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AVN Editor Heidi Pike-Johnson Attacks Tod Hunter

She writes 6/5/05 on AVN.com:

I love myself and I don’t really care what he thinks of me at all. I have people in my life who love me whether I weigh 120, 320 or 520 pounds or kilos. I think I look fine. My doctor and my nutritionist say that I am healthy and the people who matter to me think that I am a beautiful, good woman and that’s enough for me. I don’t f--- on camera or play for the WNBA for a living so I don’t have to have the thighs that the majority of performers in this business do. My body does what I need it to do for the life that I have and I am personally happier with my physical self than ever.

Heidi is one of those people you either love or hate.

Mike Ramone writes: "Heidi, you're right - he's the last person to comment snidely on someone else's appearance. Like what's with the hilarious Skid Rowish white beard? Is he really that down on his luck? Probably thinks it makes him look like the "serious" writer/intellect he - and only he - fancies himself to be."

Wicked publicist Daniel Metcalf writes: "Seriously, no form of intolerance - whether its over size, race, spirituality, or anything else - should be tolerated in this industry (or outside of it, for that matter). It's damaging to the target of the prejudice, to be sure...and ultimately, just as damaging to the propagator."

Tod's wife Debbie writes Luke:

Well, well...dear sweet little Heidi got her poor little feelings hurt because she read something on a site she shouldn't be reading in the AVN offices anyway and when she saw a description of a "bloated redhead" she felt compelled to post, in a public place, "it's me, it's me!" Oh yeah, that just reeks of self-esteem. So an offhand comment about a nameless, less than stellar looking woman in a column becomes "All About Heidi". An item that would have faded into archival shadow un-commented upon is now her soapbox and she presents herself to her community, not a secure or righteously indignant Joan of Arc but as Bambi's mother, the doe, running for cover because man is in the forest.

If she can't stand the heat it's time to get her ass out of the kitchen. Because she and I both know what a sham this sad, soft Heidi is. I know what she is and she knows it. Maybe she can play that "protect me, I'm a poor, sweet, nice girl" routine on guys like Mike Ramone and Dirty Bob but believe me, she's far from it. She didn't get where she is by being soft. And she and I know it.

This is MY opinion-Tod can, and does, speak for himself. If he had asked me, I would have told him not to print that. It wasn't worth the bandwidth.

And by the way...Heidi? Thanks for the hits. We had a big day thanks to your petulance. Suppose you could throw a full- fledged hissy fit? We'd break records.

AVN's Heidi Pike-Johnson Vs. Tod & Debbie Hunter

Tod Hunter emailed Heidi: "Good point. You're right, it was a cheap shot. I'll take it down tonight."

Debbie Hunter writes on the AVN blog:

What I said was that she saw a comment about a "bloated redhead" and not only assumed it was about her but saw fit to post in a public forum that it was and play the innocent victim about it, waiting tearfully for some Sir Galahad to fight for her honor instead of doing it herself.

The fact that she automatically sees a derrogatory remark about a woman and assumes it's about her says volumes about her self-esteem. In that respect, I feel sorry for her. However, Heidi has manipulated and connived her way to the erstwhile "position" she holds today. She knows what she did, and she knows I know what she did which is why, I'm assuming, she stopped speaking to me right after AVN had a heirarchy change several years ago and she suddenly shifted her alliances (yet again).

What is surprising to me is that she thought I was either so vague, or so unconnected as to not know what she was about. We were still friendly when she walked onto a set and immediately begain throwing her AVN weight around--demanding that another reporter be removed or the mighty AVN would take its ball and go home.

If Heidi wants to play with the big boys she needs to stand up for herself, not play the helpless maiden looking for a knight to get between herself and the ogre.

Heidi Pike-Johnson responds:

Debbie, You've had two casual conversations with me, tops, you've never worked with me and well, I'd be embarassed by my husband saying something like the "bloated redhead" bit about any woman, too. No wonder you are on the attack. I never "stopped speaking" to you. We never really talked at all.

Even if his comments weren't about me, it's still not a cool thing to do and I wanted to let the women in this business know that this kind of slam is what he wants to put out on his site. There's obviously no victimhood in that. I worked hard to achieve what I have in this life and I don't care what you think of my process, Debbie. You don't matter to me and you have no real direct experience with anything in my life. The people who really know me are proud of me and the way I live my life and that's what's important to me. You aren't.

And that set that you weren't actually present for but feel the authority to comment on second-hand? I said that I was going to leave because I was uncomfortable. AVN or not, I didn't feel right about the situation and I expressed that. The choices other people make after I state my feelings aren't really in my control. I'm not that powerful and I don't think I would want to be.

All this other stuff is only about getting attention drawn away from what your husband thinks is a fair and appropriate thing to say about women. Can't blame you for trying.

Bloated With What?

Gram Ponante writes:

An original gangster colleague in the lonely brotherhood of pornbloggeurs recently referred to someone as "bloated". While he didn't say who this person was - it might have been the bloating that consumes us all - a former Buttman staffer claimed to be the object of T-Diddy's hypertextual scorn and defensively proceeded to tell the world how much she and her medical staff were comfortable with her body type. Good for you, former construction company staffer!

But just as I say it is important to love yourself - and you should, former awful Gene Simmons vanity magazine staffer - it is just as important to not absorb insults that might not be yours to wallow in.

AVN Editor Heidi Pike-Johnson Turned Heidi Joy Pike (her maiden name)

That was then (June 7, 2005):

I love myself and I don't really care what he thinks of me at all. I have people in my life who love me whether I weigh 120, 320 or 520 pounds or kilos. I think I look fine. My doctor and my nutritionist say that I am healthy and the people who matter to me think that I am a beautiful, good woman and that's enough for me. I don't f--- on camera or play for the WNBA for a living so I don¹t have to have the thighs that the majority of performers in this business do. My body does what I need it to do for the life that I have and I am personally happier with my physical self than ever.

This is now (February 23, 2006):

The XRCO has made me their trophy girl this year as many of you reading this have already seen on their site. I was told that part of the thinking behind it was awe over my big weight loss this year (120 pounds in the last 12 months--all diet and exercise) and part of it was regard for me as a critic but whatever it was ultimately, thanks, guys. It means a lot to know that you all support me. I promise to do the best I can as trophy girl that night and yes, Dirty Bob, that does mean my cleavage will be on display somehow. It's gonna be a fun night....

It's interesting how many women such as [Heidi's name deleted and] Newt Gingrich's ex-wife put tremendous effort into their appearance after a divorce and once they are back out there looking for a man. It makes you wonder if they had put some effort in earlier, there might never have been a divorce. A lot of women, once they get married, let themselves go. A man desires a woman who cares to look sexy for him.

I was mad at Holly last week because she was late for our dinner date. But then she arrived looking so good and smelling so good, I was flattered that she put in that much effort for me and I could only adore her.

I like it when my woman makes me feel like a man and allows me to make her feel like a woman. An essential part of femininity is putting effort into looking good for your man. Any woman who has the attitude "I'm never going to change myself for a man," is going to be a lonely angry woman.

Normally I would not comment on a woman's appearance as that is usually gauche, but Heidi has repeatedly raised her issues on the AVN Blog. On that basis (I've never before written about her appearance), I comment on them.

AVN President Paul Fishbein writes me: "First of all, Heidi lost all that weight before her divorce. And there are circumstances about her divorce that are obviously private. Further, there are circumstances about Heidi's life that must remain private, but that if were public would explain things clearly. However, the woman is proud of her accomplishments and we're all proud of her here as well. Mostly, she's gotten very healthy and should show off her new bod if she wants. And by the way, I think you have commented on her looks before."

I don't believe I have. I believe I only published the comments of another internet columnist, Tod Hunter, who said a rehead at the XRCO looked bloated. Heidi then took up the matter on AVN's blog and said women in the industry should not talk to Tod because he was misogynistic.

(Correcton: On June 29, 2003, I referred to Heidi as "AVN's chubby middle-aged assistant editor.")

Folks, if you are going to work in an industry that traffics in flesh, and you are going to write publicly about your own body and your own sexual desires and favorite porn films, then you are fair game for such observations.

Tod Hunter writes:

Yeah, she did, in a major flip-out after I ran one line about a "bloated redhead" at last year's XRCOs without even identifying who it was. (Red Ezra came forward and said he thought I was referring to him, but he may have been joking.) She tried to accuse me of misogyny, but it never stuck because it was never true, not then, not now. My writing and my attitude speak for themselves, and have for years, almost 10 of them in this industry.

Congratulations to Heidi for losing the equivalent of two first-graders, whatever her motivation may have been.

AVN Editor Mike Ramone writes:

Not exactly being a shredded hardbody himself, soft-bellied Tod is the last person who should make a snide remark about someone else being "bloated." When's the last time you worked up a good sweat guy? Back in that junior high school P.E. class of yours? Tell ya what. Meet me at the local Balley's on De Soto, and I'll personally, well, whip you into shape. Whatya say?

Tod replies:

I see Mike Ramone finally stopped whacking off to Anna Malle videos to bring up, yet again, that year-old blind item and then proposition me in that very special way of his. I appreciate the offer, Mike, but find somebody else to play with you in your dungeon.

--t

Still a bit paunchy, but I look so good in my new pinstripe suit nobody will notice.

The Heidi Pike Joy I know has no compunction about hurting people if it suits her. I'm sure there are more heartwarming sides to Heidi. I just don't know them.

AVN's Peter Warren writes on AVN's blog:

... I guess because attacking us AVNers on a personal level is joyous fun for him, or constitutes good reading in his eyes, or whatever it may be, but as her colleague and close friend, I have to admonish him for this latest crass writing. I really don't know how much Heidi wants made public about her decision to change her name, but I'll simply say that you've got it very backwards, Luke. And you've hurt her feelings very badly, which I cannot stand by and watch someone do to a friend in a public forum (or a private one, for that matter). This is shameless, and has nothing to do with your supposed objective to report on porn news ... especially since what you wrote is conjecture and not at all nearing the actual truth of the matter. What has Heidi ever done to you, Luke? Does she go on our blog and say unsubstantiated, hurtful things about your personal life? Or anything about you at all, even? I can't influence what you do on your site, but I think you owe Heidi an apology, and a public one. That's just not playing fair, man.

