May 31, 2009
No On 8 Demostrations - May 2009 - Dazed and Confused
Last week's ruling by the California Supreme Court upholding Prop 8 has thrown everyone into a tizzy. I've got a lot of mixed feelings myself, and everyone else is pretty confused about what to think and what to do. As a result, a lot of people are making mis-guided moves just because they are frustrated, don't know what to do, but feel they need to do something.
Last Friday, Anna Conda and the gang from Charlie Horse decided to march down Polk Street to deliver bags of poop to the Supreme Court building. I marched with them, but kept thinking it was the wrong message. Even if it was the right message, nobody knew about it! The security guard came out and asked me what those little bags were. I didn't want him to call the cops, so I just said it was "gifts". If you're going to do a demonstration, make sure it's the right message directed to the right people AND make sure the media knows about it. Otherwise, you're wasting your time.
On Saturday morning we joined a caravan to Fresno for Meet In The Middle. I'm not sure what inspired me to go, and all the while there I questioned why I was there. I also questioned why we showed up as nuns, too. The Chronicle said, "...The stray drag queens who milled about the crowd Saturday were anomalies...", and that's what it felt like.
Also on Friday May 29, 2009's "Real Time With Bill Maher" during the segment "New Rules", Maher said,
"If you want me to take your stance on gay marriage seriously, don't wear flamboyant, over the top costumes. (Slide of Sister Tragedy Ann of Los Angeles.) That goes for you and you (Slide of Marcy Playground, a slide of a drag queen in short skirt holding a sign that reads, "Mormons have many wives, I just want one."), and you. (Slide of Pope Benedict 16th.)
The graphics below read "Disturbin' Outfitters".
As much as I hate to admit it, in order to win this for equal rights and marriage equality, the freaks, drag queens, leather guys, and such might have to sit back and let the nice lesbian mommies be in the spotlight. If you're fighting for the right to emulate heterosexuals and assimilate, then that's the image you need to project.
On Sunday, the Fresno group also held a leadership conference to discuss strategies. I knew I couldn't sit through that torture, so some of us played tourist in the vacationland known as Fresno. When we showed up at the end, the reports were that the more radical types felt the organizers are trying to keep the fight alive for a couple years to make a career out of it. They are also frustrated that everyone's taking a gentle, kumbayah approach rather than throwing bricks. There were, however, some very good statistics and market research studies presented that tends to support the notion of winning hearts and minds with the "we're just like you" approach. It's a bitter pill to swallow, but for the people who are passionate about assimilation and acceptance, more power to ya.
Enjoy the photos from my weekend of protest, including a little retail therapy. Note the paparazzi shots of Charlize Theron and Lance Dustin Black.
Posted by lavenderlounge at 11:04 PM | Comments (0)
May 29, 2009
The Male Figure - First Edition - Bruce of LA
I just received another big score from Ebay! Maybe not a big score in terms of volume, but something very collectible. It's a 1956 first edition (or Volume 1) Male Figure Magazine. I can't wait to get this one scanned and added to the website! I've been collecting so many awesome vintage gay porn magazines, I've had to hire an unemployed friend to do the scanning for me. We'll be adding new stuff a little at a time. You'll be blown away!
At the same time Bob Mizer was producing Physique Pictorial for his company, Athletic Model Guild, Bruce of LA put out his own magazine, Male Figure.
Both magazines worked on the premise that they were "catalogs" of models available for hire by artists and photographers. There was no nudity, because the naughty bits were covered with the essential "posing strap".
Though no one has really bothered to connect the dots, Mizer, Bruce and other physique photographers of the day were also working with Bob Weider, the guy who still publishes Muscle and Fitness magazine and produces the big bodybuilding competitions. The photos and magazines were done (and in the case of M&F) with a wink and a nod that they were about beauty, art and appreciation of physical specimens. In reality they were producing porn for gay men in whatever way they could do it legally at the time.
To see more of my collection of vintage gay porn, join the Lavender Lounge VIP Room to be treated to 10,000 images from the 1950s to the 1970s.
Posted by lavenderlounge at 3:44 PM | Comments (0)
May 28, 2009
Levi Johnston Shirtless - Gay Porn Is Next
Back on September 3, 2008 I made some predictions about Bristol Palin's hunky baby daddy, Levi Johnston. The scenario I wrote didn't turn out exactly as I predicted, but I came pretty damn close.
I predicted a quickie shotgun wedding and divorce after two years. In reality, they didn't even make it to the alter.
The same day he was to make the monumental appearance at the Republican Convention I predicted this:
"He might just decide he likes the spotlight, and once he gets Bristol off his back, a slimey agent gets him on reality shows. That idea flops, and next thing you know, he's on gay porn sites."
He did get on Tyra Banks and a slew of talk shows just as I predicted. And now, only eight months later, I find out that Levi Johnston posed shirtless for GQ Magazine! Um, for guys of my generation, GQ and International Male WAS gay porn! I jerked off to GQ plenty of times in my 20's.
So what's next for Ex-Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin's ex-son-in-law that never was?
"Hello, is this Randy Blue? Are you still looking for models?"
And as Perez Hilton said, "Hey, nice guns!"
See, I was right, and I'd still hit it.
Posted by lavenderlounge at 9:50 PM | Comments (0)
Can We Vote On YOUR Marriage Now?
If the christians succeed in preventing gay marriage, the next step is eliminating the other marriages they don't like. Watch the video.
Posted by lavenderlounge at 3:06 PM | Comments (0)
May 27, 2009
International Mr. Leather 2009 - Competition Is Fierce
Why are people so interested in contests and competitions? In the past few weeks, mainstream media was obsessed with the finals of American Idol and the controversy surrounding Miss California (aka The Biggest Loser). Those contests followed closely behind the most drawn-out contest in history, the November 4th elections. And now we're back with the biggest annual contest for gay males, the International Mr. Leather Contest.
For those of you who don't know, for the past 31 Memorial Day Weekends, the city of Chicago hosts an entire weekend of events culminating with a contest that awards the title "International Mr. Leather". Other than a sash and a few donated items, the winner receives no new car, no scholarship, no trip to Bermuda, no big fat check. What does he win? A year's worth of work raising money for charity, that's what!
Over 50 men competed this year, each having been selected in advance to represent their hometown, region or sponsor. In some cases, they had to win several preliminary contests just to be there. It's a grueling process that weeds out the vapid Carrie Prejeans early on. IML is clearly not a beauty contest, and many guys outside the leather subculture don't understand it when someone that doesn't look like a porn star is chosen as winner.
There were three contestants from San Francisco this time, but I was rooting for Brandon Clark, Mr. SF Leather. He made it to the top 20, was the best looking by far, and gave a rousing speech about Don't Ask Don't Tell from the perspective of being a veteran himself. Even if you closed your eyes and ignored his Tom of Finland physique, it was the only speech that really captivated the audience. From what the audience saw onstage, he should have won. However, there is plenty of judging that happens before they even get to the stage.
