by Legs McNeil
Maybe it’s genetically programmed, like women holding back sex. We’re genetically programmed to say, “Wait a second—oh, it feels good to go around that curve really fast, but I’m gonna crash.”
You know, like Krysti Lynn did.
Source Notes
All quotes are from interviews with the authors, except for the following material quoted from other sources:
Prologue: Roger Ebert: “Russ Meyer: King of the Nudies,” Film Comment, January–February 1973. Ann Perry: From interviews by Cass Paley. Doris Wishman: From Christopher J. Jarmick, Senses of Cinema, Great Directors—a critical database, September 2002. Russ Meyer: From interview by Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times, February 16, 1969; from Russ Meyer as told to Adolph Albion Schwartz, A Clean Breast (Hollywood: Hauck Publishing Co., 2000).
PART ONE: THE SWORD SWALLOWER
1. The Turkey Raffle: Linda Lovelace: Some material from Linda Lovelace with Mike McGrady, Ordeal (New York: Citadel, 1980; Berkley, 1981), and interview with Eric Danville, © 2001. Harry Reems: From Harry Reems, Here Comes Harry Reems (New York: Pinnacle, 1975).
2. If You Can Make It There, You Can Make It Anywhere: Linda Lovelace: Some material from Linda Lovelace as told to Carl Wallin, The Intimate Diary of Linda Lovelace (New York: Pinnacle, 1974), and from Ordeal. Harry Reems: From Here Comes Harry Reems.
3. Vickie Killed the Nudie-Cuties: All original.
4. Rent: Harry Reems: From Here Comes Harry Reems. Tina Russell: From Tina Russell, Porn Star: The Autobiography of Today’s Most Exotic X-rated Actress (New York: Lancer Books, 1973).
5. Doggie Style: Linda Lovelace: Some material from Ordeal.
6. Mary Had a Little Lamb: Butchie Peraino: From Nora Ephron, Esquire, February 1973. Harry Reems: From Here Comes Harry Reems. Gerard Damiano: From Al Goldstein, “Gerry Damiano Remembers Linda Lovelace: From Head to Eternity,” SCREW, April 5, 1974. Linda Lovelace: From Ordeal and Linda Lovelace, Inside Linda Lovelace (New York: Pinnacle, 1973).
7. “Do You Mind If I Smoke While You Eat?”: Harry Reems: From Here Comes Harry Reems and Al Goldstein, “An Interview with Harry Reems: Superstud of the Silver Screen,” SCREW, May 20, 1974. Linda Lovelace: From Ordeal. Gerard Damiano: From Al Goldstein, “Gerry Damiano Remembers Linda Lovelace,” and “A Throat Is Born,” High Society, undated article. Carol Conners: From interview with Earl Anthony, Adam Magazine.
8. SCREW-ed: Chuck Traynor: From SCREW. Butchie Peraino: From interview with Nora Ephron, Esquire. Linda Lovelace: from Ordeal and interview by Eric Danville. Gerard Damiano: From James Martin, “Gerard Damiano Interview,” Hustler, March 1975. Nora Ephron: From Nora Ephron, Esquire, February 1973. Harry Reems: From Here Comes Harry Reems. Fred Biersdorf: From Ellen Farley and William K. Knoedelseder Jr., “Family Business” Calendar/Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine, June 13, 1982. Al Goldstein: From “Al Goldstein: The Playboy Interview, Playboy, October 1974. Sammy Davis Jr.: From Sammy Davis Jr, with Jane Boyar and Burt Boyar, Why Me? (New York: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux, 1989).
9. Don’t Count the Money, Weigh It: Fred Biersdorf: From Ellen Farley and William K. Knoedelseder Jr., “Family Business,” Calendar/Los Angeles Sunday Times Magazine. Chuck Bernstene: From FBI wiretap. “Organized Crime Reaps Huge Profits from Dealing in Pornographic Films,” New York Times, October 12, 1975.
PART TWO: PORNO CHIC
10. To Bowl or Not to Bowl?: Jim and Artie Mitchell: From Tony Crawley, “The Mitchell Brothers,” Game, July 1976; William Rotsler, Contemporary Erotic Cinema, © 1973 by William Rotsler; Interview, Club, February 1976; Phyllis and Eberhard Kronhausen, “The People Behind the Green Door,” The Sex People (Chicago: Playboy Press, 1975); and videotape interview, School of Erotology.