...Interesting how you omitted Heidi's name from that sentence after Paul and myself pointed out the error of your suppositions, and then went on to defend yourself as having based said suppositions on "information she chose to make public." They were based on nothing but your own unproven inferrences about what information you had available to you. And they were cruel.

Heidi blogged repeatedly on AVN.com about her weight and self-image (how wonderful it is and that "my cleavage will be on display"). She's in a public position and she chose to make this part of her private life public. She started writing publicly under a different name (Heidi Pike Joy).

I have not investigated her private life. I have no intention of doing so. I made some commonsensical points about information she chose to make public.

This ruckus reminds me of minor skirmishes I've had with Dirty Bob. For about six years, Dirty Bob has gone out of his way to tell people not to talk to me, and to not allow me at their events. So one time when I point out the reason he no longer goes to conventions (after I email him well before publication so he can respond on or off-the-record), he accuses me of playing dirty pool.

I don't investigate Dirty Bob's life or Peter Warren's or Heidi Pike Joy's. When they make stuff public, I sometimes respond with common sense.

I've crossed the line in my nine years of writing online and done bad things, just not in these instances.

3/11/05

Investigating Heidi Pike-Johnson

I contacted different sources inside and outside of AVN and none of them alleged anything improper in the way Heidi Pike-Johnson, the managing editor of AVN.com and AVNInsider.com [LF: whoops, I was wrong], does her job.

On the other hand, I got calls to the contrary from a couple of ex-AVNers. Here are my notes of their comments:

"You want to deal with the AVN Awards and how they really work? The AVN Awards can also be called the Heidi-Pike Johnson Awards.

"She is in total command. Heidi has an enormous amount of power at AVN. She decides who gets to review what. She knows who's into what and who's not into what. She can't fix the awards but she can stack them for or against you.

"Heidi likes to have people right underneath her where she can manipulate them. The woman is power-hungry. She can see to it that you are barely mentioned in a review. She can reward or hurt you.

"[A particular publicist] has told potential clients that he can get any of his clients nominated for an AVN Award. He leads people on to believe that there is more going on to his relationship with Heidi..."

This particular publicist replies: "HAHAHAHAHA... Oh good Lord, no! Where did you hear this?! This is something I wouldn't put past me, but Heidi's way too straight-laced for it. Her personal mantra is Spiderman's: "With great power comes great responsibility.""

These two ex-AVNers say, in effect: Heidi is in a position of so much power, that you'd have to be a saint not to take kickbacks. Maybe she's a saint and only uses her power for benevolent ends.

"She doesn't like to have surprises in the reviews. She likes to control all the elements around her.

"The only reviewer who doesn't get edited is Mark Kernes, because most of the stuff he reviews is stuff where he's been on set when it was shot.

"She does her job too well. It would take at least three people to replace her. She does so much. She's a control freak. She controls who gets their name in the magazine, who gets their face in the magazine, pictures. She's in charge of the art department.

"Heidi is probably the ass that everyone in the industry should be kissing.

"Houston phones in her AVN Insider column."

AVN President Paul Fishbein responds:

Heidi is the review editor and does an excellent job of assigning reviews. Power hungry? She has a huge job, logging 10,000 products a year. I think she’s very organized and works hard to keep things straight. She does try to match the reviewer to his or her tastes so the producers/companies get a fair shake. She is one of about 12 people involved involved in the nominating process so if you are going to kiss ass, and you kiss Heidi’s, you are kissing approximately 1/12 of an ass.

As far as ex-reviewers, ex-employees or whatever. I don’t know who they are but often ex-employees have sour grapes. Since they’re off the record, I can’t take them too seriously.

Mike Ramone, AVN Editor in Chief, writes:

Must be a slow news day Luke.

Sour grapes, indeed. I can smell their rot from here.

Listen, people are free to have their opinions, but there are several flat-out factual errors in your post that need to be corrected. Must be the journalist in me. In order of their appearance in your post:

— Heidi hasn’t been the managing editor of AVN.com for about two years and hasn’t been the managing editor of AVNINsider.com for at least a year.

— The only reviews Heidi edits are the freelancers’, who she oversees. She does not edit any of the staffers’ reviews.

— “She controls who gets their name in the magazine, who gets their face in the magazine, pictures.” This is news to me. Here I thought that was the job of Tim, me and the rest of the staff. I can see now why whoever made that assertion is no longer here. He/she is clueless.

— Heidi’s “in charge of the art department”? Again, news to me. Last time I looked, which was about five minutes ago, Creative Director Jesse Dena, was in charge, as he’s been for roughly the last two years.

Good credible sources Luke.

Listen, Kernes tells me Eddie W has been indicted. Now there’s a real news story you can write about.

Tod Hunter writes:

So, like, is "reading the websites" Mike Ramone's job description? He can't write worth a s--- – come to think of it, that's exactly what his writing is worth – but he sure can read.

Heidi is a serious climber, who is excellent at redefining her job upwards. She was originally hired as a coordinator when Jeff was doing avn.com all by himself and I was doing the daily-news column. She was introduced to us as a "supervisor," which follows the AVN model of adding layers of bureaucracy on top, instead of adding people who can actually do the work.

Now she's the "reviews editor," according to Paul, who has the credibility of Ari Fleischer with me but make up your own mind, which could possibly make her the most powerful person in the industry. It was Heidi and Ramone making such a big deal over director Mason that made her such a hot property, don't forget.

I heard some unsavory rumors recently about why Heidi wasn't fired years ago and I won't repeat them, (1) because they're libelous, and (2) I only heard about it second-hand, but it could explain why Heidi-and-Mikey are still drawing AVN paychecks and the competent writers are elsewhere now.

Mike Ramone replies: "It’s very flattering to have someone hang on your every word. Also a little scary. That clown really needs to get a life."

Tod Hunter replies:

Funny, I thought I was just responding to your posts, Luke. All I said about Mike Ramone is that he seems to spend his work day reading porn Websites – which he confirmed. I may have been too hasty saying he could read well, because he thought I was reacting to him.

Anybody who wants to determine who's a clown is advised to rent the Houston gangbang and make their own decision.

AVN Associate Editor Heidi Pike-Johnson's Castaway Porn Pics

Heidi writes:

I have a weakness for heroes. It’s a stupid vice and it has gotten me in a lot of trouble. It has also made me spend way too much cash on comic books. Double anal penetration and Rocco Siffredi pummeling hell out of a Euro chick may not rack up thoughts of heroism for a lot of you out there but the souls who dance on the edges of what is "acceptable" as consensual sex and what is "standard" as a life, always get my attention. Solo on Porno Island, I would want to remember what balancing on those edges feels like and all of these would do me well for that.

Gram Ponante On Heidi Pike-Johnson

I emailed Gram Ponante (former fulltime journalist at AVN, now writes for them freelance, his wife Rebecca Gray wrote for AVN for years) Friday about rumors I'd heard about misconduct on the part of AVN's Heidi Pike-Johnson. He replies:

I wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out to be true, but Heidi never spoke or hinted to me about that sort of thing. Like all of us, we have/had our favorite companies and personalities, and the pay is abysmal (even for people who believe they deserve to be paid so little), but the potential for that situation blowing up in someone’s face is very big. So I guess the real question is, How dumb and/or desperate do people think Heidi is?

(I’m trying to be helpful, because I think these are good questions to ask, but I don’t know how helpful I’m being.)

My feeling was always that perks of that variety landed higher up the food chain than Heidi, but I also think, since AVN has been cast, by default, as a necessary evil and only a few people there are thought of as having real integrity and zeal for the trade (M. Kernes, of course), that it wouldn’t matter if Heidi took bribes, or if anyone or everyone did. I never did. Would I if given the opportunity? Probably not, but I also managed to get paid more than a lot of people who’d been there much longer. Another injustice that apparently still goes on.

Thomas Zupko Boots Me From His Set
2003-06-29 14:46:16

Scott Fayner writes on l-keford.com:

...Luke found himself in the position to leaf through a production folder he had no right whatsoever to be looking at. It is property of Elegant Angel. Apparently, reporters are now allowed access to whatever they so desire.

I saw the folder in question. It was packed with tons of pages, one of which happened to be a cast list with each person’s pay rate for the movie. And I’m not positive whether slinking his menacing fingers into this data is legal or not, but I know for certain it was not the work of a principled journalist.

Luke posted his stolen findings on his Web site, in the exact order they appeared on the page within the folder. And from what I was told from everyone who was there, not once did Luke attempt to validate his illegally obtained information.

Later that day Luke was asked to leave for other reasons. He was lucky he evacuated when he did, because someone at the set quietly put a $300 bounty on his head, declaring that whomever knocked the shifty reporter out would find themselves a tad bit richer.

Sparky writes l-keford.com: So, apparantly, investigative journalism is dead. And corporate lackeyism is thriving. Whatever happened to reporters taking risks, digging for info, getting their fingers dirty?
Oh, the only dirty fingers you are getting Fayner is from the soiled gash you play with in your life as a quasi-reporter.
Admit it, you are just the Entertainment Weekly of Porn and barely that. You might as well be US.
I hate Luke and think he's a dick, but, come on, as soon as reporters make friends with their subjects, they aren't reporting in an unbiased fashion anymore. Look at Gulf War the Sequel.

Fayner=Industry Lapdog writes: Maybe you should sober up, then try re-writing this to make it coherent. If "reporters are now allowed access to whatever they so desire," then why is it that "he had no right whatsoever to be looking at [it]"?

If you, faux-Luke, saw, and know the contents of, the folder, why is it not OK for the real Luke to have seen it?

If "I’m not positive whether slinking his menacing fingers into this data is legal or not," then why is it "illegally obtained information"?

What the hell does "validate his illegally obtained information" mean?

What qualifies you to discuss "principled journalist" behaviour? Which journalism school was it that you attended?

XXX Director writes: I mostly shoot stuff one scene at a time these days. And I usually schedule scenes with little notice. I keep my crew down to 3 or 4 plus talent. I'm a very low-profile shooter. I don't trust people. I often shoot without permits and I know of some individuals in this business who will turn people into the police because they're
shooting without a permit, but actually because they're shooting without a permit obtained through them. They're called rats, by the way. And will f--k anyone for a buck.

............................................

