New at Reason

Tim Cavanaugh | July 31, 2006

David Weigel goes on a beaver hunt with Allan McDonell, the former Hustler editor who tells a harrowing tale of porn and politics in his new memoir Prisoner of X.

Comments

|7.31.06 @ 3:32PM|#

What an interesting interview Tim. The part about Flynt and the Jessica Lynch photos was devistating. Not like Flying isn't a fat target or anything, but still devistating to him and CNN.

Jennifer|7.31.06 @ 3:33PM|#

Considering the question "why are so many people in the industry assholes," I think part of it has to do with the fact that the sex industry is still considered very disreputable, so of course the type of person who goes (willingly) into it is the type who doesn't care about having a bad-reputation job. And the percentage of assholes among such people is probably higher than in the general population.

|7.31.06 @ 3:37PM|#

Jennifer,

I think the lack of skill required for being in production end of the industry has something to do with it to. The guy is right, you don't exactly have to be the next Spielberg to make a porn movie. Sex pretty much sells itself. Generally, the less talent and work it takes for someone to get where they are, the bigger assholes they are when they get there.

|7.31.06 @ 3:42PM|#

Jennifer's right--some professions just seem to attract assholes. Used car salesmen, stockbrokers, and, um, lawyers, for instance. There are decent people in those jobs, but there are also a disproportionate number of complete, unbelievable jerks. Trust me--I know.

I actually steered clear of an opportunity to do First Amendment work in house for a company in the adult industry. Although I'd love to do First Amendment work, I got a little uncomfortable with the idea of focusing entirely on the adult industry. Especially in the same town where my mother would be watching me on television, blocking cameras with my hand while wearing my open shirt, gold chains, and cheesy suit :) I'd do that sort of thing if some of my clients were in such industries, by the way. It was being Mr. Porn Lawyer that gave me pause.

Jennifer|7.31.06 @ 3:43PM|#

I think the lack of skill required for being in production end of the industry has something to do with it to.

It doesn't take much skill to work in fast food, either, but I haven't noticed a higher percentage of assholes in fast food than in other industries.

I cannot prove this, of course, but I'd be willing to bet that if attitudes changed so that working in the sex industry were viewed as no different from any other job, the asshole quotient would drop by a huge margin.

I also wonder: for porn, specifically, is the number of assholes any greater than the number in the regular movie or television industry?

|7.31.06 @ 3:44PM|#

John,

I don't know, what about the traditional belief that artists and writers are irresponsible selfish jerks, always drunk, cheating on their wives, etc.?

|7.31.06 @ 3:46PM|#

Jennifer, my question is whether it's the stigma or the perception of a quick buck that increases the Asshole Factor.

Jennifer|7.31.06 @ 3:47PM|#

I got a little uncomfortable with the idea of focusing entirely on the adult industry. Especially in the same town where my mother would be watching me on television, blocking cameras with my hand while wearing my open shirt, gold chains, and cheesy suit :) I'd do that sort of thing if some of my clients were in such industries, by the way. It was being Mr. Porn Lawyer that gave me pause.

Exactly, and a guy who just doesn't care what people think in such a situation is likely to be a guy who doesn't care what people think in any situation; an asshole, in other words.

Jennifer|7.31.06 @ 3:50PM|#

Jennifer, my question is whether it's the stigma or the perception of a quick buck that increases the Asshole Factor.

I'd say the stigma. Wanting to go after a quick buck only makes you assholish if you want to get that money by screwing (pun unintentional) other people to get it. And the sex industry does not lack for willing customers.

|7.31.06 @ 3:50PM|#

Jennifer,

People who work in the fast food industry are at the bottom and don't have a lot of money or power. People at the top of the fast food industry worked their asses off for years to get there. It is not like the porn industry. What I mean is people who get to the top of a profession due to their name or luck or it just not being that hard tend to be assholes.

