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Zane Entertainment When Zane Entertainment declared chapter eleven bankruptcy (its second bankruptcy) at the end of 1996, porn almost lost a company that led the genre in bad taste.Sorority Sluts: Passed Out "is the most morally reprehensible tape Zane has ever released, and possibly the most morally repulsive video of 1996," says AFW. "It takes Zane's fratboy mentality to its logical conclusions. "Three horny bitches go to the frat house to get laid. Marki, a red-haired strumpet, plays pool with Rick Masters and Johnny Thrust. They get her drunk, and end up banging both ends on the pool table. When Marki gets queasy and ralphs, Bret Singer fucks her up the ass while pushing her face into a pool of her own vomit. Next, alluring white trash Alabama is discovered by two brothers after passing out while attempting autoerotic asphyxiation.... She asks the fellows to choke her while they fuck her up the ass. They comply." (AFW 97) Days Gone By appeared in 1988. "Unless you're into guys buggering each other while they lap female pussies, this one's a sleazy stomach-turner," advises Bob Rimmer. Zane filed for bankruptcy because of bad investments in the CD ROM business, litigation with Max Hardcore and the pulling of the Cherry Poppers line which represented one quarter of their business. Zane was started as the Zane Brothers in 1983 by Charles Zicari (Chuck Zane) and his uncle Dominic Zicari. Within a few years, Chuck took charge and bankrupted the company for the first time. On January 23, 1998, Zane Entertainment hosted a premiere party for its Backstage Sluts at a Hollywood nightclub named Opium Den. The company is enjoying a resurgence under the leadership of the young Zane brothers Matt and Mark, and have starlet Sunset Thomas under contract. From the 4/98 AVN: "There's more to Zane Entertainment these days than just the Gen-X thing," writes Ken Michaels. "While director Matt Zane continues to churn out gonzo and wall-to-wall material aimed at a younger, hipper demographic, he's also started producing adult features with more "mainstream" story lines, established starlets, and wider audience appeal." In early 1998, Zane released the well reviewed feature Sexual Species: The Departure. In the 3/99 issue of Details magazine, Anka profiles Matt Zane, "who represents a new generation of pornographers." Matt tells Anka: "It's electro-porn-core... It's lust and musical manifestation! Every song is a little orgasm! I'll be on stage, and all of a sudden I'll explode, and I'll lift my arms like I just came! I didn't really come in my pants - hopefully I'll do that later. But the whole stage show is a great mating ritual. I'm looking out at all the chicks in the crowd to see who's going to come up afterward and, like, get it on." Anka: "Zane's work respresents a subgenre of porn that combines documentary-style footage, music-video editing, home-movie cinematography, and candid, improvised "acting." Like the Pamela nad Tommy Lee video, Zane's movies give the viewer the feeling that somebody happened tot urn on a the camcorder and catpure something they weren't supposed to see." Anka notes that the Zane crowd sports numerous tattoos, genital piercings and strange haircuts. Matt: "Lust propels life! And I am the physical manifestation of lust! A lot of girls are inspired by the ritual of my band Society 1. They get locked into the shamanistic experience, and they just want to bang the shaman himself! People need to feel spirituality, but they need something they can feel." In the November 1998 issue of Adult Video News, grandpa Chuck Zane, who's declared bankruptcy three times, makes a passionate case for condoms: This is an issue that is dividing the adult industry like none before. On one side of the debate are approximately 20 adult producers who are now mandating the use of condoms during sex scenes. On the other side, unfortunately, there are three times as many who say they will not make it mandatory, but will leave it up to the individual actor or actress to decide. Then there are the not-so-few-as-you'd-like-to-think who actually use endangering the lives of the talent as a marketing tool. That's right folks; they say, "Step right up and see death-defying acts performed before your very eyes"; "AIDS? What AIDS?"; and "AIDS is just a myth perpetrated to deny me my First Amendment rights." Freedom of speech, freedom of the press - and wait, don't forget the latest protection that these producers feel comes under the First Amendment - the freedom to kill. Maybe I'm just getting old; or it could be that while I am sitting here writing this, my son's wife is in labor, maybe minutes away from giving birth to my first grandchild. How do I reconcile the happiness of being part of bringing a new life into the world with belonging to an industry that uses the lives of other people's children and grandchildren so recklessly... I don't think I can. Can you? If the answer is "No," then this is what you do. If you're a distributor or owner of an adult video store, contact the offices of the Free Speech Coalition at (818) 348-9373, or the offices of Zane, Wicked, Vivid, VCA or Metro, and ask for a list of companies that are "mandating condom use." The list will also be posted at zanevideo.com. Then write, call or fax any company that you do business with that is not on the list, and tell them, "Enough is enough. We will not support any company that puts the lives of hundreds of young people at risk for infection and death." Be warned. We sellers and buyers of adult videos must do something about this life-threatening problem before it's too late. We have to clean up our act ourselves, or someone is going to do it for us. You decide. 11/3/98 Of Sicilian ancestry, Rob Black’s real name is Robert Zicari. His father Dominic, a porn pioneer, at one time owned 40 sex shops in the North East. "My dad was the first person in Western New York to start [adult] bookstores. He had the peep shows where you put your face in the glass in the booth and a curtain goes around you… It’s on 8mm projector. He took 170 busts for selling obscene materials. "My uncle ["Chuck Zane" is really Charles Zicari] was selling shoes, living with my grandfather in the back of his house. And my grandfather cried to my dad, ‘could you please help your brother out?’ My dad made him the manager of an adult book store and eventually gave it to him. But my uncle Chuck couldn’t run it by himself. He needed help from this bag boy Frank DeLucia. "When my dad was in jail [early ‘80s for tax evasion], my uncle closed one store and ran two of them into the ground. Stole all the money. When my dad gets out of jail and asks for his share of the [peeps] money, my uncle goes, ‘No Dom, those machines were old. Frank and I put new peepshows in. You’re not partners with that. "My dad put up the money to start Zane Brothers in 1983. [Such titles as] Backside of the Future, Sweet Revenge, Passion Chase. They got heat for Backside of the Future. My dad had been convicted before. He told Chuck, ‘you take the business. When you make money, you give me back my money.’ So my Uncle bankrupts the company. He moves it to Rochester. Then out here. Reforms the company and pays everybody 12c on the dollar. He got Max Hardcore and John Bone and the company flourished. My Uncle bought a $1.2 million house. My dad said, ‘Chuck, you’re doing great. Now give me back the money you owe me.’ My uncle said, ‘Dom, that money you gave me was for the Zane that I bankrupted. This company is a whole new company with my money. So sorry, fuck you.’ There’s the bad blood. All my uncle does is fuck people. "I ain’t new blood. I’m no different than Steve Hirsch who’s dad Fred [worked for Sturman]. I’m no different from Rob Spallone who’s dad was in the business. "My dad had been in the business for years when Russ was selling bootlegged Star Wars video. [Hampshire, along with Walter Gernert and Chuck Bernstein, was convicted in MIPORN for shipping illegally duplicated tapes of mainstream movies such as Star Wars across state lines.] Russ says that Rob Black is going to bring the heat down us. "If Chuck walked in that door, I’d punch him in the mouth. He’s the biggest piece of garbage in the world because he fucks family. That's the worst." Luke: "Why did your dad take it?" Rob: "Because it is his little brother. What is he going to do? My dad is very Italian [devoted to family]. He’s very loyal. You don’t beat up family." February 17, 1999 From the next issue of New Rave magazine Rodger Jacobs, New Rave Editor, reviews Zane's Czech Cherry Poppers: Stars Petra, Valeria, Lucka, Monica Directed by Richard Mailer Running Time: 114 min RATING: 4.0 Three anal scenes, no condoms. The issue of condom use in adult videos has been a political hot potato for years. Some producers and distributors argue that the Europeans reject smut videos where condoms can be seen: this is a weak contention carefully constructed to explain dwindling sales of American product in the European market. Can it be that Yank porn is simply too bland for the jaded European palate? Nahhhh! Must be those damn condom scenes! Enter into any internet discussion group devoted to porn (such as r.a.m.e. --rec.arts.movies.erotica) and you will find fans who rabidly detest seeing condoms in porn, many with comments similar to this: "Look, a girl who decides to fuck on camera for a living is taking a big risk to begin with so it's silly to imply that she increases her risk by taking a cock in her ass without a condom." Wrong, numb nuts. Have we overlooked the basic and inarguable fact that anal sex without a sheath is, like, number one with a bullet on the Surgeon General's list of practices most likely to result in a nasty case of HIV? These lame arguments suggest that we have. According to the header on the video Zane's CZECH CHERRY POPPERS was shot on location in Prague in April of 1998. Chuck Zane appears at the opening of the video to welcome veteran porn auteur Richard Mailer back into pornography, and to assure us that this is going to be one hot video indeed. Do you think that Chuck knew that the scenes were going to be shot san condoms? If he did then there's something really wrong going on here because in the September 1998 issue of ZANE NEWS MONTHLY Chuck editorializes on the condom issue, saying "we sellers and buyers of adult videos must do something about this life threatening problem before it's too late." Chuck urges distributors and owners of adult video stores to "not support any company that puts the lives of hundreds of young people at risk for infection and death." These "musings of an old pornographer" were composed five months after production of CZECH CHERRY POPPERS. With all due respect, Chuck, what's the deal? Did you see the face of God in a gaping asshole in Prague? With that much said this latest issue of Zane's Cherry Poppers series introduces us to four brave Czechoslovakian girls who don't mind risking their asses, literally and figuratively, for a few hundred bucks in an American anal video. The action is well-shot and serviceable and the girls are all young, pretty, and economically depressed or they certainly wouldn't be exposing themselves to this kind of danger. Check it out if this is your style but cast yourself in the following scenario first: You and your wife or girlfriend have an open relationship. She has guys on the side and you have your chippies to play around with. You find out that your gal has been taking boners in the butt without protection. Do you feel like fucking her without a condom yourself after learning this? I didn't think so. Enough said. ....... Gene Ross says: On Wednesday June 23, 1999, the following email went from AVN publisher Paul Fishbein to Bert Levesque then of Zane: "Yes, we watches them all and it was a pretty goo bunch. You can keep sending the stufdf to my attention personal and confidential. I'm looking out for you guys. Paul" ............. From the August 13, 1999 edition of www.geneross.com: ZANE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP RESTRUCTURES FOR COMPETITIVE EDGE! In an effort to meet the competitive demands placed on adult video manufacturers, Zane Entertainment Group has sold their in house duplicating facilities. "We were able to strike a deal with a great dupe lab, which has enabled us to lower our prices and increase our sales. Our sales have been incredible lately. It's turned Zane into a lean, mean porno machine," says owner, Chuck Zane. Currently operating under three 5,700 square foot buildings, Zane's recent consolidation has left an empty space. One of the buildings is now available for sublease or direct lease from the owner. The available building has previously been used by Video Central /Tight Ends. If you are interested in the space, please call the Zane offices at (818) 772-9510. Kid Venom writes: That was an interesting item you posted yesterday about Zane selling their duplicating operation. You put a generous spin on it, to put it kindly. "Let's recap the recent symptoms of Zane's financial situation. 1) Zane pulled out of the VSDA show at the last second. 2) Zane didn't take ANY ads in the current issue of AVN. 3) Now Zane sells off their duplicating operation and offers the space for lease to raise cash. "Does it sound like Zane is in a little trouble? My VENOMous sources tell me that the vaunted Zane racing car and Matt's struggling record label have sucked the company's bank account dry. Rumors are rampant that some of their customers have quit paying them on the assumption that they're ready to go bankrupt for the (third?) time. Zane & Co. are desperately hoping that this doesn't turn into a stampede, and that their vendors don't make a run for what's left of their assets. "But then, what's another bankruptcy? Matt got in Rolling Stone and Guitar Magazine, man! Isn't that all that really matters...?" When read the Kid Venom comments, Chuck Zane said he was going to lock the company gates to stave off the stampede. "What racing car?" Zane asked. "What idiots! I got a racing car! This is stupid and ridiculous. Prices are way too low. If Kid Venom wants to come up with about $3 million, he's welcome to come on down." Gene adds: "Matt seems to be struggling so much he's got all these club bookings around the country." From the August 16, 1999 edition of www.geneross.com: RETRACTION Paul Fishbein has this to say: "We apologize for for the anonymous posting [an infrequent poster who identifies himself as Kid Venom] Friday from a source concerning Zane Entertainment Group's selling of their duplication lab and their decision not to currently advertise in AVN. Paul Fishbein had a meeting with Chuck Zane on these issues earlier last week, however did not share the information with Gene Ross. Had Fishbein given the information to Ross, the anonymous posting would have been moot. He would have noted that the decision to sell the lab was a sound business decision and that Zane asked Fishbein advice on this matter and that Fishbein agreed it was a smart maneuver. In addition, Zane explained his reasons for not advertising in the current issues of AVN after talking about his current marketing strategeies, but that was not communcated to Gene prior to that posting. As far as AVN is concerned, Zane is in optimum financial shape and continuing to put out quality product on a regular basis, as will be evidenced by a series of reviews in the upcoming September AVN issue. From 10/12/99 : The Big El Squash-O? Porner calls Luke: "Remember Chuck Zane's editorial last year in AVN. How he could never associate with anybody who endangered the lives of the talent? That he would never get involved in any project that does not use condoms. "Chuck Zane has been working with a guy out of Sweden, Chris English. Chris shot four movies for Zane, the last two without condoms. Chuck had no problem financing