Mike Ramone Was Lord Master Damien
AVN's Editor-In-Chief offered through his website www.masterdamien.com "Hardcore Humiliation, Discipline And Slave Training."
This stuff must be helpful in running a tight ship on Eton Avenue in Chatsworth:
I am gorgeous Lord Master Damien, L.A's preeminent male Dominant. Towering over my slaves at 6'3" with a hard, beautiful body, a highly wicked, perverse mind and years of SM/BD experience, I am a genetically superior being who slave-trains wimps, sissies and sluts in my awesome fully-equipped private dungeon.
Highly narcissistic, I possess a vast European designer fetish wardrobe and love dressing up for session head to toe in leather, rubber, latex, PVC, military/police uniforms and My huge collection of boots.
My required donation is $150 an hour. For outcall, my required donation is $200 an hour. I will consider a sliding scale fee, or exchange of services, for genuine hardship cases.
I see clients during the week from roughly 6pm-Midnight and on the weekends around-the-clock.
Now make that call. But be on your knees and assume the proper worshipful attitude when you do.
(Pictures copyrighted by Mike Ramone aka Master Damian. I believe their use here is newsworthy and falls under the doctrine of "Fair Use.")
Mike Albo writes on AdultStarsNews: "The self-described "gorgeous" dude looks an awful lot like a cheesy version of former Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford. Can a stint in a tribute band be far behind?"
Mike Ramone, AVN Editor-in-Chief, writes: "Luke, you’re like the last person in the industry to know this. Geez, first Kat Sunlove, now me. Actually, your headline should be Mike Ramone Was Lord Master Damien, as I hung up my whips a while back. But you’re right, those skills do come in handy when enforcing deadlines; I believe all editors should be well-versed in BDSM…"
A porner writes: "I can't believe you didn't already know about Master Damien! And how come you forgot to mention that those who worship Master Damien also have penises? and how come you didn't editorialize? asking the question, 'How does a homosexual review heterosexual movies?'"
First, I have no evidence that Lord Damien worked with men or had any form of sex with men. I certainly have no evidence that Mike Ramone is homosexual or bisexual. For all I know, he's a healthy patriotic red-blooded heterosexual American who formerly worked as a dominatrix.
A porner writes:
It looks like Ramone took his MasterDamien site down. I just tried logging onto it because I wanted to lift an image from it (and send it to you) that showed one of his gay subs licking him. I wonder if one of the avn big boys recommended (for obvious reasons) he take the site down? Maybe his comment (on your site) that Master Damien is a "past tense" iteration of himself was only an hours-old "past tense" iteration?
I used Google cache to look around the site:
Copyright 2001-2004 by Lord Master Damien..Custodian of Records 18 U.S.C Section 2257. MasterDamien.com. All models 18 years or older. All records required by 18 U.S.C.2257 are in the custody of MasterDamien.com.... Sale or viewing by minors of adult-oriented fetish material on this site strictly forbidden.
Here's a cool photo of Master Damien on a motorcycle.
When I Googled "Master Damien," I found a reference to a "Master Damien" on the site Homesexsearch.com/shemale.html: "shemales belonged to Master Damien."
I found this ad for Mike Ramone's services on a dominatrix online guide: "[12/05/03] I am Lord Master Damien, L.A.'s hottest, nastiest, most sought-after professional male top. Cum serve Me in My private, fully quipped, awesome dungeon. A true Supremacist, I train men, women and couples in scenes that range from mild to wild, from sensuous to sadistically strict. Sincere beginners and older submissives/masochists are welcome to worship Me. So call now for the training you need. But have the proper submissive attitude, and be on your knees, when you do."
Picture of Mike Ramone with Rob Black at the AEE in January 2005.
Mike Ramone's castaway porn picks.
Mike Ramone's bosses at AVN knew about his dominatrix work and didn't have a problem with it. "What he does during his own time is his business."
Mike's bosses exhibit no doubts about Mike's heterosexuality and neither should you. Just because guys lick you doesn't make you gay.
AVN Editor Mike Ramone: 'Anti-Semitic Slur Over at AdultDVDTalk'
Haze begins the thread "Offensive Porn Titles" on ADT:
I noticed "Slut Puppies" and "Ass Whores" etc. Has there ever been a title that someone said "that title is just too offensive. We can't name the movie that"?
Has anyone seen Khan Tusion's "Cum Sucking Kikes"?
Oren from Anarchy writes: "A Latin Line titled Border Hoppers I think tops the list."