I've been to a zillion contests in the gay community. Leather contests, drag contests, bear contests, you name it. In 1996 I was flown to North Carolina to judge the Miss Gay America Pageant, not realizing that the pageant system in the southern states is different than we're used to in California. The winner of Miss Gay America is actually winning a paying job for a year. Naturally, when there is money involved, it gets a lot more cut throat. I am more accustomed to pageants like IML, Imperial Court and International Bear Rendezvous where winners use their title to help raise money. Who really needs to fight for the chance to do more work?
Even though there is less competition between contestants in pageants like IML, the culture around those contests has developed its own competitiveness. It's just a symptom of modern consumer society, but there's not much you can do about it. When the producers build up hype that IML weekend is a sexually charged free-for-all, it's human nature for everyone attending to want to look and dress their best. But is wearing $500 leather chaps really going to guarantee that you get laid?
If I go to an event like IML and allow myself to be neurotic about what I wear or how many sit-ups I did (or didn't do), then my mind wanders away from the actual contestants to some undefined competitors of my own sitting in the audience or hanging out in the lobby. If the men on stage have nothing tangible to win, what could I possibly hope to "win" competing against guys half my age and twice as athletic?
People with a taste for kinky sex seem to be in competition with themselves to reach a higher level of orgasm that humanly possible by incorporating something a little "extra" into their sex play. A toy, a piece of clothing, a particular setting, a role play, an element of danger, a bit of humor, creative expression, etc. all feed a need to go one step further. As consumers we're taught that spending money on a better cock ring, a bigger dildo, or a latex suit will give us better sex. The need for internalized one-upmanship not only leads to unnecessary consumer spending, but often the abuse of drugs / alcohol and risks to bodily harm.
When leather / kink players talk about "safe and sane" sex, it goes much deeper than choosing a safe word. To me it means staying true to what's right and wrong for your own well-being. If I want new boots, I wear them because I like them, not because I'm hoping to get laid wearing them. If I worried about my gray hair, or my glasses, or my beer gut preventing me from getting universal applause and adoration from every person in the building, I wouldn't be able to function. Not only is there competitiveness within myself to be the biggest, hottest, most attractive guy in the room, but in choosing a potential date for the evening, it's hard to squelch the urge to "shop" for the perfect abs, pecs, and biceps to take home. Well, that guy is cute, but I'll just wait for an even hotter one to come along before I approach him.
At this year's International Mr. Leather, I chose to not be neurotic about being in competition with myself or anyone else. Instead, I had fun with my friends, drank in more of the architecture than the vodka, enjoyed the performances, complimented others on their looks and accessories, and prevented myself from falling into the trap of competitiveness.
Another trick I use to stay sane among a sea of unbelievably handsome men (that want nothing to do with me), is to express myself creatively by taking photos. It keeps me busy and allows me to walk up to guys I've never have the courage to approach without a camera. I not only steal a little bit of their soul, but I am able to share it with others. Getting a VIP Membership to Lavender Lounge is not just a way to satisfy your own selfish indulgence to enhance your masturbation fantasies. Joining the Lavender Lounge VIP Room indirectly supports the good work done by the leather contestants featured in my photos, and improves my self-esteem by validating the work I do. Supporting Lavender Lounge is doing god's work! Join Now!
Posted by lavenderlounge at 2:37 PM | Comments (0)
May 25, 2009
International Mr. Leather 2009
A winner was announced at the International Mr. Leather last night (upper left). I forgot his name and his city, I was rooting for my homeboy Brandon Clark (upper right), and everyone else just kinda blended together. I'll find out more details later, but I gonna catch a plane.
The entertainment at the contest was disco diva Linda Clifford ("If They Could See Me Now") and the reincarnation of Madame the puppet.
By sheer luck I got the best seat in the house - dead center second row, so I have some awesome pictures! I will have a complete set of over 1,400 photos from IML and the Grabby Awards sometime on Tuesday in the Lavender Lounge VIP Room. Join Now!
Posted by lavenderlounge at 9:57 AM | Comments (0)
May 24, 2009
Grabby 2009 - Gay Porn Movie Awards
Last night was the Grabby Awards in Chicago. It's always a fun event with a lot of emphasis on it being a fan event rather than an industry-only event. I'm having such a great time here in Chicago with the International Mr. Leather events and the surrounding festivities, I just wanted to take a second to show some of my pictures and give you the results of the awards. Then I getting back to the job of having fun!
Short tidbits from last night's Grabby Awards 2009.
-Chi Chi was skinny.
-Diesel Washington's Mom was there. (see photo below)
-Someone came out with a puppet and told jokes that might not have been racist, but sounded racist.
-Cutest porn star couples: The Jarics (Falcon), Vinnie D'Angelo and Logan McCree, Steve Cruz and Bruno Bond.
-Raging Stallion's "Drifter" was big. Logan McCree wrote it and met Vinnie D'Angelo on the set. They fell in love and have been together ever since. Yesterday was their one year anniversary. The first time they had sex together was in that movie.
-A Randy Blue model was chosen as a trophy boy. It was the first time a non-DVD producing studio was acknowledged that way.
-People were twittering like mad. One model was twittering while on stage. I checked my email as I left the building and the results of the awards were all ready emailed out by JC Adams before I even got a cab.
-I refuse to acknowledge that "twittering" is actually a verb.
The complete list of winners is after the jump. Check back on Tuesday to see all my pictures from the Grabby Awards and IML in the Lavender Lounge VIP Room.
Continue reading"Grabby 2009 - Gay Porn Movie Awards"
Posted by lavenderlounge at 10:45 AM | Comments (0)
May 20, 2009
More Vintage Gay Porn Coming Your Way!
I got an "urgent" email from a magazine in Sweden this morning. A Swedish friend living in Germany referred the magazine to me because they needed a vintage photo of two guys having sex. I grabbed some magazines from my collection of vintage gay porn and scanned a couple pages for them. Then I thought, what the hell, I'll put them on my blog, too!
The two on top are pretty obviously from the 1970's and the pages on the bottom are probably from the 1960's. With no copyright information, it's hard to tell exactly, but 70's clothing and hair styles are pretty unmistakable.
I hope you enjoy these samples of vintage gay porn from the 1960's and 1970's! I enjoy collecting them and some of this stuff is brilliant. I've already got 10,000 vintage photos inside the Lavender Lounge VIP Room, and I have a stack of magazines yet to be scanned that is over 3 feet high! Last night I gave a friend a big stack of magazines to start scanning for me, that way it will get done faster. Get your VIP Membership NOW before the prices go up!
And along with my vintage porn magazine collection, there's my collection of vintage gay porn movies on 8mm film. Along with collecting movies, when I see an interesting old movie projector, I buy them, too. Yesterday I made a major score from Out Of The Closet thrift store. I found an old 16mm projector in a wooden carrying case lined with velvet. It's a beautiful Art Deco art piece made out of steel and chrome. Turns out it's a Kodak "Kodascope Model B" from around 1927! The bulb lights up, and motor kinda chugs along, but it doesn't quite have enough umph move film through it. Let's just say it moves like an 82 year old.
