Justin Long: from Hollywood to porn industry?

Any recognised actor or actress who would consider turning their backs from the Hollywood industry to try their hand at porn sure sounds ludicrous. Controversial even.

But that is what actor Justin Long (below) is allegedly inspiring to do, as disclosed in Andrew Murfett’s article.

Source: Zimbio

This “…startling admission about his future”, although cleverly stated in the headline, is not revealed at the start but at the end of the article. One would expect the headline to be elaborated on within the first few paragraphs of the article, however it appears that the author is more interested in discussing Long’s on and off relationship with Drew Barrymore and his new movie Going The Distance first rather than divulging the rather unusual piece of information.

Drew Barrymore and Justin Long in a scene from their film Going The Distance. Source: Zimbio

Yet it is understandable why Murfett has written in this manner. Had he mentioned it straight up, the article would have been short, pretty straightforward and let’s face it, a little boring. Moreover, mentioning their relationship and the movie itself draws readers in as most individuals are able to relate to a certain degree to some of the ups and downs of relationships. It may then be interesting to compare the article with Francis Kindon’s short and matter of fact piece. Which is more effective?

Although this article may not follow the traditional ‘inverted pyramid’ structure of a news article, it engages readers as it gradually builds up to the ‘big news’. By extension because it is soft news, it allows the author to be a little humorous and somewhat witty.

And indeed, it is comments suggesting them “making out between takes” that animate the story (guess sex – or anything suggesting it – does sell). The image of the pair is also essential in helping readers connect to the content of the story.

Murfett’s story appears to be a cross between a news article and a film review. The embedded video – a visual and aural review of the film – complements the author’s review and allows readers to get a taste of what the movie is about.

Although the video contains relevant information, its major drawback lies in the inclusion of two other movie reviews – movies that have nothing to do with the actor. Why couldn’t they edit it?! It would have been more effective than wasting 90 seconds of our time (sorry, 105 seconds actually...don't you love those ads that precede the actual video and CANNOT be skipped!), wondering where exactly Tomorrow When The War Began fits in the story.