In a thread on "Offensive porn titles." Are those moderators asleep at the wheel or what? I won't repeat it here. Check it out yourself if you want. As for the authors, what a pair of s----for-brains. The bottom feeding of some people never ceases to amaze.
Here's part of their reasoning, as articulated by ADT owner Steph:
"We work hard to maintain a friendly environment but are not going to remove every stupid and offensive remark. ... Haze posted a title that would be too offensive for a company to use. He did not call someone a kike. You are making a mountain out of a molehill. ... It's a thread specifically about offensive titles."
Here's part of my response: "It's a NON-EXISTENT title. It would be a different story if it was a REAL title. The thread ISN'T about concocting the most offensive title one can think of. It's about REAL offensive titles, duh."
Whatever. They made their decision. As stubbornly stupid as it is. ADT moderators will admonish posters not to "flame" other posters, i.e, criticize them, but won't take down a flat-out ethnic slur. Maybe they need to re-think their priorities.
Steph (co-owner of ADT with her husband Drew Black) responds:
While we are posting private emails - here is Mike's comment that led me to not value his opinion: "I'm not going to let this go. I don't mean to cause problems for you, but as the editor of AVN, I have some clout, and I intend to use it when I contact whoever runs adultdvdtalk on Monday and ask why racial slurs are permitted on the site?"
Heidi Pike-Johnson writes in her review of Riot Sluts in the AVN magazine September 2004: "Ariana Jollee does her first interracial scene complete with d.p.s, a whole lotta butt sex and calls herself a 'filthy kike' mid-f---. It's what she wants to do, and she does it."
Mike Ramone responds: "Drew, big difference between Ariana, a Jew, calling herself that, actually uttering the words, and Haze making up a title with the "k" word in it. even so, I did raise my eyebrows at the Ariana reference."
Funny... AVN gave a good review of Slant Eye for the Straight Guy. Last time I checked, slant eye is a racial slur. Hell, the title was mentioned in one of the early posts of that thread yet I don't see you going all anti-defamation league over it.
Mike Ramone writes:
"Slant Eye," though racially insensitive, isn't a flat-out, full-on racial slur like "kike" or "gook." I draw a difference.
I'm not trying to throw my weight around, but only made the clout remark after very nicely asking ADT to please remove the "k" word reference and incrediously being told no. Being told no from moderators who on occasion delete posts because they consider them "flaming." But I suppose a flat-out ethnic slur doesn't rise to that level.
As a Jew, I find the reference offensive and ADT's reasoning for leaving it up extremely weak and inexplicable. Like, "Ohh, Ramone said 'clout,' so I'm gonna spite him and leave the 'k' word up there." Well, you know what? What's right is right no matter how the request is phrased. Simply unbelievable that they won't take that down. But it's a done deal at this point.
Morbid Thoughts replies:
As an Asian, I draw the line at where you try to tell me what's a flat-out, full-on racial slur to an asian and what's not since I get to be the one that experiences this (and I have). Slant-eye has been used as a derogatory racial slur against many asians and those of mixed asian blood.
The only difference I see is that you're telling someone else how and what to censor the very thing you allow in your magazine.
Mike, Don't you find it to be quite a paradox that you express dissatisfaction with the racial slurs on another site (ADT) and you never addressed your own website's racial slur? AVN clearly took MONEY from an advertiser called MY DAUGHTERISf---INGANIGGER.COM. It was up for two months before it was changed. But NONETHELESS, AVN supported, and promoted a website with a filthier racial slur. Care to explain?
Mike Ramone responds:
KB - IF true, and you being the brother in law of our former head of advertising, I will take you at your word. So if true: I was unaware of that (1 - advertising isn't my department; 2 - you say the ad ran on our website, of which I am not the editor; 3 - what's the time frame? it may have run, if it ran, prior to me starting here). But in any event, such an ad is clearly unacceptable. And there is absolutely no way the owners of this company would have approved such an ad, so it obviously slipped onto our site under their radars. And isn't the important thing that unlike ADT, we conceded such an ad was inappropriate and had it changed?
As far as Lars' latest rage-fueled rant, once again he's demonstrating just how completely over his head he is when he tries to be a media critic. Using whatever clout one has to try to wrong a right is a virtue. Is it wrong, for say, the L.A. Times to use its clout to combat racism? Don't you think the L.A. Times would be more effective in combatting racism because of its clout than say the average citizen? Is it wrong for AVN to use its clout to shine a light on Lars' depraved kill-animals-then-f----on-them business (the basis of all his rants against us and me in particular, since I wrote the articles)? Of course not. And clearly I don't have much clout since ADT said no.
