Porn industry seeks federal bailout
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Another major American industry is asking for assistance as the global financial crisis continues: Hustler publisher Larry Flynt and Girls Gone Wild CEO Joe Francis said Wednesday they will request that Congress allocate $5 billion for a bailout of the adult entertainment industry.
“The take here is that everyone and their mother want to be bailed out from the banks to the big three,” said Owen Moogan, spokesman for Larry Flynt. “The porn industry has been hurt by the downturn like everyone else and they are going to ask for the $5 billion. Is it the most serious thing in the world? Is it going to make the lives of Americans better if it happens? It is not for them to determine.”
Francis said in a statement that “the US government should actively support the adult industry's survival and growth, just as it feels the need to support any other industry cherished by the American people."
“We should be delivering [the request] by the end of today to our congressmen and [Secretary of the Treasury Henry] Paulson asking for this $5 billion dollar bailout,” he told CNN Wednesday.
Flynt and Francis concede the industry itself is in no financial danger — DVD sales have slipped over the past year, but Web traffic has continued to grow.
But the industry leaders said the issue is a nation in need. "People are too depressed to be sexually active," Flynt said in the statement. "This is very unhealthy as a nation. Americans can do without cars and such but they cannot do without sex."
"With all this economic misery and people losing all that money, sex is the farthest thing from their mind. It's time for congress to rejuvenate the sexual appetite of America. The only way they can do this is by supporting the adult industry and doing it quickly."
So far, there has been no congressional reaction to the request.
–CNN’s Chloe Melas contributed to this report
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We all owe LF a debt of gratitude for his legal battles regarding the first amendment. Additionally, alot of religious fundamentalist could learn a thing or tow from the fact that after the case, Falwell and Flynt became cordial – respecting one another's magesteria more than most ever do!
Now that is pretty funny.
I just formed my own bank holding company with my dog as vice-president, and my barber as secretary, so I can qualify for a bailout too.
wow,
you know the people who brag about how porn insults them are the very ones who are the freakiest porn watchers, and not just the regullar kind, I'm talking about melted cheese, feet, and candy corn fetishes (if you get my drift)
"...I'm a christian Democrat who doesn't like porn...bla bla bla bla bla..."
Go try to fool somebody else and don't make us bring your treasure chest out, we just might faint after we see whats in it.
The "Christian" (and other religious) hypocrisy has no bounds.
Free "Whoopee" for all. After all that the lenders, investment banks and Madow have done to the country, maybe Flynt's got a point here. If were going to get "you know what", we might as well come out smiling.
Seriously, this ranks up there with the 1970's incident with Wilbur Mills and the "Argentine Firecracker" cavorting in the Tidal Basin while "snockered". Only in America indeed!
You've got to be kidding me?! This is hilarious!
Wow. I'm absolutely amazed at the number of comments here that are decrying this "request". Yeah, people don't have food, shelter, clothing, work or health insurance. Apparently they don't have sarcasm detectors or a sense of humor either.....
What about the homeless people, can they make a request to Congress too? I do not want my money to go to pornography.
To Jenn: So is murder, mayhem, child abuse, corruption degrading to society. The man has made the point. Our government lent $700 billion dollars to crooked banks and Wall Street.
What part of that don't you understand.
hahahahahaha!! good for him!!
If Congress approves this bail out, all US citizen's should refuse to pay taxes.
very funny
if they get it i want io know to sign up for mine
Duh, they are trying to make a point and I think it is a good one. If we are going to bail out anyone who asks, why not the porn industry. And for those of you who say we wouldn't miss it, you must not be getting any.
It would be interesting to know the political affiliation of those who don't "get" that this is a joke and who are so indignant that this could occur. I don't know which is more hilarious. But it was good to get a smile out of reading the news – it's been a while.
Seriously???