“Circus of Books” is a true coming out story, told on a couple of fronts. Netflix documentary "Circus of Books" offers an insider's homage to a legendary adult bookstore This close-up documentary is a daughter's look back at … The store is the subject of a new Netflix documentary. Karen previously worked at a journalist. When the Masons started out in the early 1980s, “Circus of Books and the gay bars were places where people would go to meet, to find each other,” said … We may earn a commission through links on our site. In a nod to the OG Circus, Novinger will also carry new accessories and vintage zines from Tom of Finland, who used to do book signings in the store. The follow-up to her 2013 debut feature The Lives of Hamilton Fish —an experimental musical inspired by two historical contemporaries who shared the … Photograph: Jakob N. Layman Best gay cruising spots in LA: Starbucks (store #633) 5/14. Our product picks are editor-tested, expert-approved. Circus of Books heads down multiple tracks at once: It's a first-person documentary about a family coming to terms with the peculiarities of its past. She also didn’t want to hear details about the cruising and sexual activities that were going on at Circus of Books. As the LA Times notes, prior to owning the bookstore, Barry sold accessories he’d invented for a dialysis machine but had to stop when the price of malpractice insurance skyrocketed. It also shows how owning the establishment complicated the lives of the store owners and their three children. Circus of Books heads down multiple tracks at once: It's a first-person documentary about a family coming to terms with the peculiarities of its past. 4/14. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Stay up to date with everything you need to know about L.A. by following us on Facebook and Instagram. Where the old Circus of Books was a dark and somewhat dingy cruising spot with most of the windows covered up—some by the drop ceilings—the new space is voluminous, abounding with glass tables stacked with gay art books, freshly painted carnation-pink walls, and tangerine Kandinsky chairs. This is the second storefront for Chi Chi Larue, which is a multiple AVN award-winning retailer. They employed many gay men, and the store became a popular cruising ground and community space. The closing of WeHo’s Circus of Books, an adult bookstore that has sat on the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and La Jolla Avenue for nearly 60 years — behind which sits the legendary gay cruising grounds known as “Vaseline Alley” — has been referred to by many as “the end of an era.”. We use this information in order to improve and customize your browsing experience and for analytics and metrics about our visitors both on this website and other media. “Adult stores used to be these old seedy, covered-up spaces because they were always living in fear of the law, being rejected by the community, and then getting kicked out,” adds Novinger. The film reveals how Circus of Books became a community space for gay/bi men in the '80s, '90s, and '2000s. “Circus of Books was my first glimpse of the fact that I … Circus of Books (CLOSED) This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies are used to collect information about how you interact with our website and allow us to remember you. The couple then drove around distributing the magazines to liquor stores and newsstands. These cookies do not store any personal information. WeHo Landmark Circus of Books Returns to Life as Chi Chi LaRue’s... it is now the subject of an acclaimed documentary, In Circus of Books, a Filmmaker Explores How Gay Porn Became Her Family’s Business, This Line of Candles Is Inspired by the Sights and Smells of the San Fernando Valley, The Recording Academy’s First Woman CEO Has Been Suspended Just Days Before the Grammys, Miss L.A.’s Club Scene? Circus of Books, which premieres on Netflix on April 22, tells the story of how the straight(-laced) couple came to own the iconic bookstore and gay porn shop in West Hollywood. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, I Had Sex Like Daphne Bridgerton for a Week, We're Scheduling Sex Now and I Feel Like a Failure, 20 Questions With a Guy Who Got His Penis Enlarged, You Might Be Wearing the Wrong-Sized Condom, The Best Ways to Increase Penis Sensitivity, These Are the Secrets to a Successful Threesome. on the other side of West Hollywood. “There was a lot of activity in the alley behind our store,” Karen told Wehoville. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Some call it seedy. