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.

Comments

the innominate one | August 20, 2008, 2:47pm | #

I thought Storm Squirters 2 lacked the creative panache of the original and was a lackluster and excessively derivative tale.

Naga Sadow | August 20, 2008, 2:53pm | #

Innominate one,

You sound like a conosieur. Any recommendations?

Jason | August 20, 2008, 3:01pm | #

I think he was being funny.

Naga Sadow | August 20, 2008, 3:07pm | #

So was I.

*cues music*

Bow chicka bow wow!

Warren | August 20, 2008, 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.

Brandybuck | August 20, 2008, 3:18pm | #

Who cares about plot and character development? I want to see explosions and special effects!

Atabrat | August 20, 2008, 3:26pm | #

Child porn: CHECK!
Water sports porn: DOUBLE CHECK!

Is there any chance we could get a porn story trifecta today?

a name before submitting the form. | August 20, 2008, 3:29pm | #

Is that link NSFW?

shrike | August 20, 2008, 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.......

Tim | August 20, 2008, 3:32pm | #

Great video but you really should have miked Nick Gillespie -- he was barely audible.

Critic | August 20, 2008, 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.

SugarFree | August 20, 2008, 3:39pm | #

Ball Drainers 5: The El Segundo Caper was on my top ten for 2007.

Joe Joe | August 20, 2008, 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 | August 20, 2008, 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.

ChrisO | August 20, 2008, 4:44pm | #

Thank goodness the feds are going after dangerous criminals like Mr. Buttman.

Rhywun | August 20, 2008, 4:58pm | #

And is being one of the most popular producers of porn really something to celebrate?

Sure. Why not?

Rhywun | August 20, 2008, 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.

John C. Randolph | August 20, 2008, 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 | August 20, 2008, 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 | August 20, 2008, 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.

Nick | August 20, 2008, 5:33pm | #

Fred, I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or serious.

John C. Randolph | August 20, 2008, 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

R C Dean | August 20, 2008, 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.

John C. Randolph | August 20, 2008, 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

Warren | August 20, 2008, 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 | August 20, 2008, 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 | August 20, 2008, 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?

kevin | August 20, 2008, 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!!!)

John C. Randolph | August 20, 2008, 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 | August 20, 2008, 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 | August 20, 2008, 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 | August 20, 2008, 10:53pm | #

"Great video but you really should have miked Nick Gillespie -- he was barely audible."

At first I thought this said "milked".

bill | August 20, 2008, 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 | August 21, 2008, 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 | August 21, 2008, 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?

Shual | August 21, 2008, 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.

dan k | August 21, 2008, 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?"

They must be joking | August 21, 2008, 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 | August 21, 2008, 6:59pm | #

You forgot the standard full disclosure that Mr. Stagliano is a donor to the Reason Foundation.

JB | August 21, 2008, 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 | August 24, 2008, 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...)