Concerning your #10 footnote, much of the nudity and sex scenes - once they're out or are available to caption - are documented on adult sites. I wish to not give these sites exposure so I will not list them here. One site you can search via actor's name or by project. If they are in the database they categorize each scene as "NUDITY" or "SEXY" (the latter usually covers everything outside of bare nudity, so see-through dresses/lingerie, underwear, hair covering breasts etc.)
This comment may seem very bizarre, but it goes to show that under "artistic expression" and "realism" talking points, mainstream tv & film dips into adult entertainment of the XXX variety - which includes softcore.
You are right, GRA; much of the "simulated sex" in mainstream entertainment ends up on XXX sites. There is definitely a crossover between softcore porn and what general audiences would consider acceptable mainstream fare.
Which begs the question: Are we watching softcore porn? Yes.
A more controversial question is are actors who sign up for this are, indeed, part-time softcore porn actors when needed? I would say, yes. I don't believe this is uncharitable, myopic or nonsensical given many actors have done multiple nude and sex scenes throughout their career - some quite early too.
Once we strip away the cool, posh interviews, the exclusive red carpet events for premieres, the private jet planes, award ceremonies and beauty product endorsements/commercials, the tv and film industry look a lot like the sex industry -- sometimes how they recruit actors, but often times how they go about depicting sexuality and the act of sex itself (the process of nude and sex scenes in mainstream entertainment is pretty much the same for softcore porn films; I'd argue there's probably a lack of structure in mainstream scenes given intimacy directors aren't the norm on set). Not surprising, at least in the States, where the porn industry is unofficially headquartered in LA. Half-siblings, perhaps?
Indeed, I've spent a lot of digital ink trying to convince readers that much of the sexualized content in our mainstream entertainment is pornographic in nature. But in a pornified society like ours, audiences have been inoculated to the reality of its presence, so it's an argument that needs a lot of explanation (as I have been attempting to do over the years).
I've mentioned this series in a past comment, but if you don't mind excessive profanity I'd say look into The Bear (Hulu). It's about a failing Italian beef restaurant.
I've read some comments on it on Youtube and other tv/film discussion sites where there were probably at least a couple of posters who pointed out that the non-existent romantic/sexual/nudity/sex scenes helped made it refreshing in comparison to all other tv series out there who do show such things. A very small sample size, but still. We're not the only ones who have noticed in past years the debauchery that has become the norm on tv and film sets.
And, as always, if people say "Well what about all the excessive violence!" (not the same thing, really) I'll play their game for a bit. I'll say that film franchises like The Purge (also has nudity and sex scenes) and Saw are trash. There was a Youtube clip made a few years ago commenting on the increase of "violence porn" showing various clips on tv that were just excruciating to watch. Other than that, I'd say depiction of violence and nudity aren't the same thing despite how often they're brought up as if they are when topics like this arises. It's a false equivalence.
"(as I have been attempting to do over the years)."
I'm currently doing this as well on my own blog, though I'm less charitable about it. To me it's so obvious and also tragic since so many young actors probably internalize it by saying to themselves "this is normal; this is what I/actors do" to "I need to do it or else I don't advance my career." Sure, strippers strip. It's what they do. At least they're honest about what exactly they do. They don't hide under the banner of "art."
Concerning your #10 footnote, much of the nudity and sex scenes - once they're out or are available to caption - are documented on adult sites. I wish to not give these sites exposure so I will not list them here. One site you can search via actor's name or by project. If they are in the database they categorize each scene as "NUDITY" or "SEXY" (the latter usually covers everything outside of bare nudity, so see-through dresses/lingerie, underwear, hair covering breasts etc.)
This comment may seem very bizarre, but it goes to show that under "artistic expression" and "realism" talking points, mainstream tv & film dips into adult entertainment of the XXX variety - which includes softcore.
You are right, GRA; much of the "simulated sex" in mainstream entertainment ends up on XXX sites. There is definitely a crossover between softcore porn and what general audiences would consider acceptable mainstream fare.
Which begs the question: Are we watching softcore porn? Yes.
A more controversial question is are actors who sign up for this are, indeed, part-time softcore porn actors when needed? I would say, yes. I don't believe this is uncharitable, myopic or nonsensical given many actors have done multiple nude and sex scenes throughout their career - some quite early too.
Once we strip away the cool, posh interviews, the exclusive red carpet events for premieres, the private jet planes, award ceremonies and beauty product endorsements/commercials, the tv and film industry look a lot like the sex industry -- sometimes how they recruit actors, but often times how they go about depicting sexuality and the act of sex itself (the process of nude and sex scenes in mainstream entertainment is pretty much the same for softcore porn films; I'd argue there's probably a lack of structure in mainstream scenes given intimacy directors aren't the norm on set). Not surprising, at least in the States, where the porn industry is unofficially headquartered in LA. Half-siblings, perhaps?
Indeed, I've spent a lot of digital ink trying to convince readers that much of the sexualized content in our mainstream entertainment is pornographic in nature. But in a pornified society like ours, audiences have been inoculated to the reality of its presence, so it's an argument that needs a lot of explanation (as I have been attempting to do over the years).
I've mentioned this series in a past comment, but if you don't mind excessive profanity I'd say look into The Bear (Hulu). It's about a failing Italian beef restaurant.
I've read some comments on it on Youtube and other tv/film discussion sites where there were probably at least a couple of posters who pointed out that the non-existent romantic/sexual/nudity/sex scenes helped made it refreshing in comparison to all other tv series out there who do show such things. A very small sample size, but still. We're not the only ones who have noticed in past years the debauchery that has become the norm on tv and film sets.
And, as always, if people say "Well what about all the excessive violence!" (not the same thing, really) I'll play their game for a bit. I'll say that film franchises like The Purge (also has nudity and sex scenes) and Saw are trash. There was a Youtube clip made a few years ago commenting on the increase of "violence porn" showing various clips on tv that were just excruciating to watch. Other than that, I'd say depiction of violence and nudity aren't the same thing despite how often they're brought up as if they are when topics like this arises. It's a false equivalence.
"(as I have been attempting to do over the years)."
I'm currently doing this as well on my own blog, though I'm less charitable about it. To me it's so obvious and also tragic since so many young actors probably internalize it by saying to themselves "this is normal; this is what I/actors do" to "I need to do it or else I don't advance my career." Sure, strippers strip. It's what they do. At least they're honest about what exactly they do. They don't hide under the banner of "art."