We Were Soldiers Once, and Young
We’d just lived through 15 months that would stay with us the rest of our lives, but for the moment, we just wanted to party. Continue reading “Soldiers Once”
VAR for the Loss
Is Technology Ruining Sports?
For some, the pursuit of perfectionism comes with a need to exert control and an inability to let things go. They may be correct, but it comes across as hairsplitting pettiness. Many English soccer fans would describe the VAR (Video Assistant Referee) as an annoying control freak.
In soccer, a few terrible decisions over the years — or great ones, depending on who you support — have caused huge controversy. The recently deceased Diego Maradona’s Hand of God is arguably the biggest. Frank Lampard’s disallowed goal for England at the 2010 South Africa World Cup is another doozy. Truth is there have been some shocking decisions over the years — but not that many.
And surely not enough to have led to the stop-start culture currently pervading the Premier League? Stilted celebrations and strange decisions — where a last-minute winner leads to an ecstatic reaction on hold, while an accurate decision is made.
The greatest moments in soccer have been those moments — sheer, unbridled, Oh-my-God-ness as the ball hits the back of the net. Imagine Manchester United’s comeback celebrations in the 1999 Champions League Final being paused while they checked the monitor in the last minute. In fact, twice in the last two minutes.
Ruining those moments is surely worse than getting a few decisions wrong?
Belgian soccer star Kevin De Bruyne is arguably the greatest footballer in the world after the Messi/Ronaldo double act. He recently said: “I don’t know the rules anymore, honestly. I’ve been playing professional football for 12 years, and in the first nine years there were no rule changes. Now, there are a lot of rule changes. I don’t know why. Football is a nice game. The people making the rule changes need to be in the game.”
Ex-Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino went further, saying, “I am for technology, but be careful not to change the game and kill the emotion. My worry is we are talking about a machine and not football.”
Bizarrely, the really big decisions that sparked the technological revolution of football are quickly solved. Goal-line technology is pretty seamless; the referee instantly gets a bleep on his phone to say whether the ball has crossed the line and can make a decision. Liverpool’s experienced midfielder James Milner is a fan: “Goal-line technology is incredible. Instant decision. Black and white.”
But he’s not a fan of VAR.
“It’s very hard to use VAR when you’ve still got opinions on the decisions and the atmosphere in football is being ruined,” Milner says.
Especially when the resulting decisions seem worse than the referee’s original. Patrick Bamford’s goal, which was disallowed for Leeds against Crystal Palace, was described by Former Premier League star-turned-pundit Robbie Savage as “the worst decision I’ve ever seen in the history of football.”
Bamford’s hand was judged offside — his fingers deemed ahead of the defender as he pointed where he wanted the ball.
Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy?
Is Phil Gould happy with the bunker in Australia’s National Rugby League (NRL)?
“They’d check everything if they could. They would check every single play,” he recently said. “The referees’ dream is to play the game on Sunday, finish the game at six o’clock, pack everything up and say ‘we’ll give you the result on Tuesday.’”
The KFC bunker was introduced at a cost of $2 million to “provide NRL review officials with world-class technology and enable them to deliver more accurate, efficient, consistent and transparent decisions.”
In Gould’s words: “They don’t have a clue.”
The NRL bunker has been in operation for four years. In America, the NFL has had instant replay reviews since 1986 — some 34 years — and they’re still trying to get it right. The NFL can review up to 15 different circumstances using instant replay. VAR in England only reviews four.
There’s the rub: The rule was introduced after a big and specific decision that altered a whole season for the New Orleans Saints. A huge mistake, but essentially a one-off.
In cricket, meanwhile, they love technology. Hot Spot, the Snickometer and Hawk-Eye have arguably added to the enjoyment of the game, not detracted from it. But then it’s ultimately a slower paced game; you watch for seven hours in the sun with a beer and a pie, studying the game in a leisurely, almost scientific way. The players stop for tea breaks, for God’s sake. Hot Spot and Hawk-Eye notch the drama up, rather than take it down.
Tennis is similar. Hawk-Eye’s been around for line calls and player challenges since 2004 after some shocking calls against Serena Williams in a U.S. Open quarterfinals clash she lost to Jennifer Capriati. The United States Tennis Association actually called Williams after the match to apologize. Again, tennis is slower and compartmentalized — technology acts seamlessly with the game and builds tension, rather than sucking out the emotion.
With VAR, Maradona’s Hand of God goal against England at the 1986 World Cup wouldn’t have stood. If that had been the case, the Argentine athlete might not have scored the Goal of the Century four minutes later. He might not have gone on to lift the World Cup that year. How the referee didn’t see him punch the ball in the net still amazes. But he didn’t. And we’ve all learned to live with it.
That moment has become legendary because the decision was bad and wasn’t overturned.
If not sport as a whole, VAR is certainly sucking the life out of football games. Maybe the next evolution will be to re-referee past games using technology and reverse the results based on correct decision-making? Maradona would turn in his grave.
But do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy?
Granted there might be a few reading this mentally voicing the argument, that Rob here more accurately speaks about “soccer” while “football” more accurately describes a purely American sport. Hey, they do call it the National Football League, after all, so that must settle the argument, right? Of course this narrow argument sort of just ignores the 3.5 billion “soccer” fans worldwide in favor of the 400 million NFL fans on the globe, but this hardly qualifies as the first time American policy rationale comes down to a “because we said so” argument. So we’ll just skip over that and point you to a thorough, albeit self-serving, analysis of Instant Replay for all those people in the VAR countries to read should they choose. Fair warning: It will say “football” a lot on those pages. They keep using that word. We do not think it means what they think it means.
Positions to Avoid Boring Sex
Keep It Fresh
[You may also need a chiropractor with these positions — which does add to the unforgettable aspect certainly — but for the most part we will leave the descriptions with the magazine experts. You will note our ever-so-helpful editorial notes in bracket. Because brackets make things official and full of really important stuff.]
The Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower, also known as a reimagined Spit Roast, marks the only time it’s ever appropriate to high-five during sex. The concept is simple: One person is on all fours, receiving one partner from behind, while performing oral on the other person. The two outside partners then gleefully high-five and “oui oui!” each other, bringing the iconic Eiffel Tower position to life. This trés underrated ménage à trois is a sexual (French) revolution. No matter what role you fulfill in the architectural erotic wonder that is The Eiffel Tower, you’re guaranteed to have a beret good time. Bon voyage and high-five! [One caveat here: Should the person on all fours actually hear this high-five, odds are even on whether or not this person will bite down in anger. Might be wise to go for the other end, should this really sound like a good idea to you.]
