Page 45 - Payout Magazine Online Vol. 10.03 - XBiz LA Photos! Bruce Friedman Innerview! Articles & More!

MEMO TO LEGISLATURES:

THIS IS WHAT A

“PUBLIC

HEALTH CRISIS”

LOOKS LIKE

By : Ben Suroeste Curious that, eh? presentation of any depictions or displays, of
a prurient sexual nature.”
t’s been just under four years since Utah Maybe Herbert didn’t want people to talk
IGovernor put pen to paper to sign a or think about that resolution he signed back That’s disappointing of course, but hardly
nonbinding resolution declaring pornography in 2016. Maybe he didn’t want people asking surprising. Given all the shit pols in both our
to be (among other things) a “public health the question “Is it accurate, appropriate, or nation’s dominant political parties have talked
crisis.” even remotely sane to call pornography a about pornography, the porn industry and
ëpublic health crisis’ when you compare it anything else adult entertainment related,
The resolution also used the E word to things like a virus which may well kill a not one of them wants to be answering
“epidemic” to underline just how detrimental quarter-million Americans in the weeks and questions like “Why are Hustler and Rick’s
they believe pornography is to people’s months ahead?” Cabaret eligible for government bailouts and
health. loans, Senator?” They’re catching enough
Personally, I’d like to know if the hundreds shit over including funding for the Kennedy
As I write this post, Utah’s own reports of state legislators who have voted for similar Center, for fuck’s sake.
indicate that the state has 1012 COVID-19 resolutions in states around the country still
cases and seven deaths attributed to the stand by their designation of pornography as So no, I don’t expect help to come to the
virus. Across the country, we’re up to 217,661 a public health crisis or “threat” or whatever porn industry from the government. I have a
total reported cases and over 5100 deaths. else they’ve termed it to be. much more modest request, just a tidbit of
information about what’s to come, further
down the road.
So, I’m just going to cut to the chase and Do they have the intestinal fortitude
be the asshole who says it out loud: Governor to stand at a podium right now, in front of What I want to know is when the dust
Gary Herbert, motherfucker, this is what a phalanx of news cameras and talk about the settles, when the sheltering in place is
public health crisis looks like. urgency of banding together to combat the over and we’re getting back to something
public health detriments of dirty movies? Are resembling ënormal’ around this country,
But no worries, residents of Utah! Your they willing to officially rank porn as a public are state legislatures going to resume their
Governor is taking BOLD ACTION by health crisis on a scale of, say, Snickers bar hyperbolic screeching about porn being an
allowing a new bill requiring porn producers to COVID-19? urgent public health crisis, or will they be
and distributors to put warning labels on their at least a little chastened by having gone
content to become law, without his signature We already know the government will be through a real one?
being affixed to it. offering zero help to adult entertainment
businesses in their COVID-19 bailouts Sadly, I suspect we already know the
“Gov. Gary Herbert let the bill pass on and small business loans; that much was answer to that question.
Wednesday without his signature,” reports made very clear in the U.S. Small Business
KUTV.com. “He did not state a reason why.” Administration’s COVID-19 Economic Injury Reprinted with permission from YNOT
Disaster Loan Application, which requires
It’s not like other bills went unsigned by applicants to state the company “does not
the Governor, either. Herbert apparently present live performances of a prurient
scratched his John Hancock on 10 other bills sexual nature or derive directly or indirectly
on Wednesday, just not the porn warning more than de minimis gross revenue through
label bill. the sale of products or services, or the

PAYOUTMAGAZINE 45