Luke Is Back

Sunday, June 13

Paris Hilton makes long-awaited Letterman appearance

Paris Hilton will make her long-awaited first appearance on the "Late Show" with David Letterman on Monday, CBS announced.

Hilton was to have been a guest on Nov. 26, but scrapped all planned media appearances promoting her Fox TV series, "The Simple Life."

At the time, Hilton's spokesman said no slight to Letterman was intended. He added that she wanted to keep a lower profile because of the attention she'd received from her ubiquitous Internet sex video.

Hilton and her friend Nicole Richie, daughter of Lionel Richie, star in "The Simple Life 2: Road Trip," which premieres Wednesday on Fox. It's the sequel to their hit show that chronicled their stay with the Leding family in rural Altus, Ark.

Who Was The Hottest Chick At Reagen's Funeral?

Mutt writes on GFY: "The grandaughter, definite model potential. Looked to be in the 15-17 range. Patty Reagan hit the wall - hard - repeatedly. There were several blonde Beverly Hills MILF types (Bo Derek was there, and Wayne Gretzky and his hot wife Janet Jones. Wayne Newton, Mickey Rooney - not exactly the Hollywood A List) sprinkled in amongst the hump backed dowagers but the damn commentators never would identify them. I believe that if you had opened the casket it would have revealed that the deceased Gipper's complexion was only slightly less waxy than Governor Schwarzenegger's and that in death after 10 years of deteriorating health and 6 days of rigor mortis he still looked 15 years younger than Larry King."

Aloof Cybernet Expo

Jackie reports: I've never seen so many people so aloof. The people who are anybody stayed away from the tradeshow floor. I didn't see anybody from CCBill. Everyone was segregated. Some people went to Tijuana. Some people went to the zoo.

It's amazing how many people in this industry smoke. They never open up the top floor at the venue that hosted the Player's Ball. But they opened it up Thursday night because they knew the webmasters would want to smoke. Everybody was upstairs.

Most people were talking about JoeE. He's out of jail. Kevin Blatt wore a shirt to the Player's Ball that read, "Free JoeE." ATMBilling goes live next week.

Race Matters

Race matters so much that people want to deny it any significance.

During my entire life, my father, who lived through WWII in Australia which was threatened by a Japanese invasion, has referred to the Japanese as "Japs." I would always correct him. I'd say that "Japs" was not a nice expression.

Now I realize that my father's words were just fine.

I interviewed TV producer Rob Long about two years ago.

Luke: "Let's talk about race. I was raised in America to believe that race doesn't matter but in casting characters in TV and movies, race matters."

Rob: "When people declare things like that, that race doesn't matter, what they're really saying is that race is the only thing that matters. It's the biggest giantest hugest thing. It's a giant subcurrent in every political or financial conversation. It's like the sub woofer. It goes through everything. You may not be able to see where it is coming from, but it's there. And you are not allowed to talk about it. It's rude."

Selena Roberts writes this clueless commentary in The NYT:

Bird's offensive lapse was out of ignorance; Parcells's racial slur was out of arrogance. Bird was prompted by a question; Parcells was prompted by pomposity.

In a roundtable discussion with Bird, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Magic Johnson that is scheduled to be shown tonight on ESPN and was reported by USA Today yesterday, the host Jim Gray said, "Does the N.B.A. lack enough white superstars in your opinion?"

Granted, the inquiry by Gray was a leading question, but Bird chose to advance the loaded topic when he said a white superstar would be good "for a fan base because, as we all know, the majority of the fans are white America.''

"And if you just had a couple of white guys in there, you might get them a little excited,'' Bird said. "But it is a black man's game, and it will be forever. I mean the greatest athletes in the world are African-American."

Unable to pick up his dribble, Bird, the homespun folk legend from French Lick, Ind., went on to say that he loathed being guarded by a "white" guy during his Celtics days, adding: "As far as playing, I didn't care who guarded me - red, yellow, black. I just didn't want a white guy guarding me, because it's disrespect to my game."

Maybe he was kidding, but Bird managed to denigrate the white athlete, marginalize black players and Euro-bash the influx of foreign stars to a league that, under Commissioner David Stern, is regarded as the most wonderfully diverse in the world. Bird's backward accounting of the league's current makeup must be a product of anachronistic thinking steeped in an N.B.A. era of ugly stereotypes during the early 80's. The league has progressed; Bird should join in.

As most understand, the N.B.A. isn't desperate for a superstar of a certain color, but it craves a colorful talent who transcends race the way Michael Jordan did in the 90's - and the way Yao Ming just might do in the coming years.

Bird's rationale is out of touch; Parcells's is out of control. As the lord of discipline on the field, as the issuer of gag orders for his football assistants, as the only voice he wants to hear, Parcells is a narcissist in the reflection of his own pithy prose. "She's making progress," Parcells once said on the health status of the New England receiver Terry Glenn. Very clever.

On Monday, Parcells outperformed. On his very own, he turned a phrase into a slur against Japanese when he said "no disrespect to the Orientals" then likened the surprise-attack offensive schemes of the Cowboys to the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

An uncomfortable murmur spread through a press gathering that included a Japanese journalist. Later in the day, an apology from Parcells was released through the Dallas Cowboys.

I would never apologize for making "Jap attack" comments and plays. If people don't like it, tough.

A black columnist at The LA Times, J.A. Adande, had a more intelligent comment:

Bird got into trouble this week when he said the league could use more white stars. To some degree, he's right. You can't tell me the affection the Staples Center crowd showed for Luke Walton from the first exhibition game didn't come in part because he's the only white American on the Lakers.

That doesn't make the fans racist. Rooting for your own doesn't mean you're against anyone else. It's like pulling for the woman from your home state in the Miss America pageant. Or African Americans suddenly watching Wimbledon to see the Williams sisters.

The NBA would not have reached the heights it achieved during the 1980s and 1990s without the racial dynamic of Bird vs. Magic Johnson. Johnson, for all of his charisma and dazzling game, couldn't have lifted the NBA on his own without Bird.

Today, while America is far from a color-blind society, we've moved past race as an impediment to popularity. Look at how hip-hop dominates radio and MTV. And look at how many white kids still wear the jersey of Bryant, a black man accused of rape.

Dipping Your Finger In

Donna writes:

Duke, writing to you is like dipping a finger cautiously into a cauldron. Will it be a tasty stew, full of healthy vegetables and lots of the good meaty parts, nicely spicy, or boiling gold, very beautiful and exotic, and surely lethal? Thanks for sending me the links to your new book. I like the mustardy cover and the theme. I think it could sell well - but isn't the price a little high? Make sure you write a scrumptious description about it for amazon, if you haven't already.

I'm reading it slowly. I am totally captivated and drunk on your writing, more in your blog, etc, than in your journalism. How much courage it takes to be so vulnerable. Of course, the narcissism can't be overlooked, but a good storyteller is so valuable that I think maybe one shouldn't question how he came to be so, right? I am so curious whether any of us will get what we want.

Player's Ball San Diego

Jamie Gardner writes:

On Thursday night (June 17th), I went to the Player's Ball. The Player's Ball was being held in connection with the Cybernet convention, being held in San Diego. People going to Cybernet could get in free to the event. Since I didn't go to Cybernet, I paid Canes (a Mission Beach night club) $12 to get in. People were stamped even though there were no in and out privleges. Before going in, I noticed that most of the people going in were not dressed like pimps and whores. I have seen photos of past Player's Ball events and I was expecting women to be dressed in a much more sexual way. Ahead of me in line, there were a couple of women that were dressed like the theme of the night. It turns out that the women were hired dancers for the stage. I got in to the night club after the first band was done. Spoken Gun was playing while my friend Mark and I walked in. T-shirts for the Player's Ball were given away free. Spoken Gun CD's were sold for $10. The band had the attention of the crowd and there was a decent size crowd of women on the dance floor. The bands at Canes were playing raegee music. A lot of the women were attractive but they looked like women you would typically find in a night club. In the course of the night, there were a few guys dressed like pimps. A couple of women had fishnet stockings. I would say that less then 5 percent of the crowd were dressed like pimps and whores.

Some of the crowd were wearing Cybernet badges. A couple of women asked my friend Mark what company he works for. Mark said that he worked for Denny's, which is true. Dave Anderson, of AdultInsider.com, was hanging out on the upper level that had fresh air. In this area, people could smoke. The weird thing is that people's ID's and hand stamps were being checked to go in this area. I didn't understand the logic of this because people had to show ID's in order to get in to the nightclub. I saw a number of people with Cybernet badges but most of the crowd didn't seem to be from the convention. When the last band was playing, the lead singer encouraged people to get on stage. At some point, the stage got very crowded and a security man cleared away people. People left the stage without resistance. The band kept playing after the stage was cleared of people not involved with them. After the bands were done playing, a woman briefly flashed her breasts. I don't know if security saw this. My friend Mark didn't notice it happening and he was right next to me.

Comrade Connelly Is Always Right

The latest meeting of the Free Speech Coalition announces that despite unfortunate setbacks caused by John Ashcroft-propagated HIV, porn production has grown a solid five percent over the past year.

Consciousness of being the driving force of the nation is the porn-based ideological viewpoint and stand for the members of the Industry to fulfill their responsibility in the struggle to reject outsiders and achieve the reunification of the Industry through the efforts and fight of the Industry.

Kat Sunlove Friday says this in a signed article. It goes on:

We have two new sayings:

"Comrade Connelly is always right."

"I will work harder. I will do more double anal. I will bake more cream pies."

When the whole Industry cherishes the steadfast consciousness of being the driving force of the nation can it reject flunkeyism and dependence on outsiders in realizing the cause of reunification and ensure the ideological purity of the ranks of the reunification movement.

A spontaneous demonstration in honor of AVN publisher and editor Tim Connelly will be held in Chatsworth at 8PM sharp Monday. Songs will be sung and speeches orated in honor of our way of life.

