About That BBC Documentary

[Muffinman]

I just watched the BBC4 documentary (Using the iPlayer) about Lindsay Honey's search for mainstream fame as a straight actor.

So, since everyone in the adult industry - apart from Sutcliffe at one end and Sullivan (who has his proxies) at the other - posts here from time to time, it ought to be possible to find out how it really got made.

Realistically, this was just a vanity project of Lindsay's, wasn't it? There was no evidence of any independent research by the documentary maker - he was fed everything by Lindsay himself and took it all at face value.

What puzzles me is the Beeb devoting a lot of money and an hour of time to this. My suspicions were particularly aroused by two things. One was the brief shot of a "BBC Ventures" logo at the industry show - an event which looked truly pitiful compared to any of such shows abroad. The other was the triumphant ending, where Ken Russell declares Lindsay capable of acting - since they have known each other for years and Ken has employed Lindsay's wife in more than one film.

So, either the BBC knew this was just promotional advertising - in which case the commentary was disingenuous and an insult to the viewer's intelligence. Or else they were led up the garden path by Lindsay, who - on this evidence - might be more successful as an independent TV producer than as an actor.

Who knows the real story about how this documentary was commissioned and made? Does Ken Russell post here? Did he and Lindsay concoct the whole thing and flog the idea to some BBC commissioning editor during a dull adult industry show at Earl's Court?

[Peter]

Muffinman wrote:


> What puzzles me is the Beeb devoting a lot of money and an hour
> of time to this.

Shows of this nature are comparatively 'dirt cheap' to produce, when compared with how much it costs to produce something people may actually want to watch, an episode of 'Spooks' for example.

Stuff gets the nod these days on how cheaply they can fill an hour, not always on the quality of the content.

[Dickie Davies]

I thought it was a good programme - really enjoyed it.

Good luck to Lindsay - hope he makes it. I liked his closing thought about being an 87 year old porn star "I'm still heere......"

Our own Hugh Hefner! What a thought.

[Muffinman]

Quite frankly, any millionaire who wants to become an actor can find work. Most don't bother. They certainly don't think to get the BBC in to film them in the bath.

What about Felix Dennis' self-financed efforts towards being accepted as a poet? He helps things along by supplying very good free wine at his readings.

What the film showed was that professional agents considered Lindsay too self-centred to be relied on and he himself gave the impression he wants it all on a plate.

The porn industry in this country is full of people who are too lazy to do anything else - to judge by many of the comments about not responding to emails, not returning calls, failure to turn up, and cancelling at short notice.

Lindsay Honey has never fallen into that category - at least Ben Dover hasn't. Producers have to be hard-working because if they don't crack the whip (so to speak!) nothing ever gets shot.

But he is too focused on his on-camera role to see his own strengths as a producer, director, and entrepreneur.

Just to give an example of someone changing their career focus without BBC-sponsored ballyhoo of this shoddy nature - consider Michael Owen's massive (and risky) new racehorse training venture, or Mick Channon's earlier post-football entry into that game. No amount of money can guarantee you won't lose your shirt, but, by the same token, any success you do get is thoroughly deserved.

Lindsay seems to want the viewers' pity because he boxed himself into a porn corner that made him rich, plus he wants a new BBC-launched career for which he's paid no dues and isn't prepared to.

And there are untold hundreds of musicians whose career amounted to rather more than being "big in Japan" for a few months. Remember Jess Roden? Despite having one of the best white soul voices in the world, he now runs his own graphic design business and lives quietly near London.

[number 6]

It was an extremely well made programme,if you want cheap rubbishy documentaries filled with celebs giving their two penny worth watch channel 4,this was an excellent doc.

[TheProf]

Is that right,he has a young actor son that is making great headway on the screen?.

Father trying to copy.

[Dave Wells]

[Muffinman]

number 6 you say "an extremely well made programme" and "an excellent doc". Afraid I have to disagree.

There was no research. We are expected to believe the BBC chose LH as a subject because........??

I started the thread in the hope that we could get past the self-important content (indeed I would rather have seen a documentary on Dave Wells' search for investors) and perhaps find out how it got made and shown on the BBC.

There are clues - nobody working in the industry (as opposed to working with or for Ben himself) prepared to speak or be filmed, for example.

I'm with James Murdoch in his opinion of the BBC - too big and influential. The purchase of Lonely Planet by its profit-making arm BBC Ventures caused a scandal. So what was BBC Ventures logo doing in the background at the adult industry trade show?

[one eyed jack]

I can see where Muffinman is coming from but there are certain things I am privvy to and not obligated to discuss and say that i am inclined to disagree with some of your points but had I not known what i do know i could say I understand why you arrived at your conclusion.

If Dave Wells wants to make a movie then I for one would be happy to help him. Im sure there is an interesting story in Mr Wells. I remember I was but a teenager when i first discovered Dave balls deep in many a Busen video.

The obvious thing i want to point out that is clearly wrong and if any of you actually know the man he is certainly not beyond average intelligence. In fact i think he would have to be really smart to get where he is and have what he has in terms of assets.

He wouildnt be the only one who is well off either. There are others who have a lot more money too in case people thought success stopped there.

Fact is these guys were around at the beginning of the gold rush.

If anyhthing that documentary said to me there was some level of acceptance of his talents from the mainstream community whereas the BBC were the ones being sarcastic in their tone and yes you are right, it was not researched for the obvious reason the presenter was dropping titles that Ben himself never produced in an effort to be funny.

As for that Golden genitals Award, what show actually issues that one???

I think the show could be seen as an exercise in publicity and if he has got influential friends in the beeb that greenlit this then more power to him.