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The Scarlet Letter--Burning Bridges...

Volpone

Volpone

Zombie Hunter
A couple hypothetical conundrums, submitted for your discussion:

1) You own a bar in a small town. It is pretty much undifferentiated from the other dozen or so bars in the town. Business is slow and every month it is a challenge to pay the bills. If you were 95% sure that, by positioning the place as the only gay bar in 50 miles, you could significantly boost business, would you? (In this hypothesis you are straight.)

On the plus side, you would differentiate your product and guarantee yourself a market segment. On the minus side, it might be awkward to explain to your senior citizen, deeply religious mother. What about a strip joint? Would you do that instead? Why or why not?

2) You're looking to break into marketing, but the job market is tough. Would you take a job as a marketing director for an online porn company? On the plus side, it's a foot in the door. On the minus side, there's the whole social stigma at cocktail parties--"Why yes, I'm the VP of Marketing for Ass2Mouth.com" (to say nothing of what your Mom will think).

Then there's the added question of WILL it get your "foot in the door"? Back in the 60s and 70s, many a mainstream writer like Stephen King got their start writing for C-string smut mags. The magazines needed filler and they were more willing to give an aspiring writer a chance. On the other side of the coin, I can't think of a single porn actor or model that has successfully crossed over into the mainstream. OK. I guess there's a couple Playboy models--Pamela Anderson, Jenny McCarthy, maybe Erika Elianak. Was Marilyn Monroe in Playboy before or after she hit it big?

Anyway, just a couple ponderables. I actually did see an interesting marketing gig for an online porn company, but that might be awkward to explain if I stay as a Reservist. (It wasn't for Ass2Mouth.com.)
 
You'll only have a problem with the Militaryy if you hold a clearance, porn industry exposure is still considered a blackmail risk.

As for item 1: depends on the state. In California: no problem. In Missouri: Hell No.

Item 2: Just say "It's an internet site" and leave it at that...take the job.

-SB
 
Porn is interesting, because it is interesting to try and figure out where the line is.

Like I said, people like Stephen King got their start getting [non porn] fiction published in porno mags, and I don't think anyone would be upset over a writer having clippings out of a porno magazine. Hugh Hefner... Now that's an interesting one. I don't know that anyone is too upset by him. Some people might look down their noses at him disapprovingly, but let's face it. He's been around long enough and has been successful enough that he has a measure of respect. And his media empire is at least somewhat "classy". Hell, Cindy Crawford modeled for him when she was 28 and again at 38 (IIRC). But in between is probably not too well received.

And SB is 100% right about security classifications. Hell, I knew a guy who couldn't get into Intelligence because his wife was French and still had dual citizenship. The French are our friends. :shrug:
 
Oh, and just for laughs I'll argue Devil's Advocate on the gay bar:

There's plenty of gay people in small towns. And everyone pretty much knows who they are. They probably want a place they can hang out as much as anyone else. I mean it isn't like you'd put a big pink triangle and a rainbow flag out front, name the place "The Man Hole", and have leather night. Just sort of do things to make the place gay friendly. Maybe get the word out a little bit. Maybe book the occasional female singer/songwriter with a guitar and a trucker hat.

I think there's a chance you could make it work.











:lol: Hell, who'm I kidding. The small town I grew up in is just getting into the karate fad of the late 1970s. They wouldn't be ready for a gay bar for another 40 years.
 
Oh, and just for laughs I'll argue Devil's Advocate on the gay bar:

There's plenty of gay people in small towns. And everyone pretty much knows who they are. They probably want a place they can hang out as much as anyone else. I mean it isn't like you'd put a big pink triangle and a rainbow flag out front, name the place "The Man Hole", and have leather night. Just sort of do things to make the place gay friendly. Maybe get the word out a little bit. Maybe book the occasional female singer/songwriter with a guitar and a trucker hat.

I think there's a chance you could make it work.











:lol: Hell, who'm I kidding. The small town I grew up in is just getting into the karate fad of the late 1970s. They wouldn't be ready for a gay bar for another 40 years.
 
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