Comrade Connelly will announce the new five year plan in a spontaneous oration. The evenings festivities will be culminated with the joyous burning of dissidents. All porners of goodwill are urged to attend.

Rog Reviews On Mitchell Rape Testimony

Roger Pipe writes:

To believe Mitchell, one would have to imagine that the porn shelves of America are filled with titles that feature sweet teens intoxicated and passed out as they are violated. To the best of my recollection, only one such movie was ever made. In 1995, Paul Norman directed and Zane Entertainment released "Sorority Sluts: Passed Out" which features actresses portraying college girls at a party who drink enough to vomit and then pass out. Once unconscious the women are sodomized and have their faces rubbed in fake vomit. It was far from a raging success and vanished into bargain-bin obscurity almost before the "New Release" sticker on the box could become smudged by curious customers. The porn landscape is littered with piggy-backed successes and if this movie were even a moderate money-maker, dozens of imitators would have popped up immediately. A decade later, no one has attempted to re-create Norman's efforts.

Though scenes where performers are playing dead are more common, they are still far from the norm. JM Productions released "Perverted Stories: The Movie" last year and included a scene where Jessica Darlin is murdered and then used as a sex doll post-mortem. The scene, complete with pale body make up and a lifeless Darlin was disturbing even in the X-rated attempt at a horror flick. In general though, porn stays away from such displays. Undoubtedly Mitchell is correct that there are people who have a fetish for this sort of material, but to say that it is common is more than a stretch. A handful of scenes in fifteen years just don't indicate a huge market or interest in dead or unconscious women.

Jenna Haze Hangs With Rick Solomon

Jenna Haze writes on her Yahoo club:

I did an interveiw for the BBC with that guy rick who sold the paris hilton tape to red light district video. it was very interesting. i dont think he could handle me...lol seems very tame actually. i think teagan [Presley] and i shocked the crap out of him. but i got to make out with her and i think i may have a new lil crush forming!!! yeah well we are going out on sat for cassis bday in a huge limo filled with hot porn chicks so hopefully we'll hook up.

David Aaron Clark Reelin' In The Years

David Clark, Video Team contract director, writes in his online journal:

Oh god, reeling in the early morning hours once more, just too much to do -- the release of AZN SUPER IDOLS VOLUME ONE has been something of a breech birth, and the surreal turns of bad luck continue -- are all these obstacles karma raising objections, the curse of some part-time witch, or just typical Hotel California "bad breaks, man"?

No use to ponder now. Must forge ahead. Much shooting going on. Amazing actresses. Erotic alchemy. Dusky golden orifices. Nyomi Marcella, Veronica Lynn. Training Day at the Upscale Hotel Lesbian Corral. Some Lynch, some Newton -- if I could afford it I'd score it with vintage Bryan Ferry. Here's a few peeks I think you are perhaps bound to treasure, and in the afterglow maybe you won't notice that I've slipped away to get some sleep so I can jump right back on the f-ck or be f-cked train to the molten heart of f-ckworld, USA ...

Did Extreme Porn Contribute To Orange County Rape Case?

Nathan's Parable writes: Duke, read this again and tell me from your own reporting that I wasnt accurate three years ago about this case as reported on your site today from the transcripts of the Orange County rape case. Hmm i mention a pool cue and a bottle back in 2001

Nathan's Parable writes Gene Ross 7/20/01:

Gene, Thank you for your comments and allowing me to express my personal views on Tom Zupko's art for art sake. I do recall the scene in which Farina clocks the woman in Get Shorty; I don't recall her having a baton up her ass at the time or getting a load of semen in her face. The Rock wasn't anally raping Mick Foley at the time he hit him with the chair.

Granted; it was wrong. But it is a far cry from the shock value during a sex scene. Crimes are crimes, sex crimes are a whole different level of victimization.

Indeed, I have yet to experience Zupko. Maybe I will love his work. Maybe I will want to beat you with a steel chair after watching his movies for convincing me that there is value in them. But your assumption that through experience one can become less traumatized by shock is a bit askew. A bit reminiscent of a reverse "A Clockwork Orange" philosophy.

I would think that through experience one would be more sensitive to certain things. This is not the case with many who view Zupko with the eager anticipation of shock in a SEXUAL context; this is sexual addiction. The addictive process lends itself to a greater need for the high be it more violence, more shock or more bizarre behavior. Jacking off to the J.C. Penny catalog bra section doesn't cut it anymore.

Zupko may very well be the best at what he does but "art for arts sake" may have limits. Unless, of course, you would argue that snuff films are acceptable for arts sake. Selling the most movies does not make the shocking degradation of women more acceptable; it merely shows the advent of a new generation of shock addicted citizens who demand it. Even more alarming given the consequences.

The only one hurt in the making of a Zupko movie is Zupko - I disagree. For when shock becomes normal to a sex addict, where does he go for an increased high? Does he roam the streets looking for a woman he can smear with feces and shove kitchen appliances up her ass? What if no women will agree? According to the Zupko philosophy......tough sh-t! Shove a flag up her ass and f-ck her for the glory. Art for arts sake is a far cry from that kind of sexual degradation. Personal responsibility is a grand notion but with addiction there is the loss of control. You say only Zupko is harmed by his own movies. Come the day when some addicted adolescent finds his daddy's collection(while daddy is serving time for beating and raping his wife) of Zupko on the top shelf of the closet. That day will be when one individual thinks this degree of degradation is considered normal healthy sexual relations. When he rapes his first girl in high school using a pool cue or a bottle; will Zupko be there to straighten things out?

Yes, these are adult movies intended to be seen by adults. However, this kind of vision, when placed within the context of sex, is harmful. Not many viewers who are gratified by it would be considered adult. If you do not see this, it proves my point that you have been anesthetized by your saturation of porn. Forgive me for not wanting to reach that basement of sexuality. I am confident that when I reach a grand old age I will have the opportunity to sh-t and pee on myself and maybe even get a boner.....in a nursing home of course. This being the consequences of senility; NOT SEXUALITY.

I am sure you are old enough to agree that the normalcy of today is far more abnormal if viewed from your eyes 20 years ago. Is this an excuse to allow the dominos of sexual degradation to continue to fall? Will you and I be having this discussion two years from now about rape and torture home-videos and snuff films? Art for arts sake? Rape for rape's sake?

I agree that life's experiences mold us and I hope to have many more years in which to mold my opinion of what is healthy and what is considered depraved. To say I will seek the farthest ranges of human degradation along that journey is inconsistent with my lust for what is valued and memorable.

Blatantly obvious theatrics to you or Zupko may be something different to an obsessed viewer, most of which you would not find within the range that Masters and Johnson defines as healthy. His reality may very well be changed by Zupko. Wasn't a teen found guilty for killing his younger sister? His excuse was that he was merely mimicking body slams as seen on WWF wrestling. Life imitating art?

Zupko's works, art for art sake, may certainly be tutorials for tomorrow's Ted Bundy. Lets not forget the lawsuits filed by those who claimed "the lyrics made me do it". I dearly hope that Tom Zupko never has to face the family in court of a girl who was raped and murdered by one of his viewing fans. My assumption, which may be wrong and only taken from personal observation, is Tom Zupko would enjoy the experience and add it to his resume. There is more to life than selling tape, maybe not to Tom Zupko, but maybe he lacks in the experiences that make...... nobility. Comments? Nathans_parable@yahoo.com.

Howard Stern Interviews Jewel De'Nyle And Family

Gene Ross writes on Adultfyi.com:

Opening a can of ripe worms, Stern brought up some murky issues involving law enforcement and asked De'Nyle's father Larry [Schwarz] who now works for her company about them. Schwarz made it sound like the whole story was politically motivated and said the charges were subsequently dropped. De'Nyle didn't want to talk about it.

This is the story Stern was alluding to:

From the Rocky Mountain News, December 5, 2001

PAROLE BOARD MEMBER FIRED; EX-GOP LEGISLATOR FACES CHILD PORN ALLEGATIONS

A Colorado State Parole Board member was fired from his $77,928-a-year job Tuesday after a warrant was issued to search his home for child pornography.

Gov. Bill Owens said he fired Larry Jack Schwarz, 61, a former Republican state representative from Wetmore in south-central Colorado, after he learned of the allegations.

Custer County Sheriff Fred Jobe said the investigation began about three weeks ago when his office received allegations that Schwarz "might be in possession of pictures and material of sexual exploitation of children."

There are three alleged victims, all of whom were family members living in the Schwarz home when the incidents reportedly occurred, Jobe said. Jobe would not identify the alleged victims, but said all now live outside of Colorado.

Sandy Bunz Shoot Disrupted By Cops

Sandy Bunz writes: ON THURDAY AFTERNOON PORNSTAR '' TARA WILD '' ALONG WITH THE CAST AND CREW OF FLASHPOINT PRODUCTIONS, WERE HALTED FROM SHOOTING BY THE VENTURA COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. EVERYONE INVOLVED WAS INTEROGATED AND HAD THEIR I.D'S CHECKED FOR WARRANTS. EVERYONE DETAINED AT THE LOCATION WAS RELEASED BY OFFICERS AND SHOOTING CONTINUED LATER AT A DIFFERENT VENUE.

Sodomy tears at the fabric of society

Here's the language adopted in the Republican party platform in Texas this past week: "The practice of sodomy tears at the fabric of society."

Jim says: "Throughout history, sodomites have taken the values of civilized people and wrecked 'em."

DP Tonight Transcript

Jesse and Devon say they don't like anal.

Crystal: "I tried it. I tried it like eleven times. It hurt like a bitch every time. I hate anal."

Crystal says the strangest place she ever had sex was a church parking lot.

Crystal says that in five years she wants to break into mainstream and work as a PA.

Devon: "So you want to break into mainstream?"

Crystal says yes.

Devon: "Have you taken classes or anything?"

Crystal: "Nope."