11. Size Matters: Al Goldstein, Bill Amerson, Bob Chin, Bob Vosse, Sharon Holmes, Bunny Bleu, Annette Haven: From interviews by Cass Paley.
12. Ebony and Ivory Snow: Jim Mitchell: From Interview, Club, February 1976. Artie Mitchell: From Tony Crawley, “The Mitchell Brothers,” Game, July 1976.
13. Hair of the Dog: Linda Lovelace: From Ordeal and The Intimate Diary of Linda Lovelace. Al Goldstein: From “Al Goldstein: The Playboy Interview.” Nick Tosches: From Nick Tosches, “Arf? Arf, Arf, Arf! (Maybe),” “Openers,” Oui, October 1973.
14. Automated Vending: Reuben Sturman: from Eric Schlosser, Reefer Madness: Sex, Drugs and Cheap Labor in the American Black Market (New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2003).
15. Trading Up: Linda Lovelace: From Inside Linda Lovelace and The Intimate Diary of Linda Lovelace. “Linda Lovelace Tries to Shed ‘Deep Throat’ Image for Miami Café Break-In”: Variety, August 29, 1973. Al Goldstein: From Playboy, October 1974. “Roger Horrified as Porn Star Tries to Take Over Ann-Margret’s Act”: Movie World, May 1974. “Vegas Drug Bust”: People, March 1974. “Milestones”: Time, March 4, 1974.
16. The Devil in Miss Steinberg: Harry Reems: From Here Comes Harry Reems. Gerard Damiano: From Ken Gaul, “The Devil and Mr. Damiano,” Genesis, September 1980; James Martin, “Gerard Damiano Interview,” Hustler, March 1975; Kenneth Turan and Stephen F. Zito, Sinema: American Pornographic Films and the People Who Make Them (Praeger Publishers, 1974). Linda Lovelace: From The Intimate Diary of Linda Lovelace and Inside Linda Lovelace. Annie Sprinkle: From Annie Sprinkle, Annie Sprinkle: Post-Porn Modernist (San Francisco: Cleis Press, 1998).
17. Holmes v. Wadd: Sharon Holmes, Bob Chinn, Bill Amerson, Bob Vosse, Dawn Schiller, Tom Blake: From interviews by Cass Paley.
PART THREE: SHOW WORLD
18. Boxed Lunch: Vanessa Del Rio, Annie Sprinkle: Grady T. Turner with Vanessa Del Rio, Legs McNeil, and Annie Sprinkle, “Conversation Four: Porn,” in NYC Sex: How New York City Transformed Sex in America (New York: Scala Publishers, 2002). Serena: Al Goldstein, “Daddy’s Dirty Darling,” SCREW, June 5, 1978.
19. The Ballad of Jason and Tina: All original.
20. Turnover: Tiffany Clark: Tiffany Clark, “Tiffany Clark’s Lust at First Sight: True Confessions,” Partner, undated article.
21. Plato’s Retreat: Al Goldstein, Patrice Trudeau, Josh Alan Friedman: From Josh Alan Friedman, Tales of Times Square (New York: Delacorte Press, 1986; Feral House, 1993).
PART FOUR: FAMILY AFFAIRS
22. This Thing of Ours: Operation Amore Report: Organized Crime and its Involvement in Pornography and Prostitution in the South Florida Area, Dade County Public Safety Department, Organized Crime Bureau, Vice Investigation Section, June 1977.
Coroner’s Report, Clark County, Nevada.
23. Memphis Backlash Blues: “Pornography on Trial,” New York Times Sunday Magazine, March 6, 1977; Harry Reems: From Here Comes Harry Reems; “Eight Men Sentenced in Deep Throat Case,” New York Times, May 1, 1977.
24. Deep Cover: Pat Livingston, Bruce Ellavsky, Betty Jo: Some material from interviews by Ron LaBrecque.
25: Nobody Does It Better: Pat Livingston, Bruce Ellavsky, Dick Phinney: Some material from interviews by Ron LaBrecque.
26. Looks Like We Made It: Robert DiBernardo: FBI wiretap. Operation Amore Report.
PART FIVE: PORN GOES BETTER WITH COKE
27. Down the Drain: Al Goldstein, Patrice Trudeau: From Josh Alan Friedman, Tales of Times Square
28. “Blow”: All original.
