XXX Family Values

Wed, 03/14/2007 - 19:35
Submitted by lea

A friend and I were discussing this article where a girl wants to be a porn star...and her parents are supporting her. Here's the link [URL="http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/story?id=2943560&page=1&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312"]http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime[/URL][URL="http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/story?id=2943560&page=1&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312"]/story?id=2943560&page=1&CMP[/URL][URL="http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/story?id=2943560&page=1&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312"]=OTC-RSSFeeds0312[/URL]

Here's some of the article, it's pretty long but links don't last forever:
[INDENT]March 13, 2007 — As a girl, Sunny Lane wanted to be a professional ice skater. Her mother, Shelby, decorated her glittery competition costumes, and her dad, Mike, cheered for his only child from the sidelines. Years later, they're still at it — only now they're helping their daughter chase her dreams of becoming a porn star.

"I like to be in front of the camera," Sunny said. "I like to show my talent. I have many, many talents in a lot of different areas, and I want to show them."

But it's more than just showing off the physical assets and the innocent pouts that have earned her the nickname the "Shirley Temple of Porn," because she looks much younger than she is. Sunny will only say that she's in her 20s.

"It would totally mess the fantasy up for my fans," she said about her reluctance to reveal her age. "I look very young, which I'm very grateful [for]." Sunny sees more than the opportunity to show off her talents; she also sees dollar signs in an industry that made almost $13 billion last year, and she demands hands-on control of her career.

"I'm a businesswoman," she said. "I have an empire, and I have a massive team backing me."

Lawyers, a publicist and image consultants are on call for Sunny, but the foundation for her team is still in the Lane apartment, where Sunny lives with her parents.

Sunny Lane is her stage name, and her parents also go by the same last name. For the last year and a half, life in the apartment has revolved around the business of selling Sunny, whom they market as "The Girl Next Door Turned Hard Core." On a recent afternoon, Shelby answered the phone while Mike sat nearby in the living room. Upstairs, Sunny packed a suitcase for an evening full of appearances and outfit changes. Shelby helped, filling small plastic bags with costumes, makeup and music.

Once Sunny has worn an outfit, Shelby puts it — unwashed, of course — back in a small plastic bags to one day auction off on their Web site. Sunny's underwear can bring in a lot of cash.

"They'll pay $50 to $100 for panties," her mother said.

'Dreams Do Come True'

"We're not kinky parents," Mike said. Married for 29 years, he and Shelby say that their own secret to staying monogamous was watching porn movies. For them, Sunny's co-stars are her "dates," and they say they'd rather her have sex on a porn set than with a "civilian" who might eventually break her heart.

"She does her thing, safely, in a good environment, and I don't worry about that. When she comes back home, I just ask her how her date was," Mike said.

Mike and Shelby are proud of Sunny's success. Mike said that when he first saw Sunny on the Playboy channel, his reaction was, "Well, dreams do come true, I guess."

"To me, it's all entertainment. I see it all as entertainment," said Shelby.

Mike and Shelby say they fast-forward through the sex scenes in their daughter's movies, despite having made a cameo appearance in one of her early films. If she has a good scene, Mike relies on her fans to let him know whether it was good or bad.

"And if it's good, that means the movie's going to be good, her scene's going to be good, and everybody's going to make a lot of money hopefully," he said. To keep making all that money, Sunny promotes herself relentlessly — giggling, bouncing and blowing kisses at red carpet events and private parties.

"I'm a product," she said, "And I know that, and I'm a dang good product."

Promoting the Product

At the adult video convention in Las Vegas in January, Sunny was there to market herself, and her parents were right there beside her. But Shelby and Mike seem to have taken their support to a whole new level. While at the conference, they looked into getting life-size, anatomically correct sex dolls molded of their daughter.

"I do want to have a doll that looks exactly like me," said Sunny. "[My parents] support anything that I have to do with my business, and it's my decision. And if I want a doll, I want a doll."

But what does the industry think of her parents? Mike says he and Shelby are involved in Sunny's career to look after those people who want to use her. He sees himself as the porn equivalent of Jessica and Ashlee Simpson's father, Joe.

"Some of the industry has accepted us very, very well, and some of the industry don't understand any of it," Mike said.

But Sunny is adamant that her parents are only there for support.

"They do not make money off of me. If anything, I pay them. I pay them in return for everything that they have loved and supported me after all these years."
[/INDENT]Now my friend was like "That's sick! Where are their morals!" I argued that nowadays, sex is much more tolerated, and really, porn is like any other business. It's not like what she's doing is illegal...I don't have children but if I weren't religious, I'm not so sure I'd be soooo opposed to this....What do you guys think?

Wed, 03/14/2007 - 23:48

I saw a piece about this young woman on E. She looks like she's not legal and dolls it up with lollipops, rainbow knee socks, and pig tails.

I think this falls under the "pornification" of America. And maybe even the celebritization of America. Everyone wants to be in front of a camera...and parents push them there even if they'll be sucking cock.

The comment about how they'd rather have their daughter have sex in a safe environment and make $ instead of just giving it away on a date is so twisted. It's always about a woman being dominated. It's never about a woman sharing herself for her own pleasure. Our culture always has to reduce sex to a transaction when it comes to the woman.

Are these parents simply accepting the way we esteem female sexuality? It's all a continuum and when you make sex about "getting stuff" whether it's keeping your man or getting dinner or a marriage proposal this is how it devolves quickly.

Thu, 03/15/2007 - 00:54

Hey, my mom puts condoms in my and my brother's christmas stockings, and took my gf out lingerie shopping. (Even bought a couple things for her that she had been admiring.) She even asks our gfs if they're on the pill, and if not, why not.
Parents supporting their daughter in her porn career isn't that much of a stretch to me. The way I see it, she's doing what she wants, and will do what she wants no matter what. They understand that and support her, rather than distancing themselves from her as many parents would.
I think her parents are remarkably forward thinking when it comes to sex, even if the reasons they gave sound remarkably like rationalizations to me.