Jesse: "That's the question every porn star gets asked. 'Have you thought about doing mainstream? It's going to be hard to break into mainstream from the porn industry.' You just want to laugh. Whatever, dude."

Crystal wants to do real movies, rather than TV.

Crystal worked with Matt Bixel for POVporn. How come? "Because I didn't want to f--- Peter."

Wild laughter.

Caiden is the next guest. She's been in porn two days and done with one scene (with Peter Romero).

Caiden: "[Mother's] boyfriend watches porn all the time. I'm just waiting for the day. He loves porn with younger looking girls.

"[If they say something,] I'll say, I'm making money and supporting you. You are living with us. I told him that when I get back from doing this modeling, you both better have jobs. I'm tired of supporting you.

"Peter [Romero] has a strip club in his house, so I did it there.

Traci Lords Deposition

Jamie Gardner writes:

Since 1998, I have been interviewing people for Traci Lords Unauthorized. As part of my research, I bought posters and the Traci lords lecture videotape through Magic Entertainment Ebay auctions. Outside of Ebay, I bought a copy of documents from Ed Richter that related to Traci's mainstream film career. Ed Richter claimed that he knew Traci Lords and that I could interview him about her. In one of my conversations with Ed Richter, he said that he had a falling out with Traci Lords because of something he said to her. He also told me about being with Traci and Stewart Dell when "Traci, Takes Tokyo" was filmed in Japan. The film is credited to Stephen Cartier (the name that Stewart Dell directed under for hardcore x-rated films). Don Fernando told me that a Japanese man was the real director. Don did confirm that Stewart was with Traci in Tokyo.

Ed Richter kept putting off the interview and I never did interview him. In a phone conversation, he offered me Traci Lords' copy of her District Attorney Deposition. He said that if I didn't buy it from him by a certain date, then he would put it on Ebay during January of 2001. I asked him if he could sell me a copy for less money. He said that it was too rare for him to do that. Ed said that whoever would get the document, would have the only copy. I bought the Deposition from him and he sent it to me. On April 22nd to 29th of 2001, I saw him selling the depostion on Ebay. He had it listed as the "Traci Lords FBI District Attorney Deposition." On the Ebay auction, he said that the deposition was Traci Lords' copy! Magic Entertainment has sold many autographed Traci items. I never bought any of them.

Last year, Traci was in San Diego for an autograph signing. She was promoting Traci Lords: Underneath It All. When Traci was signing the book for me, I asked her if she knew Ed Richter and if his signed items were legitimate. Traci said that she has never known Ed Richter and that she feels that it is bad that fans get ripped off by buying things that are not signed by her. Traci said that if people buy signed things from her web site, they will know that the items are really signed by her. I did fax Juliet Green (Traci Lord's Manager) and I let her know about what Ed Richter was doing. At various times, Ed Richer auctioned the Autopsy Report of Savannah. He claimed that he got this item from Savannah's father! I would like to know if the Traci deposition is real. I've never seen any quotes from it on the internet. Today, I mailed the deposition to you. Feel free to use the entire deposition if you want to.

JKP signs an exclusive license and distribution agreement with mobbed-up Bizarre Video

JKP is turning over its company to the Gambino family, which is the real power behind Bizarre Video and Star Distributors. Keith Gordon, who runs Bizarre, hangs out with Mafiosi. He's moving to Los Angeles and is buying a house.

Bob Friedland claims JKP is a top five video company. Who's he kidding? May be one of the top 25. Whatever happened to the nightclubs JKP was going to open? He was going to have a TV channel. Why are these things not happening? Because Friedland does not have the money. JKP will never pass SEC (Security Exchange Commission) muster to be put on the big board (NASDAQ).

When they put down paperwork, do they identify Jill Kelly as CEO? Or do they use her real name? If it is SEC paperwork, they have to use real names. Jill Kelly is a fictitious name. She only has minimal ownership in the company.

When the company was broke two years ago, Jill Kelly brought in another one of her clients into it to invest $250,000. I believe Jill met Friedland on an escorting gig.

People like Bob Friedland and his JKP are making it harder for a legitimate porn company such as Vivid to go public.

I bet Friedland promised Bizarre a large holding in worthless JKP stock, which might be stupid considering the type of guys who are behind Bizarre. I wouldn't be playing games with them.

I believe Keith Gordon from Bizarre will be more than the sales manager the following press releases says, but rather he will be running JKP.

I believe JKP stock is going for a dollar a share. If you dumped 500 shares today, you'd probably cut its price in half.

Jill Kelly married Corey Jordan last year.

Business Wire WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif.--Jill Kelly Productions Holding, Inc. (OTC:JKXJ), a leading U.S. adult entertainment company that develops, produces, licenses and distributes quality films worldwide, today announced that it has signed an exclusive license and distribution agreement with Bizarre Video, a New York based specialty adult entertainment film production company.

Jill Kelly Productions (JKP) is one of the top five adult entertainment companies in the U.S. with more than 250 movies in its video library and works with over 150 independent distributors, retailers, cable, satellite and hotel television operators, and internet webpage operators, worldwide.

As part of its strategic growth plan of adding product and increasing sales, it has agreed to distribute the specialty adult entertainment films of Bizarre Video, which currently has over 1,000 existing film titles. In 2003, Bizarre Video's sales were approximately $2.4 million.

The exclusive license gives JKP the right to make additional copies of these films, as well as create and produce new feature films, shorts or other projects that incorporate the intellectual property assets of Bizarre Video. The agreement also grants JKP the option to purchase the assets of Bizarre Video.

To substantially increase sales of its now expanded product line, JKP has formed a dedicated sales department of industry professionals, including former sales people for Bizarre Video.

Keith Gordon, Vice President of Bizarre Video for over 15 years and a respected industry veteran, will be leading the sales team, as well as managing the company's expanded warehouse operations. JKP recently signed a new lease for a 55,000 foot warehouse and distribution facility in Southern California.

"The synergy between JKP and Bizarre Video should allow our Company to grow significantly," commented Robert Friedland, Chairman & CEO of Jill Kelly Productions. "Our two companies produce and distribute complementary adult entertainment films. With the extra sales fire-power of our new sales team, under Keith's direction, we expect to cross-sell products to existing customers of both companies, to increase their total purchase volume. Further, they will reach out to our ever-increasing number of distributors with our expanded product line."

"Consistent with our goal of maximizing sales while controlling production and distribution costs," adds Mr. Friedland, "we are centralizing the warehousing and distribution for our expanding product lines. Through increased scales of economy, we expect a positive impact this year on both sales and profits."

Sharon Mitchell Congratulates Accused Rapists

From OCWeekly:

Mitchell can't decide if she was born in 1952, 1958 or 1962, or if her measurements are a voluptuous 36-24-36 or a svelte 34-24-35. But she speaks the truth when she calls herself a porn legend. The adult-industry reference Adam Film World calls Mitchell "a tough, no-nonsense ball-drainer who is rather butch-looking but able to become completely feminine at the drop of a garter belt."

Bringing in an adult-film star is part of a defense effort to transform into an asset its greatest liability--taped images of the Haidl Three, drunk and drugged, jamming into a drugged Doe a Snapple bottle, lit cigarette and a pool cue. They say the video is evidence that Doe not only craved sex with the defendants, but also demanded to be in a porn film to impress her girlfriends.

Mitchell--whose credits include That's My Daughter!, Both Ends Burning, Furburgers, Chug-A-Lug Girls 2, Enema Obedience, Jail Bait, and volumes one and two of Gang Bang Girl--could "amplify" that theory, said Haidl lawyer Peter Scalisi.

Briseño is a conservative judge, remarkable not only for his humor and mental acuity, but also for his patience with the defense. He let Scalisi use the jury's hiatus as a chance to convince him that Mitchell's views would be relevant.

Tall, thin and wearing a black pantsuit, Mitchell outlined her expertise. She'd acted in, directed or produced more than 1,000 adult films during the past quarter century. She had watched the 21-minute Haidl gangbang film several times, she told Briseño, and concluded that "all in all, it was a very amateur effort to make a porn film."

Briseño began sinking lower in his chair as Mitchell told him that porn actresses often fake intoxication or unconsciousness to satisfy consumer tastes. "There's a fantasy and fetish for everything," she said, noting that some people want to see porn involving actors "pretending to be dead." But most important for the defense, Mitchell concluded her 13-minute appearance by claiming that Doe was "clearly conscious." Her evidence? Doe had assumed a "reverse cowgirl position" during the filmed sex and, at another point, "was positioned to receive objects." She congratulated the defendants, who kindly "lubed" the foreign objects before using them--indicative, she said, of porn-industry professionalism.

It's a measure of Orange County's ethical flexibility that Haidl, a Republican assistant sheriff and self-described conservative businessman, would think it helpful to pay a porn star to testify that his drunk and drugged teenage son created an illegal, "semi-professional," necrophilia-themed porno with an underage girl. But Briseño appeared unimpressed, perhaps because Mitchell hadn't noted that Doe's head and arms were lifeless and that Doe had not accomplished the reverse cowgirl on her own, but rather with the obvious assistance of two defendants. And while there has been no evidence that the teenagers used anything other than their own spit to lube the foreign objects, forensic testing did find traces of feces on the pool cue the defendants used to repeatedly penetrate the unflinching girl's vagina and anus.

Here's more on the case:

Haidl had provided a soundtrack to the sex recorded by his Sony Hand-Held camcorder. It was bass-heavy hip-hop, with lyrics such as, "We like pussy. We like pussy. We like pussy . . . f**k an asshole too . . . We just want to have sex!"

The girl is heard only at the beginning of the tape, after the boys had given her a Bud Lite, a couple of hits of marijuana and a mixed drink they claim was Bombay Gin and 7-Up. Police suspect the drink, made by Nachreiner, was laced with GHB, a fast-acting synthetic drug occasionally used by date rapists. The illegal substance can knock out unsuspecting victims for hours.

