lakers
01-24-2008, 01:56 PM
A controversial "Girls Gone Wild" filming event scheduled for Friday at an Abilene nightclub has been canceled because of public outcry and expected bad weather.
"Due to inclement weather in the region, the event was canceled," said Ronn Torossian, a spokesman for "Girls Gone Wild." "There are reports of heavy rain on Thursday and Friday in that region, and crew members were concerned."
The crew was scheduled to film Friday at the Midnight Rodeo, 1082 S. 2nd St., for "Girls Gone Wild," a video series in which young women are encouraged to shed their clothing.
A Midnight Rodeo representative said that the management for the club "didn't know (the event) would be such a big deal" and didn't want to embarrass the community.
"We don't want to give Abilene a reputation or anything like that," the employee said. "We didn't know it would blow up like this."
The event drew much criticism at www.reporternews.com, where many readers expressed concern that young women would be exploited by the "Girls Gone Wild" production.
However, the publicity also stirred interest. After an article about the event appeared in Wednesday's newspaper, phones were ringing off the hook at Midnight Rodeo, the employee said.
"People were wanting to reserve tables," he said.
Representatives of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's Abilene office and the Abilene Police Department had planned to monitor activities at the club to ensure that participants steered "clear of being obscene."
The video series was conceived by Joseph R. Francis, a controversial 34-year-old Californian who pleaded guilty to federal charges of failing to document ages of young women engaging in sexual acts in 2006 and who was indicted on federal tax evasion charges in 2007.
The videos typically involve film crews in search of young women who agree to expose their bodies on camera, videotaping in pubs and at parties frequented by young adults. In the more extreme cases, camera crews film young women -- who usually receive tank tops and short pants in return for their participation -- at other locations, where the women engage in additional suggestive exhibitionism. The videos are generally sold through late-night television infomercials and on the Internet.
According to the National Weather Service, heavy rain is not expected, but a winter storm watch goes into effect this evening. The NWS says there is a chance of freezing rain, sleet and snow tonight through noon Friday. After that, any precipitation is expected to be rain.
link (http://www.reporternews.com/news/2008/jan/23/girls-gone-wild-now-gone-because-of-outcry/)
"Due to inclement weather in the region, the event was canceled," said Ronn Torossian, a spokesman for "Girls Gone Wild." "There are reports of heavy rain on Thursday and Friday in that region, and crew members were concerned."
The crew was scheduled to film Friday at the Midnight Rodeo, 1082 S. 2nd St., for "Girls Gone Wild," a video series in which young women are encouraged to shed their clothing.
A Midnight Rodeo representative said that the management for the club "didn't know (the event) would be such a big deal" and didn't want to embarrass the community.
"We don't want to give Abilene a reputation or anything like that," the employee said. "We didn't know it would blow up like this."
The event drew much criticism at www.reporternews.com, where many readers expressed concern that young women would be exploited by the "Girls Gone Wild" production.
However, the publicity also stirred interest. After an article about the event appeared in Wednesday's newspaper, phones were ringing off the hook at Midnight Rodeo, the employee said.
"People were wanting to reserve tables," he said.
Representatives of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's Abilene office and the Abilene Police Department had planned to monitor activities at the club to ensure that participants steered "clear of being obscene."
The video series was conceived by Joseph R. Francis, a controversial 34-year-old Californian who pleaded guilty to federal charges of failing to document ages of young women engaging in sexual acts in 2006 and who was indicted on federal tax evasion charges in 2007.
The videos typically involve film crews in search of young women who agree to expose their bodies on camera, videotaping in pubs and at parties frequented by young adults. In the more extreme cases, camera crews film young women -- who usually receive tank tops and short pants in return for their participation -- at other locations, where the women engage in additional suggestive exhibitionism. The videos are generally sold through late-night television infomercials and on the Internet.
According to the National Weather Service, heavy rain is not expected, but a winter storm watch goes into effect this evening. The NWS says there is a chance of freezing rain, sleet and snow tonight through noon Friday. After that, any precipitation is expected to be rain.
link (http://www.reporternews.com/news/2008/jan/23/girls-gone-wild-now-gone-because-of-outcry/)