29. Stayin’ Alive: Bruce Ellavsky: From FBI wiretap (where indicated). Al Bonanni, Bruce Ellavsky: From interviews with Ron LaBrecque.
30. Seka to the Rescue: All original.
31. Johnny on the Pipe: Annette Haven, Don Fernando, Richard Pacheco, Bob Vosse, Joel Sussman, Bill Amerson, Sheri St. Clair, Reb, Bob Chin, Bobby Hollander: From interviews by Cass Paley.
32. Beauty and the Beast: Lorene Smith’s Sanity Evaluation: Ohio Department of Mental Health, Central Ohio Psychiatric Hospital, Columbus, OH, November 1, 1989.
33. Falling Out: Marty Bernbeck: From FBI wiretap, 1979. Pam Ellavsky: From interviews by Ron LaBrecque.
34. St. Valentine’s Day Massacre: Fred Schwartz, Vickie Livingston: From interviews by Ron LaBrecque. “55 Per
sons Indicted in Piracy of Films and in Pornography—FBI Investigation Called Biggest Attack Against Activities,” New York Times, February 15, 1980. “Miami-Based FBI Investigation Breaks Up Porn Film Network,” Miami Herald, February 15, 1980. Artie Mitchell: From videotaped interview, School of Erotology.
35. “Ordeal”: “Mrs. Marciano Calls Herself ‘A Typical Housewife’; The World Knew Her as Linda Lovelace,” People, January 28, 1980. Linda Lovelace: From Ordeal and Linda Lovelace, Out of Bondage (New York: Berkley, 1987). “Now Here’s A Switch Dept.”: New York Daily News, May 30, 1980. “A Strange Bedfellow for the War on Pornography”: New York Daily News, June 8, 1980.
PART SIX: WONDERLAND AVENUE
36. The Godfather of Hollywood: David Lind, Tracy McCourt: From The People of the State of California v. John Curtis Holmes, No. A374106. Jeanna Nash: From divorce deposition. John Holmes: From Barbara Wilkins, “John Holmes: Murder, Sex, Drugs & Jail,” Hustler, June 1983.
37. “It’s Not Like You Said It Was Gonna Be”: David Lind, Tracy McCourt: From California v. Holmes. John Holmes: From Barbara Wilkins, “John Holmes: Murder, Sex, Drugs & Jail,” Hustler, June 1983.
38. Nobody Waved Hello: John Holmes: From Barbara Wilkins, “John Holmes: Murder, Sex, Drugs & Jail,” Hustler, June 1983. Susan Launius: From California v. Holmes. Frank Tomlinson: From interviews by Cass Paley.
39. “Think This Will Fuck Up My Fourth of July Weekend?”: Tom Lange, Tom Blake: From interviews by Cass Paley. Linda Mitchell: From California v. Holmes.
PART SEVEN: GETTING OUT
40. Method Acting: Vickie Livingston, Michael Griffin, Fred Schwartz, Hope Johnson, Larry Powell: From interviews by Ron LaBrecque.
41. On the Lam: Dawn Schiller, Sharon Holmes, Tom Lange: From interviews by Cass Paley.
42. Don’t Embarrass the Bureau: Vickie Livingston, Pat Livingston, Fred Schwartz, Nancy Livingston, Bill Brown: Some material from Ron LaBrecque. “FBI Agent’s Arrest May Hurt Porn Cases”: Miami Herald, February 20, 1982. “FBI Boots Out MIPORN Undercover Agent”: Miami Herald, May 15, 1982.
43. Grave’s End: “Death of Mob’s Porno King Takes Wraps off Gunmen”: Miami Herald, February 27, 1980. Bob Hanson: Name changed (original interview). “2 Die, 1 Hurt by Shotgun,” New York Daily News, January 5, 1982. “Two Slain and One Hurt in Mob-Style Shooting”: New York Times, January 5, 1982. Jay Dolton: From confidential NYPD report. Michael Croissant: Farley and Knoedelseder, “Family Business,” Calendar/Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine, June 13, 1982. “Bystander Killed in Mob Shooting Was a Social Worker and Ex-Nun”: New York Times, January 6, 1982.
