wolf

Personally, I feel that industry is more likely to have a positive return than the auto industry.

Porn industry seeks federal bailout
Posted: 05:27 PM ET

Larry Flynt is asking for a bailout.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Another major American industry is asking for assistance as the global financial crisis continues: Hustler publisher Larry Flynt and Girls Gone Wild CEO Joe Francis said Wednesday they will request that Congress allocate $5 billion for a bailout of the adult entertainment industry.

“The take here is that everyone and their mother want to be bailed out from the banks to the big three,” said Owen Moogan, spokesman for Larry Flynt. “The porn industry has been hurt by the downturn like everyone else and they are going to ask for the $5 billion. Is it the most serious thing in the world? Is it going to make the lives of Americans better if it happens? It is not for them to determine.”

Francis said in a statement that “the US government should actively support the adult industry's survival and growth, just as it feels the need to support any other industry cherished by the American people."

“We should be delivering [the request] by the end of today to our congressmen and [Secretary of the Treasury Henry] Paulson asking for this $5 billion dollar bailout,” he told CNN Wednesday.

Flynt and Francis concede the industry itself is in no financial danger — DVD sales have slipped over the past year, but Web traffic has continued to grow.

But the industry leaders said the issue is a nation in need. "People are too depressed to be sexually active," Flynt said in the statement. "This is very unhealthy as a nation. Americans can do without cars and such but they cannot do without sex."

"With all this economic misery and people losing all that money, sex is the farthest thing from their mind. It's time for congress to rejuvenate the sexual appetite of America. The only way they can do this is by supporting the adult industry and doing it quickly."

So far, there has been no congressional reaction to the request.

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blahblah454

I find this to be hilarious. I think that the bailouts in general are not needed and are simply companies looking for a handout for poor management.

bazkitcase5

or looking for a handout, simply so they do not get left out

after all, it the article says they are in no financial danger, so it sounds like to me they are just looking for any freebies they can get

wow..., just wow...

ASU2003

I thought it was funny too. But it goes to show you, where does this stop? And who decides which companies are worth saving and which ones aren't?
-----Added 8/1/2009 at 01 : 00 : 24-----
I was thinking about this some more. You know damn well that most people download porn and don't pay for it, so would you really complain if the government taxed you $10-$20 a year for the ability to get free porn on-line? Their business model is flawed a little because of all the free competition and piracy, and most people wouldn't notice if Hustler or GGW went away with all of the other porn still out there.

The one thing he was right about is that we aren't getting enough sex.

tricks

I'm really hoping it's a commentary on bailouts in general by the porn industry. I hope they are trying to point out the ridiculousness of bailouts to those who do not really need them after we've seen some of the "business as usual" responses by some companies still throwing extravagant parties and sponsoring professional sports stadiums despite their "financial shortcomings.

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ratbastid

This is Larry Flynt. Of COURSE it's a political statement.

This is Joe Francis. Of COURSE it's sleazy coat-tail riding.

Derwood

Larry Flynt is possibly the greatest American in the past 40 years. God bless that man

Halx

This isn't a grab for money or an appeal of any serious nature. This is a political statement. You have to read between the lines here.

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Baraka_Guru

What's the statement? "If you learn how to run your industry, you don't need a bailout"?

I could see that.

I work in a tough industry myself (book publishing in Ontario). We've had much to figure out with changing technologies and market trends, all the while watching the government give disproportionate funding and tax breaks to the film industry (despite much lower returns on that investment).

The auto industry needs to change. If they get a bailout only to return to business as usual, they'll only need another bailout down the road.

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Lucifer

This bailout of the auto industry is no different from any other bailout they've recieved over the years. Look at the CEO's flying into Washington in their private corporate jets, rather than fly commercial, let them all give up their salaries for a year or two, stop sponsoring every sporting event in sight, and then maybe the people could get behind a bailout, this is just perpetuating a failing industry. Personally, i think it should die and then maybe we'd end up with a better end product.

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QuasiMondo

Save the American porn industry, unless you want your porn to be nothing but Japanese tentacle rape and German S & M.

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Plan9

Sadly, some people would be satisfied with tentacle rape. (stares at TFP)

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bazkitcase5

that makes more sense

Plan9

Ya know, as bullshit as their "political statement" sounds... I bet research would find that Americans do have less sex in hard economic times.

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Baraka_Guru

Sex during a Recession - money - love - Marie Claire

I don't know. I think people might use sex as a coping mechanism.

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Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
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Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
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Plan9

Yeah, sex is pretty cheap if you get it off Craigslist.

...

What about us married / dead people?

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QuasiMondo

You guys can use craigslist, too

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Cameron originally envisioned the Terminator as a small, unremarkable man, giving it the ability to blend in more easily. As a result, his first choice for the part was Lance Henriksen. O. J. Simpson was on the shortlist but Cameron did not think that such a nice guy could be a ruthless killer.

-From the Collector's Edition DVD of The Terminator

Lucifer

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Plan9

Oww, I think I just popped myself in the forehead with my raging tentacle-porn inspired lovetorpedo.

Thanks, Lucifer.

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