Meet the Glassers: Adam, Lila, Brady and Stevie. Lila’s the mother, Brady’s the son, Stevie’s the cousin and Adam is the pornographer, otherwise known as Seymore Butts. Family Business, despite what the shows name might suggest, is not Showtime’s answer to “The Sopranos”. The Glasser’s family business is porn - the hard-core variety. Don’t have Showtime? Well, if you’re interested a behind the scenes look at the adult film industry and you like reality TV, then the newly released “Family Business -The Complete First Season” DVD might just be for you.

Adam Glasser has made over 70 adult videos in the past 12 years. He’s the director, producer and even the leading man, in most of his films. Walk into any adult video section and you’re sure to see an entire rack dedicated to the exploits of the fictional Seymore Butts. He’s a veritable Porn Legend (a dubious moniker if there ever was one) and one of the most successful producers of independent pornography in the world.

Thanks to Showtime and the Executive Producers of “Big Brother”, Adam can now add Reality TV Star to his extensive resume. If you think “The Osbournes” is over the top and tasteless, then you probably won’t be a big fan of “Family Business”. The show takes reality TV to the next level and its late night time slot on Showtime is a good indicator of just how obscene this show can get.

Every episode begins with the warning, “THIS PROGRAM CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT THAT IS INTENDED FOR AN ADULT AUDIENCE. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.” The show would easily receive an X rating if it were to appear in theaters. Mixed in with each episode’s “legit” storyline is plenty of sex and nudity, enough to make HBO’s “Real Sex” series look like a Discovery Channel show. You can’t accuse Showtime of not knowing its Late Night target audience.

The first episode of the series is entitled “Personal Ads”. The show opens with Adam voicing over graphic clips from some of his films, “As love lives go, you’d think I’d have it made. I’m surrounded by beautiful women who love sex. People have got to be thinking, ‘this guy can get a girl whenever he wants’. But the truth of the matter is… I’ve never been lonelier.” This line sets the tone for the series. The goal is to portray Adam as just another Average Joe, looking for love while he does his best to raise his son Brady. The only difference being his chosen profession.

Despite the questionable sleazy content, the show is well done. The first episode does a good job of introducing the family and familiarizing you with the “Family Business”. Brady goes to school. Mom manages the books. Cousin Stevie distributes the porn and Adam does the rest. “The Rest” is what will keep most viewers glued to their sets. At the very least it’s an interesting look at what goes on behind the adult film cameras and for the most part it’s not pretty.

One funny, but possibly contrived scene has Cousin Stevie stuck with the unenviable job of interviewing a male actor. He’s the Archie Bunker of the porn business, as he grumbles and complains, waiting for the naked applicant to achieve “full arousal” for a Polaroid. You can’t help but wonder why he stays in the same room during this ridiculously awkward exercise. It’s just one of the things that will make you wonder just how REAL this reality show is.

Adam’s personal ad dates are equally questionable. Adam makes sure he lets the girls know what type of business he’s in and while it might be real, it seems like he’s trying to create bogus drama. None of his dates even acknowledge the camera, which makes you wonder if they’re even real girls and not just hired actresses, similar to his adult movies.

Not to harp on the authenticity factor, but Adam’s house looks like a movie set. There are only a few sticks of furniture. I don’t care how much of a bachelor you are, you’re at least going to have a stand for your TV. Who knows… maybe he just moved in.

You might wonder where Brady fits in to all of this. He seems like a good, normal, down-to-earth kid and Adam does seem to be a good father, although having your pre-teen son on a mature rated reality show doesn’t hold true to most people’s sense of family values. Oh well… at least Adam’s not holding him over a hotel balcony or making him wear a veil, like one particularly well publicized Pop Icon.

The three DVD set is jam packed with content. All of the original 10 episodes are here, including:

• Personal Ads
• Reunion
• Casa De Butts
• Sex Toys
• Strictly BixnASS
• Seymore’s Other Assets
• ASSistant
• Las VegASS
• I Wan To Be An Adult Film Star
• Roller Disco Boogie

Bonus materials include:

• The Jay & Tony Show – Comedy Commentary
• Mother Knows Best – Lila speaks her mind
• Deleted Scenes
• Theme Song – “A Different Kind of Love” by Wonderclick
• Butt Stevie? – Cousin Stevie’s native tongue
• Behind the Butts – A biographical family tree
• Season 2 Preview
• Family Interviews
• Highlights

Real or not real, the show is undoubtedly entertaining, due mostly to the behind the scenes glimpses of the “Family Business”. It’s by no means glamorous and it will probably make you feel a whole lot better about your mundane office job. Plus, Late Night viewers looking solely for cheap thrills will not be disappointed. Seymore Butts? You most definitely will!

Gamer42 Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Planets


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