Mike Albo: "Gene: Just thought I'd throw in my two cents about your publisher, Paul Fishbein's naked grab at publicity by 'honoring' Howard Stern at this year's AVN Awards. Has Paul been on some kind of medication? His decision to honor a radio personality who has done ABSOLUTELY NOTHING for this industry other than use it for his own ratings (and while doing so, regularly mocks it and demeans it).
Paul argues, 'A lot of the girls in the industry have gotten tremendous publicity.' So what? Every adult magazine on the newsstands has done the same thing-with greater frequency and with more respect. Of course, we're all stuck with the porn tag, and Stern's got a bigger audience, so I'm sure smelled a publicity coup. Too bad it backfired on him. However, The most obnoxious statement Paul made was when he claimed that Stern 'has really treated this industry like a regular industry and has given this business a lot of positive press.'
"From which planet is Paul transmitting these insane ramblings? All Stern has ever done is exploit this industry for his own ends, and I cannot recall a single instance of 'positive press' resulting from Howard's lame-ass radio show.
"Might I suggest a switch in whatever psychotropic medication Mr. Fishbein is currently ingesting? I have never seen a more pathetic attempt at mainstream publicity-or a more self-deluded one.
"Paul, you should be ashamed of yourself. What can we expect next year? Rock stars who've used porn girls in their videos? Casting directors who've given porn girls walk-ons in mainstream productions? Somebody who actually does something for this industry? (Whoops, I guess that last one wouldn't generate the same publicity).
Ray Pistol writes: "Dear Gene: It is seldom that I feel the necessity to respond to the various ongoing soap operas that whirl around the adult video industry, this is however one of those times that I feel compelled to speak out. I attended the AVN awards show as usual this year and as usual disagreed with many of the results, but that is standard fare. I do feel though that the Howard Stern Lifetime Achievement Award was a travesty of the highest magnitude.
" First, I blame myself because I was aware of some of the prevent controversy surrounding it, and I failed at the time to pick up the phone and call my good friend, Paul Fishbein and say, "Paul , Howard Stern is an ASSHOLE (in capital letters), he has made himself who he is today by capitalizing on human weakness and tragedy exposing it, exploiting it and glorifying it. While we are far from perfect as an industry and many times I see us making what I consider to be horrible mistakes, that is what freedom of choice and freedom of speech are all about. However, Howard Stern has no appreciation for freedom of speech or any thing "good."
"Howard Stern is a self-aggrandizing playground bully, who builds himself up by tearing those around him down. From the guests on his show to his own staff, his entire program is a grovel-fest to Howard Stern--laugh at Howard's jokes, sing Howard's praises, take Howard's banal jabs and you too may bask in Howard's fame and perhaps he will even give you a "plug" or a free "TIT JOB."
"I bitterly regret that I did not make that call to Paul. God how I regret it, because even if ignored, I could have slept better knowing that I had done "the right thing." Now I cannot--as evidence, this letter. I will call Paul later and say I am sorry for my inattention to this issue, but I am not through with my tirade about "King Howard." There is no doubt that Stern is smart, and a marketing whiz , in that he is hard-wired into the bowels of the prepubescent child that lives in each of us, regardless of age. BUT the "man," and I use that term loosely and generically, is horribly flawed and I do not understand why the adult video industry should honor him in any way.
"While he may--no does--by the size of his audience increase the name recognition and "fame" of those who appear on his show and undoubtedly this increases ticket, tape and other miscellaneous sales--so too would climbing to the top of a tall building and after an appropriate time to let the media gather, take a swan dive into the concrete. Or how about dressing up in a chic outfit of dynamite sticks fully accessorize with fragmentation grenades and topped off with an AK 47 "assault rifle," and then forcibly commandeering a form of public transportation. That too would bring instant "celebrity," fortune and myriad book, movie and internet deals--and undoubtedly Howard would be all but pissing his pants for you to be on his show.
"Why cater to this maggot who gleefully squirms in the feces of a rotting corpse? He doesn't need it, he doesn't warrant it, he doesn't appreciate it and he demeans the award and those who have previously received it--Howard Stern is certainly no Lenny Bruce, Nathan Hale, or Larry Flynt.
"Howard Stern has never done anything to protect the Constitution, upwardly lift mankind or help anyone at any time. If and when any of these events occurred, it would have been an accidental by-product of the ASSHOLE either promoting himself or fulfilling his own sick desires.
"I witnessed Howard Stern take a huge diarrhetic dump on the AVN Lifetime Achievement Award Saturday night and I waited to hear his exploitation of same, come his Monday morning show--the first to air after the awards show.. He freely admitted that he chose a representative which mocked and demeaned the procedure because the award was--in his mind--garbage, given by "Hoes and Bitches". He admitted sending a retarded individual who couldn't retain his response to the award, and then wired him to instruct him what to say. If he went to this much trouble and he were unable to attend the awards, which I doubt, he could have spoken to the assemblage by wire just as easily as he spoke to his representative, instead he chose to demean us all.
"When I was in Vietnam, I fought beside a 30 year-old Vietnamese sergeant for a couple of months. We ate together, worked together and talked a lot . During that time, I found out that his whole family had been executed by the Vietcong and the wife and child I met was his second family. He showed me his village, dirt poor that it was, and the graves of his first family. I noticed that the village had no electrical power or refrigeration , so we hatched a scheme to help them out. Upon our final parting, this sergeant gave me a good luck charm ,that by his belief would keep me safe. I was touched almost to tears, even though the charm probably didn't cost more than a dollar and the man was only a poor man from a dirt poor village. HAD HOWARD STERN BEEN THERE THAT DAY HE WOULD HAVE CRAPPED ON IT, SPIT ON THE SERGEANT AND AND PROCLAIMED THE VILLAGE A GARBAGE HEAP NOT WORTHY OF HONORING THE "KING."
"Stern doesn't understand gifts from the heart, he only understands hard cash and honors from "important people." Us "Hoes and Bitches" are only for sexual gratification and increased ratings, not for relating to on a personal basis. So bring on the cripples, freaks, "Hoes and Bitches" and turn the lions on them--for the "Howard Stern Roman Coliseum Games" must go on!-- the souls and lives lost be damned.
"Gene, please plead my case with Paul ,as I will ,when we speak . We must stop pandering to and panting about every mention in the "mainstream media," we too, are a large and ever-growing medium and we are not honored when people like Howard Stern go "slumming for ratings." We can stand on our own, we don't have to whimper or bow our heads for we as an industry have done more to keep the Constitution strong than ALL the other media combined in the last 25 years. WE ARE THE CANARIES IN THE COAL-MINE...THE COMBAT INFANTRYMEN IN THE FIRST ASSAULT--it isn't glamorous, or prestigious, but it is vital, and we can march with our heads held high because we are indispensable...HOWARD STERN IS NOT!
"Sincerely, with all my heart, Raymond Pistol, President Arrow Productions
"P.S. This is in no way sour grapes. I have turned down appearances on Howard Stern et al and I am aware he may sue or demean me for this diatribe. I stand behind this letter, it was not passed through Legal and I am willing to be judged by the enemies I oppose.
