To his family and friends I offer my condolences in this time of loss.
R.I.P.
-Splackavelli X aka Charles Splackavelli
Edited by - splackavelli x on 8/1/2014 12:04:42 AM
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Seductive Angie Craves Hot Sex - review by Danielmayu33216| Author | Post |
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| Fred G. Sanford Member  @FredGSanfordXXX 120 Posts 11/02 |  Posted - Jul 31 2014 : 8:42PM I just learned today of the passing of Christian Mann. I am very shocked and sad to know he has transitioned. I first encountered Chris Mann nearly 10 years ago when he was the CEO of Video Team. I would go on a black porn board and write rants about what was wrong with Black porn (still do), make jokes, and talk about how much I didn't like Video Team movies at the time. Chris joined the discussion and liked some of my ideas and musings--especially a short dissertation of mine called "A Brief History of Ass". We began a dialogue off-site not long after. I expected to find a cold egotistical big-shot but what I found was a genuinely good and decent human being who cared so much about his family, his community, his employees, and the world. He was a man who looked for and appreciated the talent and good in others—great and small. He loved words and language and was a great writer himself. I was flattered that he liked my writing and sense of humor. But, he was also a sensitive guy and didn't like comments or humor that could be hurtful to others. He really appreciated Black people and wanted his stars to be as successful and respected in the industry as any others. I would bust his balls about Video Team being a black-Vivid (because Vivid movies sucked) and how I didn't like how he was marketing Lacey Duvalle, who was his top contract performer. I chided him about his top series being called “Baby Got Back” but there was no anal—and he changed it to an anal series. I told him how people hated to see condoms in porn (Video Team was a condom-only company at the time) and he changed that too. But, he also talked about witnessing the day when Jordan McKnight got the news that she had tested H.I.V. positive and how it never left him. In 2006, he invited me to join him at the Video Team table at the AVN Awards show. I was in Las Vegas already and he asked me to meet him at his hotel. I went and met so many really nice people, including his lovely fiancé’ and the director Van Styles—who Chris said he met in his community and helped get into the business. He told me how “it was too bad” I didn't live in L.A. and how he liked my ideas. I thought, “He’s really trying to recruit me into the porn business.” I laughed and explained that I was a Fed and was comfortable with my square life, at the time. I also said how I was a bit self-conscious that my shirt had not being pressed properly by the hotel where I was staying. His fiancé overheard and offered to iron it for me. I declined and just kept my jacket on but I was really touched by her kind gesture. I told them about my trips to Africa and gave them some bills from Uganda (he and his fiancé said they liked collecting foreign currency). We ate and drank and then made our way to the show. I met many performers and was struck by the feeling of community in the room (except for Paul Fishbein who was being kind of a dick to everyone). I had a great evening! Later I sent him some African coffee and we caught up about him selling Video Team. He liked a phrase I had coined and wanted to use it as a movie title. I said sure. He insisted on paying me but I told him to donate it to a charity. He still insisted. Finally I setup a dummy company and gave him the information. Sure enough, within weeks my corporation received a nice check from Video Team. I guess he did manage to get me into the porn business, after all. LOL. That’s the Christian Mann I knew. Enjoy your next journey, Chris! This world will greatly miss your kind soul. My deepest condolences to his family and all who loved him. Namaste Edited by - fred g. sanford on Jul 31 2014 Edited by - fred g. sanford on Jul 31 2014 Edited by - fred g. sanford on Jul 31 2014 Edited by - fred g. sanford on Jul 31 2014 Edited by - fred g. sanford on Jul 31 2014 [Link] |
| Splackavelli X Member Former AVN Magazine Reviewer 63 Posts 4/07 | Posted - Aug 1 2014 : 12:03AM To his family and friends I offer my condolences in this time of loss. R.I.P. -Splackavelli X aka Charles Splackavelli Edited by - splackavelli x on 8/1/2014 12:04:42 AM [Link] |
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