The Complete Linda Lovelace

Harry Reems, Dead at 65

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 18:23:00 +0000

If Linda Lovelace was America's first porn queen—and she was—then Harry Reems was America's first porn king. While perhaps not as recognizable a name of late as John Holmes or Ron Jeremy or even James Deen, Harry Reems's contribution to the adult entertainment industry is far more important than any of those men.

In 1972, Reems gained fame (and infamy) along with Linda for their roles in the film Deep Throat. In 1975 he was tried (and convicted) of conspiracy to distribute pornography across state lines; his 1976 conviction was overturned and charges were dropped during his second trial in 1977.

While Linda left the porn biz shortly after Deep Throat, Reems went on to star in 140 adult films before his retirement in 1989. After falling into a period of cocaine abuse and alcoholism, Harry regained his sobriety and found religion in the late ’80s and went on to run a successful real estate business in Park City, Utah. He is survived by his wife of 22 years, Jeannie. Our heartfelt condolences go to his family and friends.

For more on the life of Harry Reems, read reports from:

Adult Video News

Gawker

More will be posted as they appear.

AdultFYI

Adult FYI again

Dr. Hunter S. Thompson: Gonzo, but Not Forgotten

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 17:26:00 +0000

Eight years ago today, Dr. Hunter S. Thompson put a gun in his mouth, pulled the trigger and broke my heart.

It should surprise no one that Hunter's a huge influence on my writing. I'm not alone in showing love for the author of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail ’72, the Great Shark Hunt collection, the Fear and Loathing Letters series, the criminally unappreciated Hey Rube, the hilarious Better Than Sex and hopefully, one day, his memoir of having managed the Mitchell Brothers' O'Farrell Theater, The Night Manager.

A lot of fans I know read their first HST book during their wild days in college or maybe while they were rebellious high school kids. Me? I read my first Hunter S. Thompson book—the utterly genius Hell's Angels—when I was in third grade. I was eight years old.

I think that says a lot. . . .

I checked it out of my local library (I had a library card very early) because the title intrigued me. Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs. How could you not love that? I know I sure did, and it lived up to its promise with tales of gut-rumbling Harleys and Angels on runs and brothers named Terry the Tramp who did what they wanted, when they wanted, the way they wanted and Thompson getting stomped trying to break up a fight between an Angel and his old lady. . .

My brother was less in love with the idea of me reading the book and promptly ratted me out to my parents, which led to my having to get written parental permission to take out library books from then on.

Even at the age of eight, the sexual imagery in HA struck me. The Harley as a power between an Angel's legs, an Angel named Charger Charlie the Child Molester, the quote from one brother who said, "Hell yes, I'll take a blow-job any day for ten bucks. . . Man, I'd go underwater and fuck fish for that kind of money, you just tell me who's payin'." But throughout the years, the more I got into Thompson's writing, what really struck me was that it was so conspicuously sexless.

I flashed back to that years later when, while working at Screw magazine, Al Goldstein told me about meeting Hunter when he managed the O'Farrell. Aside from a vague part of the tale I forget where someone's wearing a gorilla suit, Al said Hunter attracted some of the best pussy he (Goldstein) ever saw, women who would come up to Hunter and quote his books to him and fall all over him, just touch him to try and get as close to his genius as they could.

Unfortunately I don't think The Night Manager will ever see the light of day beyond the brief excerpt included in Kingdom of Fear. When I was working my first job in publishing, a brief stint in the publicity department of New American Library, I took a call from a man named Gary Muck. I remembered him from his days at a literary talent agency that booked speakers for college lectures (my clique of English major friends and I had tried, unsuccessfully, to book Thompson at Pace University).

I mentioned this to Gary and we spoke about Thompson, with whom he was working in a more managerial capacity whose specifics I don't quite remember. I asked what was coming next from Hunter and he told me about The Night Manager, saying he had read a draft and it was "the funniest thing Hunter has ever written," adding he was just "pulling the final thread through it."

That was 1987.

I have plenty of other memories of Hunter S. Thompson I'll recall to myself tonight as I raise a glass (or two. . . heh) of Flying Dog Brewery's Gonzo Imperial Porter to the Good Doctor for having inspired and influenced my literary trajectory—Thompson basically ruined fiction for me and led to my desire to be a journalist—and for having given me so many good times over the years. At one point or another I'll throw the old man a hearty "Fuck You" for taking it all away from me, but then I'll just remember that, like Hemingway and the Hells Angels and Ralph Steadman and Al Goldstein and the Mitchell Brothers and countless others, Hunter S. Thompson did what he wanted, when he wanted, the way he wanted, and gave me the courage to do the same.

And for that I'll say, "Thanks, Hunter. Rest in Peace."