I am going to be adding more and more clips from my collection of vintage gay porn movies as soon as the new version of the site launches, so stay tuned.
Posted by lavenderlounge at 5:43 PM | Comments (0)
IML / Grabby Photos 2005 Resized In VIP Room
I dug around and found my photos from the one and only time I attended IML, which was way back in 2005. I sorted out the bad shots, cropped, color-corrected and re-loaded them to the Lavender Lounge VIP Room. Getting rid of the bad shots makes all of them look so much better. Plus, they are now in a larger size. Become a VIP Member of Lavender Lounge to see my photos from IML and Grabby Awards 2005, and by next week, I'll have brand new shots from 2009.
Wow, four years was a long time ago! I barely remember all that happened over that weekend in Chicago. I remember the theaters for the leather contest and the Grabby Awards were so big that I had trouble getting good shots. I was constantly fighting people's heads in the way or the distance was just too far for the flash. At the International Mr. Leather finals, I did get placed in the press section, but they made us stay in our seats and we couldn't go up near the stage. I did the best I could, and after tweaking the pictures today, they finally look good.
The highlight of the finals was the performance by Judy Tenuda:
"How do you turn a fruit into a vegetable? Put him onstage with a white tiger!"
Oh, Juuuuudy! That was bad!
The Grabbys in 2005 is a fuzzy memory these days, too. I remember Chi Chi and Honey West did some funny little skits, I remember sitting with porn star couple Drew Warner and Troy Punk (that relationship didn't last long...), I remember Frederick Ford sang, and I remember getting a bear hug from Zack Spears (I'll NEVER forget that!)
Otherwise, I had to do a search of old blog items to refresh some memories. According to my old blog records, Lavender Lounge ranked at the top of Google right behind IML's and Grabby's own websites. (Oh, the good old days!) And hey, according to my diary (blog) I got laid in Chicago that weekend! Woo Hoo!
Posted by lavenderlounge at 4:51 PM | Comments (0)
May 19, 2009
IML 2009 - Full Coverage By Lavender Lounge
I am going to the big festivities in Chicago this weekend for International Mr. Leather (IML) and the Grabby Awards. The last time I went was back in 2005, so it's time I returned to the big cowhide circuit party.
I will be getting press passes to shoot pictures for Lavender Lounge, Carnal Nation and AVN. The GOOD shots will be saved for the Lavender Lounge VIP Members, so go ahead and get your membership now. (I'm planning to raise the prices soon.)
Posted by lavenderlounge at 11:58 AM | Comments (0)
Benjamin Bradley For Randy Blue
Benjamin Bradley returns once again to gay porn after a "brief" stint as underwear model. (Get it, brief?) He's done a few things for various studios, but it looks as though Randy Blue's studios is now an important stop for the aspiring actor/model/porn star on the rise.
Here is Randy Blue's description:
"The story of Narcissus is about a beautiful young man who sees his reflection in a pool of water and falls so deeply in love that he is unable to leave the image of perfection gazing back at him. I was so taken with the sheer beauty of Benjamin Bradley that I wanted to showcase him as sort of a modern day Narcissus, enthralled with his own image in a mirror. It was also a way to show off his adorable face, wonderful cock and hot ass all at the same time. I've admired Benjamin's work as a model for some time now. You may have seen him before sporting a very well known brand of designer underwear. I don't know how anyone ever noticed the underwear when it was on such a magnificent body. So when he contacted me and said he wanted to be on Randy Blue I almost fell out of my chair. I couldn't get him in here soon enough. Those of you who come to Randy Blue Live got a sneak peek at this stud when he did his first show a few week! s ago and from the response I got I'm sure you're gonna love this video. While I usually like my guys hairy, I also like to change things up a bit and his smooth luscious skin shows off his tight muscular definition. And I have to say that Benjamin doesn't just jerk off, he makes love to his entire body. He works his big, strong hands all over this hard pecs and six pack abs, exploring his amazing ass, caressing his aching hard on, until he shoots a nice thick load."
Posted by lavenderlounge at 11:43 AM | Comments (0)
Zed Atlas Serviced At Lavender Lounge Movies
I reported months ago that muscle superstar Zeb Atlas did his first male/male scene with Jake Cruise. It was scandalous because Falcon had been promoting the hell out of his big breakthrough in Best Men, but at the last minute Zeb jumped the gun and did a scene for Jake Cruise. He justified his action because he only let Jake Cruise suck him, saving his anal virginity for the Falcon movie. Slick move.
I am bringing this story up again because the controversial Jake Cruise scene is now available at LavenderLoungeMovies.com. Jake Cruise had this to say, "For the very first time, Zeb is going to be serviced by another man, and I`m the lucky guy that gets to do the deed. I take my historic duty seriously, working his cock long and hard, licking his balls, and worshiping every nook and cranny of that legendary body. I knew I was in heaven when I got to tongue and play with his glorious ass hole. Judging by the end result, it looks like Zeb enjoyed every minute of his new experience. See it here first!"
Posted by lavenderlounge at 11:18 AM | Comments (0)
May 14, 2009
To The Last Man Coffee Table Book
Raging Stallion Studio photographers Kent Taylor and Geof Teague are two of the finest artists working in male erotica today. This book is a collection of photography taken during the two-week production for the blockbuster film To The Last Man, a western epic that is the most expensive and ambitious gay erotic movie ever made. The location of this remarkable shoot was the high sierra of Arizona—a place so remote as to be untouched by modern times. The men who appear in this book were brought in from around the world, each chosen specifically because they had the look and feel of the American West. The rugged men and the Arizona location, combined with the skilled talents of Taylor and Teague, have resulted in To The Last Man, a strong statement about the male form.
The men of To The Last Man are diamonds in the rough. Beauty comes in many forms, with most male erotic photography stressing clean lines and pristine contexts. Studio shoots are designed to maximize the geometry of the male form in a clear, unambiguous setting. If one refers to the classic photography of George M. Hester from the 1970s (The Classic Nude), or to the many works of Herb Ritts, one can observe excellent examples of this clean form. Both Taylor and Teague excel at this art form as well—Taylor’s book Magnum is a case in point. To The Last Man, however, presents an entirely different kind of male erotic photography. Gone is the controlled environment of the studio, where lights and props can be perfectly adjusted to create any photographic result desired. Instead, Taylor and Teague are forced to deal with the challenges of nature. The sun becomes the key light. Props are whatever can be found. The elements—rain, cold, even insects—suddenly loom large as the artist works with his models... This kind of photography is much more difficult, but ultimately also much more rewarding. The photography in this book captures the feel of the American West largely because it was difficult to shoot. The lighting, the context, the men all merge to form erotic images that reveal a harshness that speaks to us about reality as much as fantasy. Sweat and dirt replace makeup just as boys have been replaced by real working men.
To The Last Man is a showcase for Taylor and Teague, two photographers at the top of their game. These are images that will stand the test of time and linger in our minds long after we have closed the covers on this remarkable book.
