More Anti-Adult Fun: iTunes and eXXXotica NY

So last month it was Citibank, this month its iTunes. Last week I got this form email from iTunes:

Dear Podcast Owner

The following podcast has not been included in the iTunes podcast directory.

Name: Live Girl Review [VIDEO]
Feed URL: http://livegirlreview.blip.tv/rss/itunes/

Submissions may not be included in the directory for a variety of reasons. For more information, please see the podcast technical specification at http://www.apple.com/itunes/podcasts/techspecs.html.

Sincerely,

The iTunes Store Team

I of course checked out what these “variety of reasons” might be and among them is the phrase “strong prevalence of sexual content.” That’s got to be it, of course. And you know, though its a bummer for me, I don’t entirely have a problem with iTunes putting restrictions on content - I voluntarily labeled Live Girl Review with that bright red explicit tag, and I’ve got it labeled MA for mature audiences over on Blip. But it sucks that I got no warning and I really have no idea where the line is - when does sexual content become excessive? I don’t want to be whiny, boo hoo I want to put pr0n on itunes, I just want to know explicitly what the guidelines are. Anyway, iTunes Abuse hasn’t yet responded to my request for more info. If you or anyone you know might be able to help me with this, it would be greatly appreciated. Live Girl Review was really starting to take off, and without iTunes my progress is going to be a lot slower.

This upcoming weekend is Dark Odyssey summer camp down near Washington DC, but if you’re like me and the idea of camping out in cabins in the woods makes you feel cranky, you’re staying home. If home is the tristate area, you might consider a jaunt to eXXXotica NY. The name might have you believing that the event is in New York - but actually its in New Jersey. The whole thing takes place at the Meadowlands Convention Center, Friday through Sunday. I’ll be there on Saturday, presenting the following workshop at 3.30 pm:

Do It Yourself Sexy Media
In this crash course, sex media professional Audacia Ray will guide you through the ins and outs of making sexy media, whether for yourself and your partners, or to show the whole world. Blogging, podcasting, video blogging, and homemade porn will be addressed. We will examine the how to’s, including equipment selection, software and online platforms to promote your work, as well as privacy and anonymity issues for those who don’t want to be totally revealed to the world.

Or, at least, I will be teaching this workshop if the Mayor of Secaucus fails at his takedown mission. There’s an article up on AVN.com about his and other officials displeasure at the event taking place:

“A pornographic convention where alcohol is served in violation of state law and at a facility adjacent to a nursery school and playground is not the sort of atmosphere I’ll allow in Secaucus,” Elwell said in a statement to the press.

Elwell and other city officials have called a press conference to address the situation tomorrow at noon at the Harmony Early Learning Center in Secaucus.

[snip]

The NJ.com report states that according to Elwell, one of the exhibits at the convention is called “violent dehumanization.” Handy told AVN that Exxxotica organizers are still unclear on what the mayor meant by that reference.

So in the scheme of things, my little squabble with iTunes sucks, but at least I don’t have to attend a press conference with a small city’s mayor. It should be interesting to see how this develops - I’ve been looking forward to presenting at the event.