LA Magazine Review: The Deep Throat Sex Scandal Sucks

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 21:46:00 +0000

From LA Magazine online:
MSQ Review: The Deep Throat Sex Scandal

I saw TDTSS during its very limited run in NYC a while back. It closed in less than a week, I believe, not because of the quality of the show (although the reviews weren't very good) but because the theater owed the building's landlord back rent, which the production itself knew nothing about.

I was actually pretty disappointed with the show as well. I wasn't quite expecting The Caine Mutiny or anything, or maybe I was. . . . Having worked in porn publishing my entire career I have a very deep respect for the First Amendment, so it was quite off-putting to see the Memphis Deep Throat Trial (as it relates to Harry Reems) portrayed as a comedy. Obscenity trials are no laughing matter, which it seems The Deep Throat Sex Scandal has proven once again.

Linda Lovelace A to Z

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 18:00:00 +0000

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Linda Lovelace wrote four Autobiographies in 13 years.

Linda wore a Blonde wig in her first 8MM stag film.

Inside Linda Lovelace was the first paperback with a Centerfold.

She first mentioned domestic abuse in The Intimate Diary of Linda Lovelace in 1974.

Linda’s first national magazine cover was Esquire, May 1973.

After Linda posed in Leg Show magazine, Larry Flynt christened her Asshole of the Month in Hustler.

Linda and Al Goldstein share the same birthday.

The character Linda Loveman, based on Linda Lovelace, was played by Robyn Hilton in the comedy The Last Porno Flick.

The lie detector test Linda underwent to get Ordeal published was nicknamed the Inquisition and lasted over 11 hours.

Linda loved to do Jigsaw puzzles!

She was driving a Kia during her fatal accident.

Singer/actress Katrina Lenk, star of Lovelace: A Rock Opera, is currently on Broadway as Arachne in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.

Linda was on a panel with Henry Miller at the American Bookseller Association convention in 1973.

Ordeal debuted at number Nine on the New York Times Best-Sellers List.

When originally promoting Ordeal, Linda would not use the last name “Lovelace” in her autograph.

Linda was arrested for cocaine Possession in Las Vegas in 1974.

In 1989, Lovelace directors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman directed Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt.

Future Dream Team lawyer Robert Shapiro got the Vegas cocaine possession charges against Linda dismissed.

Linda’s 1980 interview with New York TV host Stanley Seigel was unaired because it was too sensational.

Linda was banned from a Highway Safety Telethon, despite Sammy Davis Jr.’s enthusiasm that she appear.

Some scenes in Linda Lovelace for President were filmed at the University of Kansas.

Linda’s favorite rock group was Vanilla Fudge!

Linda’s boyfriend/manager David Winters played Action in the movie West Side Story.

Linda was contracted to make money off memberships sold for joining the Channel X Film Club, which was renting the first home-viewing videotape version of Deep Throat . . . in 1973!

Photographer Bunny Yeager filmed Linda briefly in a nudie-cutie before she appeared in Deep Throat.

Led Zeppelin played their longest-ever version of “Dazed and Confused” the night Linda Lovelace introduced them at the LA Forum in 1975.

Take a look at the reissue of The Complete Linda Lovelace by clicking here!

Amanda Seyfried Collider Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 16:18:00 +0000

A so-so interview with Amanda Seyfried from Collider.com (the most interesting part is when the author calls this Q&A "exclusive," since she'll never talk to anyone else about the movie!):
Amanda Seyfried Talks Lovelace. . . .

Don't Row a Boat, Don't Get Your Goat, That's All He Wrote

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 17:02:00 +0000

Heh. A little dramatic, but interesting and worthy of congratulations nonetheless.

From Observer.com, by Andy Bellin, screenwriter of Lovelace (Mach2):
Selling Lovelace at Sundance

The Next Big Thing

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 17:35:00 +0000

No, it's not a song by the Dictators (well, it is, but not here), it's basically authors answering questions that someone somewhere came up with about their current writing project then tagging other author friends in the hopes they'll answer the 10 questions themselves and continue this self-promotion-chain-letter-clusterfuck by tagging five other author friends so we all become rich and famous (or at least avoid doing real work for half an hour). Here goes:

1) What is the working title of your book?
I'll call The Complete Linda Lovelace my work in progress as I'm finishing up a revision meant to ride the coattails of the forthcoming flick Lovelace. (TCLL was the original basis for the film.) The whole title is: The Complete Linda Lovelace: A Deeper-Than-Deep Look at America's First Porn Queen. Because it is.

2) Where did the idea for the book come from?
Being a half-German Taurus writer with a Linda Lovelace fetish.

