showtime
Robert Interlandi: Those Vivid Assholes Have My Beer and Stole my Ice Chest!
Wednesday, April 8th, 2009 | Deeper Throat TV show, From Gene Ross | No Comments
DEEP THROAT NEWS — BLOG
Story by Gene Ross from www.adultfyi.com
There was no love lost between Vivid’s Steve Hirsch and Arrow Productions’ Robert Interlandi, www.xxxdeepthroat.com during the shooting of the Deeper Throat reality series that aired recently on Showtime.
There’s even less love in the room now, apparently, with Interlandi discovering that Vivid got a hold of his ice chest - a fact which probably needs a little bit of explaining.
In episode 5 of the series which details Vivid’s attempts to remake Deep Throat, Interlandi’s seen stomping off the Vivid set. But what really sets him off is never shown on air.
“I finally got to see Vivid’s rip off of our movie that they call Throat: A Coutionary Tale,” says Interlandi.
“I saw something I couldn’t believe. Then I watched it again. In the first scene before they roll the credits is my ice chest which Vivid stole. When I went on the set with my beer pong table that day, they stole my ice chest and used it as a prop. I had a 12-pack full of beer in the chest.
“So I called up Vivid and told them I want the ice chest back or the money for the ice chest; and I want my beer back. It’s one thing to steal a man’s beer. And it’s another thing to steal his ice chest. And it was a really cool ice chest with wheels and I could pull it down the Las Vegas strip. I was furious and I didn’t know what to do.”
Interlandi says he talked to Ray Pistol about it, and Pistol thought it was funny.
“But this isn’t a publicity stunt- I’m really pissed,” says Interlandi.
“I’m going to sue their ass in small claims court.”
What actually happened which is never shown on camera is this.
“Paul Thomas wanted me to say a couple of lines,” Interlandi explains.
“Then as I’m packing my beer pong table I go where’s my ice chest? What the fuck happened to my ice chest? Then I lit up, crazy. I’m going someone stole my ice chest and they cut that out of the TV show. But now I got legal proof they have my ice chest. I’m sure some Court TV would love to pick this up and I’m seriously pissed. I get pissed when someone steals my beer!”
Interlandi evidently had one more call into Vivid to try and get the matter resolved. Then he called me back.
“Those assholes say that, ‘I need to contact World of Wonder [the reality show's producers] for my ice chest and beer,’” Interlandi relates.
“They Fucking blew me off again! Those Vivid cocksuckers used my ice chest as a prop in their dam movie, and World of Wonder doesn’t have anything to do with it. If this is how they want to be, then I’m fucking taking them to court!”
The Deeper Throat Reality Show - Episode 5; Steve Hirsch to Robert Interlandi: You’re a Punk Kid
Wednesday, April 8th, 2009 | Deeper Throat TV show, From Gene Ross | No Comments
DEEP THROAT NEWS — BLOG
Story by Gene Ross from www.adultfyi.com
I realize I’m giving away the secrets to the sawing the lady in half trick, but at no time on camera in the Showtime Deeper Throat reality series does Vivid’s Steve Hirsch actually choke Robert Interlandi, Arrow’s marketing director, www.xxxdeepthroat.com.
But Hirsch comes pretty darn close in Episode 5 as Interlandi continues to be irascible, and Paul Thomas continues to play the martyr as Hirsch stops by the shoot to see what all the hubbub is about. In Episode 4, Interlandi got through toilet papering Thomas car because he didn’t see eye to eye with the way Thomas and Vivid were shunting him in their efforts to remake Deep Throat.
By the time this episode opens up, Thomas is in Day 2 of the remake. Thomas describes his reinvention of the plot as a serious murder mystery about a girl with a deformity in her throat. Sasha Grey is playing the lead.
“The next two days are absolutely critical to the success of the movie,” Thomas is saying, not knowing that Interlandi’s about to wreak a little more havoc on the set.
“The asshole Robert’s got to say away from my set,” Thomas is saying.
His prayers basically go unanswered when Interlandi, who was skateboarding earlier in Venice, shows up with a beer pong table and draws the crew into some friendly competition.
Channeling Rodney Dangerfield, Interlandi’s saying he doesn’t get any of the respect that he deserves.
“I represent Arrow, the original owners of Deep Throat. We’re supposed to be their fucking partner but all I’m getting is the runaround.”
Thomas is perplexed.
“I don’t have the slightest idea why he’s doing all these strange things.”
Thomas also believes in the old Al Pacino adage about keeping your friends close but your enemies closer.
