Should we bail out the porn industry?

Not for nothing is Larry Flynt known as the Hustler.

This is, after all, the man who made his name publishing photos of a nude Jackie Kennedy. So it's hardly surprising that he's now having a go at getting a $5 billion bailout for the adult entertainment industry.

Flynt and Joe Francis, best known for persuading college grads to take their tops off in Girls Gone Wild, are the latest to line up for a Washington handout. They claim that their business is competing with readily available online porn. Worse still, in these times of economic turmoil, it's suffering from a depressed American libido.

Chances are Flynt won't get lucky this time. After all, the porn business still brings in $13 billion a year. And, despite their claims, sex is about as recession-proof as it gets. Statistics show that industry sales figures actually go up when the economy goes down. 

Still you can't blame a man for asking. Flynt is no Barack Obama but he embodies part of the American dream: the brash entrepreneur who rises from poverty to build his own multi-million dollar empire. And, as today's headlines show, he knows the virtue of the tongue-in-cheek publicity stunt.

Who's to say that that the head honchos in Detroit deserve the bailout more?

Comments

[Nigel]

Well, if it's a stimulus you're after...

[David James]

I say let them go bust.

[Guy Herbert]

Flynt is not just cheeky. He's also an accomplished self-publicist and satirist (as well as a satyrist). He's expressing what the US public feels about bailing out bankers.

[Martin]

Stimulus package, I think, Nigel.

[Tijmen]

As long as we have fake money in a system that doesn´t appreciate people´s true talents, we´ll have people desperate enough to prostitute themselves. But Cytherea´s talented...

[Takeshi]

It makes as much sense as giving the automakers a bailout. At least giving money to the porn industry you will find out where the money went at the end, rather than giving it to banks where it will dissapear.

[Kazuki]

!!!! I laughed hard to your comment Nigel, thank you!

[Elan Durham]

Oh please! The porn industry was the number one profit-earning business in the US for years.

Let them eat cake!

[George]

What a cunning way to get some free publicity

You ask for comments on the leader to this article. The simple answer,and one which, I believe would be echoed by all, is NO. No industry set up to exploit commercialism and want and need for profit should ever receive taxpayers money.

[David Crawford]

Considering that Detroit has been screwing the American public for the last three decades by putting out crappy overpriced cars ...

[Dean]

The Onion couldn't do better than this.

[DW]

Good for him he realizes how much we where conned and lied to about the original bailout and how those funds where given to anyone and everyone. So why not the porn industry,it has less crooks and con men than Capitol Hill,and makes people a lot happier.

[Andy P]

I feel sure Larry doesn't have to beg for a little Quantitative easing !!

[NickT]

I'll take some of them in if they are turfed out onto the street. I feel it would be my civic duty to offer a bed for the night.

[Ian]

Interesting paradox, if they get $5 billion will this mean the end of hard times for the porn industry?

[Paul]

Why not? We've bailed out the other merchant bankers.

[Mr. McFarlane]

This is naked self interest! No.

[Kim]

Yes, why not. People are going to need all the consolation they can get in the coming years, and with all those bored people off work there's only so much Diagnosis Murder and Trisha you can watch...

[nik kanuritch]

Don't be ridiculous! This is not an industry it is a criminal explotation. Fall of the romon empire lessons learnt from history comes to mind. No brainer - no never.

[Featherstonehaugh]

it would be unfair to stiff the favourite industry of the North Americans.

[Stu]

It would be outrageous to bail out a billion-dollar industry run by sleazy men with no morals... erm...

[Victor]

The industry and its workers are a filthy stain on US society. But enough about Wall Street banks. I think Larry is right. We should bail his industry out.

[Dylan Davies]

I think those car industry billions are far better spent on those engaged in the horizontal refreshment industry. At least then we know that funds are going directly to the source, rather than through intermediaries.

[david]

Why shouldn't they be bailed out? The B(?)ankers have been!

[NCA]

YES
YES
YES

[jjohn143]

We need to bail them out, because if I am going to get bent over, I would rather it be by them, than our gov't, bankers and car makers!

[Lucie]

Best. Pun thread. Ever.

[Marc The Baptist]

If these pay outs to help the industry go ahead, how will the money be dished out? Would artists who can perform daring positions like the flying dutchman be entitled to more money than those less flexible?

[am]

If you cant make money out of Porn and you must be stupid or too honest, but then again the problems have been caused by stupid, dishonest polititians and money handlers,so maybe they owe him something,after all he probably delivers a better product than most of them.

[Morgan]

He's probably just after a bit of publicity not an actual bail-out. Porn is pretty much an all-time fav in societies across the globe.

[Mr Magoo]

Hard times for the industry...

[Jurgen]

more power to his elbow and nik kanuritch | 9 Jan 2009 08:38:06 please lighten up this is not meant to be taken seriously

[Alex]

Aside from the obvious observation that they aren't an important industry, the very fact that they are competing with online porn should negate any need to bail them out, as those who want porn can still get it - suggest that Larry Flint wants to bail out Larry Flint - not the porn industry.

