A Defense of Erotica And Erotic Women:
Shauna O'Brien Layeth The Smack Down An Anti-Porn Myopic "Lurker"

If there is anything that really riles me up as a supporter of the medium of erotica more than anything else, it is when some know it all decides that he knows more about the women who willingly choose to perform in erotic/sexually-oriented media than the woman herself.  Never mind the fact that these women have working brains and make choices of their own, and that they understand perfectly what they are getting into, and that most of them are hardly damaged in any way by what they do; it always seems that some closed-minded people will always assume that the women who do adult work are simply either such addle-minded bubble heads that simply waste their time and efforts that could be used in more "fruitful" efforts, or that they are simply fronts for the men who "objectify" them for their obsessive masturbation fantasies.  Fortunately, there are women in erotica who are more than willing to back up the talk with the walk, so to speak, and who are strong enough to answer the critics. 

Shauna O'Brien just so happens to be one of those women.

For those of you who don't know about her, Shauna is a premiere softcore adult actress and model who used her unique skills and sensuality to make a rather successful career as an erotic entertainer. Originally a mainstream bit-role actress playing cameo roles in venues such as 48 HRS: The Sequel, Pretty Woman, and the Star Trek: The Next Generation TV series, she made a major shift into the erotic medium first by posing for PENTHOUSE magazine as their Pet of the Month for January 1992 (ultimately making it to their "Pet of the Year" finals for that year); then parlaying that into a very successful stint as an adult print centerfold model; then venturing into the softcore B-movie genre with major roles in such B-classics as Friend of the Family, Over the Wire, The Escort, Zorrita: Passion's Avenger, Creating the Perfect Man, The Mistress' Club, Erotic Possessions, and The Seductress, to name just a few of her projects..  She has also become a major icon in the late-night softcore medium with her roles in such cable TV series as Kama Sutra, Lady Chatterley's Stories, Beverly Hills Bordello, and Emmanuelle 2000: The Series.  Through all that, Shauna has maintained a reputation as a consummate professional who takes no crap from anyone, gives 100% effort to her scenes, and who isn't afraid to defend herself against anyone who questions her abilities or her beliefs.

(I recently conducted an interview of Shauna for the Softcore Reviews website which reveals a lot about Shauna's outlook on herself and the profession; I strongly recommend a visit there. And there is also my fan groups dedicated to her that I run at Yahoo! and MSN for you to look at.)

Getting back to the main story....around late 2003 or so, the VH-1 cable network ran a series called "Centerfold Babylon" which was their "documentary" attempt to reveal what they considered the "dark side" of the entertainment industry; one episode dealt with the supposedly sordid tale of "the porn industry" and how it allegedly defiled and destroyed any young ingenue woman who managed to make a career in it.  It included interviews and conversations with various adult models and actresses, mostly talking about how they really didn't want to do such "dirty" things like pose nude or have sex on screen, but needed the money and the noteriety for a future "mainstream" career.  In short, it was the usual rip job on the erotic industry which comes up whenever the networks need instant ratings points for their advertisers.

Yours truly was very much interersted in the series, and decided to induce some discussion of the series and it's impressions of both the industry and the women who perform in it; using both Shauna O'Brien's official Yahoo! group and the forum at the Softcore Reviews (hereafter, sreviews) website. The text that follows is a direct result of that debate and discussion.

First off, there is this response posted by Shauna to my inquiries of her impressions of the series, posted to her group on October 23, 2003:

I have not had the pleasure of seeing that show...it sounds like it's rather negative. That's too bad. 

I was not contacted by vh-1 for that particular show although oddly enough they contacted me not too long ago to do a show about the women who date rock stars.  I very politely turned it down though because i got the idea that they were going to turn it into some kind of  "groupie" type show. Any of the musicians that I dated  were, before and after, friends who surely approached me in regards to dating initially.  I didn't like their attitude when in a very proffessional manner, I took a pass on the interview.  I proceeded to tell her that at this point in my career, I'm in more of a position to host a show for them.  Anyhow I got the idea  that when it comes to a show having to do with "sexy girls" they  have quite a stereotype image of them. 

