Posts
Friday, October 31, 2008
$2,096 Closer To Equality!
Well, first off, Happy Halloween! Be sure to be safe and all that tonight as you celebrate this delightful Paganistic holiday, flouncing around in your incredibly slutty costumes, as I'm sure you are.
Secondly, rock on, you awesome people! Of course you remember my urging you to buy porn AND simultaneously support "No On Prop 8" campaign, and ya'll came through.
The official numbers are out:
Comstock Films raised a whopping $1,596! Pink & White Productions raised $500! Both numbers are awesome!
Together, we can keep Shine Louise Houston (and many, many others!) married and able to do so.
And even though it's not directly Prop 8-related, I did a little something on my part (other than donating and blogging, that is):
It's not much, but it's something, right?
Secondly, rock on, you awesome people! Of course you remember my urging you to buy porn AND simultaneously support "No On Prop 8" campaign, and ya'll came through.
The official numbers are out:
Comstock Films raised a whopping $1,596! Pink & White Productions raised $500! Both numbers are awesome!
Together, we can keep Shine Louise Houston (and many, many others!) married and able to do so.
And even though it's not directly Prop 8-related, I did a little something on my part (other than donating and blogging, that is):
It's not much, but it's something, right?
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Prop 8: The Question Nobody's Asking
I really don't want to get political on this blog. That is to say, I don't want to mention the names of any politicians, unless they're doing something sex-related. I just don't want to be dragged down into that bog, because I've seen too many non-politically-focused blogs get overrun by political opinion posts. I don't want to be that blog, losing all of its fun with rants that can typically be found elsewhere, and often by much more informed folks than myself.
Moreover, I doubt it would have much effect, except perhaps for a cathartic effect for me as the writer. Almost everyone who reads non-news blogs has already formed an opinion, and probably won't budge very much . . . they read the same old things screaming either "Heck yeah! Dead-on!" or "Heck no! What an idiot!". And that's just not productive, satisfying as it may be. And for those moderates and undecided voters whose minds I could potentially sway, well, I'm pretty sure they will have decided with the help of bigger, better, famous-er blogs by the time they finally come to mine. I'm just not in the business of trying to convince you.
And yet, whenever I see a certain viewpoint missing in a discussion, I feel the call of duty, particularly since such discussions usually have reached a stalemate, locked in a dead heat between proponents and opponents who feverently believe in their cause. It's my opinion that nobody wants to somehow 'destroy America' the way some politicans would have you believe. We all have needs and desires, as individuals and as members of groups/communities with their own interests, and though I may disagree with some of those interests, I certainly believe that they all should be taken seriously. Political fanatics who don't listen to any reason are not just stupid and/or brainwashed, as we'd like to believe- they are made when they [sometimes legitimately] feel they are being pushed aside and not being listened to. If you think the world is against you from the start, there's no way you're going to listen to the well-founded criticisms you receive. And then we're back right again to that stalemate.
My inspiration today was in an op-ed piece about- what else?- California's Proposition 8, the gay marriage ban (for those of you who, as I often forget, don't live in Cali). Though it's certainly a serious topic, I can't help but read all the debates with amusement. The "yes" supporters often fall on arguments I find most ridiculous. But occasionally they do hit a strong nerve that can't be laughed away so easily, and one of them has been the accusation that allowing gay marriage would create legislative imperatives for those individuals and institutions who don't agree with it- i.e. churches having to marry gay folks, kids being taught about gay marriage in school, etc.). This has raised a series of commercials about who's lying- will kids know about the fact that um, there are gay people in the world, or will they be able to ignore this fact by locking themselves in their basements and being isolated from the general world? I'm going to skip the "Liar!" accusations and go right to the assumption that neither side really knows just how, exactly, the legislation will work. It's a nebulous thing, law. The Prop 8 supporters might be right about some changes taking place- and if they are, what then?
Case in point: the article offered several concrete, documented examples, wherein doctors were sued for not artificially inseminating a lesbian woman because of their personal religious convictions, churches lost some of their tax-exempt status for refusing to let a lesbian couple hold a civil union ceremony in its pavilion, and parents were refused the right in a court case to opt their children out of school discussions of homosexuality. Now, you, like me, are probably rolling your eyes, because you know that it's stupid and ridiculous for people to have their panties all in a bunch over homosexuality in this day and age. They're stupid, they're bigots, whatever, it's soo over. Deal with it. Don't try to legislate your homophobia and weird mixed up feelings onto me. But these are still big concerns to these people, and like I said above, when nobody listens to your grievances or dismisses them, you start launching ugly campaigns.
The problem, then, becomes one of competing rights. How do you bow to both without becoming discriminatory? And that's the question nobody's asking.
I believe people have the right to get married, because according to our Constitution, we have the right to, as individuals, voluntarily enter into contracts regardless of their nature. When we sign, by the fact that we pay taxes, the justice department will honor that in court, and make sure both parties hold up their end. Calling it 'civil unions' when it provides the exact same thing (which, actually, it often doesn't), is eerily reminiscent of the 'separate but equal' thing, which the Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education struck. And I believe that individuals have the right against the government forcing them to serve and interact with those they don't want to. So even though I get odd looks for saying it, I believe that a bigot who doesn't want to let a black person into his store, or hire a woman for a job just because she's a woman, for example, should have the right to do so. The government cannot do this, of course, because Lady Justice wears a blindfold and the law is impartial; there can be no discrimination in a democratic government, and injustices in hiring and whatnot should be brought to suit. But if you own a business or institution and wish to do the completely idiotic, counterintuitive and counterproductive act of turning away qualified employees or paying customers because of your bigotry, your business will suffer (and hopefully conscientious citizens will launch boycotts and raise awareness about how much you suck).
If there are some Prop 8 supporters who are truly motivated by the fears mentioned in this article and still feel that gays should have the right to marry, if it weren't for all these complications (and I'm sure there have to be some, right?), then nobody is asking the question: why don't we get the government out of our lives and have the best of both sides? If you don't want the government being able to say who your church has to marry, then you have to give up your tax exempt status (which has always bugged me, anyways, especially since I read Winnifred Sullivan's The Impossibility Of Religious Freedom, which made a wonderful argument that government's protection of religious "rights" privileges the religious over the non-religious and takes on the impossible task of deciding what constitutes a "true" religion, particularly when it comes to more hybridized folk faith). If you want to resolve the question of what students learn, you need to get the government out of education and turn to private schooling and homeschooling. If you want to be able to not treat/serve/whatever to various people in your business, you must get the government out of your business- and that includes the laws that benefit you.
Of course, I know not everybody shares these Libertarian thoughts, and it's far too extreme for our gigantic, bloated government to instantly do. But what irks me most is, again, that nobody is even offering this as a possibility to be shot down.
That's it for today's politics.
Moreover, I doubt it would have much effect, except perhaps for a cathartic effect for me as the writer. Almost everyone who reads non-news blogs has already formed an opinion, and probably won't budge very much . . . they read the same old things screaming either "Heck yeah! Dead-on!" or "Heck no! What an idiot!". And that's just not productive, satisfying as it may be. And for those moderates and undecided voters whose minds I could potentially sway, well, I'm pretty sure they will have decided with the help of bigger, better, famous-er blogs by the time they finally come to mine. I'm just not in the business of trying to convince you.
