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Free Speech Coalition

Mike Ross wants to be known as the "Ralph Nader of porn."

"I want to be known as the guy who brought consumer protection to this industry," he says. For two years Mike served as the first full time lobbyist of the Free Speech Coalition, a pornographers' trade group. He was fired in late 1997 by Jeffrey Douglas and company. Kat Sunlove took his place.

Ross tried to gather enough nominations from members of the FSC to win a seat on the coalition's board of directors. He says he gathered enough, while FSC says he did not. Mike's goal is to remake the industry from within, starting by changing the FSC's name to the "American Pornographers Board."

"Why not call it like it is?" he says.

In late 1997, Mike formed the consumer group Your ALERT (Your Adult Liberties & Erotic Rights are Threatened). "We, the consumers, have to get help and are fighting to protect our rights because the owners are too busy fighting among themselves." Ross wants to implement standards for product quality.

"Most of the products are poorly made and because of the nature of the product, most consumers are too embarrassed to simply go in and return it if it doesn't work properly."

To fight child porn on the net, Ross supports giving Internet Service Providers (ISPs) a one-time tax incentive to reimburse them for creating their own blocking programs.

Ferrell Timlake owns Homegrown Video out of San Diego. "As a result of Michael's influence, my company has become more active in our community and, consequently, more respected," Timlake told the SN&R 11-26-97 issue. "He helped me realize how incredibly proactive my presentation can be."

In 1997, Mike Ross organized porn's first sustained lobbying of the California legislature, which resides in the state capitol of Sacramento. Pornographers made 73 appointments with legislators to argue against SC1013 - a bill that would have charged retailers who sell adult entertainment a tax of five percent of gross receipts. The bill did not pass.

"There's no question that the pornography industry is afraid of the consumer protection principles that I stand for," says Mike, "because it will cost them millions of dollars."

A porn fan writes to Luke F-rd:

As an outsider it seems to me that the porn business is run incredibly poorly from a business standpoint, a PR standpoint, a customer relations standpoint and from a talent standpoint. It sometimes makes me want to toss in my mantle of respectability and become a pornographer. I mean think about it -- where or how else on earth could a schlep like Ed Powers get rich and screw reasonably good looking women. Why does he use Jake Steed so much though now? It seems like the really good looking women screw Jake and the rest do Ed. The only reason to watch Ed Powers is to see a pathetic looking guy f--- beautiful women, otherwise his tapes might be used to prop up a broken couch and for no other reason.

From a consumers perspective, there are two major problems with porn (and dozens of minor one) -- zero creativity -- and the same boring, dull, bland guys over and over. As for creativity, once and a while some one comes up with something new -- Stagliano did, Max Hardcore did, even Ed Powers did -- but once they hit on something they just pump out the same formulaic crap over and over and over. I have no desire to see Dirty Debutantes 85 or whatever the hell its up to now. Same goes for Max World volume 25… unless he manages to start luring Vivid quality girls to his bizarre world in which case I would devote my entire life to watching Max stovepiping Janine.

NONE of the guys in the directorial side of the business seem to care a rats ass about what the fans want… I want to see Jenna Loves Rocco -- the Max Hardcore edition. Anything less than that I can see at home in my own mirror. 95 percent of the scenes are dull and lifeless and the "studs" are duds, I think because half of them are closet homosexuals or something -- Marc Wallace, Peter North and Eric Adams all have done homo stuff which to me should eliminate them from boy girl stuff, not because of AIDS but because any guy who would do another guy on camera is simply not aggressive enough to be a good porn stud.

I have a theory -- any porn stud that the women actually like (not who they find attractive but who they like -- e.g., oh he's nice) should be automatically disqualified from working in porn -- and Tom Byron would have to be at the top of the list -- seems like a "nice" guy, buts that's the problem -- for the porn starlets its like f---ing their friend or step brother -- no tension and no anxiety which is part of what makes real life sex exciting. About the only guys I would retain are TT Boy who occasionally throws a good f--- and of course my man Rocco, maybe Alex Sanders if he hasn't worked with a woman before, and lastly Max. By the end of a sex scene, I want it to look like a war has taken place -- sweaty, exhausted, panting, drained, sated and almost defeated(both the guy and the girl.) I'm almost afraid to go to a porn convention because there are so many guys who have done SO many s---TY scenes I feel like they have literally ripped me off by shooting two droplets of cum on Jenna's chin, or doing a half cock in three thrust anal with Asia Carerra. If I were directing I would say -- f--- that bitch in her ass until she absolutely demands and screams for you to stop and then I'll yell cut. Asia Carerra is a whole story onto herself. Beautiful, smart and deluded into thinking

I care about her computer prowess or acting ability. I DONT give a s--- if she is even literate -- I want to see a huge cock going up her cute Asian ass and a big load(five or six healthy dolops) spraying across her face. Other than that, I don't care what she likes, knows, feels etc. She's not my wife or girlfriend, who gives a s--- what she thinks -- shut up and suck bitch.

I know you are a more sensitive type than me Luke and I probably sound irate (which I am), but to me porn is not about beauty, romance, sensitivity or story lines. Its about this equation: The more beautiful the woman (and personally I love silicone Goddesses like Jenna, Olivia and Crystal Gold -- cute little 19 year olds with little tits I can pick up in Central Park or Greenwich Village on any spring day -- but huge titted, sex bombshells, I can't), plus the nastier, more physical, aggressive and  occasionally kinky or depraved the sex (although even for me Max and his speculems are overboard) equals the more entertaining movie.

Success = beautiful women + really nasty sex (not disgusting sex like Max -- rough and nasty sex like Rocco). Why aren't there dozens of Rocco type guys in porn as far as attitude and aggression?

