Stage name

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Stage name

Postby Guest » March 11th, 2002, 8:50 pm

I have been thinking about taking a stage or working name. Something like Jack Diamond.

What is the deal with stage names generally.

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: Stage name

Postby Richard Kaufman » March 11th, 2002, 8:58 pm

I know an amateur magician named Jack Diamond--lived in the suburbs of New York last I heard.
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Pete Biro
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Re: Stage name

Postby Pete Biro » March 11th, 2002, 9:30 pm

What's wrong with Nicky Jay?

Regarding "what 's with stage names?"

Archibald Leach used Cary Grant.

Milton Berlinger was Milton Berle.

Frankly, I think with their skills, etc. they didn't need stage names.

But, whatever suits you.

Keep it simple.

David Kotkin calls himself David Copperfield.

I have used "The Amazing Peter"

:D :rolleyes: :eek: :p
Stay tooned.

Guest

Re: Stage name

Postby Guest » March 12th, 2002, 7:12 am

Originally posted by Pete Biro:


I have used "The Amazing Peter"

:D :rolleyes: :eek: :p


Okay, am I the only one who sprayed coffee all over their monitor after reading this?

Thanks Pete, I needed that.

Best,

Dan-

[ March 12, 2002: Message edited by: Danny Hustle ]

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Pete Biro
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Re: Stage name

Postby Pete Biro » March 12th, 2002, 7:49 am

heheheheh :eek:
Stay tooned.

Bill Duncan
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Re: Stage name

Postby Bill Duncan » March 12th, 2002, 10:00 pm

Kirk Charles used "The Wiz" when he was starting out (long before the movie of the same name) and then when he decided to use his own name he had a problem in that all his press clippings talked about "The Wiz" and not Kirk Charles.

I also recall reading about a guy from Canada named Dave Vernor who's name was misspelled in a press account and he ended up using the misspelled name.

Or it that an urban (magic) legend?
:D

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Re: Stage name

Postby John Pezzullo » March 14th, 2002, 1:53 am

What is the deal with stage names generally?


Try to avoid stage names that sound like those that a porn star would use. This is especially important if you're working at venues featuring family entertainment.

Brian Marks
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Re: Stage name

Postby Brian Marks » March 14th, 2002, 6:10 am

My name is Brian Marks but my stage name is Bryan Marks

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Re: Stage name

Postby Guest » March 14th, 2002, 2:08 pm

Originally posted by Bill Duncan:
I also recall reading about a guy from Canada named Dave Vernor who's name was misspelled in a press account and he ended up using the misspelled name.

Or it that an urban (magic) legend?
:D


Whether or not it's an urban legend re "Dave Vernor," I am aware of one professional magician who did acquire his stage name in precisely this manner. For convoluted reasons, I can't say who.

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Pete Biro
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Re: Stage name

Postby Pete Biro » March 14th, 2002, 6:19 pm

My Father's real name was Julias Biro
and he used Joe Byron for easier pronunciation and spelling when in showbiz.

When in school, teachers often pronounced it Julia Spiro when taking roll call.
Stay tooned.

Guest

Re: Stage name

Postby Guest » March 15th, 2002, 9:32 am

I spent a lot of time worrying about a stage name. I will not list the dopey names I came up with. The truth is, in the end, Pete is right. Work on your skills and the people will like you - no matter what your name is (with the possible exception of Archibald Leach. I think Mr. Grant made the right choice :D ) So, now, I use my own name...but since my last name is frequently mispronounced, maybe I should change it to Carrie Grant ;)

ps Nicholas is a great name!

Guest

Re: Stage name

Postby Guest » March 15th, 2002, 1:18 pm

Nicholas is the third most popular English name and Johnson is the second.

A performer's name is their brand name, it needs to be memorable and exciting. Nicholas J. Johnson is OK but I also act as an agent (www.funnybones.com.au) and I would like to seperate my two roles. It confuses clients when the guy who organisies their entertainment is also the guy doing card tricks.