And yet, whenever I see a certain viewpoint missing in a discussion, I feel the call of duty, particularly since such discussions usually have reached a stalemate, locked in a dead heat between proponents and opponents who feverently believe in their cause. It's my opinion that nobody wants to somehow 'destroy America' the way some politicans would have you believe. We all have needs and desires, as individuals and as members of groups/communities with their own interests, and though I may disagree with some of those interests, I certainly believe that they all should be taken seriously. Political fanatics who don't listen to any reason are not just stupid and/or brainwashed, as we'd like to believe- they are made when they [sometimes legitimately] feel they are being pushed aside and not being listened to. If you think the world is against you from the start, there's no way you're going to listen to the well-founded criticisms you receive. And then we're back right again to that stalemate.
My inspiration today was in an op-ed piece about- what else?- California's Proposition 8, the gay marriage ban (for those of you who, as I often forget, don't live in Cali). Though it's certainly a serious topic, I can't help but read all the debates with amusement. The "yes" supporters often fall on arguments I find most ridiculous. But occasionally they do hit a strong nerve that can't be laughed away so easily, and one of them has been the accusation that allowing gay marriage would create legislative imperatives for those individuals and institutions who don't agree with it- i.e. churches having to marry gay folks, kids being taught about gay marriage in school, etc.). This has raised a series of commercials about who's lying- will kids know about the fact that um, there are gay people in the world, or will they be able to ignore this fact by locking themselves in their basements and being isolated from the general world? I'm going to skip the "Liar!" accusations and go right to the assumption that neither side really knows just how, exactly, the legislation will work. It's a nebulous thing, law. The Prop 8 supporters might be right about some changes taking place- and if they are, what then?
Case in point: the article offered several concrete, documented examples, wherein doctors were sued for not artificially inseminating a lesbian woman because of their personal religious convictions, churches lost some of their tax-exempt status for refusing to let a lesbian couple hold a civil union ceremony in its pavilion, and parents were refused the right in a court case to opt their children out of school discussions of homosexuality. Now, you, like me, are probably rolling your eyes, because you know that it's stupid and ridiculous for people to have their panties all in a bunch over homosexuality in this day and age. They're stupid, they're bigots, whatever, it's soo over. Deal with it. Don't try to legislate your homophobia and weird mixed up feelings onto me. But these are still big concerns to these people, and like I said above, when nobody listens to your grievances or dismisses them, you start launching ugly campaigns.
The problem, then, becomes one of competing rights. How do you bow to both without becoming discriminatory? And that's the question nobody's asking.
I believe people have the right to get married, because according to our Constitution, we have the right to, as individuals, voluntarily enter into contracts regardless of their nature. When we sign, by the fact that we pay taxes, the justice department will honor that in court, and make sure both parties hold up their end. Calling it 'civil unions' when it provides the exact same thing (which, actually, it often doesn't), is eerily reminiscent of the 'separate but equal' thing, which the Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education struck. And I believe that individuals have the right against the government forcing them to serve and interact with those they don't want to. So even though I get odd looks for saying it, I believe that a bigot who doesn't want to let a black person into his store, or hire a woman for a job just because she's a woman, for example, should have the right to do so. The government cannot do this, of course, because Lady Justice wears a blindfold and the law is impartial; there can be no discrimination in a democratic government, and injustices in hiring and whatnot should be brought to suit. But if you own a business or institution and wish to do the completely idiotic, counterintuitive and counterproductive act of turning away qualified employees or paying customers because of your bigotry, your business will suffer (and hopefully conscientious citizens will launch boycotts and raise awareness about how much you suck).
If there are some Prop 8 supporters who are truly motivated by the fears mentioned in this article and still feel that gays should have the right to marry, if it weren't for all these complications (and I'm sure there have to be some, right?), then nobody is asking the question: why don't we get the government out of our lives and have the best of both sides? If you don't want the government being able to say who your church has to marry, then you have to give up your tax exempt status (which has always bugged me, anyways, especially since I read Winnifred Sullivan's The Impossibility Of Religious Freedom, which made a wonderful argument that government's protection of religious "rights" privileges the religious over the non-religious and takes on the impossible task of deciding what constitutes a "true" religion, particularly when it comes to more hybridized folk faith). If you want to resolve the question of what students learn, you need to get the government out of education and turn to private schooling and homeschooling. If you want to be able to not treat/serve/whatever to various people in your business, you must get the government out of your business- and that includes the laws that benefit you.
Of course, I know not everybody shares these Libertarian thoughts, and it's far too extreme for our gigantic, bloated government to instantly do. But what irks me most is, again, that nobody is even offering this as a possibility to be shot down.
That's it for today's politics.
Women Wanting Sex? Hil-ar-ious! (NOT)
It used to be mildly funny, but I'm quickly getting tired of all those porn-related spoofs that end up reinforcing our ideas that women are sexless and wouldn't be turned on by yummy raunchy things unless the man in question is being Harlequin-style, vomitously over-romantic or is performing some sort of other non-erotic service for her (opening his wallet, doing chores, etc.). Not that I don't also enjoy men who do their fair share of housework- have I ever told you how a man cooking (good food) can melt me into a fuckable puddle almost instantaneously? But when there's such a dearth out there of porn aimed at women and/or made by women, I get irked at people grabbing my attention with unfulfilled promises.First it was the attention-garnering but still-kinda-cute Cambridge Women's Pornography Cooperative and Susan Anderson's book (and calendar!) Porn For Women, which at least did show some manflesh (moreso in the calendar, though). But now I trip over Porn For Girls By Girls, which is all just a horrible spoof to sell David McCandless' book "The Internet: Now In Handy Book Format". And yeah, it's equipped with fully-clothed males, plays on ubiquitous porno slogans- "Huge Wet Smiling Eyes", for example- and the one thing I did like, three separate tabs labeled "Foreplay".
I should smile, but damn it, it's taking up webspace that should be devoted to real porn for girls by girls! I wouldn't be angry at all if there were more than a handful of such websites to accompany it, but until then, I'll stay pissed, because as it stands, a gal looking for porn and directed to this site gets only the message that she's abnormal for looking for real pornography- something she's been getting from society already (and somehow managed to overcome in her Internet searches). Or the boyfriend or husband who wants to open her up to porn and is looking for something that'll appeal to her- and ends up closing his browser, convinced the only things out there are either for gay men, raunchy hardcore for men, and spoofs that make a mockery out of female desire.
Grrr. Righteously angry posts are actually kinda fun.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Book Review: "Amorous Woman"
I read it a while back, but I wanted to write a review for Donna George Storey's book Amorous Woman, because it's rare that an erotic book captivates me as much as this one did. I had been eagerly awaiting its release since I first heard about it, and not only did it not disappoint, but it even managed to impress this old jaded reader. And with 23 5-star reviews on Amazon- almost unheard of in terms of book reviews, especially erotica, which rarely can satisfy all the disparate predilections of its very diverse readers- it's destined to be a classic in the genre.Don't let its rather tacky cover fool you: it really should be a Caucasian woman on the cover, since that is its protagonist. As the book blurb says, "For a sum much smaller than a plane ticket an American woman can travel to a rustic hot-spring inn where anything goes after midnight, don the gorgeous kimono of a Japanese bride, romp in the dungeon rooms of tacky love hotels, act out an orgy straight from manga porn, and slip inside Kyoto’s most exclusive restaurants for exquisite dinners of seduction. The Amorous Woman experiences almost every flavor of erotic pleasure Japan has to offer—and she’s happy to take you along for the ride. Inspired by Ihara Saikaku’s 17th-century satiric novel of the pleasure quarters, this story of an American woman’s love affair with Japan— and many sexy men and women along the way— gives readers a chance to journey to a Japan few tourists ever see."