“I’m not going to let him know that he’s affecting me or my show,” continues Thomas revealing his strategy.
“I’m just going to kill him with kindness. Let him play his little ping-bong game. But if I’m going to have to stare at this punk’s face all day I’m going to at least put him to work.”
Which means Thomas wants Interlandi to be an extra. Interlandi tries some lines of dialogue but Thomas feels it’s probably best if Interlandi melts into the background.
“I’m so tired of being disrespected- fuck P.T.,” says Interlandi in frustration.
“Fuck Vivid. Fuck the whole fucking project. They can shove it up their fucking ass.”
For her part, Grey’s back is killing her, she’s on her period and she’s late arriving to the set. Also nervous about her anal scene with Evan Stone, Grey expresses the hope that everyone isn’t high on the set but comments later to her boyfriend that everyone was drunk.
On the other hand, Thomas expresses confidence that Grey can dive into her scene cold. But Grey wants time to warm up and is now the object of more gossip because of that.
“She needs to do what she needs to do and I’ll give her more time,” states Thomas.
Marci Hirsch, Hirsch’s sister is using her son Jordan who’s been hired as a P.A. to be a spy in the set. Jordan, in turn, gives her the skinny on how P.T. kicked one of the female performers, Sarah Vandella, off the set.
Grey has an accident, and P.T. muses that Jordan’s getting a crash course in feminine hygiene. Jordan, later, admits that although his mother works in porn, she’s pretty uptight about it.
It’s also brought to P.T.’s attention that Interlandi gave an interview to one of the porn gossip sites about how he wasn’t getting any input. [The site was Adultfyi, but no mention is made of that.]
After reading the post [Hirsch also has a look at it], Thomas comments that, “all of this shit is so inconsequential- who’s got time for it?”
Hirsch also makes a strange comment.
“I never thought I would have a chance to make a new Deep Throat movie and I hope some day my kids understand- really I do it all for them.”
Mentioning that going to the set is one of his least favorite things to do, Hirsch is now informed that he really needs to get to the set to diffuse the Interlandi situation.
“I’ve got a ton of money riding on this,” he says.
Calling Interlandi “disruptive,” Hirsch wonders how you deal with him.
“What is this guy, 8 years old? He’s a punk.”
“He’s obnoxious and childish,” Marci Hirsch adds.
By Day Three of the shoot, Thomas, in abrupt-mode, notes that cast and crew are tired and everyone’s making mistakes. One dialogue scene in particular is going haywire. Thomas complains that a machine shop next door is intrusive and that two of the extras couldn’t deliver their lines if their lives depended on it. One of them is fired for stepping all over the crime scene.
In Vegas, meanwhile, Pistol is getting reports from Interlandi to suggest that Arrow’s going to need to take the bull by the horns and shoot their own version. Convinced that a girl named Ariel whom he auditioned [in Episode One] may have what it takes, Pistol invites a sex educator named Morgan Ray to give Ariel lessons on deep throating and how to overcome the gag reflex with some mouth exercises and a banana.
Interlandi makes attempts at a peace offering by passing out Deep Throat energy drinks, shirts and DVDs - none of which is appreciated especially when Interlandi hands Grey some swag and chats with her while she’s in the middle of taking some pretty girls.
Interlandi’s idea behind this is to piss Hirsch off, and he succeeds. They take it out to the parking lot.
“She’s trying to work,” Hirsch tells Interlandi. “In the most pivotal scene why is it you need to have a discussion with her?”
“We were team deep Throat,” says Interlandi. “I didn’t get to know who the chick is that you picked. You didn’t do a talent search.”
“Are you nuts!?” Hirsch asks.
“You got the usual suspects,” continues Interlandi who reminds Hirsch again that he’s vice president of Arrow.
“I don’t care what you are,” answers Hirsch. “I give that zero credibility, your track record as a producer and director. It’s time for you to head on out. You’re a punk kid.”
“I’m vice president of a fucking company,” Interlandi keeps reminding him. Hirsch has one last comment to make.
“You haven’t shot a fucking movie- thank you, good bye.”
Interlandi kicks a gate on his way out and gives Hirsch the finger.
The Deeper Throat Reality Show - a review; Episode Three; Vivid PM: “Sunny Lane’s a Pig”
Thursday, April 2nd, 2009 | Uncategorized | No Comments
DEEP THROAT ENERGY DRINK NEWS —-
Written by Gene Ross from www.adultfyi.com
By the third episode of the Showtime reality series about the making of Deeper Throat, it’s a fairly foregone conclusion that Sasha Grey’s [pictured] going to get the lead part.
