The model, the poster and 3,000 women

A documentary

Published on June 23, 2004 By Sally jacobs In Personal Relationships

I watched this documentary last night and for some reason I couldn't stop watching it, I wanted to but I couldn't. I'm not a huge fan of art, I appreciate it but I don't claim to know a great deal about it. This picture
Link is called L'Enfant, photographed by a company called Athena, it was their best selling picture of the 1980's, and still is a well remembered piece, remembered mostly for the simplicity of the picture. It is a man holding a baby. SImple, huh. Adam Perry the model in question, held this baby, less than an hours work, and won himself into so many womens hearts, he didn't just sell that picture, he sold an image. The image of a caring, loving man, looking into the eyes of this child. Women everywhere bought it, not the picture, the image, 3,000 to be exact, hehe!

Spencer Rowell, the actual photographer of this picture, made alot of money from this picture, more money than he knew what to do with. Adam Perry was bitter about this, he was simply paid his modelling fee, which was a few hundred pound at most. Little did either of them know just how much money this picture would make over the years. It soon became Athena's best piece, selling millions of copies world wide. Spencer Rowell may have got the money, but Adam still had the image. Thousands of young girls bought this picture, and fell in love with the man. Buying into the image he was selling them. It may have kick started his career, but he was more interested in the women that this picture brought him interest from. Adam Perry claims to have slept with more than 3,000 women. That's one different woman, every one and a half days for fifteen years. He had a career in a world dominated by women, he was surrounded by them, and his work was well known, so meeting and finding women wasn't that difficult for him. He was the perfect man. If you only judged him from that one image.

What is it about women that they will believe such things so easily. Most of the women he went to bed with, were young and impressionable. They truely believed he was the man from this picture, they believed the love he felt for this baby. They believed he was sensitive and considerate. Men were not always suggested to be like that in the media. The media the majority of the time presents you with a stereotype, because it's quick and easy, this picture went against that, presenting you with a sensitive man, surely that can't be the case! The sad thing is this man used it to get sex, so maybe it wasn't so far off that stereotype after all. He claims to have used what he had to get what he wanted. If I'm honest i don't actually blame him for that, I don't agree with what he did at all, I think that he must have some issues to be proud of the fact that he's slept with 3,000 women, but at that time, he wanted sex, and he went out and got it, under false pretenses, maybe, but he never went out and lied to these women, the picture did that for him. Women in the documentary claimed that years later after maturing and realising that Adam would make a fantasic lover for a short period of time, he would not be the man they wanted to have their children. Ironic isn't it.

So what happened to this great sex symbol? He is now a builder. He gave up his modelling career, as he was far more interested in just finding the next lass he could have sex with. It didn't make him happy, they spoke to him on the documentary. Though he is still proud of his 3,000 women. He reckons that, them 3,000 women have made him appreciate the one woman that is in his life now. It only took 3,000, wow, she must be a pretty special lady huh! That programme left me feeling sorry for the man that sold that loving image. Not because he made so little money from the piece that made him famous (not him, the image) but because when interviewed he just came across as incredibley sad, his greatest achievement in life, was not for being the face of the most famous image of the 1980's, it was for going to bed with 3,000 ladies. As he said, towards the end it became a joke on how easy it was to bed Adam Perry.

Comments (Page 1)

Floozie

on Jun 23, 2004

I couldn't get through to the link, but I'm fairly sure I know the picture you're talking about. My sister had it on her wall when she was in university! And it was ripped off SO many times by other photographers and sold until the whole 'man and baby' thing lost all meaning.

I find it interesting that these 3,000 women wanted to sleep with him because he was the man in the picture. So what? He held a baby for an hour or two and looked pretty good whilst doing it. It takes someone a lot more special than that to get into my bed. But then I suppose that some women would get off on the idea of doing someone famous, or, as you said, sleeping with the image that had been created of him.

