The titlers of TV shows adore the word "real." Maybe they believe it distracts from the illusion of the medium. There's The Real World, Real Romance, Real TV, and, of course, nonstop televised reality. But what exactly is HBO implying when it calls its recurring triple-X documentary show Real Sex? In 30 sporadic installments and counting—as well as plenty best-of specials—the adventurers at Real Sex have visited a range of ribald scenes, including a nude beauty contest, several orgasm workshops, and the road show of men who manipulate their penises for comic effects. Real sex, it appears, is orgiastic, and...