Archive for February, 2008

XXXchurch Founder: Porn Is ‘Fantasy, Not Reality’

Posted on February 29th, 2008 in Uncategorized | Comments Off

 

ABC NEWS - Like it or hate it, pornography is almost impossible to ignore.

According to one trade publication, the business of porn earns about $14 billion a year, employs more than 100,000 people and is one of the most popular destinations for Web surfers.

Generally featuring consenting adults and regulated solely for those older than 18, viewing pornography seems to many like a harmless form of entertainment.

But others are not so sure. They suggest that the largest consumers of pornography are young boys between the ages of 12 and 17. They also claim that much of pornography is about degrading men and women and that pornography may harm marriages.

Last week, as part of “Sex Week at Yale” in New Haven. Conn., “Nightline” moderated a debate about porn.


 Watch the story tonight [Friday] on “Nightline” tonight at 11:35 p.m. ET

 

Four strong-willed individuals joined ABC News “Nightline” co-anchor Martin Bashir, who moderated the debate.

Arguing against pornography were Craig Gross, who runs an online community for people who feel they’ve become addicted to pornography, and Donny Pauling, who had a successful career as one of the nation’s foremost pornography producers only to find God, ditch porn and speak out against it.

On the pro-porn side, there was Monique Alexander, an actress and model who has a contract with Vivid Entertainment, the world’s largest adult-film producer, and Ron Jeremy, a well-educated actor who has appeared in more than 1,900 pornographic movies.

The debate started with a plea from Bashir. Past debates between Jeremy and Gross, who have met on stage more than 25 times, have brought booing, walkouts and even a nude streaker or two.

“I’d like you to display your cleverness and your intellect and all those vast thousands of dollars that your parents have spent on you,” Bashir told the rowdy crowd.

The students had been warned not to bring alcohol into the ballroom, but red cups and Red Bull cans peppering the floors after the debate ended indicated they’d done otherwise.

Gross, an evangelist who says believers of Christ have as much of a problem with pornography as unbelievers, spoke first. He responded first to Jeremy’s comment that he would “slam-dunk every one of his points.”

“At [5 feet 4 inches,] Ron, you won’t slam-dunk anything,” Gross said to much laughter. Then he jumped right into his argument. “I want to be clear that my ministry, XXXchurch.com, and my belief is not to take away your right to see porn. If you like porn, go ahead and watch it. I’m here to help those that are really having a tough time with this stuff, to help those that want out of porn.”

Porn Is ‘Fantasy, Not Reality’

“Pornography is not real,” said Gross. “It’s fantasy, not reality. You’re going to be disappointed in your future sex life, because it won’t match up to porn.”

Gross then turned his argument to Alexander and Jeremy. “Ron has been in this 29 years,” he said. “Monique is a contract star for Vivid. Most girls and guys are not in the position that they’re in, are not celebrities, are not making millions of dollars.”

Finally, he argued that porn seeps into the minds of minors. “The average age that someone sees porn is 11. Just show of hands, how many of you had seen porn before you were 18?”

Hands shot into the air. “You little perverts,” joked Jeremy.

“By a show of hands,” asked Jeremy, “who’s ever seen porn responsibly with a significant other, boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, that’s ever seen porn recreationally?” Many hands flew into the air.

People Can See Porn Responsibly

“I’m not saying there’s not a problem,” continued Jeremy, “but you don’t blame an entire industry on a few people that have problems. These are all very brilliant students. So people can see porn responsibly.”

Jeremy also took exception to Gross’ argument regarding the harsh, fetishlike content in some pornographic movies. “He’s talking about a very small section of the adult industry, and it exits. And for those kind of kinky fantasies, fine, but it’s not the majority.”

“And by the way, as far as children seeing porn, we’re not trying to do that,” he continued. “We have tons and tons of spy wares.”

“This is called the exterminator porn alert released,” he added, holding up a magazine ad. “They have this one here called the guardian office porn detector. So you can avoid your kids from seeing porn. It’s not that tough.”

‘We’re Intelligent Human Beings, We’re Not Animals’

Pauling, the former porn producer, was next. “Like Craig, even though I’m a Christian, I believe very firmly in freedom of speech,” he said. “But just because we can do something, doesn’t mean we should. You know, we’re intelligent human beings, we’re not animals. And when what we’re doing is costing someone else and causing pain to someone else, we probably shouldn’t be doing it.”