Paul Thomas continues to play Costello to Steve Hirsch’s Abbott, where it should be vice versa, and there’s a funny moment when Thomas brings what looks like a burrito into Hirsch’s house and Hirsch flips out.
Briana Banks is not at all happy that she isn’t considered for the lead role in the Deep Throat remake. And what Tera Patrick’s directorial debut has anything to do with any of this is a bafflement in the storyline.
Vivid’s auditions to find a new Linda Lovelace included over 25 girls. Thomas was pretty high on Sarah Vandella, but the brash east coast blonde from Episode Two stormed off the set when P.T. suggested she try doing a Great Garbo reading with her script. Meanwhile, Shailar Cobi, the production manager calls Sunny Lane, who also auditioned, a pig.
“And she gave a lousy reading,” P.T. adds.
“These girls are not knocking me out,” states Hirsch quite candidly as he’s watching the auditions on tape in his office. Hirsch who only wants to look at girls who can deep throat, feels his time is being wasted by the meeting.
“Steve is putting a lot of pressure on me to get a brand new script,” Thomas is saying to the camera.
Briana Banks shows up to do a scene. According to her, she’s been shooting with Vivid since 2001 and is noted for having the longest legs [36-inches] in the business.
“I’m one of the biggest names in porn,” Banks also says in a moment of obvious humility. But she’s unaware of the auditions. Banks in her scene is being choked, and this gives P.T. an “epiphany”. He’s immediately on the phone with Hirsch and suggests they now make remake Deep Throat as a murder mystery whereas before he tried incorporating it dismally with the Cinderella store.
“I think Ray’s [Ray Pistol] expecting a comedy not that I really care,” replies Hirsch who seems to be in agreement with Thomas as far as the choice of Sasha Grey. A meeting later in his office with Grey pretty much concludes the matter and makes it official.
“She has a dark, smoldering quality,” Thomas is agreeing. “She seems so anxious to walk on the edge.”
Grey, who’s never worked with Thomas, wants to be in bigger projects.
Jayda Fire, a black performer, also wants to audition when she learns of the project.
“If you can deep throat Voodoo you can go to the top of the list,” Thomas assures her.
“I can do this, P.T.” says Fire but Thomas insists she’ll hurt herself.
Voodoo gives her a thumbs-down.
“She couldn’t cut it,” he tells Thomas.
“Jayda’s not right but Sasha Grey could be just perfect,” says Thomas summing it up for the camera.
The remainder of the episode is fairly much occupied with the making of Where The Girls Aren’t 19 which Patrick is going to direct with an assist from Dave Navarro. Hirsch learns of these plans to incorporate Navarro when he has a meeting with Patrick and Evan Seinfeld at their house.
Actually, Hirsch is pretty much told by Patrick that she’s going to direct and his initial reaction is less than enthusiastic.
“I thought you were going to be in it,” he tells Patrick while Seinfeld’s making a pitch for Navarro to come on board. Patrick insists she’s more interested in directing.
“The question is can we get him [Navarro]? Hirsch asks. True to porn, the big build up of Navarro falls flat even though he tells Hirsch on the phone it sounds like an amazing idea.
“Let’s go for it,” is Hirsch’s reaction after the conversation. But Navarro arrives late on the set, and Banks rather than show up on the set, storms into Hirsch’s office when she learns through the grapevine of the Deeper Throat project.
“I’m going to Steven’s, fuck the all-girl orgy,” Banks mutters. She tells Hirsch she’s a little peeved and can’t understand why she wasn’t asked to be involved.
“I’ve only been with you guys for eight years,” she adds.
“I forgot how pretty you are,” Thomas says in a shallow attempt to assuage her.
“Too bad for Briana that we’re not considering Vivid contract girls for the lead,” Hirsch mutters the moment she steps out.
On the set of Where The Girls Aren’t 19, Patrick who’s informed she may have to go it alone is nervous and appears to be swallowing live fish. Seinfeld tells her she’s got to do what she’s got to do.
Ninety minutes late, Navarro makes a presumably token appearance because his story now is that he’s got “a family-thing” and can’t stay. Patrick suspects this might be a bullshit story, and the fact that there might be drama between him and Hanna Hilton is prompting it.
Hilton mentions they met a year or two earlier, that they exchanged numbers but nothing ever came of it. Navarro appears like he didn’t expect to run into Hilton.
“I’d love to be in a position of playing out my sick little twisted fantasies, but I gotta go,” says Navarro, scooting. Patrick’s of the opinion the orgy turned out hot, nonetheless.
