Page 28 - AVN June 2012

CROSSOVER REPORT
PRODUCT PLACEMENT
Sssh.com Savanna Samson Kimberly Kane Skin Diamond
WEBSITE FEATURED IN
‘NIGHTLINE’ SEGMENT
ON MOMMY PORN
Sssh.com, the erotica and sexuality web-
site designed and maintained for women
by women, was featured April 20 on
ABC’s Nightline news program. The seg-
ment dealt with the so-called “Mommy
Porn” revolution that has been triggered
by the publication of 50 Shades of Grey,
the hugely popular erotic novel by E.L.
James, a London-based television execu-
tive, wife and mother of two.
A Nightline crew traveled to Sssh.com’s
New England studio to get an up-close
perspective on the making of an erotic
40-minute featurette for the site titled
Ellington: A Sssh.com Erotic Fairy Tale. In
on-camera interviews, Sssh.com founder
Angie Rowntree explained the site’s for-
mula for making erotica that women
want to see.
“What the Sssh.com audience wants to
see is a passionate love scene that is filled
with chemistry and sensuality,” she
explained. “Female readers want a story-
line, like a romance novel come to life.”
Sssh.com offers film featurettes, origi-
nal television programming, articles,
video tutorials and advice/how-to guides.
Ellington: A Sssh.com Erotic Fairy Tale, is
available on Sssh.com and AEBN.net.
(Above, a poster for Ellington)
‘20/20’ AIRS PIECE ON
VIVID STAR TURNED
OENOPHILE
ABC news magazine program 20/20
delved into the life of former Vivid
Entertainment contract star Savanna
Samson in a segment that was broadcast
on April 27.
Focusing on Samson’s endeavor to
reconcile her porn history with being a
good mother to 10-year-old son
Lucchino, as well as her ongoing entre-
preneurial efforts as owner of Savanna
Wines, the piece painted the star in an
overwhelmingly positive light.
In addition to interviews with family
members about her childhood, the piece
covered how Samson got into the biz and
achieved success quickly. The cameras
also followed her daily routine, caring for
her son and husband, and hanging out
with other moms from her son’s school—
who, refreshingly, know about and accept
her work in the industry.
At one point Samson said, “I’m a porn
star, yes ... and I don’t mind that title. It’s
given me a life of luxury and success. ...
And, morally speaking, that’s what’s con-
fusing about me, is that I do have morals.
And yet, it’s contradictory, I guess, by the
industry I’m in.”
(Above, photo of Samson at the 2011
AVN Awards by Hew Burney)
DOCUMENTARY SERIES
SKINEMA DEBUTS
ON VICE.COM
BurningAngel contributor Chris Nieratko
debuted Skinema in April on Vice.com. A
look at the behind-the-scenes lives of
porn stars, the series began with a four-
part feature on adult performer/director/
photographer Kimberly Kane.
“It’s really fun, it’s hip, it’s sexy,”
Nieratko said. “It’s really trying to show
this progressive light on porn of girls tak-
ing the helm and owning their own com-
panies and directing ... just a smarter side
of porn than maybe Rick Santorum
wants you to believe exists.”
His other subjects—BurningAngel
founder Joanna Angel and Belladonna—
certainly also epitomize that side of porn.
Speaking of Kane, she recently showed
her mettle as photographer and scribe with
layouts in the Mishka clothing Spring ’12
lookbook and the May issue of Vice.
Co-shot by Rae Threat, the Mishka
lookbook features Belladonna, Gracie
Glam, Aiden Ashley and Charlotte
Stokely modeling skater-themed apparel.
And her Vice feature, “Girls of
Hollywood,” offered ultra-candid
accounts of the paths to Lalaland for her-
self, Stokely, Andy San Dimas, Skin
Diamond, fetish model Ulorin Vex and
mainstream model Eva Card.
(Above, photo of Kane by Nate “Igor”
Smith of DrivenByBoredom.com)
COSMO DISHES ON THE
FOLLICULAR STYLINGS
OF ADULT STARLET
In its never-ending mission to fill women's
heads with nonsense, Cosmopolitan cautions
reader in its May issue not to emulate the
follicular stylings of 2012 AVN Best New
Starlet contender Skin Diamond, suggesting
instead that they shoot for those of the
famous-for-being-famous Nicole Richie.
Funny pointer, given the droves of gals
who’ve adopted Diamond’s signature
shaved-on-one-side look. What’s more, it
would seem from the snarky comment
accompanying Diamond’s photo that the
magazine was more interested in trying to
be “edgy” (by commenting on an adult
star's fashion choices) than doling out any
real beauty advice: “Leave it to a porn star
to try a landing strip on her head.”
But there’s a bigger issue here than an
insult to the modishness of our lovely Ms.
Diamond; namely, since when does Cosmo
look to porn stars as style harbingers of any
sort, good or bad? Is this some sort of subtle
indicator of the extent to which porn has
permeated the mainstream consciousness?
Diamond herself is anything but peeved
about the unexpected exposure. “I always
knew if I was ever in one of those types of
magazines, it would be as a ‘don’t,’” she
told AVN with a laugh. “I don’t care—
there’s no such thing as bad publicity.”
(Above, photo of Diamond backstage at the
2012 AVN Awards by Stills By Alan)
Male Porn Stars Offer Advice to Readers of Forbes Website
Forbes, the venerable business news and financial information media outlet, dipped its toes into the world of adult entertainment on
April 23 with a piece on its website in which seven male porn stars opine on their profession.
“The Hardest Thing About Being a Male Porn Star,” by Susannah Breslin, features Brandon Iron, Jeremy Steele, Dave Cummings,
Seymore Butts, Richard Mann, Zak Smith (Sabbath) and James Deen waxing prophetic on dating advice, pitfalls of the business and the
best things about their jobs.
Veteran director Butts—who recently returned to the industry and is releasing new material through Pure Play Media—offered some
particularly trenchant insight into the performer’s struggles on set. “The most difficult part about being a male porn star is the hard-on,”
he said. “They have to get it up and off on cue … under the most difficult of circumstances, including not being attracted to their female
co-star, having sex in the most uncomfortable settings, i.e. on hard surfaces, cold/hot weather, etc., and/or having to stop frequently for
direction or shot setups. … It all adds up to being the most difficult job in porn, in my opinion.”
Young gun Deen clearly had the most carefree attitude. “I guess the hardest thing about being a male performer is … um … I don’t
know,” Deen says. “My job is pretty easy.”
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