Pauling’s argument was based on true-life stories of women who had their personal lives damaged because of porn.

“I’ve had girls model for me in college,” he said. “I wasn’t dealing with broken people, I was dealing with educated students. And they would come in, they would think porn is harmless because they’ve bought into the lie that our society has shown them. They’d model for us, spend the money on rent, [but] then that content remains until they’re a grandma.”

He then read a letter he received from one of his former soft-core models, who was haunted by her past career when she tried to get married. “How long do these pictures circulate?” Pauling read. “I want them off the Internet. I’ll pay you money, whatever it takes. This will and is ruining my life.”

Alexander: ‘I Have No Sympathy for Any of These Girls’

Soon after the letter was read, it was Alexander’s turn to speak. “Oh geez, where do I begin after all that,” she pondered.

Alexander has a considerable number of credits to her name: “Barely Legal 19,” “Dirty Girls,” “I Swear, I’m 18″ and many that cannot mentioned in this article.

“When I got into this industry, I was 19 years old,” she said. “I’ve been around for almost seven years, and when I first got in, all I did was girl-girl stuff and soft-core stuff and all of that because I wasn’t ready to do boy-girl. And then I took a chance to get to know the industry, get to know the people, get to know what’s right and wrong. And then I was lucky enough to get the contract with Vivid.”

Alexander said porn actresses without contracts make more money because they get to work 10 times more. “And that’s why those girls are in the corner crying, throwing up and doing those things because [they're] working themselves to the bone. Those girls are choosing to do dirty things because they want the money.”

Alexander blamed the naivete of girls who don’t realize old pictures might come back to haunt them. “It’s their own fault,” she said. “I have no sympathy for any of these girls. You make a choice in your life. And when you’re 18, you’re considered an adult.”

“You know, with these pictures all over the Internet, when I decided to do boy-girl, I [knew I would] have to live with it for the rest of my life. I want to have a family, I wanna have children someday, and I know this is gonna come up. And I thought, if this is what I’m gonna do, I’m gonna be the best I possibly can and try to be a good person so that people can see that we’re not that bad of a people.”

Students Debate Porn

When the debate was opened to the floor, students fought to participate.

“What do your parents feel about your professional career?” one student asked Alexander.

“What do you think about amateur pornography that’s being uploaded by consenting adults?” another asked Jeremy.

One student asked Pauling about “this regret that you felt, and I just want to know why it took you nine years.”

Other questions and answers will be shown tonight on “Nightline.” The debate ended civilly and the participants swore they would continue their tradition of going out to eat afterward — Jeremy foots the bill.

“Great show!” exclaimed one student. Asked who won, another named Deanna said, “I don’t know! I think they both did well. I don’t know how I feel anymore.”

Other students were surprised by the arguments of the porn ministers. “I thought it was very interesting. It really changed my perspective on this whole industry,” said one student, who said he was shocked by the “harsh realities behind pornography.”

Others, like Diego, didn’t have their opinions changed. “It’s great to have open discussion, to get people thinking to begin with. Because I feel it’s become such a mainstream phenomenon that it’s to the point where people do it, and they don’t think of repercussions.”

Victoria’s Secret CEO Thinks Company Has Become Too Sexy for Its Own Good

Posted on February 29th, 2008 in Uncategorized | Comments Off

 

COLUMBUS, Ohio  [AP] —  Victoria’s Secret, the lingerie company that introduced the Very Sexy bra, the Fantasy Bra, and the Internet server-crashing fashion show, has become “too sexy” for its own good, its top executive said.

“We’ve so much gotten off our heritage … too sexy, and we use the word sexy a lot and really have forgotten the ultra feminine,” said Sharen Turney, Victoria’s Secret’s chief executive, in a call with industry analysts.

Victoria’s Secret was launched with the idea that Victoria was manor-born and lived in London, Turney said.

“I feel so strongly about us getting back to our heritage and really thinking in terms of ultra feminine and not just the word sexy and becoming much more relevant to our customer,” Turney said Thursday.

Turney said Victoria’s Secret has gotten younger with a strong focus on its successful Pink line of lingerie and loungewear created for college-age women, and has tried to chase those customers

Turney said Victoria’s Secret wants to increase its level of sophistication.