Defense attorney Joe Cavallo Hess had said the opening shot features Haidl on the garage sofa with Jane Doe, who is holding a beer. Haidl tries to lift her shirt.

"You’re trying to take my clothes off, huh, Greg?" she says, slurring her words. "I’m so f**ked up."

The three defendants smile into the camera. One of the boys says, "Slick-ass me!" Later, someone yells, "Nigger!"

The next scene shows a naked Doe on her knees in front of the couch. At first, it looks like she is orally copulating Nachreiner and is moving. But soon the viewer learns that a well-endowed Spann has entered the unconscious Doe doggy-style and Nachreiner is holding her head up, forcing her mouth up and down on his penis. Moans are heard. The boys mug happily for the camera.

Hess had earlier told the jury what comes next: "Haidl slaps Jane Doe hard on the buttock to which she doesn’t respond." Nachreiner can be seen looking at the girl’s unresponsive face, and says, "All right, she look pretty much good!"

The sex continues on the couch. The force of Spann’s intercourse constantly moves her body. Nachreiner, still seeking oral pleasure, complains, "You’re making her eat my f**king dick with her mouth. Come on!" He then lifts and holds Doe so that her body is on top of his. He enters her vagina. Spann tries to stick his penis in the girl's mouth, but her head swivels uncontrollably and he can't fit it in. Hess said Doe's body was "flopping like a rag doll." The defendants whisper and then point. "Pool table! Pool table!" they yell.

Moving the girl toward the pool table, they drop Doe on her face. According to prosecutors, she doesn’t flinch.

Once on the pool table, Doe is again visibly unconscious. Her legs are spread, and Haidl zooms in for a close-up of Doe’s genitals. He sticks his finger in and out of her vagina; she has no reaction. Wearing a red cap backwards, Spann mugs for the camera. Doe’s face is shown, her eyes shut. She is motionless. Haidl returns for more shots of Doe’s vagina. One of the defendants says, "Let me take your spot" and someone replies, "No. No. f**k that! f**k that!"

Hess said Spann next rapes Doe again. Haidl focuses the camera on Spann's penis entering Doe. From the public seating section, we can hear the sound of intercourse on something like a squeaky bed. "Oh, hell yeah! Oh, that feels great. That’s fantastic! That feels so good. That’s some fantastic s**t. Oh yeah!" a boy says. Haidl takes shots of the girl’s expressionless face from multiple angles. The boys laugh. Spann eventually pulls his penis out, masturbates until he ejaculates on Doe's stomach, grabs her bra, uses it to wipe off his penis and then tosses it on the floor. Shaking his hand sideways—like a baseball umpire--Spann apparently signals to his buddies that Doe is still out.

But the video goes on.

Haidl grabs a Snapple bottle and laughs as he pushes it into Doe’s vagina. He then switches to a small aluminum fruit juice can, but has difficulty inserting it into Doe’s vagina along with the bottle. One of the defendants says helpfully, "Just spit on it and it will go in deep." The camera zooms to Doe’s unconscious face. Laughter. Haidl spits on her vagina and shoves the bottle in faster and harder and says, "Oh, yeah!" He alternates using the bottle and the can for penetration. More laughter. Nachreiner holds the bottle up to Doe’s face. Spann pulls and pushes on Doe’s nipple. Haidl puts a burning cigarette filter-first into Doe’s vagina and leaves it there. Laughter.

The last section of the video shows Haidl and Nachreiner penetrating Doe’s vagina with the large end of a regulation-sized pool stick. They shove it in repeatedly, dance, laugh and mug for the camera. Haidl slaps her stomach three times in rhythm with the blaring hip-hop music. One defendant asks—out of curiosity or perhaps as a challenge--how deeply they can force the pool stick. Spann and Haidl put their hands on Doe’s lower abdomen to see whether they can feel the penetrated stick. Nachreiner jams the pool stick into her vagina until Haidl holds Doe’s butt cheeks apart so Nachreiner can insert the stick into her anus. During penetration, Haidl slaps her butt hard. Doe lies seemingly lifeless. The boys toss Doe on her stomach. They use the pool stick on her vagina, anus and then on her vagina again. Doe does not so much as flinch, but begins peeing on herself; a puddle spreads on the pool table. There is laughter and giggling. Someone says, "f**k, yeah!" Then another defendant yells, "Stop! Stop!"

Spann runs off-screen, into the Haidls’ house. Doe’s body looks as if it might fall off the pool table.

Haidl turns off the Sony Hand-Held camera at 2:10 am.

"She couldn’t fight back," Hess had said in his opening statement. "She couldn’t say ‘no.’ They took turns raping her and they danced with joy when they did it. . . . They danced, smiled and laughed."

During the viewing, the three defendants sat facing the jury. Nachreiner scribbled on a notepad and only rarely looked up and then away as if bored. Spann kept his eyes mostly on the table in front of him. Haidl watched occasionally and looked nauseated. The teens wore slacks and a white or blue button-down with a tie each day--no suits; apparently the defense is hoping to strike a prep-school look. When jurors watched the defendants insert the foreign objects, all three boys stared down. Morreale studied his notes. Barnett busied himself with paperwork. Cavallo’s eyes darted quizzically between the monitor and the jury box.

Jurors watched intensely. Many looked disgusted. A few took notes. During certain graphic moments on the video, heads jerked back and pained expressions formed. At the conclusion, several sighed. Two shook their heads. One female juror glared momentarily at the defendants, who seemed determined to avoid eye contact. In that instant, defense lawyers might have accepted Hess’s offer of 27-year terms.

David Aaron Clark writes on AdultDVDTalk.com:

The only thing that this incident is proof of in and of itself is that Sharon Mitchell made a terribly bad decision when, after seeing the video in question, she chose to offer her testimony (and that's what it's called, fjackyx, whether it's heard by the jury in open court or not, she has been sworn).

Though I have been following this case, I hadn't read a specific description of the video in question until now. Unfortunately, it puts her testimony in a very troubling context -- I was disturbed enough by her claim that gangbangs of passed-out girls was a regular staple of porn (there was a Zane title, I think, but otherwise it's pretty rare -- even though porn scenarios are ficitionalized, concerned companies are pretty big on making clear that the girl is offering consent to whatever sexual gauntlet she is subsequently run through, because distributors don't want to be busted for obscenity), and that a girl would have to conscious to be in rc and have a cock in her mouth (not logical, and sad to say, I've seen, in my life, proof otherwise).

Having read the play by play, and finding it pretty much what I feared it would be, I'm now pretty damn non-plussed. AVN.com, which will usually make it top of the page if Sharon does just about anything in the public eye, has totally ignored this story; I can't find even a cursory mention. It is indeed an embarassment to the industry on many levels, and if for some awful reason her testimony had been allowed, I have to say it would have been quite dangerous at this time, with the industry still pretty much on the media radar.

I really don't know what's up here. Frankly, if I happen to run into her in an appropriate -- read: non-confrontational, low-stress -- setting, we do have enough of a casual speaking relationship that I might find myself carefully and politely inquiring as to why she decided to do it -- not to tell her off or to point a finger, but because I am indeed confounded.

One thing I believe about Sharon is that she really does care about other people, and though in the complexity of the porn industry's morass of conflicting interests and low moral standards, even the best of us can sometimes lose their way, this seems like a pretty cut-and-dried case.

My personal opinion as someone who has known the players and watched the business's evolution for quite a few years is that sometimes she has fallen victim to the "ends justify the means" rationalizations that can easily lead any of us astray. I have no doubt that the industry is better for the good things that Sharon has worked hard to accomplish.

But this isn't a situation where she's being forced to do the best job she can protecting performers in the face of pressure from rich companies and producers which, if she were to totally ignore tomorrow and leave all real politik and compromises behind, wouldn't hesitate before deciding to stop dealing with AIM and set back performer safety standards even further than they are now.

The news reports have pointed out that the father of one of the accused is not only a sheriff but a multimillionaire, and that the defense has already bought off the girls who were the victim's friends to change their initial testimony; in one case a girl was allegedly offered a paid internship with the defendants' attorney's office. But even if we were to be so cynical as to jump to the conclusion that "she did it for the money," I seriously doubt that Sharon's testimony would be considered so vital that she would be offered more than a handsome "expert's fee," which still wouldn't be enough to risk the damage to her own reputation such testimony might possibly bring.

Perhaps I'm being naive, but I happen to think that Sharon most probably believed that what she saw was what she described. I just don't understand why.

(Of course, the irrepressible conspiracy theorist in me might suggest that pehaps Sharon was playing it straight in hopes that such cynical use of her by the attornies might discredit their case rather than help, but my experience with the power players in porn in general is that they hardly have the kind of sense of black humor and self-depreciation that would inspire such a anarchistic or dada-esque kind of action).

Sorry to disappoint those of you who enjoy my "I have brought these tablets down from the mountain" sturm und drang postings, but in this case I can only furrow my brow; without at the least Sharon's own illumination on this one, I can't quite figure it out. Which is not supporting your point of view, in this case, fjackyx. Part of deciding to becoming a public figure -- even a disrespected, low-status figure like a porn director :) -- is accepting that your public actions are open to examination and questioning.

This is a real sort of man-bites-dog newsworthy incident, and it's certainly fair to question what seems from a distance to be a very bad -- and illogical -- decision.

Keeping It Hard For Louis Theroux

Louis Theroux, son of novelist and travel writer Paul Theroux, visited me this week. He's writing a book about weird subcultures.

I sold him a copy of my first book. He asked me to autograph it. I asked him how I should inscribe it. He said to just put my name and date. That way he could sell it.

"You don't want me to write, 'Keep it hard for me'?"

"That's good," he said. "Do that." So I did, though I felt a little funny.

He was with his girlfriend of two years, Nancy. They met while working for the BBC.

They left me to meet Rob Black on set.