It's interesting . . . I read Amorous Woman in the same period of time that I read Sheridan Prasso's The Asian Mystique: Dragon Ladies, Geisha Girls, And Our Fantasies of the Exotic Orient (as I am wont to do . . . too ADD to focus on one at a time, I suppose), and the effect was disorienting: one book critically dissecting the racism, stereotyping, objectification, and imperialist fantasies that provide the erotic charge and fetishization of Asia, and the other blatantly encouraging it (well, not the racism- mostly just the objectification), relishing in the exoticism in what could almost be considered an affair with an entire country, and not just the men in it. And yet while she's certainly fetishizing Japan, it doesn't feel bad in any way (I wonder if I'd feel the same if it was written by a white man?). Donna's love and respect for Japan and Japanese culture comes across as strong and pure.
I'm sure, of course, that I'm bringing my own experiences to the reading. Certainly, the history-drenched Kyoto Prefecture is as different from Ibaraki Prefecture (where I stayed) as New York differs from, say, Houston. But the experiences of a foreigner in Japan seems to be mostly the same everywhere, and everything resonates beautifully, from the evocative descriptions, the perfectly selected details, even to the sex (as someone shocked by my attraction to other foreigners who I wouldn't have given a glance in America, I appreciated the gaijin-gaijin fling in the book- it rang very true for me). Those who have visited Japan will undoubtedly be instantly transported back, and those who haven't will be introduced to a rich panoply of cultural landscape.
And then there's the next best thing: straight Asian guys! Yay! They still may not have much of a/any representation in porn, but Storey definitely adds to the small but precious list of eroticized, heterosexual male Asian characters, with loving, hot descriptions that come from someone who truly 'gets it'. (For all you looking for more, I've compiled a short list of some other Asian men in erotica- got any more?: the scrumpdidilyupmtious character of Takeshi in Madelynne Ellis' Dark Designs, David Imakita of Emma Holly's In The Flesh, the unnamed lover of Marguerite Duras' The Lover, and the collection On A Bed Of Rice).
But enough discussion of the Asian/Japanese aspects of the book (since, I'm aware, there are folks out there who aren't as in love with it as I am). This book is well-written. I mean, seriously well-written. I'm not talking about your usual "hey, hot erotica without typos and grammar errors!", but about the kind of writing style, in terms both of lyricism and structuring, that almost gives you chills. Everything seems crafted to add deep layers of eroticism and emotion, from the general outlay of the narration (it takes place as Lydia's recounting of her experiences to two men preparing to go to Japan), to the clever introduction that foreshadows the tale, and the neat tricks used to jam-pack sexy action in and up its levels of heat without turning our heroine into a cliched slut or throwing away reality. And this is only the structure. The sensuality of the words, the way they flow and build- it's all very, very delicious. The entire novel has a deep mood about it that's almost haunting. And the story is good; good enough that I'd be willing to read it even with all the sexin' taken out. Not to mention that so much of the book goes back to feeling real (probably because a good deal of it was autobiographical . . . how much, I'm not sure, though I certainly am curious). I won't give away any plot points, but it's rare for an erotic book to address some of the unsexy issues here, and to do it so well- the portrayal of an entire woman, instead of just segmented-off sexuality and happy-ending-no-complications romance. But don't be fooled- the sex in here is wonderfully varied and very steamy.
So yeah. Amorous Woman gets 6 stars out of five for making me pull it out of the drawer more times than anything else- and for making me daydream about it when I'm not reading it.
Sex Toy Singalong
Another collection of songs, dedicated to all those inanimate objects we put near our nether parts. Enjoy, after the jump!
1) The most famous song of all! A great viral video and a supremely catchy song you'll be humming all over the place. And it's a PSA about how sex toys are for girls AND guys! Enjoy "The Dildo Song":
2) "Vibrator" by Motorhead. I think it's great that somebody finally wrote a song from a vibrator's first-person perspective. That story definitely needed to be told ;)
3) "My Wife's Vibrator" by Dos Gringos. Pretty funny and cute . . . and accurately depicts a lot of men's fears and feelings of inadequacy regarding their female partners' sex toys.
4) Desperatehousewife72 has a lovely little parody of Plain White T's "Hey There Delilah" with "Hey There Dildo". And the video's pretty adorable. It's what you do to me . . .
5) "Nipple Clamps" by a group of kids . . . bad quality, unfortunately, but I'm still digging it.
6) Once again, The Wet Spots win at life. "Texas Annie" is not only a catchy country tune about sex toys, but it's political as well. And be sure to watch this little intro to the song as well.
7) Even though the song in this is fairly short, I must include it because I think it totally rocks for a sex toy retailer to make such a cute video. Just for that, they totally get a link. Their "Sex Toy Satire" video is hilarious. I'd totally donate if I saw a telethon like this.
8) Another original, called "Anne, Where Is Your Sex Toy?". Not sure what exactly it's about (well, okay, it's about Anne and her sex toy), but I like it. I guess it's a fun way to break the tension when you stumble across anybody's sex toy- just sing it to them later until they laugh and you can get over the embarrassment.
9) Okay, so espwish's "Young Boys With Rubber Toys" kind of pushes things to extremes, what with the incest and all, but it's nice to hear about boys with toys!
10) "Anything Can Be A Dildo" is kind of stupidly funny. I hope it goes without saying that many things can't be a dildo- or not without harming ya. But props to them for, um, pushing you to be creative with your homemade sex toys?
1) The most famous song of all! A great viral video and a supremely catchy song you'll be humming all over the place. And it's a PSA about how sex toys are for girls AND guys! Enjoy "The Dildo Song":
2) "Vibrator" by Motorhead. I think it's great that somebody finally wrote a song from a vibrator's first-person perspective. That story definitely needed to be told ;)
3) "My Wife's Vibrator" by Dos Gringos. Pretty funny and cute . . . and accurately depicts a lot of men's fears and feelings of inadequacy regarding their female partners' sex toys.
4) Desperatehousewife72 has a lovely little parody of Plain White T's "Hey There Delilah" with "Hey There Dildo". And the video's pretty adorable. It's what you do to me . . .
5) "Nipple Clamps" by a group of kids . . . bad quality, unfortunately, but I'm still digging it.
6) Once again, The Wet Spots win at life. "Texas Annie" is not only a catchy country tune about sex toys, but it's political as well. And be sure to watch this little intro to the song as well.
7) Even though the song in this is fairly short, I must include it because I think it totally rocks for a sex toy retailer to make such a cute video. Just for that, they totally get a link. Their "Sex Toy Satire" video is hilarious. I'd totally donate if I saw a telethon like this.
8) Another original, called "Anne, Where Is Your Sex Toy?". Not sure what exactly it's about (well, okay, it's about Anne and her sex toy), but I like it. I guess it's a fun way to break the tension when you stumble across anybody's sex toy- just sing it to them later until they laugh and you can get over the embarrassment.