Photo Book, Pages: 96, Size: 21 x 28 cm / 8.5 x 11 inch, Format: Hardcover with dust jacket, Colour: full colour and duotone.
Posted by lavenderlounge at 9:34 PM | Comments (0)
History of Gay Porn Video On Demand - Naked Sword
In the final segment of my series "History of Gay Porn Video On Demand", I am proud to present an exclusive interview with the very first full time employee of Naked Sword - ME!
Back in 1997, I had directed, shot and edited eight full length movies for Brush Creek. I was doing freelance work for several gay porn companies including Titan, Hot House, All Worlds, and Chi Chi. Financially, I was at the end of my rope because there wasn't enough freelance work coming in and Brush Creek was not paying me on time. I made a call to one of the owners of Titan, Robert Kirsch (now deceased), looking for work. He suggested I talk to Naked Sword.
I started part time the next day and within two weeks I was the first full time employee of Naked Sword and stayed there 5 and a half years. I enjoyed getting a regular paycheck, but I wanted to get back to running my own company again. I had a Lavender Lounge website before I started with Naked Sword and continued to maintain it throughout my tenure. To this day my biggest affiliate income comes from streaming websites.
1. When was the launch of your VOD sites?
The parent company of Naked Sword, Cubik Media, was a corporate web design firm that started in a free office space provided by Mitchell Brothers Theater. (One of the founders was dating a stripper.) They played around with a brand new video streaming product called Real Player hoping to offer it to their corporate clients. As a lark, they decided to build two online porn movie theaters, one straight and one gay, to test this new streaming video technology. The gay one was named "Naked Sword" and the straight one was named... wait for it... "Vagina Beach", a name that will live in infamy.
Since they didn't want any of their corporate clients to know they were in the porn business, the Naked Sword desk was hidden in the attic. I had to climb a ladder and step over pipes and conduit to get to my desk that sat on sheets of plywood (not even weren't nailed down) with the furnace blasting right over my shoulder. (I love telling this story along with how I had to trudge through 10 miles of snow to get to school. Wah, Wah.)
2. What your biggest challenge at the beginning?
The first big challenge was billing. Shortly after I got hired the credit card companies started canceling merchant accounts that were involved in online porn. For a three month period in 1997 Naked Sword was running without charging customers but still paying studios. After a few disastrous experiences with merchant accounts, we finally discovered iBill, which at the time was a godsend.
The next big challenge was convincing studios to sign up and let us run their movies. AEBN hadn't started till 1999, Maleflixxx started in 2001, and Gay Hot Movies started in 2003. I was the first person in the industry actively pitching a "gay online movie theater" to studios years before competitors even launched their sites.
Titan Media was still a relative newcomer in the industry, with offices in Bruce Cam's garage. They were instrumental getting a few studios signed up, including All Worlds because Bruce was still their cameraman-for-hire. The first big contract I signed was with Hollywood Sales. When the first shipment of 30 or 40 VHS tapes arrived, I was flabbergasted! I had never seen that many gay porn movies all at one time!
It took a long time to get the word out about Naked Sword and the whole concept of streaming movies online, yet alone gaining respect for it. I remember getting a phone call from Mike Donner who was working at All Worlds. We had been running their movies and sending them checks for about a year and half, and this was the first time we heard from All Worlds. He said, "We just got a $3,000 check from Naked Sword. Who ARE you?"
3. When you started your company, what were your predictions for 2009 (or ten years in the future)?
I thought that by 2009 we'd have flying cars and robot maids named Rosie.
4. What was your company's big breakthrough?
During the period I worked at Naked Sword, there were a couple of events that changed the course of the company. One was attending conventions and meeting other people in the industry. At first, my boss didn't see any value in it. For my first trips to LA, I drove my own car and stayed with friends. At my first convention in Las Vegas I paid for half of my trip. Today, Naked Sword's Tim Valenti is a fixture at every industry event and is a major sponsor.
Another turning point was the recession of 2001. Most of the staff working on corporate sites were laid off because the work disappeared. When the bookkeeper pointed out that all the income for the company was coming from porn, the direction of the company changed overnight and never turned back.
In the period I worked at Naked Sword, the final big hurdle that set Naked Sword on track was landing Falcon as a studio. By then, Tim had worked his way into the inner circle of the supposed "Gay Porn Mafia" and all the other studios and media outlets fell right into place.
But even that breakthrough was minor compared to the surprise merger between AEBN and Naked Sword a few years ago.
7. If you made a tombstone for porn on DVD, what would be the date of it's death?
I am in agreement with my collegues at AEBN, Maleflixxx and Gay Hot Movies that the DVD format is far from dead. As for a date, it would correspond with the launch of the next big innovation (perhaps 3D) that will be a similar gadget, but incompatible with existing home video machines. Do you really think Sony, Panasonic and other giant home electronics manufacturers are going to give up that market completely?
Naked Sword is a premier brand of the AEBN network of streaming video sites offering pay per view, video on demand and membership options to view safe sex only videos online. Lavender Lounge VIP Members get access to Naked Sword's Free Daily Video Player.
Posted by lavenderlounge at 2:30 PM | Comments (0)
GayVN Photos By Lavender Lounge Appear In Print!
The new issue of AVN (Adult Video News) with the GayVN insert section arrived yesterday and AVN Online Magazine arrived today. Between the two magazines, there were a total of five pages of Lavender Lounge photos from the GayVN Awards 2009. As you know, Lavender Lounge was the Official Photographer, with the assistance of photographers Rich Standtmiller and Bill Weaver.
To see the full set of photos from GayVN 2009 shot by myself and two other paparazzi photographers, join the Lavender Lounge VIP Room. And stay tuned because I will be shooting at International Mr. Leather and the Grabby Awards next week!
Posted by lavenderlounge at 9:50 AM | Comments (0)
Baby Jane 2009 Trailer - Drag Version
If the most obscure talented filmmaker David Lynch... the hilarious silly man Mel Brooks... and one of the funniest cross dressing BBC television shows, "Little Britain", had a baby... it would be Baby Jane.
Two twisted sisters live in their own self-made hell. Baby Jane takes its cue from the original, but constantly takes the audience down unexpected turns.
The film begins with Baby Jane as a famous brat child star, then transitions to failed attempt at becoming like her sister Blanche (a huge big fat movie star) until a tragic gate accident makes Blanche's spine ... kinda snap. Baby Jane gives up her career to take care of her disabled sister, waiting on her hand and foot, every gawd damn day!
Until one day, Baby Jane had had enough! We watch her slowly unravel, taking it out on her poor disabled sister Blanche, the housekeeper Elvira (Blanche's secret "special friend"), the nosy neighbor Mrs. Bates and her ding dong daughter, Gloria. All through this, Blanche plays the victim role when in actuality, she is just a manipulating bitch!
You don't know whether you should laugh or cry!
Um, you'll definitely be laughing at this one! Starring a bunch of my drag / theater buddies here in SF, the trailer is so awesome I can't believe these kids pulled it off!