these movies and shooting them in Europe without condoms. Had no problem distributing them through his German company, but so he won't appear like a hypocrite in America, he sold the American rights to Chris Mann at Video Team. The story was given to Gene Ross, but Paul Fishbein won't let him print it. "When Chuck did this whole switch to condoms, it was rumored at the time that his company was not doing well [Chuck had already taken it twice into bankruptcy], and Chuck was trying to curry favor with Paul, Wicked, VCA and Vivid, who were all-condom. Chuck denied that, it was because of his concern for the talent. "This story is a simple situation of a man getting caught in his own lies." Chris English writes about Chuck Zane: "When he [Zane] was suggesting and to some degree boasting to me how cool it was be to con and deceive the talent and others in this business when we were in Cannes..., I told him there and then what I thought about that and that "I" was never going down that road to do business. Chuck's response was an E-mail to Dick Miller - "Chris is coming to America to learn how to be a Prick"... To bad I didn't learn that lesson. "MY" soul is not for sale... I did not turn in to a whore...If that is ..professional behaviour, you can keep it." Zane, a longtime producer of the filthiest porno around, suddenly converted to the Fishbein led condom cause in the Spring of 1998. But secretly Chuck Zane aka Charles Zicari, uncle of Rob Black, has been producing and distributing non-condom porno through such shooters as Chris English in Sweden. Chuck Zane has distributed this product through his company in Germany. For American distribution, however, Zane sold his bareback product to condom stalwart Chris Mann at Video Team. Christian Mann told Luke by phone at 11AM Tuesday. Luke: "I heard that Chuck Zane sold you a non-condom series to distribute?" Chris: "Yes." Luke: "Does this symbolize that you're moving away from all-condom?" Chris: "No. Anything I produce remains condom positive. This was a series precreated that I decided to distribute. But anything I produce is condom positive. I only produce videos in the United States but I do buy European product for U.S. distribution. But it does not symbolize a change in policy or a change in my opinions..." Luke: "Does condom positive mean all condom?" Chris: "All condom for all vaginal and anal penetration." AVN publisher Paul Fishbein replied to Luke via email Thursday morning: "It is the ramblings of a disgruntled employee. That's your department. That's the stuff you should be running. We actually are enjoying running actual news. We'll leave the bullshit to you. See, there's room for both.This way you can run his ramblings and never call any of the other parties involved, never find out the truth or both sides of the story and try to hurt some reputations without ever knowing the truth. Unlike you, we called about five of the people involved and to us it's a non-story. So have fun." Chris English writes Luke: "I've just read your site. How did you get my E-mail concerning this topic? Of those five people Gene Ross/AVN called one of them was NOT me... Further more I am or was not an employee but a private contractor." Chuck Zane was contacted by Luke for comment but he has a longstanding policy of not talking to L-ke Ford and not allowing his employees to talk to Luke as well. ...... (czane1@ix.netcom.com) Chuck Zane wrote 10/99 to Chris English, a porner in Sweden: "My good friend Chris Mann owner of Video Team called me several days ago wanting to know why a Chris English called him wanting to know how much he paid for the Sperma Diat videos. He also said this same Chris English went on to give him his phone and email info expressing a wish to make him some videos in the future. He called me immediately after his conversation with you to assure me he would never make a deal with anyone behind my back and the only reason he is buying the Sperma Diat videos is because they are from me. I am asking you now to stop calling my customers and interfering with my business. What you have done is highly unprofessional and considered extremely unethical. I have in the past, considered your lack of experience in the adult business, when you have conducted yourself in an unprofessional manner but after this recent incident I can no longer write your actions off to naiveté. In the future please refrain from using me as a reference to potential clients." Chris English responded: (chrisenglish1@yahoo.com) (czane1@ix.netcom.com) Chris
Mann (xtian@flash.net) Dick Miller, (califilm@applet.cz) Looks like it is really all over. I've just been on the phone to Chuck...I'm dismayed and deeply saddend by Chucks last E-mail to me...Deeply saddend. But this E-mail can not go unchalenged and all parties to which it was addressed or concerns should have an explanation.... Despite rubbing shoulders with Americans whom I love dearly for so long I still have my indomitable British Character chaps. And I will stand up in the face of adversity and for what is right no matter what. Bottom line, I'm not working, nobody is paying my rent not Chuck not anybody, so nobodys hand is feeding me, so I have to find work where I can. Who in the world can not understand that?... Chris is not the only person I have contacted. I have quite OPENLY asked people to call Chuck if they needed a reference with regards to me and I fully expected Chris Mann to call Chuck as he told me he would, and the only reason I did not call Chuck regarding this is because he E-mailed me telling me he was going to be out of town until Tuesday. Which has turned out not to be true. Anyway regarding the 4 "Sperma Diat" titles I shot for Chuck, Chuck told me on the phone only a few weeks ago that he was not interested in the scenario anymore ( which I have plans on improving and adapting further as well as many equally good not yet disclosed Ideas ) which is contrary in a "big" way to what he said shortly before that, being over the moon with them and saying nobody was capable of shooting or had the guts to shoot them that but me... and that he didn't mind if I took it to an other company...So I'm confused, how am I being un ethical? Brinkmanship, stringing me along!?! He didn't want to give me work but he didn't want anyone else to get me ??? Keeping me hanging in the wind ??? Dependent on him so hoping when I do work I will work for less money??? Come on, tell me who's being un ethical?...Somebody please tell me...Who is being naive???... I don't know for sure! Long ago he also told me "I'm never going to tell you don't make a buck"... Right now I'm not making a cent. What am I to do?... Just put what talent I sense I might have on the shelf and forget about it until "maybe" the phone rings one day. I'm a go getta! And I don't see why I should waste what talent I and others might think I have waiting around until my hair falls out, what's left of it, for the mountain to come to "Chris English". "Chris English" must go to the mountain. Chuck and I have or had "no" deal exclusive or otherwise. Things have been talked about which have been instigated by Chuck but they were very short on substance... As far as I am aware both Europe and USA's commerce operate in a free market system not an old boys club. But then again maybe I'm been naive here... And to talk of ethics...when he was suggesting and to some degree boasting to me how cool it was be to con and deceive the talent and others in this business when we were in Cannes..., I told him there and then what I thought about that and that "I" was never going down that road to do business. Chuck's response was an E-mail to Dick Miller - "Chris is coming to America to learn how to be a Prick"... To bad I didn't learn that lesson. "MY" soul is not for sale... I did not turn in to a whore...If that is ..professional behaviour, you can keep it. In e-mails to Chuck long ago I said I was going to start giving a few people