44. The Trial: “Actor Arrested”: Reuters International News, December 7, 1981. Frank Tomlinson: From interview by Cass Paley. “Holmes Ordered to Stand Trial”: United Press International, February 2, 1982. “Holmes Found Innocent,” United Press International, June 25, 1982. “Judge Ordered Holmes Released”: Reuters International News, November 22, 1982. Al Goldstein: From “Al Goldstein: The Playboy Interview.”
PART EIGHT: VIDEO VIXENS
45. Hooray for Hollywood!: Michael London, Karen Applegate, Phillip Applegate, Bobby Hollander, Laurie Smith, Eddie Holzman: Michael London, Calendar/Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine, May 6, 1984.
46. Mr. Untouchable: “Reuben Sturman and Six Others Acquitted”: New York Times, July 26, 1978. Alan Dershowitz, Harold Lime: From Los Angeles Times, 1995. Reuben Sturman, Naomi Delgado: From Day One, ABC News, July 20, 1995. Additional Reuben Sturman material from Eric Schlosser, Reefer Madness.
47: Shattered Innocence: Karen Applegate: Michael London, Calendar/Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine, May 6, 1984. “A Porn Star’s Suicide at 20 Leaves a Legacy of Shattered Innocence”: People, March 14, 1988. “Shauna Grant Dead”: Film World Reports, April 16, 1984.
48. Fast Forward: All original.
49. Club 90: All original.
50. Kristie Nussman: Traci Lords: From interview with Bob Ellison, Adult Video News, January 14, 1985, and Doug Oliver, “Traci Lords: Porn’s Brightest Star Changes Orbit,” Hustler, March 1986. Christy Canyon: From interview with Jeremy Stone, Hustler, © 1998 Tim Connelly. Greg Dark: From Doug Oliver, “Traci Lords: Porn’s Brightest Star Changes Orbit,” Hustler, March 1986.
PART NINE: THE PARTY’S OVER
51. The Porn Marriage: Bobby Genova: From the Los Angeles Times, August 20, 1989.
52. To Be or Not to Be?: Pat Livingston, Nancy Livingston, Vickie Livingston: From interviews by Ron LaBrecque.
53. GRID: All original.
54. Pimping and Pandering: Jerry Butler: Jerry Butler as told to Robert Rimmer & Catherine Tavel, Raw Talent (New York: Prometheus, 1990). Buck Adams: From interviews by Cass Paley. “Hard-Core Sex Films: Does Casting Constitute Pandering?”: Los Angeles Times, May 20, 1985. “Judge Gives Light Penalty to Porn Film Producer”: Los Angeles Times, July 16, 1985. “Police Raid Distributors of Sexually Explicit Films”: Los Angeles Times, June 29, 1985.
55. Who Dropped the Dime on Traci?: Traci Lords: From interview with Bob Ellison, Adult Video News, January 14, 1985, and Traci Lords, Underneath It All (New York: HarperEntertainment, 2003). Christy Canyon: From interview with Jeremy Stone, Hustler, © 1988 Tim Connelly. “Sex Films Pulled, Star Allegedly Too Young”: Los Angeles Times, July 18, 1986. “Porn Starlet Off Hook”: New York Daily News, July 19, 1986. “Sex Film Star Not Facing Charges, Reiner Says”: Los Angeles Times, July 19, 1986. “Distributor Indicted Over Sex Videotape”: Los Angeles Times, August 15, 1986. “The Region”: Los Angeles Times, August 22, 1986. “Investigation of Traci Lords Pornography Case Expanded,” Los Angeles Times, October 4, 1986. “Three in Traci Lords Sex Film Case Indicted”: Los Angeles Times, March 5, 1987. “Arrests Hinder the Prosecution of Sexually Explicit Films, Police Say”: Los Angeles Times, March 11, 1987. “Man Pleads Guilty in Traci Lords Case”: Los Angeles Times, April 1, 1987.
PART TEN: BACKLASH
56. The Meese Commission: Traci Lords: From Underneath It All. Richard Nixon, Andrea Dworkin: Philip Nobile and Eric Nadler, United States of America vs. Sex: How the Meese Commission Lied About Pornography (Minotaur Press, 1986). Ronald Reagan: From taped remarks at Moral Majority rally, Dallas, Texas, October 1980. Catherine MacKinnon, Linda Lovelace: From the Final Report of the Attorney General’s Commission on Pornography, 1986.
57. Disappearing DiBe: Sammy “the Bull” Gravano, John Gotti: From trial testimony as reproduced in Ralph Blumenthal, The Gotti Tapes (New York: Random House, 1992) and from Peter Maas, Underboss (New York: HarperCollins, 1997).