Don't forget these guys:-

Alan Alda = Alphonso D'Abruzzo
Woody Allen = Allen Konigsberg
Julie Andrews = Julia Wells
Fred Astaire = Frederick Austerlitz
Babyface = Kenneth Edmonds
Lauren Bacall = Betty Joan Perske
Anne Bancroft = Anna Maria Italiano
Pat Benatar = Patricia Andrejewski
Tony Bennett = Anthony Benedetto
Jack Benny = Benjamin Kubelsky
Robert Blake = Michael Gubitosi
Bono = Paul Hewson
David Bowie = David Robert Jones
Boy George = George Alan O'Dowd
Charles Bronson = Charles Buchinski
Albert Brooks = Albert Einstein
Mel Brooks = Melvin Kaminsky
George Burns = Nathan Birnbaum
Ellen Burstyn = Edna Gilhooley
Richard Burton = Richard Jenkins
Nicholas Cage = Nicholas Coppola
Michael Cain = Maurice Micklewhite
Maria Callas = Maria Kalogeropoulos
Vikki Carr = Florencia Casillas
Ray Charles = Ray Charles Robinson
Chubby Checker = Ernest Evans
Cher = Cherilyn Sarkisian
Patsy Cline = Virginia Patterson Hensley
Claudette Colbert = Lily Chauchoin
Robert Conrad = Conrad Robert Falk
Alice Cooper = Vincent Furnier
David Copperfield = David Kotkin
Howard Cosell = Howard Cohen
Elvis Costello = Declan McManus
Lou Costello = Louis Cristillo
Joan Crawford = Lucille Le Sueur
Michael Crawford = Michael Dumble-Smith
Tom Cruise = Thomas Mapother IV
Tony Curtis = Bernard Schwartz
Rodney Dangerfield = Jacob Cohen
Doris Day = Doris von Kappelhoff
James Dean = James Byron
John Denver = Henry John Deutschendorf Jr.
Bo Derek = Mary Cathleen Collins
Danny DeVito = Daniel Michaeli
Angie Dickinson = Angeline Brown
Bo Diddley = Elias Bates
Phyllis Diller = Phyllis Driver
Kirk Douglas = Issur Danielovitch
Bob Dylan = Robert Zimmerman
Sheena Easton = Sheena Shirley Orr
Elvira = Cassandra Paterson
Enya = Eithne Ni Bhraonian
Morgan Fairchild = Patsy McClenny
Sally Field = Sally Mahoney
W.C. Fields = William Claude Dukenfield
Jodie Foster = Alicia Christian Foster
Greta Garbo = Greta Gustafsson
Judy Garland = Frances Gumm
James Garner = James Bumgarner
Crystal Gayle = Brenda Gayle Webb
Kathie Lee Gifford = Kathie Epstein
Whoopie Goldberg = Caryn Johnson
Cary Grant = Archibald Leach
Hammer = Stanley Kirk Burrell
Rita Hayworth = Margarita Cansino
Pee-Wee Herman = Paul Reubenfeld
Barbara Hershey = Barbara Herzstine
Billie Holliday = Eleanora Fagan
Harry Houdini = Ehrich Weiss
Rock Hudson = Roy Scherer Jr.
Ice-T = Tracy Morrow
Billy Idol = William Broad
Elton John = Reginald Dwight
Don Johnson = Donald Wayne
Al Jolson = Asa Yoelson
Tom Jones = Thomas Woodward
Wynonna Judd = Christina Ciminella
Boris Karloff = William Henry Pratt
Danny Kaye = David Kaminsky
Diane Keaton = Diane Hall
Michael Keaton = Michael Douglas
Chaka Khan = Yvette Stevens
Larry King = Larry Zeigler
Ben Kingsley = Krishna Banji
Nastassja Kinski = Nastassja Naksyznyski
Cheryl Ladd = Cheryl Stoppelmoor
Veronica Lake = Constance Ockleman
Dorothy Lamour = Mary Kaumeyer
Michael Landon = Eugene Orowitz
Queen Latifah = Dana Owens
Stan Laurel = Arthur Jefferson
Steve Lawrence = Sidney Leibowitz
Bruce Lee = Lee Yuen Kam
Huey Lewis = Hugh Cregg
Jerry Lewis = Joseph Levitch
Jack Lord = John Joseph Ryan
Sophia Loren = Sophia Scicoloni
Peter Lorre = Laszio Lowenstein
Bela Lugosi = Bela Ferenc Blasko
Shirley MacLaine = Shirley Beaty
Elle MacPherson = Eleanor Gow
Madonna = Madonna Louise Ciccone
Lee Majors = Harvey Lee Yeary II
Karl Malden = Mladen Sekulovich
Barry Manilow = Barry Alan Pincus
Jayne Mansfield = Vera Jane Palmer
Walter Matthau = Walter Matuschanskayasky
Dean Martin = Dino Crocetti
Meat Loaf = Marvin Lee Aday
Ethel Merman = Ethel Zimmerman
George Michael = Georgios Panayiotou
Marilyn Monroe = Norma Jean Mortenson (later Baker)
Demi Moore = Demetria Guynes
Rita Moreno = Rosita Alverio
Harry Morgan = Harry Bratsburg
Chuck Norris = Carlos Ray
Andre Norton = Mary Alice Norton
Notorious B.I.G. = Christopher Wallace
Jack Palance = Walter Palanuik
Bernadette Peters = Bernadette Lazzaro
Slim Pickens = Louis Lindley
Mary Pickford = Gladys Smith
Stephanie Powers = Stefania Federkiewicz
Prince = Prince Rogers Nelson
Tony Randall = Leonard Rosenberg
Johnnie Ray = John Alvin
Donna Reed = Donna Belle Mullenger
Della Reese = Delloreese Patricia Early
Joan Rivers = Joan Sandra Molinsky
Edward G. Robinson = Emmanuel Goldenberg
Mickey Rooney = Joe Yule Jr.
Johnny Rotten = John Lydon
Winona Ryder = Winona Horowitz
Susan Sarandon = Susan Tomaling
Jane Seymour = Joyce Frankenberg
Omar Sharif = Michael Shalhoub
Charlie Sheen = Carlos Irwin Estevez
Martin Sheen = Ramon Estevez
Talia Shire = Talia Coppola
Sinbad = David Atkins
Slash = Saul Hudson
Suzanne Somers = Suzanne Mahoney
Robert Stack = Robert Modini
Barbara Stanwyck = Ruby Stevens
Ringo Starr = Richard Starkey
Connie Stevens = Concetta Ingolia
Sting = Gordon Sumner
Donna Summer = La Donna Gaines
Mr. T = Lawrence Tero
Danny Thomas = Muzyad Yakhoob
Tiny Tim = Herbert Khaury
Rip Torn = Elmore Rual Torn Jr.
Randy Travis = Randy Traywick
Sophie Tucker = Sophia Kalish
Tina Turner = Annie Mae Bullock
Twiggy = Leslie Hornby
Rudolph Valentino = Rudolpho D'Antonguolla
Frankie Valli = Frank Castelluccio
Sid Vicious = John Simon Ritchie
John Wayne = Marion Morrison
Raquel Welch = Raquel Tejada
Gene Wilder = Jerome Silberman
Shelley Winters = Shirley Schrift
Stevie Wonder = Stevland Morris
Natalie Wood = Natasha Gurdin

