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John Gray writes me: Wanted to let you know that I am hanging up my pen and pencil not sharpened anymore but I consider you a dear friend amigo!
Gray goes on to write: At 1:45 a.m. in Houston, the bartender or waitress announces last call for alcohol and soon thereafter the lights are turned up and it closes another evening of fun.
This ball game lasted into extra innings and it was a great one. Well after 19 years I am turning out my own lights as I am writing this, my final column, in what was my baby, that I introduced back in 1994 as Nightmoves to all of Houston.
Yes I have decided to go in a different direction as you have seen in the
mastheads the last few months that new names have appeared. Well, after over 400 columns (more or less) this Smutpeddler is grabbing his walking cane and putting on his traveling shoes and heading out.
So why now, after almost 20 years, am I quitting?
I can’t begin to tell you how much fun it has been with all the drop dead gorgeous ladies I have met through the years and big events I have attended, but the best part has been my e-mail in box. I seem to have gotten many messages from folks that have enjoyed what this publication has evolved into, a voice for the adult entertainment industry here in Houston!
Through a few name changes I have been good for Houston, but Houston has been better to me. Thank You Houston for letting me publish this magazine, thank you Paul Allen for getting me started after a visit to your fine city of Tampa, Fla.
Thank you to all my staff that put up with me bad and good, especially to Heath, who stuck by me the longest even after one or two blowups. Thank you to Bob Furey, for being the first club operator to believe in this publication and to all the hundreds of advertisers and tens of thousands
of readers over the past 19 years that followed!
I’ve had a lot of failings, as an entrepreneur, as businessman, and as a person and I have had a great run with this publication through thick and thin. I heard the words that, “I wouldn’t make it three months” to “I won’t advertise someone else’s club in mine”. I chuckle at them as this
magazine has conquered those naysayers and knocked them out of the ball park.
My remuneration back in those days consisted of shared pizza, a pitcher of ice tea, lots of coffee and so many naive expectations for the rich people we would all become. It was a time for happy daydreams of our hugely rich future, our fame, all the goals for our future. But the perks expanded to free shows to review, being treated like VIPs at strip clubs & sports bars, lotsa drinks, lotsa laughs and so many crazy fun times!
And being around people who I could relate too. Those that were different, free thinkers, nonconformists, honest to a fault, but different, out of the box, down to earth, oddballs like myself.
I would like to just throw out some comments and thoughts for a few paragraphs. Mark Twain said that “politicians, old buildings, and prostitutes become respectable with age.” I am going to try to make it a foursome!
Barry Zito, the baseball player once told me, “Anybody’s who’s ever mattered, anybody who’s ever given any gift to the world has been a divinely selfish soul, living for his own interest, no exceptions. People will take this the wrong way, but it’s true.” he told me.
One of my favorite sayings is, “If you don’t like something, change it. If
you can’t change it, change your attitude.” I am doing just that!
I have met many dear friends through the years and will continue to see them as I decide what my next steps will be. Yes, it’s time to say goodbye
with a few tears in my eyes. I gave it my all and would like to pass the baton, so to speak, and wish the new owner, Walter Gray and new Editor, Mitch Murphy much success and happiness down the road, hopefully with less bumps than the first 19 years.
Thank You Houston,
John Gray