Ben writes me:
What's the big deal about using 'kike' or 'filthy Jew' or 'Holocast survivor' or anything else? You guys throw around 'nigger' like its nothing and have no problem readily promoting girls who don't do black guys. Would the Jewish owners of companies ever use a girl who blatantly said she refuses with work with 'kikes' or 'filthy jews'? Let's get real and face the facts. Its the same hipocrasy has George W. Bush wanting war but doesn't want his daughters enlisting. They can go to Yale but not the Navy Academy. Give me a break.
I don't think I'd have to do much research to come up with a pretty lengthy list of racially offensive titles that deal with black and inter-racial flicks. Hell, I've shot some of them. But I don't recall AVN having a problem with any of those. In fact, I don't recall them having a problem giving some of them some pretty good reviews.
Howz that happen? Oh, wait. Could it be that there aren't too many black owners of big porn companies who buy AVN advertising while there's many, MANY Jewish company owners who do? Nah. It couldn't be anything as simple as that.
Hey Mikey! Two words, pal (and my guess is they probably won't offend your gentle sensibilities): Nigga Please!
Jake writes me:
The entire title controversy is from adultdvdtalk is bananas. The comment from Haze was a joke, maybe bad but still a joke. To watch Mike from AVN throw around his "clout" because he was offended? Oh my goodness, Mike...posting something like that will not save your karma. You are doomed brother, you cannot fix your soul. Rot on.
Wow, my post wasn't to offend I was only exaggerating a title that could be deemed "too offensive." I'm not antisemetic at all. I mean using the words "whore" or "cunt" or calling a woman a "f--khole" is not the most politically correct terminology either. BTW, is there not a porn title called "Yellow Fever"?
Lost Terrorism writes on ADT:
It's great to see that porn has moved on from producing titles that make offensive reference to black people to now producing titles that make offensive reference to people of all colours, races, nationalities and religions. Equal oppurtunites racism, the wave of the future.
Buy Buy writes: "I love these racially insensitive titled that degrade women. They are so funny and shouldn't be taken so seriously. Nowhere can you find an industry that doesn't care about politically incorrect statements and titles. More power to the authors who invent such insulting profanity."
David Aaron Clark writes:
Perhaps Mike is trying to get a little inter-site brouhaha going so that the other site can catch up, traffic-wise.
Considering that Khan has always enjoyed making self-mocking "Can you see the horns? Can you see my cloven hooves?" evil-Jewish-pornographer remarks himself (in between attempts at emotionally brutalizing abused & destitute teens, which of course doesn't offend Mike's sensibilities in the least), the irony drips like frosting in the rain, methinks!
How is [it] that Rob Black is a First Amendment hero for depicting rape & brutalization of pregnant women during a career based pretty much on the living out of hate fantasies; TT Boy, et al are considered industry icons to be honored; and Khan is allowed to buy advertising space & his distributor's press releases are dutifully run verbatim -- but poor little Haze is now a threat to world peace?
In case you haven’t heard, Mike Ramone, Editor in Chief of AVN , is offended. Furthermore, in case you weren’t aware, since someone at AVN is upset this means we as a collective community of adult industry workers and fans should also be beside ourselves with anger and outrage. AVN is undoubtedly the litmus test that all expression in or around this industry must pass and frankly this Haze guy over on AdultDVDTalk has failed that test miserably.
JimmyD writes on ADT about offensive porn titles:
Let me start by proudly stating that i'm a wop, a guinea, a dago greaseball who would have no problem with a title like, "F--- My Greaseballed Pussy You Freaking Wop Bastard."
Having genteely said that, let me also pay my respects to the owners of this site for their courage in the face of overwhelming hypocrisy. Suddenly, the editor-in-chief of the XXX industry's premier trade magazine has his panties in a twist over the idea of racially offensive/insensitive porn titles? Or should I say, porn titles that are offensive/insensitive to people of the jewish persuasion...make that of the jewish, porn-company owner, persuasion?
If this ain't the kettle calling the pot black i don't know what is. (Uhhh, was that a racially insensitive adage? hmmm... I don't even know anymore.)
When the editor-in-chief of this industry's...trade publication starts taking exception to certain racially or ethnically offensive titles, he'd best start indiscrimately taking all racial and ethnic slurs to task; whether he considers them offensive or simply insensitive.
