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Now Playing at Reason.tv: The United States vs. John Stagliano—the obscene prosecution of a pornographer
In April, the government indicted pornographer John Stagliano in a federal court in Washington, D.C. on multiple charges of obscenity for producing and distributing two fetish movies, Milk Nymphos and Storm Squirters 2: Target Practice, and a trailer for another porn collection. All appeared on his company's adult-only website, evilangel.com.
If convicted and sentenced to maximum jail time on each charge, Stagliano, one of the most popular, innovative, and award-winning XXX-rated movie kings in history, effectively faces a lifetime sentence. His next court date is scheduled for November, shortly after Election Day.
In April, reason.tv's Nick Gillespie talked with Stagliano in a candid, wide-ranging 20-minute conversation about the government's case against him and his defense strategy, the role that porn plays in the average viewer's life, how he came to his libertarian beliefs, how contracting HIV was the best thing that ever happened to him, his record of innovation in the adult-film world, and much, much more.
To listen of an audio podcast, go here.
To read a partial transcript of the interview, go here.
For related articles and websites, and to embed the video on your site, go here.
To watch the interview, click on the image below.
the innominate one|8.20.08 @ 2:47PM|#
I thought Storm Squirters 2 lacked the creative panache of the original and was a lackluster and excessively derivative tale.
|8.20.08 @ 3:08PM|#
I wouldn't rent Milk Nymphos 16 until you've seen Milk Nymphos 1-15. You'll miss out on all the character development, and the allusions to sub-plots will go right over your head.
|8.20.08 @ 3:18PM|#
Who cares about plot and character development? I want to see explosions and special effects!
|8.20.08 @ 3:26PM|#
Child porn: CHECK!
Water sports porn: DOUBLE CHECK!
Is there any chance we could get a porn story trifecta today?
|8.20.08 @ 3:30PM|#
May Allah bless our real freedom fighters, Larry Flynt and
Buttman himself (Stagliano).
I hope oneday tell my grandyounguns about how Flynt saved our First
Amendment by walloping Jerry Falwell 9-0 in the SCOTUS trial of the
"outhouse cartoon".
But the culture wars continue.......
|8.20.08 @ 3:32PM|#
Great video but you really should have miked Nick Gillespie -- he was barely audible.
Critic|8.20.08 @ 3:32PM|#
The film makers put an extra quart of milk through the enema bags in Storm Squirters 2:Target Practice.Storm Squirters pales in comparison. This is the exception that proves the rule about sequels.
Joe Joe|8.20.08 @ 3:52PM|#
If I have a "beef" with Reason, it is this: You can defend a
person's right to engage in a particular behavior without
celebrating it. For example,
"one of the most popular, innovative, and award-winning XXX-rated
movie kings in history"
Innovative? Really?
And is being one of the most popular producers of porn really
something to celebrate?
I fully defend his right to make all of the disgusting movies he
wants to and I hope he is acquitted, but I'm not going to celebrate
his "achievements."
Robert Goodman|8.20.08 @ 3:53PM|#
Unfortunately the legal regime banning prior restraints on publishing have worked against persons like Mr. Stagliano, who can't find out whether his materials are obscene until he's prosecuted and the big penalties are on the line. From the POV of the pornographer, actual censorship, where a gov't agency would rule on materials pre-publication, would be better becuse they could be confident in publishing without jeopardy after the fact. At least Cincinnati has jury proceedings like that for declaratory judgements.
Rhywun|8.20.08 @ 4:58PM|#
And is being one of the most popular producers of porn really something to celebrate?
Sure. Why not?
Rhywun|8.20.08 @ 5:00PM|#
To elaborate... the fact that he is successful and popular is directly relevant to the case: it contradicts the "community standards" horseshit that they're trying to use to put him away.
|8.20.08 @ 5:09PM|#
Most porn is dreck, and that has nothing at all to do with the
issue at hand. The constitution makes no exception to the first
amendment for "obscenity", that is made from whole cloth by judges
and prosecutors who glibly ignore their oath of office.
Prosecuting Stagliano is obscene, and we shouldn't stand for
it.
-jcr
Fred|8.20.08 @ 5:13PM|#
Prosecuting Stagliano is obscene, and we shouldn't stand for
it.
We are a Christian nation, obscenity should not be tolerated and
should result in severe punishment.
Fred|8.20.08 @ 5:16PM|#
Most porn is dreck, and that has nothing at all to do with
the issue at hand.
Porn is Blasphemy and as such must be illegal, we are a Christian
nation, one nation, under GOD.
|8.20.08 @ 5:49PM|#
Innovative? Really?
Actually, yes. They discuss that in the interview.
Whether something's any good or not doesn't determine whether it's
innovative.
-jcr
|8.20.08 @ 5:49PM|#
Fred, I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or
serious.
I think he's being Juanita. Or Juanita is being Fred.
|8.20.08 @ 5:51PM|#
Fred,
I'm going to answer you as if you were serious, even though that's
a long shot.
First, we are not a christian nation. See the first
amendment.
Secondly, who fucking died and made you pope? If you don't like
porn, don't look at it.
-jcr
|8.20.08 @ 6:07PM|#
I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or
serious.
Can you tell if an anvil falls on your head?
*CLANG*
aix42|8.20.08 @ 6:28PM|#
What is it about these particular movies that motivated the charges? Was the Milk Enema the final, um, straw? I can't find plain old Vaginal intercourse porn with out, er, coming across everything butt... Anal everything, fisting, 2 cup stuff. Could it be the Dairy lobby?