The Helicopter
The concept of international travel and boarding a real-life plane might feel like an explicit fantasy right now, but don’t fret; there’s another way you can join the Mile-High Club. Yoga and CrossFit become one to create this extremely intimidating, expert-level sex position known as The Helicopter. To achieve The Helicopter, the woman must prop herself up on her back with her legs over her head before the man inserts his erection and planks on top of her. To initiate “liftoff,” and this is where the magic comes in, he starts propelling around in complete circles while remaining inserted. Warning: You’re both going to want to be fit and strong to complete this sex position or else one of you might end up with an airline fracture. [While the “injector” might receive sufficient lubrication in this position — maybe — the other skin parts twirling on top of each other will soon provide an excellent reminder as to what friction does out in the real world. Hey, maybe you’ll be sweaty enough for it not to matter. You’ll almost certainly be drunk enough for it not to matter until tomorrow at least.]
The Spider
If you have ever fantasized about being a helpless fly trapped in a spiderweb at the mercy of an insatiable female arachnid, then this position is for you. Despite its name, The Spider isn’t actually as spooky as it sounds, but it does involve lets a lot. To achieve The Spider, the couple starts by facing each other, both in a seated position. The man then penetrates the woman, and they both recline back. The couple then begin to wiggle, gyrate, thrust and grind against each other, mimicking a spider wrestling and wrapping up her prey. Perfect for newlywebs. [This position will be perfect for when you really want to screw, but you just can’t stand looking at the other person, even a little bit. At all.]
The Wheelbarrow
The Wheelbarrow isn’t your garden-variety sex position. An interesting alternative for doggy-style lovers, this position essentially involves the woman being turned into a human wheelbarrow. It looks pretty kooky, but it’s actually pretty spot-on for internal stimulation and hitting angles you wouldn’t normally hit. A little core strength goes a long way — channel your inner dexterity. You’re going to want to have a basic level of athleticism and not skip arm day for this one — stability is key! — otherwise you’ll end up with a wonky wheelbarrow. If you think The Wheelbarrow is kinky, you are certainly not ready to hear about The Mower. Meet me behind the garden shed in five? [Right. This will be perfect because the only way to make sex more fun would be to try and balance in pushup position while the guy behind you tries to hang on to your legs, thrusts, all while trying not to pile-drive your head into the ground … or the wall … or the furniture.]
At this point the magazine article drops out, probably because they ran out of space on the page more than any fears regarding our ability to comprehend “The Mower” position. That said, all of that sounded like way to much work to try and have fun. As illustration of our point, we offer Sky Wonderland, who happens to be the Penthouse Pet of the Month for July 2021 coincidentally enough. As you can clearly see, set up correctly, one has no use for a lawn mower with Sky.
By the way, should you really, really feel the need to spice things up because pulsing genitals just don’t get you going anymore, you might try the historically proven Tantric Techniques. Be warned, however: These are not for the faint of heart — or anyone in a hurry.
Sex Scene Extreme
Seven Movies with WTF Sex Scenes
Let us suggest some Happy Viewing as you let your mind wander into its own memories. Always remember, however: It’s only a movie. … Continue reading “Sex Scene Extreme”
Our Retro Eighties Fourth
Technically we should explain that this opening comes from an article in a recent issue about how Penthouse has shown up in various movies and tv shows over the years. Since the social media promo they put together for the 4th of July this year also has a retro feel, we decided to just put them together for you. Naturally we start with the moving pictures, but when you get on to the ‘80s article, remember that intro. Or not. That’s the beauty of Retro: You do not have to experience it all in a linear fashion as you did the first time around.
Back to the ‘80s
The magazine’s raunchier-than-Playboy full-frontal content, bawdy humor and balls-to-the-wall journalism made its stamp on society and ensured that by the ’70s, Penthouse was on its way to becoming a household name. But by the ‘80s, Penthouse was firmly ingrained in pop culture.
Everyone was talking about Penthouse.
It might have had something to do with The Gooch’s ballsy approach to publishing, and the fact that during the ‘80s, Penthouse printed the unauthorized nudes of Madonna and a reigning Miss America — Vanessa Williams — and featured the likes of Debbie Harry and a controversial shoot with porn star Traci Lords.
As a result, Penthouse was referenced in a lot of movies that came out during the ‘80s.
One of these films was the 1984 fishy fairy tale Splash, an unlikely love story between land dweller Allen Bauer (Tom Hanks) and a hot blonde mythical mermaid (Daryl Hannah). In the film, Allen’s cringeworthy brother, Freddie (John Candy), rocks up in his red sports car at the family business with a stack of Penthouse magazines. Freddie brags the mag ran the erotic story he wrote before handing out the issues to his colleagues and customers, who read them right there in public. In another scene, Allen is overwhelmed by a mob of reporters, and Freddie asks, “Is anyone here from Penthouse magazine?” When the reporters say “no,” he responds, “Then we ain’t talkin’.”
Then there’s the 1989 American comedy Troop Beverly Hills, directed by Jeff Kanew, in which a scout troop visits a retirement home to help the elderly in pursuit of a Wilderness Girls patch. The girls offer a resident a few different magazines, which he declines, before they randomly produce a Penthouse, which he gladly accepts and immediately flips open to the topless centerfold before the shot cuts.
We see another Penthouse centerfold in Christmas Evil, a 1980 horror-thriller about a middle-aged toy factory worker named Harry Stadling (Brandon Maggart), who is obsessed with Christmas and goes on a Yuletide killing spree while dressed as Santa Claus. In one scene, Harry is peering into the window of a boy’s bedroom to determine whether he’s been naughty or nice — only to catch the kid cutting out a bare-breasted centerfold image from the glossy pages of Penthouse. That triggers a flashback to when young Harry watched Santa Claus go down on his mother in 1948.
In the 1988 Ozploitation thriller Vicious!, a rich young guy — who has just graduated high school and seems to have a promising future ahead of him — turns into a ruthless killer when he falls in with a gang of misfits. There’s a strange scene in which he’s idly flicking through an Australian Penthouse when a trio of hooligan robbers come calling.
In 2019, Penthouse even got a mention in the popular supernatural ‘80s-throwback Netflix series Stranger Things. In season three’s third episode — “The Case of the Missing Lifeguard” — Max and Eleven raid teen heartthrob Billy’s bedroom and discover a bunch of genuine ‘80s editions of Penthouse magazine stashed in his drawers.
Although The Gooch and the ‘80s are behind us, Penthouse continues to thrive. Grab your popcorn.