At casa Hirsch, Hirsch informs his wife that people from the office are coming over. When she hears who it is, Laurie Hirsch says she has to draw the line that she’s not happy about this because it interrupts dinner which she’s got planned for the kids.
“I’m trying to make this movie,” Hirsch reminds her.
“Everything has to go your way doesn’t it?” she asks.
Hirsch isn’t happy with the script. He’s obviously not happy with P.T.’s burrito which he grabs out of Thomas’ hand. But he is thrilled with Sasha Grey who makes a grand entrance down the staircase like Gloria Swanson in Sunset Boulevard.
And, yes, porn fans, Evan Stone actually dresses like that in public.
The Deeper Throat Reality Show - a review; Episode One
Friday, March 27th, 2009 | Uncategorized | No Comments
Story by Gene Ross from www.adultfyi.com
The Deeper Throat Reality Show - a review; Episode OnIf Kismet is hell, than Kismet brought Arrow’s Ray Pistol and Vivid’s Steve Hirsch for a dance together in the fire.
I say “together” in the sense of a reality show which has been airing on Showtime. The Showtime project was put together by the World of Wonder guys Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato- the gents who did such an illustrious job with the documentary, Inside Deep Throat. Whereas Bailey and Barbato now do an even better job in bringing the inside, inside drama of the adult business to the screen with Pistol and Hirsch slugging it out over the re-making of Deep Throat, an idea which Pistol has had on the plate for at least the last ten years I’ve been talking to him about it. And Pistol, just as long, has been searching for a new Linda Lovelace.
Prompted much by what apparently happened during the behind the scenes of this Showtime mini-series, Pistol is now suing Hirsch, as we speak, over Hirsch’s creation of Deeper Throat. And to tell you the truth, I’m still vague on some of the issues.
Pistol never struck me as the kind of guy who would just relinquish control to something he holds close to the heart, and why he now does this is never really made clear on screen. Although the behind the scenes agreement that brought this Showtime deal to the table was Pistol’s apparent consent allowing Hirsch to produce a new Deep Throat with Pistol being given the first right of refusal to buy it.
But you never get the sense of that except when Pistol says on screen if Vivid screws it up, then Arrow will take their shot.
To that extent is Pistol’s edict to his employees to come up with their own version and cast for a new Deep Throat within a week. In one sequence Pistol auditions a girl named Ariel Kent, and after a thorough gynecologic examination concludes she has what it takes to be the next Linda Lovelace.
The first episode begins with Hirsch chatting with AVN’s Paul Fishbein at the AEE convention telling Fishbein that he needs an encore to the hits he’s had with the re-makes of Debbie Does Dallas and The Devil in Miss Jones. Ever the showman looking to do a bigger and better show, Hirsch hits upon the idea of re-making the all-time adult classic, Deep Throat and wants to talk to Pistol whose company Arrow owns the rights.
[The Butchie Peraino geneological history of Deep Throat is thus explained by Pistol.]
Hirsch has never met Pistol, and this isn’t surprising. I’ve always said that if the entire industry attended a party, half the room wouldn’t know the other half. But the fact that Pistol and Hirsch have their first conversation inside Arrow’s Deep Throat Corvette [a huge reproduction of the Linda Lovelace deep Throat poster is emblazoned on the hood] on the AEE show floor smacks a little of contrivance.
Needless to say, Pistol, a grizzled gent but always a man of his word, ain’t too keen with the idea Hirsch is pitching. But Hirsch is annoyingly persistent and feels he’s the only one who can bring it off. This idea set in motion, the reality show now plays like the Beverly Hillbillies with its notions of big money and societal opposites, all imagined with the Frank Capra touch.
Pistol is obviously Jed Clampett, and Hirsch is Mr. Drysdale. The Capra touch is Pistol being the aw shucks kind of guy who might be mistaken for the country rube that he really ain’t. And, in Capra fashion, Hirsch is playing it obviously with great relish like the city slicker out to connive him. So sets the mood.
“I’m an old marine and in no mood to be fucked with,” snarls the shotgun-toting Pistol at one point in dressing Hirsch down. In other words, he’s showing who’s boss. The only thing missing is the jug and the banjo music whenever Pistol’s on camera because that’s the impression the storyline lends of the man.
On the other hand, Hirsch must also be given credit for being an astute businessman much like Pistol.
[Pistol’s take of himself is that he’s an unconventional businessman which is putting it rather mildly.]
