Goth Girls Looks Kind Of Lame: A Review Based On Conjecture And Innuendo

Honesty, integrity, tireless research and meticulous fact-checking. These are the credos of PornTribe News and Entertainment. But not today.

I have not actually seen Goth Girls, a new softcore/horror release from Doorway Productions. I have, however, visited their website and can say without a doubt, it's kind of lame. The still shots of the videos of their various productions are the epitome of low-budget doo-doo. This doesn't mean that I will never watch the video. Who knows? It might be so bad it's good.

I will give Doorway owner, Josh Maldonado, props though. He's doing what he wants to do and he's making money doing it.

"These are all softcore and bondage stories that have a 'Twilight Zone' feel to them," Maldonado said. "Some of the stories we do are a little cheesy, but they're usually creepy and erotic."

Goth Girls features Lynn Marz, Jessika del Monte, Cassie Zonbar and Nikki C.. I promise I'll check it out.

For more info about independent guerilla film-making, check out Robert Rodriguez's 10-minute Film School.

Military Guys Need Hot Gay Sex Too

A Fort Bragg paratrooper was caught performing on a gay porn site with a military theme this week. Unfortunately for Pfc. Richard T. Ashley, the U.S. Army didn't see the website's potential as a powerful marketing tool.

The paratrooper has plead guilty to sodomy, drug use and conduct detrimental to the military. He has been sentenced to 90 days in prison, demoted to private and received a bad conduct discharge.

"I've embarrassed the entire Army, my country and, most of all, dishonored God," Ashley said.

Oh, come on Dick. It's not that bad. You could have decided to join the French Foreign Legion.

Free Speech Lobbying Days A Hit In Sacramento

The Free Speech Coalition's ninth annual Celebrate Free Speech Lobbying Days went off without a hitch earlier this week. Lobbyists representing all aspects of the adult entertainment industry met with legislators in Sacramento, CA to discuss a wide range of issues. The FSC agenda did not include any specific legislation affecting the adult industry.

"I'm happy to say there are [no particular bills we are opposed to] this year," said FSC Legislative Affairs Director, Kat Sunlove. "We have found that in forging this kind of communication between our industry and lawmakers that there are fewer and fewer terrible bills that come out of this house, because they have a better understanding of the industry."

As a result, FSC junior lobbyists were able to provide legislators a welcome break from the usual whining of other special interest groups. Instead, the focus was on education and dissemination of information.

Sunlove organized industry representatives into three person teams and scheduled each team to meet with at least nine legislative offices throughout the day. Issues covered included the .xxx top level domain debate, the proposed bill for a federal tax on adult products and services, and the FSC's lawsuit against the new USC 2257, the federal recordkeeping and labeling law.

Lobbyists also handed out copies of the Free Speech Coalition's State of the Industry Report, 2006. The report details the industry's benefits to California including the number of jobs provided, worker salaries, income from product sales and services and taxes paid to the state by workers and companies.

"The FSC is the trade association of the adult entertainment industry," executive director Michelle Freridge summarized to reporters. "We represent more than 3,500 members, and the adult entertainment industry provides more than a quarter million jobs for Californians, generates more than $32 million in taxes in California, and was a multi-billion dollar industry across the country in 2005."

(Thanks to Mark Kernes, Senior Editor at AVN, whose article I just summarized)

Witches Are In Season At The Justice Department

A Michigan couple charged with distributing obscene materials was arrested Monday. John and Deborah Messer of Brutus, Michigan are facing up to 30 years in prison for selling obscene material through the mail and possession of child pornography.

"The indictment and arrests reflect the Justice Department's commitment to the vigorous enforcement of obscenity laws," said the DOJ's Obscenity Prosecution Task Force director Brent D. Ward. "Which is absolutely necessary if we are going to protect citizens from unlawful exposure of [sic] obscene materials."

I feel safer already.

Now, I'm just speculating here, but I think the child porn charges are probably bullshit. (If they're not, then now is a good time to announce that Porntribe is 100% for the castration of anyone who sexually exploits children.) It's been my observation that whenever the DOJ has a weak obscenity case, they tack on some child porn charges to vilify and humiliate the accused.