“We will also reinvent the sleepwear business and focus on product quality,” she said. “Our assortment will return to an ultra feminine lingerie brand to meet her needs and expectation.”

Sales at Victoria’s Secret, like many clothing retailers, have been slipping.

Victoria Secret’s parent, Limited Brands, said Wednesday that its fourth quarter profits fell 12 percent and that its first quarter earnings would come in below Wall Street expectations.

Same-store sales at Victoria’s Secret fell 2 percent in 2007, with sales in the fourth quarter dropping 8 percent.

The chain was started in San Francisco in 1977 by Roy Raymond, who said he was embarrassed trying to buy lingerie for his wife and hoped to provide a comfortable place for men to shop.

Teacher Allegedly Sends Boy Topless Pictures

Posted on February 29th, 2008 in Uncategorized | Comments Off

 

[FoxNews] - A Catholic school teacher on Friday was facing charges after allegedly e-mailing topless pictures of herself to a 15-year-old male student, MyFoxStl.com reported.

English teacher Melissa Moss, 27, was fired from her job at the Barat Academy in November after school officials said the teen’s parents, Robert and Kelly Pfeiffer, found the controversial pictures while monitoring his Internet use.

“It is very disturbing and you know it’s kind of a sign of the times the way we live with a lot of Internet access and Facebook and things like that. As a parent you have to be on constant vigil to make sure, you have to know what your kids are getting into,” Robert Pfeiffer told MyFoxStl.com.

Car-building legend, TV host Boyd Coddington: 1944 - 2008

Posted on February 29th, 2008 in Uncategorized | Comments Off

 LOS ANGELES [AP]  - Car-building legend Boyd Coddington, whose testosterone-injected cable TV reality show “American Hot Rod” introduced the nation to the West Coast hot rod guru, has died. He was 63.

Mr. Coddington died Wednesday at Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital in suburban Whittier.

Mr. Coddington, who started building cars when he was 13, set a standard for his workmanship and creativity, with his popular “Cadzilla” creation considered a design masterpiece. The customized car based on a 1950s Cadillac was built for rocker Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top.

Mr. Coddington was a machinist by trade, and his rolling creations captured the imagination of car-crazy Southern Californians.

He also customized 1932 Fords and car wheels. In fact, wheels by him sometimes fetched $2,000 apiece, which was unheard of two decades ago.

Mr. Coddington also surrounded himself with talent. Alumni from his shop include Jesse James and Chip Foose, who went on to open their own shops and star in reality TV shows.

Mr. Coddington twice won the Daimler-Chrysler Design Excellence Award, and he was inducted into the Grand National Roadster Show Hall of Fame, the National Rod & Custom Museum Hall of Fame and the Route 66 Wall of Fame.

Always dressed in a Hawaiian shirt, Mr. Coddington said he loved his “American Hot Rod” Discovery Channel show.

“The viewers are … people who lived in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s and loved these cars. Now they have money,” Mr. Coddington said in 2004.

Couple Charged With Selling Porn At Flea Market

Posted on February 28th, 2008 in Uncategorized | Comments Off

 Lexington, Kentucky [lex18] - A Wayne County couple is in trouble for allegedly distributing obscene material at a flea market.

Police in Wayne County say 38-year-old Leland Poore and his 27-year-old wife, Rose, are charged with distribution of obscene matter as well as advertising obscene material.

Someone who had attended Shopper’s Paradise Flea Market tipped off investigators. Police say they found obscene material, including DVD’s, videotapes, magazines and pictures openly displayed and sold to the public.

Call Girl: Denver Broncos, Diamondbacks, Nuggets Were Customers in Prostitution Ring

Posted on February 28th, 2008 in Uncategorized | Comments Off

 Denver [sports.aol.com]- Early this month, unsealed search warrants and affidavits revealed details of an 18-month investigation of what law-enforcement authorities described as a high-end prostitution business in Denver.

Although no one has been arrested in the investigation, the owner of a business called Denver Sugar/Denver Players had her cash, financial records and computers seized.

