From lukeisback.com

We talk about the mammoth success of the Paris Hilton tape.

Dion: "I was offered that when I first started Red Light. I didn't know who Paris Hilton was. I said, 'I want no part of that thing.' My brother was a lot smarter than I was. I didn't think there was any value to it because of what was happening with it on the internet."

Dion started Red Light District a few days after 9/11. "It was just Anabolic done better. We were selling 6,000 pieces out the door within a couple of months. When I left Elegant Angel, we were down to 1,200 pieces out the door. Those were the days [1997] when Tom Byron, Van Damage, Rob Black and Tiffany Mynx were all there. I was the general manager. The greatest days ever were 3,500 pieces.

"Platinum X didn't take off like that. Mike Stefano wanted to come to Red Light. Vince Voyeur was in charge of production and he didn't want Stefano. T.T. Boy was going to have me distribute his stuff. Vince said no to T.T. and to Brandon Irons.

"I said, let's just start another company (Platinum X). That's how I got involved with Jewel DeNyle. How a sweet innocent guy like Stefano could marry a girl like that? Two different people. That's how I met the family [of Jewel] -- Larry and Debbie [Jewel's parents]. I brought them out from Colorado. Our first salesperson was Bonnie Kail. Then Debbie.

"I feel that Jewel is an ungrateful little bitch, but I never had a problem with her. Her parents were nice. I haven't spoke to them since I left.

"Jewel needs to lighten up and get a little class.

"I don't think I put enough time into Platinum X. If I would've put my little touch on it, I probably would've gotten good results out of it.

"Red Light. I took Anabolic's packaging and was more colorful and more friendly to all the distributors and gave a good price. It was a phenomenon. I don't know that I could ever accomplish that again."

Luke: "You took many of Anabolic's directors?"

Dion: "I didn't take no one. Vince Voyeur came to work for me at Elegant Angel as a director [in 2001]. He left Anabolic/Diabolic in early 2001 because they were only giving him one movie a month.

"When I left Elegant Angel, Patrick Collins fired Vince. I gave Vince a job at Red Light. Lexington Steele, through his manager of the time Harry Weiss, contacted me and asked if I'd be interested in giving Lexington Steele ownership. I thought it would be a wonderful idea.

"[Now] I believe Lexington Steele belongs in front of the camera, not behind it.

"Lex came over. God knows he didn't live up to anything that he promised. He never quit. I kicked his ass out of my office.

"Mike John and Eric Everhard wanted to meet with me. They told me they were leaving Anabolic. They came over. The rest is history.

"I brought Manuel Ferrara and Steve Holmes over to Platinum X and gave them directing gigs. Tony Ribas came over from Elegant Angel.

"Look at Red Light today. They're maintaining what I did.

"Anabolic wasn't willing to give up ownership. I was willing. I gave them all interest-free loans. My motto is share the wealth. I wasn't getting rich at Red Light. Too many people owning their own stuff.

Topic Moved by - DenverDon on Jul 11 2005

Topic Moved by - Drew Black on Jul 11 2005

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