To answer your question about my experience in the business....I think it really depends on each individual person.  To say that when the work runs out the next step is prostitution.......well come on; we could talk about just about anybody in any career, that if bad luck comes there way, have been known to turn to evil means to survive.  Besides I'm not too hard on prostitution...It's  been around forever and it ain't going nowhere...as long as there's men who wanna buy it there's gonna be women who want to sell it.   And beleive me..Unless you're a street hooker, there is nobody holding a gun to there [sic]
heads.  I've known some women who did the high class call girl thing and they were happy to do it. They figured they would probably sleep with him anyway so why not get paid.  Not my bag but I don't take it too serious.

When you guys were talking about the girls getting too old for the business etc.. it definitely does happen and if you don't have a good head on your shoulders and have a different plan for your future then it can really screw the girls up....but athletes deal with this all the time. for example Pro football players..get an injury or just get too old  and there career is all of a sudden over .  I doubt you'll see them hustling on the street...you know what I mean?  Anyways I think you know when you get into a business what the longevity of it is basically going to be...you would have to be pretty naive to not know that. 

Oh I'm rambling..I'll have to check out that show though and see what brilliant and inciteful things they have to say!!!
[/Shauna]

Meanwhile, over at the sreviews forum, the topic was also drawing some interesting discussion as well....and one of the respondents happened to be a regular viewer named "lurker" who seemed to have a particular beef against erotica, especially the women who performed in it.  Basically, accordiing to lurker, these women were simply wasting their talents which could have been put to use in other more fruitful talents, and they were just a masturbatory tool for self-centered men who saw them as only "objects" to be thrown away when the fantasy ended. His invective sparked a huge debate, to say the least, of which I soon had to become involved in due to my love of erotica and my respect for the women who perform in it.  Here's an example of some of lurker's madness, included within a response of mine to the forum that I crossposted to my Shauna O'Brien Nation Yahoo! group on Oct. 28:

[The first part reposted the aformentioned response by Shauna; it has been snipped by me for redundancy reasons.]

 

[...]

 

And on the other hand.....over at the Softcore Reviews forum, a viewer named Lurker decided that he would attempt to call me out over my apparant permissive attitude about porn and erotica, right down to the usual MacDworkinite arguements.  The following exchange resulted; I will quote straight from the thread at:  http://sreviews.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=112:

 

OK, Lurker, let's go through your points one by one, shall we??? Needless to say, you've said a lot, unfortunately, a lot of it is bush-league.

Quote:

[Me]  (Here's a particular chain-yanker for me: Why is it that so many women in the erotic entertainment biz do such provocative sexual portraits, yet are so quick to repudiate them and disown them the moment at the first glance of a camera and a microphone??? If you are so offended that people think of you that way, then why do those photos in the first place???)  [Another poster]: I think the women in softcore/hardcore are making a living from the only thing they have going for them - looks. Very few erotic film stars have any serious acting talent, nothing that will land them lead roles opposite Robert DeNiro. [Lurker] I agree with this answer. The temptation to make big money by dropping one’s clothes, spreading one’s legs, and pouting one’s lips is too great to resist. Why go to college? Why learn a skill? Just look good, take your clothes off, and deliver your lines in a manner that is less stiff than your breasts or the erections of the viewers.

Oh, really???? Just like the temptation for an athlete to skip college and go straight to the professional leagues (ala Lebron James, who will make far, far, far more money in one year that an average softcore star will make in her lifetime)??? Besides that, need I remind you that a large majority of softcore and hardcore performers are either indeed college graduates or those who used their earnings to pay for their college educations. Would you prefer that they took up cashiering at Wal-Marts to pay for their education??? BTW, Lurker....I wonder if you have ever heard of Victoria Dvrok, a Playboy Playmate who just happens to be able to speak five languages, who graduated from college with FIVE degrees (including TWO masters' degrees at the age of 20)??? I guess that she's suffering greatly because of her brain, now isn't she???

As for that crackback that the women are making a living solely off their looks rather tha n their acting skills: Gee, Lurker, you sound like you believe that everyone can act like Robert DeNiro or Julia Roberts or Halle Berry!! (Maybe you've missed this, but a significant reason for their success is due exactly to their looks....in addition to their other talents. (Or maybe you think that all those covers that Halle or Angelina Jolie appear in in those upscale mags are due to their superhuman brains, too???? Just because erotic actresses don't have Julia's (how about Erin Brockovich???) or Susan Sarandon's acting chops (remember Bull Durham???) doesn't mean that they don't have some acting skills. And what about all those models who don't happen to spread their legs, but simply show off their bodies in bikinis or lingerie....are they showing their lack of "talent" any worse than softcore or hardcore actresses???