Now a woman described as an employee of Denver Players and a “call girl” is giving some details to CBS 4 in Denver, and yes, those details include pro athletes:

the woman said downtown lawyers, money managers and businessmen were just part of the clientele. She said “doctors … general contractors … professional athletes” also patronized the prostitution service, which usually charged about $300 for an hour of sex. “Nuggets basketball players … Arizona Diamondbacks … Rockies baseball players” and some Denver Broncos were customers she said.

Will anything come of this? It doesn’t sound like any athletes are likely to face criminal charges. But just as it was embarrassing for the Broncos when the name of Terrell Davis surfaced in the Gold Club investigation several years ago, it will prove embarrassing to the team if any players’ names surface this time around.

Anderson Seeks to Annul 2-Month Marriage

Posted on February 27th, 2008 in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Court documents show that Pamela Anderson is seeking an annulment, rather than a divorce, from husband Rick Salomon. The actress is seeking to annul the two-month marriage based on fraud. No other details were available, and Anderson’s publicist did not immediately return an e-mail request for comment Tuesday.

In court papers filed in Los Angeles on Friday, Anderson asked the court not to award spousal support and to keep her and Salomon’s income and property separate. On Monday, Anderson filed a request to have a retired judge handle the annulment proceedings — a common practice in celebrity split-ups as it keeps matters private and out of the court.

Anderson and Salomon, both 40, were married Oct. 6 in Las Vegas and separated Dec. 13. He’s best known for making a sex videotape with then-girlfriend Paris Hilton and was previously married to actress Shannen Doherty.

Anderson was previously married to singer Kid Rock and Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee.

Ninn Worx_SR Contract Starlet Nikki Kane Knows ‘Obsession’

Posted on February 27th, 2008 in Uncategorized | Comments Off

 Norco, California - Between the layers of passion and fantasy lies
‘Obsession’.

Ninn Worx_SR ships director Ethan Kane’s vehicle for contract star Nikki Kane to distributors on Wednesday, February 27, 2008.

Starlet Kane comments on her role in ‘Obsession’, “We did a lot of hot
scenes for this title. Ethan is an energetic director. He really brings
out the passion in every performer. The behind the scenes stuff is a lot
of fun, as we were all into each other. Jennifer Dark, Marie Luv, and
Marlie Moore are incredible in this. I had a lot of fun working with
everyone.And before you ask, I’m not related to Ethan even though we
share the Kane name.”

Ninn Worx_SR Production Manager Lorraine Sisco sums up the premise of
this all sex title, “Every one of the dancers in this erotic tango knows
that craving for the heat of their most intimate desires to be realized.
I love working with Ethan, as he definitely has some fetishes of his own
that sneak into his work. He’s in love with water, the femme fatale
motif and cinema-noir characteristics, yet he tends to give it a grungy,
urban feel that takes it into a different category from the usual noir
atmospheric setting.”

‘Obsession’ stars Nikki Kane, Jennifer Dark, Marlie Moore, Marie Luv,
Justin Magnum, TJ Cummings, Charles Dera, Jerry and Marco Banderas.

Operation Stormy Sweeps the Empire Awards

Posted on February 27th, 2008 in Uncategorized | Comments Off

 LOS ANGELES, CA - Canoga Park-based adult entertainment powerhouse Wicked Pictures and contract writer/director/performer Stormy Daniels have declared “mission accomplished” in their quest for Empire Awards victories.

The AVN award-winning Operation Desert Stormy triumphed in virtually every category it was nominated in by the esteemed critics of Adult DVD Empire. Wicked’s sweep was also significant in that it marked the second year in a row that the company was awarded the coveted Best Overall DVD Studio award.

Already dubbed ‘the best adult movie ever made’ by Adult DVD Empire, Operation Desert Stormy was declared victorious in the Best Overall DVD, Viewers Choice Award, Best Feature DVD, Best DVD Extras, Best DVD Commentary, and Editors Choice Awards categories.

In other Wicked highlights, the multi-disc release Flashpoint X scored the Best Classic DVD award, while Wicked Pictures was pronounced the Best Overall DVD Studio thanks to its continuing commitment to quality.