And while Pistol’s not living in a shack by any stretch, Hirsch dwells in this modern Versailles-like residence where he and his wife are kind of like the Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI of the porn business. And this is as much a statement of the industry’s hierarchy of the haves [Hirsch’s sister Marci is seen driving a white Rolls Royce], have-nots and almost haves.
In another segment, it’s mentioned that Paul Thomas who’s directed for Hirsch over 20 years [“way too long,” mutters Thomas] has never been to Hirsch’s house, which if you understand the business and its inflated, artificial sense of personal values and distancing, makes a lot of sense.
To put it all in the right perspective, however, these are all merely pornographers, and they hire “models” who suck dick for a living. Though no one ever seems to get that point across in all those glorifying documentaries about porn.
In the early stages, Hirsch berates PT’s efforts in writing a Deep Throat script telling him he’s got a lot of guys waiting in the wings to take his place if Thomas can’t deliver on a good story. The initial script Thomas comes up with stinks in Hirsch’s estimation, although Thomas is blindly enamored with his own efforts at combining Deep Throat with a Cinderella storyline.
[Someone might remind PT he already made a porn version of Cinderella.]
With Hirsch’s merciless hectoring, Thomas goes back to the drawing board and next comes up with a murder mystery with blood being spilled.
“I think Pistol had a comedy in mind,” Hirsch quips with a dead pan expression. [Thomas most of the time comes off like a space cadet who’s still orbiting in space.]
Hirsch is taking a meeting with Pistol in Las Vegas and flies there on a private jet. Hirsch, his wife and sister are met with a stretch limo provided by Pistol and, from the get-go, Hirsch and Robert Interlandi, Arrow’s marketing manager, are locking horns.
When asked for his opinion, Interlandi, who’s take is that Vivid is “The Evil Empire,” tells Hirsch he saw the re-makes of Debbie Does Dallas and Miss Jones. Apparently Interlandi in flippant fashion didn’t think too highly of those projects judging by his quick-kill put downs, and Hirsch reacts in kind with Marty Feldman’s bug eyes.
[Freeze frame moments of an astonished Hirsch abound in this series.]
Hirsch later makes the comment that Interlandi’s “a moron,” and Hirsch’s wife acts like this is all beneath her dignity to begin with.
Hirsch? He’s right along with her especially when one of Pistol’s strippers attempts to give him a lap dance, and Hirsch shoos her away like a pesky house fly.
“I’m trying to do deals here,” Hirsch keeps reminding his wife every time she flashes annoyance that business calls him to the office.
Because Hanna Hilton [a short haired blonde who wears extensions when performing] might be signing as a Vivid girl, Hirsch, quicker than you can say Octomom, is ready to cut his Vegas meetings short and get back to LA.
Adding a bit of irony to this subplot is the fact that Hilton’s boyfriend is Jack Venice who’s now doing life on a rape charge in Washington. During Hilton’s initial meeting with Hirsch, Venice’s opinion is solicited as though it’s valued as highly as a member of the presidential cabinet. We later discover that one of Venice’s earlier paramours, Meggan Malone, is now also a Vivid girl.
You can’t make this shit up on a soap opera.
Arrow Turns “Deep Throat” and Other Titles into a Merchandising Empire
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009 | Uncategorized | No Comments
From XBIZ Magazine’s Special March 2009 Marketing Issue
———————————————————–
BRANDING X: A NEW WAY TO MAINSTREAM ADULT
Arrow Turns “Deep Throat” and Other Titles into a Merchandising Empire
By Michael McClay
Arrow Productions, widely considered the oldest established American adult video company is not only porndom’s original trailblazer with numerous classics in its catalog, including “Deep Throat,” the Las Vegas-based company also has the distinction of being a leading pioneer in the area of special marketing. In recent times Arrow further expanded its impact into the merchandising and branding arena, licensing its titles for products other than the distribution and sales of sex videos. www.xxxdeepthroat.com
Arrow has made a significant impact in the energy beverage marketplace with the release of the Deep Throat Energy Drink in May 2007. Then a year later Arrow made its second big marketing splash with the publication in the first of a series of comic books with “Debbie Does Dallas” followed by three other titles: “Candy Stripers,” “The Devil in Miss Jones” and “Tell Them Johnny Wadd is Here.” Finally, licensing theatrical posters for “Deep Throat,” “Debbie Does Dallas,” “Candy Stripers” and “The Goddaughter” completed a third major merchandising coup in a process that the company considers the wave of the future. Plans for other items include coffee, film cell wall art, costumes, T-shirts, hats, hoodies, belts, stickers, clocks, watches, beach towels, shot cups, beer mugs and other products.