And since he has invoked his lofty position at that trade publication, I'd say he practice what he preaches and he should begin lobbying to make it a policy at that trade publication to refute and refuse any and all references (at that trade publication) that are racially and/or ethnically offensive or insensitive (including the practice of accepting advertising dollars for titles that exploit bigotry and intolerance.)
Also, this policy should include all titles (and published references) that are decidedly misogynistic as well, including the use of terms like whore, f--k-hole, cock-socket, and any other terms that are of an insensitive and offensive nature to most women.
He should either do that, or publicly admit that the institution that employs him is one-sided and biased when it comes to what it considers to be racially, ethnically, and sexually offensive and insensitive in the context of titles and in published remarks and commentary. Either that, or he should shut his pie hole, crawl back to his little office on Eaton Ave, and continue quietly pursuing his alternate-lifestyle/Master Damian personna and leave the business of being coarse, vulgar, offensive and insensitive to the rest of us who, frankly, do it best. (Oh s---! I think that was another insensitive remark on my part. My bad.)
Sometimes I get the feeling that Jimmy doesn't like Mike.
12/5/06
On Monday, Dec. 4, I emailed Emily: "According to this post, AVN's Mike Ramone left a message on your machine asking for some sexual favor?"
She did not reply.
When I met Emily Tuesday at the LFP Studios in Chatsworth (for All Media Play's pornographic spoof of The Brady Bunch), I did not bring up my email, but she quickly said to me: "I am not going to confirm or deny."
She smiled and continued: "Let me just say that AVN has suddenly decided to do a feature article on me next month and they're putting me in their awards show and they've hooked me up with Wicked, Vivid and Digital Playground.
"I don't care if I commit career suicide."
On March 26, 2006, Rob Black emailed his former contract girl Kami Andrews:
Your welcome you did a realey good job in the scene. So far its coming out reley good. The movie is going to be real good i'm prity excited about it. Side note you have to see Mike Ramone this time around. It would be good for us. I realey would like to get a editors choice for this. He keeps breaking my balls about you. He has a hard on for you so we got to do it it would benifit us. There is definitley some award nom shit in this movie and taking care of him would put it over the top like I said its all politics but what do we care we do what we got to do to win. next year were noy going away with out any glass. I feel the turn coming for us it feels likebefore I ruined everything with wrestling. When we ruled this bizz talk later Rob
N-Word writes: "We've been through this Rob, it's not glass it is Lucite, which is a plastic polymer."
I asked Mike Ramone (circa May 29) about this. He said he had never solicited sex from any porn girl, not Kami, not anyone. He said that he would never offer an AVN award in exchange for sex even if he had the power to give AVN awards, which he does not. Mike gets but one vote (out of 40) in the awards process. He does not have the power to bestow AVN awards.
Kami and Mike never hooked up.
I told Mike in late May that I wouldn't print this email unless more developed on the story. I finally decided to run it Dec. 5 after reading related threads on ADT and XPT and talking to Emily Evermoore and people who knew her.
In early 2006, Kami made several comments online that then AVN editor Heidi Pike-Johnson used her influence at AVN to hook up with Kami's then lover/boyfriend Ivan.
I emailed Rob Black about his email to Kami and Black responded to me Aug. 1: "Yo I thought this issue came up before a couple weeks ago, and you talked to Mike and you said you wrer not going to run it. So I take it that you are going to run this email. What ever I know Mikey asked you not to but if you want to I cant stop you I think its uncool but what ever. That was a private email between me and Kamie she know wants to share that with you for no reson what so ever. To embaress Mikey and AVN. Thats kind of fucked and for you to play into it is kind of fucked but like I said what ever it dont do nothing to me. So if you want to do it I cant stop you and I got no coment on it either. Talk to you later RB"
Sir Greenly posts on XPT: "Kami ceased being Extreme's contract girl in early 2005, I believe. Also, Extreme hasn't won any AVN awards since 2000, (I looked it up) so Kami must realey, reley suck at sucking cock."
Tod Hunter emails:
A feature article plus hookups with Vivid, Wicked and Digital Playground? This has Ramone's fingerprints all over it, much like his categorical refusal a few years ago to nominate Aurora Snow as Best New Starlet so his fave, the too-long-in-the-business Justine Romée, could stay in -- and then the next year Snow "won" Female Performer of the Year after being followed around for three days by Dan Miller for a post-awards cover story. Makes you wonder what Romée did to make such an impression on Ramone.
