[The Law]
Word To The Wise
Navigating First Amendment Issues
by Reviewer Rob
One of the Reviewer TV doc videos being converted for html5 right now is an Adult Entertainment Expo 2016 in Las Vegas panel discussion from Wednesday, January 20, about porn and the law called “Case Studies: Keeping Tabs on Changing Laws and Regulations” that included famous New York and California criminal defense and appellate attorney specializing in First Amendment issues Paul Cambria, who has argued cases before the United States Supreme Court.
“Over 40 years, Cambria has built a successful career as a criminal defense attorney but is mostly known as a leading First Amendment lawyer with a roster of celebrity clients that includes the musician Marilyn Manson, the rapper DMX and (Larry) Flynt, the pornography pioneer. Along the way, he has mastered the ability to ignore public opinion while championing high-profile clients in career-threatening situations.” — From chicagotribune.com here.
In the early years of the Clinton administration, when porn on the web was beginning to take off in popularity, obscenity prosecutions were deemed less important than during the previous two administrations. Then came the election of George W. Bush who vowed to clean up internet porn, probably as a way to pay back his campaign supporters in the religious right. Cambria compiled a list of “Dont’s” that webmasters should avoid in order to err on the side of caution and avoid being charged with obscenity. At the AEE 2016 panel discussion he said these were not things he would deem obscene because he would not make such a personal judgement.
As an editor I’ll say the activities on the list, engaged in privately between consenting adults, are not illegal and so shouldn’t be an issue in adult entertainment. But nevertheless this list exists and it was eventually leaked to the press in 2001 and published. This was fifteen years ago, things have changed so hopefully it’s antiquated, an historical anachronism. But things can change again. Here it is:
The Cambria List
Box-Cover Guidelines/Movie Production Guidelines
Before selecting a chrome please check facial expression. Do not use any shots that depict any unhappiness or pain.
Do not include any of the following:
No shots with appearance of pain or degradation
No facials (bodyshots are OK if shot is not nasty)
No bukakke
No spitting or saliva mouth to mouth
No food used as sex object
No peeing unless in a natural setting, e.g., field, roadside
No coffins
No blindfolds
No wax dripping
No two dicks in/near one mouth
No shot of stretching pussy
No fisting
No squirting
No bondage-type toys or gear unless very light
No girls sharing same dildo (in mouth or pussy)
Toys are OK if shot is not nasty
No hands from 2 different people fingering same girl
No male/male penetration
No transsexuals
No bi-sex
No degrading dialogue, e.g., “Suck this cock, bitch” while slapping her face with a penis
No menstruation topics
No incest topics
No forced sex, rape themes, etc.
No black men-white women themes
(Cambria List as found on www.everything2.com/title/Cambria+List.)
