ZzzzZivity: Empowering, Real, Boring Porn
I am not a big consumer of porn, but I have always been interested in the aesthetics and politics of the business. Especially the in-between stuff that tries to be art or politics as well as smut. I used to like New York Girls, then got all uppity about Richard Kern. Suicide Girls turned me on at first, socially, not sexually. But really, that was just American Apparel with more tattoos. I do still adore Betty Page.
Anyway, I was curious when I saw the Village Voice slide show on Zivity, a newish social networking site promising “tasteful nudity” and “female beauty.” But you know what, from the non-naked teaser in the Voice (my application for an invitation to the site has not yet been approved), this smut does not sizzle. The girls look like models in an alt-weekly gift guide spread. All hipness with no sexy. Vintage dresses, and bustiers, record players and umbrellas. But no allure. This one looks like a toothpaste ad. (Skis, goggles and a leafy chain link fence?)
You’d think from the marketing that Zivity was made by women. But almost all the names on the about page belong to men.




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August 5th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
I thought the slide exhibition pitifully trite, at best. The photographer lacks talent at no glance. And the ladies are nothing out the common way. “Bella Sioux“, “Biba“ …
I’m not intrigued.
August 5th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
I thought Biba attractive, actually. C‘mon Ernest, admit she’s an angel.
August 5th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Biba? Attractive? There’s some phony trendiness, perhaps, but no attraction.
I’m surprised at you, Bob.
August 20th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Ernest, I shall never understand how you go through the world determined to be displeased with anything and everything in it.
August 20th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
And I shall never understand your rush to approve of everyone and everything, Bob. The show is all fake hipness without true beauty. No sizzle, pure and simple.
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:50 am
How about Bella then? Now there is a beauty. Is not her hipness rather hypnotizing?
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Not she. Her hips don’t hypnotize.