Tod Hunter wrote Nov. 30, 2005:
Okay, there was a big party at the Burbank Airport and I was there and I took pictures and I'll probably write that up this week, and Vicky Vette was at the Spearmint Rhino in the City of Industry over the weekend and I took copious notes, but what I really want to talk about today is the AVN awards.
I notice that Paul has gotten really greedy and is now demanding 45 copies of every nominated video for his video stores, and director Mason sent me a gracious e-mail saying that I was wrong about which video of hers would get a bunch of nominations, and there weren't that many so I feel kinda dumb on that score, but I did notice a couple of things I thought I'd share with you.
First, what are the three things the AVN brain trust looks for when considering their awards? 1. Brutality. 2. Misogyny. 3. Ad purchases.
So I think that explains the Reuben Sturman Award to Rob Black. Brutality, check; Misogyny, check; and I guess Rob's paying his ad bills again.
A few years ago, in the nominations meetings, Mike Ramone declared that he thought Justine Romeé was "hot," and she was in as a Best New Starlet nominee. (That's the way Mikey used to run the meetings. His favorites were in, and everything else had to be discussed.)
A few days after the nominations were announced, an Internet columnist pointed out to me that Justine Romeé had been in the business for a couple of years, well past the 18-month limit. And oh by the way, we had managed to miss Aurora Snow, at the time within the 18-month limit and a promising talent on her way up.
I pointed this out to Mike, that we had a golden opportunity to declare Romeé ineligible and get Aurora Snow in there. Mike said "[That Internet guy] is an asshole, fuck him. Justine Romeé is in." Of course AVN looked like fools, and by the strangest of coincidences the very next year Aurora Snow not only won Female Performer Of The Year, she spent the entire Adult Expo being followed around by crack reporter Dan Miller for an extensive story, and she even got her picture on the cover. (http://www.adultvideonews.com/archives/200303/index.html)
Serious overcomp for Mikey's devotion to Justine Romeé, don'cha think? This year's egregious fuck-ups come in the category they are now calling "Best Mainstream Adult Release."
But before I start, let me give my bona fides on the mainstream front: I worked in mainstream television for 10 years. (Game shows. I went from one part of show business that gets no respect to another part of show business that gets no respect.) I have two Emmy nominations, and I joined the TV Academy and judged the Emmy Awards, daytime and prime time, for seven years. I was a regular attendee at the Los Angeles International Film Exposition, and worked there as a volunteer in the Public Information Booth and joined paid staff for the last few years of its existence as an editorial assistant for the Catalog. Let us continue.
Inside Deep Throat was nominated. The company affiliation is listed as "Universal Home Video." Okay, that's a slip, the company is actually called "Universal Studios Home Entertainment," it's kinda like saying "Home Ticket Office," everybody knows what you mean. The credits on the film read: Imagine Entertainment in association with HBO Documentary Films presents a Brian Grazer production in association with World Of Wonder a film by Fenton Bailey/Randy Barbato "Inside Deep Throat." See "Universal" there? Me neither. It does say "A Universal Release" though, over in the corner. Did I mention that all this was on the DVD box? Even Paul Fishbein, when he gave his condescending "kudos" to Brian Grazer, knew the difference, and gave his props to Brian Grazer, Imagine Entertainment, and World of Wonder.
That's nothin'. There's an Aurora-Snow-type oversight that's really egregious: Chloë Sevigny in The Brown Bunny. Sevigny was nominated for an Oscar® for Boys Don't Cry (she didn't win, but Hillary Swank did), and she actually sucked dick in The Brown Bunny. Why did she get overlooked? Maybe they couldn't make that two-dot doohickey over the "e"? Maybe they decided they put one Chloë in the Hall of Fame, and that was enough? Maybe Mike Ramone didn't think she was "hot," so she wasn't in? Maybe it didn't count because she didn't gag. Or do anal.
I'll tell you one thing: Don't bet against Chloë Sevigny for Female Performer of the Year next year.
A Disgusted Performer emails me:
Are you all taking crazy pills over at AVN. First off you gave her [Emily Evermoore] a soap box in your July issue in which she proudly tells the tale of how she was picked up walking the track in Vegas at last year's show. Nice to see you guy's encourage illegally prostitution with dirty street walker's.
She goes on to boldly state that she is not a porn star she is a "HO" and basically says that porn stars are Pre Madonnas.She thumb's her nose at they entire industry and the assholes over at AVN are to lazy to read there on craptackular interview's.