Guest

Re: Stage name

Postby Guest » March 16th, 2002, 3:32 am

what about the folks who kept their names and still got to be famous?

Arnold Schwartzenegger
Sandra Bullock
Matt Damon
Ben Affleck

I know there are more, but I have work to do!! :) We book our shows and do the entertainment. So far no one seems too confused...www.thinairproductions.com

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Pete Biro
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Re: Stage name

Postby Pete Biro » March 16th, 2002, 8:01 am

Not to mention Pete Biro :D :D :D
Stay tooned.

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Re: Stage name

Postby Guest » March 16th, 2002, 1:48 pm

I not only represent myself, I also represent other performers. It takes a lot of explaining to get clients to understand I am both an entertainment agent and a performer. I think some of them have a problem with the whole jack of all trades, master of none thing.

I may well not take a stage name but it is good to consider the options now rather then later. I think JAck Diamond would be great because you could get a lot of comic milage for people asking whether it is your real name.

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Matthew Field
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Re: Stage name

Postby Matthew Field » March 17th, 2002, 8:28 am

Pick a name and use it if you're unhappy with your own. If you choose or were born with a name close to/identical with someone else's name, be prepared for confusion and legal hassles (Greg Wilson/Gregory Wilson).

I worked for most of my life in the radio world. Matthew Field is my legal name now, but it is not the name I received at birth.