I don't know all the details of this case, yet. But the question begs to be asked: Who did the Messers hurt? Did they engage in a direct mail campaign, sending a barrage of unwrapped pornography to pre-schools across the nation? It seems to me that if they are being charged with selling pornography, then somebody out there made the grown-up decision to buy it.

This may all be elementary, but these are the absurdities that Porntribe will continue to challenge and expose. We will call out the hypocrites, warn you of the witch hunts and expose the real villains so, hopefully, one day, we can all jerk off in peace. So, FUCK YOU, Mr. Brent D. Ward, if for nothing else than forcing me to have to think about this crap.

Pro-Porn Lobbying Event Going On Right Now

Representatives from all areas of the adult entertainment world are gathered on the Capitol steps in Sacramento this morning, hoping to educate government officials and the general public about our often misunderstood industry. Now in its 9th year, the Celebrate Free Speech Lobbying Days, is a two day event where adult industry professionals get to visit with members of the California Legislature and make themselves available for interviews with the press.

This year's luminaries include long time activist and adult film star Nina Hartley, porn queen and former gubernatorial candidate, Mary Carey, retired Army Lt. Colonel and "the Oldest man in porn", Dave Cummings, and renowned AVN journalist, Mark Kernes.

Also attending are First amendment attorneys and Free Speech Coalition staff members Michelle Freridge and Jeffrey J. Douglas who will be available to discuss such issues as the proposed .xxx top level domain and the new USC 2257 currently being challenged by the FSC.

More to come as news flows in. Thanks for reading.

Porntribe Says Boink Magazine is Way Cool

It all started in 1999, when Vassar College began publishing Squirm Magazine, a campus news zine featuring nude photos of the student body and articles on sex. Other classy institutions soon followed suit, including Yale, Harvard and, most recently, the University of Chicago.

Although most of the other Ivy League sex mags operate with the approval of their school's administrations, Boston University's Boink Magazine just doesn't give a fuck. As a result, censorship issues are non-existent and the magazine is free to do what ever it pleases. This doesn't sit well with BU administrators but it seems there is little they can do about it.

"The university does not endorse, nor welcome, the prospective publication of Boink," said Dean of Students, Kenneth Elmore before the first printing in 2005. "Nor [do we] view its publication as a positive for the university community, because of the treatment of serious sexual health, relationship and related issues."

Now, if I was Ken's speech writer, I would have slipped the word "boink" in there at least three more times. Still, that probably wouldn't have helped much. The most damage the administration has been able to do to Boink is to not recognize them as an official student group, bar them from receiving any student funds and get them blacklisted at a nearby campus bookstore.

None of that has hurt the magazine. Sales and subscriptions are keeping Boink afloat and they're currently doing a brisk online business.

From what I've seen, Boink is a great magazine. The photos and articles are hot and professionally executed. And their mission is honest and real.

Alecia Oleyourryk, editor and publisher says that Boink embraces all kinds of sex so they don't discriminate against what gets published.

"Sadly, there are few formal forums for people our age to share their sexual experiences and to learn from others who are on the same journey," 21 year old Oleyourryk said. "Boink was created to fill that need."

Muslim Indonesia Still Going Nuts Over Playboy

Since the first press run sold out a week ago, the Indonesian edition of Playboy has been causing lots of controversy in the world's most populated Muslim nation. Last week, 300 men from the Islamic Defenders Front threw rocks and broke windows at Playboy's Jakarta headquarters forcing the magazine to close the office and move to a new location. Jakarta's chief of police is urging Playboy publisher, Ponti Carolus, to suspend publication in order to avoid further violence.

Though the majority of the nations citizens practice a moderate form of the faith, extreme Muslim groups have been gaining more and more social power over the past few years. There influence can be seen in a draft law currently being considered by the Indonesian parliament. If passed, the law would require heavy fines and jail time for anyone possessing or distributing pornography, impose strict guidelines for what kinds of clothing women can wear, and make homosexuality illegal.

Ironic sidenote: A porn site that claims to have received 46 million hits last month lists Indonesia as its #1 source of viewers.

