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2012: The Adult Industry in Photos, Part 1 (SFW)
This is the fourth consecutive year we've looked back at the past twelve months in the adult industry, headquartered in the San Fernando Valley, and again the statistics speak for themselves -- we traveled thousands of miles for 18 set visits, three award shows, one convention, four collegiate visits, a movie premiere, and a benefit movie. So ahead of Friday's XBIZ Awards in Century City, as well as next week's Adult Entertainment Expo and AVN Awards at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, here's a look back with our cameras.
Obviously, last year's biggest news item was Measure B, which proposed mandatory condom usage for pornography shot in L.A. County. Adult performers had a variety of opinions: Its supporters included Jennifer Ketcham (aka Penny Flame) and Aurora Snow, and its dissenters (who cite the industry's method of periodic testing as proof of preventing H.I.V. transmissions) included Steven St. Croix, James Deen, Stoya and Kimberly Kane, while Kristina Rose blogged, "They don't have a box for my stance on measure B." Deen and Jessica Drake as well as Tera Patrick and Ron Jeremy filmed videos against it. A mid-year syphilis outbreak, triggered by a male performer who was once filmed as part of a gangbang inside the L.A. Memorial Coliseum, added fuel for its passage. On Election Day, L.A. voters tweeted about Measure B. And it was approved, with the geographic and demographic breakdown of its voters producing surprising results, and "The Daily Show"'s Jon Stewart and Vivid Entertainment's Steven Hirsch mocking its passage. So the L.A. County Public Health Department issued letters to producers about how the new law will be enforced, but the Free Speech Coalition has vowed to challenge it in court, while the AIDS Healthcare Foundation are seeking statewide legislation.
The "Fifty Shades of Grey" trilogy juggernaut continued to be popular, with author E.L. James doing a book signing at The Grove that drew close to a thousand fans and the signing of over 2,000 items. Smash Pictures released their "Fifty Shades Of Grey: A XXX Adaptation," which Universal then sued over and Smash has since retitled "This Isn't Fifty Shades Of Grey: This is a XXX Parody."
Two mainstream independent movies looked at the world of porn. Stephen Elliot's "About Cherry," starring Ashley Hinshaw, James Franco, and Heather Graham, was co-written by Lorelei Lee and partially filmed at the Kink.com Armory in San Francisco, while Sean S. Baker's "Starlet," starring Ernest Hemingway's great-granddaughter Dree, focused on the San Fernando Valley and premiered at SXSW.
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Speaking of Franco, he filmed a documentary about Kink.com titled "Kink" that is premiering at Sundance, and he's talked with Kink's Princess Donna Dolore about a future collaboration. He also cast his porn-doppelganger James Deen for his Rebel art project at MOCA.
And controversial photographer Terry Richardson's NSFW photos from his visit to the Armory were published in Richardson Magazine.
Part Two tomorrow and Part Three on Wednesday. And see our coverage of 2011, 2010, and 2009 as well.
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