3) What genre does it fall under?
I thought I was inventing a new and exciting genre of journalism when I wrote it, but it's actually what's called a "biobibliography," or a telling of someone's life filtered through a critical examination of media coverage about them (from a journalist's standpoint, it enables you to add context and perspective). There are actually loads of book like this, on figures from pop culture, politics, history, etc. I expanded the concept to include additional references in books, music and film as well, then discussed Linda's anti-porn activism to accurately represent her whole story. That's what helped me bag an interview with her.

4) Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
The pic's been made, but if I could have had who I wanted at the oh-so-special time when I had a little bit of juice in the project, here's who I would have cast:

Linda Lovelace: Maggie Gyllenhaal (or Jennifer Morrison)
Chuck Traynor: Johnny Depp (before he went all Tim Burton Disney Tonto crazy and shit)
Lou Peraino: George "The Animal" Steele
Gerard Damiano: Andy Dick (seriously, he would have killed it)
Harry Reems: Jason Biggs
Al Goldstein: Drew Carey (before the weight loss and The Price Is Right)
Hugh Hefner: Hugh Laurie
David Winters: Jack Black
Larry Marchiano: Eddie Izzard
Andrea True: Laura Prepon
Sammy Davis Jr.: Mos Def

and just for a laugh,
Eric Danville: James Spader

5) What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?
TCLL examines Linda Lovelace from her beginnings as America's first porn queen to being its most outspoken and high profile critic, then chronicles her return to adult magazines as she comes to terms with her life and legacy.

6) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I never wanted an agency or an agent. The reissue, like the original, will be self-published. Print-on-Demand, PDF eBook (no DRM), downloadable 45-minute audiobook/ live reading of selected parts, and a three-disc box set with PDF eBook (with extra content); CD audiobook/ live reading (with extra content); and DVD with seven of Linda's nine stag films. All done by me, me, me (professionally manufactured though). I control everything. As Robert Plant once said, "Give me all your lovely money."

7) How long did it take you to write the first draft?
Three years.

8) What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Within the genre, plenty (Google "biobibliography"); about an adult star, none.

9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?
My best friend in college, an old girlfriend from the same time and two friends in the adult business who all knew I had a book in me.

10) What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
It's the only book that examines the Linda Lovelace story from the pornography, feminist and pop culture angles, and is audacious enough to point out that Linda became disenchanted with her feminist benefactors from the ’80s and was in the process of making peace with the "Linda Lovelace" character towards the end of her life (the film does not). It's also the only biography that was authorized and actively promoted by Linda Lovelace.
And here are the five authors I’m tagging:
I don't like posting other people's info in public so I'll DM them and let 'em know they're on the hook.

Bill Maher's Deep Comedy

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 21:04:00 +0000

Host BIll Maher noted on the January 25 broadcast of HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher that the Chinese government is editing American films for Chinese audiences (Cloud Atlas is now only 9 hours long). And it seems the trend extends to renaming movies too! Eat. Pray. Love. was renamed Eat. Pray. Eat Again an Hour Later. Driving Miss Daisy played as Driving Miss Daisy Into the Guardrail. And the classic porn hit Deep Throat is now. . . .

Lovelace Keeps Coming

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 17:29:00 +0000

Here are a few more notices for Lovelace, which had its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 22nd; reviews seem to run the gamut from "Meh. . . " to "Wow!" Harvey Weinstein apparently dug it enough to pony up $3 million for the distribution rights. Word as of right now is for a short fall release and VOD presence later this year, probably in time for Oscar consideration. I'm sure it'll clean up at the Film Independent Spirit Awards; you'll no doubt be able to find the Lovelace table by following the trail of John Waters' drool as he negotiates rights for the Broadway musical.

From Esquire.com, a longer piece about the sex- or porn-themed films at Sundance with Lovelace mentioned about halfway through:
Porn Sells at Sundance, But It's a Turnoff

From Huffington Post:
Amanda Seyfried In 'Lovelace': Actress Plays Famed Porn Star In Sundance Premiere

From The New York Post:
Sundance Review: 'Lovelace'

If I manage to track down a copy of the flick in the meantime, I'll weigh in myself as soon as possible.

Preview of The Complete Linda Lovelace Reissue

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 16:28:00 +0000

For a taste of what's coming with the reissue of The Complete Linda Lovelace reissue, click here!

Boring Linda

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 16:19:00 +0000

A review of Lovelace from The Atlantic:

Movies About Porn Shouldn't Be This Boring: 'Lovelace' Edition

Keeping in mind that I haven't seen Lovelace yet, this seems to make a few good points. Interesting to hear Sharon Stone's performance as "inept," when other critics have given her quite good marks.

"Lovelace" Opens Big, Weinstein Drops Load (of Cash)

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 17:29:00 +0000

Well, I'm back after my third bout with the flu since November of last year and the slight cramp put in my style with Hurricane Sandy, so let's catch up on things:

And the Winner of The Complete Linda Lovelace Interview LP Naming Contest Is . . .
No one. The entries we received were interesting, but none of them really got to the heart of the matter in concept or execution, so I'll be naming the record myself. My heartfelt thanks go out to all who played along. As they say, "There are no losers, just people who didn't win."