Moving on....

Quote:

[Me]  I don't see anyone expecting Cynthia Rothrock (the reigning queen of the martial arts/action genre) to repudiate her skills as an martial arts expert in order to be a "genuine actress"; why should erotica be any different [Lurker] The preceding statement is a great launching point for a discussion of the issue of pornography. Do you know why people oppose pornography? No, it’s not just because they are uptight, or because they have religious objections, or because they think it objectifies women. There’s another reason. Pornography stunts personal growth. Cynthia Rothrock worked hard, learned a skill, and then went into movies. On the other hand, what skills does a Penthouse centerfold learn? Makeup? Fashion? How to give a man an erection? Think back to when you were in high school. Did you ever spend an extra hour on the soccer field honing your skills and then scored the winning goal in your next game? Did you give up Friday nights so you could study because you wanted to get into that college you loved? Did you know nothing about cars but checked out a book on auto-repair just so you wouldn’t be a victim the next time you took your car to the shop? Isn’t there a satisfaction in working hard, in dedicating yourself to a goal and seeing that goal to fruition? Does letting a man take your picture while another man ejaculates on your face provide the same feeling? The next time you watch a softcore movie or look at pornographic magazine ask yourself these questions? “Why isn’t she a doctor? Why isn’t she an engineer? Why isn’t she a poet?” Instead of bettering herself, testing her limits, pornography paves (or pays) the way for her to do nothing. It’s about wasted potential. And not only does the woman lose, but society loses as well. Instead of being an artist who inspires critical thought she’s an “actress” who inspires ejaculations.

Oh, please, please, please.....LOL.....spare me the lecture. Porn and erotica is not rocket science or brain surgery; IT IS ENTERTAINMENT!!! Would you be saying the same about other forms of escapist entertainment, such as pro wrestlers or radio talk show hosts, or newspaper writers??? Besides from the obvious fact that not everyone can be a poet or a surgeon or a engineer (especially not a credible, effective one), not everyone can become an accomplished actress or model, either. (As for your point that the only thing that porn teaches is "how to give a man an erection": Nature already provides that model quite adequately. Men can get erections quite nicely by simply looking at women (or other men) on the street; eliminating porn and erotica from the mix will never change that fact. And I don't see you cracking on mainstream TV or the fashion mags for their promotion of beauty over brains, either. Might that be because you re ally don't like sex in general??? Hmmmmm.....) And here's another note that you might not know, Lurker: Those scenes in most pornography and erotica actually reflect what real people do in their lives. Actually, even with the element of gross exaggeration, porn is far more indicative of real life behavior than any other motion picture genre you can think of; how many voyages to Mars or the outer edges have you seen in your lifetime???

Now, on Cynthia Rothrock....I do love her movies, and I admire her skills as a martial artist...but come on, now, Lurker; if she really had that much acting skills beyond her ability to fight, she would be bigger than Julia Roberts. She did indeed work mightly hard to get to her success....and so did Victoria Dvrok (whom I mentioned above), and so did Kira Reed (who earned a degree in acting and theatre with honors), and so did Shauna O'Brien (who parlayed a successful mainstream modeling career into her own succe ss as a softcore model/webmistress), and so did....the list could go on ad infinitum.

Oh, but as you said, porn stunts personal growth....so much for the many people (women and men) who proudly consume it without managing to drag their knuckles or grow hair on their palms. Sounds to me like it's not porn or softcore that stunts growth, it's closed-minded Puritans.

Quote:

[Me]  I understand that this sex-negative society and it's ceaseless demonization as "sluts" and "whores..." [Lurker] “Sex-negative,” huh? I’ll have to remember that the next time I see that Stacey’s Mom video, or when E! airs a feature on Jenna Jameson on a Sunday night, or the next time a sitcom uses a sexual double entendre to get laughs, or the next time a woman fakes an orgasm to sell freakin’ shampoo. “Sex negative?” More like sex-saturated or sex-obsessed

Actually, I was talking about overall culture here, not just some piddling example of a few commercials and prime-time specials on TV. And if you think that our culture is so "sex-saturated", why not try watching some of the many right-wing Christian TV channels (I hear that The 700 Club is quite sex-positive), or the many moralistic "experts" that appear on TV and talk radio and blabble on about the evils of sex and the display thereof; or the politicians who made up the nice ratings system that treats a naked nipple as more of a threat than a slashing knife or a woman's head rammed through a toilet.