Granted, you might be headed out to watch things explode leaving trails of pretty lights in the sky. Naturally this might cause you to spill your popcorn, so you might wait to get back home for that. Should you decide to look up that singular episode of Stranger Things, however, we have unearthed an old page — not ‘80s, sorry — here on the site which might give you a step up in your viewership. Gotta love vintage, regardless of the era, y’know at least if it includes beautiful women.
Oh! We did find some excellent pictures of a vintage trailer on vintage fake turf to show off too. Sadly Sky Wonderland (Penthouse Pet, July 2021) and Cherie Noel (Penthouse Pet, August 2021) kept getting in the way of the shots. Sorry about that.
Pierre Schmidt
The Sexual Psyche of Pierre Schmidt
Pierre Schmidt, more commonly known as drømsjel, is a digital collage artist and illustrator, living and working in Berlin. Viewing his work feels like watching vintage porn on acid. Mind-bending psychedelia and erotic imagery combine with graphic illustrations and traditional collage techniques. And like classic surrealistic artists’ creations, Schmidt’s work is always open to the viewer’s interpretation.
Where did the name “drømsjel” come from?
It’s two Norwegian words merged together, meaning “dream soul.”
What draws you to creating surreal and erotic artworks?
Eroticism is not my main objective when creating the works. It’s more about capturing the feeling, the awe one feels in seeing something beautiful or grotesque for the first time — in the world, in a person, in dreams. It’s a feeling I look to capture.
Where does the inspiration for Pierre Schmidt come from?
I am inspired all the time by the past. Vintage publications, such as Penthouse, have always been a great source for inspiration. The color palettes, the grain of the paper at the time the image went to print, the fashion, the lighting. These elements play a huge part in inspiring me to create a new artwork. I would say my main inspiration is the past and the evolution of society. All those dreams of a 1950s man or woman, materializing through the next wave of liberation, and so it goes into the next decade.
As for being inspired by specific people, there are too many to mention. I created a series of works based off Nietzsche’s theories of morality at one time, yet I am equally inspired by musicians, films, documentaries and other artists such as Dalí or David Hockney. There are many of their influences in my works. David Lynch is a great inspiration, then so is Beethoven, Stanley Kubrick, Wes Anderson, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, metal bands such as The Black Dahlia Murder and documentaries by Adam Curtis. I could go on …
Where do you source the images that appear in your collages?
I find them on the internet or scan actual physical copies of vintage publications, magazines, catalogs or scour antique bookstores and flea markets for original photos.
What’s been your favorite image or bank of images find?
I have a huge library of digital images; I couldn’t tell you where one came from the next. I see and store clippings from modern backgrounds used on takeaway menus posted through my letterbox every week, right down to the shape of a petal on a flower from a children’s storybook that could’ve been published in 1935.
What tools do you use to create your pieces?
A computer, the internet, Photoshop, a scanner and a top-dollar printer.
My wife calls my studio setup “Mission Control.” Sadly for her, though, I have not perfected my setup. I could always add on more! As I’m always looking for new technical ways to create and make my workflow more comfortable. Like I said, now with my interest in programming and having the ability to create my own digital brushes, it is something I could and will probably do forever.
What’s your relationship with Instagram like?
It’s been great. Instagram is kind of an invaluable platform to see an artist’s works. I mean, nobody can just jump on a plane to Japan at the drop of a hat and walk into a gallery to see works by an artist they’ve heard is putting on a great show. Instagram is an accessible 24/7 gallery. I love that.
You have more than 150,000 followers on Instagram. Has it been a steady climb or was there a moment it spiked?
It’s always been gradual, but there were a few points where it did explode. I manage my account myself, reply myself and say hi myself. There’s no magic behind it for me in gaining followers, but having people like Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips, Miley Cyrus, members of the Gorillaz and Lady Gaga having shared or liked my works has helped hugely. Once they did that then, yeah, my phone was buzzing for days!
What was it like being asked to create the promotional artwork for Lady Gaga’s 2017 Netflix documentary Five Foot Two?
Crazy. I’m really proud they chose me to produce the artwork. The filmmaker and director, Chris Moukarbel, contacted me directly on Instagram and had chosen me specifically to create the cover and promo work. This was unusual for Netflix to say yes to, as they have great talent there, so I was really thrilled to be working with them, too.
It was a dream gig. The director is such a great guy, hugely talented. He had a vision but gave me space and trusted me to do what I do. Netflix was amazing and hugely supportive throughout the process, also. Lady Gaga, her manager, her team who shot the image I worked with, were all just really positive, easy to discuss creative processes with and were all thrilled with the outcome. Seeing my artwork blazed across a billboard on Sunset Boulevard and in Times Square was surreal as fuck. Clicking on Netflix and watching the documentary for the first time was really emotional, too.
Is art a full-time gig for you now?
Yeah, it is now. But three years ago — in fact, just before the Lady Gaga job — I was also washing pots in a restaurant to get by. When my co-workers saw my artworks for the first time they were like “Why are you here?”
I’ve also been a bicycle repairman, post office sorter and a graphic designer in an ad agency. I liked washing pots the most. But I don’t make art for money. I make art because, well, I couldn’t stop if I tried.
Who would your dream client be?
My dream client would be the Berlin Symphony Orchestra and creating artworks for the Beethoven anniversary concert celebrations. They’ve been postponed until next year. So you know, I’m just throwing it out there in case someone over there is reading Penthouse.
What are you working on right now?
I’m reworking/upgrading artworks to higher resolutions for my store and actually in the process of creating some huge custom pieces for a well-known actor. Can’t share who. Can’t share what, but you never know … they might.
Sadly we could not show much of it here, what with the nudity prohibition and all, but as you may have guessed, dromsjel.com will get you where you need to go, should you wish to see more Pierre Schmidt art. We have no one with an art degree handy around here, but clearly faces — and particularly eyes — have some special significance in the Pierre Schmidt world. … Oddly enough, Wikipedia shows a picture of the Lady Gaga image (as of this writing), should you have an interest, and it simply would not do to skip the obligatore Instagram link. (We accidentally do a lot of things we should not do. We endeavor not to do them on purpose.
Adult Fireworks with Cam Girls
Your Adult Fireworks this Month
Sure we all love fireworks on the 4th of July, but why limit yourself to explosions on just a single day?
Put simply, we have a lot to look forward to this month of July, and we can enjoy our own adult fireworks every day of the month. Remember just a couple of months ago when we were unsure if we’d even be able to celebrate outdoors? This pandemic has fucked us up in so many ways that it seemed like any public holiday was done forever. Now that we’re finally on our way back to freedom, though, we can get out and revel in what’s going down on Independence Day that doesn’t consist of being careful not to breathe. Of course, we still have to be careful. Most places still require masks currently, and even when not an absolute rule, most experts consider it good practice to wear one anyway.
