Vivid Chief Steven Hirsch Blasts Morality In Media President Patrick Trueman For 'Ridiculous' Statements

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Steven Hirsch, founder/co-chairman of leading adult movie studio Vivid Entertainment, today blasted Morality in Media president Patrick A. Trueman for making "inflammatory and ridiculous assertions" about the impact of pornography on society.  Mr. Trueman says there is an "untreated pandemic of harm from pornography" and "according to many studies, children and adults are developing life-long addictions to pornography."  "Contrary to Mr. Trueman's claims, there are no reputable facts or studies to back up his assertions," said Mr. Hirsch in response to the allegations.

"Mr. Trueman makes his living trying to control the legal choices adults have in the kind of entertainment they can enjoy," said Mr. Hirsch in response to the allegations. "It is obviously in his economic interest to make inflammatory and ridiculous assertions about the so-called detrimental effects of adult entertainment, since that is what he is paid to do. He preys upon weak politicians, eager for votes from people who drink his anti-free speech Kool-Aid.

"Instead of advising people who don't like adult films to simply not watch them, Mr. Trueman chooses to try and control what everyone can and cannot watch, a fundamental right protected by the First Amendment.  But I think people like Mr. Trueman don't intimidate anyone, any more.  They reject the nonsensical diatribes of a man who wants to rob them of their right to make their own decisions about what they view and read."          

Mr. Hirsch demands Mr. Trueman immediately cease making defamatory and untrue personal attacks on him or face legal consequences. He referred to a statement issued by Mr. Trueman recently saying Hirsch was a "man whose business is sexually exploiting young girls for profit." 

"We do not sexually exploit or coerce anyone," Hirsch said. "All of the people with whom we work are consenting adults and they perform in our productions according to strict standards regarding age, health tests and other legal criteria." 

About Vivid: Founded in 1984, Vivid has always placed heavy emphasis on high quality erotic film entertainment and has created wide brand-name awareness through its films and the vivid.com website, an innovative marketing and a licensing program that extends to advertising, apparel, book publishing and a range of other products. Co-founder and CEO Steven Hirsch was honored in 2012 with the first AVN Visionary Award as a leader who "has propelled innovation and taken his company and the business as a whole to new heights." In addition to its Vivid-Celeb imprint famous for celebrity sex tapes, the company is known for its Vivid SuperXXXHeroes parodies and award-winning feature films. Vivid maintains the single largest studio archive of adult films. For more on Vivid visit Twitter.com/VividCorp or Facebook.com/vividgirls.

SOURCE Vivid Entertainment