Matt Field (don't ask)

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Michael Kamen
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Re: Stage name

Postby Michael Kamen » March 24th, 2002, 8:42 pm

Hi Nicholas,

FWIW, I used to call myself Nemak the Magician, which was just my last name Kamen spelled backwards. Of course, I was 9 years old at the time. Later, a post-adolescent magical friend of mine chose his professional name after the street where I grew up -- not out of any particular affection for me (although we were good friends), but because he liked the way it sounded. He was an excellent performer, and it was a catchy name! I am not sure this anecdote is much help to you but then I do not think there is any formula to choosing a stage name. Authors frequently choose pen names and it is no more a science.

Regards,
Michael
Michael Kamen

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Re: Stage name

Postby Guest » May 9th, 2002, 9:18 pm

call yourself nicholas night II

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Brian Morton
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Re: Stage name

Postby Brian Morton » May 10th, 2002, 7:40 am

Matt Field said:
I worked for most of my life in the radio world. Matthew Field is my legal name now, but it is not the name I received at birth.
Gee, Matt! My real full name is Brian Wendell Morton and I spent a good part of my career in radio. And when I asked to use my full name (there is another Brian Morton who is a regularly published author and jazz writer), my boss said, "No. Too long. And it'll sound like we've got a damned Supreme Court Justice on the air..."

the honorable brian wendell morton esq. :cool:

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Re: Stage name

Postby Elwood » May 10th, 2002, 10:20 am

I sat in with a band at the Loudon Superbike race a couple of years back and the singers name (and he took great delight in telling us it was his real name as he introduced the band) was Mike Hollywood!

That is such a great name!

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Re: Stage name

Postby Guest » May 31st, 2002, 5:01 pm

Brian Marks
Member
Member # 109
posted March 14, 2002 06:10 AM
------------------------------------------------------------------------
My name is Brian Marks but my stage name is Bryan Marks
...why?

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Re: Stage name

Postby Guest » May 31st, 2002, 5:42 pm

Why or Y?

:rolleyes:

My real name is Nicholas Johnson but I have been using the stage name of Nicholas J Johnson.

I still need a witty answer for when people ask me "What does the J stand for?"

*The J stands for old ladies on the bus....
*Nothing. I just have a stutter when I write...

Brian Marks
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Re: Stage name

Postby Brian Marks » June 3rd, 2002, 3:55 pm

I was kidding with my stage name being Bryan instead of Brian. I really use Yitzhaka Dov Marksavsky because its easy to pronounce and no one asks whether I use a Y or an I like with Brian or Bryan

Guest

Re: Stage name

Postby Guest » July 25th, 2002, 12:22 pm

Hi,
I'm Chris Reesman's son for those who don't know.

I personally think that stage names are a bad idea in most (not all) cases.
Nicholas Johnson, you had a valid point though. your name is fairly common.

Matt Reesman :@

Guest

Re: Stage name

Postby Guest » September 9th, 2002, 9:51 pm

I love bringing up an old thread.
I do a comedy act performing as a slightly insane Celtic magician named Rick O'Shea. You'd be surprised at how many don't get it.
Rick

Guest

Re: Stage name

Postby Guest » September 9th, 2002, 9:52 pm

Here's one that no one is using that I came up with some time ago.
Lance Boyle.

never mind...

Dale Shrimpton
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Re: Stage name

Postby Dale Shrimpton » September 12th, 2002, 4:59 am

Originally posted by Danny Hustle:
Originally posted by Pete Biro:
[b]

I have used "The Amazing Peter"

:D :rolleyes: :eek: :p
Okay, am I the only one who sprayed coffee all over their monitor after reading this?

Thanks Pete, I needed that.

Best,

Dan-[/b]
nope, i sprayed as well.The boss will kill me if she finds out!!

Dale.

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Re: Stage name

Postby Dale Shrimpton » September 12th, 2002, 5:01 am

Originally posted by Rick Green:
Here's one that no one is using that I came up with some time ago.
Lance Boyle.

never mind...
i was claud balls for a while.( lion tamer, and part time magician)

Mitch Dutton
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Re: Stage name

Postby Mitch Dutton » September 12th, 2002, 8:24 pm

I recall several years ago a guy was calling himself "Mistah Fide". For myself, I'm leaning towards Mitch the Mitch-ician. --Mitch

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Re: Stage name

Postby Guest » September 15th, 2002, 8:22 pm

When I first started working the Magic Castle in 1976, Billy McComb stumbled over my name every time he introduced me. My real name is Whitney Hadden, and Whit Hadden was for some reason hard for Billy to get out.