The long and colorful history of Arrow Productions itself is the stuff of legends and the company’s Marketing Director Robert Interlandi who carries the banner as a second generation member of the organization has created quite an impact with his aggressive, edgy style.
“Even though our entire industry markets product considered controversial and cutting edge to mainstream, the adult industry’s marketing approach is surprisingly stale and static by today’s Madison Avenue standards,” says Interlandi. “Just look at the way mainstream companies market products on cable and the internet. Some of it really pushes the mainstream envelope.”
About four years ago after watching how adult marketed it product to consumers, he presented a marketing/licensing idea to Arrow owner Ray Pistol. Interlandi felt that some kind of consumer product tie-in to their video catalog could make a noteworthy impact. “I thought of what George Lucas did with ‘Star Wars’ merchandising and we thought we could do the same thing licensing with adult, since we had all the classic icons of adult,” says Interlandi. “I felt strongly that it could put us more in the mainstream.”
Several ideas were discussed, especially a beer. But a beer carried certain Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms requirements and the added tie-in to adult entertainment would bring too much Federal scrutiny, especially under the conservative Bush administration. “We’ve got nothing to hide, but we felt it was not a good mix at the time – so to speak,” says Interlandi, tongue in cheek.
Then one day while “hoisting a few” at a local pub with other Arrow staffers, they joked about the beer idea and was asked what the slogan would be: “Never too much head” and “put it in a bottle with an extra long neck.” But as he looked around the room, he saw all the non-alcoholic beverages being used a chasers and imagined a can of a “Deep Throat” beverage between the salt and pepper shakers. “The practical side of me also realized that if the drink were non-alcoholic, we could sell it to a wider base – not just those twenty-one and older, but everybody – especially the younger consumers who might think it cool to drink something associated with X,” he says. The booming energy beverage market seemed a natural.
It put Interlandi on quite a mission and fortunately as a Las Vegas resident many licensing trade shows land there sooner or later. “Just by walking at some shows I learned a lot and I picked up some non-beverage licensees as well. A lot of this is footwork – talking to people, networking…asking what they’re doing. It helped to go out of our little porn bubble. I rubbed shoulders with licensors such as Dick Clark, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis and other showbiz icons.”
“Into the Drink”
After a year of lab testing and product research, the Deep Throat Energy Drink debuted at the Adult Expo in 2007 replete with a yellow Corvette emblazoned with the drink’s logo and a mechanical riding bull for brave onlookers.
Arrow Productions launched the Deep Throat Energy drink later in the year and since its launch and an aggressive marketing campaign it has broken into new energy drink marketing and sales avenues. It has been exhibited at over 20 trade shows in the last year and in a number of unique markets including the Fort Worth’s Main St. Festival, South Dakota’s Sturgis Bike Week and many other events/markets unexplored by other energy drink manufacturers. In order to maximize its usage, it is being touted not only as an energy booster, but an alcoholic beverage mixer.
The reviews have been uniformly good, one describing it as having “a slightly berry taste and trending a tad sweeter than your ordinary energy drink, with taste tests concluding that over 90% of the samplers preferred the Deep Throat Energy Drink to its leading competitors.” The drink’s website claims that “the packaging, a tall thin canary yellow can with a retro “Deep Throat” movie poster has proven to be such a hit that people have fished empties out of the trash and took them home as souvenirs.”
Today Arrow’s name and flagship title “Deep Throat” stands out as a perfect example of storybook licensing done right. The Deep Throat Energy Drink, its characteristic yellow and fiery red color theme with the image of Linda Lovelace wrapped around the can with arms spread wide as if to embrace the thirsty consumer looking for an energy fix (and a little titillation) from America’s first official porn queen.
Branding Arrow video releases using an energy drink was a marketing masterstroke and not only are ancillary products in adult entertainment a long time coming, it’s appropriate that the first and most influential adult film ever produced is the flagship article of trade.
According to Arrow and the market, Deep Throat Energy Drink is here to stay; it was as an official nominee for the XBIZ Best Marketing Campaign, it was also nominated for the Best Overall Marketing Campaign at the Las Vegas Adult Expo. Outside the business, the Deep Throat Energy Drink was also nominated for two BevNet.com awards, including Best Energy Drink & Best Overall Marketing Campaign of 2008 and featured in their printed publication, New Beverage Guide.