I suspect this is probably nothing more than a publicity stunt - he must know the government would never dream of giving him any money.

[Lion in the North]

So,he's going for the money shot??

[edmund banks]

your kidding ha

[PenguinSix]

I can't believe how the UK media is taking this so seriously. This has received 10x the coverage in the British press than the US media.

[Simon]

I'm worried a stimulus in the porn industry will only lead to further inflation; but if his proposal is rejected I'm sure they won't take it lying down.

[Doc Mick]

Does Flynt think taxpayers are a bunch of suckers?

[Njoroge Nyaga]

Bail him out I say. If they can bail out hanky panky banks why not the hanky panty industry too. At least we can see their naked lust at the end of the day.

[Chris]

Tongue-in-cheek stunt. Magnificent.

[Garters]

At least the porn industry has moved with the times. The auto industry has not its still stuck in the 50's. The porn industry from a purely business perspective is more deserving of a bailout!!

Let the good times roll.!

[J.R. Barkas]

Let's bail him out from 10000 feet up in a helicopter over the Virgin Islands.

[Eric Stefik]

it is difficult to make money in a Bare Market!

[Douglas Lee]

Marc the Baptist - could you please explain what a Flying Dutchman is? (In this context!) (MtB 9.1.09 12:02:23)

[Dylan Davies]

commented Heather Hole of Which Henhouse magazine ('purveyors of fine photography and nocturnal guidance') : "Our readers fear that government aid means government working hours and this may negatively impact the availability of services to the consumer'

[Dylan Davies]

A very sensible proposition from Mr Flynt and he may wish to add the support of the mail order catalogue sector and their consumer community to his appeals.

[Andrew Milner]

The Milner solution: Export Mr. Flynt's product to fundamental religious extremists, together with those of a well-known distiller of alcoholic beverage, thinking here of Jack Daniel's. Problems sorted I dare say. Bring the troops home.

[Dan Schwartz in NJ]

To the middle-aged guys: Ladies are more impressed with your Chevy Corvette than your porn collection.

Why do you think the old goats in Congress bailed out GM?!

[hermann gilool]

i believe larry flynt and his industry deserve a helping hand...

[JOHN/YORK]

is it due to STIFF competion,or the LIMP economy.

[Tony]

If I had to decide between bailing ot the auto industry, or bailing out the porn industry, I think I would vote for porn. Does more good for more people, and knows how to keep the public happy. Auto industry seems to not know how to do anything right anymore... let 'em fail and then get their act together

[Ian]

Sounds like the Porn industry needs a dose of Viagra.

[Disgusted]

I cannot even believe I am reading this. Let all the people who keep these people operating send in their donations that should keep them afloat till kingdom come longer than any banks I should imagine.

[Benedict Carter]

It's a great shame that all of the posters treat this man and this industry with the humour it does NOT deserve.

This is an industry so full of moral destruction of, first of all, the people who work in it; and secondly the people who buy this filth, that it should very clearly be banned or criminalised.

Marriages are destroyed by porn; lives are destroyed by porn. Serving Man's lower instincts is a slippery slope to utter degradation.

Don't kid yourselves - porn is a very, very great evil.

[Michael]

So is it in fact true then that 80% of internet traffic is as a result of men surfing the web for economic content?

[Tyrone]

Mr Flynt is just doing this for publicity. He knows that the decline of his industry as well as the porn video industry is due to the Internet and places like YouPorn & XTube.

[Suffered From Addiction]

Porn is an object of addiction that stimulates a negative, downward spiral. It is because of a pornography addiction that I have attempted suicide twice. It's as bad as drugs.

Let the industry sink. It is corrupting us all - for example -

25% of all web searches are for porn.

It seriously damages mental health.

I would know.

The industry is built on something generally agreed as morally wrong and disgusting, it takes lives every year from addiction, is the start of many criminals on a downward spiral leading to abuse and murder.

[William Brand]

The Democrats owe Flint for saving Bill Clinton in his impeachment trial. He blackmailed republican senators with the threat of revealing their sins. He's just asking for a payback from the public trough for Clinton's survival.

[CiaoBella]

Well, doesn't matter if we're talking about bailing out the financial industry or the porn industry, in the end...someone ends up being screwed.

[Tom]

The 'industry' is not the issue here. If its legal and creates jobs then the decision is based on viability and Flynt has already answered that question. Being 'under threat' by the 'online porn industry' is a statement that rather than seek handouts he should adapt his business to the reality of where consumers are seeking product.

[Neil Murphy]

He's taking the p**s, - someone has to!

[Poor Richard]

First, just about the only industry that thrives during rough economic times is the entertainment industry.

Second, this filthy price we pay for freedom of expression can exploit kids on his own dime. If he needs money to film kids taking off their clothes, he can ask the Catholic Church for it.

[brian corbett]

If a bail out is too expensive, how about a hand out?