Dennis RomeroThis Santorum delictum against the fine purveyors of adult entertainment, largely based in Los Angeles, has put the porn industry in a tizzy. Adult video's titans have seen the devil, and he wears sweater vests.
Hustler magnate Larry Flynt's offer of $1 million for dirt on a “prominent government official” sounds to us like a direct challenge to those who would like to see Rick Santorum tapping his toes in an airport bathroom. No such luck.
But the head of the world's largest porn studio, Vivid, is livid about Santorum anyway (aren't we all)?
Hirsch today issued a shot across the bow of Santorum, calling the Republican presidential candidate's treatise against porn (and threat to crackdown should he become president) “ridiculous.”
Santorum says this on his website:
America is suffering a pandemic of harm from pornography … Pornography is toxic to marriages and relationships. It contributes to misogyny and violence against women. It is a contributing factor to prostitution and sex trafficking.
That's a porn nazi talking, right?
The fine, freedom-loving products of Vivid Entertainment.
Well, Hirsch, one of the most powerful people in the multi-billion-dollar smut game, notes that reports of rape, teen pregnancy and sex crime in general have gone down since the 1990s, when “porn first became widely available on the Internet.”
He says if, by act of divine miracle, Santorum actually becomes president, any such crackdown would be challenged in court.
In a statement sent to media outlets, Hirsch rants:
I find it ironic that Mr. Santorum and some of the other Republican candidates claim to favor less government…except when it comes to issues like pornography, where they want Government to dictate what people can and cannot watch …
People today are more comfortable than ever with adult content. If they choose to watch adult movies, it's their personal decision. We vehemently oppose laws regarding sexual conduct between consenting adults.
Got that, freaky Republicans? A vote for Santorum is a vote against the porn.
[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]
Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.