“This really makes my year,” says Interlandi. “We have worked so hard on the drink. There were days where I would be in the Deeper Throat reality TV for Showtime starting a 9am and then I do a bar promotion with the mechanical bull until 2 a.m. ending up working 18 hours a day. I also can’t believe that we are the first energy drink to be nominated to an AVN and XBIZ award. With the BevNet award nomination it says that the drink is recognized in the mainstream beverage industry also. I feel like Wayne Gretzky scoring a marketing hat trick.” www.deepthroatenergy.com
“Stand-Up Comics”
One of Interlandi’s original ideas in addition to a beverage was a comic book license. For over four years he pursued it, approaching every nearly every large and small publisher. There were many offers, but too many just didn’t seem to fit right. “They had very stale ideas with no unique approach. When you go after licensees, you want to go after quality. I finally saw eye to eye with Terminal Press and I’m glad I went with them.”
After three years in development and production, Terminal Press launched the series in January at the 2008 Adult Entertainment Expo with a post-apocalyptic adaptation of “Debbie Does Dallas” that debuted and unveiled “Deep Throat,” “Candy Stripers,” “The Devil in Miss Jones” and “Tell Them Johnny Wadd is Here” four months later at Comic-Con in San Diego as part of its ‘HARD/CORE’ line.
Ironically, that “hardcore” moniker is a misnomer, since the entire series actually has no hardcore images, but rather a softcore treatment for the ‘mature reader,’ placing the characters and concepts from the original films in new scenarios including thriller, horror, fairy tale and crime genres designed for contemporary sophisticated audiences. www.terminalpress.com
“Poster Time”
Since the Millennium’s turn, posters have had a renaissance, especially motion picture theatrical one-sheets. Although no adult motion picture has been in theatrical release since the mid-eighties, many of the vintage titles in release by Arrow were once released in movie houses during porn’s so-called “Golden Age” of the ‘70s and ‘80s.
Arrow Productions library includes the aforementioned classics and many are now available online as newly-minted posters, including Gerard Damiano’s original “Deep Throat,” “Debbie Does Dallas,” “Candy Stripers” and “The Goddaughter.”
Arrow has a licensing deal with Vegas-based Acument Entertainment not only to create one-sheets, but canvas poster art, 3D posters and film cell wall art based on Arrow’s classic titles. “I was on a quest for a movie poster license for the past two years,” says Interlandi. “Everyone at Arrow is excited to team up with a company like Acument.
“Arrow’s the type of company that’s thinking like a main stream production company to promote its products and we’re proud to team up with an iconic company like Arrow Productions. The retro porn style is a hot seller and Arrow has tons of great art.” Arrow’s movie posters are available online at www.moviegoods.com
Arrow Productions & “Deep Throat” History
Originally formed in 1969 under the name Vanguard productions, and later renamed Arrow Productions, the company made blockbuster hits such as “Deep Throat,” “Devil In Miss Jones” and “Debbie Does Dallas.” Over the years Arrow Productions has acquired the distribution rights to many production lines including well known titles like “Alice In Wonderland,” “Tell Them Johnny Wadd is Here,” “Candy Stripers” and “Taxi Girls.”
But Arrow’s reputation as a video manufacturer and distributor was built upon the fact that they were the original distributors of the single most important and influential sex video ever produced: “Deep Throat.”
The Gerard Damiano sex farce with the silly premise and goofy execution unintentionally set the stage for what would become ground zero for the foundation of the entire modern triple-X adult motion picture business. It led to the genre’s general acceptance in urban America and the birth of “Porn Chic” and subsequent acceptance as a true American pop culture milestone. “Deep Throat” had more impact, influence and visibility than any adult film had before or since. As a theatrical release and at the $600 million boxoffice range, “Throat” actually grossed as much as mainstream 1970 mega-blockbusters like “Star Wars,” “Rocky,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “The Sting,” among others.
The road to merchandising heaven was not easy and the resistance they experienced was even tougher than they realized. “Marketing and licensing X is very difficult and took a long time to be taken seriously,” says Interlandi. “But I think now that after all my struggles people are finally giving us respect. They used to laugh and shun me and now it’s changing. The success and the hard work are finally paying off.
“Someone recently told me that twenty years from now they’ll be calling me a pioneer and I should ‘get ready for it and get used to it.’
“That just gave me the chills. Crazy.”
*****
Arrow’s Deep Throat Products Now Sold at Spencer’s Gifts
Tuesday, March 24th, 2009 | Uncategorized | No Comments
LAS VEGAS — Arrow Productions Marketing Director Robert Interlandi says that his company’s latest deal over Deep Throat merchandising at Spencer’s Gifts is quite a coup.
