sorry Nate that you were mislead by the owners of NFA they speak out of both sides of their mouths quite a bit."
Blonde Ambition Star To Run Family-Friendly New Studio Capable Of Seizing Universal
If everything I'm told is true, I have the greatest rags to riches story in the history of Hollywood.
But let me start at the beginning.
I met Suzy Mandel, the former Benny Hill and Page Three girl, at the Britney Rears III party Sept. 23. She was working as an assistant to director Jennifer James (Memoirs of a Modern Day Geisha, Wet Fantasies) who was shooting the show Inside Erotica.
I asked her for an interview. She said she would give me one but down the line.
On Dec. 14, Mandel aka Jacquelineann Elaine Jefcoate leaves me a message that includes this nugget: "I am going to give you a very private scoop. There's a new international studio going up -- Zent International Films. It is backed by international money.
"I am still helping Jennifer. We have a deal probably with HBO.
"I have been offered the position of president and CEO of this new studio. It will be on par with Paramount. Tom Cruise is now taking over Paramount. This studio has the capability of taking over Universal. It's doing deals with some of the London studios and Arizona studios.
"This is not a bizarre phone call. I'll have the corporation send you the paperwork."
"I probably won't say anything else about it until the papers are signed. We don't want to get caught with our knickers down."
"My cell phone is not working very good because I threw it across the room."
Dec 22. Suzy leaves another message: "Our first movie will be a pretty big one. A 35mm. Then I will go down to a comedy. Most of the programming will be children's type programming, documentary-style. It will not have any X-rated stuff."
Dec. 31. Suzy emails me financial documents with the header: "THIS IS THE PROOF." Doc Doc Doc
Suzy calls at noon. "The studio is owned by Zent & Associates, a very large conglomerate."
There are three Google results for this conglomerate.
Luke: "Where are they based?"
Suzy: "All over the world."
I Google "Zent International Pictures" and find no results.
I Google "Alfred Zent" and find eight results including these two:
According to Offshorebusiness.com:
Grenada passed its Offshore Banking Act in 1996 and licensed its first offshore bank, Grenada International Bank & Trust Corp., on April 15, 1997. GIB&TC, which was controlled by habitual U. S. conman Alfred Zent and a 'nun' known as 'Sister' Susan Walsh, actually collapsed in scandal before it even officially opened for business.
According to the Oct. 6, 1997 Forbes (by Brigid McMenamin):
Sister Susan's banking career began in an association with Alfred Zent, 73, a former silverware salesman who now claims to be an international financier, operating in Mexico, the Caribbean and Arizona. Zent lives and works in a cheap tract house in Mesa, Ariz., using a post office drop as his business address.
Last year Zent wanted to start an offshore bank and picked the Caribbean island nation of Grenada, where he had pull with the prime minister. Still, even in Grenada you need credentials to open a bank, and what better credential than association with a charitable religious person?
...Zent once testified in criminal court that he'd served as a general in the Bay of Pigs. In fact, Zent did serve from 1942to 1965; but never rose above captain.
Luke: "What type of films are you going to make?"
Suzy: "We are aiming for the family market. Nothing fast-paced. No fast-cutting."
"I'm aware of those articles [on Alfred Zent]. I have never had a problem with him."
"I was married to Stanley Margolis (of Plastic Cinemas in England, the third largest chain of theaters in the world). We divorced sixteen years ago."
Suzy says she caught pneumonia in October and almost died.
She's waiting for knee surgery.
"You'll really be amazed at who's coming in on this."
"I come from a different background than people realize. I was bought up on a private island (Isle of Sheppy). My uncle Dashwood built up much of the Isle of Wight. My brother (Peter Charles Carrol Jefcoate) pops around the world with the princes and won the Duke of Edinborough award for bravery when he was 14. My father's (Derek Roland Jefcoate who was a restorer for the queen) quite a famous man. My grandfather Alfred Victor Jefcoate sold his clubs to Warner Brothers. My great grandfather was famous. My great great grandfather owned most of the breweries in London. My grandmother's maiden name was Hughes. The Jefcoates were big plantation owners down south."
"I speak French and Russian and some Hebrew, Italian, German, Greek and Latin. I have degrees in history, German, Geography, Design, Interior Design, and Nursing. My uncle went down on the Poseidon. My other uncle was a cover for the matahari."
Suzy says President Clinton prevented her American boyfriend from marrying her.