When you make your own adult fireworks at home, though, you definitely do not need a mask. Heck, you don’t even need to wear pants.
Think about this: How many of us are really going outdoors this 4th of July anyway? And what about all the other days in July? Social distancing remains important, because how many of the lying SOBs running around out there can you really trust anyway? We’re not talking about the sniffles here, so once again our Cam Girls have the solution. (Nice how that happens, right?)
Not only that, since we’ve spent the last 16 months accomplishing everything virtually, doing things at home has become a majority of the definition of our modern lives. No one can really say for certain, but it sure seems like this will be with us on a global scale for quite some time, so it never hurts to make some new friends now. Even with the option to go out now available, it might be easier to just hang out indoors. Long live the introverted misfits! We rock!! … Society was way overrated before this whole “anybody out there might kill you” mess anyway.
In fact, say you don’t want to slug the big holiday off inside, but feel cautious about going out, we can help with that. Start your celebration inside with a couple different flavors of Cam Delight. Then while you’re resting, get somewhere safe to watch all the detonating delights outside early in the evening. Then continue the celebration inside with that taste you’d just love to try again! As it turns out, cam girls online are celebrating Independence Day during the entire first week of July, so you have lots to time to prepare your own personal menu of adult fireworks.
You might be surprised at the variety of ways that cam girls are celebrating 4th of July on Camster.com. Perhaps they’ll pop their own fireworks while wearing red, white, and blue lingerie. They might even have some sex toys in the shape of the American flag while pouring popcorn all over their boobs. Ever hear of the Yankee Diddle Butt Plug? Anything can be possible when you have cam girls around you!
We’ve even made it easy to check out some cam girls celebrating adult fireworks online, to at least help get you started on your journey. See what fans have said about their shows that would even make our founding fathers so proud. Then you have the entire rest of the month to test your theories and refine your conclusions about which cam girls make the best wiener companions — purely for scientific reasons, of course.
“A very unique girl. Stunning hair and eyes with a smile that can only be described as cute. Her body is heaven with stunning breasts. But her sexiest attribute is her mind. She is the girl next door seductress that lives in your mind and makes you want more.”
“So incredibly sexy, mouth to die for. Ass to worship. Get extra tissues, you’ll be a mess.”
“Honestly, if I could give more than five stars, I would; this woman is amazing! Sweet, funny, kind, and she knows how to use that body to bring out the most primal desires in any man!”
“This girl is so hot and sexy and made the BEST private show. I couldn’t believe how great it was. She does everything you ask and is great at getting the right camera angles. I highly recommend you do her private sessions.”
“Strip me of my innocence … while the delights of my noble, young body are slowly revealed. Caress my sweet flesh with your eyes and behold my erotic dance. You will long to taste my sweet nectar as we reach the pinnacle of satisfaction together, and as you take me, hear the sweet song of my exquisite fulfillment!”
July looks to be an excellent month for experimentation, so don’t be shy about letting out some of those hidden desires in the long days and short nights. You’ll find plenty of room for scientific experiments and adult fireworks at Camster.com. And science is important, you know. … As always, should you be feeling adventurous, look what happened last month any time you want.
COVID Pause
Lovin’ the Lollapalooza
The excitement builds. Then it happens! Music blasts through the PA system, and the crowd goes wild.
It’s the moment that keeps me, as a member of the road crew, coming back day after day to do the backbreaking job of setting up all the equipment it takes to put on a show like this huge U.S. music festival. Lollapalooza was the first-ever festival to travel the country. You’d think after working 20-hour days for months on end, the magic would wear off, but no. It’s as strong 30 years later as it was that first time. It’s a bond we share with the performers because it’s our show, too.
Attended by millions of people worldwide, summer festivals like Lollapalooza are the lifeblood of the music industry. The phenomenon started with the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1958, followed by Woodstock in 1969. We now have mega festivals like the Donauinselfest in Vienna, Austria, which attracts more than 3 million attendees, and Rock in Rio, which pulls in hundreds of thousands.
For now, though, these fields lie barren, with no sign of the usual hustle and bustle that starts months before as preparations for these events ramp up.
The year 2020 was the first since the late 1950s that there hasn’t been some form of live music festival.
Enter: COVID Pause
As the seasons change, and as the world braces for a third and even fourth wave of COVID-19, the virus continues to have a devastating effect on the music industry.
Is the industry healthy and strong enough to last another year without these live events? They’re the heartbeat of the industry, the proof of life we’re all looking for. It’s not just the darlings of the industry who rely on the festivals. New and emerging talent also need this opportunity to reach a broader audience, enabling them to climb that elusive ladder to success.
Then there’s another side of the industry that survives with little acknowledgement from the audience but is also reliant on these live events. That’s us, the technical staff, aka the road crew. We work hand in hand with the artists, allowing them to focus on the performance, while we take care of the rest. Whether it’s the front-of-house sound engineer at a stadium-sized venue or the high school friend of a garage band, the crew, as individuals, dedicate our existence to music.
But during COVID Pause, we, as professionals, have fallen through the cracks, with little or no acknowledgement or assistance from governments worldwide.
Over the decades, road crews have taken pride in not being seen.
Now, it’s time for us to stand up and be counted. We’re the first in line to donate our time to endless benefit concerts for different worldwide causes, selflessly working for free when there’s no other means of getting the job done.
We were among the first to pivot so we could help out during the pandemic.
Now, we need to be seen and acknowledged for the work we’ve done so tirelessly.
When the vaccines start to take effect, and the festival season reopens — hopefully by August 2021 — the crews will once again disappear behind the scenes to quietly continue creating that healing moment when a band walks on stage and we all become one. No longer feeling alone in this crisis. Being once again healed by the music.
Over a year ago now Rolling Stone profiled the impact of COVID Pause on the music industry. Sadly, in retrospect the warnings may not have been dire enough.
Submission Possible
Madison Young on a Mission
Created by “filmmaker, author and sexual revolutionary” Madison Young, the series explores the queer sexual underground worlds of kink, fetish, and BDSM. It will be available on Revry TV, the world’s first global Queer streaming network.
Submission Possible stars Young hosting travel adventures with a mission – sharing stories of who we are as sexual beings. Penthouse had the pleasure of interviewing Madison about her new project, her years of experience as a performer in the adult industry, and her goals for the future.
What person, place, or event surprised you in your travels for Submission Possible? Was there anything that you learned or experienced that was unexpected?
The biggest surprise for me was really New Orleans. It was my first time traveling to New Orleans and I was just blown away by the city, the energy, the community, the people. It truly is a remarkably magical city.
