Words Dept.: entry

Interesting to see the Sunday Express has focused specifically on “adult films” in its story today about Jacqui Smith’s abuse of her expense account. Amid a wealth of details about what the Home Secretary has spent public money on, late-night pay-per-view porn has presumably been flagged up for the headline on the basis that it will cause maximum embarrassment. Indeed, the Express says in its story, which is headlined JACQUI SMITH PUT ADULT FILMS ON EXPENSES:

The revelation will be an embarrassment to Ms Smith in many ways. Not least the fact that as Briain’s first woman Home Secretary, she has taken a stance on the sex industry, pledging to introduce tough licensing laws for lap-dancing clubs. She is responsible for regulating the adult entertainment industry.

You’ll spot the hinted-at hypocrisy of paying for adult films while at the same time taking “a stance on the sex industry”. And I suppose it is kind of embarrassing.

Then again, perhaps paying for a couple of blue movies at a fiver a time isn’t quite as embarrassing as actually owning a couple of TV porn channels, like the Sunday Express’ proprietor, Richard Desmond, does. As the website of Northern & Shell, owned by Desmond puts it:

Building upon the achievements of the Fantasy Channel, Northern & Shell expanded into the pay-per-night market with equal success. With the Red Hot channels, viewers register and purchase via their remote control handset. Interactive and Red Button services give the easy access that is the key to high viewing figures.

It is possible that Desmond doesn’t view this sort of thing embarrassing. It’s all above board and Ofcom-regulated, as the N&S website is at pains to point out. In which case, why is the front page of his newspaper saying that the “revelation” that someone has been watching pay-per-view porn “will be an embarrassment” to them?

Of course it’s not right that a cabinet minister is spunking cash (fnarr) on late-night dirty movies. But it’s a bit rich for a newspaper to focus on the “embarrassment”-factor, when its own proprietor is a porn baron.