Sleaziest Story of the Day

The sleaziest story in Denver media today? It would have to be this gem from the Rocky Mountain News, headlined “DNC boost for sex biz.”

Teased on the front page and taking up most of a page inside the paper, the story breathlessly reports:

Political tricks may not be the only ones turned during the Democratic National Convention in Denver this August.

The sex and adult entertainment industries are expecting a boom in business when an estimated 35,000 visitors descend on the Mile High City for the presidential nominating bash.

At the Pepsi Center, the focus will be on a single nominee.

But outside the event, the choices available to the delegates, journalists and others are unlimited, giving new meaning to the term “conventional sex.”

Get it? Convention? Conventional sex?

The problem, of course, is that there’s absolutely no news here. The story admits that prostitution and other sex-related businesses already thrive in Denver. Further down, the News quotes an “expert” who says Republicans are more likely to pay for, uh, companionship than Dems. And finally the story concedes that other types of conventions give a bigger boost to the sex trade (computer conventions, for instance).

So what’s the point?  Was the story an attempt to slime Democrats the day before a critical caucus? Or simply an excuse to run a titillating headline and a half-page picture of a male prostitute? Far be it from me to try to get into John Temple’s head, but this one stinks however you look at it.