9) Okay, so espwish's "Young Boys With Rubber Toys" kind of pushes things to extremes, what with the incest and all, but it's nice to hear about boys with toys!
10) "Anything Can Be A Dildo" is kind of stupidly funny. I hope it goes without saying that many things can't be a dildo- or not without harming ya. But props to them for, um, pushing you to be creative with your homemade sex toys?
And, once again, Josefsberg and Gurner don't have enough videos on Youtube, but listen to their Myspace song "Blow Up Doll".
Yay, sex toys! Go to your favorite shop right now and sing an ode to your cashier- they deserve it!
Monday, October 27, 2008
More British Mystery Theatre
I can't seem to stop tripping up over the faint web tracks of real lesbian British porn . . . first it was Angie Dowling, now it's the mysteries of "Candy Stars".
The Candy Bar sounds cool. I mean, I'm hardly a party girl, but descriptions of the UK club make me want to hop on a plane and visit jolly old England, stat. Apparently the club had a very crucial role in shaping dyke culture in the area from its 1996 opening, and it exploded in terms of popularity- becoming one of the first women's venues in the UK to be granted a striptease license. That's right, they have strippers. For lesbians. *Gulp, pant, pant* And they are made sure to get paid a good basic wage (unlike many/most male stripjoints)! Swoon. They've won a ton of awards, and boast quite proudly of all the celebrity visitors they've had frequent the bar (yawn . . . like I care. Unless they got up and stripped. Then I approve very muchly). Point is, it makes me think of really cool, trendy dyke hotspots- something you see in "The L Word". I wanna go.
The network of bars, owned by Kim Lucas and Soho Clubs Ltd, which have spreading the Candy Bar franchise (or were planning to spread) from the UK to Australia and South Africa, seems pretty huge. They aren't just in the business of local partying- add organizing group trips to other countries, starring in documentaries, and making their own films, to the list. (And they've had their fair share of controversy, as evidenced by what happened in Greece). But in terms of more positive news, they've been featured in four documentaries and, even cooler, have produced their own short and full-length films, including "Big Sister" (a lesbian spoof of "Big Brother") and "Lesbian Pop Idol", a sort of "American Idol" done from the karaoke gals in the club. And, apparently, a porno.
The only problem is, I can find out almost nothing about it. I know that it must exist- I've seen pictures of the DVD, descriptions of its contents, and it is still listed as available for purchase here and here. Going by the name "Candy Stars", or "Candy Stars Uncensored", it carries this tantalizing teaser:
Ruby Fox is the new girl in town. Just off the bus from deepest nowhere, she is an innocent babe in London’s lesbian playland. Cute and up for adventure she plunges headlong into the exciting, hedonistic and sexually charged world of Europe’s hottest Lesbian scene. In one short weekend she makes a good friend, a dangerous enemy and has more sex than she has ever had in her entire life. Witty, pacey and with sizzling sex, it a real life lesbian adventure which introduces seven OF THE HOTTEST new lesbian stars.
Unfortunately, but for those two sites, it seems like "Candy Stars" has been wiped off the virtual map. You find links purporting to have it, only to have the page deleted and the information gone. There are the briefest mentions of it, but nothing concrete. It's certainly not listed as one of the film projects Candy Bar worked on.
I'm fearing that the case may be what one post offered (but which got no reply): for whatever reason, the movie was pulled from release by the British Board Of Films Certification. Unfortunately, I can't find any information to substantiate that.
I'm not sure what exactly remains of Candy Bar. Earlier this year, they lost their permanent space and are now more of a touring act, having regular "nights" at various hosting bars. If you happen to be in Britain, you can find out where to find them (and hence inquire about their porno on my behalf) at this site or their Myspace.
So . . . does anybody have any more information about "Candy Stars"? Can someone shed light on the topic? I guess I'll continue to search around.
- Your Private Eye, Gwen
The Candy Bar sounds cool. I mean, I'm hardly a party girl, but descriptions of the UK club make me want to hop on a plane and visit jolly old England, stat. Apparently the club had a very crucial role in shaping dyke culture in the area from its 1996 opening, and it exploded in terms of popularity- becoming one of the first women's venues in the UK to be granted a striptease license. That's right, they have strippers. For lesbians. *Gulp, pant, pant* And they are made sure to get paid a good basic wage (unlike many/most male stripjoints)! Swoon. They've won a ton of awards, and boast quite proudly of all the celebrity visitors they've had frequent the bar (yawn . . . like I care. Unless they got up and stripped. Then I approve very muchly). Point is, it makes me think of really cool, trendy dyke hotspots- something you see in "The L Word". I wanna go.The network of bars, owned by Kim Lucas and Soho Clubs Ltd, which have spreading the Candy Bar franchise (or were planning to spread) from the UK to Australia and South Africa, seems pretty huge. They aren't just in the business of local partying- add organizing group trips to other countries, starring in documentaries, and making their own films, to the list. (And they've had their fair share of controversy, as evidenced by what happened in Greece). But in terms of more positive news, they've been featured in four documentaries and, even cooler, have produced their own short and full-length films, including "Big Sister" (a lesbian spoof of "Big Brother") and "Lesbian Pop Idol", a sort of "American Idol" done from the karaoke gals in the club. And, apparently, a porno.
The only problem is, I can find out almost nothing about it. I know that it must exist- I've seen pictures of the DVD, descriptions of its contents, and it is still listed as available for purchase here and here. Going by the name "Candy Stars", or "Candy Stars Uncensored", it carries this tantalizing teaser:
Ruby Fox is the new girl in town. Just off the bus from deepest nowhere, she is an innocent babe in London’s lesbian playland. Cute and up for adventure she plunges headlong into the exciting, hedonistic and sexually charged world of Europe’s hottest Lesbian scene. In one short weekend she makes a good friend, a dangerous enemy and has more sex than she has ever had in her entire life. Witty, pacey and with sizzling sex, it a real life lesbian adventure which introduces seven OF THE HOTTEST new lesbian stars.Unfortunately, but for those two sites, it seems like "Candy Stars" has been wiped off the virtual map. You find links purporting to have it, only to have the page deleted and the information gone. There are the briefest mentions of it, but nothing concrete. It's certainly not listed as one of the film projects Candy Bar worked on.
I'm fearing that the case may be what one post offered (but which got no reply): for whatever reason, the movie was pulled from release by the British Board Of Films Certification. Unfortunately, I can't find any information to substantiate that.
I'm not sure what exactly remains of Candy Bar. Earlier this year, they lost their permanent space and are now more of a touring act, having regular "nights" at various hosting bars. If you happen to be in Britain, you can find out where to find them (and hence inquire about their porno on my behalf) at this site or their Myspace.
So . . . does anybody have any more information about "Candy Stars"? Can someone shed light on the topic? I guess I'll continue to search around.
- Your Private Eye, Gwen
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Two Roads
Deep personal revelations- or rather, confusion- after the jump.
I’m at a little bit of a loss. By December, assuming that I don’t punk out and fail all of my classes (which, considering my levels of procrastination lately, isn’t all that much of a stretch), I will be graduated with a B.A. in Linguistics. I will have spent four years (plus one pesky extra semester) in college, will have spent God knows how much of my parents’ money, and . . . may have nothing to show for it.
