Fri. Aug. 10

Shtick. We know shtick when we smell it and we're smelling it as we entertain the notion of "The Porn Debate: Porn King Ron Jeremy vs. Porn Pastor Craig Cross" at the Somerville Theatre Friday Aug. 10 at 7 p.m. This, folks, is a travelling roadshow with Jeremy (in photo) - the best known male star in the XXX industry - presenting his argument for the adult industry (which probably grosses more bucks than Exxon-Mobil and GE) and Rev. Craig Gross, the founder of the anti-porn, on-line "church" www.XXXchurch.com. These two guys have been on the road together for two years and have been touring college campuses doing "doing battle." If we recall correctly, they were in our environs within the past year, titillating the local TV news crews and raising the ire of those whose job it is to have their ire raised (and get on TV). Our bias: We know Jeremy and find him affable, self-deprecating and pretty damn sharp. (Yes, we too marvel at how someone who looks the way he does - he calls himself "The Hedgehog" - has become such a famous stud.) Our fiancee shook his hand and got to wondering where that hand had been exactly ... Look, we've watched some dirty pictures in our day - we like some of them, others we don't. We found our way to Playboy and Penthouse as a kid and are apalled at what's on-line now. We're aware it can play a corruptive role in some people's lives and become an addiction of sorts. There's also that freedom of speech thing. And human curiosity, the desire for erotica. It's like the abortion/death penalty debate: It will never be solved. All you can do is bat the issues around and hope your case stands up as well as the other guy's. What happens at the Somerville Theatre, is the guys debate the issue and then open it up for questions and answers, shouting and fist-waving. (Oh, yes, the two are friends and Gross and his family share a tour bus with Ron. Says Craig: "I am against pornography and that is what Ron Jeremy does for a living, but I consider Ron a friend and I have no concerns about sharing a bus with him." Jeez, if only our warring politicians could make nice like that  ... Tickets are $10.

David Square, Somerville, 617-864-3278 www.mideastclub.com (The M. East did the booking and can answer questions).