Buzzfeed: The 14 Most Important Sex Ads Of The Republican National Convention

So bad, it's good. Read the rest of this post...

So I watched Dan Savage's new MTV show last night...

So the first episode of Dan Savage's new MTV show was last night at 11/10c, and it was good.  For a first episode.  But also generally.  It was enjoyable, didn't drag, made me laugh a few times, and also horrified (when the 20 year old guy said he and his girlfriend never use a condom when they go all the way - Dan basically told the kid he's insane).

The show appears to be based on Dan visiting different colleges and doing big auditorium meetings, and smaller groups, or even one-on-ones with people who want advice about sex.  Dan is at his best with large audiences.  Even off cam, one on one, he's different than the on-cam persona.  At least he is sometimes.  I've known Dan since he helped us take down Dr. Laura in 2000, and I consider him a friend.  And he comes off as more shy, or at least reserved, one-on-one.  Well, usually. Add a camera, and it only gets worse.  I suspect because the camera was there the small group chats felt more contrived to him.

I'm amazed at how much he knows.  Granted, he's been doing this for decades, but still.  His answers are funny, interesting, and insightful.  Dan is no Dr. Drew.  And hallelujah for that.  I've always found Dr. Drew a bit uptight, and I'll never forget the tirade he let Kathy Griffin go on about an-l sex once on their TV show (not the radio tirade), and I recall him agreeing with her (sorry, have to use the funny spelling or the ads flee).  Dan, however, is more of a midwest version of Dr. Ruth, without the accent.  Very self-affirming for the recipients of his advice (except for no-condom guy), which is nice to see.

Like most new shows, it needs to find its groove.  And I do think Dan is at his best when he lets his hair down.  And that's not in intimate situations when a camera is on him.  I'd really like to see Dan do some of the format that Dr. Drew and that idiot Adam used on their old TV show, hanging out in a cool space with people - almost like a MTV unplugged set - having a good back and forth, watching the audience get into it, watching Dan play off the audience. I don't think standing at a podium lends itself to good TV.  That Drew/Adam set did.

Anyway, it's a good show and a good start, I hope it does well. Read the rest of this post...

Video protest: The right to public nudity in the Castro

Public nudity is apparently legal in San Francisco. And that has at least one city supervisor concerned about nude San Franciscans sitting on park benches, at restaurants, or on public transportation.

In the spirit of those protesting the new proposed city ordinance, COLT studios, an adult-film studio, decided to send one of their stars, Marc Dylan, around the Castro with nothing on but a camera around his neck. The video is pretty damn funny, I have to admit.  (And how often do I find a COLT video that's relevant for the blog.)

So in the spirit of playing nice, since everyone felt I was too mean to adult-film stars the other day, I'm sharing COLT's mini protest in San Francisco.  It's actually quite a fun video.

Here's the PG version of the video.

And here's the Full Monty, unedited.

I have to laugh at the number of people just walking by the guy like there's no problem, nothing to see. Only in California - and I mean that with love. Read the rest of this post...

Should a recent career in porn disqualify you from teaching middle school?

I'm not sure I'd want my kid (had I one) being taught by some woman who just two years ago starred in and directed porn, and owned her own porn company.  I'm not entirely sure why I should be more sympathetic because in this case the "victim" is gay.

Thirty-six-year-old Shawn Loftis spent six years in the gay porn industry as an actor, director and owner of his own company, World of Men, but decided he was done in 2010.

He thought he had left it in the past, until he got his first substitute teaching job at Nautilus Middle School in Miami Beach.

The school’s principal went on a “moral crusade” against him, Loftis said, and he was fired for violating the Miami-Dade School Board's code of ethics and for gross immorality. That led to the Florida Department of Education’s decision in November to deny Loftis from getting a teaching certificate for five years.

“Porn is not moral turpitude,” he said.

I'm not sure where I stand on him being denied a teaching certificate - if some school wants to hire him, with knowledge of his background, that's their call. I do know that I wouldn't be comfortable with a porn star, just two years out of the business, teaching my 10, 11 and 12 year old (again, had I kids).  Having said that, I don't think we should make porn illegal, and I've watched it from time to time.  So I guess that's hypocritical of me.  But I also wouldn't likde my kid marrying a porn star, or my friends dating one.  And I suspect a lot of otherwise fair-minded people would agree with me.  Is that hypocritical too?

Is porn really just like any other job? Read the rest of this post...