Karl

I'm not a pervert, but I play one on TV.

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That all of a sudden, it's no longer cool to just drop by the company office to say Hi, because "we're kind of busy right now".

It's a very short jump from the boxcover of an EA movie to a scene in White Trash Whore, and an even shorter fall from appearing in American Bukkake to working in a Nevada brothel, and this can create a bit of resentment, and maybe even a tiny amount of regret.

Or I could be completely full of shit )

Cyberchicken

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Felt sorry for Bella, but I still support her 100%!

Best part was Gene Simmons.

Write Up

Den

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Edited by - Mythsong on 1/24/2003 12:59:34 AM

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Diane may very well just be being paid to behave as she does. (I'd be fascinated in having her interview herself. "Why are you so quick to find fault in other people? Make them feel bad about themselves?") In which case, it's the network to blame, not her. I wonder what she's like in "real life"?

As for Dr. Laura, I really don't know much about her at all. She may well have been homophobic when those pictures were taken - but she certainly didn't seem to be anti-sex in general back then! (I can't really imagine faking those laughing poses.)

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Though Diane did work for Nixon back in the day. Very bad.

Did MTV do a better job with its porn-u-mentaries? I never saw the "controversial" report they ran -- and pulled almost immediately after its premiere.

Edited by - skronker on 1/24/2003 1:39:38 AM

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If you're constantly being told that your profession is a dirty, filthy business - it's hard not to feel shame and a bit worthless if that's a part of your life. That breeds the kind of unhealthy repression found in any prudish, anti-sex climate - like young boys and girls raised in strictly religious households being told that they'll go to Hell if they "touch themselves down there". If you develop an interest in sex after going through that, how can you not feel abnormal about yourself, and think that maybe you should just put an end to it? (Just think of the book / movie Carrie.)

Really, it's Prime Time's puritanical attitudes (and those of other sections of society that feel the same way) that are causing the damage here. If pornography weren't something forced underground and in the closet, causing such a slew of emotional and mental trauma for those who want to express that part of themselves openly, then the industry itself wouldn't have as many negative aspects to it (in addition to its positive aspects) that it does.

In the face of Sawyer's constant browbeating about how evil Belladonna's profession is, and how badly she'd been mistreated, along with other people around her she loves telling her the same thing, it's little wonder she broke down and cried during the interview, and contemplated suicide at one point in her life. Talk about a fractured personality. It could have been easily avoided if she'd got some support from those people around her, and if society were a bit more accepting of such things.

Edited by - Mythsong on 1/24/2003 1:42:13 AM

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As for Bella, something tells me that we're dealing with a woman who wants to make the best of her situation. Has she been through some tough things in this business? Yes. Would she stop if it was as bad as the interview made it out to be. I would hope so.

From the time you are about 12 you know how money is made and the consequences for choosing certain paths to making money. It's 2003 for crying out loud. You can find out about the consequences of any action fairly quickly. Can you say : Linda Lovelace. We've been here before. Let's move on.

Is that A2M any good? I think that's gonna sell really well now.

Boat Drinks!!!

RoccoFan

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I don't know. The Belladonna portrayed on this show does seem a lot different from the one I'm familiar with, but I'm only familiar with her from Ass Worship and such. Maybe "Primetime" has it right and we have it all wrong.

A lot of people are good at hiding their true feelings and pain, and Bella says as much in the show. It's the most poignant moment. What if her apparent enthusiasm for her work truly is just a front?

When she said "I really don't like myself," my heart kind of sank. I know that ABC was probably waiting the whole two years for her to say something like that, but she did say it. I'm just saying, it's easy for all of us to sit back and say, "Oh, that's all bullshit." Maybe it is. But if Bella really hates what's happened to her in the last couple of years, then I feel terrible. I want to give her a hug, or do something. Fuck.

I wonder if anyone else has thought about this show in that way.

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Edited by - Pontus Maximus on 1/24/2003 3:17:22 AM

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The honest truth is that 99 percent of the women in porn, do it for the money, not because they like getting double penetrated twice a week by strange men, who cum in their face after making them lick their assholes.

It's shocking I know )

PS: Well I've said before that I think porn stars should need a license to work, and that the license require not just weekly hiv test, but a monthly psychological exam as well.

Cyberchicken

Edited by - Cyberchicken on 1/24/2003 4:41:27 AM

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I was working tonight and had to tape the show. I just replayed the portion of the interview that suggested that Bella was suicidal. It goes like this:

Bella: "I didn't want to be here anymore, at all. I wanted to leave this world..."

<Cut tape, switch to shot of Sawyer>: "Suicide?"

<Bella's voice, from off screen>: "Of course. <cut, switch to shot of Bella> I don't want to do this anymore. But there's that part of me that's like, you'll have all that money again..."

This looks like a blatant topic switch. It sure sounds like Bella is talking about the world of porn, not the earth. But edit in the word "suicide," and boy does that improve your storyline.

Are these TV pricks really that dishonest? Yikes.

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Since the Porn actresses don't have a Julia Roberts agent and budget to afford to pay for a "human interest" story, you are subject to their version of your world/profession etc.

Belladonna took an opportunity and like many said, will profit from it. "Its better to be known badly, than not at all" is true in the entertainment business.

Gene Simmons and Vince Neil continue to promote their bad boy image and not even an eyebrow is raised.

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Is there a re-air date?

Can't believe BD dissed the industry!

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This is mainstream media. It's not about the news. It's not about objectivity. It's not about fair and impartial journalism. It's about commerical sales!

Freak shows and circus acts sell far better than intelligence and business acumen. No one wants to see a report on a business that is basically healthy and thriving. They want to see sordid, seedy, surly, etc. So that's what America got. And the ratings will reflect it.