John T Bone would have had it right with Jasmine, Angel Hart and your friend Shyla Foxxx if he ever hired some guys who knew how to f--- them right. Lastly, fan club f---s were a great idea, but the two I saw, IMHO, SUCKED!! I saw Nici Sterling's fan club prowl in which the only guys who looked like real fans did nothing more than beat off and I saw XXX in what to me seems like cold, distant, let me get this over with escort sex. Another great idea shot to s---. If some really good looking porn starlet were smart and not looking just to scam everyone (Jasmine) she would do a cross country dance tour and pick guys she has NEVER seen before to f--- on tape in any way he desires -- she could do like twenty of those a year, promote the hell out of it on the Net and while touring and create a genuine sensation . I know, all these women are deluded into thinking they are entertainers not hookers (even the ones who do escort work -- HA!).

Subj: Prager-L: What do y'all do with rentals?

Date: 98-05-07 12:20:49 EDT

From: eltonfan28@yahoo.com (David)

Sender: owner-prager-l@email.csun.edu

The internet newsgroup "rec.arts.movies.erotica" is devoted to discussing current news, trends, and issues pertaining to the adult video industry. Recently, a subject has come up that involves ethics, morals, and the law. Since the latter is an area in which Prager listeners are well informed in, I've decided to bring the discussion into this list in order to get input from the many knowledgeable and wise people here. Your input on this matter will be greatly appreciated since it seems to have many in the newsgroup in disagreement.

The subject causing confusion is the legality, ethics, and morality of copying videos that you rent, but not buy. Although video duplication is done with movies of all types, it is particularly commonplace with adult movies. Some argue that this is perfectly legal so long as you do not sell copies of the the tape or have it available for public viewing. Others, however, contend that unless you buy the tape, making any copies, even if it's just for personal use, is both immoral and illegal.

Below, I've posted some opinions from the people in the newsgroup regarding this subject.

STEVEBLUZ (the starter of the thread):

After several years of renting over 500 videos, I finally got over my laziness and hooked up my 2 vcrs. One plays, one records. This is much easier than you think. If you have 2 VCR's and cable hooked up throught your home, which many do, this is very simple...you need only to run the existing cable hookup from VCR to VCR.

Anyway, my point is what is the legality of this? The copied tapes are of course for my own personal consumption, but are there any laws or guidelines governing this activity?

Mike South (well-known porn producer):

It is legal as long as it is for your own personal use, you run into problems if you trade or sell it or show it publicly.

L.C. Salinas:

Mike's interpretation is wrong, and as a purveyor of filth, I find his stance curious. Mike would rather have you copy your rented copy of "Mike South's Hot F*ckers #27" (not legal) instead of purchasing one of his (legal, and finally beneficial to him)? Curious.

It seems to me that what you are after is a copy of the tape for use in your home; cassettes are sold for those purposes. Rentals do not transfer the "right to backup" to you (they stay with the video store, brad) so basically, you are paying for the right to borrow the tape and watch it.

Luke:

I am tempted to not care when it is with adult movies because I do not want these guys to make more money.

Then again, everything you do affects you. So, duplicating adult movies is probably morally backward, and will hence affect other behaviors. One sin leads to another, as one good deed leads to another. Big doors swing on small hinges.

Some very small deeds precipitated my choice of writing on my subject area and these small deeds will shape the rest of my life.

On the other hand, you can drive yourself crazy with these issues. Probably it is best to hold that the ideal is not to not duplicate, to minimize the amount of duplicating, particularly when the person/company you may be ripping off, is an esteemable one. Or make it up to the person.

For instance, I duplicated sections of many Prager essays on my site www.dennisprager.net. On the other hand, by so doing, I have brought him hundreds and probably thousands of dollars worth of business.

In the final analysis, I would probably go with whatever my rav [halakhic authority] ruled.

Brad Williams:

You can do what you are doing legally. The piracy issue comes into play if you do anything involving those copies besides personal consumption, like selling them or charging an "admission fee" to view it.

S. Andrew Roberts:

What you are doing is called video piracy. More properly termed as a copyright violation. The copies that you make are illegal. You are breaking a federal law and might end up in a federal prison for up to 10 years if you are ever caught.

Sniper:

But consider one final thing: For many years (and in some cases, still today) the cost of a "licensed" copy of a movie can be as high as $90. (I know this because I a store in my area, puts the price they had to pay for a movie [adult or otherwise] on the box, so you are forewarned of the charge you face should the movie be lost/destroyed).

Yet, movies that production companies know will sell high, will only "cost" $15-$25. Now, who's stealing....

finfelt:

If duplicating rentals for personal use is a felony, with my personal collection of gay porno spilling out in the hallways of my apartment building, I'm in big trouble.

It seems like legally if you use the tapes only for personal use, you're not breaking the law. But morally the question is are you taking away profit to the industry. I pay for the rentals, so I can certainly say I paid for the pleasure. Sure the industry would make more bucks if I bought the tape, but it's not like they didn't get their fair share (and a good gay new release is gonna run about 50-60 bucks). The question is whether I paid for the instant or the life of the tape when I rented.

Terry May:

He's copying from rentals. That's NOT legal, because he doesn't own the original.

GS:

I am not a lawyer but I have followed copyright law since 1972. I've been an artist, a commercial illustrator and now professionally manage web sites. I wish I could say that all private copying of anything were legal but I don't think this is the case. If anyone has more specific information than I provide below, please post it.

Brad has suggested that there is no federal "law that makes copying of a rental tape illegal." He is right that there is no law this specific, its the general copyright law which covers all kinds of creative works.

Lots of people are making issues of "home" or "private" or "non commercial" copying. Though apparently "private" copying is a legal concept in some European countries it is not a concept that is recognized in U.S. law. It is my understanding that the only explicit exception to copyright is for non commercial home audio taping of copyrighted sound recordings, which is recognized in the 1992, Audio Home Recording Act.