As far as the part about artists being assholes, well, wouldn't porn producers have to be artists for that to apply? I don't think they would qualify.

|7.31.06 @ 3:55PM|#

John,

I should have been more clear; writers and artists we think of as great (i.e.; the talented ones), outside the porn industry, are often assholes (or so it is believed.) Personally, I think talented people are more likely to be assholes, because their apparent superiority makes them arrogant, and because their special skills mean other people are willing to overlook their misbehavior to make a buck.

|7.31.06 @ 3:58PM|#

What distresses me about this thread is that there appear to be many valid paths to assholedom. In fact, I'd like to postulate an infinite number of such paths. Someday, a philosopher will prove that our default status is assholishness. Only a few special people can escape its evil grip.

|7.31.06 @ 3:59PM|#

Mitch,

I think to be a truly great artist or muscian, you have to be single minded and focused in a way we mortals just can't do or understand. Being so focused and single minded precludes knowing much outside of your art or having a prarticularly balanced life. The problem is many artists don't understand this and think that just because they are great at this or that that their opinion is equally enlightened regarding everything else. That combined with their lack of knowledge of other subjects and the ego that would inevitably come with being great at something combines to make them assholes on a personal level.

|7.31.06 @ 4:02PM|#

I need an English-Assholish dictionary.

|7.31.06 @ 4:45PM|#

"I also wonder: for porn, specifically, is the number of assholes any greater than the number in the regular movie or television industry? "

I've seen a few porn films and they always show more assholes than I see at the local cineplex or on TV.

|7.31.06 @ 5:10PM|#

Perhaps there could be an asshole hierarchy, maybe even an assholistocracy. You know, painters are the lower rung, porn producers somewhere in the middle, Mel Gibson at the top.

|7.31.06 @ 5:13PM|#

Kwix,

And assholistic medicine is in there, somewhere :)

Warren|7.31.06 @ 5:19PM|#

Here is a hero of freedom from the porn industry with none of the Flint slime. I highly encourage everyone to read this story.

The Government vs Erotica

I'm not in complete agreement with his ideas on population control, but what makes Phillip Harvey great, is the way he goes about advancing his ideas.

|7.31.06 @ 5:20PM|#

"What distresses me about this thread is that there appear to be many valid paths to assholedom. In fact, I'd like to postulate an infinite number of such paths. Someday, a philosopher will prove that our default status is assholishness. Only a few special people can escape its evil grip."

Not sure it's such a bad thing. Assholes seem to generally do fairly well, financially speaking.

But, (un?)fortunately, I'm a pretty nice guy, by nature.

|7.31.06 @ 5:28PM|#

"I've seen a few porn films and they always show more assholes than I see at the local cineplex or on TV."

But not as many as you see in politics.

|7.31.06 @ 5:32PM|#

mediageek - I was once bemoaning my lack of popularity w/ the ladies and ended the whining with "I'm a nice guy!"

a friend Socratically replied "and where do nice guys finish?"

|7.31.06 @ 5:46PM|#

"a friend Socratically replied "and where do nice guys finish?"

I believe it would be in the woman's mouth.

|7.31.06 @ 6:18PM|#

I believe it would be in the woman's mouth.

Because to finish in her hair is just plain wrong.

|7.31.06 @ 6:32PM|#

Goddammit, people, that's the second keyboard I've had to replace this month.

Coffee, ya dirty-minded bastards.

|7.31.06 @ 6:41PM|#

"I also wonder: for porn, specifically, is the number of assholes any greater than the number in the regular movie or television industry? "


All I know is, I Google "Anal" and all I get are porn sites.

|7.31.06 @ 9:20PM|#

I am so steenking old, I recall stopping by a Hustler bar in Columbus, OH, before there was a magazine. Sign over the door was of the champagne glass that looks like two nicely-formed bosoms, if you look at it right.
I recall the cocktail waitress was very accomodating--very accomodating. It was probably Larry's mother, or his vestal virgin crazy aunt.

|8.1.06 @ 4:14AM|#

Jennifer's thesis is interesting - not caring about one's reputation is the mentality of an asshole. There's something to this, as a sociopath doesn't care about his rep either. Yet, it's also the mentality of artists of courage who dare not to conform. And to reformers who take great hits on their rep to do what they think is right.

Jennifer|8.1.06 @ 8:43AM|#

Yet, it's also the mentality of artists of courage who dare not to conform. And to reformers who take great hits on their rep to do what they think is right.

I think the difference lies in what kind of opinions you don't care about. Boldly embracing a new style of painting and not caring that people think you're a lousy painter is quite different from boldly embracing a prepubescent child and not caring that people think you're a lousy pedophile. I can admire someone who defies convention by taking a principled but unpopular political stance, but not someone who defies convention by going out of his way to pick his nose in public.