It makes you wonder how many STI's he picked up in his time. And how on earth he didn't get bored. Sex is great, but going to bed with a different woman every single night (or there abouts) must get a little tedious. You'd think it would come to the point where you're simply going through the motions! I bet you he wasn't even a good lay - most men who have lots of one night stands aren't simply due to the fact that the woman's pleasure is the last thing on their mind (GENERALISATION. Please, boys, don't get all snarky at me for that one) And it takes a lot of practice to know what a woman wants. Were there any comments made about this?

I wish I'd seen this doco now. It's funny how you don't think about the people behind these iconic pictures. Thanks for filling us in on the blank spots for this one!

Sally jacobs

on Jun 23, 2004

I tried th link sweety it works for me. It was ripped off many times, a lovely picture though! I guess it all depends what you look for, alot of women are into men for the image they sell them, Ohh my bf does this and that, not my cup of tea either, but it's all about the look for some people! Apparently he was a great lay, and I think this is the key, the women said they felt they could be dirty with him, things they wouldn't normally do, but he made it feel ok because he was just as dirty, they all said he wouldn't make a good long term partner but a fab one night stand! Glad you liked it hunny!

Muggaz

on Jun 23, 2004

Sally, that was some marvellous writing, and I hope your message isn't lost...

It points out two things for me.... the shallow ways of some males, and the stupidity of most females... It's a shame that females have the unfortunate tendancy of judging books by their covers... it kind of drives me crazy...

oh well... thanks heaps for sharing...

BAM!!!

shadesofgrey

on Jun 23, 2004

Agreed Sally---great article.

It's a shame that females have the unfortunate tendancy of judging books by their covers

I don't think that quality is reserved soley for females!

Muggaz

on Jun 23, 2004

the shallow ways of some males

n00b

BAM!!!

shadesofgrey

on Jun 23, 2004

hmm...nope, you're still wrong...the shallow ways of males was countered by the stupidity of women...

judging a book by its cover was left out there as a purely female thing!

just trying to keep you on the feminist crusade, Muggaz!

Muggaz

on Jun 23, 2004

Good luck with that Shades....

As Sally succesfully pointed out with this brilliant article, chicks are their own worst enemies... I dont have to tell you this... and I dont have to tell you it frustrates immensely...

BAM!!!

shadesofgrey

on Jun 23, 2004

humans are their own worst enemy

Muggaz

on Jun 23, 2004

- yes.... but we are talking about chicks here... let's point out all their failings... perhaps this will help me in my quest to become a celibate monk... please, do let me know about all the female flaws? I want to know if there are anymore that i should set myself up for further dissapointment

BAM!!!

Sally jacobs

on Jun 24, 2004

Thanks for your comments guys, I'm glad the point of the article wasn't missed on either of you. I was pointing out the failings of women mostly, because they fell for this guys story, and they were willing to believe that he was that guy, even if deep down they knew this image wasn't true, that says alot about women in its self. Having said that, this behaviour brought out in women, was brought on by the bad behaviour of a man, both men and women are guilty here, both are shallow, and both judge books by their covers.

just trying to keep you on the feminist crusade, Muggaz!

.....I second that good luck!

perhaps this will help me in my quest to become a celibate monk...

no comment

Floozie

on Jun 24, 2004

the women said they felt they could be dirty with him

This intrigues me. They felt they could be dirty with him, but they had bought into the whole image of sensitive man with child???? Doesn't make sense to me. Maybe they bought into the image of 'hot slutty male' who happened to have his 15 minutes of fame through appearing in the picture. I can't see myself wanting to be really dirty with someone who projects an image of sensitivity and protection - unless it is some sort of defiling fantasy the women were having.

Also, the anonymity of the one night stand may have added to the womens' willingness to be dirtier than normal. Especially in the presence of a somewhat 'famous' person. Not wanting to disappoint could have had an effect on their behaviour.

The last thing that I wonder about is who is this woman who he's with now? I'm pretty easy going with partner's histories. I mean, it's what has made them into the person they are today, and I have one too, so no judgement. BUT if I knew that they'd slept with over 3,000 women... I actually don't know how I'd react. I wouldn't be very pleased, I don't think. Mainly because I would not be proud of myself if I had slept with 3,000 men. It would seem to mean that sex was fairly meaningless to this person. But everyone is different, aren't they?

