Turned On
This is a story off the Australian version of 60 minutes that I watched a couple of weeks ago.
Firstly, I have to say that Liam Bartlett is a conservative and the whole slant on the story leans in that direction, obviously appealing to the target demographic audience (Older more "traditional" baby boomers).
In my opinion, and the opinion of others judging by the mailbag the following week the story was, to say the least, confronting. Confronting in the sense it was shown at basically a 7:30p.m. timeslot. This was not a light dinner conversation topic, this was uncomfortable and awkward for all in the room, I could only imagine households with small children.
However in a way it was a good thing, because in my opinion I do not view pornographic material as taboo or something to be ashamed of and the only way to remove this stigma is to make it mainstream (what better way then 7:30 on a Sunday night).
Now, I'm not sure whether 60 Minutes intentionally interviewed emotionally scared individuals from the porn industry or whether everyone involved in the industry is like that but this to me was the most interesting part of the story.
The introverted, yes, introverted Kiki Vidis, amateur porn star and aspiring Jenna Jameson, struck me most of all because for all her external glamour it was obvious this was an ugly, distraught and confused teenager.
This really took away some of the luster and attraction I have to porn. It revealed the true inner-workings of an industry which has a reputation as dirty indecent and abusive.
She came off as an uneducated, sad and lonely girl who is screaming for attention, I honestly felt pity. I wondered how she was in this situation and why?
Was it her choice? According to Liam Bartlett's blog she previously had a job as a stripper which raises even further questions, this is a 19-year-old girl she must have been stripping for 1-2 years to even consider entering hard core pornography, why wasn't she at school? And even though that is pure speculation this extract of the transcript;
LIAM BARTLETT: The notoriety of it is very attractive to you?
KIKI VIDIS: I don't know what that word means, but yes.
LIAM BARTLETT: OK, so whatever it takes?
KIKI VIDIS: Yeah, well, not whatever it takes. I won't do 'anything'.
Seems to support my theory.
But the effect this story had on my opinion of porn seems hypocritical to say the least, had I not seen this story and came across Kiki Vidis porn on the internet I would have no doubt enjoyed it. However, after viewing the behind-the-scenes lives of these actresses it has become apparent that the enjoyment consumers derive from porn is not always reciprocated by the makers. Which leads me to wonder how many other Kiki Vidis have I seen in my porn surfing days?
Q.
This is a story off the Australian version of 60 minutes that I watched a couple of weeks ago.
Firstly, I have to say that Liam Bartlett is a conservative and the whole slant on the story leans in that direction, obviously appealing to the target demographic audience (Older more "traditional" baby boomers).
In my opinion, and the opinion of others judging by the mailbag the following week the story was, to say the least, confronting. Confronting in the sense it was shown at basically a 7:30p.m. timeslot. This was not a light dinner conversation topic, this was uncomfortable and awkward for all in the room, I could only imagine households with small children.
However in a way it was a good thing, because in my opinion I do not view pornographic material as taboo or something to be ashamed of and the only way to remove this stigma is to make it mainstream (what better way then 7:30 on a Sunday night).
Now, I'm not sure whether 60 Minutes intentionally interviewed emotionally scared individuals from the porn industry or whether everyone involved in the industry is like that but this to me was the most interesting part of the story.
The introverted, yes, introverted Kiki Vidis, amateur porn star and aspiring Jenna Jameson, struck me most of all because for all her external glamour it was obvious this was an ugly, distraught and confused teenager.
This really took away some of the luster and attraction I have to porn. It revealed the true inner-workings of an industry which has a reputation as dirty indecent and abusive.
She came off as an uneducated, sad and lonely girl who is screaming for attention, I honestly felt pity. I wondered how she was in this situation and why?
Was it her choice? According to Liam Bartlett's blog she previously had a job as a stripper which raises even further questions, this is a 19-year-old girl she must have been stripping for 1-2 years to even consider entering hard core pornography, why wasn't she at school? And even though that is pure speculation this extract of the transcript;
LIAM BARTLETT: The notoriety of it is very attractive to you?
KIKI VIDIS: I don't know what that word means, but yes.
LIAM BARTLETT: OK, so whatever it takes?
KIKI VIDIS: Yeah, well, not whatever it takes. I won't do 'anything'.
Seems to support my theory.
But the effect this story had on my opinion of porn seems hypocritical to say the least, had I not seen this story and came across Kiki Vidis porn on the internet I would have no doubt enjoyed it. However, after viewing the behind-the-scenes lives of these actresses it has become apparent that the enjoyment consumers derive from porn is not always reciprocated by the makers. Which leads me to wonder how many other Kiki Vidis have I seen in my porn surfing days?
Q.