Porn Store Evokes the Wrath of Stephen Baldwin

Plans for the opening of a 24 hour adult bookstore in the Village of Nyack, New York has some community members up in arms. The opening of Fama DVD & Video was approved by the Planning Board of the Village of Nyack last November by a 5-0 vote. The original plans allowed limited hours of operation but the store's owners, apparently in retaliation to community opposition, have requested permission to stay open 24 hours a day. The Plannng Board is claiming they have no legal recourse to block the request.

Although the town has been home to strip clubs and various adult businesses over the years, some residents feel this store crosses the line into a seediness they're not willing to accept. Actor Stephen Baldwin, a resident of nearby Grand View and born again Christian, was one who spoke his mind at an April 3 Village Hall meeting. Mr. Baldwin said he doesn't have a problem with Fama doing business; his main concern is with the location of the store, which is located on a main thoroughfare near a hospital and a middle school.

In addition to speaking out publicly on the issue Baldwin took action by standing outside the store last January, taking pictures of construction workers and employees. He has vowed to continue this surveillance when the store opens, photographing patrons then identifying them and publishing their names in the local newspaper.

"If the only defense I have is to photograph the patrons, then that's what I have to do," he said at the Village Hall meeting. "I want to do what I need to do to protect my family and the citizens of Nyack."

Now, you'd probably think I would rip this guy a new asshole, but I think Mr. Baldwin has a valid point. I'll even go so far as to say that I agree with his scare tactics (sorry, couldn't resist that one).

I did some poking around and found out that Nyack is a nice little town. It really is a village. They have nice restaurants, art festivals and cutsie shops. Twenty percent of their 6,737 residents are under the age of eighteen. So I have to ask, does this town really need an all day peep-show arcade? I feel bad for the shmoes who are gonna get humilated in all of this, (in case you didn't know, the guys who are heading into a video arcade at three in the morning aren't watching porn, they're looking to suck a little something-something that their wives just don't possess) but PornTribe is about freedom of expression, not cramming porn down people's throats.

So kudos to you Mr. Baldwin for standing up for what you believe in.

Extreme Associates Heads to the Supreme Court

Following in the footsteps of grandaddy Larry Flynt, Extreme Associates has filed a petition for a Writ of Centiorari with the clerk of the Supreme Court. The Court will now decide whether charges against the porn company will be dropped or they will stand trial for trafficking obscenity.

Though obscenity prosecutions have sharply increased under the current administration, there have been no major obscenity cases for almost a decade. The final outcome of U.S. v. Extreme Associates has far reaching consequences concerning free speech and personal responsibility. Indeed, the petition asks three fundamental questions:

1. "Whether the federal obscenity statutes as applied to the distribution of obscenity in private areas of the Internet, violate the individual right to privately access and view obscene materials."
2. "Whether the Court's previous determinations that the right to privately possess obscenity generates no corollary right to distribute obscenity are valid in light of the Court's emerging understanding of privacy and the advent of the Internet."
3. "Whether Lawrence v. Texas...eliminates Congress' ability to criminalize the distribution of obscenity in private areas of the Internet based solely on concerns for public morality."

These questions were addressed in the original trial and U.S. district Judge, Gary Lancaster dismissed all charges based on readings of the First amendment and prior Supreme Court rulings.

"The government can no longer rely on the advancement of a moral code, i.e., preventing consenting adults from entertaining lewd and lascivious thoughts as a legitimate, let alone a compelling, state interest," Lancaster said.

Last December, a three judge appeals court overturned Judge Lancaster's decision that the U.S. obscenity law was unconstitutional, forcing Extreme Associates' lawyers to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Now, it would be hard to argue that the material produced and distributed by Extreme Associates president, Rob Black, and his wife Lizzy Borden, is not truly obscene. To say they push the limits of good taste is an understatement. Much of their material depicts graphic, albeit simulated, violence towards women, including simulated rapes and killings. But the essence of their case is not about what is or is not offensive, or even psychologically harmful. It is about the boundaries of personal freedom. What can I possess, what can I view, and what can I express? The answers to these questions should be obvious-everything.

