Hogg

Shocking exposè: All Boys

Sadly, it comes down to this: In human relationships, you're either a pimp or a ho—sometimes figuratively, sometimes literally. 

Brent Hartinger of After Elton recently posted a review of the new documentary, All Boys, which casts light on the shady, unethical dealings of the gay porn industry in Prague.  Hartinger discusses some of the disturbing instances of abuse and exploitation that the film reveals—revelations that would force any porn consumer of conscience to re-evaluate their viewing habits.  Though I imagine that, for some, knowledge of this impossible suffering would only serve to intensify the titillation.

Hartinger:

We all know these movies are a fantasy, but I was surprised just how much of a complete lie it really is.

The men, almost all of whom are straight and using Viagra or penile injections, are clearly taken advantage of: forced to sign draconian contracts and required to perform without condoms (the producer of the country's first bareback film almost boasts about it on film — although all the other companies in the city quickly followed suit).

And no matter how popular or successful they are, the young men are quickly chewed up and spit out — no longer needed in an industry that constantly requires fresh faces, and always has another flock of desperate 18-20 year-olds anyway.

The alumni? Many, intoxicated by making relatively good money for such quick work, turn to drugs and prostitution, only to be washed up, tragic figures before they hit their mid-twenties (many also probably end up HIV-positive, although the movie doesn't go into this).

All Boys is sometimes a little muddled (especially the opening), and it meanders somewhat. But it asks a provocative question: just how much of a blind eye is the gay male community willing to turn in order to get off?
Someone should do a documentary of this sort on Phil Bleicher of Flavaworks and the African American/Blatino/Latino gay porn industry to see what depravity might be uncovered.

Read Hartinger's article in its entirety at After Elton.