Video Team director David Aaron Clark writes Luke: I disagree over this with many of my friends and colleagues, but I really think you've matured as a reporter and this is another excellent on-set piece, full of nothing but facts and what seems to be to be very fair observations. The trouble with the people in porn -- many of them, as I say, friends of mine who I do respect -- is that they have no idea what actual journalism is, as opposed to PR puffery where the writer colludes with the subject to produce nothing but fluff designed to move more pieces. Not there isn't a place for this -- Entertainment Weekly, anyone? -- and that I haven't used to it to my advantage in the past, and will continue to do so in the future. C'mon, my friends and fellow journalists, look at all the terrible abuses going on in this industry and worry about them, not about a damn Internet columnist who has ocassionally made you look bad!

If someone doesn't want you on their set, that's certainly their right, but I think it's ridiculous how personal people make it. And I am disappointed in friends and colleagues in the porn press who try to throw their weight around and have you thrown off set when they arrive. It's nothing short of childish, bully-like behavior; I've expressed this to them personally, and don't mind stating it here for the record. Though I've been irritated in the past by my own crew and cast saying things to you I would have rather not seen in print, I am very aware that that is the name of the game, and if they suffer from diaherrea of the mouth in front of the media, that is my problem to deal with, and I don't blame you for it. I might try to keep them AWAY from you, but again that's the game ... :)

As I'm sure you know, there is absolutely nothing "illegal" about you reading figures in a book left out in the open and printing them. Any "journalist" who suggest so has about as much of a background in actual journalistic practices and ethics as, oh, my dead cat (who I miss very much, but never put paw to keyboard, thank God). Not that I would be that thrilled to have you do the same on my set, but perhaps I wouldn't leave the budget lying the f-ck around where anybody could see it ... I don't see what the source of embarassment is, considering Zupko and Elegant are paying fair-market prices (though the lack of "golden time" pay for my buddy's terribly long shooting days is the fault of a forever unorganized and unregulated industry).

And as for the needle thing, what does AIM have to do with it, and why the f-ck did their board have to consult on it???!!!!! While I certainly wouldn't recommend someone who doesn't know what they're doing poking a needle in somebody's arm (embolism, anyone?) someone who knows what they're doing can easily do so without any danger .... Tom, next time you want to do something where someone is a junkie as opposed to an alcoholic, consult me. I spent enough time in the East Village to help you with the details.

Whoever "put a $300 bounty on [DUC]'s head" is, to be crass about it, an absolute pussy. If someone doesn't have the balls to walk up to you and confront you, and makes a cowardly offer like that -- even in jest -- should do a gonad-check on themselves.

......................

I was on set of Thomas Zupko's movie OPERA Sunday and I peeked in the book with the salaries for the various participants in the movie. I published this on setgo.com and was asked to stay away from the next day's shoot. Did I act unethically?

Steve replies on GFY: I feel that is an invasion of privacy. Are they running for public office? No. So why make thier income public knowledge?

Fillmore Slim writes: You acted how you wanted to act. You knew it was wrong but you did it for the purposes of self-interest.

Don't ask others to condone or condemn your actions...thats a cop out. If you did it for the purposes of reporting it as an investigative journalist...accept your responsibility.

Deepundercover is a known and admitted gossip/news shark.

The producers of the movie should have known before granting him access....however, in the future, scoops might be a little more difficult for him to uncover as he wont be allowed back on many sets.

Besides the copyright infringement when he pulls comments from boards and posts them on his blog, I actually enjoy the deepundercover posts.

ErosWebmaster writes to Luke: Was it worth it? Shat will it cost you in the end vs the little bit of notoriety you get today?

DUC replies: I wasn't going to publish the information except they kept harassing me on set not to do certain things and then they booted me early so the other porno press could feel comfortable. So I said, forget it, I'm publishing everything I know from the shoot.

Lee Noga writes: Yes, it was if your mention of the salaries was the first public awareness of this.

Fillmore Slim writes: Was he on set as the character deepundercover or was he there in a different role?

If he was there for news gathering. I think he gathered news.

Steve writes: When you let a wolf into the pig pen, you really can't bitch when he eats a sow.

...........................................

On the first day of the movie, Saturday (7/28/03), the shoot ran from 8AM to midnight.

Franz, a heterosexual opera singer, did a scene where he was covered with live rats.

I arrive on Thomas Zupko's set Sunday 8:45AM and run into Franz and Katja Kassin, a 5'3" meaty girl from Germany who's getting paid $1000 in cash. She's represented by Mark Spiegler.

Katja, 23 years old, began her porn career in March in the LA. She returned seven weeks ago. She's appeared in about 15 films. She didn't want to do porn in Europe because they treat the women so bad.

She's three years into her program in Germany literature and Political Science at a German university.

Papillon, the production manager/caterer/costumer/performer, is nowhere in sight. She doesn't show until 10:15AM. She will earn $1500 for her labors on the shoot.

The owner and operator of the camera will make the most money - $1800.

Make-up artist Marianne aka Kelly Nichols arrives shortly after 8AM.

Franz, who's making his first appearance in a porn film, was laid on the set yesterday by intellectual porn newcomer Vivica Vengeance, roommate of porn star Allura Bond. Their sex took place in a room you have to cross through to get to the bathroom, so a lot of people got to see what was going on.

Vivica heard Franz sing, and was so impressed, she shared the greatest intimacy two human beings can have. Amazingly, they did not seem particularly bonded by the experience and there was no talk of marriage, let alone a relationship.

I don't understand how people can have sex without the context of love and commitment.

I've always gotten along with Thomas Zupko even though I disagree with most of his atheistic values and his glorification of human degradation. I've never seen any of his movies because I don't like to watch porn movies, particularly not the gross kind he makes. This is my first time on his set.

Thomas warns everybody that everything they say to me will show up on the Internet.

Luke: "Have you ever been a heroin addict?"

Thomas: "No. My only addiction is Bud Light."

Luke: "How many Bud Lights did you have yesterday?"

Tom: "Not that many."

Luke: "How many is that?"

Tom: "I'm not going to say that to you. Four or five.

"Everything I've ever done creatively [has been under the influence of alcohol]. As William Faulkner said when asked what it takes to be a good writer - 'pen, paper, tobacco and whiskey.'

"You have a drink and you're opened up. The intimidation is gone. The fear is taken away and you're ready to tap into your imagination."

Marianne: "You're the Hemingway of porn."

Zupko says he's going to quit drinking in a couple of weeks and that Papillon, his production manager, has encouraged him to cut down.

For the AVN Awards, Zupko plans to be down to 160 pounds (a loss of about 40 pounds from his current weight).

Tom laughs: "He's put the most unflattering pictures of me up on the Internet."

Luke: "Everyone says that."

Marianne, the make-up artist: "[Tom] wants to be the Rob Zombie of porn."

Luke: "Who's Rob Zombie?"

Zombie is a cult hero, rockn'roll gore, edgy appearance.

Tom says he has only one tattoo but he plans to get two on his arm - one of Dostoevsky and a shot of a bleeeding Christ.

Zupko says he identifies with the protagonist of the Fyodor Dostoevsky novel The Idiot. "He was this brilliant good-hearted person who cared but when he came back [from the institution) into society, he reverted back to being a child and was put back in the institution.

"I went through a period with my former company [Extreme Associates] where it was mandated that you put people down. I don't believe in that any more. I believe that we are all in this business together. There are so many forces fighting against us on every level that we have to unite. That's one of the reasons I left [Extreme]. I don't believe in alienating yourself from this business. We're all in this together."

Marianne: "People love pornography. They hate themselves for loving pornography."

Tom: "I don't need the promise of Heaven or the threat of Hell to be good person."

Luke: "So you believe in goodness. How is goodness objectively defined or is it all just personal opinion?"

I provoke Zupko about God and he goes on a long angry rant about how there is no God because little children suffer. Then he leaves the room.

Later, he pulls me aside. "I have to say something for the record. The most beautiful human being I've met in my life is Papillon. She has made me quit drinking for good."

Zupko tells Papillon that the only person who can drink on the set is Scott Fayner.

The dry set is for the benefit of setgo.com readers.

Zupko and Franz say they considered shooting a needle penetrating the skin for the movie but after asking AIM, which consulted its board of directors, they abided by its recommendation of no.

Luke: "Were any of the five movies seized from Extreme directed by you?"

Zupko shakes his head: "There we go. There we go. Yes. One - Ass Clowns 3. The director's cut. I had Brian Surewood on a cross having his dick sucked by a fallen angel. It was about the hypocrisy of religion and all that.

"[DUC] is always digging. He's the devil. He seems so nice and sweet, with a sweet smile, that's just applying the bait.

"I believe in what I do. I'm not going to back down."

I chat with articulate boom operator Axel Hose, who performed in porn for two years because his fiance Allyson Embers talked him into it. Most of the time he now works behind the scenes in mainstream entertainment like Court TV shows.

Axel: "Allyson wanted to be a porn star, and once she became one, I couldn't let her be one by herself. It started off, 'I'm only going to do girl-girl.' To, 'I'm only going to do boy-girl with my fiance.' And the first job she did was a DP with MickeyG and some big black guy with a dick the size of a salami.

"It was about the money. Girl-girl pays $300. Boy-girl pays about $800. DPs were about $1500-$2500. So all of a sudden I had to throw myself in as a performer to fill [one of those holes]. She did 160 movies in two years. I did 42 in two years.

"I'm a kinky nasty dirty person. I like bondage. We went to swing clubs.

"One of the reasons we quit [porn] was because we couldn't take the drugs, the alcohol abuse... This industry is hard on the girls. It eats the girl's soul.

"I've had a charmed life sexually. I've been to a lot of orgies and things. Without the drugs, without the alcohol and without the cameras aimed at your dick, the sex takes a bizarre turn. I expect that type of excitement at home and it took a year to get weaned from that whacky sex.

"I was hardcore addicted to methamphetamine, alcohol, and that lifestyle.

"We did Sex Survivor 2000 and made $14,000 cash plus some lumps. We took that money and bought stupid furniture, a fountain for our front room. She made over $100,000 the first year. We took that money and snorted it, pissed it away, bought stupid cars... It's all gone. We have nothing left.

"We were so high, so cranked up on the business and working all the time... We went to AVN [Awards]. Walked the red carpet. Thousands of people taking pictures of you. You forget. You think you are somebody."