The general concept that provides for exceptions to copyright protection is "fair use".

Overfork:

There's another issue closely related to this currently being discussed in the halls of our beloved Congress. The proposition is to allow broadcasters and cablecasters the ability to encode their signal so that it cannot be recorded to video. This would mean no more watching the NHL playoffs and recording the Seinfeld finale. It all comes from the same issue being discussed here...who owns the rights to the product and how can those rights be protected.

This is currently being tossed around by the National Association of Broadcasters and through the Senate Commerce subcommittee on Communications, as well as the House Commerce subcommittee. Although I work in the television industry and know that copywritten material deserves to be protected, I don't believe that there are bad guys out there making multitudes of illegal copies of the Super Bowl...and even if there were this is a bass-ackwards way of dealing with it. As with all bulls--- legislation it dies a quick death when consumers stand up and demand some sanity. Please make your feelings known to your elected leaders.

Skankweed:

The courts have ruled that recording broadcast television for later personal use is legal. The warning the NFL gives during their games is clear: "Any COMMERCIAL use or rebroadcast of this transmission w/o the express written consent of the NFL is prohibited" I have no idea whether this same ruling applies to copying rented tapes, but I would guess not.

Dick Hertz posted to RAME about porn:

A long time ago, Woody Allen said (approximately),"There are three major things wrong with pornographic movies: they're immoral, they're degrading, and the lighting is terrible!" I can't do anything about the first two, but I'm really getting tired of the crap being put out today, and I want to let the vendors know what I like and what I don't.

For example: Unless I see a babe on the box that I just can't resist, I've rented my last Max Steiner movie. Why? Because the man doesn't know the first thing about making a porno movie.

I mean that literally. While he may know the second through fiftieth thing about making porno, and he somehow gets sexy girls to do incredibly nasty things, he doesn't know the FIRST thing about porno, which is, IN A PORNO MOVIE, THE WOMEN ARE SUPPOSED TO BE NAKED! You want to tease for a while, fine. You want to do some warm-up action while they still have some clothes on, OK. But when you get down to the serious stuff, LOSE THE CLOTHES. I just rented one (I think it was The Harder They Fall 5) with three scenes---the first two girls were really beautiful, like Private girls, and the third was Asian, and I love Asians. But even though the first and third appeared to have very nice natural boobs, I only got a glimpse of them because neither of the women removed a stitch of clothing throughout their entire scenes!

The only possible justification for leaving the clothes on is if it's essential to the plot, and the only possible justification for a plot in porno is if it's a couples movie, and somehow I don't see Max as a producer of couples movies. (Although this tape did have an (unintentionally) hilarious attempt at a plot, with Max fighting a ridiculously obvious fake snake!)

Other things that I hate in porno today:

1. Fake boobs

Producers, think about this for a minute. If you rent a tape called "Swedish Stewardesses", and the box guarantees an all-blond cast, but when you play it all the girls have obviously bleached hair, black roots, black eyebrows, black pubic hair, you aren't happy, right? If you rent a movie called "Teenage Schoolgirls" and the box guarantees an all teen-age cast, but when you play it all you see are older women with obvious face lifts and girdles, you aren't happy, right? So if you produce a tape called "Big Boob Bonanza" and all the women have obvious implants, what in the world makes you think we'll like it? I yield to no one in my admiration for big NATURAL boobs, but I'd much rather see a small-boobed girl in a hot scene than someone with gross scars, and boobs that look like grapefruits jutting straight up, stretching her skin so you can see the ribs coming off her sternum. Yuk!!

2. Bad Shave jobs

No, I don't especially like girls with body hair like Ed Asner. But I would much rather see pubic hair than a bunch of stubble, lumps, bumps, pimples, rashes, chancres, buboes, and other unsavory blemishes. I have been conditioned by 2 million years of evolution to find a nice triangular patch of pubic hair sexy, and a girl in panties is infinitely more sexy if you can see a hint of her pubes through the fabric. What I really hate is when I see Oriental girls (I love Asians) with shaved pussies, because nature has given them (well, many of them) the perfect pussy hair --- a sparse covering on the mound, very little on the lips. Just beautiful.

3. Stupid producer/directors

Read: Ed Powers. Someone sent this group a review of one of his movies where they chose, rather than bothering to describe the action, to just give him some very basic tips on how to not screw up a video, and they were right on target. Things like turn off the phone before you start shooting, set up the sound and lights before you start shooting, etc. I said above that Max didn't know the first thing about porno, well Ed doesn't know the first thing about photography. I've taken about three pictures in my life, but even I know YOU DON'T SHOOT WITH A BRIGHT LIGHT BEHIND THE SUBJECT! Evidently this bit of physics is beyond Ed, and occasionally Buttman, because they have had some otherwise good scenes ruined by putting a brightly sunlit window behind the action. But Ed is by far the worst...I can't believe anybody could be so cheap that he won't pay some guy minimum wage (hell, lots of guys would pay HIM) to hold the camera, instead of using a tripod. The last Ed Powers movie I rented (literally the last) had a beautiful Asian girl (I love Asians). She was apparently being cornholed by Ed while he repeatedly transferred his fingers from her pussy to her mouth. I say "apparently" because the camera was on a tripod, her face was in the middle of the frame, some furniture was in the right side of the frame, and HER PUSSY AND ASS WERE OFF-CAMERA ON THE LEFT!! YOU CHEAP BASTARD!!

Another thing I hate about Ed is he'll manage to do a decent cum-in-the-mouth shot, and then immediately demand that the girl spit it out. Christ, man, get your head out of your ass! We saw it go in her mouth, we don't need any further proof, we want to see her swallow it! The only thing I can figure is he does it for his still pictures, which is another annoyance to me---I don't want to see flashes and hear cameras snapping when I'm watching a video. You want to sell to magazines, do it on your own time, I paid to see a video! YOU CHEAP BASTARD!!