Don’t get me wrong; I love linguistics. Language has always captivated me. I know that I like it because I can go on and on about how English doesn’t have any voiced stops, not really- can you believe it?- and other people try to politely change the subject. Despite my hatred of most sciences (I loved the math behind chemistry and the cool explanations of biology but detested the requisite experimentation in each), I found an academic branch that adheres to the scientific method but doesn’t require peering through microscopes. I even managed to allay my parents’ fears and find the sub-branch that would give me a steady job (i.e. teaching). I’ve gotten just a little bit (not enough) over my intense nervousness when speaking in front of large groups, and heck, I think I could manage to teach and grow pretty good at it. I have lots of ideas, and, in honor of delusions of grandeur, I still fantasize about publishing some field-altering research on second language acquisition, becoming an acknowledged expert who can teach the bigwigs in Washington about what sort of education would best suit the bilingual children of our nation, or even going so far as to open and run my own language school, implementing my highly individualized and principled methodology to great renown.
I should be happy.
And yet, there’s something tugging at me. I’ve struggled this semester to keep up with my schoolwork, not because of my general laziness and procrastination (well, okay, that, too), but because I’m busier writing blogs, consuming and producing erotic content of various types, and generally keeping up on the online world of sex, sexuality, porn, the queer movement, and so on and so on. If I had to list my passions, so-called ‘sexology’ would come out leaps and bounds ahead of linguistics. I obviously give it priority in my life; it excites me intellectually and brings out a fiery passion you just can’t get when debating whether we really do have Chomsky’s language acquisition devices in our brains. I’ve always wanted to change the world, to make an impact, to have some weight and sway. I still long to publish a book, to see it on library shelves and know that people are reading it and my ever-opinionated thoughts are being disseminated for discussion and contemplation. I want a sexy advice column. I want to review sex toys. I want to write professional erotica. I want to help make queer porn, the kind of porn I want to see. I want to open sexuality centers. I want to lobby and protest and march for gay rights. I want to subvert the system. I want to influence public policy about sex education. I want to help make sex work safe. I want to do so much. I just don’t know if doing it on the side would be satisfying enough. Aren’t there some sort of unspoken rules about teachers not doing such controversial things? (Not that I want to shy away from controversy, but I do tend to like keeping a job).
It’s interesting . . . my best friend and I are both graduating, and our struggles in regards to the future eerily mirror one another’s. We went to school together, and she now has a completed B.A. in deaf education, something she has decided she doesn’t want to do (much to her mother’s horror). Much in the same way that I quietly went from a naïve little freshman who barely knew she was queer (much less about the big world of porn and sex radicalism) to the person I am today, she was undergoing her own transformation, from a naïve little freshman whose church work was mainly self-contained to a sophisticated, globally-thinking urban minister and missionary, fighting on the fronts of social/racial justice, poverty, and environmentalism. Her dedication, her passion, and her zeal continue to amaze me- and inspire me. I used to feel less important in my own passions, as if what I was doing/feeling couldn’t be as important as hers. I’ve since gained a lot more confidence and, no doubt due to our fascinating discussions and the help of the very provocative book “That’s Revolting!”, learned the intersections where the two meet (even if we would take different paths to try to better the life of a prostitute- me fighting for rights and decriminalization, she for proselytizing them out of the trade). But where she and I differ is in her utter devotion. She wants to throw herself into the work, regardless of condemnation from her friends and family or any care to money. Maybe I’m greedy, and maybe I care too much what others think (although I’ll argue it’s a lot harder selling “sex work advocacy” than “urban ministry” to your family), but I want some steadiness in my life, some financial guarantees. And what with any sex/porn-advocacy job at the very least usually freelance and, in today’s economy, perhaps nonexistent, I just don’t know that I could throw myself full-heartedly into it, confident I could wring a salary and a life from it.
I take a little solace in knowing that I have time. There’s still either a Masters or a teaching credential waiting before I can legally assume the title of ‘professor’. I’m trying for the JET Program for next year- a program that, if I get accepted, will send me back to that crazy beautiful land of Japan to do some hands-on teaching. I’ve justified it as a good way to save up money for grad school, to expand my resume (look, I taught abroad!), to make sure this is what I want to do. But I know my own real reason: I’m running away. I’m buying myself time. It’s what I’ve done over and over again. I’ve had people express surprise that such a quiet, introverted little thing like myself would go abroad. It used to surprise even me, but I’ve thought about it, and I think I like it so because my choices are made for me. I know who I am in Japan- I am the gaijin, the foreigner, absolved of any responsibility as I play out the cultural script set out for me and fulfill the expectations. My family and old friends are far away, and I can craft a new identity for myself. When I think about perhaps settling there, I feel an almost sense of relief, regardless of what I’d be doing. When I imagine the rest of my life in America, my anxieties increase tenfold. My best friend also wants to go somewhere else- maybe to Oklahoma with her estranged father, or Chicago, for the amazing urban ministry work they’re doing there. I’m not saying that Fresno/the Central Valley is at all alluring for us to stay, but I feel the same desperation, that same “If I move myself from here bodily, maybe it will take me where I want to be emotionally.” I can’t tell if it’s a good strategy or one of avoidance.
What a long, strange, meandering blog. Again, as always, I just don’t have the answers. Four years ago, it would have been inconceivable to imagine me trying to choose between teaching English or educating sexuality. It still feels impossible. But I know where my heart wants to go. Can I follow it?
Comments- at least the encouraging kind- are welcome.
I’m at a little bit of a loss. By December, assuming that I don’t punk out and fail all of my classes (which, considering my levels of procrastination lately, isn’t all that much of a stretch), I will be graduated with a B.A. in Linguistics. I will have spent four years (plus one pesky extra semester) in college, will have spent God knows how much of my parents’ money, and . . . may have nothing to show for it.
Don’t get me wrong; I love linguistics. Language has always captivated me. I know that I like it because I can go on and on about how English doesn’t have any voiced stops, not really- can you believe it?- and other people try to politely change the subject. Despite my hatred of most sciences (I loved the math behind chemistry and the cool explanations of biology but detested the requisite experimentation in each), I found an academic branch that adheres to the scientific method but doesn’t require peering through microscopes. I even managed to allay my parents’ fears and find the sub-branch that would give me a steady job (i.e. teaching). I’ve gotten just a little bit (not enough) over my intense nervousness when speaking in front of large groups, and heck, I think I could manage to teach and grow pretty good at it. I have lots of ideas, and, in honor of delusions of grandeur, I still fantasize about publishing some field-altering research on second language acquisition, becoming an acknowledged expert who can teach the bigwigs in Washington about what sort of education would best suit the bilingual children of our nation, or even going so far as to open and run my own language school, implementing my highly individualized and principled methodology to great renown.
I should be happy.
And yet, there’s something tugging at me. I’ve struggled this semester to keep up with my schoolwork, not because of my general laziness and procrastination (well, okay, that, too), but because I’m busier writing blogs, consuming and producing erotic content of various types, and generally keeping up on the online world of sex, sexuality, porn, the queer movement, and so on and so on. If I had to list my passions, so-called ‘sexology’ would come out leaps and bounds ahead of linguistics. I obviously give it priority in my life; it excites me intellectually and brings out a fiery passion you just can’t get when debating whether we really do have Chomsky’s language acquisition devices in our brains. I’ve always wanted to change the world, to make an impact, to have some weight and sway. I still long to publish a book, to see it on library shelves and know that people are reading it and my ever-opinionated thoughts are being disseminated for discussion and contemplation. I want a sexy advice column. I want to review sex toys. I want to write professional erotica. I want to help make queer porn, the kind of porn I want to see. I want to open sexuality centers. I want to lobby and protest and march for gay rights. I want to subvert the system. I want to influence public policy about sex education. I want to help make sex work safe. I want to do so much. I just don’t know if doing it on the side would be satisfying enough. Aren’t there some sort of unspoken rules about teachers not doing such controversial things? (Not that I want to shy away from controversy, but I do tend to like keeping a job).