Luke: "Do you find the industry socially isolating?"

Axel: "Yes. I went back to mainstream and someone found out I was a porn star. I touched something on the crafts service table and they wouldn't touch the food after I did. Being a porn star is like being the scourge of the universe. I'm 47 years old, so I don't care. If I were younger, it would kill me."

Luke: "I talked to this porn star Stevi and she said she didn't have one friend. She said she didn't want to be friends with anyone in the porn industry and she didn't want to be friends with anyone in the mainstream."

Axel: "My wife and I have no friends. No social life. We have dogs, cats and rats. I can't have a social life. The moment people find out I was a porn star, they're fascinated for a few minutes and then they want nothing to do with me."

Luke: "There's no escape and no redemption from the taint of porn."

This shakes Franz up. He says, "I'm glad I'm just doing extra work."

Luke: "It will be interesting to see what happens to you as a consequence of doing this."

Franz: "Look at the mainstream stars who've done porn. Rob Lowe with that young girl. R. Kelley caught with that 13-year old girl. It killed their careers. Look at Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee. It ruins them for a long time if not forever.

"I figure that being a junkie in a film like this is not that bad."

Zupko has Franz crawl in the dumpster and crawl around.

Now he wants Franzo to puke.

I grab my tape recorder and camera to record Tom's directions.

Tom: "Talk about puking in dumpsters, and [DUC's] camera comes out."

It's true. I have no interest in the ordinary goings-on on a porn set. I want to capture human drama. I have no interest in rating the heat of sex scenes.

Zupko exults after Franz pukes for a second time. He claps his hands and chuckles. He delights in degradation, in wallowing in the gutter, in the most depraved tendencies.

Tom: "After all the great sex, [DUC] will put up in a headline, 'Zupko has someone puke. This is what is wrong with pornography.'"

Luke: "That's the most powerful puke I've ever seen."

Tom to Franz: "I want you to crawl around in the dumpster, in the garbage..."

Franz protests: "There's broken glass in here."

I repeat his words into my tape recorder and Zupko erupts with bitter laughter. "Don't you do that. Puke and broken glass..."

I go up to the dumpster to capture a picture of the broken glass but my floppy disc is full and I must walk upstairs to get a new one.

After I do so, Papillon (relaying orders from Zupko) tells me that if I photograph the broken glass, I will be asked to leave the set.

Half an hour later, I sit upstairs in the make-up room. Zupko walks in and is about to give me a friendly pat on the leg, when I jump. My body expected him to punch me. Perhaps I suffer from paranoia?

Tom Zupko is an auteur director, the author of his films. His detractors on set say he's on a power trip. His supporter, who are many, says he's a brilliant artist and they feel privileged to work for him.

Most porn directors are low key and have a 'We're all in this together. Let's pull together so we can go home early," approach. Zupko is a perfectionist who demands many takes. Some say he is happiest in life when he is directing and he wants to stretch out this pleasurable experience.

Allura Bond, Zupko's roommate, is two hours late for her scene. His other roommate is Slain Wayne. Tom used to live with David Aaron Clark, who now lives with Brian Surewood.

Papillon and Zupko clash at times because they both have strong views. Papillon once dated a heroin addicted rocker James Lin Strait from the band Snot. Lyn died in 1998. He also dated Daisy Chain.

Papillon believes she knows a lot about heroin. She's smoked it. She thinks the way Zupko shot the use of heroin yesterday was unrealistic.

Zupko goes to the refrigerator.

Crew member: "Are you having a beer?"

Tom: "No. I'm not drinking anymore."

Papillon tells me: "We are putting on our best wardrobe for you today."

A woman on set asks for cigarettes. A man comes back with a pack of Newports. She doesn't want them. She says, 'Newports are for black people. I like Benson and Hedges.'"

David Aaron Clark has a great deal at Video Team, which has bought him expensive editing equipment. He's finishing editing Asian Noir 3. In the fall, he will shoot an Asian girl pop group show.

Pete Pistol, a recent college graduate, former PR guy for Sineplex and independent Internet guy, does a BJ scene with his ex-girlfriend Vivica Vengeance (her first movie scene) in the alley on top of Franz. Yesterday, Vivica did Franz for free on the couch because she liked his singing.

Pete and Vivica broke up in February, in part because Vivica wanted to become a porn star.

Franz: "Let's go. I'm having cold feet about people having sex on top of me. It's not what I signed up for. I don't mind being a junkie."

Franz freaks out five minutes into the scene and rolls away and jumps up. He couldn't take it any more. He never expected to lie beneath sex. He only came here to sing and do a few background scenes.

Franz: "I wasn't told about this. You said I'd play a junkie and sing and a dance sequence but I did not know anything about this."

Pistol Pete drugs Franz out of the scene and the couple resume their action. The dog Buddy walks back and forth across the scene.

I chat with Tom Zupko.

Luke: "Have you ever done scenes?"

Tom: "When I was 160 pounds, in 1991, I used to manage a strip club in Las Vegas for Ray Pistol. I did an amateur scene. It was the worst experience of my life."

Crew member: "Did they put you in a trash can?"

Tom laughs: "No."

He talks about a favorite scene he directed: "Shay Sights on a cross, an umbilical cord coming out of her pussy, attached to the belly buttons of three girls, all three girls getting f---ed in the ass... It was in the desert. The sun was going down. Shay Sights said, 'This is inhumane. I don't care how much money you're paying me.'

"A week later, she called me up in tears. 'This is the most beautiful thing I've ever done in my whole life.'"

Axel Hose, who was there: "Everybody was ready to slit their wrists on the set.

"My fiance was in it. It was one of the last movies she ever did.

"She wanted to kill herself during that shoot. We didn't talk for a week afterwards. But when she saw it, she said, 'That is so great.'

"It's like while you're getting breast augmentation, it hurts, but after you see the results, you say, wow."

The crew ribs Zupko for shooting a softcore version of this movie.

Tom says he wants to shoot a sequel to In Love, Chuck Vincent's namy pamby 1983 porn. "It was one of the most beautiful... It's a love story. Any one who watches it cries. That's going to be my next movie. A beautiful sweet..."

Luke: "Have you mellowed?"

I turn to Vivica: "Did that scene bring back your romantic feelings for your ex-boyfriend?"

Vivica: "At least he knows how to face-f---. I taught him that much."

Luke: "Did it touch your heart to share such intimacy with him again?"

Vivica: "He's my best friend but I'm not in love with him."

Luke: "Do you blow him off camera?"

Vivica: "Sometimes. If he's nice. If he's deserving."

Pistol Pete says he's abandoned drinking and smoking weed. He smokes cigarettes like a chimney.

I chat upstairs with a shaking Franz.

Franz, who will earn $400 for his labors: "I just can't do that. You have to be a special kind of person to do that. I'll chalk it up to experience. It's not an industry that I want to be in. He said I could get money for singing. Then he said, 'I've got some extra money if you will do some extra work.' It was the lure of the money.

"You do your gig for the money. You look through the trash for the money just like I looked through the trash for the money.

"I'm modest. I'm moral. When they were doing that that close, I had to go."

Luke: "How would your friends react to this movie?"

Franz: "My engineering friends would have no problem with it. My opera friends would be appalled. I'm realizing who I am. I am more like my opera friends. I am more traditional."

I chat with Vivica, 22-years old and has had between 30-35 lovers. "Why would you want to get into this industry?"

Vivica: "Because I love sex."

Luke: "Then get a boyfriend and have sex."

Vivica: "This way, you can have sex with a good amount of people, choose who you work with, they're all tested, and you don't have too many people acting too dramatic. There's less drama with the sex. It's an easy way to have sex and not have too many complications."

Luke: "Don't you realize that by doing this, you are socially ostracizing yourself for the rest of your life?"

Vivica: "I don't believe that. I'm already a forensic anthropology major. I've already taken an internship at the LA Coroners doing autopsies. I'm already very well educated. I graduated valedictorian from high school. If people don't hire me, that will be their loss."

Luke: "Do you prefer to have sex with live bodies or dead bodies?"

Vivica: "Live bodies. Are you joking?"

Luke: "What about animals?"

Vivica: "No. It doesn't seem right. Animals can't tell me directly if that is an ok thing or not. Plus it is illegal."

Pistol Pete: "I hope so. That's sick. Why are we talking about bestiality? I need context here."

Vivica: "We were talking about having sex with dead bodies..."

Luke: "Do you support the state of Israel?"

Vivica: "I support the state of everything. Do I support George Bush? No."

Luke: "Do you support gay marriage?"

Vivica: "Yes, I was raised by loving gay men and women."

Luke: "When did you lose your virginity?"

Vivica: "I was thirteen and I lost my virginity to two girls who were living with me. They were not family members."

1PM: Ren Savant and Bryn Pryor arrive on set. Ren edited Bryn's mainstream movie Poker. Bryn then pushed for Ren's Seven Deadly Sins Vivid movie to clean up at the AVN Awards, which it did. The movie was written by AVN staffer Rebecca Gray.

Bryn was managing editor of AVN. Prone to screaming fits and displays of temper, he alienated many staffers and porn companies. In the year 2000, he was convicted of dealing in stolen property and served prison time. He also picked up trash along the side of freeways with other prisoners.

The dog Buddy runs outside, across the street and takes a leak. A black man yells at me, "You better watch out. You're in the hood."

I run across the street, grab the dog, and bring him back inside, closing the door.

DUC to Papillon: "Who do you know high up in the biker world?"

Papillon: "I can't talk about that. I wouldn't say Hells Angels. Let's just say that my daughter's father came from South Carolina. He's in a rock band. And he rolls with people from Venice and all over Southern California. He told me that if I ever needed anything, just to give certain people a call. But if I make that call, I have to take responsibility for what happens to the person I call against. It's horrible."

Luke: "Have you ever made that call?"

Papillon: "Close. Someone was screwing with my older brother. Michelle happened to be black. I didn't realize that when I was telling my daughter's father about it, that his friends despise anyone not white, no matter how intelligent you were. So I had no clue that what I was telling my daughter's father was getting back to them. And Michelle almost got hurt over it. He lost his job because of this bitch. He has seven kids. I don't know exactly what went down. She didn't get hurt but she was close to it.