XXX writes: There was a bit of a tabloid to-do about him a couple of years ago, when it was discovered that his longtime "girlfriend" was actually his wife. they divorced in a fairly weird case where not even the media ever seemed to know what was going on.

Health Officials Concerned About Extreme Sex Acts in Porn

In the wake of the industry's recent HIV scare, doctors and others warn that stunts are putting performers at greater risk.

A small but increasing number of the extreme movies being produced depict actresses in physically brutalized states and have "crossed into that genre of really misogynistic" productions, said Mike South, a producer and director in Atlanta.

"The real product is for all the men who know what it's like constantly to see an attractive woman who turns them down when he tries to hit on them," said L-ke F-ord, author of two books on pornography.

"They constantly feel humiliated by the opposite sex, so when [someone] humiliates the beautiful woman on the screen . having her humiliated is the way a guy tries to heal his wounds and his trauma of being rejected."

While some performers refuse to participate in extreme sex acts, which they liken to "stupid human tricks," others defend it as creative expression.

Karma Will Kick You In The Ass

About a year ago, Miss Arroyo was down on her luck. This woman let her crash at her place as long as she pitched in and kept the place up. Miss Arroyo is scarily schizophrenic. She stole about a thousand dollars worth of clothes. She stole an organizer to get industry connections. She stole keys. She was a user. She was ejected. Her host thought, karma will get her. Now Miss Arroyo has HIV.

Tom Byron Chat

My Interview Technique

My interviews aren't about asking questions. My interviews rise or fall based on my ability to create rapport with my subject. Most of the elements of rapport have nothing to do with words. It's unspoken. When my interviews work, it's because, aside from words, my subjects feel like opening up to me. It's body language. It's the dynamic we create between us. It's in how I look at them and what they feel from me when I walk in their door. If I had done zero preparation for my interviews and had no written notes when I walked in, I believe I could have achieved similar results. When I look at people, even people in a coffee shop or in church, they frequently want to open up to me. It's not about the words. It's about who I am. I'm here to listen and understand.

Much of my life I've revelled in being repellant. This has come through loud and clear in my online writing. To get a good interview, however, I have to be charming. I have to put Bad Duke in the closet.

Paris When She Fizzles

Cathy S. writes:

Lack of middle-class values is usually considered an underclass problem. But watching season two of The Simple Life, the Fox reality show that throws heiress Paris Hilton and her friend Nicole Richie (daughter of Lionel) into the lives of ordinary working Americans, it occurred to me that the moneyed set's lack of middle-class values - such as restraint, hard work, and a willingness to make the best of a bad situation - can cause equal damage to the character.

In these new episodes, which begin next week, Paris and Nicole are sent on a road trip from Miami to L.A., sans cash and credit cards. For a while they mooch off strangers at gas stations, a few dollars at a time, which works because they're cute, giggly and trailed by a camera crew at all times. But soon the producers set them up with a series of grunt-level temp jobs, like cleaning up cow patties at a ranch.

Women, Women Everywhere

And not a drop to drink. What's a thirsty Jew to do?

World Poker Tour Host Shana Hiatt

About eight years ago, I made a movie. One of my actors was named Tommy Gunn. He was tall and skinny and druggy.

I meet a short and muscular guy Tuesday night at Digital Playground. He says his name is Tommy Gun. It's a very different guy.

This Tommy was married for three-and-a-half years to Shana Hiatt. (More pictures) (Pictures) (More info)

Shanna was on the cover of Playboy and in its spread for girls of Hawaiin Tropic (September 1995) and was a hostess on Wild on E!. Now she hosts the World Poker Tour.

Shanna is in the latest issue of FHM. Brooke Birch is on the cover. Shanna bashes Tommy in FHM. She says she used to date this guy who was obsessive-compulsive about porn. "I'm not but it's ironic that I'm in the business today. I think everybody likes porn.

"She says I was into this excretion-type s---. I recall this one type he and his friend were showing me these pictures and I was like, I have to get out of here. Needless to say, we lived together for three-and-a-half years. She danced. She was a make-up counter girl. She did the Hawaiin Tropic contest.

"I was a Chippendales-type dancer for ten years. I made clothes. I designed swimwear. I'm 37. I made all the outfits for her contests.

"Through all her Hawaiin Tropic and Playboy experiences, she got a lot of red carpet treatment. She saw the life she could have vs the life that she had with me. I was struggling.

"She called me one Valentine's Day to say, 'I think we should get divorced.' She was in New Orleans with her boyfriend, Dick Van Patten's son Jimmy.

"I heard they are no longer together. I heard through the grapevine he had been a drug addict and wasn't treating her well.

"She is not the princess she comes off to be.

"I'm not throwing stones. It's just a question of... We divorced five years ago.

"Three years ago, I visited California with Kache Ray (a brief porn star). I met Brad Armstrong."

Duke: "You were in Playgirl twice. Does it bother you that men read that magazine?"

Tommy: "What are you going to do?"

Tommy's made about 50 movies in his six months in porn. "I like the freedom and the lifestyle."

Duke: "You haven't stayed in touch?"

Tommy: "I've tried. On three or four or five occasions to simply call on Christmas, birthday, congratulating her on being in Stuff magazine. The last time we spoke, 'I don't think it's a good idea that you call any more. This is me and my husband's number now.' Hey, cool. That's fine with me.

"Considering for three-and-a-half years, I was in your house. I loved you. We walked down the aisle."

Kim Chambers gets her first cover of a fitness magazine.

Award-Winning Screenwriter Seeks Eastern European Porn Actress To Interview

There's no money for this. Just a married guy I've known for years who wants to take an Eastern European porn girl to lunch to talk to learn about her life so he can write a better script. He writes: "She should be someone who is fleeing terrible economic problems. if possible, someone who is doing this work because she has no other marketable skills and sees no other way to make big bucks. Someone who is reasonably articulate and is aware that she's doing something that puts her outside the norms of society. Someone who is smart enough to do something else and be successful but for some reason just doesn't do it. Someone who does porn movies and dances. Someone who is not doing it to support a bad boyfriend."

Email Luke

Join Susan Sarandon At Night of the Stars

Kat Sunlove, executive director of the Free Speech Coalition, writes:

Please see the attached information about our upcoming Night of the Stars, A Fantasy Ball, scheduled for Saturday, July 24th, at the Sheraton Universal Hotel.

We hope you will join our Honorary Co-Chairs, actress Susan Sarandon, California State Senator John Vasconcellos and California Assemblymember Paul Koretz, as well as other members of the adult entertainment community in supporting our work.

Three New Girls On DP Tonight

Crystal, 20, is from Modesto. When she graduated from high school, she moved to Sacramento. She was tall and blonde with almost D cup breasts. She danced naked at Gold Club Centerfolds for two years.

She decided to do porn films. Peter Romero recruited her. She didn't want to work with him on camera. But she did a movie for him with a stunt cock.

In her three months in LA, she did four movies. She moved back and forth from Sacramento.

Tuesday night, June 9, she appeared on DP Tonight with Digital Playground contract girls Jesse Jane and Devon along with fellow newcomers Caitlin (18) and Leanella (21).

Crystal won't do anal. She says she lost her virginity at 17, on prom night. She's doing her first girl-girl scene tomorrow for Huntinggirls.com.

Peter Romero says the HIV quarantine cost him $16,000. He's restarting his talent agency, Sex Symbols Management. He abandoned it because directors like Andrew Blake weren't paying him.

His movie contracts with Hustler and Lensman are up in the air.

Caiden is from Atlanta. A friend put pictures of her up on www.gof---yourself.com. Peter Romero recruited her. He paid for her trip to LA. She arrived Sunday night. She hopes that porn will put her through college, through design school. She says her parents need to get a job. She's tired of supporting them. She doesn't talk to her father. She told her mother she was going to LA to model.

Caiden wears a bracelet around her neck that says, "Holy Bible."

Leanella is tall. She wears a formal blue dress. She has fake tits. She's finishing off her BA in animal management. She works bachelor parties in Gainesville, Florida. She hopes porn will pay for her graduate school in California.

No anal, gangbangs or interracial for Leanella. "I'm snobby," she says.

Duke Hunter found her three years ago in a dive. She was serving eggs and pancakes naked. He recruited her into porn. She's been in Porn Valley two days.

Tommy Gun

Caiden

Peter Romero, AaronM (photographer), Caiden

Peter

Caiden

Devon, Peter, Jesse Jane

Crystal

Leannella

Caiden, Crystal

Devon, Crystal, Jesse

Crystal, Peter, Caiden

Caiden

Crystal

Caiden

AMP Meltdown On GFY

Lensman, owner of Adult.com and GFY, writes me: "I don't know what happened, but I guess someone else was using the N word, and Amp went off on him."

Brad Shaw writes on JBM:

IMHO most of the AMP meltdown on GFY is Lens using AMP's issues to create drama. I do not doubt AMP has severe issues. But Lens is a smart guy, he knows what he is doing. It is sad really.

Of course Lens had to ban him. But he knew what he was doing unbanning him again. He is like a time bomb. Lens should just have him stick to graphics, like I said it is sad to see someone used like this who has LEGIT issues.

There are several people who post there with a ton of traffic, but they can not offset the 1000's of baffoons who have never ran a website in their life.

Maybe AMP had to wait for the Pharmacy to open up.

Tbabe writes: "I think even Lens realizes that 50 threads with the word "nigger" in the title might be a little much."

Celebrity Sex Tape Starring Tom Sizemore

A tape starring Heidi Fleiss's ex is being shopped.

Bill Margold's Statement To Porn Workplace Safety Hearing Friday

Anything approaching the smothering concept and omnipresent implementation of "mandatory condoms" will be the equivalent of giving the adult performer a Linus blanket riddled with holes. And holes only grow bigger and bigger as industrious "anti-establishment" soul find unique ways to crawl through them.

Safe sex may well be the answer for some major adult companies who must appease their insurance policy providers, but sane sexual practices, performed in less degrading or risk-taking fashion, would be wiser. And these guidelines can be created by working with the adult Industry rather than by simply trying to control it.