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The new store pays homage to Circus of Books (as made clear in the title), but as LAmag notes, "Where the old Circus of Books was a dark and somewhat dingy cruising spot with most of the windows covered up—some by the drop ceilings—the new space is voluminous, abounding with glass tables stacked with gay art books, freshly painted carnation-pink walls, and tangerine Kandinsky chairs.”, This Emerging Designer Wants Men to Dress Up Again, Meet the Trainer Behind Our Newest Workout Program, The Wave Duo Is the Perfect On-the-Go Massage Tool, Why Eggs Might Be Your Weight Management MVPs. Directed by Rachel Mason. Where Is Tommy Hamm From 'Immigration Nation' Now? Mason also focuses on the fact that places such as Circus of Books became safe spaces for gay people, offering a sense of community and even an opportunity for cruising in the pre-Grindr world. “Circus of Books” is a true coming out story, told on a couple of fronts. When a prime West Hollywood location right on Santa Monica Boulevard suddenly became available, the Masons jumped at the opportunity, changing the name from Book Circus to Circus of Books … But the truth is this infamous alley just off … For thirty years they owned a popular gay porn store and cruising spot in Los Angeles, ... Director Kirsten Johnson even wrote to Mason saying she is a huge fan of “Circus of Books. Circus of Books, her parents’ store, was a landmark in the Los Angeles gay community. An LGBTQ cultural mecca of sorts, Circus of Books’ original West Hollywood outlet—and subsequent Silver Lake store—was a crucible of queer literature and gay pornography (as well as the HQ for a small, gay pornography production company), sex toys, and a cruising spot. In addition to the Gallery at Circus, which will host quarterly exhibitions and open with a series of paint-smeared Polaroids by Jeremy Kost, Novinger will display art in a black-walled annex gallery (formerly a stock room brimming with unsellable DVDs and cheap cockrings) featuring the penis shaped ceramics pipes and erotic “C(r)OCKERY” of Frederick Vernon. They employed many gay men, and the store became a popular cruising ground and community space. Circus Of Books starts off in surreal fashion, almost like a Spinal Tap-style mockumentary: ... while ‘Vaseline Alley’ at the back provided a pre-Grindr cruising ground to hook up. First and foremost, it reveals Karen and Barry Mason’s 30 year history as not only the owners of Circus of Books, an iconic gay bookstore in West Hollywood, but that they were at one point the largest US distributor of … Our other store is a walk-in customer, this is a destination,” says Rob Novinger, who started talking to the Masons about taking over the space two years ago. (In 1989, the city of West Hollywood ordered that the store shut down between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., in response to complaints about hustlers at Circus of Books.) Circus of Books, West Hollywood’s gay cruising mecca before the age of the internet, will be the subject of a documentary by Cynthia Childs and Rachel Mason, the daughter of its owners. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Others call it tragic. Circus of Books’ impact on LGBTQ history over its 37 year history is everlasting. But where Circus of Books attracted a more price-conscious shopper, Chi Chi’s will be a more luxe affair. What was expected to be a brief sideline led to their becoming fully immersed in … View this post on Instagram THE #JeffStryker made an appearance at the store event. Photograph: Jakob N. Layman Best gay cruising spots in LA: Circus of Books. Premise: Although “Circus of Books” focuses on a straight couple, the movie uses these central figures to tell a story of 1980s Los Angeles and the AIDS epidemic. To find out more about the cookies we use, see our. For thirty years they owned a popular gay porn store and cruising spot in Los Angeles, ... Director Kirsten Johnson even wrote to Mason saying she is a huge fan of “Circus of Books. It was a pioneering porn emporium, caught up in legal test cases, an original distributor of “Hustler Magazine” and a producer … This content is imported from {embed-name}. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Larry Flynt was seeking distributors for Hustler Magazine. Netflix documentary "Circus of Books" shines a light on LGBT and U.S. history via the story of a mom-and-pop porn shop. Before he was making and distributing Rascal sex toys and running iconic adult film director Chi Chi LaRue’s flagship—an upscale adult store between Fiesta Cantina and Micky’s West Hollywood, featuring everything from poppers to licensed gear from the store’s namesake—Novinger was licensing sex toys and acquiring the largest gay-owned adult video library in the world. And Circus of Books is no different except (look away now Donald Trump) that they specialised in selling gay porn. The store is located in what was once known as “Vaseline Alley,” a parking lot and alley behind the store where gay men cruised for hookups. “Now everyone is out in the open.”