Bob Guccione: Penthouse Magazine Founder Dead at Age 79

I know that I should be humane and care. I wish I could say that I did, but, frankly, I don't. I care for the innocent in his family who will grieve the loss in their lives. But, it's hard for me to feel grief or sorrow over the loss of a life that exploited women for financial gain. I can assure you, I will feel exactly the same way when Hugh Hefner finally kicks the bucket.

I realize, unfortunately, that pornography has become main stream and that we have decided in our society that a little bit of porn is good for everybody. But, I have a tough time buying that one. I believe there is a verse in the bible that says, "A little leaven, leavens the whole lump". Or, if you're not the bible reading kind, let's put another way: You can't be just a "little pregnant".

There will be the typical accolades, I'm sure. His son, Bob Guccione, Jr. will likely tell us what a visionary his father was. How he understood the beauty of a woman's body and the damage that the sexually repressed, puritans in America inflicted on enlightened people like his father and blah, blah, blah.

Look, I'm no Gloria Steinem. I'm not out to emasculate every man I come in contact with. But, as a woman who has experienced far more sexual harassment on the job and off than she cares to even think about, I have a tough time seeing Bob Guccione, Larry Flynt or Hugh Hefner as anything more than what they are: low-life pimps, exploiters and users.

But then, if my sisters of my gender did not offer themselves up in the name of "art", then I suppose these men couldn't be the purveyors of sexual exploitation that they are. So, which came first, the chicken or the egg, I suppose.

If you were hoping you could attend the funeral, I'm sorry to report his wife says the services will be private.

Sources:

Fox News.com