You are overlooking the most serious problem within the adult entertainment Industry -- drugs. I think a movement toward testing for at least intravenous drugs, would be the most expeditious way of eliminating those adult performers whose immune systems are already handicapped to the point that they are prime for sexually transmitted infections.

I suggest raising the age of entrance into hardcore performing be raised from 18 to 21. You might well prevent a number of mental as well as physical "accidents."

Rodger Jacobs writes: "This has been one of Margold's platforms for years. When I interviewed him in '99 for my feature "Arrested Development" for Eye Magazine he was throwing this issue around. This idea if put into play (and it never, ever will be, sorry, Bill) will do nothing to address the health risks of sex performers. Nothing."

Rocco Retiring

Soljaris writes: In an interview featured on the Italian website libero, Rocco mentioned that he will stop performing in front of the camera at the end of this year and that he's presently working on what will be his final flicks as a porn actor. I wonder, how many unpublished scenes featuring the man himself are in Evil Empire's cans? For how long will we manage to still get movies with Rocco after he will be retired?

Porn Star Dollars

Selena Steele writes on AdultDVDTalk.com:

Anyone making any decent amount of money in their own business and who is educated about keeping it is probably incorporated.

One has an entirely different financial picture from what you are describing if one is running a well planned corporation.

And, how is porn any different from any other industry? You have people who struggle to earn enough, people who earn plenty and still struggle, and people who earn plenty and do something with it. That is life, right? Not just the porn biz?

I know a U.S. professional athlete whose contract is for $8 million a year and I have more money in the bank than he does. (Not trying to say I have millions - lol trying to say that he spends more than he makes.)

Our biz has a problem of a lot of young girls making the most money (for the talent) and a lack of financial sophistication that can be a killer for them. The lifestyle of a LA porn star can be intoxicating... and it costs money.

Have you ever watched a 18 year old spend money? Now watch one who is living on their own... in LA.. in a whirl-wind party lifestyle.... Now watch one that you hand $1000's of dollars to at a time who believes that money is growing on trees... Need to plan or save? Why? I can just go do more shoots?

The biggest problem is that their money comes in spurts. They may have week where they earn over $10k - just for the week. That is actually pretty easy. Then they might take 3 weeks off and party or vacation. Or they might work all month and make $20 or $25k and then not work for a while. But, the money was spent the first day because it is SO easy to make and it seems so endless. They get caught up in that cycle. And, then one day... the shoots start to dry up. And, they never leave with that golden pot they thought they would of.

I know directors in the business struggling to get by and I know directors who have made serious, serious money.

Studio owners.... the amount of money it takes to start up and finance a top porn studio through the first year is much more than you think. You spend the first year getting to your profit point and the second year earning your first money back.

You literally have millions of dollars coming in and you are plowing it right back in. By year 3, you start to live pretty well. Make it 10 years like John S. and.... lets just say that life is good. How is any of this different from most small business stories? Some strike out, some strike it big, and the rest play in the middle for their entire life.

Most small business owners don't really own a business - they own a job. Here is the one thing that people keep missing when they talk about the porn biz being a HUGE MONEY biz on one hand and at the same time how little one will spend on a movie on the other....

The porn biz is a low margin biz. Period. You make your money through volume. Yes, all the money for all the movies sold adds up to a HUGE industry. But, that doesn't mean that everyone in the biz has a large piece of that pie. The pie goes to the people making the most of the volume. Why won't these directors go out and buy a bunch of $16k cameras? Well... Probably because a simple profit loss analysis will tell you - that a) you don't need it and b) you won't make more with it - you will make less. Low margins. High volume.

Why doesn't Wal-Mart (one of the biggest and most profitable businesses of all time!!!) pay their employees more? If they start to do that - their razor thin margins disappear. They make their money through volume. That is why the artists in this business suffer... Their art demands the very tradecraft that you crave, TC. But, the financial reality of this business will crush the artist almost every time.

You can't put out the perfect porn movie two times a year in this business and still put food on your table as a director. Put out 1 a month and you are middle-America. Put out 1 a week and you will get rich. The answer, my artist friend? If you are going to be proud of what you produce as "art" AND make money in porn.... you have to walk a very thin line. One false step either way and that goal will elude you in this LA porn world.

The real secret? I think it is just shooting what really turns you on and what you really want to see and worrying about the money later (after you have checked with the Head of Sales to verify that your market will be big enough to ensure you will make money, of course).

Tiny Symbol, Huge Fuss

An LA Times editorial:

Today, however, crowds of residents, goaded by conservative talk show host Dennis Prager, are expected to storm the Hall of Administration, furious that the supervisors agreed June 1 to remove the cross and redesign the seal. The deal came after the ACLU pressured Redlands into eliminating a cross from its city logo in April and then threatened to sue Los Angeles County officials if they didn't do the same.

The civil liberties group has portrayed the presence of the cross on this cluttered government seal as a church-state issue of monumental constitutional importance, equal to mandatory school prayer. Hardly.

Nonetheless, the supervisors were right to agree. Their alternative was to squander tax dollars they don't have on a legal battle they'd probably lose - if lawsuits over the seals of other cities and counties are a guide.

But an expensive and pointless legal battle is exactly what many residents are spoiling for. In recent days, supervisors say they have been deluged with phone calls and e-mails demanding that they reverse their decision and keep the cross. A motion before the board today from Supervisor Mike Antonovich would do just that; he and Supervisor Don Knabe opposed the ACLU proposal. As silly as the ACLU's obsession with government seals is, for the board to reverse course would be even sillier, ensuring that the matter lands in court.

Mandating Condoms

Posted on www.pornlegends.com:

Miss Arroyo tested positive for HIV after having sex with Darren James. At last Friday's industry hearings she claimed that AIM Health Care had lied to her. Her contention was that James, with a negative test, was green-lighted to work with her only to test positive days later. Actually, AIM didn't lie to her. James' negative test result fell into AIM's thirty-day testing window. However, AIM's resident sexologist, Sharon Mitchell, told reporters, "She took work in a high risk production." That's true, but couldn't every adult production in which bodily fluid is exchanged be considered "high risk"?

Something also to consider... If Arroyo did refuse to work, wouldn't that production company have hired another actor to replace her? By doing the scene, thus resulting in her getting HIV, did Arroyo prevent another actor from getting the disease? For those who can't decipher the answers to the questions, the answers are "yes."

Flip Flop...Free Speech Coalition's Kat Sunlove continues to twist and turn more than an Olympic diver. At Friday's hearings, she said that any government mandates would force the industry underground and out of the state of California. But she was quoted in the LA Daily News, dated April 26, that "Regulation in and of itself is not a dirty word to us. We are concerned that whatever regulations are put in place are reasonable and fair, and most of all, they are effective."

She went on to say that the industry would oppose attempts to require the use of condoms when filming. BUT, she said, the state might consider incentives to encourage their use, such as tax breaks for the cost of HIV testing and other measures that would make it good business sence for producers to require or encourage the use of condoms.

We guess lowering the health risks to the actors isn't reasonable, fair, or effective unless it involves a tax break. We find it ironic that the people protesting the most about government mandates are the individuals that have the most to gain financially and are the least at risk when it comes to their own health. It's kind of like when members of congress vote in favor of going to war, knowing full well that they'll never see combat.

A Sneak Peak At Luke's New Book, The Producers: Profiles in Frustration

Proofs are available on Luke's new book, The Producers: Profiles in Frustration. It will be available through Amazon.com in two months.

There's a New Big Man in Town, Ladies, and His Name is Luke

Chaim writes:

HELL YES. And by a higher class of female than you could get as the author of XXX or via l-keford.com. Look for new friction on that score, as your newfound babe magnet status causes the other women in your life to feel a bit of jealousy. In fact, remember all those broads who dissed you when you were just that porn guy will begin to moisten at the mention of your name, and think about how they can just "bump into you" without it looking too obvious. TOO LATE! Soon, you will be able to start screwing young publicists at the very least.

I may even drop your name as in "yeah, I know Luke," if that's okay by you.

Is Porn's HIV Problem Reagen's Fault?

Leader Sam-on-Rye writes: "The argument against Reagan is as follows: If only he had gone on national television and urged America's homosexuals to stop buggering one another without the benefit of condoms and had urged junkies not to share needles, they'd all have complied, and the spread of AIDS would have been halted. Now, you can't argue with that."

Life After Porn

John Parrish writes:

Dear Duke, I'm a writer for Sunday, a popular women's magazine in the UK. I wondered if I could pick your brains and you might be able to help me with a feature entitled 'life after porn'.

Essentially, what we're looking to do is interview someone who has worked as a performer in the porn industry but is now out of it and living a life much like our readers, which is bringing up kids, holding down a job, married or living with someone.

In an ideal world a married mom who used to work in the porn industry and whose husband didn't would be perfect. However, I realize the world is far from perfect. So, a woman who has a partner who is still involved would be okay. Or possibly a woman who has made the transition from performer to some kind of back office role, like producer or financier, might work.

If none of those are possible then a former porn performer who doesn't have kids but does have a husband or boyfriend who isn't involved in the business could work too. Any chance you can help at all?

I'm in Australia on assignment currently but can be reached here at johnparrish@optusnet.com.au or on 00 612 4381 1136.

Monday at World Modeling

11:20AM. I stop by Rob Spallone's Lowdown Productions office in the World Modeling building on Van Nuys Blvd.

Lowdown has a new office in Chatsworth on Winnetka between Prairie and Plummer, behind the Girls Scouts building.

Rob walks into World Modeling and starts kibbitzing with a busty blonde wearing high heels and long white tights. The blonde, Bobby Bucxxx, lies on her stomach. Rob pushes her.

From Scotland, she's come to Rob's place for his Sunday barbeques.

