LFP TO PURCHASE VCA? :: Simply Jimmy D :: Breakin' News or Breakin' Balls: It's all the same to me!

jimmyd _writes "To quote Gene Ross, "I hear things." And lately I've been hearing things about LFP. If you're not up on common porn acronyms, LFP is Larry Flynt Publications, a.k.a. Hustler, a.k.a. Hustler Video, and a.k.a. a whole lot more. What am I hearing? I'm hearing LFP is in serious negotiations to purchase VCA.

VCA is another acronym for another porn mega-company, albeit not as 'mega' as LFP, but 'mega' in its own right. If you're wondering, VCA stands for Video Corporation of America--managed by, and to my knowledge, owned by Russell Hampshire. (Luke Ford--the guy, not the website-- thinks Mr. Hampshire is a front guy. I don't exactly agree. But then, I'm not obsessed with Mafia connections to the jiz biz like Luke Ford often seems to be.)

Last year, Hustler purchased Vivid. Well, not exactly all of Vivid, but enough of it to make it the purveyor of Vivid products. I also hear LFP is finalizing a deal to buy the Gucciones out of Penthouse. But that's another matter outside the realm of what I'm writing about today.

I remember when my production & post-production company, Blue Light Pictures, posted Hustler Video's first installments of their "Barely Legal" series. I think we cut the first two or three BL's. I remember long-time Hustler photographer and BL director Clive MacLean, along with Hustler big-shot James Bayes, sitting in my editing room telling me how Larry wasn't too keen to get into the video business, and how they (and others) sold the idea to the 'old man.' I guess sometimes it's good business to listen to one's underlings.

Although Hustler Video is a relative Johnny-come-lately to the vid-biz, it is a bonafide success. And that's due in no small part to their hit series "Barely Legal," which my company, Blue Light, provided their intial post-production (not that I'm claiming even an inkling of bragging-rights for BL's nearly instant success)

And now I'm hearing LFP might purchase VCA, another company I've done a bit of work for ("The Sopornos" series, "Succubus," and maybe another 20 or so flicks that are barely mentionable, much less memorable.) And although an LFP takeover of VCA doesn't mean squat to me, I can't help but wonder what happens to a whole lot of people who are part of the VCA porn-factory if such a take-over takes place. Mostly I'm wondering about the creative staff. VCA has it's fair share of well-known directors on staff--Jane Hamilton, Antonio Passolini, Jim Holliday, and Wit Maverick. There's also a whole pack of independents who regularly provide product for VCA (myself having once been one of them--but that was during what I now call my "Second Age of Porn" which will all be detailed in my tell-all book someday.) And now I'm sitting here scratching my head and trying to figure out how all these people might figure-in to Hustler Video's staff of well-known directors including Clive, and those ex-Private guys, and I guess others.

Having personal experience with both companies, I can absolutely guarantee there will be a major culture clash if and when this merging takes place. I'm guessing the clash results in a bunch of creative people who had a nice, secure, gig for a long time suddenly having to scratch and scrape for work in a business with a dwindling amount of work for independents. If I were them, I'd start scratching and scraping now, before the corporate wrecking ball strikes.

It's been my observance that LFP is run like a typical, American corporation, even though it's privately owned and the ultimate decision-making rests with the owner. (Believe it or not, I spent 12 years of my life working for a Fortune 200 company, so I know a bit of what I speak.)

In stark contrast, VCA is run like a large family business with a sometimes benevolent, sometimes iron-fisted, patriarch at the head of the table.

LFP has CEO's, CFO's, COO's, VP's, department-heads, basically all the bits and pieces found in a typical corporate bureaucracy.

VCA has Russ.

Most things get done at LFP by going through typical corporate channels, not Larry Flynt himself. I can personally attest to that. Very little (of any consequence) gets done at VCA without going through Russ. I can attest to that as well. At least, that's how it was in my dealings with these two companies. I'm not saying one's better than the other, I'm just telling you how things are.

I know Russ Hampshire has been interested in selling VCA for a few years now. I've heard him say so himself. I also know Russ has an intense loyalty to those who have been loyal to him, and I'm sure that weighs heavily on him whenever he contemplates selling the company. And since I personally don't see much room for too many of VCA's staff joining the LFP/Hustler staff, I'm guessing this might be a source of greast personal concern for Russell.

But business is business. And if Russ wants out, and LFP wants in, my guess is that what makes good business sense to the principals will outweigh personal feelings.

Of course, my sources could be all wrong about this. And I could be all wrong about this as well. I guess only time will tell.

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