Gone are the days of the “silly” industry radio shows – today’s adult webmaster wants a lot more talk and a lot less crazy action. That’s not to say that adult radio is no longer entertaining, it is definitely quite the opposite.(Originally published in Klixxx Magazine. Reprinted here with permission from Klixxx.)

Gone are the days of the “silly” industry radio shows – today’s adult webmaster wants a lot more talk and a lot less crazy action. That’s not to say that adult radio is no longer entertaining, it is definitely quite the opposite. Giggling porn stars, idle gossip and hours filled with spam are long behind us. Well, okay – there is still the occasional porn star – but the interviews are edgy, informative and not what you’ve come to expect over the years from Webmaster radio. Enter a new era of industry-based shows full of substance, featuring big-name guests, hot topics and issues that reflect the current state of the adult Webmaster community.

YNOT Bob’s Hump Day Lunch (Wednesdays, 3:00 pm Eastern / Noon Pacific) on TheAdultWebmaster.com (TAW Radio), is an excellent example of how the times have changed. With guests ranging from the well-known celebrity to the virtually unknown, YNOT Bob has certainly raised the bar, giving Webmasters an online show to look forward to for entertainment and informational value.

Most recently, just a few of the guests featured on the Hump Day Lunch have been: Archbishop Bruce Simpson (the controversial and publicly “out” Archbishop of the Catholic Church), John Reneer (convicted felon and president of anti-porn “War-Line” – plus 10 different candidates in the recent California Governor’s race. Other guests over the years – yes years (The Hump Day Lunch is about to broadcast its 100th show) have included Tony Hawk’s tour bus driver, a Rodeo Cowboy, and that guy who made a bunch of money in the stock market and claimed he did because he was from the future. With guests like these thrown into the mix of discussions on industry-based issues and current events, it’s no wonder there’s always a huge crowd in the chat room and an even bigger crowd listening to the live show while they work!

“The guests that we have come on,” explains YNOT Bob when asked about his unusual line-up, “These are people that you wouldn’t normally come in contact with… We’re here to open peoples’ eyes.” That seems to be true both of the faithful Webmasters who tune into the show each week, and of the guests that are invited to come on. It seems that all those who show up for the Hump Day Lunch Show go away with a little something. The audience gets a chance to get to know the guest and understand where he or she is coming from, and the guest often walks away with a better understanding of the adult industry and the real people who make up our community.

“We try hard every week,” says Bob. “We’re not here to bag on people… well, except for [California Governor candidate and former child actor] Gary Coleman. Gary believes that the entire Internet – not just the adult sector – is a big waste.” Bob admits that the audience enjoyed making fun of Coleman.

The Really BIG Show…

But still, the biggest guest to date – and the one that brought the most notoriety to the Hump Day Lunch Show throughout the entire adult industry, was Archbishop Bruce Simpson. “His interest was amazing,” describes Bob, of Archbishop Simpson’s decision to come on the show. “I mean, this guy is like two steps away from the Pope, and for him to come on our show… it just meant a lot.” In addition to coming on the radio show, Archbishop Simon also answered questions posed by members of the YNOTMasters.com community – and exchanged e-mails with others as well – both before and after going on the air.

In truth, his agreement to come on YNOT Bob’s show really was a big deal. Archbishop Simpson of the Benedictine Order of St. John the Beloved (www.osjtb.com/main.html) has experienced his own media frenzy in recent months, and a visit to an adult Webmaster radio show could have brought him more negative press. You’ve probably even seen him on CNN, MSNBC, ABC News and other mainstream news channels.

The Archbishop and his Order take on “tough issues,” making it their pledge to welcome all who come to worship, including the divorced and the gay and lesbian community. He has publicly spoken out against the decisions and actions of the Catholic Church, and has tackled many tough issues where other religious leaders generally fear to tread.

In his message to the people on the OSJTB.com Web site, Archbishop Simpson says, “Where is the love and non-judgmentalism that we are commanded to exhibit by the Lord we say we serve? Whether it is the Crusades or individual acts of hatred in the 21st century, the message of Jesus has been largely forgotten, and surely those who have ignored or forgotten, will be reminded on the final day.”

One of the outlying themes present in the Hump Day Lunch Show that featured the Archbishop was that of the general feeling by the public masses that those who work in adult entertainment are synonymous with those who are involved in child pornography. It is this general feeling by the public that we, as a community of hard-working, child porn hating parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and grandparents need to address the most. We probably won’t ever be able to overcome this stigma – it’s ingrained into many peoples’ thoughts forever. But every time we give outside people a chance to really get a good look at who we are on the inside, we chip away at the rumors and myths, getting the word out about just how “normal” we all really are.

Influential and “potentially influential” people who are in the media or are heading for leadership roles, like the Archbishop and the Governor’s race candidates, are excellent guests for shows like Bob’s. First, it gives the adult Webmaster community an opportunity to prove that we aren’t all a bunch of creepy porn peddlers. The guests get to chat with Bob and his listeners, coming away with perhaps a new insight into the world of adult Webmasters. And second, it gives Webmasters a chance to get to know those who are influential in their daily lives – the community voices that speak out for the people.

Two Simple Rules for Radio…

So how did YNOT Bob find a fresh formula to use when creating this standout show? “The goal was to do something different,” says Bob of a brainstorming session he had with YNOT News Editor-In-Chief LAJ (and show co-host) with regard to the Hump Day Lunch Show. “We knew we could do this better… we could make [radio] better for the Webmasters.”

Two simple rules are used as a guideline for each and every online episode. The first is: NO SPAM. Bob says, “If someone wants to come on and plug their new program or site, that’s fine. But we’re going to ask other questions and dig a little deeper. We’ll talk about the Webmaster, what they do, and how they got to where they are now.” The second rule is to make people feel better when they leave than when they came.

To keep things entertaining, the hour-and-a-half show is peppered with special features, news, stunts, pranks and other “fun” staples. “One time we did this stunt where we called this girl and told her I was being stopped by the Highway Patrol for a speeding ticket. We told her to say she was pregnant – we even had her on hidden video in her office. Then we called back to say that the cop didn’t believe me and was following me back to her office and that she should stuff her shirt with pillows or something… I guess you had to be there for that one,” Bob says, laughing.

Okay… we’re all still human and we all still have the desire to be entertained. But in truth, the Hump Day Lunch Show has proven that you can still mix business with pleasure… information with fun… and tough interviews with levity. It is a brand-new take on the old model of the adult Webmaster radio show, and… it’s about time.

So if you haven’t tuned in lately, make sure you get yourself over for some Hump Day Lunch, Wednesdays, 3:00 pm Eastern / Noon Pacific at TAW Radio. Who knows who YNOT Bob will have on the show next?

Kath is the Web Development Coordinator for Klixxx.com and can be reached at kath@klixxx.com.