Quote:

[Me}  (Of course, the episode uses the loaded term "sex object", which I absolutely despise and loathe, since I consider erotic models and women in erotica in general to be as human and worthy of respect as anyone else.) {Lurker] Well, I am glad (honestly, I am) that you believe these women are worthy of respect. However, I wonder if you are in the majority. “C’mon, take it off already. Let me see those tits. I wonder if we’ll get a look at her cunt in this movie. C’mon cameraman, get between her legs.” Does it really matter who she is? All that matters is that she is pretty enough, hot enough, to get one off. She serves a masturbatory purpose; that is her function. When she is no longer needed the channel is changed—the tool is put back in the shed—the object has served its sexual function. But more than that, look at what pornography does to the viewer? Will it make me rape a woman? No, of course not. But look at how the viewer has been reduced by being allowed to objectify a woman.

Finally, we get to the nitty gritty. Let me hear you right, Lurker: you are saying that when I give tribute to a woman who manages her own site, has worked hard to get at where she is, and who has stated her views countless times on the issues of the day, I am in fact objectifying her.....simply because she happens to be beautiful. Now, if you actually managed to speak to(or, more importantly, to actually LISTEN TO) that woman, you would actually find her to be quite an engaging, smart, and intellegent person....but never mind that, we all just want to see her boobs and her junk!!! You might even be taken by her ability to defend herself and her integrity.....but who cares about that; we didn't pay good money to see her brains!!! Now, Lurker, I ask you....who's objectifying who??? I happen to see the women of softcore and hardcore as full and equal human beings who --while each different in their own way -- happen to have feelings and lives and issues, just like the rest of us. Yes, the women of erotica do make for excellent masturbatory fantasies.....that's their JOB!!! It is no less a job than delivering pizza or cleaning sewers or teaching intermediate French in high school....and it serves just as legitimate a need -- indeed, the most basic human need -- as any other genre or line of work. Before you make such rash judgements of these women or the people who watch and enjoy their work, try actually talking to them first.


And finally, we reach the end.....

Quote :

(Originally from me) As I said, I haven't seen that particular episode on cable; but from what they offer at their webpage, they seem to have a very negative, judgemental, almost right-wing erotophobic view of the women who do adult modeling or even softcore....right down to the usual talk of some models "degenerating into prostitution". (Lurker) Yeah, why be judgmental about a business that arguably 1) objectifies women, 2) stunts personal growth 3) degrades men 4) offends God and 5) is a gateway to drugs and prostitution? No one has to agree with anything I’ve written. My point in writing is not to convince you that I am right, it is only to notify that there are arguments on the other side of the issue. There’s more to this issue than people simply being “erotophobic” and judgmental. There are sincere, well though-out arguments, real reasons, for Vh-1 or anyone else to be “judgmental”

Yeah, why be...especially when you make such roundhouse judgements about this whole genre??? (I especially like the "offends God" and "gateway to drugs and prostitution" reasonings; it makes your myopic Puritanism so.....so, well, almost logical!!)

What we have here, brother Lurker, is simply a difference of opinion, and I do respect yours greatly.....even if I believe it to be totally out of whack, ridiculous, and insulting. I also respect the fact that you managed to post this at a site that actually promotes erotica (mostly of the softcore type), in a thread about mostly a series about softcore models/actresses -- although I would guess that you would find no moral difference between actually having sex and simulating it on stage or screen, or between bikini/lingerie models (Does Cindy Margolis have more brains because she keeps her bikini on, I wonder???) nude models, and hardcore starlets. (I guess that in your mind, they're all sluts, skanks, and brainless bimbo harlots all the same.) But if you're going to come on this forum and bash on them for the service they serve to society, at least try to base your arguements on facts rather than suppositions and saw stories. You may not like what those women do, but they are still adult human beings with self-will, integrity, and dignity; they and the adults who know and love them enough to consume their product deserve as much respect as for any other genre. Too bad VH-1 couldn't see that in their coverage.

