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TV Classics Get Porn Treatment
30-Jun-2009
Written by: John Winn
Parodies of “Star Trek,” “I Love Lucy” trotted out by Hustler Media.
The global economic crisis and the rise of the Internet may have impacted the San Fernando Valley, but that hasn't prevented the Porn Capital of the World from taking shots at sacred cows--especially if their name happens to be Kirk, Spock, Lucy, or Desi.
According to Daily Variety's Brian Lowry, Hustler Video Group--the video arm of Larry Flynt's multi-billion dollar porn operation--has quietly released a series of parodies based on popular shows such as "Three's Company."
Sold under the "This Ain't..." brand--as in, "This Ain't the Brady Bunch" or "This Ain't the Flintstones"--the titles are widely seen as an attempt to cash in on nostalgia for a simpler, if less smutty period, as well as fan-based fiction already circling in the Internet, especially slash fan fiction, for which "Trekkies" has become well known.
But this isn't your dad's "Star Trek." In one scene, according to Lowry, the actors playing Kirk, Spock, and Uhura engage in a little bisexual recess from the tedium of life on the bridge.
In addition, Hustler Media Group is hoping to branch out, incorporating parodies of popular reality shows such as "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and "Hell's Kitchen."
Yet, in an age when porn can be easily accessed with a click of a mouse instead of a discreet visit to the video store, and reality shows like "Keeping Up" and "A Shot of Love" at least hint at the promise of sex, it is unknown how exactly Hustler intends to hold on to its core audience of young and middle-aged men.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the porn spin-off genre, "This Ain't Star Trek" and "This Ain't Three's Company" have been selling like Trojans online, at least according to Hustler Video Group director of operations Jeff Thill.
"It's actually kind of revitalized the DVD market in the adult world," Thill said.
So popular, in fact, that a sex-free edition of the films has been released, according to Lowry.
With the success of the "This Ain't..." Series, Thill hopes to tap into an unmet market of fans and aficionados of popular shows, many of whom have kept the faith online.
"This could open up Porn DVDs to an audience that wouldn't normally buy them," he said.
To that end, the producers of "This Ain't Star Trek" attempted to contact the actual Kirk--actor William Shatner--for an endorsement, but he politely declined.
Even without Shatner's blessing, the popular spin-off genre--several years in the making--is still going strong, even if the dialogue is still heavily scripted.
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