"I barbequed every Sunday," Rob complains, "but the porn stars didn't appreciate it. So I stopped."

Rob tells Bobby, "You're not allowed to swim in the pool 'cause you'll disease my water." She doesn't appreciate his remark.

Bobbie has done scenes with Max Hardcore. He pissed in her mouth. "It didn't taste like piss," she says. Normally she only likes to play water sports with her boyfriend in the shower.

Rob: "You're lying. You're a dirty filthy disgusting animal."

Jim: "If you publish what I said to you, I'm breaking your leg."

If Jim doesn't say this to me at least once a week, I don't feel that he cares about me.

Bobbie: "You're not recording this s---."

Rob: "Yes he is. It's all going to be on the Internet."

Bobbie points out my boxers are sticking out of my shorts.

Rob says she looks like a hooker. That's what she gets for making fun of the way I dress.

A friend saw me at the library the other day:

Through my tears, I glimpsed a man checking books out, he was a bit goofy looking, wearing ill-fitting shorts and clod-hopper shoes and I thought, "Oh no, another schizophrenic haunting the library," but then I realized that it was the infamous blogger Duke Floored. I wanted to go over and thank him again for linking me to his website.

Rob says they're doing his life on the TV show Sopranos though Tony Soprano just got back with his wife.

Pebbles phones. "These assholes told me to come back in ten minutes for my paperwork. They went out to lunch until 1:30PM."

Jim Sr and Jim Jr and Envy and Bobbie go to lunch at Hamburger Hamlet. I walk with them and try to pump Sr for scoop.

He says business is back to normal. More talent are demanding condoms, particularly for anal. Some people have retired.

Duke: "Things are good?"

Jim: "Things are not good. There's too much competition."

Duke: "Why didn't you take six weeks off during the quarantine and go to Hawaii?"

Jim: "Because I would've lost what talent I have left."

Two weeks ago, I published this inaccurate information about Jim South's driver: "Scotty once got a blowjob from porn star Missy Misfit for driving her around. She didn't have any money."

Scotty tells me the story is not true. I retract the story and apologize to Scotty and Missy Misfit.

Jim's office tends to be quiet on Monday mornings but busy in the afternoon.

Rob gets Lisa Lennox on the phone.

Rob: "Were you in jail when you had a roof over your head and food?"

Lisa: "Are you going to be sarcastic or are we going to frickin' amicable here?"

Rob: "Amicable, baby."

Lisa: "Amicable means I had a man who was taking care of me for all of those years."

Rob: "And he dumped you?"

Lisa: "No, he got caught by the feds doing..."

Rob interrupts: "Ohhhhhhhkkk. What do you need?"

Lisa: "I need work. My car got impounded. The DUI bullsh--."

Rob: "You are the greatest."

Lisa: "I'm trying to get in touch with Patrick Collins."

Rob: "Towards the middle of the week, you come by and I'll take you over. Who's in the background?"

Lisa: "That's my baby."

Rob: "She's funny. She used to live at the Grimes house in a closet with a dog and a black guy who was in Burger King commercials."

Duke: "Why did you cut her off when she was spilling what happened to her old man with the feds?"

Rob: "I don't like that on my telephone."

Duke: "You know who I like? That Samantha Slater."

Rob: "Oh, I have to call her."

He dials and puts her on speaker phone. She's living with Wesley Emerson.

Rob: "What are you thinking about? Duke Floored f---ing you in your ass?"

Sam: "Who?"

Rob: "Duke."

Sam: "Who?"

Rob: "My newspaper reporter."

Sam: "I don't know who he is."

Rob: "You knew him when you blew him."

Sam: "I can't remember."

Rob: "That's true. If you come tomorrow, can I f--- you?"

Sam: "We'll see."

Rob: "What am I? Like a dog? I get a bone?"

Sam: "If you're nice."

Rob: "I'm never nice."

Sam: "I'm messing around on my computer. I've got paperwork."

Rob: "What are you, an office lady?"

Sam: "My divorce."

Rob: "I'm going through that too. How's your boyfriend?"

Sam: "I don't know if he's really my boyfriend any more."

Rob: "You go through a lot of guys."

Sam: "I know."

Rob: "You're like a doorknob. Everybody gets a turn. When was the last time you got laid?"

Sam: "Last week."

Rob: "Was it by your father?"

Sam: "No, it was your's."

Rob: "How's your kid?"

Sam: "She's great. Her birthday is Saturday."

Rob: "I've got to buy her a present."

Sam: "She's going to be eight."

Rob: "You can get her condoms. As long as she was eight before she was nine."

Sam: "I'll wait until she's 15."

Rob: "Fifteen? Where are you from again?"

Sam: "North Carolina."

Rob: "They do it when they're eight there."

Sam: "No, they wait until they're about twelve."

Rob: "How old were you when you got f---ed the first time?"

Sam: "Fifteen."

Rob: "You're lying. When was the first time there was a cock in your mouth?"

Sam: "About nine or ten."

Rob: "Ohmigod. That's sick."

Sam: "It was my uncle."

Rob: "Why?"

Sam: "Because he made me. I didn't even know what it was when I was nine."

Rob: "You thought it was a lollipop."

Sam's getting rid of her trailor.

Rob: "You want to live closer to your uncle."

Sam's moving back to North Carolina in July.

Rob: "Could I come stay with you?"

Sam: "Sure."

Rob: "Where would I stay? Because I sure don't want to stay at your uncle's.

"Come visit me today. Tomorrow I've got class [anger management]."

Sam: "Will you feed me later?"

Rob: "Yeah, I'll feed you later. Cock."

Sam: "I want real food."

They hang up.

Duke: "What's her phone number?"

Rob: "You want her phone number?"

He gives me his cell phone. I dictate her number on to my recorder.

Rob: "I didn't give it to you, Duke."

Duke: "No, no, no. Of course not. It's for purely professional reasons."

Rob checks his email. One begins, "Dear Rob, You come with the highest recommendation of John T. Bone." Rob makes a dismissive noise and deletes it.

Rob wants Jim South to set up a satellite office of World Modeling at his new office in Chatsworth. The companies can come to Rob's office to see the girls and Rob needs the company. He hates to be alone. AIM can move in as well.

Nicole Parks walks in with a black man. In porn for two months, she's done five movies.

Mike Davis finally shows, an hour later than when he said. We go have lunch. Rob pays. I order a Greek salad without onions and dressing and a vanilla icecream-orange juice shake. Rob finishes his meal in ten minutes. I leave half of mine behind to keep up with the hard charging owners of Lowdown Productions.

Mike says he gave Pebbles $80. Rob says she owes him $400.

I ask Bill Margold for his reactions to Friday's hearing. "I'm amazed that after four hours nobody mentioned the two most crucial words, "drugs, 21." I have to bring both those things up. That's the way we can alleviate the mandatory condom by drug testing and making 21 years old. We'll force the government to make us more responsible and we won't have to worry about mandatory condoms."

2PM. Just as I'm walking out, Samantha Slater walks in. I choose to tarry a while.

She sits down on Bill Margold's couch. He talks her into dancing at the FOXE Awards June 17, at the Mayflower Ballroom at 234 South Hindry Avenue, Inglewood, CA, 90301. Doors open at 7PM. Show begins at 8:30PM.

Samantha worked a bachelor party this weekend in Tijuana with three other girls and about 40 guys.

She just dreamed about Mr Marcus after seeing two seconds of him with Belladonna in the recent ABC Primetime special. She runs into him outside Bill Margold's office.

Sam's "weirded out" by all the people in her life who've seen her movies of late, including her soon-to-be-ex-husband who gave her a hard time over it.

Chava Himmelman - She Wolf Of West End Avenue

Chaim Amalek writes:

Duke, this is a PRIVATE message to you. Please do not publish it, as it presents the nucleus of a business plan that I do not want to show to potential competitors. (Also, it cannot be of much interest to your readers.)

The writing is on the wall for porn as we know it. Soon, the forces of social sanity and sanitation will begin to scrub your valley clean of smut, and what will remain? Nothing but porn for lesbians and gays (which no one has the balls to touch). And yet, there is still going to be a market for socially acceptable, hetero porn that the authorities leave alone. By "socially acceptable", I mean porn that by its very nature is confined to some social ghetto that is so narrowly drawn that is does not threaten the sensibilities of the censors, either because the people depicted are not of their group, or because the situations are not violent and militantly counter to accepted societal norms.

This is what I propose. I want to make a series of ethnic porn videos pitched to specific ethnic groups, porn with positive social messages. My first working title is "Chava Himmelman - She-Wolf of West End Avenue" The treatment: establishing shot: It is Friday night, in a conservative temple on 86th Street, Upper West Side. The rabbi gives a speech condemning intermarriage to goyim, and bemoans the fact that so many jews do not view one another in erotic terms. This upsets Chava, a 30-ish social worker who lives in a rent controlled apartment on West End Avenue (Hillary Clinton Country). She resolves to do something about this, namely, to make a series of educational porn videos in her apartment that will change jewish attitudes towards sex with their own kind.

Some of these videos will have an S&M aspect to them, ala Max Hardcore, but with a jewish slant. Just imagine what could be done with a dry, hard, kosher salami, purchased from the Second Avenue Deli. Or with a Platinum Amex credit card, the edge of which has been honed razor-sharp. Or cross-dressing, in which an orthodox jew is made to wear women's clothes that include mixtures of linen and wool! (OK, maybe that is too extreme.) Well, you get the idea.

The point is to present these videos as socially responsible because they re-sexualize people, and attempt to get them to mate with their own kind. Similar videos could be made for other ethnic groups. (Imagine a video series in which black NBA stars are depicted preferring black women to white - NO ONE would oppose such a wholesome product.)

I have the idea, and the capital, but have neither the actresses nor actors to do this right. Everyone I know is too shameful to f-ck on video for others, even if for a good cause. (And the one woman I know who would gladly do this is a goy, looks it, and is nuts, which means I cannot use her.) Also, I know little about distribution of such product. How should one go about it - by distributing flyers at kiddush? Word of mouth? I need your help in this Duke. Thanks!