So it should not surprise any one that the AVN plan's on harboring a convicted drug felon hooker to be part of the circus show, I guess you carny folk stick together.
I have an idea why don't you morons at AVN have a real porn star be part of your show, not a hooker who has only done 13 movies up on that stage. I don't know how she (Emily) will find the time to be interviewed or even be part of the award show between responding to her seedy prostitute craigslist ads which she post using her stage name. The potential jail time she is facing for her drug conviction and the pimp that she claims that she is hiding from who is in Vegas. All of this making her a bit unreliable.
But then again it's no big secret that the girl is a total joke. Just ask any agency in the valley about her track record, she has been kicked out of everyone of them. Ask any producer, she has flaked on half her shoots and the other half that she does grace with her presence she is high as a kite, to the point were she is sent home. Ask the DJ's over at K-SEX how many times she has left them without a guest, standing there with their dick's in the wind.
She (Emily) needs to return to the streets or should I quote her "All you need is 50.00 bucks and a hotel room"
She (Emily) does not deserve to be up on that stage.
On a final note if she is up on that stage the AVN will not only embarrass themselves even more than they already have but insult every actor or actress that does deserve to be up there.
Good Luck AVN you will need it!
Emily Evermoore Finds Niche in Adult
The sexy, whip smart Kansas native sat down with AVN.com recently after coming back from her short hiatus. Now the 21-year-old Evermoore, who has only shot a handful of titles for companies such as Hustler, Shane’s World and Evolution Erotica, is back and eager to show what she’s got.
12/08/06
Emily emails me:
I can not believe the entire ruckus this supposive voice mail has caused! I guess I should be thanking who ever started this for I have gotten exposure but it is hard to enjoy it when it is at the expense of some one else! Mike Ramone is a good reported and a real person and like everyone he deserves respect. As for Luke don’t nock him for not having a copy of the voicemail in question for I don’t even have such a recording. After all Paul Fishbind and AVN have done for porn I can not believe how cold the porn community is being to him. We must not forget if not for his company there wouldn’t be the AVN awards! He made the awards, he made the convention, and he made it so that they where big and recognized in the mainstream world. Not to mention no company has to give AVN money nothing is mandatory about his show or magazine. Then there is also all the hatred over him helping me and I am sorry this is so bothersome to everyone but let me clarify…..Paul met with me after hearing the gossip about Mike to insure that his business was not being ran in such away not to bribe me. The help I received from him was because of a few reasons… One being that I am personal friends with a long standing friend of his (which is what made the meeting possible) Another reason being due to him being proud of my new found Sobriety ( 2 months sober!!!)And the third reason because I am self represented. I encourage anyone without an agent that needs additional exposure to contact AVN that’s what its there for. I am not a perfect person far from it but the people getting hurt from this are good people. Please think about the hardships caused by this! I am just a girl with a passion for sex and attention but not this kind! I just want to make rent and be as fair as I can. All this needs to just blow over. Come on lets give some one else the gossip page.
12/19/06
Dan Miller Named Editor-in-Chief of AVN Magazine
Dan Miller has been named the new editor-in-chief of AVN magazine, effective immediately. Miller has been on the AVN editorial staff since August of 2001, starting out as an associate editor for AVN.com, where he led the website’s coverage of 9-11.
"I am excited about the future of AVN with Dan at the helm,” AVN President Paul Fishbein said. “I know that he will carry on the excellent standard that our previous Editor-in-Chief, Mike Ramone, set over the past six years."
I kept hearing for weeks that Mike Ramone would be fired.
I called Emily Evermoore, whose comments two weeks ago provoked a fever pitch of speculation about Ramone.
Luke: "Did you hear Mike Ramone got fired?"
Emily: "Ohmigod. They told me they wouldn't fire him. It wasn't because of the voice mail. Let me call Paul [Fishbein]."
Later, all I could get was a "no comment" issued by Emily's attorney Michael Fattorosi (he introduced her to her first agent, Joel Lawrence, at the Jan. 2006 AEE).
What kind of crazy mixed-up world do we live in where the Emily Evermoores of the world issue "no comments" through attorneys? This is not the wild wild west of porn that I once knew and loved. Then I'd hear, "I'll break your legs, buddy."
I ask another industry source about Ramone and get a "no comment."
There must be a juicy story here if normally outspoken people are giving me "no comment."
Here's my discussion question of the day: Who is Dan Miller?