Posted by lavenderlounge at 8:32 AM | Comments (0)
May 13, 2009
Latest Releases Gay Video Cafe - Gay Porn Movies Online
Brand new movies now showing at Gay Video Cafe for only 8 cents a minute.
And the newest old movies showing at Gay Video Cafe for only 8 cents a minute.
Posted by lavenderlounge at 3:28 PM | Comments (0)
Miss California: "I Oppose Your Pursuit of Happiness."
UPDATE: I seem to have been duped once again! The video above IS a parody! The transcript and my comments below were written before I found out. The actress is Lisa Nova and I gotta give her credit for her acting skills and the ability to put that video together so quickly it even fooled me!
Miss California Carrie Prejean gives her response to the Miss USA controversy in the video above. The rambling sentence structure indicates she wrote it herself, but how could anyone be so dense to say these things in public?
I'd like to think that Donald Trump hired Tina Fey to write the most outrageous script possible to further fan the flames and keep her in the media. Then he duped her into reading a bunch of words that were beyond her comprehension. Even if she did write it from her heart, why didn't Trump read it first?
Her body language and gestures are so caricatured, with emphasis and interpretation so wrongly placed, it HAS to be satire. Or is it...
If Carrie Prejean continues to insist that she lost the pageant because of her anti-gay views the end result will be that EVERY pageant contestant from now on will be as pro-gay as possible. Why? Because they want to WIN. Pageant contestants should never be controversial if they want to win. Most don't know a thing about politics, so it's best to stay out of it. It's all about winning, and everybody knows that gay men run the pageant business. To win, you've got to play by their rules.
Here are the quotes that will haunt her for life:
"My grandfather fought for freedom... that's why I will not back down in my fight to take away freedoms from gay people."
"I was punished on that stage for using my freedom of speech... which should not happen in America unless you are gay. In which case, you should quietly understand that god does not agree with you. No offense."
"I find it appalling that a professional photographer would release unauthorized and inappropriate images taken in between posed shots on a windy day on which I was unaware of even though in the photos I am looking right at the camera with my titties out."
"A bunch of mean, bigoted gay people full of hatred and intolerance tried to take away a beautiful, loving, Christian grand daughter of a veteran's crown. All she did was state her opinion that gay Americans should not have equal rights."
"... at the end of the day everyone can respect MY rights the way I disrespected theirs."
"I hope I have inspired others to maintain compassion, civility, respect and tolerance while supporting positions that represent the exact opposite."
"Just like, to this day, there are people who still have the strength of their convictions to oppose equality for blacks, women and Jews. I urge all of you to find the same strength when faced with the growing presence of gay activists."
"If you see someone speaking up for equality, don't be afraid to oppose it. Where ever gays are asserting normalcy, don't be afraid to speak the words we have given to god, and tell them they are NOT normal. No offense."
"Where ever a gay couple wishes to get married, be brave like my grandfather, stand up tall and say 'I oppose your pursuit of happiness.'"
"Where ever a gay couple wishes to adopt a child I ask you to look to my story to condemn their claims to equality and love."
And she closed here speech with this wisdom. "And never, never ever ever forget to tell them 'No offense' cause that makes it all okay."
Posted by lavenderlounge at 2:16 PM | Comments (0)
Project Nunway - Big Idea Night at YBCA
Project Nunway is June 6 at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, part of a full line up of entertainment and an official Pride event.
What is Project Nunway? Local fashion designers will be creating 21st Century habits for 21st Century nuns on a fabulous runway show! Don't miss it.
Oh, yeah. It's FREE!
YBCA presents
Big Idea Night: Ritual and Redemption
Whats the Big Idea?
LATE NIGHT PARTY
Sat, Jun 6, 2009, 9 pm—3 am
YBCA Grand Lobby and Galleries
FREE • RSVP RECOMMENDED
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts parties ALL night with a Fellini-inspired spectacle celebrating our last Big Idea of the 08_09 season: Ritual and Redemption.
• View YBCA exhibitions Nick Cave: Meet Me at the Center of the Earth, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence: Under a Full Moon, and Through Future Eyes
• Cheap drinks from our cash bar
• Gourmet outdoor food market from Mission Street Food
• FREE ink by the Bay Areas hottest tattoo artists—get a YBCA logo tattoo and receive a FREE YBCA membership for life!*
• Entertainment by Pansy Division, Ex-Boyfriends, Exillon, Honey Soundsystem, DJ Dirty Knees, Evan Fraser and T-Bird Luv with Soma Olam and the Satya Yuga Collective, and comedian David Hawkins
• A drag extravaganza hosted by Monistat and Anna Conda and Project Nunway by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
• Outrageous short films till midnight
To avoid long lines and guarantee entrance to the party, RSVP at YBCAFREE.org.
Posted by lavenderlounge at 12:10 PM | Comments (0)
May 12, 2009
Urban Bears Discovered in Central Park
A queen that works for NY Magazine created this Bears 101 video. It's cute and silly, but if you want something a little more incite full about bears, visit here, here or here.
Posted by lavenderlounge at 11:36 AM | Comments (0)
May 11, 2009
History of Gay Porn Video On Demand - Exclusive Interview with AEBN's Scott Coffman
Part Four of my series "History of Gay Porn Video On Demand 2000-2009" focuses on the biggest player in the industry, Adult Entertainment Broadcast Network, or AEBN. The name AEBN itself might not be a household name, but the backend of most of your favorite video on demand websites are probably very familiar. For instance, GAY VIDEO CAFE is my private label version of AEBN's infrastructure. It's their streams, their database, their billing system. I put my GAY VIDEO CAFE banner on the top, promote the hell out of it to my customers, and we both make money!
I'm honored to have AEBN's own CEO, Scott Coffman, reply to my interview questions!
1. When was the launch of your VOD sites?
May 1999
2. What your biggest challenge at the beginning?
The biggest challenge was getting manufacturers to give us their content because they really didn’t know what video on demand was. They were making too much money in DVD sales so they really weren’t concerned with video on demand at that point. As such, trying to get deals with them was difficult. Number two was getting people to promote our product because we were promoting a rev-share when most membership sites were paying really big flat fees every time you signed someone up. So it was a challenge to convince webmasters that we were the future, that by doing this they wouldn’t make as much money now but in the future if they stayed with us down the line they would get recurring revenue and make more over the long term.
3. When you started your company, what were your predictions for 2009 (or ten years in the future)?
This is our tenth anniversary and I’m proud to say that our vision for what this business could be has come true. Our goal from the start was in ten years to be a hundred million dollar company and to be on TV. That’s why it’s called AEBN, the Adult Entertainment Broadcast Network. We thought within ten years with our VOD platform that we’d be able to show our product on TV which would give us a lot much larger reach than just Internet. We hit one of those goals so far.