Class Action Response in the Acacia case

Homegrown leads the way.

Sex and Happiness

Jackie writes Duke: "It's a wonder you're not suicidal, o chaste one. The sacrifice you make for your holiness is great."

From the WSJ.com:

Mr. Blanchflower calculates that going from having sex once a month to having it at least weekly is roughly equivalent to the amount of happiness that an extra $50,000 of income would bring to the average American. "The effect of sex on happiness is statistically well-determined ... and large," the authors conclude. "This is true for males and females, and for those under and over the age of 40."

The paper is titled, "Money, Sex and Happiness: An Empirical Study."

One recent paper by several economists, including 2002 Nobel prize winner Daniel Kahneman, found in a survey of 909 women in Texas that sex rated as the activity in day-to-day life that produced the single largest amount of happiness.

Among their other findings, Messrs. Blanchflower and Oswald found that higher-income individuals do not have sex any more often, or have any more partners, than lower-income individuals; that people who have paid for sex are considerably less happy than others; and that the happiness-optimizing number of sexual partners per year is one.

April 22nd Revisited

My notes from the AIM Press Conference.

I run into Rob Spallone, Jim South, Bill Margold. Excitement runs high.

Bill: "You are Bo Jimbo. You play all the ends against the middle but eventually they wind up killing him.

"I love this story. He says we're friends again now."

Rob to Duke: "You have no friends."

Bill: "Still, it's the Tom Sawyer school of journalism. You let everybody else paint your fence, but some of that paint is radioactive. You created your own monsters that are trying to topple you."

Duke: "Aside from that, I captured you accurately."

Bill: "Yes, and I was honored to read it. It's interesting that you pointed out that I once said about you what I had said about somebody else [Tim Connelly] - a suckerfish on the shark of X. Hopefully Tim's a terminal cancer suckerfish."

Rob: "Nobody can shut me down."

Bill: "You are. You feed off the sharks. Without the sharks, you don't have anything to pollute the water with.

"You resurrected one of the best sound bites I've ever given - when your privates become public, you lose privacy."

We discuss Darren James. He tested PCR/DNA April 9, Friday. On Monday afternoon, April 12, Gene Ross reported a well known male performer had tested positive. On Tuesday, Sharon Mitchell at AIM announced it was Darren James.

Rob: "What took four days for a 24-hour test?"

Duke: "Rob, I've heard this from you before."

Rob: "Give me an answer."

Duke: "She was very busy and she didn't have time to release the results."

Rob: "So maybe 50 other people should get HIV positive."

Jim South: "Even the three girls I had coming from England, their agent in England stopped them. They're not coming till June.

"They're not shooting in Europe and they're not coming here."

Duke: "What's it like being a free man, Rob?"

Rob: "What's it like having me here when they don't want me here because I'm the only one saying what's really going on."

The place is filling up with several dozen members of the world news media, including two reporters from The LA Times (Gina Picolo and Caitlin Liu).

Rob: "Bill, what meeting did you guys throw me out of several years ago because I opened my mouth?"

Bill: "I think it was 1997."

DCypher wanders over and joins our discussion about who should be the Industry's spokesman.

Rob speaks loudly. The media circles him.

A journalist asks him if he thinks the current system is working.

Rob: "Absolutely not. The AIDS clinic makes more mistakes than anybody. I had a girl in my office the other day. She picked up her test. They asked for no IDs. She ran to her car and drove to the set. It was the wrong test. It was some guy's test."

Spallone talks on for another ten minutes. I wander around the room talking to people.

Suddenly I hear him yell: "Folks, they are throwing me out of here."

I see a security guard by his side. "This is bulls---. I'm going to tell you the facts. I've got proof for everything I tell you."

Duke: "Why did they ask you to leave?"

Rob: "I don't know. They don't want me in here. Free Speech? Security asked me to leave."

About two dozen members of the media follow Rob out. The press conference is beginning. Ira Levine aka Ernest Greene is speaking from the podium. He's dressed fancy. Sharon Mitchell, Dr. Colin Hamblin, and Nina Hartley are also dressed up and sitting up front.

Rob to security guard: "You want me to leave, I'm leaving."

Rob screams out, "I don't have to leave. I have First Amendment rights. I do not have to leave. I'm leaving because I'm a nice guy."

I ask the director of security at the Hilton Universal why he asked Rob to leave. He won't say. He asks to speak to Rob privately.

Rob: "I want my reporters with me."

Rob and the guard disappear into a small private room but we can still hear them.

Rob points at me and Mike Davis, "That's my publicist and my lawyer. Mike, I want you with me."

Security director tells Rob he is on private property and that therefore they have the right to ask him to leave. But he is only asked to stay out of the meeting room. Eventually, he's let in after he promises to behave.

Ira Levine speaks for five minutes and then throws the meeting open to questions.

I ask the third question. "Sharon, when did Darren James first test that resulted in an HIV positive reading? When did it come back? When did you notify the Industry?"

Sharon: "Darren tested on April 9. We ran the blood. We had it rerun. The labs do not run test results on Sunday. When the test came back Monday, it had been rerun, and it was quite clear it was HIV positive. It was rerun for confirmation. On Tuesday morning, when those tests came back, I concluded [it was time to notify the Industry]."

Duke: "So you first found out Monday morning that you had an HIV positive test result?"

Sharon: "I first found out Monday morning the test results that had been rerun from Friday."

Duke: "So you first found out Friday?"

Sharon: "Monday that the results had been rerun."

Duke: "But what time did you first find out?"

Sharon: "I first found out confirmatory on Thursday [April 15?]."

Duke: "But what was the first time you found out a positive result? Was that Monday morning?"

Sharon: "Tuesday morning."

I see Rob Spallone. "They let me come back," he says. He suggests some questions for me to ask. But I've already asked one question and I don't want to hog that privilege.

I saw a couple of law enforcement officers at Friday's public hearing, June 4, and I immediately suspect that they've been brought to keep Rob Spallone in line.

About ten questions later, I ask another one: "How long do employees typically last at AIM? It's been said they never last longer than six months? What's going on?"

Sharon: "Some people have been there since we started testing."

Rob yells out, "How many tests do you do a month? How much money do you make off each test?"

AIM does hundreds of tests and makes about $35 off each PCR/DNA test. The room tenses up at this confrontation.

Ira Levine says, "Sir, what is your name and your media affiliation?"

Rob gives his name. "I won't ask any more questions."

Ira: "Any more questions from the media?"

Dr. Colin Hamblin: "The great thing about testing at AIM is that the tests are so cheap. You are never going to get [a PCR/DNA test] for $110."

Dr. Hamblin donates all his time at AIM and he has never taken a pay check.

Ira Levine operated a smooth news conference. I congratulate him and then head over to Jeffrey Douglas and Dr. Hamblin.

I ask Dr. Hamblin, "Do you think it is misleading for Sharon Mitchell to call herself a doctor when she got it from an unaccredited institution?"

Dr. Hamblin: "I thought it was from UCLA or something like that."

Duke: "No. It was a from a place where you don't even need a BA."

Dr. Hamblin: "A Ph.D. is a Ph.D. I was there when she was working on it. I know how hard she worked. She was tired. She was doing it for years. She put in more work than a lot of physician assistants do to get their degree."

Dr. Hamblin came on board at AIM in the fall of 2001. He did an apendectomy on an AIM board member who was delirious and talking about AIM. That grabbed his interest and he began volunteering.

I ask Dr. Hamblin about AIM waiting to announce Darren James's HIV positive status until after running confirmatory tests. He says that is the norm in the medical community. "There are standard protocols set up by the Center for Disease Control and that is what we follow.

"We get a hold of people as quickly as we can if they test positive. The way people give their mom and dad's phone number, even when their mom or dad don't know they're in the industry, is surprising. It's weird to call to talk to them about a positive gonorrhea test and get their dad or mom.

"The thing that they sign with their contact information... You always call them right up."

Duke: "My perception as someone who gets blood tests from AIM is that there is tremendous staff turnover."

Dr. Hamblin: "That depends. There's a high staff turnover in the medical field in general. I think you are right and you are wrong. Some people have been there forever. This guy named Karim. Helen at the front desk [who used to be a guy]. The business manager left AIM for more money. Then when Mitch sweetened the punch, she came back. She didn't leave because she was pissed off. But like anything, there's egos and politics. That's why I don't get involved in that stuff. I just deal with the test results and keep people healthy."

Dr. Hamblin says Dr. Peter Kerndt from the LA County Health Department was misquoted in a recent edition of the LA Times. Dr. Hamblin says the county health officials are solidly behind AIM.

I chat with Don Hollywood aka Ron Miller.

Duke: "Are you happy with the way AIM is handling things?"

Ron pauses. "I would obviously like to see some changes. I would like to see a more professional environment. I would like to see it more like a medical facility.

"I think that anyone who gets a positive result, even if it is false, should be quarantined. If anyone works outside the country, that person should be quarantined for 60 days. If I wanted to bring a dog into this country, it would be quarantined for six months."

Duke: "What do you think would happen to this industry if condoms became mandatory in LA County?"

Ron: "Nothing."

A couple of weeks later, I ran into Margold at his PAW office.

Bill: "Scott Fayner went after Mitchell in a way I don't like, comparing her to a dog. He hasn't earned the right to do that. He condemned her for being an adult performer. That's the one thing you can't do. He sounded a bit like you.

"How dare he say dogs don't suck dick and don't work in sex scenes? Has that man never seen the Linda Lovelace movie? The dog got paid more than Eric Edwards did. The dog got $35, Eric got $25 and Linda got $50.

"I wrote Fayner an email saying that there was obviously less to him than I thought and that he's just another one of these mangy curs who hides behind his website and howls at the moon. I don't know Fayner from a goat."