"When I get upset, certain people freak and they want to beat up everybody who causes me problems.

"Everyone is scared in the industry because I talk all the time that I am going to tell you something. 'Oh yeah, you'll call your friend [DUC] and I'm sure I will be reading about it.'

"I don't care. I see it this way: Don't piss me off and I won't tell him what happened. I will do it in a coy way. I won't put my name on it. People are scared of you [DUC] for some reason. I think you are a great guy."

Jade Blue, who was in David Aaron Clark's original Asianatrix, has a scandalous naked leather sex scene for The Damnation of Faust at the San Francisco Opera. People walked out on it because they were so offended.

Jade is doing single-armed handstands and performing contortions in the circus.

Tom Zupko walks over: "[DUC] reports on the hypocrisy of porn. One day I want to do the opposite, and report on the hypocrisy of religion."

Papillon yells at Tom to get away. She doesn't like to hear his anti-religious views.

Luke: "Zupko has a religion-complex. All his movies have religious [blasphemous] themes. He's fighting with God."

Papillon: "I took this test they give to mass murderers and I scored like a mass murderer."

1:45PM. AVN's chubby middle-aged assistant editor Heidi Pike-Johnson arrives on set. She's introduced to me. She clearly has no time for me. I don't bother to extend my hand. She avoids me.

2PM: Papillon asks me not to take any photos of Heidi. I agree.

2:15PM: Papillon asks me not to talk to Heidi. I have not and I do not plan to.

2:30PM: Papillon says I need to leave the set at Zupko's request. About ten members of the porno press are due to arrive soon and these tender souls will feel uncomfortable at my presence.

Scott Fayner and Allura Bond don't show up Sunday.

Pay scale on the movie:

Avy Scott - $1200
Dennis M. - $400
Allura Bond - $400
Spiegler's girls - $100-$200.
Katja - $1000 cash.
Tony Tedeschi - $500
Satine Diamond - $1000
Valentino - $500.
Ashley Blue - $1000.
MickeyG - $400.

9:22PM. Production manager Papillon calls and leaves me this message: "I haven't turned on the computer yet but I heard about the article you wrote and about how much money everyone makes... The offer of coming to the set tomorrow no longer stands."

Pistol Pete writes: Vivica Vengeance- she is is a bit of an intellectual and she knows how to f-ck- hopefully that makes an inkling of a dent in the site of porn stereotyping.

Check out "McCabe and Mrs. Miller". I have written (and copywritten) a remake of it to the "La Casa Nostra" chapter of your book.

Sunday had to have been the powderkeg of porn journalism history. I can safely say, with absolutely no white-washing of the matter- that production was the single most enlightening, purging (in an emotional way) experience of my life. Tom is a fine filmmaker. I was there to see if the art and exploitation could co-exist... In my humble opinion- yes, they did. "Opera" is going to be a milestone in erotica, which is needed with all the generic pro-am junk out there.

Sarettah writes on setgo.com's forum: I don't know if it is unethical. But it is definitely a way for you to make new enemies and to guarantee that you don't ever get invited to another shoot with those particular folks...

Money is usually kept quiet in adult or mainstream..... When one person finds out that another person is making more than them it causes unnecessary strife... A person in any job gets what they can negotiate, a better negotiator will end up getting more money even though they might be doing the exact same job....

For example, if you (Duck) found out that both Anthony and Voodooman were making at least twice what you are and if Anthony knew that Dig was paying Voodooman $10,000 more a year than he is making (check it out, it's fact... Dig told me so himself...trust me) then that would probably make for some pretty tense moments when you guys go to lunch and Voodoo, Ant and Dig all inform you it's your turn to buy....

I hope I didn't divulge any confidences here... But I figure that you probably already knew seeing as you live in your van and Voodoo is looking for a nice apartment at the beach and all...

What's The Story With AVN's Heidi Pike-Johnson?
2003-06-30 15:22:54
1:45PM. AVN's chubby middle-aged married assistant editor Heidi Pike-Johnson arrives on set. She's introduced to me. She clearly has no time for me. I don't bother to extend my hand because she clearly hates me.

2PM: Papillon asks me not to take any photos of Heidi. I agree.

2:15PM: Papillon asks me not to talk to Heidi. I have not and I did not plan to. It's the first time I've been asked on a set not to talk to someone, let alone not to talk to a fellow journalist. She must be a fragile soul.

2:30PM: Papillon says I need to leave the set at Zupko's request. About ten members of the porno press are due to arrive soon and these tender souls will feel uncomfortable at my presence.

Monday I sent out some emails and made some phone calls to get the scoop on Heidi Pike-Johnson.

Publicist Jason Sechrest writes: "Heidi Pike-Johnson is one of the few people over at AVN who I consider to be totally trustworthy and abound with integrity, not to mention so f-cking talented as a staff writer and the creator of AVNInsider.com. She is one of the few people I know who actually respects our industry enough to take real pride in her work. She cares about what she puts out there and it shows. I don't know why I'm even defending this. Her work should speak volumes for itself. She is one of AVN's most valuable players."

Cindi Loftus writes: "[DUC], Just my two cents worth. It sounds like your feelings were hurt when Heidi didn't talk to you on the set. You felt that she wasn't treating you like a fellow journalist. To alot of people you are not an industry friendly person, and they want to stay away from you. You decided That Heidi didn't like you and you decided to knock her down a peg or two. This is the kind of crap you find in "The Globe." I have alot of respect for Heidi. She takes her job very seriously. She works hard to acheive her own high standards. She is an excellent writer. (and I do have experience in this department), and a nice person. [DUC], I think you went overboard picking on someone who didn't deserve to be picked on."

An AVN source tells me: "She's the devil. She must have photos of Paul Fishbein with a dog or something [to explain why she's still employed at AVN].

"She used to work for Buttman magazine and the story I heard is that Evil Angel owner John Stagliano begged Paul to take her off his hands.

"Almost everyone at AVN hates working with her, particularly the AVN Online team. She'd steal stories from AVN Online to put on AVN.com (when the sites were separated). She would add errors. She would complain to managing editor Mikey Ramone if someone were talking too loud while she was trying to review a film. If you look at her the wrong way, she will go to someone and complain. She's a general pain in the ass.

"She'd complain about Rebecca Gray talking too loud. Heidi couldn't watch her porn and concentrate if Rebecca talked loudly.

"Paul would say, 'It's a newsroom. There should be people talking in a newsroom. It's not a library.'

"Rebecca Gray is fun and smart. She's another person at AVN, like Tod Hunter, who could do better than working in porn.

"Heidi's a bad writer. She adds errors into stories. She's an unpleasant person. You were generous when you called her chubby because she's enormous. She's not a happy person.

"She's basically a porn fan. She's a Mark Kernes-style industry loyalist. She's a porn groupie. She's a lifer. She worships Jenna Jameson. She did a Jenna story for Ton magazine."

Luke: "She was sending the poor production manager over to me every few minutes to keep me away from her."

AVN Source: "For whatever reason, Mikey Ramone protects her.

"She's always goading those she works with.

"A few people who worked for her quit. She may be the reason Gram Ponante left. I think he's going out with Rebecca Gray?

"When Suzie Erhlich left, Heidi wanted her office. Heidi thought she was at that level in the company, which everyone thought was funny.

"Heidi was supposed to be the website administrator for AVN.com. She turned the title into being managing editor of avn.com. She moved over to be associate editor of AVN magazine for a while but that did not work out.

"Heidi sends out long-winded accusatory emails, complaining about people for the most inane reasons (i.e., he spoke to me inappropriately). She likes to stir things up. She'd run to Mikey Ramone at the slightest provocation.
"

Christian Mann vs DUC On Publishing Porn Star Salaries
2003-07-03 12:07:52
Geoff to Luke: "This is what I love about you. Just when you piss me off the most, I have to laugh at you. You baited Christian so badly and I can't believe Christian even fell for the bait.

"I'm reading your response to you and I'm cracking up. We're all cracking up. This guy reads you every day but he doesn't want to like you because his friends (Paul Fishbein, Steve Hirsch etc) don't like you."

Luke: "Whenever we're in person, he always comes up to me in the most friendly way and we have a nice chat."

Geoff: "He definitely thinks you are a smart guy and he definitely reads you every day. He normally doesn't get sucked in to stupid little debates like that but you sucked him in. Kudos!

"The vocabulary that Christian pulls out is wasted on the readers of l-keford.com. Christian Mann is the Dennis Miller of porn. Some people will understand because they're educated and they will catch references and vocabulary and there's the status quo idiots."

......................................

On Sunday, June 29, I looked over the shoulder of production manager Papillon at her production book, which listed the salaries of those who worked on Tom Zupko's Elegant Angel movie Opera.

To double check my memories of those salaries, I looked in the book again when Papillon was gone. The book was left by the crafts service table in plain sight. This is what I found:

Katja: $1000
Camera operator: $1800
Papillon, PM, caterer, actress: $1500
Avy Scott - $1200
Dennis M. - $400
Allura Bond - $400
Spiegler's girls - $100-$200.
Katja - $1000 cash.
Tony Tedeschi - $500
Satine Diamond - $1000
Valentino - $500.
Ashley Blue - $1000.
MickeyG - $400.

Fred writes: What the hell did "Spiegler's girls" do? They only
got $100-$200?

Luke: Dunno.

How many days work were required for the cameraman to
earn $1800? Was this for more than one cameraman?

Luke: Three days. Rental of equipment.

Was the account book open, or did you flip through it?

Luke: One time of each.

Do the actors/actresses generally know what each other
gets? Does this cause rivalry?

Luke: Sometimes to both.

James DiGiorgio writes: "If you did that to me, I'd be
pissed but I don't think I'd accuse you of violating any
hard-and-fast ethical practice. But I wouldn't be happy
about it and probably wouldn't ever have you on my set
again."

Cindi Loftus writes: "Very interesting piece of work. I loved your back and forth with Christian. But as interesting as it is, if I had seen those numbers, I would not have published them. I try to keep my reporting on people's work in porn, not on anything that is personal to them. Just seems like the right thing to do. I do also understand though, the fact that when someone treats you badly, you feel like you don't owe them anything and you print what you want to print. Luckily, on one ever treats ME badly."