I was also surprised by the number of people that I met that hadn’t had an opportunity to engage in their favorite kinks and fetishes during the pandemic. I think so many of us were in this deep survival mode that having the opportunity to lean into the joy of kink and play, was something that just didn’t present itself. So, the interviews and segments in Submission Possible where folks had a container to really geek out about the things that bring them so much joy and connection and then to experience those kinks or fetishes, it was extra potent.
There is a lot of healing and reconnecting to our pleasure and bodies and intimacy that will be emerging out of the pandemic and I’m so happy that this series gets to be a part of documenting that emergence and process.
There were so many things that I learned that I didn’t really expect. I experienced astral projection during a super hot segment with Arabelle Raphael in Portland, Oregon. I was really surprised by that!
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect in doing a role play segment in which I would be playing dead. I love to be really connected and feeding my top with energy, smiles, sounds of pleasure.
I was a little nervous that I’d feel disconnected from Arabelle during the segment but similar to meditation, when I sunk into stillness and surrendered over my body, I felt my astral body rise up and I watched from my mind’s eye as Arabelle moved my body around. I definitely felt aroused by the whole experience.
I also had a super profound deep healing experience in the dungeon of Cleo Dubois in San Francisco where through a ritualistic needle pull, I cleared some deep wounds from a past life and my energy expanded and vibrated throughout the space.
It was a gorgeous ritual in which we entered the dungeon space playing Tibetan singing bowls and Cleo led me through a piercing of needles through my chest which were then connected to a cord. Through her guidance I leaned back, using my breath and the needles pulling at my flesh as I reclined and surrendered myself, my energy and breath and ecstasy all growing, vibrating through the walls. It was immensely powerful and unexpected.
But there have been so many others. Each person has such an incredible story and are just so generous with sharing their intimate journey. I think because we have all been that person that was so deeply seeking connection and to see ourselves reflected in the world. We each know the power of storytelling and representation in film and the media. I’m so honored to have these conversations and hold space for those stories.
What inspires you the most as a creative? Who are your influences?
That is such an excellent and juicy question! I’m inspired by my desire to create change in the world.
From a very early age I knew that I wanted to tell stories and create art that held space for folks to experience a place of belonging. I wanted to create spaces where people could express and celebrate the entirety of themselves.
I’m inspired by collaboration, bringing together rad queer artists that are amazing at what they do and working together as we bring a story, a vision, a film to life. I’m inspired by all of the folks that we are interviewing and their vulnerability and generous hearts.
The concepts for my books, films, series, and other art works are generally works that channel through me in a meditative state. I see the work in sort of a dream state and then come out of the dream state and write down the outline as quickly as possible and then begin to flesh it out bringing it to life.
I’m inspired both out in the quiet of the forest or by the ocean or amidst the chaos of a city. I do think the energy that surrounds me affects what I’m writing and the topics that emerge and some environments seem to have a more stagnant energy that I find less inspiring.
My influences within my creative work would definitely include my chosen mothers – Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens. They have both been a huge part of my life for almost two decades now. Their art and films and the way that they embody life as art and infuse everything they do with deep love and compassion is powerful and has an enormous impact.
Love is radical and their ability to love so profoundly spills forth in every film, event, art exhibition and book that they bring forth into the world. They have a new book that is available for pre-order called Assuming the Ecosexual Position: The Earth As Lover that everyone should go check out. I’m so lucky to have them as family and my mentors.
Other sexual revolutionaries like the writing of Carol Queen and the grit and radical works of the Beat generation were a big influence on my writing. When it comes to travel documentaries, I love what Anthony Bourdain brought to the genre.
I think he did a beautiful job of authentically connecting with folk around the world and using food as a connector, as a language in which we got to know the folk he was interviewing and the cities.
I’m really trying to bring that same essence into Submission Possible as we use sex and kink as a connecting thread in which we get to know the people, city, and queer culture of a region.
What changes have you observed in the adult industry from the time you started until now? What do you believe is the future of the industry?
I first started performing in 2002 – so almost 20 years ago. A lot has changed in that time.
In 2002, queer porn wasn’t yet a category and feminist porn hadn’t really yet developed into the movement that it is today. Feminist porn was being made and queers were making porn but there wasn’t a label for us at the video store or tags for us on any of the VOD platforms or awards that were specifically for queer porn.
The number of feminist and queer porn makers has grown exponentially in 20 years. There are hundreds of queer porn and feminist porn filmmakers creating work now and 20 years ago there were maybe a 10 or so of us making films on a consistent basis. PinkLabel.TV is one of the best resources out there for finding a vast array of feminist and queer porn from filmmakers all over the globe. It’s the number one spot I send folks to when wondering where to look for feminist porn.
In the past twenty years we have also seen a rise in erotic film festivals, which is so exciting. Film festivals are my favorite way to watch erotic films. There has been an exciting amount of change and continued activism to do away toxic structures that existed in the mainstream porn industry when I first started performing.
It’s so hard to tell what the future of the industry will hold. It will both be influenced by technological advances such as Virtual Reality but also there is an exciting pull to get folks back into the theaters (or drive-ins) to watch porn at film festivals and on the big screen in a community setting.
We will continue to see more feminist, queer, trans, and sex positive voices being heard and making work in adult film. We are finally starting to shatter the idea that porn needs to be separate from feminism or is anti-feminist. It’s so important for us to document our own sexual culture and porn has always been the medium in which we could find graphic documentation of our sexual culture and our fantasies. I delve deeper into this in my book “The DIY Porn Handbook: Documenting Our Own Sexual Revolution”.
There is still immense stigma and I feel like sometimes I’ve been having the same conversation for twenty years in regards to porn being another medium for self-expression. Folk hold so much internalized sexual shame and porn becomes an easy place for them to shift that shame over to and just dismiss an entire genre rather than finding an erotic film that resonates with you, getting curious about what filmmakers are creating work that depict the narratives and themes that interest you.
There is still a lot of work to do. It’s a potent and powerful medium. I’m excited to bring this same passion for slaying sexual stigma into television and feature film with my new production company Empress in Lavender Media.
I will be putting all of my creative energy and resources into bringing queer, transgender and sex worker narratives to television and feature films through this new company. June 4th Lust Cinema just released what will be my last erotic film – Someone Like You. It’s an exciting time for television and film and I’m really thrilled to be a part of it.
What is your kinky root? How does kink enrich your life and your view of the world around you?
I don’t ever remember a time in which I felt like other people. I always felt kinky and queer, gravitating to things that were maybe odd to other folks. I didn’t resonate with the mainstream culture that I was surrounded by or the heteronormative depiction of a love and relationships.