12:54 p.m. I answer the phone.
"This is Dr. Alfred E. Zent."
"Background for me, my brother in law (Eddie Peterson) was Sammy Davis Jr.'s business manager for 19 years."
"I lost a fortune with the guy who started the Black Entertainment Group."
"I have been in three movies including The Misfits and Arizona."
There's no result for "Alfred Zent" on imdb.com.
Luke: "So you're a medical doctor?"
Alfred: "I'm a psychologist. I have three PhDs -- in psychology, political geography, and asset management. I went to Arizona State College, Arizona State University and the University of Arizona and the University of Mexico."
"I was in the military for 23 years. I'm a World War II vet. I was wounded, got a Purple Heart, and a POW. Korean vet. Wounded. Vietnam Vet, unwounded. I fought in the Congo in a quasi-CIA operation. And in Panama. I speak Spanish as well as English. I'm building 3,000 houses in Cancun, Mexico, courtesy of the government down there."
"I taught school for 22 years and I've been in private investment for twenty odd years."
"I'm a promoter. I work with people who are not too good sometimes. I work with people who bring me strange stories and find out they are not true."
"I lost a leg two years ago. I lost my wife of 39 years two years ago. I lost my dog of 16 years two years ago. I lost my brother at 75. I've been lying back doing nothing for the past two years."
"I have eight children and eleven grandchildren."
"I knew Benny Hill and the president of Virgin Islands. He helped us raise money in Saudi Arabia."
"I remember that bitch in Forbes magazine."
Alfred says he spoke to Steve Forbes about that article.
Alfred says he knew Lee Iacocca.
Alfred: "How can they call me a con man? I've never been arrested for anything. I've never gone to jail. I retired from the military as a two star general."
Luke: "What's your approximate networth?"
Alfred: "My credit union (Union de Credito de Fomento Integral de Naucalpan) in Mexico is worth $2.5 billion."
The credit union's credo is "Profesionalisimo par la Excelencia."
Alfred: "I just became the president this year. We're on the dormant list right now because I just withdrew the capital."
A Profound Thank You
Bill emails:
Dear Luke, I am an Englishman, who some years ago; despite having never smoked, was struck down with facial cancer.The outcome of this was that every female in my life ran away from me, after major facial surgery (required to save my life ) left me with facial disfigurement.Thanks to some 25 + facial reconstruction plastic surgery operations;my looks have been transformed;however my confidence;especially when in the presence of a beautiful lady;has been destroyed.So I have no sex life, and were it not for the stunningly beautiful ladies of your adult industry , who allow me the privilege of seeing them naked and in such wonderful sexual acts;I would have killed myself long ago.As we are only a few hours away from another year, and I have no way of expressing the importance to my well-being that these beautiful ladies bring me;may I ask you to do so on my behalf. Their beauty brings joy to my heart ;and allow me the opportunity of being part of their sex lives ,albeit as a voyeur .To explain what they do to and for me is beyond comprehension and thus my thanks comes from both my heart and soul.
More Porn Profits
Bob Armstrong writes:
I noted earlier the government’s Obscenity and Pornography report that estimated porn profits in 1970 at close to $300 million, or about $1.4 billion in today’s dollars. Since that report found little or no evidence porn causes people to become perverts, sex maniacs or serial killers, the government took another shot in 1986 under Ronald Reagan, whose attorney general, Edwin Meese, along with a group of commissioners heavily stacked on the political right, came up with a two-volume, 1,960 page tomb that reached the conclusion they were looking for: a causal link between porn and violence toward women. The commissioners claimed the previous 1970 report was “starkly obsolete” and recommended a host of enforcement mechanisms to clamp down on Porlandia, including use of the RICO act to bring racketeering charges. Special emphasis was placed on the problem of child pornography.
The 1970 report neatly summarized their estimation of porn profits; the 1986 Meese Commission Report makes no effort to do that, but does have figures scattered throughout. I collected what I could by using a word search, but I didn’t read the whole damn thing. At one point the Meese Report makes a passing reference to adult film profits that are in “the hundreds of million dollars annually.”
At another it says the once covert industry is now a “highly visible multi-billion dollar industry.” And yet elsewhere it specifically notes in 1985 about a hundred films shown at adults only theaters brought in $500 million in box office receipts. So which is it? Take your pick, or just take a flyer like one of the commissioners, the Fundamentalist Family Values tub-thumping point man on all things sexual, James Dobson, who claimed porn companies were hauling in $7 billion a year.