in the States a call and that it would be nice to have the references that he promised he would give me. An offer which "he" solicited, and without my prompting said he would actively help in. Nobody's perfect not me, not anybody, but here I see "nothing" but inconsistency and because it is from somebody in a position of power, I just gotta take that ? All of it? Just because everybody knows Chuck Zane and nobody knows me. Is that right?...Is that "ethical"?... I held off in making such calls out of some strange sense of loyalty until now. I have not sought to profit from this loyalty it really was out of genuine affection which though now strained... I still have for Chuck... If I was the heal I am being made out to be I would have easily found work whilst on my last shoot in LA by contacting all 'n' sundry...Every body, the crew the talent was crazy about what I was doing and took to my unassuming manner. It clearly would have profited me but that would not have been right. Infact the thought never even entered my head at that time... I have called Chuck twice no three times today in an earnest and respectful attempt to resolve this but on all occasions he hung up on me...Telling me to "have a nice life". Even when I asked him who I should "NOT" contact, as a "courtesy" not an obligation, so as NOT to interfere with his potential business, the answer was "that is not for me to say" and he hung up again!?!?...Now what should I do? Call nobody? Uh ah! It is to my surprise but clear that he now regards me as a threat and as competition to his ventures with Dick Miller in Prague and the daggers are out for me. Oddly flattering. Whilst this could now be true as I have "ALL" the resources available to me that Dick has in the Czech Republic ( some of which he found through me ) New 3Chip camera purchased Saturday, lights, stills equipment the works, in addition "I" have "NOT" made the mistake of making a bitter enemy out of by far the largest and most important talent agent in the Country, this agency is bigger than all the rest put together and has the best girls exclusively assigned, which means Dick has to go scratching around in the dirt to find talent and what he does find is NOT the best quality available! This in addition to the limitless talent and shooting resources also available to me in Budapest and elsewhere in Europe, the fact that because profits made from their shoots for clients have to be split between Chuck and Dick plus their higher overheads meaning that they would have to charge "more" than I would in order make a decent living. Further in addition; my relative youth, energy, ambitiousness, FRESHNESS, courage and as Chuck VERY, VERY WELL KNOWS... My good faith and conscience... In the light of this I can very well understand how he might now be motivated, that this might colour his judgement and I fear now that there may be temptation to slander me... I dearly hope I am wrong. I have nothing and I just want something... I came into this business because I believe in what I can do in it with every ounce of my being...I have vision and know where I want to go and because I want equally to have fun AND "make money". Neither of which I've had much of up until now. If you do not believe in what you are doing and have a detachment to it, I believe it will show in your product and it will NEVER be as good as it can be. I am beggining to relise that maybe no one cares about the consumer and there lies the reason that the industry is in such a state...I never believed I would have to become a Politician walk on eggshells everywhere I go and deal with so much paranoia and sensitive insecurities. In this respect I WAS naive. I will always be greatful to Chuck for giving me my first break in the busness even if I do feel he reminded me of that fact a little to often. It's strange how he can't hold on to talent...He has not produced a good "erotic" movie since his split with John T Bone... although I think his Son Mark, whom I like very much and cares about what he is doing, has a lot of potential if only he were to stop being smothered and was given the creative freedom he deserves. Then Zane might begin to get away from it's Ugly girl reputation...I'm very very sorry Chuck, that had to be said and you know what I am talking about. If it had not been Chuck it would surely have been someone else, he got a GREAT Idea VERY VERY cheaply and I do not feel, although I was not looking for the earth, I have been well renumerated for it. A mistake I will not be repeating in a hurry. I have now learned that everyone with out exception is very impressed with my Ideas even if I do say it myself both Chuck and I know that IS a fact. The only problem is despite having shot 4 full features, each and every one sucessivly improving in quality, I have no material to show them... Chuck is keeping me unemployed ... I noticed that on the first Edition of the series I DON'T EVEN HAVE A CREDIT...IS THAT RIGHT??? IS THAT ETHICAL ??? IS THAT PROFESSIONAL??? IS IT?... Nonetheless I am still suposed to be grateful... All this being said I am not interested in bearing grudges and from this point on I bear Chuck no malice. That is not productive. I once felt that Chuck could and would become one of my dearest friends... Anyway pride is one of the seven deadly sins both in life AND in business. It gets in the way of EVERYTHING. My e-mail and phone and, yes my hand is sincerely open in friendship and respect for Chuck as it has always been if he should decide to take it... 10/13/99 Paul Fishbein Caught In Prague Love Nest? For the second time in five months, Adult Video News (AVN) publisher Paul Fishbein has quashed Gene Ross reportage on Chuck Zane. And according to European porn shooter Chris English, the reason may well be that Zane's Prague buddy Dick Miller aka Richard Mailor supplied Fishbein with prostitutes. Fishbein denies the charges and promises a full report on Wednesday's . English may shoot for Rob Black. Based in Sweden, he has numerous contacts with the East European porn world. Chris seeks work and can be contacted at: chrisenglish1@yahoo.com or ugotcumonyourface@yahoo.com or CUMSHOT PRODUCTION COMPANY, BROBYGATAN 2 B, S-21443 MALMÖ, SWEDEN. TEL: 011 46 40 6116290 MOBILE: 011 46 70 437 4807 FAX: 011 46 40 232963 Chris can work in Prague, Hungary, Germany, France, Italy, and Sweden. Meanwhile, Luke's learned that the sources who were putting the fear of God into the atheistic Fishbein, Vivid and VCA last December, were probably paid off to keep silent, thus keeping Luke from blowing the corruption story wide open. Porner: "One of the reasons that Paul Fishbein might be covering up for Chuck Zane is that Fishbein has been going over to Prague, staying at Dick Miller's, and Dick Miller (Richard Mailor) has been supplying him with girls. And Chris knows that because when he was in Prague, he saw the pictures." Chris: "Dick Miller brings his friends over there all the time to get laid. He has little honeys in and out of that apartment..." Luke talked to English, who lives in Sweden, by phone Wednesday morning. Chris: "I just want to tell the truth. I want to work. I'm not concerned about politics." Luke: "How did you get involved in this industry?" Chris: "I met Chuck [Zane] at the Venus Awards in the Entre Fair in Berlin in November of last year. I met Chuck through Shayla LaVeaux and her husband James. They were nice and friendly and invited me to dinner on several occassions. I was on my ass then." Luke: "You weren't in the industry till then?" Chris: "No, not at all. Several conversations led me to contacting Chuck with several ideas and scripts etc, and Chuck liked the idea. Eventually, we put something together and I shot my first scenes in March at the Brussels Fair. The first of the Sperma Diat series. Half was shot in Brussels and the other half in Prague. The first two were condoms, the last two [videos] were non-condom. The last two were shot in Cannes (in May at the Hot D'Or) and the United States (Los Angeles)." Luke: "And did Chuck tell you if he had a preference for condom or non-condom?" Chris: "His words were, no condom, but condom optional..." Luke: "What was it like working for Chuck Zane?" Chris: "I can't complain too much except for all his inconsistencies. It was a bit up and down and this and that. Until not too long ago, he was quite friendly." Luke: "What were his inconsistencies?" Chris breathes heavy and thinks hard for about 15 seconds. "I'd have to go over my last email. But actually everything he says... For example, I was supposed to be proposed an exclusive deal. That was the main reason for me to come to the United States. That was supposed to be discussed in Cannes, and this was at the instigation of Chuck. It wasn't me who brought the subject up. And basically everything was discussed except how much money I was going to be paid and when I didn't agree with the deal, he took it like a jilted lover. Because there wasn't much for me to agree with if there was no figure put on how much I was going to be paid. And meantime I'm supposed to be only shooting for him." Luke: "Did he pay you on time when he paid you?" Chris: "Oh yeah, he always paid me the agreed budget and I was always paid upfront before I agreed to shoot. No problem there." Luke: "Who's this Dick Miller?" Chris: "I believe he's known as Richard Mailor. He's been retired from porn for a while and he's the guy who got Chuck fixed up in the business [of East European porn?]. He started his business in Dick's front room. They're very very good friends." Luke: "And Dick brings big shots through and supplies them with hookers?" Chris laughs: "Well, that's what it boils down to, yes. A lot of their business associates are buttered by Chuck in contact with Dick. Whoever could be useful to him, they basically go over there and get as much pussy as they can handle. It's all done very nicely however, it's not brash hookers. They're very sweet girls and they never ask for money. Dick sticks money in their pocket on the way out the door." Luke: "Who are the types who come by? You've mentioned Paul Fishbein. Who else?" Chris: "Honestly I don't know. I wasn't really concerned. Paul Fishbein was definitely one of them. He went with my own footage from the Barcelona shoot which I gave to Chuck in Cannes and he [Paul] took it back to Prague with him. As a favor for Chuck [Zane]." Luke: "And Dick has photos of Paul with some of these honeys?" Chris: "Not in compromising positions as you put on your site. But photos of Paul in Prague with these women. Everybody who goes through Dick's door doesn't come out again unless they've been laid. Even myself. I like Dick." Luke: "So what are the photos of Paul of?" Chris: "Just friendly tourist pictures of Paul hanging out with people I don't know, and by himself in the streets of Prague and in Dick's apartment." Luke: "I guess Eastern Europe has become the hot spot for getting talent for these movies?" Chris: "Prague is great. Budapest has been the Porn Valley of Europe for nine years... Prague is a beautiful city with beautiful girls. They are not as expensive as the Budapest girls yet. Most of the people shooting there are German, as well as French and Italian and occasional Americans." Luke: "I hear that you have to go through local mafia to get talent?" Chris: "Not true. It is true that in Budapest you must go through... You'd waste your time trying to go the backway round to talent... There's no bullshit. You pay your money and you get your talent. It works out to a 20% agency fee." Luke: "How much do you have to pay talent?" Chris: "Anything from $300 plus extra for anal and DP [double penetration]. Girls are doing DP for $500 and upwards. But some fantastic girls can cost $1600. Wood is more expensive. Good wood is going from $400 to $700 a scene." Luke: "What can you tell me about Chuck Zane's concern for the talent." Chris: "The last scene I shot in Cannes involved a young Slovak girl named Ingrid. Her first scene ever. It was a scene with three guys, all had huge dicks. She'd never done anal before in her life, let alone with DP. This was the worst thing I've ever done in my life and I have trouble every time I think about it with my conscience. Apparently it doesn't bother Chuck too much. It was an eye opener for me. It ended up with her bleeding profusely from her ass. And she was crying and it was really gut wrenching and eventually stopped the... "Well, I shouldn't say eventually, stopped the anal and just got the rest of her scene as soon as we could. As soon as I relayed what happened in the scene to Chuck, and told him that was the worst thing I had ever done in my life, and I don't intend to every do that again... Meaning that I should check very carefully with the agents about new girls like that and it is not necessary to put them with huge dicks. She's a small girl. It tore her to pieces. And Chuck was coming out with things like, ahh, that little slut. I wouldn't be surprised for another $100 to $200, she wouldn't be getting fucked in the ass by a train of guys in two days time. That was his basic attitude, sneering... It was a very nice girl. She wrote me a postcard letting me know how she was and that she never got into the business again. It was her first and only scene. It scared the hell out of her." Luke: "How does the industry treat girls? Do a lot of them get chewed up?" Chris: "I'm not experienced enough to comment on that. But that was an experience I don't want to repeat. I don't mind shooting anal scenes, but I think Private likes to use guys with huge dicks on small girls. Tall girls seem to be able to take it much better. If a girl's got no problem with anal, I have no problem shooting it. But if it was up to me, I'm against condoms. I'd regard anal optional as a better policy than condom optional, because there AIDS is staring you right smack bang in the face. What happened to that girl. That's where it is coming from, the fixation with anal. "I prefer no condoms. Bottom line, noone wants to see a movie with condoms, including myself. Stores here that are sending movies back to distributors if they have condoms in them. That speaks for itself." John Bone told Luke by phone on Tuesday evening: "You've got to go back to the first time you met me. The one thing that has been my biggest undoing is that I always tell the truth. If a girl sucks my dick, I'll tell you. The girl sucked my dick. I never fucking lie. I never pretend that it isn't me and I didn't do it. I'm very straight about what I do. And here's Chuck Zane lying through his fucking teeth and he's a fucking hypocrite. So fuck him, let people know. If you can't stand up and tell the truth, then don't criticize me because I do. "This is not unsubstantiated [as Fishbein alleges]. It is not a disgruntled employee. It is the truth, Chris Mann told you." Porner: "Chris won't be bullied. Chuck has already tried that. He will stand up and tell the truth. He'll say, they shouldn't be doing it if they don't want people to know. He's just a kid looking for work. "The one thing that has not happened is Chuck calling up anyone and saying, it's not true. I don't shoot movies without condoms. The central issue is that Chuck Zane is a lying hypocrite." Luke: "Yeah, and is Fishbein covering up for him and why?" Porner: "I'll tell you why. Because Chuck is a bully. And anytime you do or say anything he doesn't like, he makes your life miserable. I don't think that Paul quashed it because of advertising dollars or anything. I just think he didn't want to be faced with a fucking barrage of Chuck Zane screaming and yelling and carrying on day after day. I think he's too tired to put up with Chuck Zane's bullshit and he thought that it might go away. Well, it hasn't. And I'm sure that Chuck is calling every 20 minutes screaming at him." John Bone: "Chuck Zane, around 1996, bounced $10,000 worth of checks on me and