The fate of the Indonesian edition of Playboy magazine hangs in the balance.

Yesterday's New York Times reported that the Jakarta police have requested the magazine stop publication. Ponti Carolus, director of Playboy's publishing company, is taking the request under serious consideration. He promised a decision by sometime today.

The magazine has been causing quite an uproar in Indonesia, the world's most populated Islamic nation, especially among conservative muslims. This week saw at least two rowdy demonstrations outside Playboy's offices in Jakarta. Although most of Indonesia's muslim population practices a moderate form of the faith, some members do take things to the extreme.

"This is all part of a conspiracy aimed at destroying Islam through the moral corruption of its younger generation," said Mohamad Jamil, a protest organizer. "Therefore, there is no other choice than to destroy Playboy."

Dun, dun, da.

The first and only time I went to San Francisco's Exotic Erotic Ball, I caught my old girlfriend making out with a Persian princess. Well, at least she claimed to be Iranian royalty, but truth be told I demanded no proof of her assertion. The quintessential hottness of that situation should have turned me into a Baller for life but alas, I am not an exhibitonist at heart.

Still, it is exciting to report that the venerable event will kick off its 27th year with the first ever New York City appearence of Perry Mann's Exotic Erotic Ball and Expo. Part masquerade, part burlesque show and rock concert, the event has been drawing thousands of deviant revelers from across the country since before I knew what an erection was.

Responding to popular demand, the coordinators of the party will stage the event at Pier94NY this June 16 & 17. And you can be sure it will be a time to remember.

"We are pulling all the stops for the New York show," says event entertainment director Eric Masters. "We have performers flying in from Berlin, London and Japan."

Featured performers include The Torture King from the Jim Rose Sideshow, Rebecca from Rebecca's Rubber Room, and burlesque artists The Lollies and Kitten on the Keys.

Live music acts are still to be announced. Check out their web site at www.exoticeroticball.com for more info.

Adult film star, Haley Paige, is making the trasition from acting to directing. Smash Pictures signed the 23 year old starlet to a year long directing contract last month.

Relatively new to the adult industry, Paige has already appeared in close to 200 movies since she first entered the business two years ago.

"I just wish there were more young women directing," Paige said. "Then you'd see a change in how movies look."

Mark Kulkis, president of Kick Ass Pictures, will appear on "The Henry Rollins Show" tonight at 10 PM on the Independent Film Channel. Topics of discussion will include, you guessed it: pornography and free speech.

"I was honored to be asked on Henry's show since he's been such a rabid free speech advocate throughout the years," Kulkis said.

Kick Ass Pictures is based in Los Angeles and guarantees all natural breasts, no condoms and all naked sex. Excellent.

Thanks to AVN.

Playboy is causing a stir in Indonesia today with the first sales of a watered down edition of the magazine. Although baring less skin than its 1950's ancestor, the first edition is inspiring exteme emotional reactions in the world's largest Muslim nation.

A hard-line militant group, the Islamic Defenders Front, has threatend force to stop distribution of the magazine.

"According to our commitment," said a spokesman for the group. "If they don't withdraw it [Playboy magazine] then we will act in our own way, the forceful way."

Fucking ominous, don't you think?

The mainstream publishing world is finally taking notice of erotica written by and for women.

Avon Books and Harlequin Books have plans to launch steamier publishing houses later this spring. Avon Red and Harlequin Spice will offer such titles as "Agent Provocateur", a sordid tale of a woman trying to get away from the men who bought her at a strange auction.

Women's demand for more sexually explicit storytelling has been steadily on the rise. Tina Engler, an author of erotic fiction, started her website, Ellora's Cave, in 2000 to sell her own work and the work of other like-minded writers. By 2004, sales were hitting $1 million.

"Erotica legitimizes the female sexual experience," Engler says. "Women read these books and it makes them feel normal about their own fantasies."

The Department of Homeland Security's deputy press secretary is currently facing charges in Florida for using the internet to seduce someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl.