One night as I was packing up, Billy said, "Whit. The Professor, Joe Cassari, Kuda Bux and I are going out to the Copper Kettle to get a bite to eat. Care to join us?"

Boy, did I. As soon as food was ordered they all turned on me and started trying to convince me to change my name. Whit Hayden would be easier to pronounce Billy thought. Joe said "You don't want to get confused with Pat Haden or Tom Hayden though. Spell it different." Vernon said "Spell it like Haydn the composer, and just pronounce it like Hayden. Four letters over five looks great on a marquee, and you'll get that asscociation."
"Nobody will ever spell it right at first, and then they'll never forget it..."

Well the arguments went on for quite a while, and finally I was convinced. My new name would be Whit Haydn. The success of my career was assured.

When I got home at nearly 4 am, my wife Debra was waiting for me. She was furious. "I thought you were dead on the highway. Where the hell have you been? Why didn't you call."

I explained the best I could, then told her how important this was going to be for us, and what arguments all the great heroes of magic had made for changing my name. She finally settled down.

Later that week she was sitting at the Palace Bar when Billy McComb walked out of my show, came right up beside her (he hadn't met her yet) and turned to the bartender, "Big Ed. That young Walt Whitman has the finest linking ring routine. It is just hysterical..."

Two seconds later my wife was coming through the dressing room door like a harpie, "McComb doesn't know you from Adam. Where were you til 4 o'clock the other night?"

No one has ever spelled Whit Haydn right since.

Guest

Re: Stage name

Postby Guest » September 15th, 2002, 10:33 pm

Originally posted by Michael Kamen:
Hi Nicholas,

FWIW, I used to call myself Nemak the Magician, which was just my last name Kamen spelled backwards.
Michael, am I correct in assuming that you're not that Michael Kamen (as in the composer who wrote, among other movie music, the music for "Everything I Do (I Do It For You)" for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and who arranged the score of Pink Floyd's "The Wall")?

On another note, tying in with the earlier mention of not sounding like a porn name, I'd suggest that "Jack Diamond" screams porn actor to me. Although my all time favorite porn name still has to be John Dough!

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Re: Stage name

Postby Adam Brooks » September 16th, 2002, 5:27 am

On another note, tying in with the earlier mention of not sounding like a porn name, I'd suggest that "Jack Diamond"screams porn actor to me. Although my all time favorite porn name still has to be John Dough!
Speaking of porn names...

Ever wonder what YOUR porn name would be were you to have chosen that path? Simple. Your first name is the same as the name of your first pet. Your last name is the name of the street you live on currently.

Mine would be Leo Clifton.

Ahhh, pointless college nonsense...

-Adam

Mitch Dutton
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Re: Stage name

Postby Mitch Dutton » September 16th, 2002, 5:48 am

So my porn name would be Suzy Erwin? --Mitch

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Matthew Field
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Re: Stage name

Postby Matthew Field » September 16th, 2002, 9:19 am

And mine would be Emma Central Park West!

Matt Field

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Re: Stage name

Postby Jim Maloney_dup1 » September 16th, 2002, 9:29 am

Hi, Polly Castle Point on Hudson here.

-Jim

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Re: Stage name

Postby Guest » September 16th, 2002, 9:49 am

Licorice Nicholson here, reporting in for my screen test.

Brian Marks
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Re: Stage name

Postby Brian Marks » September 16th, 2002, 6:30 pm

You guys are so unfortunate. Mine would be Edward Pecan Valley

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Michael Kamen
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Re: Stage name

Postby Michael Kamen » September 16th, 2002, 7:38 pm

Andy,

No, I am not he -- but obviously he stole my name to use as his "stage name."

(Bruce) Michael Kamen ;)
Michael Kamen

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Re: Stage name

Postby Guest » September 16th, 2002, 7:44 pm

LOL...cool, just checking if we needed to add him to the "[obscure] celebs who do magic" list :o )

--Andy (aka either Smokey Harbor Point or Whiskers Harbor Point :o )

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Re: Stage name

Postby Guest » September 17th, 2002, 11:22 am

Ever wonder what YOUR porn name would be were you to have chosen that path? Simple. Your first name is the same as the name of your first pet. Your last name is the name of the street you live on currently.
This is just great...my name would be Pokey Melpar. Who'd want to see a porn movie starring Pokey Melpar?


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