Sally jacobs

on Jun 24, 2004

This is where the problems started, because women were conflicted, they wanted him because of that image, and some sub conscious self maybe waned to believe that was the way it really was. However they all knew of his reputation. I find with alot of women, that they have this thing about changing men, that they are the one that can do it, that they can make this man into the nice boy that's hiding inside. I think the being naughty thing was how most women justified not been able to change him. That they decided after the one night stand, that though they'd enjoyed that freedom of being able to do whatever they wanted and not feeling judged, that this was not the kind of guy they wanted a relationship with, maybe because he couldn't keep it in his pants, who knows?

His current partner didn't seem phased at all by his conquests, I think she was secretly pleased that though he'd slept with 3,000 women she was the one he had chosen to settle down with. I'm not so sure he did choose that though, it's seventeen years since that picture was taken, he's no longer a model, I just think his luck ran out, he didn't have that iconic status, he lost the ability to pick up the women in the industry he worked in and he did just have to settle!

Or maybe I'm just cynical, who knows!

Floozie

on Jun 24, 2004

I find with alot of women, that they have this thing about changing men, that they are the one that can do it, that they can make this man into the nice boy that's hiding inside.

I've heard of women doing this, but I've never been one to fall into this trap

I've never thought 'Maybe I'm the one to bring him out of his protective shell. I can make this boy happy' All foreign to me!

Maybe the women were also being realistic about the situation by seeing nothing long term in him - he certainly didn't appear as though he was wanting to settle down! Maybe it was an example of rational female behaviour?

As for his current partner - good point. You would feel fairly special if your partner could have almost anyone, and they choose you. Although you do have a good point about him being past it, and deciding to settle down - even though this would tend to detract from what they have together. You cynical? Never!

Sally jacobs

on Jun 24, 2004

I don't think women do this behaviour on a conscious level, we go into a relationship thinking we can accept the faults and then slowly but surely we try and mould people ever so slightly so that they become more how we would like them to be. men do it to, it's just a typical female trait. When in a relationship people tend to want to please each other and they will make these sacrifices each other, maybe not aware that it is slightly changing them to fit in.

Maybe it was an example of rational female behaviour?

I'd love to agree with this, as I'm sure women are capable of rational behaviour now and again, hehe! I think it was more that they slept with him, saw that he wasn't going to change, so to justify it to themselves, they decided he wasn't the kid of guy they'd want to settle down with, and rightly so if that was the way he behaved!

You cynical? Never!

....only as cynical as you baby

AndyBaker

on Jun 27, 2004

Just stumbled across this thread and felt impelled to write a reply, (even though it might be too late for anyone to read it.)

I too saw the documentary ‘The model, the poster, and 3000 women’, and thought it was the most profound and intriguing programme I’ve seen in years. It represented a stark contrast between what appears on the surface, and what can lie beneath. While the poster exhibited an image of warmth, compassion, strength and love, the reality behind the image (aka model Adam Perry), exhibited an image of insecurity, lack of warmth or compassion, and broken spirit.

I taped the programme, and found it so intriguing I keep watching it over again, (I love the music that plays in the background - very moving - anyone know what it is?). By the end of the documentary, the viewer feels sorry for Perry, rather than perceiving him as a ‘love rat’, or a bad man, because his human weaknesses and vulnerabilities show through, (When asked by the interviewer if his lifestyle had damaged him at all, he replied, “I was damaged way before that. Nothing I’ve done in my adult years has damaged me”). All of which adds to the pathos of the story, and discloses that there is actually a story behind the story.

Overall, the programme shows where warmth, compassion, strength and love really lie - in the heart, rather than in the ‘outer-image’ of a man or woman.

Thanks Sally, for opening this thread and sharing your thoughtful views. For anyone who couldn’t open Sally's link to the poster, (I couldn’t), check out http://www.allposters.com, and put L’Enfant in the search.

Andy

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