Friday, October 18, 2013

The Rialto Report: Eric Edwards

I was unaware of The Rialto Report until last night, and I fell in love with it at first sight. According to its own info page, it "is a series of podcasts dedicated to expanding the historical record on the adult entertainment industry between the early 1960s and the mid-1980s." I won't tell you I've listened to all of them, but I'm in the middle of my third one and they have all been fascinating. If you have an interest in the people and stories behind this particular subculture and industry, I recommend it highly.

In fact, I'm going to go a bit further than just recommending this podcast. The first interview I tried was the most recent, with Eric Edwards. I'm not sure what exactly I was expecting, but I can definitely say being moved to tears was not on the list. Edwards' story is engrossing, and at times, poignant and sad. Some of his memories of female performers Chris Jordan (his first wife) and Arcadia Lake (called "a life companion") are especially touching. Bet you wouldn't figure on hearing a poetry reading in this kind of interview.

Give it a listen. No matter what your feelings on pornography, you will find it enlightening.

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