Alexander the Poet writes: Here are my thoughts on the matter:

1. Everyone in porn should know what {DUC} is about. If they invite him on to a set, they better damn well except him to try to find some "dirt", as they say. DUC does not do PR. He tries to find info that will be interesting to all. And if it upsets some, it's no different than what tabloids like Star and National Enquirer do.

2. It seems to me that America is the only country where people are so protective of the salaries they make. I know that overseas, it's not so inappropriate to ask someone, how much they make. Only in America, do people get offended by it and are very secretive about it.

3. I found the salary info very informative and interesting. Why was it perceived to be "evil" to publish it? Pornstars must realize not all get the same pay. And I do feel that this was very good info to post, and quite journalistic.

4. I agree with Mike South in that, if those guys left the books on the table, they were negligent because with DUC around, they should have known better.

..............................

On l-keford.com, Scott Fayner blasted me for a lack of ethics.

Video Team contract director David Aaron Clark came to my defense:

Video Team director David Aaron Clark writes Luke: I disagree over this with many of my friends and colleagues, but I really think you've matured as a reporter and this is another excellent on-set piece, full of nothing but facts and what seems to be to be very fair observations. The trouble with the people in porn -- many of them, as I say, friends of mine who I do respect -- is that they have no idea what actual journalism is, as opposed to PR puffery where the writer colludes with the subject to produce nothing but fluff designed to move more pieces. Not there isn't a place for this -- Entertainment Weekly, anyone? -- and that I haven't used to it to my advantage in the past, and will continue to do so in the future. C'mon, my friends and fellow journalists, look at all the terrible abuses going on in this industry and worry about them, not about a damn Internet columnist who has ocassionally made you look bad!

If someone doesn't want you on their set, that's certainly their right, but I think it's ridiculous how personal people make it. And I am disappointed in friends and colleagues in the porn press who try to throw their weight around and have you thrown off set when they arrive. It's nothing short of childish, bully-like behavior; I've expressed this to them personally, and don't mind stating it here for the record. Though I've been irritated in the past by my own crew and cast saying things to you I would have rather not seen in print, I am very aware that that is the name of the game, and if they suffer from diaherrea of the mouth in front of the media, that is my problem to deal with, and I don't blame you for it. I might try to keep them AWAY from you, but again that's the game ... :)

As I'm sure you know, there is absolutely nothing "illegal" about you reading figures in a book left out in the open and printing them. Any "journalist" who suggest so has about as much of a background in actual journalistic practices and ethics as, oh, my dead cat (who I miss very much, but never put paw to keyboard, thank God). Not that I would be that thrilled to have you do the same on my set, but perhaps I wouldn't leave the budget lying the f-ck around where anybody could see it ... I don't see what the source of embarassment is, considering Zupko and Elegant are paying fair-market prices (though the lack of "golden time" pay for my buddy's terribly long shooting days is the fault of a forever unorganized and unregulated industry).

And as for the needle thing, what does AIM have to do with it, and why the f-ck did their board have to consult on it???!!!!! While I certainly wouldn't recommend someone who doesn't know what they're doing poking a needle in somebody's arm (embolism, anyone?) someone who knows what they're doing can easily do so without any danger .... Tom, next time you want to do something where someone is a junkie as opposed to an alcoholic, consult me. I spent enough time in the East Village to help you with the details.

Whoever "put a $300 bounty on [DUC]'s head" is, to be crass about it, an absolute pussy. If someone doesn't have the balls to walk up to you and confront you, and makes a cowardly offer like that -- even in jest -- should do a gonad-check on themselves.

..........................................

Scott Fayner writes on l-keford.com: First off, Davey, [DUC] admitted to “peek(ing) in the book” and pilfering the information. I doubt it was left open, as you assumed. If it was, it’s even less likely it would be ajar to that page. But let’s move on…

Mike South writes on l-keford.com: That's why you aren't a lawyer. [DUC] was an invited guest meaning that he is not tresspassing until such time as he has been asked to leave and even then its a very thin case because he was, in fact invited to be there. As a journalist he enjoys first ammendment protection regarding what he writes, as long as it is true. If there is a civil case in this matter it would be against Zupko for his negligent act of leaving this information unprotected.

Christian Mann, owner of Video Team, writes:

Despite the fact David Aaron Clark is under contract with my company, and I love him (figuratively) and the movies he directs for us, his opinions are his own and do not reflect mine or Video Team's.

I do not always agree with David on every subject, and this is one such case. I do not purport to know the legality of [DUC]'s snooping, but I know that as far as etiquette is concerned, an INVITED guest should not rifle through personal belongings or paperwork under the guise of "journalism". If he fancies himself a wannabe Woodward/Bernstein style investigative muckraker, then maybe he's entitled to these practices by law, but his actions remain reprehensible, ethically speaking.

I wish to state emphatically, I do not mean to suggest that Luke is anything like a journalist or that he should be mentioned in the same paragraph as Bob Woodward, only that he may harbor such delusions to justify his traitorious actions. The betrayal occurs when one is invited as friendly press, and then seeks to discover and divulge damaging or proprietary information.

I think the two main differences between [DUC] and real investigative journalists is the level of deceit used in getting the story, and the end objective. Does [DUC] seek to expose things out of a journalist's quest to show some injustice, or does he just feel empowered by causing harm regardless of the journalistic purpose? Was it journalism when he published the home address of my salesperson's parents? Of course not. It was his way of saying "I have the power to cause you grief!", despite the fact that no reader was served by such a publication. If [DUC] can conjure up a valid journalistic purpose to pilfering and maybe exposing pay records of someone's shoot, then it is only a testament to his cunning ability to twist logic to rationalize acts for which there is no valid defense. I only wonder if he actually believes he's justified when he does this. Is he truly deluded or merely a liar? I know which of these I believe.

DUC replies: As for the charge of rifling, I looked over the shoulder of a production manager and got all the relevant numbers. Later, to double check my memory, I looked at that sheet lying in a book on the crafts service table. I then checked the numbers with a couple of people to make sure they were accurate.

I didn't plan to publish the numbers, and normally would not have without the permission of the producer, except I was continually hounded all day about what I may or may not photograph, write, talk to, etc, and then finally I was kicked off the set at 2:30PM (not because I had done anything they had forbidden me) because other porno press members were going to feel upset with my presence.

So after that treatment, I felt zero loyalty to my host, and went home and wrote it all.

I've been on many Video Team sets. There's never been an incident. I've been on many of David Clark's sets and he's never felt shafted (though at times unhappy with what I've written.) But if you decide to screw me over, I will screw you right back.

What's so reprehensible about what I did? I looked over someone's shoulder and got all the relevant info. I then confirmed it with various sources.

As for traitorous actions: To be a traitor, one must pretend to support a cause. I have never pretended to support the porn industry. I have never pretended to try to help you sell your product. I have never pretended to be porn's friend or your friend. I've been about as upfront and open with my feelings about porn and pornographers as you can be. So I may be many things, but I cannot be a traitor to porn, or to a particular set, because I've never pretended to want to be one of you, to support what you do, and to want to help you sell more of your product.

I don't remember publishing the home address of your salesman's parents but I regret that. That sort of thing happened on fewer than ten times with me in the past. It was wrong.

Publishing home addresses often happens in the mainstream media. "John Doe, a resident of 4500 Ground Street, Los Angeles, was arrested for..."

If I've missed any of your challenges, please let me know. My initial post on this thread was for entertainment purposes only.

I've been around porn since 1996. All things that I've done that are unethical, I regret and try not to repeat.

If I come to a set, and books are opened up in front of me, I will usually take a look and try to memorize the information if it is interesting. I will then use my discretion in publishing it. If I feel I'm being shafted on the set, I will be more likely to publish salaries. What great harm does it do? It's interesting information.

I don't publish home addresses. The few times I did that in the past (1999), after looking through public records on the most powerful pornographers, I quickly regretted it and removed said information.

Though I'm answering your challenges, I don't accord any moral weight to pornographers. When pornographers charge me or anyone with unethical behavior or bad journalism, or tabloid journalism, or immorality, I don't take it seriously. I find it hilarious when pimps and prostitutes lecture me on journalistic responsibility. Everyone in porn and the sex industry is a pimp or a ho.

Many of these pimps and hos are nice people. I like many of them. I kinda like Chris Mann. Many porners lead good lives outside of their work. But working as a hooker or a pimp does not make for a strong moral platform.

I'm not saying porners shouldn't express their opinions on any issue and that they should not speak out against bad journalism or anything bad.

I just want to keep things in perspective.

PS: As for the general issue of waiting until I am invited to appear on a set, a meeting, a news event etc, that's always nice. It is easier for me to appear where I am invited but I by no means feel compelled to wait for an invitation. I go where the news is, whether I am wanted or not.

..................................

Christian Mann writes: I can't believe I allowed myself to get sucked into a debate about someone else's movie set and [DUC]! I originally wanted to make clear one pertinent idea: David Aaron Clark does not represent Video Team when he posts, only when he shoots!

Nonetheless, I appreciate [DUC]'s serious answer to my original post.

If in fact [DUC] merely "looked over a shoulder" into a payrate book, memorized information, and then published same, it's the same as "rifling" through a book. It wasn't his book to "peek" at, and it was not proffered to him. It remains an univited invasion of privacy and is still bad form, in my opinion.

The fact that [DUC] says he didn't intend to publish the information until he felt he was mistreated on the set serves to validate my belief that his publication of this information was not intended to serve the reader or any journalistic purpose, but rather to harass the producer of the movie by causing strife among the actors.

If [DUC] has "been on many Video Team sets", it is news to me. I am aware of one incident where he was actually invited, either by Scott Stein or David Aaron Clark. Both are now aware of my policy to only allow press with a track record of providing at least fair, and hopefully positive coverage. Since Luke has deliberately printed lies about me and my associates (no I won't bother backing up this claim - who you gonna believe, me or [DUC]???), and because he is known to be an ill mannered guest, he is not welcome on my sets. It's not that I wish any harm to [DUC], I truly don't. I just don't wish harm or grief to me or my associates and that's what one gets when one invites {DUC].

As for being traitorious: I disagree with [DUC]'s definition. A traitor does not need to support or fight a cause. A traitor merely has to pretend to be a friend, and covertly behave like a foe. I know {DUC] will rationalize his behavior because he was asked to leave. It's odd that he armed himself with confidential information before he was slighted, isn't it? As I like to say: rationalize = rational lies.