Some other numbers in the report are more useful. In 1982, the 13 major skin mags at the time, ranging from Playboy to Swank, hauled in $38, 602, 502.25. Probably true, but more important whether true or false, this is the way to do it: bring it in right down to the last quarter.
In addition, Dial-A-Porn in New York made $3.6 million in 1984. Even better, the telephone company for the state of New York earned as much as 35 grand a day from Dial-A-Porn. Better still, in 1985 Pacific Bell made $12 million from Dial-A-Porn. THAT tells you where the a lot of the money is going. In a sense, though little noted at the time, if noted at all, the Meese report scooped later stories like Tim Egan’s October 23, 2000 New York Times piece detailing the porn bucks going into the corporate coffers of AT &T, Time Warner, General Moters, Marriott International, Hilton, Liberty Media and others. In this story, none of the head honchos were willing to speak publicly about their X-rated products. One unidentified official at AT&T asked, “How can we?” Then he said of the company’s porn: “It’s the crazy aunt in the attic. Everyone knows she’s there, but you can’t say anything about it.”
And this in 2000, right abound the time porn people were talking about porn moving big time into the mainstream. Money-wise yes. Sensibility no. Maybe I’m wrong, but I think porn will always be the crazy aunt in the culture.
The 2007 AVN Awards
Dangerboy writes on ADT: "I'll be in Las Vegas Jan.10th-14th for CES/AEE. Where can I get a vendors pass and a ticket to The AVN Awards for under $400.00 for both? This will be my first time in Vegas and my first adult entertainment convention. What should I expect? Is the booze at the award ceremony free? Is wearing a tuxdo too formal? Would I look weird if I came alone? Are most performers willing to take pictures with fans? Would it be inappropriate to use the occasion to network?"
Tricia Devereaux responds:
Don't wear a tuxedo. A nice dress shirt and slacks is more than fine, or a suitcoat would also be fine. No free beer at the award show. I don't see anything wrong with going alone. Performers take pictures with the fans all week long. As long as you don't hold them back if they seem in a rush to be some place, they're almost always very gracious about taking a quick picture or two. I don't know what you do regarding the business. If it's a store, then it's completely appropriate to network at the convention, but NOT the awards show. If you're looking to shop around a movie you shot, or try to become a performer, the convention would be the place to do it, but be aware that the people at the booths get fairly overwhelmed with people shopping around product.
Suzevideo.com
Ryan writes on ADT: "Has anyone been a member of this site? kind of dissapointing... they have a promising list of starlets on their website, but the directing is poorly done. it really almost seems like cinemax with penetration. just the same tired ol' positions done by the book with no chemistry or passion. blech."
Ultrasiet writes:
Suze has always struggled with video. She is the queen of stills, and Holly Randall has picked up where her mom left off. However, there are more lukewarm and bad reviews of her DVD's than good ones. In this way she's like a vogue dancer who's great at move and pose, but couldn't breakdance or even bop to save her life. I was at suzevideo for a month then cancelled, although I keep my suze.net membership. The photo shoots are always great, and it's rare to get a bad set. However, the problem with suzevideo was that (a) the video quality on the non-Megas was poor and clearly sub-VHS standard (b) the Megas took forever to download and arew password encrypted, meaning that given I'm no longer a member I can't play them, which just annoys me on principle even though I understand why suzevideo.com would need that for their own video property protection, and as you say Ryan (c) the sex was so friggin' dull! The sets and costumes were stunning, and the action not up to par! Thing is, I don't see this ever changing with suzevideo. It is what it is. You either like that approach or you don't. I understand when a firecracker like Sasha Grey is shot by Suze, it's the best of both world, or so the feedback suggests from Suze Randall Production's SASHA GREY SUPERSLUT DVD. Maybe one day Suze will compile their five or six best suze video scenes and release it. On the plus side, some of the video candid interviews on suzevideo were worthwhile. I especially liked the Tory Lane series.
Some of the specials per month membership they have been offering since September have me wondering if they're making as much money out the site as they'd originally hoped for. I guess with every major company doing VOD in some form or other, they've got plenty of competition. I think they should get Holly Randall in some B/G scenes. That'd sell like hotcakes. That girl needs to be her own alt-porn star. She's damn fine, and she's not a porn star.
