Nina & Sharon Explain It All

So, you want to be a porno star? Well, if you check your career library's holdings, my guess is that instructional books, videos, or audiotapes are few and far between on how to enter what stars/hosts Nina Hartley and Sharon Mitchell here call "the biz." Produced by the Free Speech Coalition, this free (that's right, no charge) informational program is a no-frills talking-head guide (though the talk is frank and peppered with such colorful locutions as "slutwear"--being those clothes which you and your accountant can legally deduct as a valid business expense). Hartley and Mitchell answer most of the questions that inquiring minds want to ask (no, you don't have to perform acts such as anal sex if you don't want to; $350 is the going price for a sex scene--don't accept lower; yes, relationships are very tricky) while touching on a number of issues that most people wouldn't consider. For instance, the women point out that it's very hard to maintain custody of a child if an estranged husband or other family member takes you to court. Viewers will get an insider's view of the pros (good bucks, good sex, good friends) and cons (bit of a social stigma, some fans at conventions can be a little weird, and "sometimes work sucks"--especially when you have to perform for long periods in high heels) of a career in porno films. Of course, the biggest concern is AIDS and other STD's and here Hartley and Mitchell are quite serious about the issue: while many professionals take strong precautions, this is obviously a high-risk occupation. While the language was very graphic, I was impressed with Hartley's and Mitchell's straightforward, down-to-earth approach; they both struck me as serious about their subject, and laugh out loud funny on several occasions. Definitely recommended. Aud: C, P. (R. Pitman)