Did {DUC] publish addresses, by his own admission, yes. His "apology" tactic is part of his smarmy m.o.: "Oh, did I spread a vicious lie about you? I am so sorry." Repeat behavior. Apologize again. Ad nauseum.

I will give {DUC] credit for one truth (see above), i.e. he acknowledged that he is no friend of the industry and he has made clear (ocassionally) his real feelings about the business. He has stated in posts his desire to see the obliteration of the business, or words to that effect.

I am bothered by the hypocrisy of this person wishing for the downfall of the business that supports him. I prefered it when he was elsewhere irritating mainstream Hollywood or poor unsuspecting Rabbis or whatever he was doing.

I forgive [DUC] because he seems to be sick and it seems based on his writings that he has so many self destructive demons that accompany his scorched earth campaign.

I just don't see why we as a business community would invite him anywhere. As I told DAC earlier today: remember the parable of the scorpion crossing the river on the back of the dog. Why did he sting the dog even though it meant certain death for both? It's in his nature. I choose to keep the scorpions outside.

Enough of my rant. I wish peace to all, even [DUC].

...........................................

DUC replies: Unlike most of the other journalists covering this industry, I don't wait for information to be "proferred" to me. I don't wait to regurtitate press releases. I didn't wait for the industry to tell me Marc Wallice was positive. I went out and found the evidence of a long trail of infections following his anal performances and I published that unproffered information. I was subsequently pillored by the industry, though thanked by the actresses whose lives I saved.

What really bothers Christian Mann is that unlike the rest of the porno press corp, I am not in his/Vivid's/AVNs/Goalie's pocket. I don't let them limit me on what I can report. You better believe that today Christian tried to put the screws on David Clark to not write positively about me in the future (I have no evidence for this, just my educated guess).

Christian and his friend Steve Hirsch are used to controlling the industry's information flow through its approved channel - AVN. I don't play that game.

If I were interviewing Christian or anyone, and I saw something interesting over their shoulder, you bet I would try to memorize it, and I would consider using it. One consideration for not using would be to keep good relations with that source. If that source had just shown no intentions to keep good relations with me, then I will not bother to maintain that with him.

I am kinder with people who are kind to me and crueler with people who are cruel to me.

I don't need to own a book to look at it.

................................................

Smiling Arab writes on l-keford.com: 95% of journalism is not about "exposing injustice." In an idealized world, maybe, but not here. Look in your morning paper and tell me what you find: reports of traffic accidents, political jockeying, what the president said yesterday, who the Lakers are going to sign with the mid-level exemption. That number shrinkes to less than .001% when it comes to this industry.

And what is responsible industry journalism? The hatchet job that the very responsible Mark Kernes did on Mike South this morning? The fifty-caliber exhaust pipe that Kernes' mouth becomes every time he sees [DUC]?

People didn't invite [DUC] on the set to expose injustice. They invited him there for free PR. The free market draws him more traffic than a press release or one of Fayner's goofy on-set pieces about all the places he'd like to shove his wanky, but you're still free to invite him or bar him from your sets.

3/13/06

'The female Mark Kernes'

AVN editor Heidi Joy Pike reacts: "Wow. I can honestly say that I would never muse on the character of someone I barely know like Margold has, assuming that quote is correct. We've exchanged no more than a few sentences ever. Granted, there are worse things to be referred to as in the world than this crack at Mark but the attempted impact on my feelings shows me again why I give myself lots of space between me and some of the people in this biz. Sad stuff."

Kami Andrews responds: "Maybe it wasn't enough space."

I believe Kami believes that Heidi messed around with a man Kami loved and that Heidi abused her position at AVN, but I don't have the whole story.

Kami won't give me the scoop: "No, I don't want to go public with it," she replies to me. "It was never my intention. I think she is seeing attacks everywhere already. I'm done with the whole mess."

3/15/06

Welcome to my United States of Whatever

AVN's Heidi Pike Joy blogs 3/15/06 on AVN.com:

A quote about me from Lukeisback: "I believe Kami [Andrews] believes that Heidi messed around with a man Kami loved and that Heidi abused her position at AVN, but I don't have the whole story."

I also shot a man in Reno just to watch him die.

Heh.

Seriously, wow. I heart how people can make s--- up. When the fiction is in the movies, that's great stuff but this kind of crap--well, nice try, assholes, but everyone in my life who means a rat's ass to me knows my heart and where it is and where it--and my other parts--have been lately. As far as the abusing my position here at the mag part, nothing's specific, naturally, in the accusation. Amazing. I don't know where some people out there get the frickin' energy to come up with this s---. Well, whatever. People are talking about me. Guess I've arrived or something.

3/16/06

 

AVN's Heidi Joy Pike

Daniel Metcalf, publicist, writes on AVN's blog:

It must be a slow gossip day when a piece of alleged scandal has to be over-qualified with a hand-wringing "I believe that someone believes, but I don't have the whole story." Why not just fill the site with random, empty " " " " - it would be just as illuminating.

George Orwell must be smiling right now - what a brilliant example of Oceania's "Doublethink."

Uh oh, I just suggested that I might believe in an afterlife (and therefore, by implication, a First Cause or Higher Power). Now I'm REALLY going to get crucified on this blog!

Kami Andrews writes:

The fact that you are using the AVN blog to challenge me shows how you use your position at AVN.

The fact that whenever any one criticizes you they wind up on here shows how you use your position.

The fact that you go away with and date people whose movies you review shows how you use your position.

Heidi Joy Pike responds:

I wasn't challenging you. I was challenging what was said on Luke's site in how vague, stupid and untrue it is.

A lot of people criticize me and I don't blog about it. I don't actually blog that very much at all compared to some people on staff. This was just so ridiculous that it begged for comment.

I had takeout and watched a movie with who I thought was a friend like I do with many of my friends. Yeah, he makes movies and I have reviewed a couple of them. Whatever. Not a big deal in the cosmic sense and me hanging out with people who produce porn isn't me abusing anything.

Kami Andrews' Broken Heart Over Ivan, Heidi Joy Pike's Ecstatic Reviews For Her Friend Ivan

Kami replies to Heidi Joy Pike (who Kami accuses of ruining her 18-month relationship in addition to unethical journalistic practices) on AVN.com:

Ok this is the last thing I'm saying on the matter. I swore that before but you won and I responded, and damn it now I'm doing it again, but after this (and yes I realize there will be a ton of after this) I'm just going to forget it.

I have always been painfully honest. Yes, I had a speed problem. After a year in the biz, I suddenly had a self-image problem about my weight, ya go figure. Some girls can handle a key in the morning, I couldn't and it got away from me. I quit last April.

I'm sure I have doee a ton of things in the last year to call out, but I have never lied about what drugs I do. Too bad we can't all be that honest huh?

Pointing out the painfully obvious doesn't hurt me it just confuses people who don't know the back story.

You said every one you cared about or mattered to you knew the truth, then why are you using AVN to tell people you don't care about?

I'm not going to check the responses. I am the only one in this thing who is using my name.

You ruined a year and a half relationship and your pissed because I hurt your feelings. I'm not going to sit here and call out you did this you did this because I said before you ever posted this that I was done with this, and dang it I am this time. I have a life outside porn and while that may seem weird people wanting to destroy it seems weird to me.

I wish I could live in a fantasy internet world behind an anonymous name but that's not who I am. I do what I do. I'm honest about it and I deal with the consequences, and most importantly I try not involve innocent people. The fact that this is our industry magazine speaks for itself.

Ivan at IamIvan.com, the heartbreaker, responds:

Friendships are give and take. But sometimes it becomes as someone is truly taking advantage of it whether it's on purpose or not or just out of desperation.

Kami's friendship was taken for granted and abused. She has always been honest and up front. With her you get what you get without other agendas. About the messing around business. Nothing ever happened except two friends hanging out.

But that wasn't even the main issue. It was a culmination of many things. A year and a half relationship was severely damaged over this mess. And a person I love and care for more then anything got hurt.

People need to let cooler heads control their emotions and leave all this alone. I am sorry for this mess, hopefully this will be the last we all have to deal with this.

On his website IamIvan.com, Ivan (who once advertised with Lukeisback.com) prominently displays his positive reviews from AVN. Guess who wrote those AVN reviews? Ivan's friend Heidi Joy Pike, the one Kami's mad at for taking her man.

On his page for Dawn of the Dead, Ivan publishes: "AVN Magazine (February 2006) "Spotlight Pick" Pre-noms. Best Sex Comedy, Video Best Packaging Best Oral Scene (Genesis Skye)".

Heidi Joy Pike reviews Dawn of the Dead for AVN.com:

In this latest brilliant creation from horror porn maestro Ivan, Gia Paloma, Alias and Chris Justice play leaders of the ZIPS Patrol, and they protect the residents of Chatsworth from evil, lusty drug-addled zombie chicks, who can only be quelled with that ultimate healing elixir - semen.

This is funny, funny stuff, and the sex is hard and good. Zombie Genesis Skye does an inspired, appropriately psycho-feeling blowbang. Paloma gets violated and turned into a zombie by dyke zombie Tiffany Holiday and then fucked by fellow officer Justice.

Pre-nom for Best Comedy, Best Packaging and the Skye blowbang for Best Oral Scene - Video.

Retailing: Place next to Ivan's Texas Asshole Massacre and watch 'em fly out the door.

On his page for Texas Asshole Massacre, Ivan publishes: "AVN AWARD Nominated: Best Sex Comedy Best Actress Video, Kami Andrews Best Supporting Actor Video, Dirty Harry AVN Magazine (July) "July Editor's Choice" "Clever Title of the Month".

Heidi Joy Pike reviews Ivan's Texas' Asshole Massacre for AVN:

Review: This super-cute comedy parodies the Tobe Hooper-directed horror classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, giving it a porno twist. Here, Kami Andrews stars in her first feature as Texas, a crazy matriarch of a crazy family, who, via infomercial, lures porn stars to her ranch so she can make them into chili. It's rare that a movie with fucking this hard is this funny, and director Ivan shows great skill. It's a fun commentary on the whole mainstreaming of porn phenomenon with the victims/porn starlets being told that they can just say no to extracurricular sex and become more than the anal whores that they are. "I will make you something better, by any means necessary!" Andrews emotes.