I apologize for the length, but I had to vent my feelings here.

With that done, I yield the floor. 

Now, Lurker had a lot more to say about the innate evil of erotica and porn in the thread, including this nice crackback on former Playboy centerfold/erotic actress turned sex therapist Dr. Victoria Zdrok (who just recently obtained her doctorate in sexology and (amongst other things, speaks five languages and obtained her masters degree at the bright age of 20...yet can't get past the "sin" of spreading her legs for men, according to Lurker):

Well, I’d bet that this is where you and your opponents will most strongly disagree, where common ground will be nearly impossible to find. Being a masturbatory fantasy IS less of a job than teaching intermediate French. Earlier, you mentioned Victoria Zdrok and her law degree. Right now there is man who is buying his first house and unsure of the process; right now there is battered wife contemplating leaving her husband but doesn’t know where she and her child can go; right now there is a man thinking of investing his family’s life savings in a risky venture; right now there is a man rotting in jail for a crime he didn’t commit. These people need help. These people need a good lawyer. They need someone as smart as Victoria Zdrok. But she isn’t offering legal advice; she’s offering an orgasm. Look at what she has it in her power to offer them and then look at what she is in fact offering them. Doesn’t that cause you to pause? Not even a little bit?

OK..so much for the millions of other lawyers already out there who could handle that situation..it's HER fault that she chose to become a "sex object"...and that's why she and other women who do erotica must be demonized and given fifth class status???

Thinking that a softcore actress/centerfold would probably have a thought or two about Lurker's rantings, I forwarded some of his remarks to the Shauna Nation group for response. Fortunately, the Goddess herself happened to read some of my comments, and promptly posted this firey rebuttal, which she gave me permission to crosspost to the sreviews forum:

From: "Shauna O'Brien" Date: Wed Oct 29, 2003  7:17 pm Subject: Re: "Centerfold Babylon": Shauna's Brilliant; Lurker's (@ SReviews) Myopic

You go Anthony....way to stick it to em!!!!!You say it so brilliantly, I don't even feel the need to have to respond to such tripe. I love a man with a valid opinion, and that goes for all the other open minded supporters of erotica.   I will say one thing though.....although I appreciate both hardcore and softcore......there are those who really need to spend a good long weekend researching the difference between the two. To this very day it makes me crazy to hear the two lumped together so casually as if the one watching could not obviously tell the difference. It's like comparing Coke to Diet Coke....yes indeed they are both soft drinks but taste much different by far.   Oh one more thing...I just can't help myself....this is for what's his face....lurker I think it is...What may I ask do you do for a living...you must be something amazing like a very important scientist working on a cure for cancer. If so I commend you my friend...If not, what's with the hoity toity attitude and opinion? Before you go spouting off about how "talentless" we small humans are...let me inform you of a few things that I do in my spare time that I've never mentioned before that have nothing to do with talent,or making money, but does have to do with caring and compassion. I have an organization that is called "Garden of Hope". It's really a very simple premise. I go around my neighborhood around this time every year and get a promise from a select group of mothers that they will plant one extra plant in their garden next spring and whatever produce that comes from that plant is donated to the local food banks every three weeks. We have potluck dinners where we gather all of the vegetables in boxes and I deliver them to the foodbanks. It doesn't cost me a penny and I don't make a penny....But there is no other feeling of joy like it! I also try to make it to Goodwill and Salvation Army to buy a bunch of clothes simply because the money that I spend there goes to amazing things. So the next time you have to dress up for one of those big doctors conventions (YOUR BRILLIANCE) check out the suits at Goodwill. You'd be amazed at what you find.   Oh and by the way...when was the last time LURKER memorized 16 pages of dialog in one hour? NO BRAINS????????????????????? Don't insult yourself so by believing that anything we do in this business is in any way shape or form easy. We work our asses off to bring to the table what we give. Sometimes we are so tired by the end of a shooting day we don't even have the energy to do anything more than eat something and fall into bed. So when I talk about memorizing 16 pages of dialog in an hour, sometimes that's all the time you have before you simply fall asleep in your script......It is a huge challenge that requires constant thinking. That is why I do it ...Because yes in fact it does STIMULATE MY BRAIN!!!!   One more word for you, LURKER....until you've tried what I do for a living...don't be so ridiculous as to think you know the first thing that is required to accomplish my job:) Chow for now!!!!