laughed at me. "When Rob Black first came out here. He had a trust fund, took all the money he had in the world, and shot two movies. And he had a distribution deal with a small company [associated with VCA]. These people moved into VCA. Russ took a look at Rob's movies. Rob was nothing then, just a kid who's uncle owned a company. "Russ looked at Rob's movies and refused to release them. He threw Rob and his movies out of the VCA building. Rob now has no distribution deal. He's bumming money off the talent, like Rick Masters... And Rob was on his ass. "I'd left Zane. He had a disastrous period where he tried to fake up [with AVN's active help] a director called Damien Hellx [Johnathan Morgan] to fill in the gap that I had left... That stuff didn't sell. Max Hardcore had gone, Chuck had nobody making movies... So I tried to talk Chuck into making a deal with Rob to distribute his movies. "I saw Rob's first movies and I thought the boy was talented. And I knew that Chuck needed somebody making hardcore stuff. And I was talking to Rob two or three times a day, and I was trying to broker a deal with his uncle. Chuck was so arrogant that he could not conceive that Rob had any talent because he was the idiot nephew and nobody could respect him. So he refused to see the movies and refused to listen to the fact that Rob was talented. "Then Rick Masters introduced Rob to Patrick Collins who sees his potential. Rob goes to work for Patrick Collins. Patrick now promotes the fact that he's got him, and spends money promoting him. I go back to Chuck and say, you fucking idiot. He's your own family and he begged you for a job and you couldn't see it because you are so arrogant. Now he's gone with Patrick. Do you see that you were wrong? "A couple of weeks later, Chuck calls me up. Ok, if you were so intent on helping me out with my nephew, would you help me out by training my son? So I make a deal with him, for Matt to come here to the studio. I set him up with a desk. Zane puts his own telephone line into the desk. And I make a deal to train Matt how to make movies. In the process of doing that, I'm handling the finance in the movies that he's shooting, Chuck is giving me the money... I'm paying the overhead and teaching Matt how to make movies. "Then one day, they're here shooting a movie, and all of Chuck's checks come back. In the middle of shooting a movie, I'm standing here with $10,000 worth of bad checks. Matt's getting Chuck on the line, Chuck is talking to matter, oh, don't worry, don't worry, but nobody is giving me any money. So I say to Matt, finish shooting your movie. I've paid for everything. I have bad checks from you reimbursing me. I'll hang on to the masters until your dad makes good on the checks. They finished the movie, they grab the masters, and they run out the back door of the studio. "Now I call Chuck and he laughs at me. Fuck you, we're going bankrupt so the $10,000 will have to go into the bankruptcy. Ok, fuck me, but here's the downside. I have all the model releases and chromes. So you may think you've fucked me but you can't make a box and you can't put the movie out. So, curiously enough, though they were bankrupt and didn't have any money, they magically came up with the $10,000 and got the chromes and model releases. And those were the last dealings I had with them. "Since then I listen almost on a daily basis to all the terrible stories about what a terrible person I am, how I write bad checks and fuck people over, and funny enough it all seems to come from the Zanes. I'm the guy who got the bad checks, and got fucked over, and the guy they laughed at because they thought they'd fucked me, but for the last three years to tell anybody who listens what a terrible person I am. That I write bad checks... I've had more bad checks from them than I've written in my life. So there is the basis for the problem between Chuck and me. "Now that Chuck has been caught in this hypocrisy, they will do anything to cloud the issue. Now I am out to get Chuck. Poor Chuck, Bowen has it in for him. "I don't use condoms in my movies. I don't pretend I do. I don't lie about it. I don't try to join the Vivids, VCAs, and Wickeds and be one of the boys and do it behind their back. I just tell the truth. Chuck Zane doesn't. He's embarrassed by the truth. I only get hurt by his lies. "I still have photocopies of his bad checks, $10,000 worth." 10/14/99 From Sweden, Chris English (chrisenglish1@yahoo.com) writes: No condom is no mistake. Both Dick and I shootin' bare back a mistake....? Absolutely at Chuck Zane's Behest. Jim Powers was also instructed to shoot a movie "without" condom for Chuck whilst I was in Chucks office in June of this year. Chuck had made a deal with him where "Jim Powers" was putting it out in America and Chuck would distribute it in Europe through his new Company EFA. From the conversation I gather Jim was in the middle of shooting it when Chuck called him and said word for word " Jim I want you to lose the condoms" Obviously I can't hear Jims end but Chucks reply was in a nasil tone "I don't give a shit, I'm not putting it out here. Jim complains "bla bla bla" I don't hear of course! Chuck Responds "Yes, yes I know. We're ( Him 'n' Dick Miller Chucks partner in EFA) old and confused!"... ANYTHING from here on out that Chuck Zane utters on any other subject or event what so ever, has no credability what so ever. The man is a mean spirited, lying, cheating, greedy bully who's word on any regard is worth is shit. His complete dishonesty and total hypocracy should mean that this man should be of no consequence what so ever in this or any business that requires the slightest modiquom of integraty from this day on. In my last phone call to him I asked him if he was going to do the right thing and send me samples of my work so that I could move on to more worth while things. His response was to scream ragingly down the phone at me threatening me with violence and that "I'm gonna rip your eye balls out." The last communication I have had from this man was an e-mail in which it stated ominously "See you in Berlin..." Did you know Dick Miller aka Richard Mahler has been shooting "non" condom pedophile woops, I mean Cherry Poppers in Prague along with other "non" sexy "Death Defying" curiosity such as Fisting, Pissing and Shitting movies for Chuck Zane since May of this year. Somebody please explain to me what these things have to do with sex...? In Cannes Chuck was madly enthused by this and when he assumed that I would shoot this, I looked at him incredulously paused said "You don't have enough money...nobody does...! "But Dick's doing it" was his ranting response. "Let Dick do it. My movies are about SEX not barbarism"! was mine. These subjects asside of course anything goes for me, but I would not be surprised if Chuck would shoot a snuff movie if he thought he could get away with it. Why doesn't he just change his company name to "Low Grade Productions" After my refusal to shoot these to me... somewhat puzzeling themes, he behaved like a nervous woman with pmt for the entire seven days we were there even after my shoot was completed. Chris English. Oh! One more thing... Chuck told me over and over that at the "Hot d'or" awards ceremony that I would have a place along with himself and Matt at Paul Fishbeins table. This was no big deal to me, I did'nt know who the hell Paul Fishbein was, the AVN is an insignifacence in Europe where the industry is consumer led. Could the reason that "my" place was changed to another table seemingly at the last minute and without telling me, was because he did not want me to let it slip that Chuck gave me the OK to go without condoms because he did "Not want to take any chances with new this company, (EFA. the name of his new German company ) I'm getting alot of stiff resistance from my Italian distribters so I want you to go without condoms from now on that; is condom optional" This was said to me in his