Brian J. Doyle, 55, spent nearly a month communicating with a Polk county detective posing as a teenager. He faces 23 counts of using a computer to seduce a child and transmission of harmful material to a minor. Each third-degree felony count carries a maximum sentence of five years.

A tax workshop was held last week at the New York City Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center on W. 13th Street. Dozens of sex industry workers attended, seeking advice on how to file for their less than orthodox professions.

The event was organized by the Prostitutes of New York, a sex worker advocacy group and the sex industry magazine, Spread. Spread executive editor, Audacia Ray, said, "A lot of prostitutes are making enough to get by, so filling [taxes] can make them feel like a part of society."

Jane Vincent, a foot fetish model, said she believed the workshop would "do alot to remove the shame and illegitimate nature of the industry."

One prostitute, addressing the fears many sex workers have had for years, had this to say: "I just write down that I'm self employed and leave it at that. The form doesn't ask and I don't tell. Just because I work as a prostitute, I still want to be a tax paying member of society."

Source: NY Times online, 4/05/06

The war on pornography rages on. Check out yesterday's AP article, "Activists Lament Porn's Move to Mainstream".

Apparently frustrated by that pesky First Ammendment, anti-porn crusaders are very busy developing new tactics to outlaw pornography. Their new strategy includes raising funds for brain research that proves that porn is physically harmful to humans. They hope their efforts will strengthen obscenity cases against adult industry defendants.

John Harmer, a Utah-based auto executive who has been fighting porn for forty years, summarized the game plan. "I'm convinced we'll demonstrate in the not too distant future the actual physical harm that pornography causes and hold them [the porn industry] financially accoutable. That could be the straw that breaks their back."

Whew. Fighting porn for forty years. John, you must be exhausted.

But seriously, this is the kind of devoted zealotry we've been facing in this country for two centuries. These people spend vast amounts of time, energy and resources fighting their personal demoms while under the delusion that they're working for the common good. They see porn as a manifestation of evil probably because their own secret desires are really dark and ugly.

That may be a presumptuous claim, but condsider the black and white inflammatory rhetoric the religious and moral right has been flinging around over the years. Anthony Comstock, the proto-typical anti-porn militant said in the late 1800's about obscentity, "Like a cancer it fastens itself upon the imagination, defiling the mind, corrupting the thoughts, leading to secret practices of most foul and revolting character, until the victim tires of life, and existence is scarcely endurable."

That was written over a century ago and relgio-reactionary conservatives are still operating from the same moral base. Activists like John Harmer would have us believe that porn is destroying the fabric of family values and now cite it as a reason American marriages are falling apart. What they fail to realize is that it is their own moral extremism that most contributes to sexual deviancy and is most likely responsible for the existence of modern pornography in the first place.

Paul Cambria, general council for the adult industry's advocacy group the Adult Freedom Foundation, has this to say. "The form of entertainment is no problem. There are individuals who are going to react abnormally to normal material, but it's not a problem for the average person." He goes on to say that "some people lie about it. It's their way of excusing personally unacceptable conduct-'It wasn't me-It was porn.'"

The sad and funny truth is that the villification of porn is a self defeating and futile strategy.

In 1969, Denmark became the first nation in the world to legalize pornography. Danish studies showed that although consumption of porn initially went through the roof, it has been on a long and steady decline ever since. After the porno wave had peaked a survey revealed that most Danes found porn to be "uninteresting" and even "repulsive". In fact, "the most common immediate reaction to one hour pornography stimulation was boredom," said Berl Kutchinsky of the Uninversity of Copenhagen.

So bring it on Mr Harmer, because as an aspiring pornographer the results of that research scare me a whole lot more than you do.

Sources: Associated Press 4/1/06; 'Reefer Madness', Eric Schlosser.

Vivid Entertainment will launch a new Burn-to-DVD service this Monday. Thirty DVD-quality titles will be available and all will include original DVD menus, scene selection and interactive features. The cost is $25 per download, about the cost of a retail priced video.

The April issue of Marie Claire is featuring an ad for a new Doc Johnson vibrator. The "Internet Enabled Rabbit" will allow a woman's partner to control the dildo via the internet by logging on to Highjoy.com.