Porn penetrates box office once again

Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction and Bono’s f-word barrage at the Grammy’s have caused outcries by groups and organizations seemingly hell-bent on cleaning up Hollywood, television, video and print publication of its indecency. The effect has not only been felt in Hollywood and Capitol Hill, but across the nation as well.That’s what makes the atmosphere during the UR Cinema Group’s annual spring porn showing – this year, “Texas Dildo Masquerade” – so unique. There were no protesters in or around Hubbell Auditorium, the venue of the show, nor did URCG receive a large amount of negative feedback this year.URCG has been showing an on-campus porn nearly every year for the past two decades. Showings like “Cherry Pie” or “Thighs Wide Open” have been selected in past years. This annual tradition is one of the main reasons URCG continues to put the spring porn on its calendar of movies, according to Koda. The overwhelming student support for the spring showing is also built largely on this tradition.”I came because this is a huge tradition, I’ve been here for five years and hadn’t made it here yet so I had too,” one UR graduate student, who wished to keep his name undisclosed, said. Sophomore Allison Levin gave a similar response after viewing the annual porn. “As a UR student, there are some activities you should come to, like D-Day and [watching the spring porn] is one of those things you should experience,” Levin said.Another reason URCG continues the annual showing is that the spring porn is one of the biggest showings of the year for the group. Last years showing of “Cherry Pie” was seen by an estimated 600 to 800 UR students.’This is why we use Hubbell [instead of Hoyt Auditorium, where most URCG movies are shown], the spring porn is easily one of the most well attended movie of the year,” Koda said of student involvement in the show. “Bend It Like Beckman” sold approximately 100 more tickets than this year’s porn, according to Koda. Students saw no reason for banning such movies from being shown on campus, despite the depictions these movies portray.”This movie was so out there,” sophomore Pooja Rawal said. “But no one is forcing you to watch.” Rawal added that URCG’s decision to skip certain scenes was a good choice. Including in these scenes were images portraying rape and other physically violent sexual acts, according to Koda.Grant Tremblay offered another sophomore voice on the subject – “the movie was tremendously unsexy, but nobody forces you to go it.” To many the movie was actually tame when compared to the type of pornography students have at their disposal free from the Internet. Some students, however, did not feel the need to attend the traditional event. “It’s degrading to society in general to watch people having sex,” sophomore Josh Yatskowitz explained, “I don’t get any enjoyment out of it – that’s why I’m not there.” Despite his feelings against going to the showing, Yatskowitz saw no problem with the showing and advised others who share his thoughts to simply not attend. Student sentiment against the showing for any reason was not very forthcoming at Hubbell. In the past, administrators and outside organizations have contributed this lack of opposition to a more mature type of peer pressure that makes opposers feel they may be taking the idea too seriously.”I understand why it is very difficult for people to speak out against this, especially on a campus,” officer of the Rochester chapter of the National Organization of Women and anti-porn advocate Barbara Moore said, in an interview with the City Newspaper last year.”When it’s young people, they often don’t want to be any different than their peers. It’s very difficult for people to speak out, because you’re instantly labeled as a prude, or ‘Oh, you’re one of those ugly feminists who couldn’t get a man if you wanted to,'” Moore added. With little sentiment against pornography on campus, from either on or off campus sources, Koda sees no reason to stop the showings, which students, like Levin, view as a must see for everyone, at least once.”I probably will not be here next year, but I am glad I made it once, I think every student should,” Levin added. “The basic thing is we show violence, drugs, alcohol and other forms of sex on screen, but no one comments on that,” Koda said. “’21 Grams’ and ‘Kill Bill: Volume 1’ were two movies where such images were included. Part of our mission statement is to bring entertainment on campus through movies and this fulfills our mission to the community – I see no reason to discontinue the showing,” Koda added.Without more action taken by the administration, more outcries from outside sources or a reversal in public sentiment, URCG’s spring porn showing will remain a staple in annual campus activities.Allard can be reached atdallard@campustimes.org.