second sectance to me after my arrival at the Casino Royal Hotel on the first night. Sent it to Gene too, if he doesn't print it you can wipe the floor with em. Let me make one thing clear I would have never gone this far if Chuck did not threaten me! Thanks for representing me and the whole saga acuratley so far. Chris Mann apparently thinks I have "an interesting talent" though can't do business with me at this stage because I'm too controversial I respect this. I like Chris man. Chris Mann is a Good Bloke. We need more Chris Manns. Now who wants to give me a bloody job? The Berlin Venus Fair is coming up "real" soon and I have an "extremely interesting scenario" for anyone who's interested! Chris Mann what knows what I'm talking about so does Chuck Zane and and Zane and is wishing he was not such a volatile character as this scene was to be used to help lauch his new company into the limelight. So which other company who is having a booth in Berlin wants their company in the limelight but they've gotta have guts!!! Chuck is writhing now more than anything because I won't be shooting it for him....and I am laughing at Chuck. Chris English wrote Chuck Zane: Who sent our E-mails to L-ke Ford? Chuck Zane wrote: It was your limey fuck friend John Bowen asshole. Looking forward to seeing you in Berlin. Chris English wrote: Why have you got a job for me? When am I getting copies of those 4 titles I shot for you ? 10/15/99 Gene Ross To Chris English - 'I Took The Bullseye Off Your Back' Adult Video News journalist told Europorner Chris English (chrisenglish1@yahoo.com) this evening, "I did you a favor. I took the bullseye off your back. You were a hunted man." Ross refers to his fuzzying up of the issues regarding how AVN publisher Paul Fishbein has been trying to cover up for his buddy Chuck Zane. Chuck's Prague buddy Dick Miller aka Richard Mailor allegedly provided Fishbein with hookers. Gene made only one update yesterday as opposed to his customary two. Normally Gene runs his interviews in Q&A format, but yesterday Ross put tremendous time and energy into rewriting the interview to neuter its devastating effect on Chuck Zane and his cover-up buddy Fishbein. Here is a sample of 's coverup, concocted on the orders of Fishbein: English, who wants to be a full time director in the adult biz, emailed John Bowen several days ago, essentially seeking either employment advice or business opportunities in that area. What happened over the next 48 hours would have you thinking English was the anti-Christ. The way the story developed, English, who shot four volumes in the Sperma Diat series for Zane Entertainment might as well have been Lou Costello with Sperma Diat translating as, 'Who's On First?' Many issues have become muddled. English holds firm in saying all he wants is a job. But then there's the emails and the flurry of obfuscation that followed. English said the story's now exploded totally out of proportion. "I just want a job and get to work," he says. English also states emphatically that he never told a story about seeing Paul Fishbein in compromising pictures with girls of questionable social breeding. "I just saw pictures of him in Prague. That's all. I regret that his name was ever brought into this." Chuck Zane said officially earlier this week, "When Video Team releases them [Sperma Diat], the evidence will be there." Zane also said that English knew the Sperma Diats were to be condom shoots. Luke: I talked to Chris English at 5:30 PM. Chris: "Maybe you could explain this metaphor to me. Gene Ross said that he'd taken the bullseye off my back. He said he'd done me a favor because I'm a hunted man. What does that mean? "He told me this just now, when I called him up on the telephone to tell him that I thought he'd clouded the issue. "He was very hostile. What I told him is in there but it is very colored. And he says, 'If I were you, I'd think about it for a couple of days. I think I've done you a favor. I've taken the bullseye off your back.' What does that mean? [Sicilian] Chuck Zane used to boast to me about knocking people off back East, like some wiseguy. It's got me thinking now, to tell you the truth." Luke: "It's a disgusting threat, on behalf of Fishbein's buddy Chuck "Hit Man" Zane." Chris: "I wondered what Zane meant the evidence will be there when Video Team releases Sperm Diat. I'm wondering if Chuck Zane would spend $60,000 to save face by recalling the series." Luke: "I doubt it. Good question though." Chris: "John Lipsom was my production manager [for English's non-condom shoots for Zane]. He did a good job for me. "The ironic thing is, Gene Ross got the call first. And he lost the story. Now he's tried to cloud the thing over. When I called him today, he was very hostile. The atmosphere was hostile. His questions were very hostile. Do you think the credibility of his site is at stake?" Luke: "In part. This is not unknown to happen over there." Chris: "To tell you the truth Luke, I'm not experienced on these things. But people have told me terrible things about your site. But you have represented me accurately. "Gene confided in me that they have a lot of trouble whenever they print anything that angers Chuck Zane. I guess they're afraid of him." Luke: "Gene and I have our own strengths and weaknesses." Chris: "What he hasn't done is follow up with Jim Powers to confirm that this is true [that Chuck Zane tried to hire him to shoot non-condom sex]. The actresses involved [in the June condomless shoot, including anal scenes, for Zane in Los Angeles shot by Chris English] were Rebecca Wild, Phylisha Anne, Candy Apples, David Hardman, Jay... "Candy Apples was walking down Hollywood Blvd with her face covered in cum. Phylisha Anne was walking down Rodeo Drive with her face covered in cum. And Rebecca Wild was at a tattoo shop and on the boardwalk in Venice with tons of people around, her face covered in cum. "Gene was saying that it was not a unique concept. That Rodney Moore first thought it up. But I think Rodney's girls only got as far as his front door." Chris English writes: Hello Luke, Just one thing miss heard over the phone. It was Jaid, Jaid Marcella not Jay. Other blokes that did arse shagging without johnnys were Kyle, Guy de Sylva and some little fellow called Peter and one more but I can't remember his name. Sorry mate. I got to Jade walk down Ocean Park Blvd. and Near the Pier in Santa Monica with spunk splattered all over her face onlookers aghast. Who's got a bloody job for me? (chrisenglish1@yahoo.com) Stills photographers Alan and Mike Mommano. All these people will confirm that it was no johnnys... This partly explains why one of my E-mail adresses is: (ugotcumonyourface@yahoo.com). Oh! Bye the way luke, For someone who has a long standing policy of not talking to or not allowing his staff to talk to or contact you, I can tell you Chuck Zane reads your site with the most intense scrutiny every single day and moans and groans when your site is inactive for a few days. 11/26/99 Condomistas Wilt As Market Speaks Pat Riley writes on RAME: Remember Chuck Zane's touchie feelie rantings about how everything should be condom-only, how his daughter had just given birth (or maybe it was his mistress?), how he couldn't possibly have no condom scenes in his (any Zane) movies, and how everyone should do the same... Oh, the humanity of it all...blah, blah. Well, the humanity obviously disappears when money is at stake. I just watched the epic Young, Dumb & Full Of Cum #2, a Zane Entertainment release directed by the young whippersnapper Mark Zane with a production date of 11/20/99: Hatcher screws Elizabeth X with NO Condom; What happened Chucky baby? 12/06/99 English porn shooter Chris English writes Chuck Zane (czane1@ix.netcom.com) and Dick Miller aka Richard Mailer (califilm@applet.cz): Chuck and Dick. I've just seen Sperma diät # 2 and I must say you
have hashed the editing. The sound is all fucked up as in the first movie.