Do what to her mother's name? Suze shoots porn and has based her career on it. How much shame could it possibly bring to the Randall name to have Holly shoot porn as well as star in the movies/photo sets? I mean seriously?
Sharon Waxman writes in The New York Times:
Other mature stars are retired pornography performers who have been lured back into the limelight, like a 40-something former star known as Lisa Ann, and 35-year-old Tiffany Mynx or the performer turned director Devinn Lane, who has started a Web site to recruit women for her hardcore short films.
Vicky Vette, 41, blond and buxom — who could pass for 10 years younger — jumped in a couple of years ago, explaining on her Web site that after a career as an accountant and housing contractor with her husband, she won an amateur photo contest in Hustler magazine and began making sex videos. (She declined an interview, perhaps because her husband committed suicide in June and in a letter discovered posthumously accused her of being a white supremacist. She has denied this.)
Bob Armstrong writes:
The young turks over at Platinum X scored big with their old gals when The Sunday New York Times magazine drooled over porn's "mature-woman genre." De'Bella, just passed 50, and Jewell De'Nyle's mom (family values!), was the feature player in the story, which announced, "The pornography industry, that multibillion-dollar-a-year symbol of airbrushed American carnality, is aging."
This is a good story and it's always good news when porn filters into the Times. But I'm skeptical of this bit: "The mature-woman genre represents one of the fastest growing areas of video pornography, say leading distributors and retailers."
Well, at least one distributor for sure. "David Joseph, 38, De’Bella’s boss and the president of Platinum X, said: 'It’s totally an erotic thing people are attracted to. There’s a huge market out there for older women. I’m trying to understand it myself.'"
Over 40 porn has been a niche market for a long time. Can it really boom? If nothing else, seems like De'Bella's DVD's will get a nice spike in the next few weeks after that Sunday...spread. Be nice if David Joseph over at Platinum X would tell Luke how many copies of De'Bellas last few DVDs have sold before the story appeared in the Times. Maybe AVN could list the top ten selling naughty gray gonzo titles in 2006 and how many they've sold with comparative numbers from ten years ago. This could confirm what the New York Times has reported since the paper of record didn't report any sales figures. Or it could confirm something else that is gray: Smoke.
Paul emails: "i cant remember where i recently read this, your site or ross's, but wherever i read it someone referred to micky blank as "the late mickey blank." please don't attribute this inquiry to me but what's the deal? do you know? is blank now a blank on the list of active pornographers? maybe your readers know?"
Dave Cummings emails: "He's NOT passed away, at least not as of two weeks ago when he telephoned me (when, during the course of the conversation, I found out that he's healthy, happy, and 95% retired)."
Why Did Carlos Martinez Leave AVN At Same Time As Mike Ramone?
Just wondering.
Passes To The Adult Entertainment Expo
Dr. X emails:
Luke, I saw Tod's response regarding talent with no badges for the AEE show, and wanted to add my 2 cents.
From my perspective, the entire situation is a golden opportunity for AVN to generate some good will, with all the negativity surrounding them as of late, any chance to get away from that {the negative press}is a no-brainer. Sure there would be some logistics problems, {for and against the entire situation} for that matter, let's start with the positive:
AVN decides to comp performers, how many do they comp and how do they determine who is a performer , and the performers who are comped, how will they get their badges? What does AVN do with the performers “boy or girl friends and their entourages"?
Let's take this one step at a time ok: How to determine who's a performer, the easiest way is To do so in advance, or ask them to show proof, do they have an agent, web site, box cover, etc. Secondly, what about boy or girl friends and or entourages? Simple, they pay, or they stay home. Treat everyone {with regards to boyfriends, girlfriend or entourages} exactly the same, avoid the politics of preferential treatment to anyone to avoid future bad press.
With regards to dispensing badges to these performers, I have over 15 years of working this floor, from every aspect of dealing with unions setting up booths, overseeing performers in the booths, working the media angle and so forth. if Dan or anyone else from AVN wants some help, I can set this up for them in 5 minutes.
Now let's look at the bad: Let's pretend AVN decides not to comp badges, which is their prerogative, Will any performer be expected to sit in line with everyone else and wait and wait and wait, whle they are waiting, they are bothered constantly, harassed, someone attempts to physically touch them, proposition them, will AVN provide additional security? If a performer is assaulted, who can he or she sue first? The Venetian Hotel? The Convention center? AVN itself? Imagine the amount of bad publicity this generates for everyone involved. That's only one of many possibilities.