But some of my kinky roots came out of Catwoman comic books and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I remember being very turned on by Catwoman and her latex catsuit and her whip. That is definitely one of the origins of my kink.
I was also always squeezing myself into small, confined spaces as a kid and loved big tight bear hugs and compression.
I have anxiety disorder and tight compression always felt comforting and helped me to regulate my nervous system.
My family are all arborists, so I grew up around trees and rope. The smell of rope just has this warm feeling of home and a place of belonging, a fibrous tight bear hug quality.
So, when I started exploring sex as a young adult, kink just naturally interwove into my experiences and fantasies.
My kinky identity and queerness feel very interwoven to me. Both are this way of existing in this world in a very mindful and intentional way. An embodied way of being. When you’re kinky and queer, the default social norms just don’t fit, they don’t work. So instead, you have to write a new script, write a new narrative, build a new container based on your desires.
You imagine a life, a relationship, a kinky dynamic, a world into existence based on listening to your authentic self, listening to your body, your desires. I think this way of being does affect the way I view the world around me. It makes me question old paradigms and imagine new ways of being to existence. It informs how I create art and film. I feel like that way of being is immensely enriching and is a part of my identity and how I walk through this world outside of the bedroom.
Kink and queerness both hold this space for building your own way of being. I love that. It smashes any ideas of what sex or gender, or relationships should look like and allows you to think deeply about what sex and relationships really are to you.
There are so many ways to connect, to experience pleasure and intimacy – with in kink and queerness – love and sex are limitless with in whatever container and parameters you construct based on your individual desires.
How do you see kink existing within and alongside mainstream culture?
I think there is still a lot of confusion about kink within mainstream culture. Aspects of kink have been glommed onto and then sensationalized or capitalized on. But kink isn’t a paddle or a pair of handcuffs or slipping into a leather corset. It’s not something you wear but something you are that exists within you and how you see the world and experience pleasure and connection with others. It’s fun to have awesome toys but all you really need is your mind – hands, feet or other body parts can be great too J. But knowing how to connect, move energy through your body, using your words, understanding how to negotiate and build a container for a hot scene, listening and understanding your partner’s desires and fantasies – these are the building blocks of kink. This is something we are really diving into with in Submission Possible – getting beyond the external of what kink might physically look like and delving into the inner workings, of what it fulfills for us, how nourishes us and the communities and culture that exist in different cities within these kink and queer pockets around the world.
What are your goals for the future? Where do you want to travel next with Submission Possible?
My goal is really to develop both Submission Possible as a series as well as my television and feature film production company, Empress in Lavender Media. We have a whole season of shows in development including a 30-minute drama series and a feminist thriller feature film. I’m really excited to dive deep into filmmaking and storytelling and bring queer narratives to life in a really big way.
Submission Possible is our first series that we are producing, and I love that. It’s an embodiment of everything I stand for. Travel, queer and kinky community, creativity, vulnerability, holding space for other people’s stories while engaging in my own journey of introspection – it’s intimate and sexy and features a wide array of stories.
There are so many cities that I’m excited to bring the show to. Our first season is centered along the west coast of the United States largely due to both being as safe as possible as we emerge from the pandemic and budget.
We are currently doing a lot of fundraising for the series as well as bringing on brand partnerships, sponsors, investors and producers.
We did some crowdfunding for the series so folks could contribute at any level to the making of the series there, which turned out well. People can also purchase tickets for our VIP virtual sneak peek preview of series. The preview takes place on June 30th at 1pm PST and 7pm PST and will be followed by a post-show talk and Q&A.
Our crowdfunding campaign is the only place we are currently offering tickets for that preview.
We also threw a Spank-a-Thon benefit event on June 10th for the production of Submission Possible where folks pledged for different rad performers to receive a certain number of spankings while raising funds for the show. Performers included Penthouse Pet – Olive Glass, Daisy Ducati, Princess Donna, Dadi Iris, Harley Evans, Elyse the Beast, and of course me! It was a lot of fun.
In our next season of Submission Possible, I’d love to visit more rural areas of the United States. This season was absolutely inspirational as we visited west coast cities such as Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, Oakland, and Los Angeles but next I really want to dive into lesser-known kink and queer scenes that exist in say Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, and Western Massachusetts. I’ve been meeting amazing kinksters online in lesser-known pockets around North America and I’d love for us to bring in a budget that supports that kind of travel. In season 3, I’d love to bring the show international to Europe then eventually Japan, and Australia. There are so many places this show can really reach out to and so many communities to document. I’m really excited about the future of the show and the response to the first episode was monumental.
Submission Possible will be broadcast on Revry TV along with a number of other VOD platforms this summer following our June 30th preview for our crowdfunding backers. Do take a few minutes to peek/pique/peak that interest by viewing the promotional video HERE.
Madison wanted to note that Submission Possilbe was made “possible” with the help of community partners, Squirm, Vessel Society, and InnThrall. We encourage you to keep up with Madison at MadisonYoung.org as well.
You can look around here for some topically-themed advice, or you can check out the potentially much more fun Social Media Links for Madison herself include @therealmadisonyoung and @submissionpossible on Instagram, as well as @madisonyoung and @submissionpostv on Twitter.
We have no idea when — or if — Madison sleeps.
Weird Life
From Magical to Simply Odd
Weird Life … Something Doesn’t Aladdin Up
Two fraudsters have been arrested after conning a doctor into spending close to $100,000 for an Aladdin’s lamp, officials say. It’s alleged the pair conjured up a fake genie to trick their victim into handing over wads of cash in Uttar Pradesh, India.
The unsuspecting mark, Laeek Khan, says one of the men pretended to be an occultist and made a supernatural-like figure appear from the lamp. Khan bought the supposedly magical lamp for a cool seven million rupees ($93,000) after being promised it would bring him a lifetime of health, wealth and good fortune, cops say.
Khan contacted the police after figuring out the “genie” was just one of the men in disguise and that his lamp was not of the wish-granting kind.
Senior police offer Amit Ray says it’s not the first time the trickers have sold a non-magical lamp and adds, “The men have also cheated other families using the same modus operandi. The total amount of money involved runs into several million rupees.”
I guess you could say Khan was taken for a magic carpet ride.
Weird Life … Super Fly for an Old Guy
We’ve all been annoyed by a bug or a fly at some point or another, but one man has accidentally blown up his own kitchen while trying to kill a crafty fly with an electric bug zapper.
The octogenarian from France was trying to off the annoying insect without realizing he had a gas leak on his property.