For most people, this would be enough proof of the legitimacy of women in erotica.....but Lurker's not most people, and he sent back this classic rebuttal of Shauna which can only be described as looney (originally posted to the sreviews forum on Oct 29, embedded within my response thereof that was posted to the Shauna Nation group on November 5):

[Original quote from Shauna]
...What may I ask do you do for a living...you must be something
amazing like a very important scientist working on a cure for cancer.
If so I commend you my friend...If not, what's with the hoity toity
attitude and opinion?


[Response from Lurker]
Statement No. 1 Seal clubbing is immoral.
Statement No. 2 Seal clubbing is immoral.

The pope makes statement number one. A crooked Enron executive makes
statement number two. Is seal clubbing made any more immoral because
the pope said it is immoral? No. Is seal clubbing made any less
immoral because an Enron executive said it is immoral? No. If seal
clubbing is immoral or outrageous then what does it matter who makes
the statement, who expresses the outrage? My occupation, Ms. O'Brien,
will not change the characteristics of porn. It is what it is; it
does what it does. Your argument is fallacious and I see through your
attempt to cloud the issue.

But your statement has left me curious. Please, tell me why a
scientist working on a cure for cancer has greater standing to
criticize porn than I do? Please, there are fire fighters, policeman,
school teachers, ditch diggers, attorneys, janitors, accountants who
all want to know why they—by virtue of their occupations—are not
qualified to voice a hoity-toity opinion against porn. You've set up
a hierarchy with scientists working to cure cancer situated at the
top. Please, justify that hierarchy. What makes them so special? Do
these people have some special insight regarding porn that the rest
of do not have? Or maybe the rest of us have impaired abilities to
reason?

Reason, Ms. O'Brien--not occupation—is what allows for my hoity-toity
opinion. Just as it is reason that allows for your contrary opinion.
And just as reason tells me that is it not necessary to be a saint to
point out a sin; that it is not necessary to be Warren Buffet to
select a valuable stock; and that it is not necessary to be Nolan
Ryan to throw a fastball, reason tells me that it is not necessary to
be scientist working on a cure for cancer to criticize porn.

[My response to Lurker]
Now, this is rich indeed.....here's a woman who is defending her business that she has excelled in for 12 years now.....and someone who knows nothing about that business other than what he hears from some outsiders -- as well as his own personal biases -- comes in and trashes her right to defend her genre. No, you don't have to be Nolan Ryan to throw a fastball...but if you are going to analyze professional baseball pitchers, it doesn't hurt to have some expertise in the profession and not be, say, a pitcher for a softball league.

And just because you have a reason for stating your opinion doesn't make that opinion automatically true and binding fact....it only makes it your opinion. No one -- and I don't think Shauna was included either -- was criticizing your right to be critical of her
genre; it was your arguements and the logic behind them that she rightfully, IMHO, questioning.

Besides, Lurker, you missed her point entirely.....Shauna wasn't stating that only scientists working to cure cancer have the right to call out porn and erotica; she was using them as a prop to criticize your high-minded, elitist, self-serving, and pompous attitude towards her and her profession.

Also....just because the Pope says that seal clubbing is immoral doesn't make that moral opinion anything more than an
opinion....whether or not the pope or the CEO of Enron or Saddam Hussein or Adolf Hitler says it....even if the overwhelming majority of people agree with that sentiment. The Pope also believes that homosexuals should either give up their "perversion" and become "normal" heterosexuals or suffer for their "sin"....should that statement be taken for fact as well???



[Shauna]
oh and by the way...when was the last time LURKER memorized 16 pages of dialog in one hour ? NO
BRAINS????????????????????? Don't insult yourself so by believing that anything we do in this business is in any way shape or form easy. We work our asses off to bring to the table what we give. Sometimes we are so tired by the end of a shooting day we don't even have the energy to do anything more than eat something and fall into bed. So when I talk about memorizing 16 pages of dialog in an hour, sometimes that's all the time you have before you simply fall asleep in your script......It is a huge challenge that requires constant thinking . That is why I do it ...Because yes in fact it does STIMULATE MY BRAIN!!!!