It’s interesting . . . my best friend and I are both graduating, and our struggles in regards to the future eerily mirror one another’s. We went to school together, and she now has a completed B.A. in deaf education, something she has decided she doesn’t want to do (much to her mother’s horror). Much in the same way that I quietly went from a naïve little freshman who barely knew she was queer (much less about the big world of porn and sex radicalism) to the person I am today, she was undergoing her own transformation, from a naïve little freshman whose church work was mainly self-contained to a sophisticated, globally-thinking urban minister and missionary, fighting on the fronts of social/racial justice, poverty, and environmentalism. Her dedication, her passion, and her zeal continue to amaze me- and inspire me. I used to feel less important in my own passions, as if what I was doing/feeling couldn’t be as important as hers. I’ve since gained a lot more confidence and, no doubt due to our fascinating discussions and the help of the very provocative book “That’s Revolting!”, learned the intersections where the two meet (even if we would take different paths to try to better the life of a prostitute- me fighting for rights and decriminalization, she for proselytizing them out of the trade). But where she and I differ is in her utter devotion. She wants to throw herself into the work, regardless of condemnation from her friends and family or any care to money. Maybe I’m greedy, and maybe I care too much what others think (although I’ll argue it’s a lot harder selling “sex work advocacy” than “urban ministry” to your family), but I want some steadiness in my life, some financial guarantees. And what with any sex/porn-advocacy job at the very least usually freelance and, in today’s economy, perhaps nonexistent, I just don’t know that I could throw myself full-heartedly into it, confident I could wring a salary and a life from it.
I take a little solace in knowing that I have time. There’s still either a Masters or a teaching credential waiting before I can legally assume the title of ‘professor’. I’m trying for the JET Program for next year- a program that, if I get accepted, will send me back to that crazy beautiful land of Japan to do some hands-on teaching. I’ve justified it as a good way to save up money for grad school, to expand my resume (look, I taught abroad!), to make sure this is what I want to do. But I know my own real reason: I’m running away. I’m buying myself time. It’s what I’ve done over and over again. I’ve had people express surprise that such a quiet, introverted little thing like myself would go abroad. It used to surprise even me, but I’ve thought about it, and I think I like it so because my choices are made for me. I know who I am in Japan- I am the gaijin, the foreigner, absolved of any responsibility as I play out the cultural script set out for me and fulfill the expectations. My family and old friends are far away, and I can craft a new identity for myself. When I think about perhaps settling there, I feel an almost sense of relief, regardless of what I’d be doing. When I imagine the rest of my life in America, my anxieties increase tenfold. My best friend also wants to go somewhere else- maybe to Oklahoma with her estranged father, or Chicago, for the amazing urban ministry work they’re doing there. I’m not saying that Fresno/the Central Valley is at all alluring for us to stay, but I feel the same desperation, that same “If I move myself from here bodily, maybe it will take me where I want to be emotionally.” I can’t tell if it’s a good strategy or one of avoidance.
What a long, strange, meandering blog. Again, as always, I just don’t have the answers. Four years ago, it would have been inconceivable to imagine me trying to choose between teaching English or educating sexuality. It still feels impossible. But I know where my heart wants to go. Can I follow it?
Comments- at least the encouraging kind- are welcome.
Link Love (a.k.a. People Read My Blog?!?!?)
Aaaack! Despite my beliefs to the contrary, people are reading my blog (thanks in large part, I suspect, to the stupendous Jiz Lee putting me graciously on the blogroll. And it's thrilling . . . and frightening. It's just much easier to write when you think you have no audience (except for the odd commenter here and there). I got a little shocking taste of it when someone on Fetlife messaged me about my blog out of the blue. And I'm sure that's only the tip of the iceburg. So, yikes, I have readers. Note to self: must write about interesting things. Must not post any more crap.
I'm acknowledging this fact today because the aforementioned porn goddess (god? . . . okay, just supreme deity) Jiz nominated me in the blogosphere-sweeping "I Love Your Blog" award. As one out of seven (including such legendary blogs as Violet Blue's Tiny Nibbles), I can't help but protest "No!" and bow down in Wayne's World "I'm not worthy!" style. But I'm gonna try and accept the love without question. And even though I think I may have already done something like this, in the spirit of the award, I shall of course dish out my own love. (As Jiz titles her blog, "love begets love"). Sidenote: I'm eternally curious, so I tried to follow the chain of love. I got about six blogs deep before giving up, but you're welcome to follow the thread: Lil Bit nominated Shay, who nominated Radha, who nominated The Jaded Hippie, who nominated Essin' Em, who nominated Jiz Lee, who nominated lil' ol' me.
Or you could just go to the source. Unless I'm mistaken (and it happens more often than I would like to admit), The "I Love Your Blog" award began, it would seem, this August, from a sweet chick named Heather on the blog Fireflydreams, which rather surprised me; even though there's no specifications on the type of blog, I'd only seen in on sex/queer related ones, and Fireflydream's designation is "a single parent with a passion for crafts", with nary a homemade sex toy or even a penis warmer tutorial. Pretty awesome how sex blogs became part of this- only more great evidence that "we" (who are "we", anyways?) aren't a closed-off, self-contained group of perverts :)
So, for my readers and those bloggers I nominate who want to give it their own turn, here’s how it works (as with all awards, there are certain rules to follow):
1. Link to the giver. (done, above- go and read Jiz's blog, dammit!)
2. Nominate up to seven other fabulous blogs and link to them. (done below)
3. Leave messages announcing their rise to greatness. (will be doing so!)
**Note - You may have been given this already, so that means you are a GREAT blogger.
Without further ado:
Pro-Porn Activism- Renegade (and other assorted fantastic folks), I LOVE YOUR BLOG! I've looked elsewhere and have yet to find a blog so dedicated to bringing to attention the movements of the anti-porn folks and the opportunities to help, support, and promote porn. You never let a thing slip through the cracks, and your intelligent analyses, calm responses to criticsm, and righteous anger never fail to inspire me.
Sexual Intelligence- Marty, I LOVE YOUR BLOG! How is it that you're not linked on every sex-related blog everywhere? Your posts are succint and to the point and always hit the nail on the head. I feel incredibly relieved that you're in our courts patiently explaining to judges that sex and porn aren't deviant criminal activities. (Oh, and you should read his book, too, my dear readers).
World Sex News Daily- World Sex News, I LOVE YOUR BLOG! Seems like every other blog regurgitates what you offer in one condensed spot. Thank you for keeping me up-to-date on sex headlines everywhere- I sound that much more intelligent and well-read when I talk about the subject, thanks to you.
Boinkology- Lux and others, I LOVE YOUR BLOG! You guys manage to post some of the more interesting stuff out there, and every time I think I can get my fill of sex blogging from somewhere else, I find another new link to you and realize we are star-crossed lovers- I must always come back to you.