“I think it’s just the first of many products that we will have in there,” Interlandi told XBIZ.
On Tuesday, Arrow Productions said it struck a deal with New York-based Silver Buffalo, which will distribute Deep Throat shot glasses on shelves at 690 Spencer’s Gifts stores.
“I hope that everyone buys a Deep Throat shot glass and does a toast with shots of your favorite booze to the final episode of ‘Deeper Throat’ on Showtime,” Interlandi said. “I’m glad it’s over but sad it’s gone.”
Interlandi said tha Silver Buffalo licensed the Deep Throat barware through Arrow. The company also has deals in place for Deep Throat barware, drinkware, games, clocks, watches and home decor.
Arrow — which owns the licensing rights of “Deep Throat,” “Devil in Miss Jones,” “Debbie Does Dallas” and “Tell them Johnny Wadd is Here” videos — has branched out into numerous areas beyond adult in marketing and licensing their icons. The company’s lineup includes the Deep Throat Energy Drink, as well as apparel, costumes, comic books and posters.
Silver Buffalo also has licensed companies such as Miller Brewing, Coors Brewing, Kiss and Metallica.
Deeper Throat EP # 5 Hirsch Blows His Stack
Thursday, March 12th, 2009 | Uncategorized | No Comments
‘Deeper Throat’ Episode 5: Hirsch Blows His Stack
|
|
Arrow’s Interlandi pushes Vivid boss over the edge in Showtime reality series
By David Sullivan
03/12/2009
LOS ANGELES - This week’s episode of “Deeper Throat” promises a must-see moment, as Vivid boss Steve Hirsch explodes in a rare fit of rage at the antics of Arrow Productions promo man Robert Interlandi.
Airing Saturday night at 11:30 on Showtime, the fifth installment of the World of Wonder mini-series captures the fireworks as Interlandi heats up the ordinarily cool Hirsch to “a total meltdown”.
“In 25 years of producing movies, I’ve never seen anything like this,” Hirsch said. “He’s a V.P. of Production in name only, as he hasn’t produced anything, and we’re trying to operate a business, not play games.”
On the subject of playing games, Interlandi told AVN he challenged Hirsch to a boxing match during the reality TV shoot…but Hirsch “pussed out”.
Vivid production manager Shylar Cobi admitted in another AVN interview that “all reality TV is bullshit,” shattering staff illusions about the veracity of Bret Michaels’ Rock of Love Tour Bus. But the animosity between Hirsch and Interlandi is the real deal, according to off-the-record comments from both camps.
Arrow is suing Vivid for breach of contract and copyright infringement over Throat: A Cautionary Tale, the movie that forms the focus of the series.
Maybe they’ll end up on “Judge Judy”.
Arrow’s Las Vegas Deeper Throat Party
Thursday, March 12th, 2009 | Uncategorized | No Comments
Morgan Ray
LAS VEGAS — Celebrate adult star Morgan Ray’s Birthday and her appearance on Showtime’s Deeper Throat at LAX in Las Vegas on Saturday March 14th. LAX will be playing Deeper Throat series as it airs nationally on Showtime this Saturday, March 14th at 11:30pm. Arrow Productions’ reality TV star Robert Interlandi will also be there co-hosting of the party along with the Arrow’s Deep Throat Energy team.
In this episode, Ariel, an aspiring porn star is instructed by Morgan Ray on the art of Deep Throat and later in the series Ariel does her first scene. Arial is scheduled to make an appearance at LAX.
In this week’s episode Morgan Ray is teaching Ariel how to Deep Throat and Robert Interlandi has a huge fight with Steve Hirsch from Vivid. “This is going to be a must see week of Deeper Throat.” says Arrow’s Robert Interlandi, “I turn the heat up on the Vivid camp!”.
At the event the band Switchfoot is performing their edgy music for the club. Afterwards there is going to be a Deep Throat contest like Deepest Throat and Sexist Deep Throat on bananas that will be hosted by Morgan Ray. With the audience as judges the contestants will be able to win tons of Arrow’s Deep Throat swag like DVDs, T-shirts, posters, costumes, shot glasses, and Deep Throat Energy Drinks.
LAX nightclub is inside the Luxor hotel and casino in Las Vegas. The party starts at 11pm and goes all night please RSVP as soon as possible because it will be a night to remember and space is limited. Admission is free for all industry guests and press if they email Robert Interlandi at bob@deepthroatenergy.com
Categories
Archives
Search
