Apr 3, 2009 10:00 am US/Eastern
Porn Movie Aired At 1 College, Canceled At Another
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (CBS) ―
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The University of Maryland canceled the showing of a pornographic movie for students.
The University of Maryland was one of several colleges planning to screen a XXX-rated movie all in the name of education.
But money talks, and the planned showing of the porn movie is no longer on Maryland's agenda.
Mary Bubala
explains why the film was going to be screened and why that plan came to a screeching halt.
It involves sex, pirates and hardcore pornography all for just $4 a ticket. At the last minute, the university decided to cancel the show.
Students at the University of Maryland were ecstatic as they geared up for a Saturday midnight showing of "Pirates 2: Stagnetti's Revenge," the most expensive hardcore pornography ever made. It's rated XXX.
"If it's XXX, that means you know, the movie's pretty crazy," said a student.
"I really don't see the problem. I think people are going to watch it anyway," said another student.
Movie distributor Digital Playground is shelling out the film to colleges nationwide for free.
Maryland picked it up for April 4 at the Hoff Theater inside the Student Union as a sexual education experience.
The program coordinator Lisa Cunningham told CBS station WJZ-TV's media partner The Baltimore Sun, "We thought this would be something fun for the students to do, especially since we're getting close to the end of the semester."
On Thursday, Maryland senators threatened to ax state funding for the school if it screened the XXX pornography.
State Senator Andy Harris was among the most vocal critics.
"Mr. President, the problem is, it is an addiction. There's a reason why these producers are offering this film for free. Why do you think it cost them $10 million to make this movie? Why do you think they're offering it for free?" said Harris.
Just hours later, administrators canceled the show. They say it had nothing to do with the discussion in Annapolis, but rather the loss of the educational context of the film after the coverage of the showing took a turn.
In response to the University's decision, a Digital Playground spokesman released a statement expressing disappointment.
"We are stunned. All this does is stifle the ability for students in an academic environment to engage in a conversation in human sexuality," said Christopher Ruth.
The decision leaves some students outraged, others relieved and many just embarrassed to even talk about it.
"People watching that together in the theater, I mean that's really weird," said a student.
Now that the show has been canceled, the Senate has thrown out the amendment to stop university funding. School administrators are looking for other ways students can talk about pornography.
The same hardcore pornography movie was screened at the University Of California at Davis, and the school says they don't have a problem with it, CBS station KOVR-TV reports.
The student-run entertainment council hopes that students will see it
as much more than adult entertainment, and believe it can open up a
discussion about the adult industry and its effects on society.
"I know that porn is viewed widely, there's no way you can stop that,"
said Golda Criddle, the coordinator for the council. "I hope they'll be
able to view porn critically and objectively."
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