According to a local news outlet, the 82-year-old had just sat down to dinner when he was joined by an uninvited guest. He wasn’t going to let a pesky bug ruin the atmosphere, so he grabbed an electric flyswatter, designed to zap the creatures to their demise. He swung the electro death racket, but instead of hitting his buzzing target, the apparatus ignited the gas and caused a sizeable explosion that destroyed his kitchen and part of the roof in the process.
Thankfully, the man escaped serious injury by diving onto the floor and was treated for a burned hand at a local hospital. It’s not known whether the fly survived the disaster.
This does not markthe first time an insect has caused grief for homeowners. In 2018, a man in California accidentally set his parents’ house on fire while trying to kill spiders. In the same year, an Australian blew up his house while trying to destroy a horde of cockroaches.
Moving now to the realm of disturbing …
Weird Life … Romp, Rinse, Repeat
Vietnamese police have seized more than 345,000 used condoms that were intended to be illegally resold to unsuspecting customers.
Market inspectors raided a warehouse near Ho Chi Minh City, where they discovered used condoms being repacked for sale. The condoms would be boiled in water and reshaped with wooden dildos under unhygienic conditions before being repackaged and resold. Footage showed police seizing dozens of bags, weighing a whopping 794 pounds.
The owner of the factory, a 34-year-old woman, confessed the company bought the used prophylactics from an unidentified man in the area and received a “monthly input” from him. How one man came to obtain more than 300,000 used condoms remains a mystery.
The kicker? No one knows just how many of these previously loved condoms were sold before the bust.
We’re all for saving the planet, but this level of recycling seems extreme.
Weird Life … Monster Wolf Robots
A Japanese town has deployed robotic wolves in an attempt to scare off bears that have started to roam the countryside.
The small town of Takikawa on the northern island of Hokkaido purchased and installed a pair of the terrifying robot wolves to combat the appearances of wild bears, and it actually worked.
The real Japanese wolf roamed the central and northern islands of Japan before being hunted to extinction more than a century ago. Having named it The Monster Wolf robot, officials describe it as having “a shaggy body on four legs, a blond mane and fierce, glowing-red eyes. When its motion detectors are activated, it moves its head, flashes lights and emits 60 different sounds ranging from wolfish howling to machinery noises.”
The effecitiveness of the Monster Wolves quickly became obvious as since the mechanical animals made their appearance there have been zero sightings of bears. Clearly the native animals have determined the situation un-bear-able.
And arriving finally at the power of love…
Weird Life … World’s Horniest Tortoise Retires
Diego, a Galápagos tortoise whose high sex drive has been praised for saving his species from extinction has now retired.
Ecuador’s environment minister, Paulo Proaño Andrade, says: “We are closing an important chapter.”
For decades now, Diego has been breeding in captivity to save his species from dying out. Now, the 100-year-old tortoise, with his long leathery neck, beady eyes and hefty 175-pound body, has been granted a much deserved retirement and is being sent to the uninhabited island of Española — to spend the remainder of his days celibate with 14 other male tortoises.
Jorge Carrion, the park’s director says: “He’s contributed a large percentage to the lineage that we are returning to Española.”
At the time the program began in 1965, there were only 14 tortoises left: 12 females and two males. The breeding program helped increase the tortoise population to 2,000 from 15, with Diego being responsible for around 40 percent of the offspring produced.
Good job, Diego. We hope you dream of your soulmate Carmen San, somewhere in the world.
Weird Life …‘Til Doll Do We Part
A bodybuilder from Kazakhstan has proven love is blind by marrying a sex doll he’s been “dating” for nearly two years.
Clad in a traditional black tux and bow tie, Yuri Tolochko grinned with giddy glee as he married his silicone bride, Margo, who wore a white gown and clutched a bouquet of flowers as she stared lifelessly into the distance.
The couple apparently got engaged in December 2019, when the bodybuilder — who described himself as a “sexy maniac” — popped the question. Tolochko and Margo have an active social media presence and often illustrate their romantic lifestyle, vacations and bubble baths, captioned with the hashtags: #ideal_relationship, #true_love and #happy_wife_happy_life.
In one post, Tolochko wrote: “Couples need to talk less and connect more. With time and experience, Margo and I realized that it takes more than words to have a conversation.”
The only legal requirements for a wedding to take place in Kazakhstan are that both partners have to be male and female and over the age of 18.
We simply could not let this one conclude without at least one of the relevant social awareness verifications. We do not want to be inviting any unwarranted audits or anything. Do remember we have have an entire section devoted to Weird History too. What can we say? We love this stuff.
Roddy Ricch
Roddy Rising
The Compton native’s studio debut, Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial, won glowing reviews and rocketed to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Albums list. After slipping from the top spot, it once again ruled the charts a month later, making it the the first rap album in 15 years to do so.
The brutal, heart-wrenching, melodic record made more than $6 million, in addition to winning him accolades from media outlets and streaming platforms. Its fourth single, “The Box,” earned octuple platinum status. The unrelentingly popular track sold more than 8 million units and pulled in 866 million on-demand audio streams in 2020.
Basically, “The Box” clobbered any other song last year.
“The first album was just my first album,” Roddy says. “I’ve got to remind people of that all the time. Yeah, it was big. I had big songs on there. But that was the first time I ever even did that shit.”
It’s easy to see why expectations for his next album are so high.
After a subdued start, Roddy — whose real name is Rodrick Wayne Moore Jr. — spoke out about the challenges of his youth.
“I’ve been through a lot. Going through shit like bullets flying. It’ll fuck you up a little bit,” says the 22-year-old hitmaker. “It triggers something else in you. This fame shit is new to me. Being in rooms where you don’t have to worry about shit, I don’t get that side of life yet. I’ll be in the room with millionaires and billionaires and still be like, ‘What’s going on? Who’s that at the door?’”
Roddy grew up in Los Angeles and Compton, the son of a religious mother and father. He was baptized around age seven and has church to thank for his chance meeting with rapper Kendrick Lamar.
Roddy says he laid down a freestyle rap for the “Swimming Pools” singer, who he claims told him, “You going to be somebody in the world.”
From that point, the two rappers’ lives could not have been more different. Lamar became the good kid surviving in a raging city, while Roddy embodied Los Angeles chaos.
From eight through 10th grade, Roddy went to therapy for what he now calls anger and antisocial behavior.
Then he stopped attending sessions and fell off the tracks.
He talks openly about his first robbery, gun charges and stints in jail.
From there, the only way was up. He started writing and recording, developed his distinctive style and harnessed his creativity.
Roddy admitted the COVID-19 pandemic had slowed down his recording process.
“Maybe I make a little less music, but I feel like for me right now less is more because then when I step in the booth I say some crazy shit,” he explains.