58. Conclusions: All original.
59. Christmas Eve with Lori and the Kids: Lorene Smith’s Sanity Evaluation: Ohio Department of Mental Health, Central Ohio Psychiatric Hospital, Columbus, OH, November 1, 1989. Sgt. Lawless, Sgt. Hopkins: Worthington Police Department Police Report, Crime Against Person Case Report. “Father Released From Prison for Worthington Boys,” Columbus Dispatch, January 13, 1987. “Con Wants to Take Sons’ Bodies for California Burial”: Columbus Dispatch, January 14, 1987. “Justice Dept. Memo Details Dad’s Pornography Deals”: Columbus Dispatch, January 18, 1987.
60. The Last Chance: Bill Amerson, Cicciolina, Tom Lange: From interviews by Cass Paley.
61. Jail: “Supreme Court Exonerates Filmmaker of Pandering,” Los Angeles Times, August 25, 1988. “Rejected Legal Assault on Sex Films Appealed,” Los Angeles Times, December 24, 1988. “Lords Video Agent Convicted of Child Porno Charges”: Los Angeles Times, June 16, 1989.
62. Another Mob Hit?: “Killing of Porn Pioneer Still Baffles Police, Peers; Inquiry Affords Rare Peek at ‘Playpen of the Damned’”: Los Angeles Times, August 20, 1989. “Alleged East Cost Mob Figure Named in Videotape Fraud”: Los Angeles Times, September 25, 1989. Bobby Genova: From “Killing of Porn Pioneer Still Baffles Police, Peers,” Los Angeles Times, August 20, 1989, and www.lukeford.com, July 1998.
63. Cry-Baby: Patricia Briceland: Testimony in Case CR8800295-01, United States vs. Gottesman. “Daughter Feared Death from Makers of P
orn Films, Mother Testifies”: Los Angeles Times, April 27, 1989. “Video Porn Distributor Gets 1-Year Sentence”: Los Angeles Times, October 24, 1989.
64. Divorce: Porn Style: “Raid Led Back to Slain Man’s Wife, Unrelated Case Spurred the Arrest of Spouse, Friend in Porn Maker’s Killing”: Los Angeles Daily News, January 28, 1990. “Incriminating Letter Is Not Defendant’s, Witness Says”: Los Angeles Times, August 17, 1991. “Jury Acquits Wife in 1989 Slaying of Sex-Video Maker”: Los Angeles Times, August 31, 1991.
PART 11: FAME & MISFORTUNE
65. Rock and Roll High School: Savannah: From Russ Kregaen, “Savannah: Porn’s Most Explosive Platinum Blonde Bombshell,” 1992, and “Fast Forward: Savannah Opens Up,” Hustler Erotic Video Guide, October 1993. Marc Carriere: From Tim Connelly, “The Entrepreneurs of Erotica, Part I: Marc Carriere,” © Tim Connelly. Vince Neil: From Tommy Lee, Mick Mars, Vince Neil, and Nikki Sixx with Neil Strauss, The Dirt (ReganBooks, 2001). Slash: From interview with Joel McIver, Record Collector, February 2001. Bryn Bridenthal, Pam Longoria, Kirk West, Mike Wilsey, Marc Verlaine: From Peter Wilkinson, “Dream Girl,” Rolling Stone, October 20, 1994, and Mike Sager, “Little Girl Lost,” GQ, November 1994.
66. Tired: All original.
67. Cain and Abel: Bob Callahan: From John Hubner, Bottom Feeders: From Free Love to Hard Core (New York: Doubleday, 1992).
68. The Bombing: Tamara Green, Jay Brisette, Naomi Delgado, Florence Clanton, Russ Hampshire: From transcripts of United States of America vs. Reuben Sturman. “Porn Trial Jury Told of Bomb Scene”: Chicago Tribune, August 27, 1993. “Bomb Testimony Opens Extortion Trial; Woman Tells of Efforts to Save Blast Victim”: Chicago Sun-Times, August 27, 1993. “Reputed Porn Kingpin Convicted in Plot Against Adult Bookstores”: Chicago Tribune, September 10, 1993. “Porn King Cleared in Bombing Case, More Jail Time Due”: Cleveland Plain Dealer, September 10, 1993.