And CB, considering the nature of her day job, is it unreasonable for them to see sex as a transaction? :P

Thu, 03/15/2007 - 10:43

I don't have a problem with most of it, because I see that she has no illusions that she is a product in an industry, and she controls her empire. I think she's taking advantage of the animalistic nature of people and what pornography does for us, and cashing in. Her parents are simply supporting her career choice.

The only bizarre part is the bit about her parents looking at her partners as "dates" and being afraid that some regular guy is going to break her heart. They seem to have more trouble separating the work from the life aspect than she does. Unfortunately, even though many of us can separate sex and love (and men often better than women), a woman who has sex for a career often takes herself off the market for love. It would seem more realistic if her parents also just treated the business as a business and still hoped that her personal life might lead her to love with someone who didn't have a problem with what she did for a living.

Thu, 03/15/2007 - 15:26

kayten;9108 wrote:
The only bizarre part is the bit about her parents looking at her partners as "dates" and being afraid that some regular guy is going to break her heart.

As I said, some of their 'reasons' sound more like rationalizations to me. This is the kind of stuff they tell themselves to make it easier to accept.

Fri, 03/16/2007 - 14:07

I agree with CL. Personally, the sex appeal, glamour, and economical aspects of porn (which is a fascade) appeals to many Americans (or civilians); but, if Sunny were to stop porn and get a real job, it may be difficult because of her background - let's be honest. So, I think America has its own moral junk to sort out before any of us can say porn is acceptable. As I said, the money is what most people are intrigued by, which is why it doesn't surprise me that her parents are cashing in. I still haven't told my mom I've done movies because I would lose her. So, from my perspective, I think it's great that Sunny has her parents backing her, whether for the cash or for the support or both. Plus, Sunny isn't making the bulk of her money from movies, since that doesn't pay well anyway. It's coming from doing appearances, press releases, all of the things that are somewhat vanilla and easier for her parents to prepare her for than the actual scenes. Sunny isn't going to save the world or revolutionize the porn industry from what I can see; but, hey, she has what most performers don't have: Parents that are motivational, supportive, and caring enough to stick by her, even if it's because she's a popular commodity in the "entertainment" industry.

Fri, 03/16/2007 - 15:41

I admire that they support her 100%, but if I were her parents I'd also make sure she was educated in a field that will pay her well after her youth is gone and porn is no longer her career. I don't know the figures, what is the average porn star's career?

Sat, 03/17/2007 - 03:26

It can last long depending upon how much press she gets. Look at Jenna and Ron Jeremy. Jenna has been in the porn business since the early 90s. But it wasn't until maybe 5-10 years into the game that she became recognized. But, she got amazing press. I first saw her on VH-1 doing commentary for some show. It wasn't until after that did I find out that she was a porn star. If Sunny Lane has a personality and a strong PR team, she could last long off the publicity. Otherwise, it's a matter of time and looks and the endurance one has to remain the industry until they find something else.

Sat, 03/17/2007 - 20:21

Ridiculous! Just totally ridiculous...

Exploit the daughter...for money...only money ..who cares if she is fucked up later...400 movies later....money money money...
Where is the guidance, love and concern for their daughter?
I guess these "parents" are concerned about her mental status and physical health too..NOT!
She will never be in a healthy relationship nor will that stigma of porn star every leave her... Scarred for life...
What happens when she "used" up...Next girl..... Next The porn biz want new fresh faces and asses for business..

Thousands of girls on the "actress" porn list...

We "fast forward on her parts" in the film.... come on...thats just weird.... Is dad jerking off to his daughters film too?

What happens if she gets pregnant, HIV, or any other STD, she is fucked by any porn "stud" out there...
Geez mom I can't work anymore... Who cares... Your "career" is over...
Work at the local burger joint....Oh wait, no good references for employment....

Edja-ka-tion.... I can't spez gud....

Skills/Capabilities:

Sucks cock, eats cum.
Likes it in a group and in the ass...
Able to handle multiple tasks at the same time until everyone is happy....

Your hired...

I am a hypocrite , I like porn , I watch it ...I have my fantasies.
Maybe I should stop feeding my male visual diet...
I love women in control of their lives, career , fantasies not some "teen girl" getting exploited by so called parents...or dirt bag film producers..

If an amateur (old enough) who understands what is going on wants to get her fantasy on...Yea I am for it completely!

I watched a program on these girls getting into the "business" as it's known..
The producers/ promoters are dirt bags.. Use girls and tell them if you don't get fucked in the ass by 10 guys today your going to lose out on future contracts... They have a choice hit the streets with a drug habit or get into some real sick porn with real sickos abusing you every which way... Yea sounds great....Next film we produce will have a six guy jail rape seen....Ok .....

Sex is a wonderful thing not to be ashamed of so why are we sooooo into making it either totally nasty or totally wrong? What the hell is the problem in this country??

Why is it in countries where it's openly discussed with explicit comprehensive education they don't have all these issues? hmmmmm

Just my rant.... Now I need to fast forward .......
Thanks

Sun, 03/18/2007 - 21:55

She is over 21, not some teen.
From what I read, it was her decision, not her parents.
Every porn star is someones daughter, and this one just so happens to have her parents support and love. I admire that part, the part about them watching is a bit creepy, though.

Yes, sex is a wonderful thing and the reason we make it so nasty is because of the attitudes of many people who make it dirty.

The porn industry is just like any other, there are good production companies and there are bad. There are producers and then there are pimps. It didn't sound like she was working with the "pimp porn" to me.

Again...read the article, she is over 21 not some teen.