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Urgent Futures with Jesse Damiani

Noelle Perdue: The Three Types of Eroticism, The Trevails of a Foot-Fetish Fetishist, Homoflexibility, Looners, Self-Labeling, & More | Riffs & Speculations #1

Mar 13, 2025

Noelle Perdue, a writer and internet porn historian, delves into the fascinating world of eroticism and fetishes. She discusses the three types of eroticism and her unique take on foot fetishism, sharing the comedic side of scriptwriting for such niche interests. The conversation reveals the playful complexities of balloon fetishes and the impact of the digital age on queer representation in adult content. With insights on dating in the LGBTQ+ community and reflections on the absurdities of past online cultures, this dialogue is both enlightening and entertaining.

01:29:28

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Quick takeaways

The podcast delves into the three foundational elements of eroticism—power, tension, and contrast—providing insights into various kinks and fetishes.

In discussing mutual aid during crises in Los Angeles, the conversation highlights the community's collective response and its role in fostering belonging.

The discourse on dating apps explores how societal stresses reshape connections, revealing vulnerabilities and a blend of sexual and social interactions.

Deep dives

Navigating Crisis and Community in Los Angeles

The conversation highlights the experience of being in Los Angeles amidst a period of collective crisis, particularly related to wildfires and displacement. There's a stark contrast between the usual excitement of visiting the city and the sadness brought by observing friends and communities suffering significant losses. The act of engaging in mutual aid and volunteering becomes a source of comfort, as it fosters a sense of belonging and a way to contribute positively in the face of tragedy. This juxtaposition between personal experiences and the broader social implications sets the tone for a reflection on urban resilience and community bonds.

1.

Intro

3min

2.

Navigating L.A.: Community, Loss, and Engagement

5min

3.

Navigating Connections in Crisis

18min

4.

Navigating Relationships: Green Flags and Evolving Interests

2min

5.

Fetishes, Nostalgia, and Absurdity

16min

6.

Queerness and Content in the Digital Age

13min

7.

Exploring Fetishes and Eroticism

21min

8.

Exploring Modern Eroticism and the Enduring Appeal of MILFs

4min

9.

Navigating Online Discourse

5min

10.

Exploring the Foundations of Eroticism and Creative Expression

2min

What are the three types of eroticism? What is it like being someone who fetishizes foot fetishists? What is it like writing the script for an adult video in this genre? Speaking of fetishes, were you aware of the balloon ("looner") fetish?

All that and more in this freewheeling conversation with today's guest, Noelle Perdue. A doubly fun episode because it marks the official launch of my "Riffs & Speculations" series on Urgent Futures.

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Noelle Perdue is a writer, producer, and Internet porn historian with nearly ten years of experience working platform-side for multiple mainstream and independent adult companies. Having written everything from Food Network porn parodies to legally binding terms and conditions, much of her current work explores obscenity law and how pornography’s history can influence our digital and political futures. Noelle’s writing work has been published on Wired, Washington Post, Pornhub, Slate, Brazzers, Input, etc., she’s also been featured as an industry expert on multiple programs including the BBC, CBC, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, and on Netflix's 2023 documentary Money Shot. Noelle also runs the Porn World with Noelle Perdue newsletter—so pop over there and subscribe for smart takes on spicy topics!

Fans of the show will recognize Noelle from an earlier episode I did with her in August 2024. It’s a great dive into the more serious aspects of porn in society: how a society’s relationship to porn reveals the biases and forms of repression that society weaponizes, how obscenity law regarding pornography is used to smuggle anti-queer and -trans legislation, how the perceived frivolity of porn allows for creative experimentation that often doesn’t occur in other mediums. As mentioned, this conversation took a different approach—let me know what you think!

CREDITS: This podcast is edited and produced by Adam Labrie and me, Jesse Damiani. Adam Labrie also edited the video version of the podcast, which is available on YouTube. The podcast is presented by Reality Studies. If you appreciate the work I’m doing, please subscribe and share it with someone you think would enjoy it.

Find more episodes of Urgent Futures at: youtube.com/@UrgentFutures.

Get full access to Reality Studies at www.realitystudies.co/subscribe

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