Other technical incompetence that permeates the industry:

· using a cheap camera so the color is weird and the focus is off

· zooming in so close that you can't see a thing (I recall a scene where a gorgeous girl was blowing a guy, the focus was sharp, the framing was perfect...and just when she opened wide to take his load, the moron on the camera zoomed in, completely losing the focus, and finally (3-4 seconds later) getting the focus back so we could see a giant closeup of her nose!

· having the sound so screwed up that the director's instructions are clearly audible and the woman's moans aren't

· using cheap tape (another reason I won't rent Max anymore ... maybe it's just bad luck, but his tapes always seem to have a lot of dropouts, and I find my VCR heads need cleaning soon after playing one of his tapes

4. Lockjawed facials

Call me crazy, but I always thought the idea of a facial was to get some cum in the mouth. If an actress doesn't want to do that, fine, but she better have an awful lot going for her otherwise. But when she says, "Ooh, come in my face, I want to taste it!" and then keeps her mouth clamped tightly shut when he does, she makes my s--- list.

5. Extra women for no particular reason

I realize there are different tastes in the world, and not everybody likes the same things I like in a woman. However, when the name of the tape is "Buttman's Extremely Big Tit Adventure", I think it's reasonable to assume that people who rent it want to see women with big tits. Now I think John does a pretty good job with the camera (ignoring a few bright windows in the background), and has apparently managed to find the last few women in the world with NATURAL big tits, but then he always seems to feel that one-on-one isn't good enough, so he'll throw in another girl or two with very average looks and spend half the scene on them.

Rodney Moore did the same thing in one of his CDLF I recently rented - the only reason I got the tape (I generally like Rodney's action, but too many of his girls look anorexic) was because of a woman with huge natural breasts on the box, and her scene was ruined because he spent two thirds of the time with another girl or running around his house. Guys, listen! If a woman has huge natural knockers, one on one (or many on one) is just fine! You'll save money, we'll be happier, everybody wins!

Ahhh, I feel better now.

Dick Hertz

(I studied masturbation at the Sorbonne)

Owsley:

When I rented Booty Duty 2 and found that it was missing a scene due to a mistake in the duplication process, I took the tape back to the store and told the manager that the tape was messed up. I told him that if they keep renting it or sell it people are going to complain. This store manager knows me because I come in that store so much but he didn't offer to refund my money, let me rent another tape at a discount, etc. He didn't even bother to watch the tape to see what I was talking about. He even put the tape back on the shelve for someone else to rent or buy while I was still there. He obviously doesn't give a rat's ass about whether his customers are ripped off or not.

I live in a large city with over 10 porno stores plus numerous mom and pop stores that rent/sell porn. Unfortunately none of them give a f--- about the customer or even know anything about the product they sell. I know more about porn that anybody that works in any of the porn shops around where I live.

Mike Ross published the following in AVN:

Two postage stamps, two envelopes, a website link, a phone call and a lean, green, George  Washington.

Since I started lobbying for you a year and a half ago, it has been suggested to me by several members of the community, that I use this column to make money, rather than to ìorganize and coach you through the legislative system.

What makes this suggestion tempting, yet difficult, is that I know this magazine is designed for, and read by, true Adult Entertainment aficionados and the business people who must be involved in both purchasing and selling new product and following political trends and activities because their constitutional and economic interests are on the line.

And even though I am a life long Republican and capitalist (I am just one small step away from being a Libertarian), I have been very hesitant to even ask for a postage stamp from anyone other than those whom I am now being sponsored by, simply because I don't want to upset  anyone and I need to report everything that is considered as income, not just with the IRS, but more importantly, with The Secretary of Statesí Office, the official organization that oversees the actions of registered lobbyists and their political activities.

After raking my brain for what seems like months, weeks, days and yes, hours at a time to figure out how I can capitalize on the exposure I receive from this column, I have finally figured out how to make money with this space and want to warn you that I am going to start my sales  pitch right now, so get ready....

Oops I forgot something... before I make the pitch, I want you to know exactly what I am going

to ask for and how it will be used... Ready?

Ex-Beatle John Lennon once wrote a song entitled Imagine, remember it? Well with that song playing in the background, I want you to imagine what would happen if everyone who makes money off this industry or reads this magazine/column, participated in this fund-raiser.

What I need from you is simple and outright cheap... so cheap in fact, that one of those man-made, tweed, polyester leisure suits from the ë70s looks expensive. I need: two postage stamps, two envelopes, one website link, one long distance call, three local calls, a webiste link  and one thin, green, legal George Washington.

That's right, you can now support your rights to free speech for as low as Georgeís smiling face and 10 or 15 minutes of your time. Well, actually its not just a dollar, it's a dollar, a couple of phone calls, a webiste link and 2 pre-stamped envelopes.

And what will I do with the money?

That is simple... I will donate it to whomever you designate. If I had my choice, as a lobbyist, I would contribute it towards the creation of an industry Political Action Committee (P.A.C.), whose goal is simple....to project your voice into the legislative process and thus defend and protect your 1st Amendment rights.

And can I do that with just a buck?

Well, we all know the answer to that, donít we? The answer is, you get what you pay for.

And where, as a porn fan, do I suggest that it go if it is not donated to a P.A.C.?

I don't exactly know, because it depends on who you designate it to. But I do have four outstanding ideas and causes in mind....

First, we can help provide the Free Speech Coalition with a campaign war chest, that can be used to fight for your rights, something that is desperately needed;

Second, we could use the money to help fund a variety of 1st Amendment education projects ranging from the initial operations of the P.A.C. to the posting of the Adult Entertainment

www.xxxadvocate.com

Third (and I'll seem greedy with this one), it could be used to pay for my salary, office and organizing expenses;

Finally, the money could be used to help organize consumers and fans in an effort to help defeat legislation that affects both your business and their rights as consumer to sell/purchase adult products in the United States.