In February, I wrote: "Dan Miller and his sniffles and his paper bags is the most mysterious [AVN employee]. Don't accuse me of engaging in inscrutable Asian stereotypes."
It sounded to me like Dan Miller had a drug problem but I'm told he's a hard worker who gets into the office early and demonstrates no signs of drug abuse.
Here's one nugget: Dan Miller's asked AVN employees (when they've sought him out) to go back to their office and IM him when they have questions.
Dan Miller is not a people person. He's an introvert. "He's the opposite of a gonzo journalist," says one industry player.
I've rarely heard people talk about Dan Miller. I've never met anyone with strong feelings about him.
I had a friend who kept asking me Sunday and Monday, "Why wasn't Ramone at the Playboy party? Ramone goes to all the big parties. He must be on his way out of AVN."
Saturday night at the Playboy mansion, AVNers were tight-lipped when asked about Ramone.
It reminds me of the AVN demise of Heidi Joy Pike.
The story that Paul Fishbein and company give to their friends about this is that the Emily Evermoore, Kami Andrews, Jenna Presley rumors did in Mike Ramone. There's more juicy stuff to this story but I don't have it yet.
Dan Miller is tight with Wicked Pictures. I believe they threw him a birthday party.
Why Dan Miller to run AVN? This is not about Dan and his journalistic and leadership skills. This is about the demise of Mike Ramone aka Lord Master Damien.
Since Gene Ross, AVN's leaders Darren Roberts and Paul Fishbein have probably not wanted to keep anyone around too long in case they get to know too much about how the business works. The rumors about Ramone were probably a good excuse to move Mike out.
AVN Editors over the years have been larger-than-life characters such as Gene Ross, Bryn Pryor, Tim Connelly and Mike Ramone. By comparison, Dan Miller seems colorless.
Dec. 19 is a slow news day so I ask around about this story.
One source laughs when he picks up the phone. He knows why I'm calling.
"Dan Miller seems to be devoid of arrogance and ego," says the industry player. "He strikes me as somebody who wants to be a journalist and bring journalistic standards to AVN. I don't see him using his position for sexual favors... I don't see him abusing his power."
"Dan Miller's stories are not about him. He's stayed below the radar."
"He doesn't have an obstrusive personality. He strikes me as a guy who's interested."
Publicist Scott Hoover emails: "Luke- I just read your article on Dan Miller taking over Editor-in-Chief duties at AVN - Congratulations Dan! He was the first person at AVN that I had any contact with when I started in adult PR 5 years ago, and has always been gracious with his time and extremely professional."
Even though this is the biggest story of the day, I'm struck by how little it matters. It's not going to affect how anybody does business or how anybody buys porn. On the one hand, AVN is bigger than ever, and this one personnel change is not going to make much of a difference in its bureaucracy and product. On the other hand, there are so many sources of information on porn that AVN does not matter as much as it once did.
Dan Miller is an organization man. He's not going to rock the boat.
12/20/06
Yes, Paul, There Is A Lord Master Damien
Fred writes:
Luke, isn't it a fact that you are Lord Damien, and this is really how you earn your living? You use your hovel as a dungeon to torture and humiliate clients. (I assume that, usually, the humiliation merely results from being at the hovel.) Further, isn't lukeisback.com just a front so people won't know the real Luke? Come on. 'Fess up.
Interestingly, Lord Damien's statements urging men to betray their wives/girlfriends would be good fodder for religious right propaganda concerning what happens to Christian civilization as gays become accepted.
All things considered, Lord Damien is hilarious.
I got this email:
DEAR EDITOR:
I am 48 years old.
Some of my little friends say there is no Lord Master Damien.
Darren Roberts says, 'If you see it on Lukeisback.com, it's so.'
Please tell me the truth; is there a Lord Master Damien?
PAUL FISHBEIN
9414 Eton Ave, Chatsworth, CA, 91311.
PAUL, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, PAUL, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, PAUL, there is a Lord Master Damien. He exists certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Lord Master Damien! It would be as dreary as if there were no PAULS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Lord Master Damien! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Lord Master Damien, but even if they did not see Lord Master Damien coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Lord Master Damien, but that is no sign that there is no Lord Master Damien. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest man that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, PAUL, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Lord Master Damien! Thank GOD! He lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
Lord Master Damien: 'CHEAT ON YOUR WIFE, SERVICE MY GIANT COCK'
With the departure of Editor Mike Ramone from Adult Video News, I was feeling low Thursday afternoon. In need of some discipline, I put "Lord Master Damien" into Google.