“I could work for two or three days and make 50 songs. And then I’ll step away for like a week. Less is more. Spending more time figuring out how I feel and figuring out different things around me.”
But Roddy had an amazing year, and fans were thrilled when he announced an upcoming collaboration with Travis Scott. Is he stressed? No! He may be flying high, but he’s not feeling pressured.
“I feel like pressure is self-imposed,” he says. “I’m in a good place. Whenever my momma turns on the car, I’m still on the radio.”
Of course there are the twitter and instagram connections, but unlike many young performers, Roddy has a stand-alone website too. … As for slightly different take on young performance, we remind you that not all crushes reign equally.
Penthouse Crush
Our Penthouse Crush on Lily Andrews
This issue, we’re all crushing on gorgeous Lily Andrews. The 31-year-old model, content creator and full-time nursing student from L.A. tells Penthouse when she’s not studying, she loves being taken out on dates.
“Whether it’s a pool hall and beer date or a high-end restaurant vibe, I love dates that allow me to connect with the person I’m with,” she says.
Lily enjoys being active and spending time outside, and says she plans on getting her motorcycle license soon so she can go on weekend road trips.
“I’m still a passenger at the moment,” she admits, “but I do love riding on the back!” Gentleman, start your engines!
Somehow we think Lily does not have a difficult time finding partners for either dating or riding. Call it a hunch. Photography of Lily by Cameron Davis You can call that one a certainty.
A Different Crush Consideration
As we’ve all been fairly consumed with the ongoing Pet of the Year contest and determination, the Penthouse Crush concept started an interesting conversation. As you might imagine discussions of which Pet from the past year should wear the crown can spark some heated debate. (For the record, they do not really get a crown, but they get a fancy key with diamonds and gold, so it’s not like a gift certificate to Dave & Buster’s or anything. The prizes are real, as remains the prestige.)
In the midst of one of these recent “sharing of opinions” this whole Penthouse Crush idea came to mind. It almost seems like while whichever “winner” someone happens to be promoting, their invariable choice for “Runner Up” always has a crush aspect to the defense of the position. Now understand that with 12 different contestants, we will invariably have at least 13 different ideas regarding the top spot. … No kidding. Bob Guiccone would occasionally pick someone from a couple years back to be Pet of the Year, which honestly must have pissed off the actual 12 Pets from that year, it seems for certain. Consequently we always have at least one person who keeps going back year after year to someone who lost before but really, really should not have. (Not this writer, of course, but some other people for sure.)
At any rate, we can tell you for certain that the Pet of the Year winner will actually be much more proud of the achievement in about ten years, and the Runner Up will always be a slightly sad — but exceptionally nice — person. And on that fine history note, we offer some more fun pictures that we just don’t get enough chances to celebrate anymore.
1979 Pet of the Year, Cheryl Rixon
1991 Pet of the Year Runner Up Lola Anders
1980 Pet of the Year Isabella Ardigo
1989 Pet of the Year Runner Up Jenna Persaud
2000 Pet of the Year Juliet Cariaga
1993 Pet of the Year Julie Strain
1993 Pet of the Year Runner Up Mahalia Maria
1988 Pet of the Year Runner Up Krista Pflanzer
The vote closes at midnight on June 10th (2021, if it happens to be much later when you’re reading this), so do pop over and vote. Remember if you have not voted within the last week, you can VOTE AGAIN. Throw a little love at your own Penthouse Crush. And also remember to give our regards to Lily Andrews too. We have excellent taste, you know.
Clout Conquests and Considerations
Clout-Chasing
Thanks to the “gamification” of social media, users are encouraged to do increasingly outlandish things for attention. This might be simple self-validation for posting political or social hot takes, but often invades the real world — hurting others for the sake of “content creation.”
Attention is rewarded with sponsorship agreements, which in turn encourages others to participate, if only for their own claim to fame.
Attention-seeking behavior is a growing addiction promising the untalented a means to attain the impossible: fame.
The boundary for the average Joe to obtain social and cultural relevance was smashed with the onset of reality television in the early 2000s. While most shows were based around a competition, attention-hungry contestants attained fame for more than just their talents at the expense of their dignity. Viewers, influenced by television, tried (and failed) to replicate the style of programming to obtain fame on MySpace. The early social media platform was a groundswell of future talent, like makeup mogul Jeffree Star; it’s no surprise many tried to leverage the popularity of live-action television to launch their own YouTube careers.
With the demise of MySpace, YouTube reigned, and with its rise came clout-chasers performing increasingly bad pranks that were either staged or even deadly. A Minnesota woman shot her boyfriend to death in 2017 after staging a fatal YouTube prank involving a Desert Eagle hand cannon and a telephone book, which did little to block the bullet. As social media evolved, so too did clout-chasing. Instagram, TikTok and the now-defunct Vine have provided ample opportunities for people to create increasingly low-effort productions, pursuing fame.
Success stories like Jake and Logan Paul are exceptions, having first obtained their fame through Vine stunts. For every successful Viner or Instagrammer, there are a million others whose only claim to fame is widespread derision.
Larz, a 20-something described by Dr. Phil as “an irrelevant YouTuber,” obtained infamy after he licked a toilet seat as part of the “coronavirus licking challenge,” and later said he tested positive. He’s not known for much else. Numerous others have been arrested for breaking into grocery store freezers and licking ice cream or opening bottled drinks and spitting in them before placing them back on the shelf.
They’re the one-hit wonders of the social media world, and there’s no shortage of their spawn.
Woke culture has also created opportunities for amoral clout-chasers to obtain relevance. Internet antagonizers have leveraged cancel culture as a means to obtain the currency of victimhood through context-free videos intended to shame others and promote themselves as victims of racially or politically motivated hate speech.
More than simply producing outlandish statements that would make most people wince, some resort to claiming victimhood by harassing strangers into responding badly toward them— recording their reactions and sharing on social media.
In some cases, clout-chasing has backfired.
A young socialite named Annaliese Nielsen berated her Lyft driver over a Hawaiian hula girl dashboard ornament and shared the incident on Twitter. The driver was fired. The incident blew up in her face once conservative vlogger Lauren Southern reposted the video, titling it “SJW Berates Lyft Driver,” which went more viral than the original clip. The Lyft driver was exonerated and got his job back, and Nielsen erased all traces of herself from the Internet.
While most harmless efforts to pursue fame ultimately amount to nothing, it goes without saying that technology not only allows, but encourages otherwise normal people to go out of their way to do bad things by giving in to their worst tendencies.
It’s only going to get worse.
Yeah, can you imagine what might happen if a reality tv star took that abusive, clout as a club, spectacle mindset to Washington, D.C. or something? How awful would that be?