Credit Tod Hunter for bringing an unfortunate situation to light, better to deal with the situation in advance then during the show itself.
AG writes: "Luke, Is AVN all about Hooking up over the long weekend? Do all the performers go out to Vegas to land new jobs for 07' or to do the Award show to "hook up" with other performers and even Fans? Do female performers make the show and the male performers are just there to be there? Would you say the male performers get very lucky in Vegas f---ing everything that walks by them? Just wondering since you are always in the loop of lust! Do you think this years show is going to be a big hit?"
John Gray emails: "Luke- Wanted to give you my two cents on the AVN badges and I have to agree 100% with Dr.. X that it would be quite simple to allow performers in and then allow them to buy a pass at a discount for their significant other. All they would require to email in advance and be able to verify with that company and it would be a win win for everyone!"
Kevin writes:
This topic of talent badges and how they know if you're talent or not...it's really so very simple...there's a database of ACTIVE performers at AIM, use that for f---s sake. As far as some talent not adding value to the show...ISN'T GETTING f---ED IN THE ASS ENOUGH? These are the people that make up this industry...and they ALL (current, TESTED talent) add value to the show. Shouldn't ALL current talent be gratis? The expo is nothing more than the industry's X-mas, New Years PARTY anyway....would you tell the receptionist at your small mainstream business, she can't come to the company party because she just doesn't add enough value to the party unless she pays for her dinner? Whatever. If the reason is that there's not enough space..then the AVN show has outgrown AVN. I suspect it's greed. Talent could pick up there badge FROM AIM when they get tested.
Mike South emails: "You might point out to Kevin that theres LOTS of performers who do not test at AIM Theres even a director or a few who will NOT accept a test from AIM I credit that as at least part of the reason nobody has ever contracted anything on one of my sets. Personally I think AVN does a fine job with the show, it's profitable and never once have I had an issue getting in, either as press, performer or fan back when I was studying the biz. AVN is very lenient with passes."
Kevin replies:
Forgive my error in calling the TICKETS, badges and...I was referring to the Awards Show, Mr. South. In my opinion..any talent that gets on the EXPO floor should also be handed their ticket to the AWARDS show. Also, I am assuming there are MANY directors who use AIM tests haven't had an "outbreak" on any of their sets as well..but needless to say...these testing places don't talk to each other? How do you know if there was an outbreak? Bottom line...shouldn't AVN KEEP a list of performers SOMEWHERE?? Shouldn't they compile a list over the current year? For the record, I have NEVER had a hard time getting a free ticket to the awards show, but I've known MANY a talent who couldn't get in....and that's because they DON'T have a good, solid list of performers.
Follow The Money And The Magna Carta
The amount of money generated by porn is unknown... [There are estimates of] annual revenues [about] $50 billion tossed out by AVN [for the world and] $12 billion [domestically]. Luke’s analysis estimates it’s about a third of that. Many others have weighed in on this, all old news to anybody here in Luke Land. But perhaps some even older news will give us a clue to today’s cream-pie revenue.
Last night I pulled a battered copy of the 1970 “Report of the Commission on Obscenity and Pornography” off my bookshelf. The White House and the Congress anticipated using its findings to crack down on porn. Big backfire. The majority of the commissioners concluded the vast majority of Americans did not want legal prohibitions on what we can read and see. Five of the 18 commissioners did issue a minority report, which happily turned out to be true: "The Commission's majority report is a Magna Carta for the pornographer."
The report kicked off by following the money. Then, as now, the report charged that stories in the press, with little evidence, wildly exaggerated the profits in the porn industry, variously estimating annual revenues at that time between $500 million and $2.5 billion.
Here’s the 1969 dollar breakdown from the exciting 700-page paperback, thought by some critics to be itself a stunning work of porn: “Exploitation films (usually known as ‘skin flicks’)” grossed about $60 million in box office receipts. “Barber shop” magazines featuring WW II GI’s bayoneting the Krauts and frothy pin-ups grossed $12 million. Slicker “men’s sophisticates” mags garnered $31 million. The report gave Playboy a category of its own with retail sales of $65 million, noting on occasion “very discreet photographs of feminine pubic hair have been printed” in that magazine. Other mass market magazines with “a substantial amount of sexual orientation” pulled in $15 million.