And which one will I choose?

I won't. You will. When you send your dollar to me at 1808 Sherwood Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95822, (using one postage stamp, envelope and the dollar), it will be placed in the fund of your choice.

Want the money to go to an entity that really needs it, the Free Speech Coalition? Designate it.

Want money for the PAC.... Designate it...

Want the money to go to fighting/supporting bills - designate it

Want the money to go into a rape crises center - designate it

Get the hint?

As we all know, Freedom is a great concept and supported by our culture thanks to the U.S. Constitution and itsí partner, the Bill of Rights. But unfortunately, Freedom isn't free, its a right we have to continually fight long and hard for, and those fights cost time, effort and money. As a result, we all have to work hard at it (as a team), which means that if you can't, won't, or don't donate two postage stamps, two envelopes, a website link, make a couple of phone calls and donate one lousy George Washington to help protect your rights.... well, your simply fooling yourself about how important your constitutional rights actually are.

9/28/99

Brandy Alexandre responds: In response to Sande Weinstein's commentary to Gene Ross, he can tout the value of Mike Ross all she wants, but he's a whiner. He wrote a number of whining diatribes against AVN as engaging in censorship because they, as a private publisher opted against continuing his column. He cried censorship, obviously not knowing what censorship is. It negated everything positive he tried to say about or do for the industry, closed my ears to ever listening to him again, and destroyed the respect I would have needed in order to listen at all. I can't see getting behind someone who can't take his lumps.

Luke: Mike I would like you to comment on Brandy's comments.

Mike Ross: Brandy, I want to thank you for your compliments. Your thoughts, feelings and comments are as usual, always appreciated. In one's life, a lot of things happen. I am proud of the majority of the things that I have done in my life, just as I am regarding my "diatribe" against AVN. At this point in time, may I make a suggestion.... why not find out ALL the facts before forming an opinion, and then when times, circumstances and facts change, change your thinking to match the new day. with that in mind, AVN and I are working together again, because we have a job to do... stop government's (Local and State) from destroying this industry. As a result, I invite you to "read what's written to your heart's content", starting with the next issue (remember, its printed in advance, so this new relationship started two months ago). In closing, if you would like to talk about this, as with everyone in the industry, my office and staff are available, as well as myself at (916) 456-7311.

9/30/99

Mike Ross Loses His Wife

Mike Ross has lost his wife to porno. She's sick of him traipsing around the country raising money for the sex industry.

"My wife and I couldn't have kids," says Mike. "And it was a tremendous problem for her. But the real thing that pushed us into overdrive was the tremendous success I'm having building this organization. The more I travel, the bigger the thing gets, the more I accomplish, the less she felt a complete person because she felt I was overshadowing her. And there's nothing I can do to correct that. I became too successful.

"I've become driven to become the number one person in the industry. There have been pluses and minuses. One of the minuses is the thing with my wife. One of my pluses is that I feel that I have contributed greatly to the industry. I think the industry is poised to be treated respectfully and professionally.

"My wife says that for the last three years she hasn't been happy," said Ross. "I was shocked."

Ross: "My wife left when I was in Las Vegas doing the [strip club] show and that's why people have come to the conclusion that it was not because of me and it was not because of her but because of what's going on, i.e., I'm becoming more famous and stuff. We're doing more things, we're making more money, we're changing the world. She feels she hasn't accomplished anything. She's worked in a grocery store for 24 years. And I can't help make her feel good.

"I can pick up the phone like I do with you and say, hey Luke, how are you doing, feel good, and pat you on the back. And I can support my wife and hug her and kiss her but it doesn't do any good."

Please email Luke if you have any ideas on how Mike can make his wife feel good. The future of the porn industry may hang in the balance. If Mike does not get sex in the next few weeks, he may go off on another of his Kat Sunlove tirades.

Mike Ross's marital break-up proves that Morality in Media was right - pornography does break up marriages.

Luke wonders if the newly single Ross becomes the executive director of the FSC, will he get as much porn star nooky as retiring Jewish exec Jeffrey Douglas?

Luke detected a very Jewish line of thought in Mike's interview with . Mike, who's been on Gene's site eight days in a row, told the AVN Polish-American lapsed Catholic: "You can operate a non-profit as a business and still be in good shape. Structurally, the things they need to do is professionalize the board. What we used to do with the United Jewish Appeal was have retreats. We'd go away and have someone from the United Way teach us how to be a board, how to operate professionally, how to vote, how to research issues, how to hire staff, how to promote, all that kind of stuff. And it's free for 501C3's of which Free Speech is. I suggested that they have somebody come in and teach them how to run their board. But they don't want to do it."

Luke has backed up his fellow Zionist Mike Ross for years now. It's nice to see that AVN is jumping on board after they, in pique, dropped him from their publication over a year ago for criticizing the sacred cow of the Free Speech Coalition aka The Pornographers Profits Cartel.

"We've seen the FSC self destructing," said Ross, "and we need to have them around. We may not like them..."

What Luke has long despised about the FSC (and Adult Video News) is their self righteousness. We know better than you because we're insiders. Just shut up and listen to us and do what we say. We will distribute the news. We are authorized. We are the Chosen Ones. Because we believe in our hearts that we are doing good, we are good. Our motives are good. Therefore, if you criticize us, you are opposing the Good and you are evil.

Luke wishes the porn industry trade group would get an honest name and make a new start. It's the Pornographers Profits Cartel. The FSC has as much to do with free speech as Luke the Jew does with Roman Catholic day schools.