The first two links went to lukeisback. The third read: "Find Bisexual Men for Adult Phone Sex at NiteFlirt"
I clicked on the link for details and found this:
I am evil, wicked, supreme LORD MASTER DAMIEN, the only real-f---ing-deal Master on Keen (not some clown in a t-shirt and sneakers calling himself a 'Master') and you will cheat on your f---ing cunt wife or girlfriend you closet faggot by servicing My huge f---ing cock; you know you can't resist; you're tired of that fat old hag and fantasize about sucking cock all the time; betray her love and trust by worshipping Me; I don't give a f--- about you loser; I only want to use and abuse you for your money and to get off on corrupting you and making you betray everything you hold dear. doesn't that make you tiny little "thing" stand at attention? you know you can't resist My wicked power, pig, so call Me now for My greater glory! I'll laugh at you while you gag on my Divine member and blow My load all over your f---ing face, then send you home to your fat-ass bitch....And if you're ever in L.A., cum see Me for real in My private, killer, fully-eqipped dungeon and I'll force you service Me in the flesh...AND CHECK OUT MY OTHER NASTY RECORDINGS YOU CUNTS: BRAND NEW!!! COCK WORSHIP: FAG FACE f---ING (Men Home Alone >Gay); Cum Worship a REAL Master bitch, not some phony (Find Men>BDSM/Fetish>Submissive Males); Rim My Asshole Bitch (Find Men>BDSM/Fetish>Masters); Greedy Master Will Gag You on My Huge Cock (Find Men>BDSM/Fetish>Masters); I Will Impale Your Ass with My Giant Cock (Find Men>BDSM/Fetish>Leather); Extreme Verbal Abuse: Listen at Your Own Risk Fag (Find Men>Men Home Alone>Gay); Verbal Fag Bashing: I'll Break You Bitch (Find Men>Men Home Alone>Gay) Cum Worship Your Master's Sweaty Feet Slave (Find Men>BDSM/Fetish>Feet/Shoes) OR, IF YOU'RE NOT TOO MUCH OF A PUSSY, CALL ME LIVE; COPY AND PASTE MY HOMEPAGE URL - http://www.keen.com/Lord Master Damien - ONTO YOUR BROWSER TO FIND ALL MY LIVE LISTINGS WIMP. Now hop to it.
Ramone gets five stars from 16 happy customers on the Niteflirt.com website.
Nburrows writes: "Everything in the recording came as advertised...i am embarrassed to have called and i don't know if i'll be able to look at my fiancee the same way now. Very dominant, very controlling...the recording was so intimidating i hung up early, but i am scared, because i think it may have changed me..."
JHC writes: "Wow! ! ! Lord Master Damien is awesome. He really knows how to push my buttons, laughing at me as I betray my wife… cause he knows I want to suck his cock so bad."
It costs only $2:29 a minute to get a recorded call from Ramone which seemed like a bargain to me. So I filled out my credit card information and sat by the phone for Mike.
This is what I heard (.wav file).
Mike Ramone responds:
Sorry to disappoint you Luke, but I've been out of the Lord Master Damien business for a few years now, But even if I wasn't, so what? Porn is all about fantasy - fantasy that more times than not has little to do with reality. Speaking of which, let me take this opportunity to say that I always find it amusing that in the porn industry of all industries, the fact that a male who is into fetish and BDSM is still grounds for attempted ridicule by some of the industry's more conservative elements. I mean, the banking industry might be one thing - but even there, as in all segments of society, there are BDSM adherents - but the porn industry?!? Cut me a break, why don't you? The fetish scene based in downtown L.A. that I was an integral part of several years ago was a sexually highly sophisticated one composed primarily of female tops and male bottoms (but not exclusively - there were some male tops and some female bottoms) and it, well, actually, fetish in general, has had an explosive influence on porn in the last half decade (a little movie from a few years ago named The Fashionistas, for starters, up to and including this year's Fashionistas Safado, The Story of O, Corruption and many others). There's hardly a porn release these days that doesn't have some fetish content, if not a lot. Fetish has always been part of the adult video scene, going back to Femmes De Sade and probably even further. And it always will be. Only now more than ever.
Tara emails: "Congratulations, you've hit an all-time new low even for you! Get that .wav file of Lord Master Damien's off your site, it's theft, because you're not a niteflirt.com affiliate. You are f--king horrible and I hope you get punched in the gut for this soon!"