[Lurker]
Ms. O'Brien, I know people who crammed an entire semester's worth of work and knowledge into a weekend. The subject matter was dense. The consequence of failure was high. And the possibility of a second take was zero. Nonetheless, your point is well noted. What these people managed to do doesn't diminish your accomplishments. But I have to ask you something.

The last five softcore movies I have seen are Forbidden, Passion Crimes, Sensual Friends, Pleasurecraft and I Like to Play Games Too.

Forbidden
1. Inari Vachs is in a flashback sex scene. Her lines were something
to the effect of "Oh baby, oh baby, right there, oh baby."

Passion Crimes
2. Diana Espen is a kidnapping victim. Other than a scream, her lines
were something to the effect of "join us," (to initiate a three-way
FFM scene) and "you bastard" (said to her kidnappers).
3. Venus is the leading lady's best friend. Her lines were to the
effect of "He said that to you," (Consoling the lead character who
had broken up with her boyfriend) and "she doesn't understand you"
(Said later in an attempt to seduce the lead character's boyfriend).

Sensual Friends
4. An unknown (to me) but attractive brunette has a sex scene. Her
lines were to the effect of, "Now, are you ready for something
kinky?"
5. Kim Dawson is a writer being interviewed. Her lines were to the
effect of, "So, you are my "biggest" fan; are you? Well I'll be the
judge of that"

Pleasurecraft
6. Shayna Ryan (a product of a virtual reality machine) opens the
movie by disrobing and oiling herself down. Her number of lines,
zero.
7. Andrea Hargitay (another product of a virtual reality machine) has
sex with the lead male. Her number of lines, zero.

I Like to Play Games Too
8 and 9. Catalina Larranga and Nancy O'Brien engage in a three-way
with Marie Ford. Their lines? Negligible.


Five movies, Ms. O'Brien. Nine women, Ms. O'Brien. There weren't sixteen pages of dialogue between all nine of them. You work too hard, Ms. O'Brien.

These women were objects, weren't they? They were replaceable, almost fungible, right? It didn't matter who played the virtual girls in Pleasurecraft; the movie would have been just as good or bad with or without them. I guess while you were spending your hour studiously memorizing your lines these women were getting undressed. These women demonstrated a lot of talent in these movies,  right? These women's brains were stimulated, right? Porn really facilitates getting the best out of these women, right? Porn is just as good as a profession as any other, right? Only scientists working to cure cancer have standing to ask these questions, right?

We disagree on this issue. Needless to say, your acting is more persuasive than your argument. That notwithstanding, I applaud you for your charitable efforts and sincerely hope that you will continue those efforts. The world needs all the help it can get. Of that, I am sure we can agree.

[Me]
Nice try, Lurker, but still no cigar for you....quoting simulated sex scenes from five softcore movies completely out of context -- and none of them featuring Shauna, either, I might add -- proves absolutely nothing, except for your obsession for trashing the genre without reason. (And for someone who absolutely hates those kind of scenes, you certainly have a vivid memory of them, too!!!!) Maybe you have forgotten that in these movies, there are scenes immediately before and after those scenes you described where the women are actually required to -- horrors -- speak and act!!! Yes, Lurker, softcore actresses do have to recite lines and actually play characters and roles; there has to be some setup for those debasing sex scenes. After all, without the acting, hey could just tape the sex scenes and call them "compilations" like they do in hardcore. You might not consider their acting as the highest of quality, but you can't deny unless you are truly uninformed -- or highly biased and only want to see through your filtered imagination.

I may also remind you that all those scenes you mentioned are in fact SIMULATED, meaning that the actresses are NOT REALLY HAVING SEX; THEY ARE ONLY PRETENDING LIKE IT!!!!! Now, to fake sexual acts and make them appear real is not quite as easy as you think; it requires some very creative camera angles and positions so that real contact is avoided...because in softcore, real sexual arousal is avoided like the plague due to the complications they cause on the set. But it is more than worth the idea of allowing the viewer some freedom of imagination for his or her sexual fantasies....and fantasy is what erotica of whatever genre is all about. 

Now...if you want an example of real acting and how softcore actresses really earn their money; allow me to give you an example
from Shauna's portfolio.....and those of you others who know me well will vouch for me on this.