Luke's written for two years about what a bunch of incompetent nincampoops the FSC (and AVN) have become but porn insiders have always told me that I did not know what I was writing about. That they (Paul Fishbein and company) truly knew what was going on. That the FSC was reorganizing and reenergized. Well Paul, I was right and you were wrong. The FSC is in big trouble. This week's five resignations from the board show that. And just like AVN had to make massive changes to catch up to the internet and launch GeneRoss.com, so too the FSC will probably have to be buried and start anew with an honest name.

People who criticize you and your organizations Paul, aren't always your enemies and people who assure you that you are on the right track are not always your friends.

I hear that Ross is in the process of assembling an alternative FSC board, to support Ross and new management for the porn industry trade group. These candidates include Mike South and XXX. Three people on the current board and one of the persons who quit are willing to support Ross.

I suspect that the Adult Entertainment Industry Education Fund (Mike's group) and the FSC will merge and come up with a new name.

I hear that the Ross-VCA lobbying movie is back on again and will star Juli Ashton, XXX and Nina Hartley. Mark Kernes is writing the foreword. Last year VCA director Jane Hamilton shot footage in Sacramento of Nina Hartley and Mike Horner demonstrating their political prowess by blowing a few legislators.

Talent interested in volunteering their talent for porno's version of "We Are The World," should contact Hamilton at VCA (818-718-0202).

Despite their many conflicts over the past two years, Ross and Hampshire are working together again. They're planning a prayer vigil in October to convert Southern Baptists to pornography.

Some people may think that my boosting of Mike Ross diminishes my credibility as a disinterested journalist. They are right.

10/1/99

Kat Sunlove writes : "Dear Gene, Those who forget the past are destined to repeat it. Because the composition of our industry changes dramatically every couple of years, I feel I must recite a few historical FACTS for the benefit of newcomers. I'm really tired of Mike Ross' disingenuous posturing going unanswered so I've decided I must set the record straight. As usual, Ross is careless with the facts and self-serving to a fault.

      "I have refrained from responding for years because of respect for the FSC's preference not to badmouth our former lobbyist, and because I did not want to debate someone dishonest. There is no honor in debating a liar, but in light of Mike's disinformation campaign aimed at a run for the FSC Board, I feel it is now necessary. Please note that I am writing in a personal capacity, not as representative of Free Speech Coalition.

      "First a little background. When I first met Mike, I was turned off by his egomaniacal style --- all me, me, me. In checking him out with the people I knew in Sacramento, most didn't know him; the ones who did characterized him as a bit of a buffoon, an oddball. OK, I thought, we're all a little odd just to be in this business.

      "But when he claimed to be the "first ever" to lobby for the adult industry, I had to correct him. In fact, Bobby Lilly, Nina Hartley, Miki Demarest, John Weston, Gloria Leonard, Layne Winklebleck and Yours Truly have lobbied on adult issues off and on for more than 15 years. One of Ross' main faults, in my opinion, is his failure to give credit to anyone else.

      "Nevertheless, I wanted to give him a chance to succeed since the industry certainly could benefit from a full-time presence in the Capitol. In order to fill in his knowledge of the adult industry, I offered to help him. And in fact, we once met at my home to discuss working together. At that time, he bragged to me that most of his "clients" were really just shell organizations, letterheads created on his computer with no real constituents. This, along with other indications that he and I did not share the same ethical standards, convinced me that I could not work with him. Still, I tried to give him advice and guidance based on my 20 years in the industry.

      "For instance, when Mike called me in February of 1997 to urge our support for the porn tax, I explained to him the error in his thinking. And when he needed assistance in his lobbying day event - a project he organized quite well, by the way - Bobby and Jeffrey and I were there to help. But as time went by, it became clear that Mike's focus was entirely self-aggrandizement and self-enrichment. And in spite of what I'm sure were his best efforts, he just couldn't get over what I call "the snicker factor," the kind of Beavis and Butthead sexual attitude that is like a cloying fan. He embodies the worst stereotypes surrounding our industry.

      "The fact is that two and a half years ago, when Mr. Ross' lobbying contract with FSC came up for renewal, the Board decided not to rehire him. In his angrier moments, Ross has characterized this event as a 'firing.' Probably they should have fired him just for shopping the porn tax but, having decided that they could no longer work with him, they merely exercised their option not to renew his contract.

      "Since then, Ross has conducted an incredibly vicious attack against FSC -- our goals, our structure, our integrity, our effectiveness -- and a very personal attack against Jeffrey Douglas, Executive Director, and myself. I have in my possession a page taken from Mike's website in which he accused Jeffrey of 'supporting child porn.' He accused me in his widely distributed newsletter of mishandling funds for National A.C.T., an anti-censorship group I'm involved with, as well as failure to file required forms for the group, both very serious accusations. Neither assertion was remotely true nor was any evidence ever produced suggesting that it was true, yet Ross has not even apologized for this libel. (Gene, I will fax you copies of these documents. I have many other examples of his perfidy.)

      "Ross has spent an amazing amount of energy trying to convince people that I am an ineffective lobbyist. He has printed numerous lies about my work - that I missed hearings, had no appointments scheduled, no one would talk to me in the Capitol. These things are flat out untrue (and impossible for him to assess anyway!).

      "I suppose we in FSC should be flattered in some ways. Mike has formed two organizations in the last two years, the NCA and the AEIEF. He claims to be raising money, having meetings, setting up PACs. And yet, at every opportunity, he tries to muscle into the leadership of FSC. Wouldn't you think he'd have enough to keep busy with his own two organizations? Why is he so focused on FSC? Could it be that he seeks validation from FSC, the only true trade association this industry has ever had?

      "Now let me respond to some of Mike's comments: Ross: 'I can't afford, because of what goes on in the political process, to have [FSC] disappear.'

