COLUMBIA HOUSE PLANS PORN CLUB

NY Post ^ | 1/9/05 | JOHN MOTAVALLI

[wagglebee]

Columbia House, famous for its "12 CDs for a penny" record clubs, will launch its own adult video club with Playboy Entertainment at the end of this month. The service, called Hush, will sell pornography through direct mail and a Web site.

While 50-year-old Columbia House is eager to cash in on the $12 billion porn business, officials are pretty hush hush about Hush.

[writer33]

Let me guess: All packages will come in a plain, brown wrapping. :)

[SandRat]

Do UN Reps and Staffers get a Free Membership?

[silent_jonny]

Honestly, I'm surprised it took them so long.

[eleni121]

Why am I not surprised that they are now involved in porn. This outfit has been engaging in questionalble promotional practice for years and is one of the most difficult companies to reach with a problem or complaint.

I promised myself that I would never buy any of their products again...especially after their purchase by Blackstone Capital Partners, another criminal enterprise.

[Ksnavely]

Hmmm why pay for something that you can get a abundance of for free on the Internet. I don't know how successful this will be. Most people who look at porn want the utmost privacy and secrecy, not to mention convenience (that is why the Internet is so attractive to porn users).

But hey if they think they can make money off of it, then they are welcome to try, I could be wrong.

[silent_jonny]

"This outfit has been engaging in questionalble promotional practice for years and is one of the most difficult companies to reach with a problem or complaint."

Yep. The porn stuff aside, I tell everyone to steer clear of Columbia House's music club. It's like indentured servitude! And they'll send you these questionable flyers in their promo packages, like ads for witchcraft books and "wicca". No thanks.

[vetvetdoug]

Why is pornography becoming so pervasive? Is something in our society driving men (I don't think women buy a lot of the stuff)to go to consuming pornography?

[snarks_when_bored]

Hmmm why pay for something that you can get a abundance of for free on the Internet. I don't know how successful this will be. Most people who look at porn want the utmost privacy and secrecy, not to mention convenience (that is why the Internet is so attractive to porn users).

You forgot to include the words "so I've heard" at the end of these remarks, didn't you?

[Righter-than-Rush]

>>Why is pornography becoming so pervasive? Is something in our society driving men (I don't think women buy a lot of the stuff)to go to consuming pornography?>>

Feminism. Men want women, not things trying to become men.

[GrandmaC]

Well can't find e-mails for the ceo's or board of Columbia Directors but here is some contact information:

House Headquarters - New York, NY
Columbia House Company
1221 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

Columbia House Customer Service Center - Terre Haute, IN
Columbia House Company
1400 N. Fruitridge Ave.
Terre Haute, IN 47811-1130

Columbia House Canada
5900 Finch Avenue East
Scarborough, Ontario
Canada
M1B 5X7
cm_customer_service@columbiahousecanada.com

Company Management

[KJacob]

Honestly, I'm surprised it took them so long

I am a member of Columbia House and they have had a "mature" section for some time. No none of my required purchases (or the initial free ones) were from that section. I guess the new service will be exclusively "mature".

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

COLUMBIA HOUSE PLANS PORN CLUB

So what the heck am I paying my internet service for? All kidding aside, I can't see paying for Columbia House for something that is so available on the internet at no additional charge.

[weegee]

Rock and Roll PING! email Weegee to get on/off this list (or grab it yourself to PING the rest)

The Houston Public Library recently found themselves in a flap when they shelved Jenna Jameson's "How To Have Sex Like A Porn Star" in the "new releases" shelf in the lobby. They've since looked into the decision to carry the book but claim that it IS a New York Times bestseller (they did not use this same logic for John O'Neil's book, it took months for them to stock that one). In their defense, they also claimed that currently all copies were checked out (meaning that people DID want to read the book). Perhaps the library should also look at stocking some of her biggest films if she is so popular with the patrons.

[BobS]

Women are just as horny, just sneakier:)

[weegee]

I don't imagine that they will stay in the business long. Some larger companies won't ship to certain cities or even states (as big as Texas) because of fear of obscenity prosecution for sending some adult tapes through the mail (or across state lines).

When they realize the convoluted shipping pattern they will have to employ, they will realize that it is not the same as their music business. If they don't hold to that shipping pattern, they may find themselves in a nasty court case at some point (and it could even force them to register as sex offenders).

[Righter-than-Rush]

>>Women are just as horny, just sneakier:)>>

My wife agrees.

[mylife]

I can see why its a best seller

R000oooowrrr!

[Righter-than-Rush]

The book at B&N:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=0Y3hdCiAOC&isbn=0060539097&itm=1

[Ksnavely]

Oh yeah, hehe duh, so I have heard ;-)