4. What was your company's big breakthrough?
From a technology perspective, it was getting pay-per-minute system to work on the Real Media Player which was the dominant player at the time. We were inspired by the peep shows in video stores and wanted to create an online version of that, one that could possibly be all things to all people. We were the first ones to come out with pay-per-minute as a business model but there was no platform for it like there is today. We had to develop the concept and write our own scripts to have Real work on a pay-per-minute model.
Our biggest breakthrough from a standpoint of sales was getting Kara’s Adult Playground to carry our VOD at the beginning. They were our biggest affiliate and they alone generate more revenue than everything else we were going when they first came on board. They gave us a lot of credibility in getting into other affiliates.
Going forward, I believe that our development of RealTouch, the new high-tech male sex toy, will be considered equally as important. RealTouch takes VOD into another dimension by adding the sense of touch to those of sight and sound. The haptic technology behind it creates an experience that can’t be matched and we’re excited about getting it out to the public.
What is the importance of the gay market to AEBN?
The gay market has been an important part of our success. From day one we’ve approached it as a substantial part of our business plan. They were early adopters and we found the per capita spending was much better from the gay market. Our customers there are very loyal. It’s a third of our business. There’s no stigma for them to buy born. I think that’s evident by the fact that all of our acquisitions - Raging Stallion, Naked Sword, Pistol Media -have been in the gay industry.
5. What is the most popular gay niche on your site?
Twink is very popular. Just like the straight side, younger is always a draw. Bareback is also a top seller.
6. What specific gay movie titles were the biggest hits over the years?
Built To Fuck (TIM), Fuck Me Raw (Cobra), Barebacking with Jeff Palmer (SX Video) have been among the most popular.
7. If you made a tombstone for porn on DVD, what would be the date of it's death?
Until the world is totally wired for broadband, I don’t think porn on DVD will totally be gone just as the CD format will be there for music. You’ll still have sales, there will always be a market for DVD’s. Over the next couple of years though it will draw down to where it’s not the primary source of revenue for producers which it’s always been. So as the dominant revenue product, I would say sometime towards the end of 2011.
Posted by lavenderlounge at 10:47 AM | Comments (0)
May 8, 2009
Enterprise Destroyed By Death Star Over San Francisco!
That damn pesky Death Star went and fucking destroyed the Enterprise out by the Golden Gate Bridge. Goddammit, now I guess it's already too late to see the new Star Trek movie!
Stupid Death Star... now I'll just have to watch porn... and more porn... and more porn...
Posted by lavenderlounge at 4:10 PM | Comments (0)
May 7, 2009
XXX TripleX Action From Mustang
Eight gruff and tough men roughhousing in TripleX action. Can you stand it?
Brutes and Demons storm through this TripleX feature with action so fierce, relentless, unapologetic and IN YOUR FACE! Watch these 8 uberstuds degrade, delight, exasperate and unnerve, then finally release each other and discharge in 4 unforgiving scenes of manlove.
Scott Campbell, Vinnie D'Angelo, Arpad Miklos, Colby Keller, Derek da Silva, Race Cooper, Scott Alexander, Cole Streets.
Posted by lavenderlounge at 9:19 PM | Comments (0)
Russian Defector To Become A Double Agent? What What In The Butt?
It sounds like the plot of 1960's spy novel, but is Russian defector Michael Lucas about to become a double-agent? Well, if he's putting out a press release, I guess he wouldn't be secret agent...
So much for my tabloid attention grabber! The real story is Michael Lucas was so impressed by his recent trips to Israel that he's not only going to begin production of gay porn over there, he is also applying to have dual citizenship! (Hence the double-agent status, get it?)
It's a long and interesting story that continues after the jump, but well worth a read. The video below of gay Israeli soldiers horsing around to "What What In The Butt" certainly proves Michael's statement, "In a sea of hostility and intolerance of the Middle East, Israel is the beacon of freedom..." to do it in the butt!
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UPDATE: Regarding this goofy video, it seems I was duped by propaganda. Michael Lucas says, "mark darling,
i am not sure if you are aware that what you find funny is nothing but a muslim created video, supporting there view that israeli army is the army of homosexuals. all the "actors" are arabs... i do not like this video...." Once again, I put my foot in my mouth.
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Cameras begin rolling later this month on Michael Lucas’ next blockbuster. But instead of filming in his usual habitat of New York City, Lucas and crew will be traveling to Israel to shoot the country’s first major gay adult production. In a bold move to promote Israeli culture, Michael Lucas will take fans on a sexual journey to explore the men of Israel.
“For me, Israel is much more than a country; it’s my heart, my soul, my cause,” commented Lucas. “Speaking for Israel has created lots of enemies for me, even here in America. I always get hate messages and comments. It's my heritage and the place where my ancestors lived for thousands of years. It's a place we lost and finally gained back, a place where Jews can finally protect themselves from all possible forms of discrimination. It is a gorgeous place where people can truly be liberated and live as they want.”
Continue reading"Russian Defector To Become A Double Agent? What What In The Butt?"
Posted by lavenderlounge at 8:30 PM | Comments (0)
May 6, 2009
History of Gay Porn Video On Demand - Gay Hot Movies
Part 3 of my magnum opus, "History of Gay Porn Video On Demand" takes a look at a relative newcumer to the business, GayMovies.com and their flagship site, HotMovies.com.
I became aware of the Philadelphia video streaming powerhouse by visiting their booth at an adult industry convention in 2004 or 2005. A client of mine on the straight side asked me to investigate video on demand sites for him to submit his movies. Even at an early age I could tell Hot Movies / Gay Movies had all the elements in place to become an important player in the industry. At the time, the number of gay titles on their site was really sparse, but they expressed a strong interest in reaching out to gay producers.
I've watched GayMovies.com grow with more and more marketing outreach to gay publications. You may be familiar with the pull-out cards stuffed into Cybersocket Magazine, Just Us Boys and your local gay rags offering coupons for free viewing time. Use it! It's free and you might get hooked!
Today, GayMovies.com features a wide selection of movies from top studios such as Hot House, Rascal, Factory Video, Pantheon Productions, Lucas Entertainment and Bear Films.
In reading the letters sent to webmasters along with their monthly checks, I was impressed by GayMovies.com urging producers to submit more vintage movies. That's right down my alley! Right now there are four movies from Lavender Lounge available for viewing at GayMovies.com, and three are vintage 1970's hardcore gay porn. If you click the link below, you'll get 15 minutes of FREE viewing time to test drive GayMovies.com.
1. When was the launch of your VOD sites?
2003
2. What your biggest challenge at the beginning?
Identifying content providers who wanted to work with us.
3. When you started your company, what were your predictions for 2009 (or ten years in the future)?
At the outset, we did not have exact predictions in terms of growth or revenue. We knew people wanted to watch what they wanted when they wanted. They wanted to pay as they used a service and not be locked into ongoing billing. We also knew that membership sites would decline because customers were tired of monthly billing and limited content. We believed that the sales of DVDs would gradually decline and knew that most people who watch adult content do not want to rent or buy entire movies. We also knew that Pay-Per-Minute is what the majority of adult content viewers wanted. As a result, VOD boomed for years but has now leveled off for several reasons.