Over at my House of Chatterley Erotica group at MSN, I have an essay on the Showtime series "Lady Chatterley's Stories" which happens to be the series from whence my love of softcore erotica, Shauna O'Brien, and the lead character first emerged. In that essay, I reset the fact that Shauna wasn't originally hired to play the lead role. (A hardcore actress named Chloe -- who happens to be a very smart, beautiful, and accomplished girl on her part -- was originally hired; but the president of Showtime Networks reversed the order due to the fear of not wanting a hardcore actress appearing in one of his series). Because of the short time for taping, and the rapidity of having to learn the role, Shauna had to cram through nearly 30-50 pages of script in order to prepare for that role....and that didn't include the other projects that she was doing at that time. I believe that the test of time has proven her efforts to be duly rewarded, since her performance in that series has been critically acclaimed by her peers and her fans.

And playing the role was no easy task either; the character was actually created in the mold of the original character in D. H. Lawrence's classic novel Lady Chatterly's Lover, albeit updated for an 21st century cable audience. If you want to downgrade Shauna's efforts in that or any other of her roles, I can't stop you; but please don't insult her or our intellegence by denying that she didn't work hard for that or any other role.

Of course, Shauna is perfectly capable of defending herself; and someday when she feels the need, she'll come to this forum and speak her piece. But please, please, for Goddess sake, please.....if you are going to berate a woman for her argument, at least respect her right to defend her profession. If you haven't been there, you can't make accusations about her as if you have been.

Finally: I will say, as a fan of Shauna O'Brien and of erotica in general, that perhaps, my friend Lurker, you should care to speak
with the people who know and love erotic entertainers the most -- namely, the FANS -- before you make such accusations and
overgeneralizations. Some of us do love our girls for their beautiful bodies and their sexual/erotic personas.....but we also love and respect them for so much more; their minds, their hearts, and their souls. If you don't believe so, feel free to check out my own Shauna O'Brien fan groups (the links are at the end of this board). It will educate you mightly on how we erotica fans see our starlets as much more than a nice pair of boobs or a fine ass, we might even worship her brains as well.

With that, I yield the floor. 

Such is the idiocy to which far too many intellegent women in the field of erotica are subjected to for far too long...and it is to Shauna's credit as a individual, a professional, and a sexy woman that she has persevered so well in the business against such attitudes.

I will conclude this with a quote from that aformentioned Softcore Reviews interview, where Shauna talks about the hard work that she endures in her profession.

Q: We all know the sex in softcore films is fake, but from a performer's point of view how difficult is it to convey passion with a full crew standing around and a director telling you what to do?

A: I'm glad that you asked this question! Because there have been so many times that people think that because we are doing simulated love scenes we are not really acting.  Sometimes I want to (and often times have) tell those people to piss off! The simulated sex is the very reason why we should be considered AMAZING actresses!! Well, maybe "amazing" is too strong. Perhaps astounding, remarkable, sensational, oh and don't forget wonderful actresses. 

Let's face it, it is a challenge every single time to be on a set, completely naked, sometimes with a complete stranger (and let me tell you sometimes those complete strangers have some nasty body odor going on) under mad hot lights, in front of a crew of people who are so sick of making these kind of movies it's written all over their faces.

Then to have to get into one position and do it until the director finally thinks it's time for a climax and then have him tell you "Ok I'm going to start a countdown from ten and I want you to start breathing slowly and increasingly bring it up until you reach one and a full blown orgasm". And of course the breathing can never be normal sex breathing and the climax can never be more towards reality climax (which don't get me wrong, reality climax is splendid) it always has to be a way blown out of proportion fantasy climax. 

Well let me tell you a thing or two about a thing or two. That climax breathing take after take, can literally make you come close to passing out. No joke!!! I've gotten very light headed and dizzy after some scenes. The whole time we are doing all of this we have to be acting like this is the best sex we've ever had in our whole lives. I am put to the test every time I do one of those scenes.

Perhaps not in the importance level of a fireman or a paramedic or a policeman...but important enough for us.

Women like Shauna O'Brien should be praised for what they give to society, not demeaned and bashed. A world without sexy women like her would be a barren, dead world indeed.

'Cest tu....

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