John Stagliano Interview by Richard Abowitz

NL- This is part one of a great interview by Richard Abowitz who kindly allowed me to post it here. It is from his site www.goldplateddoor.com/

John Stagliano Interview by Richard Abowitz

This is part one of the interview I did this morning with Evil Angel owner and former Vegas show producer John Stagliano.  Here Stagliano discusses the indictment against him and how this has impacted his life.I

In part two, which I will post soon, Stagliano looks ahead at his trial and answers among other questions, if he plans to take the stand in his defense.

Richard Abowitz: Do you see your prosecution as different from the Max Hardcore prosecution and the other recent prosecutions that preceded you?
John Stagliano: Maybe the motivation is little different in that I am a bigger pornographer and it will have a greater impact in terms of the battle that the anti obscenity task force is waging. If they get a victory against me it is more significant than Max Hardcore or animal sex movies or something like that.

Abowitz: Are you surprised that the Obama Justice Department is carrying out the Bush administration’s case against you?
Stagliano: It is the anti obscenity task force at the current justice department that is pursuing me. It was started by Bush, but Obama has chosen not to disband it. So, saying Obama’s Justice Department is pursuing me is technically accurate. I am not sure what that means.

Abowitz: Well, did you have an expectation that with the change in the administrations, the Obama Justice Department would be uninterested in adult-to-adult obscenity prosecutions?
Stagliano: A lot of people did. I did not have an opinion.  I had no idea. And, now it seems Obama does not want to disturb the religious right. And, he doesn’t have to. There is nothing politically to be gained by defending Buttman.

Abowitz: I know in court you have to make legal arguments under the assumptions of obscenity law. But I am curious if you think there are any films that do cross a line and are obscene?
Stagliano: Are you asking me if I believe in free speech and the First Amendment? Yes, of course, I believe in free speech and the First Amendment.

Abowitz: No, I am asking you if you think some movies can be so obscene that they are crimes to make and distribute? That is the idea behind obscenity law.
Stagliano: Images are communicating. If I want to create an image and you want to view it, a third party, government, does not have right to stop me from viewing something you want to show me.

Abowitz: How have the two years since you were indicted impacted you?
Stagliano: At first it wasn’t too bad. It did not take much time and there was only a little bit of stress.  But after the judge set the trial date for July 7 everything has been really busy and my life is stressful.  My wife is also pregnant.  So, my life is interesting right now.

Abowitz: Congratulations to Karen.  Are you surprised after the decades you have been making movies to be prosecuted now?
Stagliano: When I started in the 80s I was really small time among many people. During the Clinton years there were few people busted. Did I know I was going to be prosecuted? Absolutely not. This is a political decision. No one went to the government and complained about my movies.  Why did they choose to prosecute me in this area at this time? That is the agenda of the anti obscenity task force has and they decided to prosecute me. If I was to say I was surprised  I was prosecuted or not surprised I was prosecuted then that might indicate, my lawyers have said, that I knew I was doing something wrong and that could be twisted against me. It is like living in Alice in Wonderland sometimes.

Abowitz: The government actually purchased your movie?
Stagliano: Yes, they sent their Special FBI Agent. I think that is what he does all the time. He looks at porn on the Internet. And, that has to be a tough job. You have to watch all these movies and not get aroused and remember that it is for work.