Well, it’s a done deal. AVN reports that the LFP/Borg assimilation of VCA is complete. AVN’s Tim Connelly reports: “In what's being called the worst kept secret in the porn industry this year, VCA Pictures has been sold to Larry Flynt Publications' adult video arm, Hustler Video, in a move that will strongly position Hustler and Flynt as the premiere company in the adult entertainment industry.”

In December of last year I reported: "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."

And then back on New Year’s Day of this year I made some prognostications. One of which was the following: “The LFP/Borg empire will continue to assimilate. Resistance is futile. They will continue absorbing companies into the collective. VCA might be the first assimilated into the hive in 2003, but not the last.”

I hate being so fucking right because, you know, I'm so humble. I guess only time will tell if VCA is the last to be assimilated this year.

Tim’s article was most informative. I was particularly amused by Russ’s comment: “We had a meeting today where we had Don (Don McDonald, VCA’s new General Manager) come in and meet all the department heads and we had the official exchange of the baseball bat. It was the ceremonial handing off of the bat from me to Don," Hampshire said, a tad wistfully.

Personally, I’ve never known Russ to be a wistful kind of guy--not even a tad wistful--but I guess I don’t know that side of the man--you know, the warm, sensitive side. Russ’s “baseball bat” analogy speaks volumes about his management style and, I suppose, the people who have influenced that style. (Or is that a metaphor? I'm always getting my analogies and my metaphors fucked up with each other--and don't even think about bringing similes into this, you'll totally confuse me!)

The LFP/Borg certainly has come a long way in a relatively short time. I remember (maybe even a tad wistfully) when they began their wildly successful “Barely Legal” line. My company, Blue Light, did the editing on the first two or three volumes.

Good luck to everyone! I wish LFP, Russ, all of VCA’s department heads, and all of VCA’s other employees a successful journey in the LFP/Borg's cube. It’s all one big, happy hive now and I’m sure I can speak for the entire industry when I say that we all expect to see interesting, industry-shaking things come of it. Hopefully, things that benefit us all.

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