The commission delved into the darker side in three additional areas. First, adult bookstores, with their own channels of distribution, ordered dirty books and raunchy magazines from like-minded publishers. The stores “range in appearance from the seedy to respectable with the majority of the former category.” Mostly seedy profits: $70 to $90 million. Second, smutty mail order operations brought in $12 to $14 million. Third, and here we hit bottom, the “Under-The-Counter” or “Hard-Core” materials which frequently depict “vaginal, anal, or oral penetration.” The report noted, to the credit of the Red, White & Blue, much of this material was imported from Scandinavia and netted between $5 and $10 million.
Total gross, or gross total: $270 to $297 million. Adjusting for inflation, that comes to about $1.4 billion in today’s dollars.
Given Luke’s 4 and AVN’s 12, we got somewhere between three and eight times the cum cash comin’ in as we did almost four decades ago. The increase, whatever it is, makes sense give the tide turning over the years toward sexual openness, the “mainstreaming” of porn (somewhat exaggerated, to my mind), less legal harassment, and mostly, accessibility due to DVD’s at home and the internet. Alas, my favorite, dirty books, are almost extinct.
Playground: A Childhood Lost Inside the Playboy Mansion
I talk to author Jennifer Saginor (website, interview, MySpace) Dec. 28, 2006.
Luke: "When you were a kid, what did you want to become when you grew up?"
Jennifer: "A lawyer. My father [Dr. Mark Saginor] was always argumentative and I was always debating him. I thought that if I went to law school, I'd learn how to argue well and stand up for myself."
Luke: "How do you see yourself? As a writer?"
Jennifer: "A writer, definitely. Before this book, I wrote screenplays. I've been working in the business since college."
Luke: "What triggered you writing this book?"
Jennifer: "I was at odds with my parents. I was really upset. I was very angry at them and I wasn't sure why. I realized that I didn't know how to get along in society. I wasn't taught basic skills. My values were off. I was searching for the truth. I had two self-absorbed parents who neglected their children. I didn't know how parents could bring children into this world and then emotionally abandon them.
"When I was in highschool, I thought everyone was on drugs. I thought everyone was bisexual. I thought everyone had neglectful parents."
"I quit drugs after college. They were an escape from reality. I went to some 12-step meetings."
"I do believe in God. I don't know if I believe in organized religion even though I'm Jewish. I definitely believe I've had someone watching out for me.
"If I didn't believe in something greater than myself, I probably would've committed suicide. If I didn't believe in a higher meaning to life through my writing and trying to reach people and have themes in my writing that raise awareness even subconsciously...
"I'm almost done with my next book -- CHIP Girl. The character falls into running high-stakes celebrity poker games."
Luke: "How did your family react to your book?"
Jennifer: "Poorly. It's annoying because I watered down all their characters. I made them all look human instead of how they really are. My mother almost ran me over in a 2007 Bentley two weeks ago in Beverly Hills. You know it's bad when your own mother almost runs you over in the middle of Beverly Hills.
"She didn't even blink. She didn't even say hi to me.
"I ran into my sister at a hair salon a month ago. I said, 'It's so good to see you. Maybe we can make amends.' She's having children. I thought we did make amends. I called the hair salon [Neil George in Beverly Hills] a couple of weeks later to book a color and they said, 'I'm sorry. We can't accommodate you here. Your mother and sister are better clients than you. They've been here longer. We're sorry but you're going to have to find another hair salon.'
"They're allowed to do it because it's a referral-only place."
"My mother feels like she was a good parent. You'd think that she'd forgive me and understand that I needed to do this for therapeutic reasons... She remarried some multimillionaire and spoils my sister to death and wouldn't even know if I was run over and dead in the street. They give a lot of money to the Jewish Federation and Beit Teshuva (she's on the board). They're big on giving money to strangers.
"My father is upset with me because he says he didn't give out drugs. Out of the whole book, that's it. I didn't want to remind him of the Fox 11 expose two years ago that all my friends saw."
"I feel bad that I don't have any family ties. I don't speak to any of them. My grandfather passed away last year at 97."
Luke: "What does your dad do?"
Jennifer: "He plays poker every day."
"I believe in everything Hef believes in -- free speech, free expression... These girls have a choice about exposing themselves. Overall, Playboy is good. I am not a feminist. My experiences with my parents had nothing to do with Playboy."
Luke: "I find it amazing that you are still invited to parties at the Playboy mansion."