Bisexuality and Beyond- Sue, I LOVE YOUR BLOG! You have the awesomest, no-nonsense take on bisexuality- which is to say, we get out of the way of all the basics and start the real discussions. Thanks for bringing a real bi perspective to an area littered with porn and coming out stories.
Julia Seranos Blog-Born-Blog- Julia, I LOVE YOUR BLOG! You write at a level that makes other blogs look like losers, and you do it consistently and on the trans and feminist issues I wouldn't know about otherwise. And you won me over just by your description of the blog-born blog.
Capitalism Magazine- Capmag, I LOVE YOUR BLOG! Every time I think I understand all the angles of a political discussion, I read you and my horizons are shattered as you come at it from a completely new but totally logical direction. I only wish you talked about porn and sex, too.
Whew, that was hard. I don't like singling out people when there are so many good folks, but that was my attempt. Go, give them love! Visit the sites! And then send out your own I Love Your Blog award.
I'm acknowledging this fact today because the aforementioned porn goddess (god? . . . okay, just supreme deity) Jiz nominated me in the blogosphere-sweeping "I Love Your Blog" award. As one out of seven (including such legendary blogs as Violet Blue's Tiny Nibbles), I can't help but protest "No!" and bow down in Wayne's World "I'm not worthy!" style. But I'm gonna try and accept the love without question. And even though I think I may have already done something like this, in the spirit of the award, I shall of course dish out my own love. (As Jiz titles her blog, "love begets love"). Sidenote: I'm eternally curious, so I tried to follow the chain of love. I got about six blogs deep before giving up, but you're welcome to follow the thread: Lil Bit nominated Shay, who nominated Radha, who nominated The Jaded Hippie, who nominated Essin' Em, who nominated Jiz Lee, who nominated lil' ol' me.
Or you could just go to the source. Unless I'm mistaken (and it happens more often than I would like to admit), The "I Love Your Blog" award began, it would seem, this August, from a sweet chick named Heather on the blog Fireflydreams, which rather surprised me; even though there's no specifications on the type of blog, I'd only seen in on sex/queer related ones, and Fireflydream's designation is "a single parent with a passion for crafts", with nary a homemade sex toy or even a penis warmer tutorial. Pretty awesome how sex blogs became part of this- only more great evidence that "we" (who are "we", anyways?) aren't a closed-off, self-contained group of perverts :)
So, for my readers and those bloggers I nominate who want to give it their own turn, here’s how it works (as with all awards, there are certain rules to follow):
1. Link to the giver. (done, above- go and read Jiz's blog, dammit!)
2. Nominate up to seven other fabulous blogs and link to them. (done below)
3. Leave messages announcing their rise to greatness. (will be doing so!)
**Note - You may have been given this already, so that means you are a GREAT blogger.
Without further ado:
Pro-Porn Activism- Renegade (and other assorted fantastic folks), I LOVE YOUR BLOG! I've looked elsewhere and have yet to find a blog so dedicated to bringing to attention the movements of the anti-porn folks and the opportunities to help, support, and promote porn. You never let a thing slip through the cracks, and your intelligent analyses, calm responses to criticsm, and righteous anger never fail to inspire me.
Sexual Intelligence- Marty, I LOVE YOUR BLOG! How is it that you're not linked on every sex-related blog everywhere? Your posts are succint and to the point and always hit the nail on the head. I feel incredibly relieved that you're in our courts patiently explaining to judges that sex and porn aren't deviant criminal activities. (Oh, and you should read his book, too, my dear readers).
World Sex News Daily- World Sex News, I LOVE YOUR BLOG! Seems like every other blog regurgitates what you offer in one condensed spot. Thank you for keeping me up-to-date on sex headlines everywhere- I sound that much more intelligent and well-read when I talk about the subject, thanks to you.
Boinkology- Lux and others, I LOVE YOUR BLOG! You guys manage to post some of the more interesting stuff out there, and every time I think I can get my fill of sex blogging from somewhere else, I find another new link to you and realize we are star-crossed lovers- I must always come back to you.
Bisexuality and Beyond- Sue, I LOVE YOUR BLOG! You have the awesomest, no-nonsense take on bisexuality- which is to say, we get out of the way of all the basics and start the real discussions. Thanks for bringing a real bi perspective to an area littered with porn and coming out stories.
Julia Seranos Blog-Born-Blog- Julia, I LOVE YOUR BLOG! You write at a level that makes other blogs look like losers, and you do it consistently and on the trans and feminist issues I wouldn't know about otherwise. And you won me over just by your description of the blog-born blog.
Capitalism Magazine- Capmag, I LOVE YOUR BLOG! Every time I think I understand all the angles of a political discussion, I read you and my horizons are shattered as you come at it from a completely new but totally logical direction. I only wish you talked about porn and sex, too.
Whew, that was hard. I don't like singling out people when there are so many good folks, but that was my attempt. Go, give them love! Visit the sites! And then send out your own I Love Your Blog award.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Champion, Ya'll
Just in case you might have forgotten about it, Pink & White's mixed-martial-arts boxing real dyke porno is still trucking along towards its eventual 2009 debut (sigh . . . it seems so far away!). But nevertheless, a PG-13 trailer has surfaced, and some pictures! Just to keep you hungry for next year's main course :)
The pics are tasty, but only the trailer can satisfy your need for the fighting, the movement, the action, and . . . the DRAMA! Lol. I love the lightning-fast editing at the end.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Girls Gone Wild, Dyke Style
Isn't it about time we updated the BurLEZk Live movies? The movies (the original and its sequel) contained stripteases, performance art, and other erotic burlesque at a lesbian bar, combining real-life lesbian sexiness with the charge and thrill of live action for an audience. The movies are also more than 20 years old, and I can tell ya that if anything, we've got even more deliciously titillating performances going on in our bars and clubs now.
The whole "Girls Gone Wild" franchise has always seemed pretty dang stupid to me- it's mostly softcore (which basically means it has to be really good to make up for lack of explicitness!), it's got not-so-great principles ("We'll give you a shirt if you show us your boobs!"), and I'm just not that fond of drunken fakey chicks camera-whoring it up. And the "lesbian action"? Please.
But despite all of this, I think the general concept is solid. It takes a few of our favorite things: cute, sexy girls, reality, or at least reality-style, TV, a harkening back to our youthful days and getting to vicariously get in the pants of those girls you didn't get to sleep with back in high school and college. It's . . . fun.
I've got this great concept in my head, you see. A queer crew sets with their van and their equipment for a cross-country road trip to some of the best dyke clubs, bars, beach parties, raves, play parties, public sex spaces, and sex clubs- both the famous and the relatively unknown. We're looking for sexiness here- flashing, kissing, bump-n-grind dancing, erotic performances, maybe even the odd sex scene thrown in here and there for the gals who are feeling particularly liberated and exhibitionist. Heck, I still have Gorgeous and Gideon's lovely semi-public sex scene at Jakes On 4th in Olympia, Wa. (from No Fauxxx.com). Now imagine that in a full-fledged feature brimming with sexy bits from pride parades, Folsom Fair, IDKE . . . the list continues. Packed full of more butch, femme, boi, futch, trans, and queer eyecandy than you can get anywhere else, with a natural sort of fun, carefree joy and celebration and a strong sense of [admittedly sexy] community that you just don't necessarily get from an isolated porn.