      "Can anyone actually believe this? Having set up not one, but two competing organizations, nothing would serve his purposes more than to see FSC disappear.

      "Ross: 'They're looking for an executive director when I have volunteered to do it for free.'

      "Well, let's just say you get what you pay for. After all the lambasting of FSC that Mike has engaged in over the last two years, how can he possibly imagine in his wildest meglomaniacal dream that FSC would CONSIDER letting him run the organization. He had his chance to work for FSC and he lost it. Them's the breaks, kid. Get over it.

      "Ross: 'A lot of guys are disenchanted because there's no program.'

      "Now let's give credit where due here. Mike has developed a laudable program for the clubs and I wish him well in that endeavor. But I have heard no one, except Mike himself, talking about the lack of a program in FSC.

      "Unlike his groups, we are not a new organization in search of a program. We are a well-established 9-year-old organization and our programs already exist - insurance, legal referrals, legislative tracking and lobbying, special events and more. Although we do have plans for new member benefits and programs, unlike Mike, we do not publicly track these activities step-by-torturous-step. Mike describes every minutiae of progress that he makes, I suspect, in order to reap weekly accolades.

      "Ross: 'I've been denied every opportunity to participate on the Free Speech Coalition board.'

      "Curious, isn't it? After two years of lambasting the organization for every imaginable shortcoming, now Ross wants to help run it.

      "Ross: 'They don't want me to lobby for them.'

      "The fact is Ross DID lobby for FSC and he lost the job. Now he's correct: We don't want him to lobby for us. During my work in the Capitol over the last two years, I have watched Mike lobby and, while I wouldn't call him ineffectual, I would say that he turns off as many people as he turns on.

      "Ross: 'The problem with this industry is the egos.'

      "Well, now there's a subject that Mike certainly knows something about. Regards, Kat Sunlove, Lobbyist, Free Speech Coalition."

      Gloria Leonard writes: "Mike Ross is in desperate need of counseling! Aside from his nauseatingly endless references to "me," "mine," and "I," this egomaniacal bully speaks not only from both sides of his mouth, but much of what he has to say is downright pathetically laughable.

      "He states, 'I'm thinking about putting a slate together to put some new members on the board....I've been asked to start a new board and forget the old board.' Who, may I ask, Mike, has asked you to do this? Inasmuch as you are NOT even a board member, who exactly bestowed all this power upon you?

      "I suspect the 'mechanism' you refer to which would enable you to achieve this is Bill Margold, who believes in holding his enemies close! You further narcissistically rhapsodize that 'there's only one person qualified in America' to hold the Executive Director's position and of course, that's YOU too. I never said there was no money for an Executive Director but of course, you have to be able to read and comprehend, that what I in fact said, was that there weren't sufficient funds for a NATIONAL lobbyist based in Washington, D.C.

      "He goes on to acknowledge that our lobbyist, Kat Sunlove, 'plays a vital role' but then suggests that since he 'can't cover everything' that she is somehow his backup person. Mike, get a grip or get a therapist. And for the record, we indeed do follow Robert's Rules of Order at Board Meetings or would you prefer they be called "Mike's Rules of Disorder?" (From )

11/25/99

Moffit Timlake writes: "Luke, I knew Mike Ross had his s--- together- out there getting bills passed, helping defeat bills that shouldn't pass, organizing effectively, and not spending $56,000 on a f---ing secretary! Just which porner is Carol Berlitz related to? Say boo to censorship? That has to be the scariest thing I've ever heard. No wonder the real powers that be at FSC left en masse."

I interviewed adult industry lobbyist Mike Ross Tuesday afternoon.

Mike: "I finally understand why you were joking about Mara Epstein sucking my dick. It's because she's a lesbian, right? Somebody tells me she lives with Gloria Leonard. God forbid I want to start any rumors. And no I did not give Jeffrey Douglas a blowjob to get nominated for the Free Speech Coalition board.

"I'm pleased to be nominated for the board. I'm not really running for it but if everybody wants me to do it, I'm willing to set aside the time and effort... I do think that the concept of Free Speech and the Free Speech Coalition is important.

"I would like to see the FSC strengthen its focus...to let everybody know who we are, why we are here and what we are going to do. Sometimes that gets lost.

"I've got one thing over Gloria Leonard and the rest of them, I'm out there doing something. I've been active in Tampa with the fight to ban lap dancing... I met with all the people on the City Council. I gave a presentation. We're negotiating amendments. We may lose, but we're in the game. That's the key. How do we get Free Speech in the game."

Ross says the FSC needs to review its budget. Perhaps $56,000 a year for its secretary (Carol Berlitz) is excessive.

Mike: "We need to get control over staff and not have staff control us.

"We need to make sure our rules are adhered to, and that the membership understands how the board operates. If people don't know how we're structured, how are they going to get involved? If we don't have a strong focus, nobody will want to donate to us.

"We need a better fundraising system. We can't just rely on events like 'Say Boo to Censorship' and 'Night of the Stars.' We need to bring vendors into the process. Like the people who sell a million gallons of beer a month in our clubs... That they send letters to the City Council... We write the letter and hand it to them and all they do is put it on their stationary... There are companies that make a ton of money off the printing of boxcovers [Michael Warner's Great Western Visuals, for instance]. That company should be proud to send a letter to the City Council...

"The FSC has not introduced any bills in years. I've introduced several bills. They may not go anywhere but they help us build friends. Like the smoking bill [to permit smoking in clubs]. Now the regular bars consider us heroes because we're marching down the street trying to make this thing happen. It helps put us together with people with similar interests. Topless bars sell alcohol like regular bars... We have the same problems, same regulators. There are thousands of them in the state. By having 200 of us [adult cabarets] associated with them only makes them stronger. Especially since we control so much money.

