Village Voice Pulls Plug on Taormino's 'Pucker Up'

NEW YORK - The Village Voice has canceled Tristan Taormino's sex column "Pucker Up" after a nine-year run.

Taormino got the official word on Friday from Voice editor Tony Ortega, who cited budget cuts as the reason the column was cut.

"Pucker Up" debuted in the Voice in 1999. In January, Taormino celebrated her 200th column with a look back at her experience writing it.

"The highs and lows of my column mirror the ebb and flow of sex in general, whether it's on television, in the headlines, or part of my own life," she wrote. "Sometimes sex is magical, exciting, and ripe with possibilities; sometimes it's tedious, predictable, and just plain frustrating."

This must be one of those "frustrating" times. 

But don't cry for Tristan. The busy sex-positive feminist continues to direct produce and direct movies for her Vivid-Ed label and has two new books in the works for Quiver Press.

For more information on Tristan Taormino, visit puckerup.com.