You can see the girls lips moving in the last scene and you hear the words
come out 10 seconds later. And you can hear direction all over the
place. It is clear I care more about a quality product than you, yet you
are the one who is paying for it.Absurd. If you are making any money,
it is clear you are not making as much as you could be with your philosophy.
Remember I told you about this Chuck about the first movie but you ignored
me. Said you'd check it out, but you ignored it.Your so cheap, just like
they all say about you. Why didn't you spend the money to get it
done properly. Five or Six hundred dollars. I must say you got what you
paid for... And this thing where YOU insisted on having
everybody speaking different languages where most could actually
speak reasonable English, looks really,really fucking stupid as I knew
it would all along, but you don't listen. You've GOT to listen
to your Directors from now on. And don't try to stamp all over their fucking
movies and ruin them. You have no sense of the aesthetic, don't even know
the meaning of the word.Your your box covers and your choice of
pictures testify to that. Zane box covers are the some of the worst
and most unappealing in the business, STILL and yet you arrogantly say
that what John Stagliano and Evil Angel does is Shit. Are you for real?
His success is in his philosophy. Giving his customers as MUCH as he can
while still making a reasonable proffit.He is the Coke Cola of porn. He
has their confidence. You have the opposite philosophy, give the customer
as little as you can get away with, and correspondingly you don't have
their confidence... Do you remember me diplomatically telling you and
offering my thoughts regarding how I could vastly improve your sales?
You slammed me for it. Proud old man you are. Though I clearly had the
balls, I didn't have the heart to tell you my real opinion of Zane box
covers at that time. No wonder you have to drop your prices to move your
stock. Ugly Girls AND Ugly boxcovers....and Girls Crying...Sorry Chuck
that's a very small market. There is already enough misery in this world.
Gumm writes: Hey Lukey! I just read your site, I especially liked the part CHRIS ENGLISH WRITES CHUCK ZANE, It sounds to me like Chris is trying to get some free advertising from you, especially where he tells, (several times I might add) You left that poor girl crying...Crying because of an anal sex scene, Now Luke, Correct me if I'm wrong, But don't you think all the hardcore raincoat-type fans are just gonna love a scene like this?? I mean, Hell, A girl crying during an anal scene! That's right up most of those hardcore raincoater's alleys!!! Sounds like to me he was giving Mr. Zane some free advertising on your site, But I may be wrong, as I always think most people are out to fuck someone over anyway, lol. By the way, Your site has improved a lot lately, especially since you quit posting that NJG (nice jewish girl) crap. ChrisEnglish1@yahoo.com replies: Who's Gumm? He couldn't
be more wrong. First of all tell him Luke, that I did not post that E-mail
to your site. But someone else decided to forward it to you. Is that not
right? Secondly I may be wrong but I have more faith in human nature than
Mr Gumm. No disrespect Mr Gumm but if you were there you wouldn't make
light of it. Believe me.You would not! And if you were and you did, I
would... As regards to giving Chuck Zane some free advertising that's
the last thing I would want to do. In any case it wouldn't help him in
the slightest as Chris Mann has bought the American rights to all four
of these movies. Los Angeles Times, 3/5/87: Los Angeles County sheriff's officers Wednesday raided a modeling agency in Sherman Oaks and homes in Thousand Oaks and Malibu in an effort to arrest the producers of a sex film for pandering. Only two of the five men sought for their part in the production of "Backside to the Future" were arrested during simultaneous raids in California, Texas, Miami and Rochester, N.Y., according to sheriff's officials. The raids, following a four-month investigation, represented an expanded use of California's 1982 pandering statute against people who make sex films. The law prohibits the payment of money to people to engage in sex acts, and police previously have used it to arrest producers, directors and others as actors and actresses were being recruited or performing. The raid at the World Modeling Agency resulted in the arrest of James Souter, 47, of Thousand Oaks, who also was arrested in October by Los Angeles police on felony pandering charges. Souter's agency, in the 4500 block of Van Nuys Boulevard, was described by investigators at the time as a clearinghouse for performers in pornographic films, allegedly supplying more than 600 of them to producers over the years. Also arrested was Milton Ingley, 40, in Arlington, Tex. Authorities still are seeking John Lee, 43, of Malibu, and brothers Charles Zicari, 36, and Dominic Zicari, 47, both of Rochester. 10/10/94 Los Angeles Times: A Canoga Park distributor of sex videotapes was ordered to donate $10,000 to Children of the Night, the nonprofit group that helps young runaways, after being convicted of a misdemeanor for selling obscene videos, the city attorney's office said Friday. Fantastic Pictures Inc. was also placed on two years' probation and barred from disseminating any materials depicting rape, bestiality, sex with minors or other illegal acts. The case began in January, when undercover LAPD vice detectives attended a consumer electronics show in Las Vegas and spotted brochures for videos at a booth operated by Zane Entertainment. Detectives learned that
Zane Entertainment and Fantastic Pictures were under common management
from 21528 Osborne St., Canoga Park. They conducted surveillance, made
two undercover buys of videotapes and conducted a search of the offices,
finding the evidence for Friday's conviction.
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