Already the 2008 AVN award winner for Best Sex Comedy, Operation Desert Stormy made industry news recently when a deluxe collector’s edition was released on HD DVD. The new multi-disc set includes an all new HD DVD 1080p vc-1 high definition anamorphic widescreen transfer of the movie, as well as three standard discs - two discs of extras and a final disc featuring trailers for some of Wicked’s most popular releases. The soundtrack options for the feature disc include 5.1 Dolby Surround English Audio and 2.0 Spanish Audio.

Wicked Pictures is pleased to congratulate current High Society and Genesis covergirl Stormy Daniels and the talented coalition of cast, crew, executives, and staff who continue to make Operation Desert Stormy a resounding success.

And as a company that releases just 50 movies a year in an industry that sees more than 10,000 new titles annually, Wicked Pictures thanks Adult DVD Empire for once again acknowledging their unswerving commitment to excellence.

To learn more about Stormy Daniels and Operation Desert Stormy, click here to visit Wicked Pictures.Com.

Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller to Retire

Posted on February 27th, 2008 in Uncategorized | Comments Off

 LOUISVILLE, Ky. [AP] - For lovers of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, Jimmy Bedford has the dream job.

As the brand’s sixth master distiller, Bedford is responsible for making the world-famous whiskey at the Jack Daniel Distillery, which was registered in 1866. He’s been featured as the face behind the product in advertising. And he’s traveled from the tiny Tennessee town of Lynchburg around the world to promote the brand.

On Tuesday, the 68-year-old Bedford said he’ll retire effective March 31 after working 40 years at the distillery, including the last 20 as master distiller.

“It’s been 40 enjoyable years for me,” Bedford said by phone in his deep baritone voice, as smooth as the whiskey he makes. “Being part in making a product that’s shipped around the world, I’ve had a lot of satisfaction in doing that.”

The job is important for Louisville-based liquor producer Brown-Forman Corp. Jack Daniel’s is the company’s flagship brand, with yearly worldwide sales surpassing 9 million cases.

“We’re going to miss Jimmy here in the hollow and around the world,” said Tommy Beam, the distillery’s senior vice president and general manager. “We thank him and wish him the best.”

Brown-Forman spokesman Phil Lynch said the company has been preparing for Bedford’s retirement for several years, including training potential successors. He said the company will announce a successor soon.

F. Paul Pacult, editor of Spirit Journal, said Bedford represents the best of American distilling.

“He’s been a creative, insightful force; a stickler for quality; and a fine, thoughtful gentleman to boot,” Pacult said. “The success of Jack Daniel’s has not been a surprise to the people who know Jimmy and his high standards of excellence.”

Bedford grew up on a farm near the Jack Daniel Distillery and worked there as part of the construction crew during his high school and college days. He thought about becoming a veterinarian but was talked into coming back home to work at the distillery. He eventually went to work full time in 1968 as a supervisor-trainee under the tutelage of master distiller Frank Bobo. The trainee designation soon was dropped, and the supervisory role gave him a broad knowledge of the distilling process.

“Back at that time, being a supervisor just didn’t mean that much,” he said. “I worked with my hands, ran the still, helped in the yeast room, helped in the mash room — whatever had to be done.”

When Bobo retired, Bedford was promoted to master distiller in 1988. He oversees the entire whiskey-making process of milling, yeasting, fermentation, distillation, charcoal mellowing and maturation. As the brand’s ads long proclaimed, Jack Daniel’s isn’t ready for bottling until Bedford says it is.

Bedford has overseen a dramatic surge in production as the brand’s popularity soared.

When Bedford started 40 years ago, Jack Daniel’s sales totaled fewer than 800,000 cases. Sales had reached 4 million cases when he took over as master distiller. Last year, sales exceeded 9.3 million cases and Brown-Forman predicts sales will approach 10 million cases in 2008. The brand is now sold in 135 countries.

But some things haven’t changed through the years.

“We still use the same grain formula, the same process,” Bedford said.

In recent years, Bedford took on the added role as a global ambassador for the brand, traveling to every state as well as 40 countries to promote Jack Daniel’s.

Once he’s retired, Bedford won’t be far away. His farm is about two miles from the distillery.

Soon the role of maintaining the whiskey’s consistent taste will fall to someone else.

Even while sticking with tradition, that doesn’t mean there won’t be a few tweaks by his successor.

“The master distiller prior to me didn’t do some of the things I’m doing,” he said. “Maybe the next person’s not going to do exactly the same things I’m doing.”