Some Final Thoughts on Lovelace
As mentioned here previously, Lovelace is no longer based on my book The Complete Linda Lovelace; that association went the way of all good things when any one—or some combination of all—of the following occurred (according to various conversations at various times between various producers and myself):

*At some point when James Franco was attached, he required that the original script, written by Emmy award-winning screenwriter Merritt Johnson, be rewritten. The original script was indeed faithfully based on my book and followed Linda from her beginnings to her association with me, told through interviews with Tom Snyder, Phil Donahue and myself.

*At some point, one of the financiers of the film required that the original script be rewritten.

*At some point, Linda's estate lawyered up with Catharine A. MacKinnon, Linda's confidante and advisor in the ’80s—Linda once confided that Kitty was less than thrilled with her association with me—who required that the original script be rewritten. A review below cites the film as being written "by Andy Bellin, inspired by the life story of Linda Marchiano and Catherine A. MacKinnon," which should tell you which version of Linda's story you'll be getting.

Regardless of who did what when to whom why, it's plain to see that the film doesn't exactly tell the "complete" story of Linda Lovelace, but one filtered through a prism of artistic ambition, financial pragmatism and feminist polemicism. That being said, my emotional attachment to this project is long gone, although I will take some credit for being a main driving factor in (finally) bringing the story of Linda Lovelace to the big screen.

And so to Linda's estate and Catherine A. MacKinnon, "You're welcome."

While the film was ultimately therefore not "Based on the book The Complete Linda Lovelace by Eric Danville" (and believe me, it's not!) the producers were willing to let me keep that credit as thanks for getting the proverbial ball rolling. Until their E&O laywer advised them against that. (E&O stands for Errors and Ommissions; making that lawyer the person whose job it was to make sure that all the I's were crossed and the T's were dotted, which they certainly did, as far as I'm concerned.) I was, however, given the title "Consultant," for which I pulled in a very polite sum of money for a few discussions about Linda and the unfettered use of my book for whatever anyone could pull from it, for which I am eternally grateful to all the producers and film companies involved.

On a final note, I haven't seen the film.

So as filmmaker Marty DeBergi would say,"Enough of my yakkin'!" (or as Gary Gilmore once famously said, "Let's do it").

Lovelace, starring Amanda Seyfried and directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, had its official opening at the Sundance Film Festival last night, and, as they say, "The reviews are in!" Here's a sampling of the flick and what people are saying:

First, let's see what might have been:

Now, have a look at a short clip from the film, wherein Linda Lovelace (Amanda Seyfried) is posing for a pretty picture.

From our friends at AdultFYI.com:

Porn history 101: Harry Reems on Linda Lovelace; The People Making the Movie Never Talked to Him

Adult Video News coverage, with a nice mention of yours truly:

With Lovelace at Sundance, Co-Star Harry Reems Speaks

From Hitflix:

Sundance Review: Lovelace doesn't go deep enough despite Amanda Seyfried's efforts

From ScreenDaily:

Lovelace

From Indiewire:
Lovelace

And finally, from Inside Movies by Owen Gleiberman, the only film critic about whose opinion I give a shit:

Sundance: 'Lovelace' is a porn biopic that gets under your skin, with a revelatory performance by Amanda Seyfriend as Linda Lovelace

This just in from The Wrap:
Sundance 2013: RADiUS-TWC Falls for Amanda Seyfried as "Lovelace"

To recap:

Lovelace. . . Not based on my book, but apparently kinda okay, while Amanda Seyfried is very good.

My book. . . The story Hollywood and several other people don't want you to read.

You. . . Able to read that story when the reissue of The Complete Linda Lovelace is available in a coupla weeks.

Complete Linda Lovelace Interview LP Naming Contest!

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 16:17:00 +0000

I generally have no problem with words. The operative word there is "generally," because right about now I need some help with a simple turn of a phrase, and I'll make it worth your while if you can hook a brother up.

Among the insanely clever product available once the revised and expanded version of The Complete Linda Lovelace (TCLL) is, in fact, complete will be a 12-inch vinyl album of my groundbreaking interview with Linda, clocking in at 35 minutes. The original DAT tape has been digitized, it's being edited, the cover is being designed and the record will be pressed up in an initial run of 500 copies. (I'm not sure yet if that will be the only run.) The thing is, I'm having trouble thinking of a title. That's where you come in, and this is what you need to know.

The Interview:
This interview, which Joe Bob Briggs called probably the best Linda ever gave, became the final chapter in TCLL, titled "Speak of the Devil" (it fits in the context of the previous chapter). Linda talks about fame, her children, rape counseling and much, much more. I honestly think it was the best interview I ever conducted.