Many large adult companies have jumped on the VOD bandwagon. Even though their sites do not compare in selection, quality, and features offered by HotMovies.com, GayHotMovies.com, and the other sites in our VOD lineup, they still take some of the traffic from the market leaders. The other main reason are the tube sites. While offering content for free is a business choice, doing so without age verification is immoral, unethical, and probably illegal.
4. What was your company's big breakthrough?
Attracting providers with well-known brands between 2004 and 2005.
5. What is the most popular gay niche on your site?
Decline to respond.
6. What specific gay movie titles were the biggest hits over the years?
Decline to respond.
7. If you made a tombstone for porn on DVD, what would be the date of
it's death?
Never.
Stan Gibell
Senior Account Executive
GayMovies.com
Posted by lavenderlounge at 8:50 AM | Comments (1)
May 5, 2009
Cinco De Porno
It's the 5th of May! Happy Cinco de Porno!
In honor of all things Mexican, let's look at some gay porn movies online with a Latin flavor. (Special thanks to Bus Station John for the groovy vintage gay porn pics!)
Posted by lavenderlounge at 2:44 PM | Comments (0)
David Ogden Stiers: Yep, I'm Gay!
Place this in the "We Kinda Always Knew" file. Sort of in the same category as David Hyde-Pierce, Edward Everett Horton and those three-name gays. Dom DeLuise, who died today, I always grouped into the same category with Paul Lynde and Charles Nelson Reilly, another pretentious thrice-named queen.
David Ogden Stiers, the Emmy-nominated actor who first found widespread fame playing Major Charles Winchester on the TV series M*A*S*H and who later voiced many characters in animated Disney musicals, has come out in an interview with the gay Oklahoma City blog gossip-boy.com.
“I am [gay],” Ogden Stiers said. “Very proud to be so.”
The interview was published in March, but was missed by many media outlets, including this one.
Ironically, Ogden Stiers said it was his later, very successful career as a voice actor that caused his reluctance to come out any earlier.
“I enjoy working and even though many have this idealistic belief that the entertainment industry and studios like Walt Disney are gay friendly, [they weren’t always],” Ogden Stiers said. “For the most part they are, but that doesn’t mean for them that business does not come first. It’s a matter of economics…A lot of my income has been derived from voicing Disney and family programming. What they might allow in a more known actor, they prefer not having to deal with in minor players.”
Continue reading"David Ogden Stiers: Yep, I'm Gay!"
Posted by lavenderlounge at 12:50 PM | Comments (0)
Baby Wee Wee: Golden Shower Doll
This is supposedly a real commercial and judging by the accents, it's either from England or Australia. Is this toy for kids or for perverts?
With 117 movies in the Pissing category at Gay Video Cafe and 134 Piss movies at Lavender Lounge Movies, an appreciation of Golden Showers had to start somewhere.
Posted by lavenderlounge at 9:24 AM | Comments (0)
Stupid Pot Tricks
When you're a bored teenager with nothing to do but sit in Mom's garage smoking joints, the least you could do is be creative with smoke rings. Then videotape it and edit it down to 4 minutes and 20 seconds. Oops, well not exactly 4:20, but hey, they were stoned...
Posted by lavenderlounge at 9:13 AM | Comments (0)
May 4, 2009
History of Gay Porn Video On Demand - MaleFlixxx.tv
In Part Two of my series "The History of Video On Demand Gay Porn Websites From 2000 to 2009" I'm putting the spotlight on MaleFlixxx.tv. The Toronto-based video streaming site has worked very hard to solidify their standing in gay porn industry. Their long-standing exclusive deal with Kristen Bjorn is unprecedented. The critically acclaimed Kristen Bjorn movies are not available online anywhere else but MaleFlixxx.tv.
COLT and Buckshot movies are also now available only on MaleFlixxx.tv.
When you buy viewing credits, you rent whole scenes rather than minutes, and many users appreciate that dialogue and plot are edited out. You only pay for the hardcore stuff.
Maleflixxx also offers "private label" sites for webmasters. For instance, I have a private label site called LavenderLoungeMovies.com with all the same content as MaleFlixxx.tv, it's just easier to remember. (Plus, between you and me, they often give me $10 coupons to distribute to my customers! Keep an eye on emails from me!)
Let's find out more about MaleFlixxx.tv:
1. When was the launch of your VOD sites?
The official launch of our flagship product, MaleFlixxx.tv, was in November of 2001. However, the planning process started back in 1999 when CTO Erik Schannen started experimenting with streaming technology and video-on-demand. Shortly thereafter, CBTO Michel Lozier was brought in to help launch the product with his television and cable TV business knowledge. Finally, Eric Johnson, President and CEO, was sought out to lay the business foundation, having over 10 years experience with one of the Big Four accounting firms.
2. What was your biggest challenge at the beginning?
One of the biggest challenges was trying to raise capital. Unfortunately, we were trying to launch Maleflixxx right after the dot.com bust and investors were simply not interested in taking what they considered to be a “huge risk”. In the end, this was one of the best things that happened to the company. It forced us to be extremely money conscience as well as measure every campaign we launched.
3. When you started your company, what were your predictions for 2009 (or ten years in the future)?
One can never be certain about the future; after all, we don’t have a crystal ball. However, from the beginning we were very adamant about not only setting short term goals and objectives, but thinking long-term as well. While we definitely had tangible goals such as target traffic numbers and sales, we also wanted to become a leader in gay, adult entertainment. It was this strategic planning 10 years ago that has helped us to withstand the test of time.
4. What was your company's big breakthrough?
Some of our biggest breakthroughs have been venturing out from strictly online media and truly becoming a digital distributor. It became evident shortly after we launched our first website that there was also a need for a high-quality VOD back-end services for the multitude of webmasters (gay and straight, adult and mainstream) that wanted to offer VOD services but who did not want to develop it on their own. This is what ultimately led to the creation of our affiliate program. Furthermore, this eventually paved the way for our ventures into cable television and online media.
5. What is the most popular gay niche on your site?
Without a doubt, videos that feature muscular, masculine men are the most popular on our network. However, there truly is something for everyone on our network and no niche misses out on a piece of the pie. Other niches that do well on our site are fetish, real men, jocks, wrestling and daddies.
6. What specific gay movie titles were the biggest hits over the years?
That is tough question as the top ten movies on our network are constantly changing. But over the years some of our blockbuster hits have been “Justice” from Hot House, “The Intern” from Lucas Entertainment, “Breathless-Directors Cut” from Titan Media, “Obsessions of D.O.” from Black Scorpion, and “French Kiss” from BelAmi are a few that come to mind.
7. If you made a tombstone for porn on DVD, what would be the date of its death?
That is really tough for us to say as our business model is based on VOD sales, not DVD sales. And with technology constantly leaping forward, one can never be certain about these things. However, we are seeing an increase in direct-to-VOD production. But who knows, DVD sales are sort of like a villain in a horror movie, no matter how many blows it takes, they never seem to die.
