By Dave Cummings

YNOT – For many years, my monthly column has been titled “From the Trenches.” Now, because of the devastation resulting from rampant piracy and the impact of the weak economy, I’m having difficulty finding the trenches so I can write about them. Where did the trenches go? What trenches?

I understand many actresses and actors (called “talent”) also are searching for the trenches, which, like foxholes, usually represent a haven in the midst of a hazardous situation. In their situation, the trenches are porn shoots, the numbers of which appear to be tanking. Why should the remaining studios incur the expense of making new porn when the piracy/uploading/downloading thieves make it extremely difficult to even cover the shooting expenses? Downloaders who steal copyrighted adult industry materials right off the internet, instead of paying for their porn on DVD or video-on demand, are pounding more nails into the adult industry’s coffin. Isn’t stealing still a crime? What trenches?

Surviving thievery isn’t easy. Downsizing decreases office and warehouse size and number of employees, as well as the number of trenches. Budget cuts reduce the number and content of shoots. Some porn productions no longer have the number of scenes they previously contained or the number of participants. Crew sizes, and in some cases the quality, quantity and experience of the crews, sometimes has been downgraded to save on salaries. Like me, I imagine Ron Jeremy has had to alter some on-set eating habits and cuisine consumption standards now that a number of studios have shaved their catering costs. What trenches?

The ranks of distributors seem to be thinning. I imagine UPS revenues from porn companies are down, since DVD shipments have sunk like they stepped into quicksand. Likewise, agents appear to be feeling the piracy, too. Video-on-demand companies look like they are challenged to reap the business they enjoyed pre-piracy. Judging by the decreasing number of pages and advertisers, I’ve noticed that adult industry publications seem under some stress; same for adult industry online forums. It looks like new girls are still seeking to become porn talent, but there appears to be too many of them for the reduced number of bookings, thus some have a relatively shorter career nowadays. What trenches?

I suspect actors and actresses, including me, are having a more difficult time making ends meet. I sense that, like me, a lot of the talent folks are ordering from the $1 menu at McDonald’s. Many adult industry people and entities are cutting corners as a means of hanging on. What trenches?

Trenches supply happenings that readers want to hear about, gossip as well as news. Yes, the economy and other outside influences impact the porn Industry, sometimes significantly. But, in my opinion, the main “trenches abductors” are the piracy criminals, and herewith I am calling out the uploaders, the illegal sites that allow copyright infringement and the downloaders:

May the fleas of a thousand camels and millions of cats and dogs infest the pubic and nose hairs of anyone and everyone who has contributed to the red ink heaped upon the adult industry, and the wandering off of many of the trenches!

Dave Cummings, “the world’s oldest porn star,” is a performer, producer, director and member of the AVN Hall of Fame. Visit him online at DaveCummings.com, DaveCummings.tv or DaveCummingsVOD.com, or call and chat with him live at DaveCummingsInfo.com.