Of course it should go without saying that all of us here at shortandsweetnyc (and L.A.) wish all victims of Hurricane Sandy a speedy recovery of health and home. Personally, I write this column out of the warmth of my happy abode north of the true Sandy N.J. devastation but not far enough away that my power was not out for near a week.
We really do wish all the best to everyone post this terrible natural display of force. Yes, THE SEX FILES is important (in its small way) and I’ll get to it all below, but I wanted to get to what’s most important first and foremost this week, the well being of the friends, family and even those we do not know.
Ok, that said…
I thought it might be fun this week to cover some stories where the wacky world of porn and sex bleed into our everyday lives. Sure, you download enough of the stuff daily, sneak peeks when you can to those Real Sex HBO specials, but every day the sex biz tickles the staid confines of suburbia or the hustle and bustle of the urban sprawl sees something naughty and quite often those brushes go unnoticed to the world at large. That’s what I, your intrepid reporter, is out on the front lines searching to bring you.
Here’s some tidbits:
1.)  Jessie Andrews, the first adult performer in XBIZ awards history to land both a “New Starlet of the Year” and “Acting Performance of the Year” honors in the same year has a cameo in Miley Cyrus’ new video “Decisions†(due out…now). Cyrus is in the video too, wearing leather short shorts and jumping out of a cake and though she and Andrews did not have any real screen time together you can be assured there is quite the buzz when an X-Disney star and current porn star work together (though to be fair Andrews claims she made a last minute appearance in the video seeing as she was simply on set at the time of the shoot). In an interesting twist because of the video, pin site Sex.com is hinting they’ll pay up to a million to get Andrews and Cyrus together to ‘remake’ the video with some nude girl-on-girl kissing between the two women. “Considering they are both sexy and youthful in their appearance, we think this could be the most downloaded video of all time,†Sex.com’s communications director Martin Ellison said.
2.)  In more celluloid-like news, Sasha Grey once again steps into the mainstream, something she has done arguably better than any porn star (ex or working) before her. The fetching ex-“Entourage” guest star has been cast by Spanish filmmaker Nacho Vigalondo in his new movie Open Windows. The movie also stars Frodo himself Elijah Wood. An interesting spin on the recent spate of ‘found footage’ films, Windows will be shot in real time utilizing footage from webcams, tablets, mobile phones, satellite and security cameras which will be shown as if one is watching through a laptop window.
3.) And in Hurricane Sandy news; this weekend, the Exxxotica convention held at the New Jersey Expo Center in Raritan, N.J. (don’t worry you’ll get a full report from me next week) is seeking help for those affected from the storm. A food supply drive is being held where attendees are being asked to bring at least one non-perishable food item when they come to the convention and there will be a drop-off location on the pink carpeted show floor for donations. And our friends at Fleshlight will also be chipping in by donating $5 of all their orders at or exceeding $50 to a relief fund. As Fleshlight COO Brian Shubin says: “…Fleshlight is doing its part as a corporate citizen to assist with relief efforts.”
4.) This one involves the concept of ‘amateur porn’ if you will allow me the stretch. In the Overland Park arboretum in Kansas, Chinese artist Yu Chang has erected a statue of a headless woman in open shirt exposing her breasts, snapping a picture of herself from a camera she holds outstretched in her hand. The headless statue titled “Accept or Reject†is supposedly commenting on the ‘incomplete identity expressed in one’s digital self’ according to Chang but concerned parents in the area claim this statue, placed in full public view,  is promotes “sexting,†our very best, last bastion of self amateur porn expression. Still lots of families do walk through the area.
Until next week kids, stay safe.