Posted by lavenderlounge at 4:47 PM | Comments (0)
May 2, 2009
Everyone Thinks They're A DJ
For years I've been saying, "You can't swing a dead cat in this town without hitting a DJ."
EVERYONE thinks they're a DJ, and EVERYONE thinks that putting discs into a machine and hitting a button is some god-given talent. DJ groupies seem to forget that the DJ did not make the songs, he merely strings together a list of songs that all sound enough the same that they blend into one long drone.
Check out this DJ with NO ARMS. Now that is talent.
Posted by lavenderlounge at 9:12 AM | Comments (0)
May 1, 2009
Score! Vintage Gay Porn Magazines Bought From Ebay
What a SCORE I made on Ebay! A package arrived to from an Ebay purchase I made last week. 36 vintage gay porn magazines for about $37 and change. That's about a buck apiece! This batch is going to be some of the best in my vintage gay porn collection!
They are mostly all from the late 60's and early 70's with lots of bad haircuts, bell bottom pants, sideburns and pornstaches. Included is a four part series "Leather Bondage Techniques", a two part series "Treasury of S&M", each full of incredible sketch art erotic cartoons (my favorite!) The biggest score is two magazines that are still in their original shrinkwrap!
I snapped a few pictures of the covers just cause I am so excited to put them up on Lavender Lounge Blog. I will be scanning them asap to create galleries in the VIP Room. If you haven't joined yet, do it now! There are plenty of vintage photo galleries in the VIP Room already. By the time you get through all of those, the new batch of scan will start to appear!
MORE AFTER THE JUMP.
Continue reading"Score! Vintage Gay Porn Magazines Bought From Ebay"
Posted by lavenderlounge at 4:34 PM | Comments (0)
Looking Back - Ten Years of Gay Porn 2000-2010
As part of the group blogging effort with a gaggle of journalists, gossip columnists, movie reviewers, bloggers, and gadabouts in gay porn, we're each taking a look back at the years since 2000. Most of my colleagues will be writing about their favorite gay porn movies or their favorite gossip items of the past 10 years. I was never big on Top 10 Lists, and with the onset of early Alzheimer's, I barely remember yesterday. Nurse! Where's my pudding?!
Instead, the topic of my term paper will be "The History of Video On Demand Gay Porn Websites From 2000 to 2009". Why that topic? That was the period that Video On Demand (VOD) began to blossom.
By 2000, membership based websites creating their own original content were already making millions. Initially, the big name production companies shooting content for strictly for home video (remember VHS?) hated the web. Hated it. At best, they put up minimal web pages in the late 90's merely as placeholders for some undecided later use. By 2000, they resentfully created online stores to sell their videos, only to be disappointed that fans weren't flocking to buy from the online version of their mail order catalog.
In the early days of Video On Demand, studios were resistant to get onboard. Their objections to submitting their movies to VOD sites was either a fear of losing VHS/DVD sales, or they had ambitious plans to stream movies themselves. (That is, until they found out how expensive and difficult it is to set up on their own!)
So, looking back, what were the top news stories in 2000?
2257 was just a warning label on video boxes that got as much attention as warning labels on cigarettes.
VHS was still a viable video format. Ipods didn't come out till the end of 2001 and cost $400.
On March 3, 2000 the Dow Jones was at 10,367.20.
Also in March 2000, Napster (started by a 19 year old kid) was so popular with college students, that downloading of free music was bringing down university internet connections. Fast forward to today, and the amount of traffic generated each month by YouTube is now equivalent to the amount of traffic generated across the entire internet in all of 2000. If fact, the Times of London reports that by next year, internet traffic will begin to experience "brown-outs", causing networks to freeze for minutes at a time. By 2012, "...PCs and laptops are likely to operate at a much reduced speed, rendering the internet an 'unreliable toy'." With that said, maybe watching porn on stand-alone DVD players may not be a bad idea...
In 2000, everyone was talking about little Elian Gonzalez captured at gun point and shipped back to Cuba. Today, Larry Flint and Michael Lucas are probably both making offers to bring him back to Miami to do porn.
Slobodan Milosovic was ousted from Yugoslavia in 2000, which gave freedom to a lot of Eastern Europeans - to do porn! Suddenly, a whole new world of (white) Aryan 18 year bodybuilders and athletes could get hard currency for having sex on camera.
In 2000, Microsoft was being dragged through court to defend itself against anti-trust. Back then, if companies were "too big", they needed to be split up. Today, if a company is "too big to fail", the government will rescue them.
But at the top of the list of news stories in 2000 was that little election between Good and Evil, I mean, Gore and Bush. Prior to that, I barely followed politics or hard news. In the spring of that year, we were all pretty certain that Gore was a shoe-in and went about our lives with confidence that our leaders had things under control. And why not? Instead of budget deficits, everyone was lining up for their share of the surplus brought by closing military bases and taxes from nouveau rich internet millionaires.
In February 2000, just before Super Tuesday, John McCain told backers in Bakersfield, Calif., that Bush was guilty of deploying negative tactics. "My opponent wants to be president in the worst way. I want to be president in the best way.''
David Letterman asked George Bush: "How do you look so youthful and rested?"
Bush replied, "Fake it."
Letterman: "And that's pretty much how you're going to run the country?"
So prophetic, I'm going to leave it at that until Monday. My "History of Video on Demand" with continue with interviews from MaleFlixxx.tv, AEBN, Gay Hot Movies, beginning with an exclusive interview Naked Sword first employee - ME!
Posted by lavenderlounge at 3:41 PM | Comments (0)
Thirteen Gay Bloggers to Dish, Dissect Decade of Gay XXX
From Xbiz, By J. C. Adams
Thirteen gay adult industry journalists and bloggers are set to take part in a first-of-its-kind, multi-site "group-blogging" effort that will dish and dissect the past decade — the years 2000-2009 — in gay erotica.
The project was conceived by this author with a longtime industry editor and reviewer who goes by the handle Onan the Vulgarian at XXFactor.com. They saw a need for self-examination as the industry undergoes a period of retrenchment, and in particular as the current calendar year brings the decade to a close.
"Because it's 'only porn,' too much of this critical component of gay history is lost," Onan said. "This blogging project will help to provide a cultural and erotic perspective on where we were and whence we've come in the past 10 years, written by the people who have been paying the most attention."
Participants may discuss the decade's top performers or films, its most notable moments or significant trends. No limits have been set on format. Each blogger will then link to the websites of the other participants in order to stimulate discussion and drive traffic.
In addition to this author (Gay Porn Times) and Onan the Vulgarian, the participants are set to include veteran industry reviewers Mark Adams, Butch Harris, Vincent Lambert and Mickey Skee.
Additional participants include gossip columnist Billy Masters, promoter Jason Sechrest, performer-webmaster Nick Young, and webmaster Mark Kliem as well as the editors of Fleshbot.com, GayPornBlog.com and TheSword.com.
Posted by lavenderlounge at 12:19 PM | Comments (0)