Am I the only one feeling this? It's like porn . . . and anthropology, combined! Documenting the queer movement while bringing sexy waaaay back. Straight guys have GGW, why shouldn't dykes have their own lesbian-produced version? I'd watch it.
The whole "Girls Gone Wild" franchise has always seemed pretty dang stupid to me- it's mostly softcore (which basically means it has to be really good to make up for lack of explicitness!), it's got not-so-great principles ("We'll give you a shirt if you show us your boobs!"), and I'm just not that fond of drunken fakey chicks camera-whoring it up. And the "lesbian action"? Please.
But despite all of this, I think the general concept is solid. It takes a few of our favorite things: cute, sexy girls, reality, or at least reality-style, TV, a harkening back to our youthful days and getting to vicariously get in the pants of those girls you didn't get to sleep with back in high school and college. It's . . . fun.
I've got this great concept in my head, you see. A queer crew sets with their van and their equipment for a cross-country road trip to some of the best dyke clubs, bars, beach parties, raves, play parties, public sex spaces, and sex clubs- both the famous and the relatively unknown. We're looking for sexiness here- flashing, kissing, bump-n-grind dancing, erotic performances, maybe even the odd sex scene thrown in here and there for the gals who are feeling particularly liberated and exhibitionist. Heck, I still have Gorgeous and Gideon's lovely semi-public sex scene at Jakes On 4th in Olympia, Wa. (from No Fauxxx.com). Now imagine that in a full-fledged feature brimming with sexy bits from pride parades, Folsom Fair, IDKE . . . the list continues. Packed full of more butch, femme, boi, futch, trans, and queer eyecandy than you can get anywhere else, with a natural sort of fun, carefree joy and celebration and a strong sense of [admittedly sexy] community that you just don't necessarily get from an isolated porn.
Am I the only one feeling this? It's like porn . . . and anthropology, combined! Documenting the queer movement while bringing sexy waaaay back. Straight guys have GGW, why shouldn't dykes have their own lesbian-produced version? I'd watch it.
Good TV Is On The Way
As a fairly avid watcher, I was kind of worried that TV was going to let me down in the future- what with "The Shield" being on its [amazingly suspenseful and deliciously dramatic] last season as I type, the "Flight Of The Conchords" second and probably last season not due out until at least next year and probably later, and with the new, hot, oft-touted shows being the like of "Kath and Kim" (aspiring, dumb socialites? really? that's original?). Plus living and watching TV with my new roommate has exposed me to just how unappealing most TV out there nowadays is- I'm slogging through "Greek" and "Gilmore Girls" and trying to be open-minded and not criticize the hell out of this crud.
But just when I start giving up hope, good news comes! Three new shows in the works have me superbly excited, even though it'll probably be a while before I get to see them:
1) "The Daily Show" has pretty much become a launching pad for greatness, with Stephen Colbert and Steve Carrell as the best examples. Now Samantha Bee and her co-star and hubby Jason Jones are going to be in a new sitcom! It looks like it's going to be some sort of spoof on reality cooking shows (probably a la "Hell's Kitchen" or something), which doesn't sound all that amazing, but I have high hopes that this comedy team can totally go the distance.
2) And, after Amy Sedaris (remember when I was naive enough to think "Bisexual Star Fucker" would be a weekly endeavor?) has teased me with little guest appearances in shows and bit parts in off-the-beaten-path movies, here she comes with a new show in the works! With Paul Dinello as part of her writing team (yes!) and David Letterman's company Worldwide Pants footing the bill, this supposedly six-year old idea with lots of room for improv has me almost drooling. Oh please, whatever network picks this up, do not be stupid like you were when you dropped "Strangers With Candy"!
3) The creator of that provocative lil' show "Swingtown" is teaming up with Sean Hayes (i.e. Jack from "Will and Grace") is going to make a new show on Showtime (another channel I don't have . . . grrr), but what's totally cool about it is that it'll tackle bisexuality! "Bi-Coastal" (a play on words, given the main character's sexuality and the fact that his lovers are on separate sides of the country, between which he commutes) might end up being another lame portrayal of bisexuals, but I have high hopes. At the very least, a recurring series with a main character gives a lot more opportunity for a deep, complex, and nuanced exploration that the little bits we get here and there otherwise.
So yeah, I'm excited. I'll still have my go-to shows for a while ("The Shield", "Psych" and "Monk" returning in January, a probably ridiculous yet somehow still addictive season of "Nip/Tuck" in store). Unless some erstwhile producer wants to pick up Willam Belli's "Tranny McGuyver", the new, hilarious short film of which has been making its way around the festival circuits and can be seen here for free (you just have to register!).
But just when I start giving up hope, good news comes! Three new shows in the works have me superbly excited, even though it'll probably be a while before I get to see them:
1) "The Daily Show" has pretty much become a launching pad for greatness, with Stephen Colbert and Steve Carrell as the best examples. Now Samantha Bee and her co-star and hubby Jason Jones are going to be in a new sitcom! It looks like it's going to be some sort of spoof on reality cooking shows (probably a la "Hell's Kitchen" or something), which doesn't sound all that amazing, but I have high hopes that this comedy team can totally go the distance.
2) And, after Amy Sedaris (remember when I was naive enough to think "Bisexual Star Fucker" would be a weekly endeavor?) has teased me with little guest appearances in shows and bit parts in off-the-beaten-path movies, here she comes with a new show in the works! With Paul Dinello as part of her writing team (yes!) and David Letterman's company Worldwide Pants footing the bill, this supposedly six-year old idea with lots of room for improv has me almost drooling. Oh please, whatever network picks this up, do not be stupid like you were when you dropped "Strangers With Candy"!
3) The creator of that provocative lil' show "Swingtown" is teaming up with Sean Hayes (i.e. Jack from "Will and Grace") is going to make a new show on Showtime (another channel I don't have . . . grrr), but what's totally cool about it is that it'll tackle bisexuality! "Bi-Coastal" (a play on words, given the main character's sexuality and the fact that his lovers are on separate sides of the country, between which he commutes) might end up being another lame portrayal of bisexuals, but I have high hopes. At the very least, a recurring series with a main character gives a lot more opportunity for a deep, complex, and nuanced exploration that the little bits we get here and there otherwise.So yeah, I'm excited. I'll still have my go-to shows for a while ("The Shield", "Psych" and "Monk" returning in January, a probably ridiculous yet somehow still addictive season of "Nip/Tuck" in store). Unless some erstwhile producer wants to pick up Willam Belli's "Tranny McGuyver", the new, hilarious short film of which has been making its way around the festival circuits and can be seen here for free (you just have to register!).
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
My Kind Of Sex Toy Testing . . . Already Exists!
This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Sex Map Can Lead You To Exotic Locales
I usually hate just regurgitating other, cooler blog's postings without adding my own spin on it in some way or another, but this is just too cool to not. Yup, it's a sex map listing a world of fetishes and types of sex. It. Rocks. So. Much. And it even made this jaded girl Google a few terms (jelly donut? who the hell comes up with these things?). I've got a blurry pic, but to examine every mountain range, go here.
From Eros Blog, who got if from Violet Blue, who got it from Viviane's Sex Carnival, who got it from the creator Franklin Veaux, who updated it from Kathrine Gate's original. (See, this is why I prefer originalish posts!).
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