I was saddened last night to read of Dennis Hof's passing:

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/d ... dead-at-72

For those who don't know, he stumbled upon ignatz just about five years ago now and started the following thread:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=22019

Anyway, he and I ended up exchanging a series of PMs, I offered him a guided tour of De Wallen and he happily accepted, much to my surprise! Initially he was booked at some hotel in Amstederdam Zuid, pretty far from De Wallen. When I pointed this out he decided to change his plans and stay at the Krasnapolsky instead, which I'd suggested earlier. So that's where we (Wim, Davide and I) ended up meeting him that night. I had reception call his room and he came down by himself (I was half expecting him to bring a bodyguard/assistant or something) shortly thereafter. So we introduced ourselves and began the quick trek to De Wallen.

He was impressed by the quality of girls on offer at the time (remember, we're talking 2013 here) and also understood why I'd never bothered to visit any of his establishments in light of what was available to me right here. Just a really cool guy and some honest and entertaining conversations about this and that. At some point we ended up in Café Remember and he bought us beers. It was funny sitting at one of the tables in back and watching the reactions from people nearby, some of whom obviously recognized him. Pretty surreal for me at the time too since I can't say I'd ever just casually hung out with an actual celebrity prior to this. After a couple of hours (I guess), we parted ways.

Every year since our meeting in De Wallen, I'd always receive an invitation to his October birthday bash in Nevada. Unfortunately I never found myself in a position to manage the cost of the trip *and* all the expenses I knew I'd incur once there. Would have been pretty cool to check it out and also meet his close friend Ron Jeremy, who was always in attendance at these things. The last one was just this past weekend. :( I knew I wouldn't make it this year, but I was seriously considering next year...

So that's my Dennis Hof story. I'm honored I got to meet the man and have a beer with him back in 2013. I'm sad he's gone. It was a pleasure to spend a couple of hours with him in De Wallen with my friends. He will be missed by many.

I still have the shirt he gave me that night.

That’s pretty cool, I didn’t realize Hof had posted here. Always seemed like a colorful character on TV, though of course I never met him, personally. Seemed like he’d have been a cool guy to hang out with. Dennis Hof actually inadvertently got me into the hobby. I’d been quite depressed after a bad breakup, I was turning 30 and wanted to do something really special for my birthday, and due to depression, I’d been staying up all night watching TV. One night, HBO was running a marathon of Cathouse that I wound up watching, and that got the wheels turning in my head. I figured maybe go out to Vegas, fuck a pornstar, that’d be a hell of a birthday. Didn’t quite pan out that way, since the Bunny Ranch is actually nowhere near Vegas, but I did eventually find myself at the Chicken Ranch in Pahrump where I indulged for the first time, and the rest, as they say, is history.

It’s too bad about his passing. He was a strong advocate for sex workers, the kind of person we need more of in this world if we’re ever going to get sensible legislation in more places. At least he lived a full life, and hopefully went out doing what he loved.

Goodnight, sweet prince.

I'm sure he was quite charming in person, but Hof was not an advocate for enlightened commercial sex, and he certainly wasn't a friend of the general sex worker or even the general commercial sex client. He liked his near-monopoly and so far as I can tell did very little to advocate legalization. He just protected his rip-off brothels.

I remember seeing him on some documentary a few years ago; can't remember what it was called though. Sounds like it must've been amazing to meet the guy in Amsterdam, and sad now that he's gone.

Somehow I missed his thread on this board; I guess I wasn't very active here in 2013. Reading through it now, I'm kinda shocked no-one mentioned Park 118 when he asked about brothels. Maybe many of the girls there are not "stunners", but I think definitely gives a good impressions of Amsterdam "brothels".

Well, Hof was a businessman. He did spend a fair bit of money lobbying to keep prostitution legal. Yes, he was looking out for his own interests, but let’s be honest, if we’re ever to get more sensible legislation in more places, that’s how it’s going to get done. Money always seems to win. If we had more Dennis Hofs in the world, I’m sure more places would have legal, regulated sex work. We need the bulldogs who’ll really go after politicians, even if they’re only doing it to line their own pockets.

I just found out today, and I am saddened as well. While I only met the guy that one night in the Wallen, I remember enjoying the conversation, the subjects including not just the obvious comparisons between the P2P scenes on both sides of the pond, but a number of other interesting topics as well. Such a nice evening, I can't thank Bluto enough for inviting me back then. I still proudly wear my Cathouse tshirt at the gym at times - funny how the local manager once mistook the logo for a biker club emblem...

Well, good times indeed...

D.

I've started listing to a podcast called "Sold in America" about the sex trade. Episodes 1 & 2 review your normal uptight/religious point of view. By episode 3 it starts to get interesting with an interview of an independent "courtesan" in Seattle. In episode 4 the host interviews Dennis Hof at the Bunny Ranch.

Hof is very opinionated, stating that if a "prostitute" in America isn't working at a legal brothel, she is a criminal. Factually that is correct. It is hard to say if Hof is making a moral judgement on sex workers working illegally. Of course the only way to work legally is to work in a brothel in one of a few counties in Nevada. Working independently would undermine Hof's business model. He doesn't state whether he is in favor of wide legalization of sex work, so we are left to wonder if he is simply self-serving.

I have personally seen Hof in an illegal American brothel. He's no stranger to organized crime.

He was elected to the Nevada State Senate a month after his death. It happened too late to replace his name on the ballot. His replacement will be chosen by the Nevada Republican Party.
I'm sure he is smiling.

Weasel

I remember that thread. Sorry to hear he’s gone.

Thanks for sharing, Bluto.