Is this unfair? Maybe. But it would be unfair to ABC's stockholders if the company did any less. This is a business folks, not the news!

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Pontus

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i didnt like the show painting such a grim portrait of the porn industry, but i've seem the prime time show before and more or less every week it paints a grim portrait of something.

i dont believe she was looking for pity or change in the industry or wanting to take those years back and do something else with them. she simply answered sawyer's questions and dont forget, she received compensation for participating.

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And then the network, ABC, having the nerve to accuse other companies from profiting from porn, when they are pumping their ratings using glimpses of porn! As I was affraid, it's a ratings sweep gimmick.

Yes there are problems in the adult industry. There are problems in the mainstream movie industry and network news. I would like to see a report on the exploitation of people's suffering being sold as news.

Well maybe next ratings sweeps.

Kurt Hardy

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Gosh, if you interviewed a college football player and then followed them until they got in the NFL, with proper editing, you would see a lot of physical torment/pain, yelling/real violence, possible talk of suicide, players getting injured/paralysed, drug use, etc. But football is accepted as all-american. It is not much different than anyother career that you might enter that is physically and emotionally demanding. And it suffers from the same situation of immature people being put in very real adult situations. So I don't see why porn is any worse. In fact, I assume it has its ups and downs, and can be about as awful as most jobs, such as working in a post office, digging holes, fixing plumbing, etc. And when the fuck is Diane Sawyer going to talk about plumbers who don't like themselves? It doesn't make for the same ratings, I mean, maybe an occasional plumbers crack...

Edited by - P-Knuckle on 1/24/2003 11:23:45 AM

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i don't know what's worse - reading some of the msgs on that board - or looking at that prick John Stossel...

i'm going to sign in and present my view of things - i think we all should - especially when people make remarks like:

"If the women actually want to be in this business why don't they gain control after all THEY ARE THE PRODUCT!!"

hmmmm - have you heard of a self-made millionaire named Jenna Jameson?

"All those companies ship the black girls to racist movies like black street hookers and inner city black cheerleaders. Where they too are paid low flat fees, forced to screw with no condom, and are at risk."

*forced* to have sex without condoms - hmmmm - thats a new one - i recall seeing one of the girls in the primetime story walk away from the industry despite the loaded gun pointed at her head (by the way that was me being sarcastic)...who said they are forced? funny how people forget to mention that companies like vivid and vca and wicked *force* their talent to WEAR condoms...

the irresponsible statements people are making is what sickens me...

- Pornmaster Mike

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You will not be successful in changing their opinions... they already have their minds made up. I'm not sure what you can accomplish by bandying words with such closed minded individuals.

Edited by - aybesea on 1/24/2003 12:38:06 PM

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any ideas?

this stuff really makes my blood boil...

- Pornmaster Mike

Edited by - pornmaster mike on 1/24/2003 12:45:48 PM

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Pontus

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The show doesn't change my opionions on the porn industry one iota. I don't think this is really in debate among any of us.

That said, it still might change my view of Belladonna. I think it's worth separating the two issues. If the interview segments were legit and edited honestly (I do have serious doubts about that), I think it's fair for us to have some concern. I want her out, doing something else. Of course, that means I want HER to make different decisions, not for them to be made by anyone else.

My second viewing of the show, however, makes me even more suspicious of the editing of the interview. Even the "I don't like myself" portion, which disturbed me a lot, was curiously chopped in a way that easily could have been taken from a conversation about something else... perhaps the rocky relationship with Nacho, as was hinted at more in the text story on the ABC web site.

I hope I find out that this is what was done, because otherwise I think the sadness I felt initially upon seeing the show is more than justified.

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i've worked in fast food, general labor, and at a video store - and this is most rewarding industry i've ever been a part of...

- Pornmaster Mike

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But what if that unhappiness is real, from whatever cause? Can you ignore that? And still watch Weapons of Ass Destruction?

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The Fake Detective

They don't have a case on this particular picture, or for Diane Sawyer in general, but if you email them, they might be able to give you some info, or point you in the right direction.

I'm with Pontus and Ayb though... I'm not sure that putting your hat in the ring with these people is really the best way to go... and using Diane's picture, even if it is real, is kind of self defeating in a way... but that's just my thoughts on the subject. :)

Mike L.

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one thing they seem to conviently leave out was the fact that everything they are talking about is completely legal in every way.. the girls are > 18, they aren't forced to do anything they don't want to do. It's *their* choice...

Although seeing Diane Sawyer describe GONZO porn was priceless :)

To me this story looks like they followed around this girl for 2 years and had nothing .. and they needed to do a story on something, and didn't want to throw away all the time and money... so ABC decided to go for the old, porn is bad, porn is corrupting our young girls, bs..

If porn was so bad, then why did it take 2 yrs for the story to be shown.

The calls to GM and the cable companies were just as stupid.. what exactly is GM/Directv doing that's wrong or illegal? Her pointing to all the "financials" and saying they don't meantion how much $$ they make from porn.. yeah and do they list how much they make from ESPN too? no they don't .. but point made.

To me the clincher in that they only wanted to show one angle, was the fact that there wasn't a single mention of the most famous pornstar ever, Jenna Jameson.. because why focus on somebody who's successfull and self-confident, that's just not good TV

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to me the main story should have been the lack of safe sex in the porn industry and regulations.. it's just common sense.

sure some consumers don't like to see condoms in movies, but if all movies had condoms, I'm pretty sure the consumer wouldn't give up porn :)

the fact that there isn't some type of union is not smart.. and the girls themselves are to blame.. if every pornstar signed up, they would have a lot more power .. and protection.

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Afterward, she says, she couldn't stop crying. She packed her bags and went home to her family in Utah. "

-do you guys really think this part was edited?,i think she really say that...

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What do you do in the industry?

Just curious.

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- Pornmaster Mike

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