"We have an industry that is heavily tape oriented. Why couldn't we do a 30-60 second tape urging people to vote? We need to use our best assets. So if that means we need to take Nina Hartley and put her in the middle of the Rose Bowl in Pasadena with 50,000 people, we need to promote that.

"We've [National Cabaret Association] come up with a new fundraising system. The third week of every month we're going to do a fundraiser in another city. There will be an owner's meeting in the afternoon, an entertainter's meeting in the evening... Then on Thursday we'll have a 'Talk Politics With The Stars' program. XXX will oversee it. The public will come in, the press, mayors from different communities. An open house. Everybody gets in free. Friday and Saturday night we will do a pageant and a voter registration drive. The first one is in Lexington, KY, the next one in Cincinnatti and the third one in Los Angeles.

"In the first two weeks of March, we will have 15 different seminars and events going on around the country. The Presidentail campaign will really heat up in March. March 7 is our (CA) primary, which happens to be my birthday.

"I'm getting hundreds of thousands of hits to my websites... The Free Speech Coalition is doing nothing with its site. We're doing vibrator testing again. And I've signed a deal with a company which will sell the vibrators we rate, and we will get a buck for each one that we sell. If we had 250 businesses doing something like this, we'd have more than enough money to participate professionally.

"We could go from legislature to legislature rather than sitting in one town like Miss Sunlove does.

"I would much rather see the Free Speech Coalition be a broad coalition of leaders for First Amendment rights rather than as the group that represents the XXX industry. For instance, Mike Ross could be their representative from the NCA [National Cabaret Association]. There's a guy who has the Tarheel Entertainment Association in North Carolina. He should be on the board of directors. There's a guy from the Texas Entertainment Association. And a guy from the, say, Adult Video Association.

"I want to make sure that we're organized, that we work together...

"There's going to be a big Supreme Court ruling on clubs in the next six months. No matter what happens, there's going to be a backlash of laws. If the Court sides with the clubs, then the cities have to change everything to be more lenient. If the Court says the cities can be more stringent, the cities will be more stringent. Either way, the decision is going to open up more doors for more legislative control. We're not organized for it. Is the FSC Y2K compliant? Are they ready for year 2000?

"I've raised about $70,000 this fiscal year..."

Luke: "Mike, do you want to be a FSC board member, FSC president, FSC lobbyist or FSC executive director?"

Mike: "If I'm elected, one, I represent the live entertainment industry. Two, we should work together. Three, if the people of the board want me for a certain position, I'm willing to do that...

"Here's the big difference between everybody else and me. They all have businesses to run. Lobbying for adult is my full time business. Al Gelbard, attorney, has a regular job. Gloria Leonard heads sales for Private USA."

Luke: "How long do you think Kat Sunlove, at $60,000 a year, will last as FSC's Sacramento lobbyist?"

Mike: "If I'm on the board of directors, I will give her every opportunity to prove the statements she makes.

"When Kat Sunlove comes before the board and says how much she needs to be paid and reimbursed for expenses... I am there [in Sacramento] and I do it for free.

"Remember in April when you were up at the Capitol and she was having a press conference while the bill was going on? You're either there for the bill or for the show. If she's for getting something done, then I am all for giving her a raise...

"I say to Kat: I think she's too much a First Amendment purist. My approach is more oriented to business. And if that means painting a pink building tan so it blends into the community, I'd tell my guys to do it. It's not an issue of free speech... I've been telling her for years that there are things that the Republicans are good for... She's like no, the Republicans are our enemies.

"Our enemies are the politicians in general. The Democrats, because they are the majority, can stop these things, if they were our friends. Republicans help us stop things [anti-sex entertainment bills] because they understand we are a business. They may not like us, but they like this: If they eliminated us, there would be people filling the market, by shooting up chicks, chaining them in the bathroom, gangraping them... All the things you heard about 20 years ago that don't happen anymore because these companies are legitimate. They are professional. We've taken all the crime out of it. Because they are recognized legal professionals.

"I noticed in her newsletter that she's broadening out to gun control... Some of her issues are good issues and First Amendment issues but they are not adult entertainment issues. I've always thought the industry has hidden behind the FSC. The National Cabaret Association wants everybody to know who they are. Maybe we need the Adult Video Association to be part of the Free Speech Coalition.

"One of the things I have to hand to myself... When my wife left, I was really hurt. I feared that working in this industry was going to hurt me meeting women... Oh man, when I work into a room now as a single guy, I'm getting calls from women all over. Before, everything was off limits. Now, on AOL, when I go into a chatroom, the women are all over me. Normally, the guys have to approach the women... But these women say, oh, I heard you did the vibrator test... I heard you're a porn guy. I had five girls last night... That was just one of them telling me that she didn't want to come over... That's ok because I have another one coming over later in the evening."

Luke: "Soon you'll have a freak of the week who likes to sit on bottles and have you drink champagne from her pussy."

Mike: "I've been working hard to get to where I've gotten, and if my wife doesn't want to be around, that's tough.

"Jane Hamilton is doing my lobbying video. I think this is going to change the way the industry thinks and acts. We talk about voter registration, getting involved, making sure that politicians don't outlaw you. We pop at the front of every tape and make excerpts out of it and send it to radio and TV stations so they can do shows and talk about it."

The FSC election is running now. The deadline is December 16. All FSC members are eligible to vote. There are 12 people running for eight positions.

Mike: "Several of the people I don't know and a couple I don't talk to. Mark Kernes I like, but we disagree on everything. What do you say about Bill Margold and Gloria Leonard? They've been here forever."

XXX writes Luke: "I read Mark Kernes whining on geneross.com. He says FSC executive director Jeffery Douglas does such a great job considering its a volunteer position and he isnt paid for it. WRONG until just a couple months ago they paid douglas 60K/yr right same as Kat Sunlove, which is $59,999 more than he is worth."