Jennifer: "I portrayed him in a positive light. I've looked up to him my whole life. I've only spoken highly of him. I've always looked at him as a role model. He was always god growing up. That's how everyone looked at him except for the mothers."
Luke: "How do you decide what is right and wrong?"
Jennifer: "I just go with how I feel. I don't really care how other people view me."
Luke: "How do you keep yourself from getting caught up in the Hollywood high life?"
Jennifer: "I'm home writing."
Saginor spent about 20 years in therapy. "I finally realized it just wasn't helping."
Luke: "What is your greatest source of happiness?"
Jennifer: "Being with my dog Bella. She passed away this past year at seven. She was like my child and my best friend. Having that unconditional love from the dog... I've never experienced that. My parents were so self-absorbed."
Third Generation Pornographer Oren Cohen
Oren did a long interview with AVN that was published Dec. 11: "[T]he psychological imagery that we’re peddling has lost its charge. I just don’t think that sex is special anymore. And that differs from even five years ago."
I talk to Oren (born in 1978) Dec. 28. "What's your auto-asphyxiation movie?"
Oren: "We have a new solo line called So-Low. I wanted to do something different. Nobody has shot a movie where girls masturbate and strangle themselves at the same time. We did it in a non-demeaning, non-misogynistic way. It's really beautiful. These girls are really getting off. I cast girls who really enjoy this. It's good tv."
Luke: Your Israeli series?
Oren: "It's got this light-hearted, sensual and honest quality to it that I haven't seen in movies since the 1970s, back when porn felt special and dirty. It captures the spirit of the country that it is coming from."
"Half of my family (dad's side) is from Morocco and they imigrated to Israel. I read it, write it, speak it. We're going to use the slogan for the movies, 'The only porn made by Israelis that will cost you more than a dollar.'
"If you're wearing a big red shiny button on your chest, you want to push it..."
Luke: "The DVD industry seems to be in a slump."
Oren: "A slump infers that it is going to rebound. I think the boat's got holes in it and it is going down. We're shoving 20 times the product through the same fledgling pipe."
"We're not going to make bad VOD deals with your stuff available everywhere on 8c a minute revenue share."
"My grandfather (on my mother's side) is Al Tapper, founder of CPLC (California Publishers Liquidation Corporation). He [entered porn in the early 1970s and] died in 1984.
"My father started a magazine distribution company in Van Nuys called Lucky Distributors. We worked together for a while. I started Lucky Media about five years ago. I took out some student loans and learned to encode DVDs."
Luke: "How did have your parents in the industry affect you?"
Oren: "I ended up with a healthy attitude towards sex because I could distinguish between what was real and what was s---. The stuff that was s--- didn't impact my psyche. I have kids. I'm not going to hide anything from them."
Luke: "From what age did you know your parents were in porn?"
Oren: "From the start. I was running through the aisles swordfighting with dildos in my hand. I remember going on a business trip to Hong Kong with my grandfather when I was four and going to a toy factory where the guy made legitimate toys and then the guy opened up a curtain and there were the blow-up dolls and the Adult toys. It was just a part of life."
"I'm domesticated. I'm married with kids. For me it's just a good way to make a living, though now it's a grind. If I can find ways to put myself into my product and be creative..."
"Before I dropped out of highschool, I wanted to continue highschool in Israel. I love it over there. It's my turf. When I get off the plane and I'm in Israel, I feel this weird calm resonance like I'm home."
"There is no formalized form of pornography there. There isn't a talent pool to draw from. The director not only had to wrangle people to do porn but he had to teach them how to perform on camera. There's a light-hearted laissez-faire attitude to sex there. People have imminent doom hanging over their heads and there's a let's live today attitude that prevails.
"I used to be looked at as strange in Israel because I have lots of tattoos. Now there are tattoo shops in Israel and they get all the good drugs from Amsterdam."
"The context that my parents were involved in the industry was so benign that I almost wished that they were more deeply entrenched in the business. Distributing old magazines didn't seem too exciting to me. I was almost regretful that I didn't have a better story to tell people."
"I dropped out of highschool when I was 15, moved to San Francisco, went to culinary school, worked in restaurants. While I was a chef, I started a small distribution business out of my apartment selling magazines and videos to liquor stores in L.A. It snowballed and before I knew it, I wasn't cooking.
"I love music, art. I love anything that allows me to be creative."
"I remember having a bodyguard with us for one week when I was a little kid. I wondered why the dude was there. It was because the Mexican Mob shot up my grandparents house. I guess there was a hit and it got called off."