. Novinger isn’t just a tenant of the Masons, he’s a fan—but he’s also quick to note that his version of Circus will be a more curated affair. The West Hollywood branch closed in February of 2019. When that shop ended up having some financial troubles, Barry and Karen ended up buying the store in 1982 and turned it into Circus of Books. As a notable Los Angeles gay cruising spot, place of refuge during the AIDS crisis, and mom-and-pop porn shop fighting federal obscenity charges, both locations are now considered important sites of Los Angeles' gay history. Circus of Books was a bookstore and gay pornography shop owned by Karen and Barry Mason, with locations in West Hollywood and Silver lake. With Karen Mason, Barry Mason, Micah Mason, Rachel Mason. There was one place called Book Circus that would order 600 gay titles, including the popular Blueboy and Honcho, and instantly, they would sell out. She also didn’t want to hear details about the cruising and sexual activities that were going on at Circus of Books. Circus of Books, a new documentary about the infamous West Hollywood gay porn store and legendary cruising spot, is available to stream on Netflix from Wednesday April 22nd.The excellent, vital film, executive-produced by Ryan Murphy, was directed by queer artist Rachel Mason, who happens to be the daughter of Circus of Books proprietors Barry and Karen. Novinger should know, he’s been doing this for the better part of two decades. (In 1989, the city of West Hollywood ordered that the store shut down between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., in response to complaints about hustlers at Circus of Books.) The documentary will preserve the story of the adult bookstore, which sits on the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and La Jolla. Because “Circus of Books” was famous — infamous, notorious — and not just in West Hollywood, not just in Los Angeles. Karen and Barry Mason, its owners for more than 30 years, announced in … Not only did it earn notoriety by offering gay pornography in an era where censorship and modesty laws outlawed being out of the closet, but it also served as a cruising spot where gay patrons could meet one another. Circus of Books (CLOSED) This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. For the store’s regulars, Circus of Books wasn’t just a cruising joint but a haven for the gay community. In ‘Circus of Books,’ musician Rachel Mason shares the story of how her parents, purveyors of lube, poppers, sex toys and porn, became unwitting heroes for L.A.’s gay community through the AIDS crisis and beyond. The Silverlake branch opened in 1985, and closed in 2016, after 31 years. First and foremost, it reveals Karen and Barry Mason’s 30 year history as not only the owners of Circus of Books, an iconic gay bookstore in West Hollywood, but that they were at one point the largest US distributor of … Take the storied history of Circus of Books, the West Hollywood gay porn emporium on the southwest corner of Santa Monica and La Jolla. Despite living a relatively conservative Jewish family life up on Wonderland Avenue, they decided to buy out the owner of their customer, Book Circus, in 1982 and became unlikely porn purveyors and champions of LGBTQ politics over the ensuing three decades. “Now it’s free for everyone on the internet. Famous Porn Director Reveals the Jaw-Dropping Truth about Porn, The Long, Hard Road to Becoming a Male Porn Star. The Masons took control of the recently shuttered Circus of Books, on Santa Monica Boulevard in the heart of West Hollywood, in 1982, when the … It was a pioneering porn emporium, caught up in legal test cases, an original distributor of “Hustler Magazine” and a producer … After decades of survival, Circus of Books shuttered in February. The newly installed department-store-sized windows allow passersby to glimpse leather-clad mannequins—or a mirrored wall of lube (“Vaseline Alley”)—beside a bright white poppers bar, and a white-walled gallery with a curated selection of LGBTQ coffee table books and art by local LGBTQ artists. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Because “Circus of Books” was famous — infamous, notorious — and not just in West Hollywood, not just in Los Angeles. Film Review: ‘Circus of Books’ Rachel Mason offers a surprising take on the proprietors of an iconic adult bookstore and landmark gay cruising spot — which also happen to be her parents. Before the internet democratized, destigmatized, and decentralized the porn industry, it was largely a back-alley business. This three-decades-old institution is a well-known cruising spot, whether you're looking for a fun new sex video or a fun new sex partner. Vaseline Alley. Unlikely as it may sound, Circus was owned by husband-and-wife entrepreneurs Karen and Barry Mason, who traded in their respective careers in investigative journalism and special effects to distribute Hustler for Larry Flint in the late ’70s. This three-decades-old institution is a well-known cruising spot, whether you're looking for a fun new sex video or a fun new sex partner. Netflix documentary "Circus of Books" offers an insider's homage to a legendary adult bookstore This close-up documentary is a daughter's look … “So many people come in and they are so happy the store is coming back because it’s sort of the gay Stonewall of L.A., so I’m hoping we get the neighborhood traffic back. A peek inside Circus of Books, courtesy Netflix One piece in the film, beautifully curated by Rachel and her video editor Kathryn Robson, is the coming-out story of her younger brother Josh. ‘Circus of Books,’ directed by Rachel Mason, is a documentary that explores an adult book store that set a record in the history of the gay community in the Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles. The film was written and directed by Rachel Mason, Karen and Barry’s daughter, and was produced by Ryan Murphy. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Circus of Books also played an important role for gay men discovering and exploring their sexuality. At a time when anything related to the LGBT community was frowned upon, this book store went ahead to sell gay porn to its customers. In 1976, Karen and Barry Mason had fallen on hard times and were looking for a way to support their young family when they answered an ad in the Los Angeles Times. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. In January of 2020, the WeHo branch reopened under new ownership as Chi Chi LaRue’s Circus (NSFW). For over forty years the Circus of Books was a gathering place for queer Los Angeles; it was a hub for cruising, a depot for highly desired gay pornography, a space of solace in the height of the AIDS crisis. At its peak, there were three Circus of Books branches across Los Angeles: the original location in West Hollywood, one in Silverlake, and then a final branch in Sherman Oaks. The “Circus of Books” story has everything a temporarily couch-bound society could want from a Netflix and chill session. Where the old Circus of Books was a dark and somewhat dingy cruising spot with most of the windows covered up—some by the drop ceilings—the new … I truly believe there are two customers out there, this is just a higher end experience.”, RELATED: In Circus of Books, a Filmmaker Explores How Gay Porn Became Her Family’s Business. ‘Circus of Books’ Review: A Perfect Portrait of Mom and Pop’s Gay Porn Shop. “They had no idea they were doing all of that, they did this on a fluke,” says Rob Novinger, walking me around the newly revamped Circus of Books space last week before it reopened on Saturday as Chi Chi LaRue’s Circus. The same was true in the realm of gay porn, except it faced more scrutiny, stricter obscenity laws, and a much more profound level of ostracism. Sex toys and porn are joined by art, books, and more at the adult movie director and drag diva’s new Santa Monica Boulevard space, This website stores cookies on your computer. “Circus of Books” doesn’t mine the meta-theatrical depths of Sarah Polley’s “Stories We Tell” did ... and the store became a popular cruising ground and community space. The first location is just a mile down Santa Monica Blvd. Men's Health participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Karen and Barry Mason didn’t set out to become one of the largest distributors of gay porn, but when the conservative Jewish couple saw the potential to make some serious cash, they went balls to the walls. Luckily we had been licensing toys to a big company in the Valley, and when that contract came up, I just started doing it myself in China,” he says with a laugh as workers rush around hanging ball gags from the racks in the toy section, which will also have a selection of shirts by Huntees. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. They were looking for jobs. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. One day in the newspaper, she saw an ad seeking magazine distributors for none other the Larry Flynt, the founder of Hustler Magazine. Our products are all medical grade silicon that is not meant to be thrown away that night. On Twitch, the Party Is Still Going, ‘Drag Is Literally for Everyone’: How Göttmik Is Making ‘Drag Race’ History, Local Officials Are Worried About NYE Partiers Coming Back from Mexico. Here's what to know about Circus of Books, including where it is now. The new store pays homage to Circus of Books (as made clear in the title), but as LAmag notes, "Where the old Circus of Books was a dark and somewhat dingy cruising spot with most of … Within the pantheon of essential landmarks in the history of queer Los Angeles, there never has been nor will there ever be another place as singular and iconic as the legendary Circus of Books: the brick-and-mortar gay erotica emporium, cruising hotspot haven, and unofficial community center on West Hollywood’s Santa Monica Boulevard and on Sunset in Silver Lake. Porn industry, it was largely a back-alley business basic functionalities and features... Netflix and chill session of Books website and allow us to remember you Books became community! Tommy Hamm from 'Immigration Nation ' now view this post on Instagram the # JeffStryker made appearance. 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