The Contest:
Think of a title.

Obviously, since I mentioned it above, you can't suggest "Speak of the Devil." Try and do better than having the word "Deep" in the title too, and absolutely no mentions of dogs. Otherwise, anything goes. And by anything, I mean anything. You can suggest a play on the title of a classic rock album (I love puns), a classic bootleg (I love bootlegs), something Led Zeppelin-y (Linda loved LZ). Spin it off a porn flick, a cliche, a sex act, whatever. As with most things in life, your only limit is your own imagination. . . . But keep it under 10 words. That's your only other limit.

The Prize:
One (1) copy of the LP, titled by you and signed by me!

The Rules:
Enter as often as you like, or with as many entries in a single email as you want. But don't send the same entry multiple times. That'll just piss me off.

By submitting your entry, you assure me that it was your own creation and that you didn't discuss this contest with someone who said, "I'm gonna submit 'Blah Blah Blah,' " and you hosed them by submitting it yourself. And obviously you can't submit "Blah Blah Blah" now, either.

In the highly unlikely event that more than one person suggests the same brilliant title, the earliest entry wins.

If your submission inspires me to think of something, well, better (meaning I don't use your exact entry but something close), I'll give credit where credit is due and still send you a copy of the LP. Only with my title instead of yours.

The winner gives up all claim for future uses of the title in regards to me, the record and The Complete Linda Lovelace. It's mine. I can use it in advertising, on T-shirts, it can be my next back tattoo. You don't get royalties, you don't get money. . . . You get a copy of the LP and that's it. And all the life-affirming glory that goes with winning a contest in which you titled a Linda Lovelace interview LP.

The decision of judges is final. And by "judges" I mean "me."

If all the entries suck, there is no winner.

The Deadline:
All entries must be submitted to my email inbox by midnight EST, November 23, 2012.

How to enter:
Email your entry to

thecompletelindalovelace@gmail.com

with the phrase Contest Entry in the subject line. Emails for the contest are being filtered into a folder with that title, and if it isn't in that folder, your entry doesn't count.

Good luck!

Log On, Tune In, Drop Out!

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:18:00 +0000

Since I don't feel like being (particularly) hypergraphic today, I'd like to share a couple of links that may be fun for people interested in The Complete Linda Lovelace or my work in general.

"Throat," by Robert Rosen, mentions my recent Whole Lotta Lovelace Deep Throat 40th Anniversary Blow-Out reading at 2A. Rosen is the author of Beaver Street, from which he will read Saturday, June 16, here.

In honor of said anniversary, I added a home rehearsal recording of me reading the first entry in the first chapter of The Complete Linda Lovelace—about "Gulp!", Al Goldstein's review of Deep Throat in Screw magazine—to my Soundcloud page.

Btw, folks who attended that reading got a gift bag containing a Whole Lotta Lovelace VIP Access laminate with QR codes that take them to, among other things, a private, friends-only Soundcloud page with more rare recordings. (If you got one and don't have a smartphone, get someone to scan it for you. I know QR codes can be tricky, but they're worth it.) Similar laminates are available in very limited quantities and only to those who attend a Whole Lotta Lovelace event.

"Throat" also includes a link to Matthew Flamm's article "A Demimonde in Twilight," which ran a little over 10 years ago in The New York Times. It features interviews with Rosen, Dian Hanson, Neil Wexler and myself, among others. My mother is still proud.

My recent Hate Speech Radio interview is available—for free—on iTunes! You can get it here:

Finally, my friend Judy McGuire's latest, The Official Book of Sex, Drugs & Rock 'N' Roll Lists, is available here. I'm one of many, many contributors including Coco, Theo Kogen and NY1's Pat Kiernan; the illustrations are by the criminally talented Cliff Mott. My list is "Eric Danville's Five Favorite Songs About Lenny Bruce" (of course). I'll be joining loads and loads of said contributors performing our pieces at the book release party, an oh-so-special stop on the Whole Lotta Lovelace Tour about which you can read more here.

Aloha.

And So Today, My World, It Smiles

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 17:15:00 +0000

I'd like to take a few minutes to show my gratitude to everyone who helped make the Whole Lotta Lovelace Deep Throat 40th Anniversary Blow-Out at 2A a huge success!

So, to my lovely girlfriend Victoria who acted as hostess; guitar/ drinkslinger extraordinaire Tom Clark who booked the gig; my audio engineer James Sasser; the rockin' & rollin' Mo Goldner and Charlene McPherson (aka Sad Bastards), who kept the night going and everyone else, whether you were there in person or there in spirit, Thank You so much!