Heh.

It's an Evolution vid, so there's a damn lot of anal, and it's all pretty good with the highlights being Kelly Wells anal bout with Sascha and a hilarious threeway with "five time best anal scene nominee" Gia Paloma, begging for cock in her ass, and Andrews and Sascha not allowing it.

Pre-nom for Best Comedy, Kami Andrews for Best Actress - Video and Dirty Harry for Best Supporting Actor - Video, the Wells/Sascha for Best Anal Sex Scene - Video and the Andrews/Gia Paloma/Sascha scene for Best Threeway.

As Heidi says on the AVN blog: "Yeah, he makes movies and I have reviewed a couple of them. Whatever. Not a big deal in the cosmic sense and me hanging out with people who produce porn isn't me abusing anything."

I wonder where the idea came from to make Heidi the heart-on trophy girl for the XRCO Awards? Did she lobby for it? Why?

Ivan states clearly that he did not have sex with that woman Heidi Joy Pike, which I believe puts an end to this discussion. Now we can all get back to the important business of running the country. Good night and good luck.

A contributor emails:

Luke, I just love seeing you report the details on Heidi. I was going to post this to the AVN blog but just felt that your website would look so good with it. I couldn't resist.

Heidi, I figured you out three years ago. Remember when Violet Blue was brining gifts in to AVN and suddenly won an award? Or how about how Sin City hired Tina Tyler, your friend, to be their publicist. They pissed off everyone in the jizz biz back then but they did great in the magazine.

Not to mention how many men got nominated for performer of the year that you personally found very attractive. IE: Nick Manning, Lex Steele, etc. I'm sure it will be a long time before we see someone like Kyle Stone get a similar honor even if his pop shot blew a hole in a girl's head. It won't happen.

Let us not forget that Kurt Lockwood suddenly appeared out of nowhere and in moments you wanted to give him a column.

On that note there was Houston. Lovely Houston that couldn't write to save her life. But she just phoned in her crap. And sometimes you made it up for her. All because Harry Weiss was publicist for Metro and you really liked him.

Under normal circumstances and in a normal industry you would be fired. But I know the dark secret that keeps you employed. That small little cottage industry you are soo good at keeping hidden keeps you getting a paycheck from AVN.

Yes, I'm talking about that beautiful prostitution business you run. You know the one with a small handful of wonderful and beautiful cotract girls from a couple of companies like Wicked. Never more than two or three perhaps four. But that's the key to your success at fooling everyone and never letting them find out what you do. That way no one will ever find out you hooked up Paul's friend Grahm. Or his other buddies.

You have always stacked the deck in favor of those you like or wash your back. And you always will. It's just nice to see that there are others figuring you out.

Mark writes:

Everything eventually comes out in the wash. Paul is almost done cleaning house and when he finally gets rid of Heidi then he will at least have a staff that's a bit more proper.

Even when you try to send screeners to another reviewer with their name, Heidi makes sure to intercept the mail.

If you simply send your screeners and never talk to Heidi your f---ed. You have to play her game of kiss ass and buy her gifts or do something for her to lean in your direction.

When will things work the way they are supposed too? Its business, send her a screener and it gets reviewed fairly.

Instead she abuses the powerful position she has and leaves studios that deserve more credit never to be recognized.

5/30/06

Heidi emails me:

I have had a couple personal matters held over my head recently and rather than letting that person/s leak them to you, I have decidedly freely to tell you about them rather than letting this all go the way that other unfortunate personal things in my life have gone down in their treatment on your site and other places. I am, apparently, that interesting a woman that my personal life is worthy of this attention.

My boyfriend, director Dick Logan, recently placed a personal profile on an Asian dating site. I had no knowledge of the profile before I was told about it by someone else this last week. Dick has told me that he created the profile to aid him in casting an upcoming NJ Films P.O.V. production similar to one the company already has out ("Lollipop Whore P.O.V.")and that the profile was in no way an attempt to do anything but to assist Dick in producing that upcoming movie. Dick knows how the profile made him and then, as a result, me, look publicly and he has expressed nothing but complete regret for his actions. I love him, he loves me and I believe everything he has said to me on this topic one hundred percent.

I was also confronted with a rumor that I have "brain cancer". While I did take some personal time off from work recently, cancer had nothing to do with it. I do, however, live with the disease trigeminal neuralgia. You can read about the disease and even buy a golf shirt at www.tna-support.org. I am in the process of learning how to do more effective pain/stress management but I am very, very healthy other than that, according to my doctor.

Heidi Joy Pike's BF Dick Logan (vidshooterdick@yahoo.com) emails me:

I am flattered that my latest video project for NJ Films Inc. (Asian Lollipop Whore P.O.V.) is in some of my peers' estimation worthy of such close attention even before it is finished. I must take this opportunity to say that I will not be completing this project.

While trying to cast this project with new and /or unknown talent I listed a profile on asianfriendfinder.com, which I was told is an avenue other directors are exploring. I can only speculate as to how this profile was found, or by whom. We all know why this profile was made "NEWSWORTHY".

This was done to attack and smear the reputation of a beautiful, precious, and amazing woman I am privileged and proud to call my friend, partner, confident and SWEETHEART Heidi Joy Pike Senior Associate Editor, AVN Magazine. So, no, I won't make this movie.

Some of you out there will have to find a different stick to hit Heidi with. The fact that you feel the need to try to control her like that is pretty f---ing sad and says a f--- load about who you motherf---ers are and who she's not. I will however continue to direct Interracial videos for NJ Films Inc. and my new video for New Machine/Hardline "FLIRT AND SQUIRT #1" will be released this summer.

7/11/06

ADULT INDUSTRY ICON HEIDI JOY PIKE JOINS NEW MACHINE

CEDAR GROVE, NEW JERSEY--Noted legendary adult industry editor HEIDI JOY PIKE is now exclusive to production powerhouse NEW MACHINE PUBLISHING.

PIKE will be head of production and marketing for NEW MACHINE's new all-original gonzo imprint, CORRUPTED PICTURES.

"New Machine has shown a lot of faith and trust in me in taking me on in this position and I plan to do everything in my power to make sure that they have product that will shine in the marketplace," PIKE said.

PIKE very recently parted ways with top industry trade publication ADULT VIDEO NEWS where she was a Senior Associate Editor and one of the most influential and respected people on the magazine's editorial staff. Prior to that, PIKE helmed gonzo icon JOHN "BUTTMAN" STAGLIANO's self-titled magazine, BUTTMAN MAGAZINE which is currently the top-selling hardcore magazine in stores everywhere.

During her time at EVIL ANGEL, PIKE also worked closely with pro-am legend RANDY WEST on creating boxcovers for his product. PIKE started off in the adult business as a peep show girl in Seattle who then worked in an adult retail store, educating herself on porn and the retail end of it there.

NEW MACHINE company president MARK BROWN said of PIKE, "We are excited and feel Heidi is coming on board at the perfect time as we are redirecting our efforts into top directors working exclusively for New Machine. Heidi adds tremendous enthusiasm, experience and talent to our organization. Her vast knowledge and background will present a unique high quality perspective on our new releases."

PIKE will also be directing for CORRUPTED PICTURES, starting off with her signature all-girl series, CORRUPTED. "I have spent a lot of time watching porn over the years and I know what quality stuff looks like. I can't wait to make New Machine proud of me," PIKE said of her upcoming directorial debut. The first volume of CORRUPTED will be in stores by year's end.

I email Heidi: "Did you write your own press release? Why did you choose to refer to yourself as an icon? What makes an icon?"

Heidi replies: "I wrote the press release and then it was edited and changed by the people I work for.

"The company I work believes that I am an icon. I personally believe that an icon in this business is someone who has made a substantial impact in it and will continue to make one for years to come. It was nice to learn that the people I work for believe that I am that great."

Heidi Joy Pike Saves Entire City, Possibly World

I was emailed this. I don't know the source.

Los Angeles CA - In what was to most a sunny and routine Tuesday in July, could have been one of our darkest hours, and a day that might have impacted the history of mankind like no other, had it not been for the heroics and call to action of adult industry Icon Heidi Joy Pike.

Like a German Shepherd tuning into the distant steps of a mail carrier, HJP as she is know by lesser know adult industry leaders, intercepted and disposed of a rogue inbound ICBM launched covertly by the mad yet strangely entertaining North Korean Communist dictator Kim Jong Ill.

"We were all just standing out front discussing HJP's finer points with community leaders when she shot straight up in the air like the fat girl in the tube in Willy Wonka," said one eyewitness who would clarify that her analogy was in reference to the original film and no the "creepy new one."

When asked about the selfless deed, the humble Joy Pike responded: "It needed to done. I am not the type to put on a cape and a costume and draw attention to myself in order save lives and provide humanity with a better place to inhabit, I just do it because I can."

HJP, a former employee of Adult Video News and single handedly responsible for the success of the entire adult industry, has recently chosen a new company that she will surely propel to the likes of Google or Microsoft.

Had the warhead impacted, the Southern California coast would have been left in ruin. Millions of Californians, and hundreds of millions worldwide can thank the super-human efforts of one of the adult industy's most repected and legendary leaders for saving the lives of millions of loved ones and preventing the world from spiraling into World War III.

A plaque ceremony will be held at the El Sugundo Elks Lodge on Saturday between 1:15 and 1:30 to honor Joy Pike featuring keynote speaker and teen idol Corey Feldman.

As a token of his apprciation the Governor had a $10.00 booklet of gift certificates to Carvels delivered in Joy Pike's name.

Heidi Joy Pike Haters Out In Force

Tootie writes on XPT:

This dumb broad actually has the nerve to call herself an icon in her own press release. If you read the AVN press release they obviously didn't agree with her icon status so they changed it from industry "icon" to industry "veteran".

From ADT:

Legendary Icon Director/cameraman/alcoholic Mike Quasar responds to legendary Icon Heidi Pike Joy's press release.

The following people are legendary: Abraham Lincoln, John Wayne.

The following people are not legendary: anyone in porn.

I believe we should use this moment not to bash Heidi but to reflect on what constitutes greatness and how we can reach for that elusive quality in our daily lives.