Billy Goat Gruff|8.20.08 @ 6:45PM|#
Wow, Fred. American Taliban represent!
I've got to ask, though: All porn is Blasphemy? With a capital 'B'?
I would think that would be reserved for stuff like, masturbating
with a crucifix or dressing up as nuns; "fuck the skull of Jesus"
type porn.
Another question: How do you feel about the Song of Solomon? 2:16
of the KJV reads, "My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth
among the lilies." I'm pretty sure we both know what she's talking
about. How is reading that in the Bible qualitatively different
from watching it in porn?
|8.20.08 @ 7:25PM|#
Innovative? Really?
Yeah, I think Stagliano was one of the first big promoters of gonzo
porn, which is probably the most popular style today.
Incidentally, gonzo porn is why people think pr0n from the 70s is
really boring--(All they're doing is fucking!! WTF!!!)
|8.20.08 @ 7:28PM|#
What is it about these particular movies that motivated the
charges?
When god-botherers decide to violate the first amendment and
prosecute the makers of the material that they whack off over, they
tend to choose a defendant that is less likely to find sympathy
with the public. That's why they'd go after Stagliano or Flynt
instead of Hefner.
-jcr
Metal Messiah|8.20.08 @ 8:26PM|#
What is it about these particular movies that motivated the
charges?
I would assume that they're going after fetish-oriented material,
since the two titles are enema and squirting-themed. Evil Angel,
Stagliano's company, actually puts out material that's "harder"
than the indicted titles. The first round of prosecutions was
against Max Hardcore (who was convicted on all twenty counts he was
charged with and faces one hundred years in prison), Extreme
Associated, and JM Productions, who produce pornographic material
that's on the harder/more violent side of the spectrum.
They're also going after a trailer that's hosted on the Evil Angel
website (an entry in Belladonna's Fetish Fanatic series, if I'm not
mistaken), so I'd reckon that they're also trying to see what kind
of internet-related material they can go after.
I can foresee this trial getting pretty interesting if someone goes
off on whether or not female ejaculation (ie, squirting) is real
sexual response, or if it's just women peeing everywhere.
aix42|8.20.08 @ 9:38PM|#
I forgot about ole Max. Nasty stuff from my point of view, but thats not the point. Can't come to America anyway, what with the torture and black sites and all. I guess everyday life rolls on, but mass plus inertia can be tough to stop past a certain point.
MRW|8.20.08 @ 10:53PM|#
"Great video but you really should have miked Nick Gillespie --
he was barely audible."
At first I thought this said "milked".
bill|8.20.08 @ 11:59PM|#
Porn is not blasphemous. Well, maybe "Jesus Christ meets the Storm Squirters" is a little. Who would have thought Jesus is hung like a horse. Not me!
Boston|8.21.08 @ 1:26AM|#
I can't watch the video because i don't have sound. I ask if
they talked about John's anti-piracy views.
http://www.p2p-blog.com/item-823.html
dpsc|8.21.08 @ 2:44AM|#
"Who would have thought Jesus is hung like a horse. Not
me!"
If I were Jesus I would arrange for a large penis ahead of time
with Dad. I mean, you know it's going to end in crucifixion so why
not have a bit of cervix-splitting fun in the meantime?
|8.21.08 @ 11:04AM|#
I think that americans should be informed that some German
governmental and private people are very upset after some folks
leaked the contract of Mr. Stagliano with DigiProtect GmbH of
Germany. Well, the Germans will do what German laws demand from
them. But for America, a simple question, cause [sometimes] Germans
do not understand America:
A man is "convicted of knowingly using an interactive computer
service to display an obscene image, ... in a manner available to a
person under 18 years of age in violation of Title 47, United
States Code, Sections 223(d) and 2(a)" ... on 01/21/08." [Wow!
IMAGE!]
Three days later, on 01/24/08 he signed a contract with a german
uploader [p2p-networks] to "allow" the uploader to upload all kind
and tons of obscene pornography from him without any age-control
and security for americans and the rest of the world in
p2p-networks. [....] and he is not convicted for that.
Forget about the question. Some questions will never be
answered.
|8.21.08 @ 12:44PM|#
Inquiring minds want to know: whole, 2%, or fat free?
Storm Squirters 2: Target Practice
I like the line where she says, "I know what your thinking... Did I
squirt 5 times, or 6 times? Well, in all the excitement, I kind of
lost track myself. So as this is the most powerful ass in the
world, you have to ask your self one question: 'Do I feel lucky?'
Well, do'ya punk?"
|8.21.08 @ 5:15PM|#
The Bush administration--with the blood of thousands on its
hands--should be the ones being prosecuted, rather than being the
prosecutors.
The First
Amendment/
Guarantees Freedom of Speech/
So whatcha sayin'/
It didn't include me?
Mr. X|8.21.08 @ 6:59PM|#
You forgot the standard full disclosure that Mr. Stagliano is a donor to the Reason Foundation.
JB|8.21.08 @ 9:41PM|#
So ludicrous.
Is it a crime to purchase a potential hit? Such as: "Here is
$20,000. If I'm found guilty, whack the district attorney and keep
the money. If I'm found not guilty, don't whack anyone and keep
$1,000."
Philo|8.24.08 @ 9:29AM|#
Jesus God!!! I didn't know that porn could possibly be illegal
in this country!!! Perhaps we need to send more American soldiers
to their deaths....then we'll be free!!!!! After all...
Dead soldier = Freedom
therefore...
Dead soldier = Porn!!!
(I don't know why I still live here...)
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