If you weren't able to attend, the reading was recorded on high-quality, state-of-the-art and, yes, quite expensive equipment for release as an audiobook/ live album—think Frampton Comes Alive without the cutesy cover, or The Song Remains the Same without the overdubs—when The Complete Linda Lovelace is reissued in September. I should have some rough clips up in the next few days.

News about the next stop on the Whole Lotta Lovelace tour can be found here.

Whole Lotta Lovelace Secret Warm-Up Gig: Hate Speech Radio

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:57:00 +0000

As Led Zeppelin did in Copenhagen before their legendary Knebworth shows, so did I perform a secret warm-up gig before the first stop on the Whole Lotta Lovelace Tour.

On Sunday, May 20, I was the guest on Hate Speech Radio, hosted by stand-up comedian (and stand-up gal) Heather Height and her devilishly charming husband David M. Harris. Thanks to the wonderful public transportation system linking the Lower East Side with the nether ye of Brooklyn, I arrive at 51:51 of a 3:03:39 show.

Shades of Jimmy Page!

5 + 1 + 5 + 1 = 12; 1 + 2 = 3

3 x 3 = 9; + 3 = 12; 1 + 2 = 3; 3 + 9 = 12; 1 + 2 = 3

Now that we've established that 1 + 2 = 3, you should know that this matters because 3 is my lucky number.

Anyway, I had a great time with them talking about, among other things, Heather's status as cougar, marijuana, the Black Sabbath/Bill Ward debacle, Lenny Bruce and Richard Pryor, the forthcoming Linda Lovelace movie, Hollywood's treatment of writers in general and a whole lot of other funny, funny shit you can hear by clicking, homophonically enough, here.

Have You Seen Me?

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Wed, 30 May 2012 17:06:00 +0000

As production on the reissue of The Complete Linda Lovelace winds down, it's time for me to choose a cover image. After consulting the collections of several photo agencies—Corbis, Getty, Alamy and the Kobal Collection among them—I've found the image I'd like to use. Unfortunately, that image appears to be "orphaned." This is the image in question.

This image was published in the Entertainment section of the Fort Lauderdale News on Wednesday, August 23, 1973, illustrating an article titled "Films' Linda Lovelace to X-Pand Her Career" by Jack Fink. It also appeared alongside an article from the Saturday, August 26, 1973, edition of the Miami Herald by John Huddy titled "The New Linda: Can the Queen of Porn Make the Switch to Legitimacy?" Neither article contained a photographer or agency credit. Both articles had this image alongside another photo featuring Linda with long, straight hair (both papers ran the same two images). A call to the Miami Herald revealed that the original photo is no longer on file. A call to the Fort Lauderdale News was not returned.

I believe this photo to be a promotional still given to press in the early 70s and as such not copyrighted.

Once a day for the next 30 days I will be making a good-faith effort to find the rightful, lawful copyright owner of this image and will link to this post on my Twitter and Facebook pages. If you own the copyright to this photo or if you know who does, I 'd like to discuss licensing it for use on the cover of the print, eBook and audiobook versions of the revised edition of The Complete Linda Lovelace, worldwide, as well as on a T-shirt.

I'll need certain information from anyone claimng ownership of this photo. That information includes:

Proof that you copyrighted this photo with the Library of Congress prior to today, May 30, 2012.
Proof that it was not a "work-for-hire" for another company who does own the copyright.
Proof that you have the right to license it.

According to my understanding of photo ownership based on 25 years in publishing, the following points are basically immaterial:

You are the principal photographer of this image.
You own the original negative of this image.
You own a contact sheet containing this image.
You own a print of this image.
You previously published this image in a book, newspaper or magazine.

Anyone claiming ownership of this image or having knowledge of someone who does is asked to please contact me by email at:

powerprocesspublishing@gmail.com

Thanks! I look forward to hearing from you.

The Circle of Life, or Funny How Things Work Out Sometimes, Huh?

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Tue, 29 May 2012 16:43:00 +0000

I spent part of this past Memorial Day weekend at the Landmark Sunshine Theater with about a dozen lesbians, pensioners and solo hipsterettes watching the film Hysteria, the story of the invention of the vibrator. My capsule review: See it. It's a light, fun film whose humor is, for the most part, extremely dry (no pun intended) and which contains a sweet, not unexpected and yes, happy ending (pun very much intended). The most LOL parts of the film come (no pun intended but entirely unavoidable) in the last three minutes, just before and during some of the credits.

That Hysteria stars the wonderful, talented and eminently swoon-worthy Maggie Gyllenhaal was only one of its selling points, but it was a big one. I love MG, ever since seeing her star turn in Secretary alongside my favorite doppleganger, James Spader. Oh, the misty-eyed whimsy that accompanied repeat viewings as Spader bent the Divine Miss M over his office desk and s-s-s-s-spanked her for handing in a typo-riddled piece of correspondence. Having been Al Goldstein's editorial bottom for seven years I'll leave it to the reader's imagination which side of the desk I was on in those bouts of misty-eyed whimsy, although anyone who knows me should be able to figure it out. . . .

