For the first time, tube giant Pornhub is streaming an experimental documentary about a strip club run by black lesbians called Shakedown. It is shown on a specially set up landing page. Once again it becomes clear that the portal, which is part of the Mindgeek group, has high ambitions to expand its business into the mainstream and redefine the idea of adult entertainment.
A documentary by director Leilah Weinraub about a legendary queer strip club in L.A. will be streamed throughout March on the tube site Pornhub. The portal thus ventures into another area of media content outside the porn industry.
While the distribution of the brand name in mainstream media has always been part of the company’s strategy, it now seems that the actual product will be expanded as well.
Not unlike Playboy, the company now apparently wants to charge the brand name with other media content. For example, the company helped finance the opening of an art exhibition. Pornhub also participated in New York Fashion Week. A pop-up store in New York, which sold merchandising products with the Pornhub label for two days, has also already tested the water to see how far the brand could be suitable as a lifestyle label.
So now the very definition of adult entertainment as a product is being expanded with a porn-free documentary. The portal describes the documentary »Shakedown« as an “experimental documentary and contemporary artwork”. Using sound recordings, original voiceovers, photographs and interviews, the film tells the story of Shakedown, a strip club run by African-American lesbians whose performers became known as Shakedown Angels.
The announcement says Leilah Weinraub tells the story of »Ronnie-Ron, Shakedown Productions’ creator and emcee; Mahogany, the legendary mother of the scene; Egypt, the star performer; and Jazmyne, the queen of Shakedown. Pornhub believes that Shakedown is an essential piece of L.A. history, of radical queer filmmaking and of contemporary video art and is pleased to present the film here for the month of March.«
Pornhub had secured the distribution rights to the documentary after the film was shown at several film festivals around the world. Pornhub comments: »Weinraub saw an opportunity for an expansion upon the conceptual work that she has done with ‘Shakedown’ by collaborating on this premiere with the Pornhub team.«
Pornhub’s VP, Corey Price, comments on the unusual move as well: »Here at Pornhub, we’re invested in celebrating artists and visionaries like Leilah and in sharing diverse narratives of human pleasure and sexuality. We are so excited to share her work with a wider public audience for the very first time.«
The landing page is just one of the steps the tube site is taking to maximize the distribution of the documentary. Pornhub is also promoting several chat sessions where viewers from around the world can chat with the director.
If you would like to watch the movie, please click here. There you will also find details regarding the live chats with Leilah Weinraub.
Here is a trailer for the movie: