Scandalous Archives

On the night the world trade center went down Hitler belittled digital photography, telling me my digital camera was a toy. And although Hitler was right about a lot of things, he was dead wrong about digital photography.

I was on assignment for Xtreme Magazine to perform A mission, which was to cover Adara Michaels and Scandalous.

Xtreme required me to do an interview of Adara. But my editor also wanted me to get pictures of her with the other half of the blonde duo that called itself Scandalous. But Hitler would have none of it. While Hitler belittled Digital Photography he told me flat out that he would not allow anyone to take pictures of Adara. With the exception of himself, the great Hitler. And as Adara told me during the interview, she must obey Hitler.

Hitler belittled Digital Photography when I first met him. — Adara Michaels and I at the Exotic Dancer Adult Convention in Las Vegas. Notice that I’m wearing my “Xtreme Magazine” t shirt.

What really made Scandalous the most riveting feature act of its day, was Eddie Marshall’s expertise with lighting and special affects. Hitler’s skills were perhaps even more important to Scandalous success as Adara’s superlative dancing skills. But with Eddie, it all had to be his way or the highway. It had been his idea to have the blonde twin sister act in the first place.

And now that I think back twelve years after that interview I realize that Hitler was right about most things. Except when Hitler belittled Digital Photography.

For one thing I have learned that most women are absolutely unable to differentiate their best pictures from their worse. So Eddie’s insistence of having complete control over the picture taking process was right on target. I’m sure that Eddie also insisted that the two blondes comprising the Scandalous duo should totally respect his way of doing things. There could be no room for that petty jealousy that often arises between two entertainers. And from what I could glean from Adara while interviewing her, she could respect that. So when I asked her what the key to her success was, she just laughed and said, “Hitler.”

Back in September of 2001, I was using a Kodak DC-3 digital camera, which was a big step up from the Kodak DC-40 I had started off with in January of 1997. But it was still not up to the best Nikon film cameras most of the adult professional photographers were using. Less than a year later I spent the big bucks for the Nikon D-1 X.

The following year I once again ran into Hitle. This time at Nudes-A-Poppin. When I saw him carrying a Nikon D-1 X just like mine I couldn’t help myself. I even addressed him as Hitler, with no malice intended. “Hitler, I thought you said that digital cameras weren’t any good?”

“Times have changed,” Hitler smiled back at me and replied. The days that Hitler belittled Digital Photography were over.