"The character and quality of human being that is in this business has degraded. You had better people who cared about other people before. A handshake used to mean something. Despite the shady and colorful characters that the Mob brought to it, there was more of a sense of respect and decency. There were standards and there was money to be made as a result of that. We've pissed that ideal away."
Luke: "What do you love and hate about being a part of porn?"
Oren: "I love sexuality. I love women. I love humanity. I love having a commodity that I can put myself into...
"What do I hate about it? That list is long. I hate the lack of standards. I hate the over-proliferation of sexual content. I hate the negative jaded attitude that most distributors have towards product. I hate the bad decisions we've made to piss away this "found" revenue stream that is now our only revenue stream -- internet and VOD. We did the same thing that the music industry did. When iTunes came around, they said, 'This is additional money on top of our CD revenue.' They agreed to give Apple 65c out of 95c for a download.
"I come from a publishing background. I see so many lessons we could've learned from the magazine system, where there are rules and standards and hierarchy. Markdowns and margins are set."
Sasha Grey Interview On The Insider
They bring in Dr. 90210 to try to convince her to quit porn.
Playground: A Childhood Lost Inside the Playboy Mansion
Anthony Robbins has two blondes, one on each arm. When he kisses them his entire mouth envelops their face. I tell him I have all his tapes but he doesn't seem too interested.
How Do Porn Stars/Directors Get Passes To The Adult Entertainment Expo?
Many porners are struggling to get into the AEE because their production companies have elected not to buy booths and passes to this year's show.
Tod Hunter emails: "There is no advantage to the management to comp the talent and directors if the talent and directors are not signing or otherwise adding value to the Expo. If they are not part of the show, they are part of the audience, and the only reason to comp the audience is to fill the house, and they sure haven't had THAT problem."
How Many Porn Stars Are Existentialists?
I wonder how many 18 yr old porn stars are existentialists? I would love to know if that element seemed to be in contradiction. Does it turn people on or does no one really give a f--- about that when they are investing in pornography, does the idea of a multi-dimensional young woman f--- with the sex object fantasy? The biggest and best sex organ is of course the brain.
A university student emails: "Is Sasha Grey so solipsistic that she doesn't realize EVERY eighteen-year-old is an existentialist? The girl belongs in school - not because she has any potential as an intellectual (we've all read her Myspace), but because college is the only place a teenager can explore her fledgling philosophies without sounding mind-numbingly foolish. While I'm sure the incurable sex addicts over at ADT love the attention, Heidegger (or Sartre - to which view does the young ejaculate-guzzler subscribe?) is rolling in his grave."
Jed writes: "Tee Hee Sasha Grey, of course she's changing the world, the knuckledragging shut-ins who frequent her myspace page confirm it with every post."
Vlad emails: "Luke, Before they are allowed in, they should be forced to spell "existentialist". Maybe that will help the turnout in January."
All Will Be Revealed by Robert A. Siegel
According to the publisher:
A [porn] photographer [Augustus Auerbach] is drawn to a beautiful psychic in a turn-of-the-century novel about love, possession, adventure, and greed. At the close of the nineteenth century, wheelchair-bound Augustus Auerbach's only interest is his extraordinarily lucrative business: the manufacture and marketing of "exotic" photographs. His outlook is forever altered, however, when one of his models pressures him to attend a seance.
From page 10: "In the rush to shape the landscape, the interior life of ht enation had been forgotten -- had been, in effect, left with Auerbach. Fortunately, he had accepted the task with a sense of high purpose. Whatever bridges were needed to reach our secret desires, whatever canals were necessary for the shipment of our darkest wishes, whatever railroads were required to transport our most powerful cravings -- he would build them. He would build the tunnels and corridors, the dungeons and pleasure domes of our yearnings."
All Will Be Revealed was the opposite reading experience for me compared to Siegel's first book, All the Money in the World. I loved Money from the start but was disappointed by the ending. Revealed bored me for the first half of the book and then thrilled me towards the end.
Money started with one main character and proceeded in a linear manner. It sucked me in right away. Then, in the second half, the protagonist changed and I was disappointed by the lack of a thrilling denoument.
Revealed begins with five separate stories and jumps around in time. I wouldn't have put up with that except I liked the author and was going to give him every chance in the world for all to be revealed.
I just watched The Rock for the second time. That's how you tell a story -- with lots of cool explosions.