But I digress.

So it was that, when encouraged early on in the game to write my own adaptation of The Complete Linda Lovelace by a producer—who shall remain nameless, hopefully forever—I wrote it with Maggie Gyllenhaal in mind. After seeing Secretary I knew that her presence would bring the ethos, pathos and logos of my script, hand-crafted for her talents and her talents alone, to a realistic, convincing and sympathetic life.

Alas, various elements conspired against me (including but not limited to a dumb-as-dirt producer's assistant whose completely inexcusable computer illiteracy helped scotch the whole project and probably cost me a lot of money), and it was not to be. However (shameless self promotion alert!) that screenplay will be part of the bonus content in the PDF eBook version of the reissue of The Complete Linda Lovelace later this year.

When, almost a decade later, I was asked to suggest actresses to play the lead role in Lovelace, the first two words out of my mouth were a Billy Bibbit-esque, "M-m-m-maggie G-g-g-gyllenhaal." Unfortunately by then several factors ruled that out. But, if I couldn't have my girl Maggie play Linda, at least I would have her significant other Peter Sarsgaard in the role of Chuck Traynor. Small solace, of course, but at least the spiritual connection was there.

This was still a better situation than that which befell Team Inferno, the competing project that caused me many a sleepless night with their ability to grab headlines with the antics of one-time attachment Lindsay Lohan and a series of unnecessarily lurid promotional photos by Tyler Shields. Lohan, as we all know, eventually found herself un-attached to the project and replaced by the stunningly beautiful Malin Akerman, whom I knew primarily from her supporting role in the film 27 Dresses. Akerman was pleasant enough in her role as Katherine Heigl's sister, but I couldn't see her as Linda Lovelace. And it looks like no one else will see her as Linda Lovelace either, as she's said several times in the past six months that Inferno probably won't be filmed.

The reason I bring all this up is that when telling the press Inferno is in deep doo-doo, it's been in the context of other roles she's involved with, working on, attached to or actively promoting. And so it was today the world learns Malin Akerman is set to play. . .

(wait for it)

Deborah Harry in the forthcoming flick CBGB!

Anyone who knows me also knows the, well, fondness I feel for Deborah Harry and, potential restraining order notwithstanding, I'll save the unnecessarily lurid description of my complete and utter approval of this casting triumph for a later day. Suffice to say, Malin is much better suited to play the lead singer of Blondie than the star of Deep Throat, and rest assured, when CBGB makes its debut, possibly at the Landmark Sunshine Theater, I'll be right alongside the lesbians, pensioners and solo hipsterettes in whose company I find myself whenever I go see Blondie play live these days, cheering her on.

And Malin, sweetheart, if you need any research material to help you prep for the role, I'm your man. Potential restraining order notwithstanding, of course.

Ordeal Co-Author Mike McGrady Dead at 78

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:03:00 +0000

Mike McGrady, co-author with Linda Lovelace of the best-selling books Ordeal and Out of Bondage, has died at the age of 78.

Aside from those two works, the award-winning journalist is probably best known for the 1969 literary hoax Naked Came the Stranger, a gang-bang of a book conceived by McGrady and written by him and two dozen accomplices. Published under the pseudonym Penelope Ashe, it purported to tell the real-life sexcapades of a run-of-the-mill Long Island housewife.

My sole professional experience with McGrady was considerably less fulfilling. After Linda agreed to speak with me for The Complete Linda Lovelace, she encouraged me to talk to him about their relationship, also mentioning the possibility of hearing some of their interview tapes. She gave me his phone number and even called him up beforehand to tell him about my project.

In a frustratingly short exchange, my interview request was denied because, he said, my book would "negatively impact" his ability to sell the movie rights to Ordeal.

Read his New York Times obituary here.

Spanking Charlene Joins Whole Lotta Lovelace Tour!

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:21:00 +0000

We were thrilled to learn that the blues duo Low Society would join the Whole Lotta Lovelace tour on June 10 at East Village hotspot 2A, then saddened to hear the band done picked up and moved themselves to Memphis. But that sadness has turned to downright joy now that Spanking Charlene has been added to the bill, guaran-fucking-teeing an evening of good ol' sick ’n’ sleazy rock ’n’ roll fun!

If you want an idea what you're in for, have a listen to a couple of their songs:

"Pussy Is Pussy" (from their album Dismissed With a Kiss)

Pussy Is Pussy

"Booze & Pills" (from their album Where Are the Freaks?)

