I should probably start this off with a little history lesson about myself. I just didn't breeze into XPT without any connection to the adult industry. Jeff Steward and Nelson X suggested I should check it out since as I was freelancing for porn review magazines at the same time I was self publishing my own music porn review rag back before there was cyberspace as we know it. I have been published in many x rated publications over the years before print tanked and at times have suffered the indignity of having to say positive things about shitty porn movies for a paycheck under different aliases as well. Sad but true. Granted that may seem hypocritical but it's the nature of the beast. However, I still managed to burn bridges and make enemies over the years because the egos in porn are big yet very fragile.
At least I can admit my folly, whereas most other porn critics, not necessarily insinuating you, seem to delude themselves into thinking they have some major influence over what people may purchase. In some cases they might help somebody make the jump into buying something and if anybody listens to my advice that's cool but I don't expect it. Back when I still purchased porn I would take into account what porn critics were saying until I realized that most were bullshitters or had no taste and that porn, like art, is totally subjective. Most online porn reviewers just seem like glorified fanboys seeking attention from porn stars. XPT allows me to have fun and vent without dealing with an asshole "don't rock the boat" editor only out to keep their low paying job and keep advertisers happy. I'm in the XRCO as well, don't get me going on that, but I honestly don't care anymore what other critics have to opine about a throwaway product like porn.
If what you're saying about Christian Shapiro is true and I'll take your word for it. I'm not about to read his book, but it doesn't surprise me in the least that he wrote positive stuff about the same stuff he trashed because he wanted to keep his job as well as having the luxury of being allowed to say the nasty stuff he said.
In regard to the Evil Angel boxes unopened in the garage, I opened them because curiousity got the best of me and I like some of Kevin Moore's titles and some Le Wood. As to giving away the TS titles, nobody I know would want them thankfully though sealed and brand new is a different story. Thanks for the tip about the Un-Du adhesive remover though.
Well, you're welcome about the tip. It originally came from Bob, who swears by it. Your explanation clears up a great deal of the mindset behind many of your comments so thanks for that. My own journey here started with Jeff inviting me before XPT opened, my "union card" being how screwed over I was by ADT almost 15 years ago. I declined until much later because I simply didn't want to wallow in hate. The biggest reason ADT owners wanted me gone was how I managed to piss off advertisers with reviews, my willingness to call BS on agents and PR hacks posing as their performers in their forums a close second (that was when they decided to cultivate the industry rather than serve the consumer, a marked change in dynamics).
I looked for a home after that, writing under different aliases but unwilling to suck the dick by having to say nice things about junk like others had to. For me, it was a hobby so I wasn't worried about paying the bills, turning down offers from all the usual places as they made it clear how their reviews worked. The closest accommodation I could find was one place willing to get me anything I wanted but I could only write "positive" reviews (different from a "good" review which could mean a wide range of ass tearing comments). I ended up at a mainstream review website and led the charge into porn for years before it was sold off to IB Brands, taking the porn part to form XCritic where I am still free to say whatever I want, to the point advertisers have left (and often come back). I don't really fault those who reviewed "as a job" or sold their souls by saying whatever they had to say but I still enjoy porn 10k reviews later (skipping the dreck and rarely wasting the time writing up titles that looked promising but fall way short).
The reviews are mostly for consumers to know something other than the company party line, no claims of influence, no worries about everyone's taste being different (my favorite line being we are all a majority of one), and no serious cares about objectively reporting what I see. "Shapiro" only attacked titles he was told to or allowed to so that limits his hero status for me but the true shame is that his book proves he could write well and for shipping, you can relive your glory years of respecting a like minded fellow.
From my point of view though, it must have been hell writing to spec, especially whenever you came to the realization you hated porn and found all of it disposable. I made a decent living in an unrelated field with enough spare time to write as often as I cared to. Unlike some of the fanboys, I'm not writing love letters to self absorbed chicks who smile once or twice a year at me at shows like Bobo, "Jack", and the others at ADT; their claims of "real friendship" laughable considering what is said off the record about them by the same women. I speak to some from time to time or exchange emails but have little in common with them to delude myself, the fact being that if I lose interest in porn I will just walk away, back out of XRCO voting, AVN, XBiz, and other groups that all need a serious purging of who helps them pick the best of the year.
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