Booze & Pills

Eric Danville Interviewed on Filmmakers Focus NYC

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Mon, 07 May 2012 20:29:00 +0000

Over the weekend I had the pleasure of being interviewed by the lovely Demi Davis for Filmmakers Focus NYC, a video series about filmmakers and the entertainment industry. We spoke about how working at High Times got me free marijuana, how being Al Goldstein's slave boy at Screw got me a job at Penthouse Forum, my books The Complete Linda Lovelace and The Official Heavy Metal Book of Lists, and how Ann-Margret helped me get my first tattoo. The interview runs in two parts, below.

Zen and the Art of Linda Lovelace

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:35:00 +0000

Entertainment news website Enstarz entered the Linda Lovelace discussion yesterday with an article titled "Who is Linda Lovelace? Story of Deep Throat Porn Actress in New Biopic." You can read the entire piece here.

Don't worry. It won't take you long. The article seems more like a good excuse to print the recently released Lovelace film poster, reportedly designed to drum up distributor interest when the film shows at Cannes, than a serious discussion of the question it raises. Indeed, aside from the odd factual error and the retelling of tales familiar to people already following the creation of the film, the piece offers little to answer the question at all.

So allow me.

Who is Linda Lovelace? The answer: A Zen-like, "Different things to different people."

If you saw Linda Lovelace in Deep Throat in the ’70s, chances are pretty good you think she's a sexual revolutionary whose free-loving spirit and extraordinary cocksucking technique liberated an America held in the yoke of sexual repression for far too long.

If you're an ’80s-style liberal feminist of the Steinem/ Dworkin/ MacKinnon variety, Linda was the ultimate victim, a woman forced into the seedy, sleazy underworlds of prostitution and pornography by an abusive husband who kept her cowed with the constant threat of mental, emotional and physical violence, and the perfect figurehead to promote your anti-pornography crusade.

If your only contact with Linda Lovelace was a casual, quick read through a copy of Ordeal you bought at a garage sale because it was about "the woman in that movie," Linda was a sad, sad figure who lived a really awful life and you have to run now, because the pot roast is almost ready.

So how far will Lovelace the film go towards explaining Lovelace the woman? The answer: An equally Zen-like, "Far enough for some people, not far enough for others."

But I do believe the film will start people talking about the article's original question and others, which can only be a good thing.

By the way, if you want to skip the article all together, here's the art of Linda Lovelace:

Now let me ask you: Who is Linda Lovelace? And what do you think of the poster?

This Is Not a Gag: Deep Throat Shown at Texas College

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Thu, 03 May 2012 17:05:00 +0000

Ann Work of The Times Falls News of Wichita Falls, Texas, reports that a portion of the film Deep Throat was shown at Midwestern State University (MSU) on Wednesday, May 2, to a mass communication law class studying the First Amendment. Reaction to the screening, part of a program called Things Your Mother Doesn't Want You To See, was predictably, uh, mixed. Read all about it here.

Now Confirmed! Opening Date of The Whole Lotta Lovelace Tour!

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Wed, 02 May 2012 16:28:00 +0000

The first stop of The Whole Lotta Lovelace Tour is confirmed: a live reading from The Complete Linda Lovelace taking place at East Village watering hole 2A on Sunday, June 10. Read all about it—and see how you can join in the fun—by clicking here.

But wait. . . . What's The Whole Lotta Lovelace Tour? Funny you should ask.

The Whole Lotta Lovelace Tour is a mind-blowing mix-and-match multimedia roadshow combining installation, live performance and general literary mayhem themed around The Complete Linda Lovelace. Among the amazing presentations you'll see along the way:

Whole Lotta Lovelace
A gallery-style exhibition of original Linda Lovelace memorabilia including posters, photographs, lobby cards, books, records and other rarities from the author's personal collection.

8MM Karaoke
Clips from Linda Lovelace's pre-Deep Throat stag films accompanied by live running commentary!

Lecture/Q&A Sessions
A 30-minute lecture on one of several topics—Linda's history with Deep Throat; the notorious stag films that started her career; Linda Lovelace as pop-culture icon; or her anti-pornography activism and relationship with the feminist community. All lectures are followed by a 15-minute Question and Answer session.

We'll be bringing along some of our sexy literary friends, too, so make sure you check back here to see when The Whole Lotta Lovelace Tour comes to a town near you!

Want The Whole Lotta Lovelace Tour to visit your bar, nightclub, bookstore or VFW Hall? Email us here.

The Complete Linda Lovelace Soundcloud Set

noreply@blogger.com (Eric Danville) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 21:41:00 +0000

For an different take on The Complete Linda Lovelace, check out our new Soundcloud Set page, featuring a selection of interview excerpts, readings and other audio oddities from our massive archive. We'll be adding lots more tracks in the coming months, so if there's anything you want to hear, let us know and we'll see what we can do. It's free to listen and tracks are downloadable, too.