Asheville City Councilman Carl Mumpower has been pumping out press releases right and left this week about his displeasure with all the escort services doing business in Asheville. Mumpower questions why there seems to be so much activity in this industry, recently writing about prostitutes strolling near Asheville Middle School over on South French Broad Avenue.
Asheville Citizen-Times reporter and columnist John Boyle was so intrigued that he asked Mumpower to drive him down to South French Broad so the two could talk to some real hookers. Then Boyle wrote a two-part column about it all.
With Mumpower intrigued by Adriana’s Escorts and Angel of the Morning and Amber’s Companion’s (apparently all the businesses have to start with the letter A so they can show up first on any listing, such as Yahoo’s list of professional sex escorts), I figure it’s high time for Boyle and Mumpower to go undercover (or under covers) again and get to the bottom of this.
Speaking of bottom, Mumpower notes that it’s not just straight sex that’s offered. There’s tons of boys offering their services as well. And as if Mumpower can’t yell loudly enough to get Boyle’s attention, Mumpower also notes that several of these escort services advertise on a regular basis in the Asheville Citizen-Times, our region’s largest daily newspaper.
In classic Mumpower fashion, he notes:
That reality says something about the Citizen-Times, our enforcement enthusiasm, and the really sad dating scene in Asheville.
So I ask you, Asheville, what does the sex escort industry say about our local dating scene? Meantime, I’ll be awaiting a Boyle/Mumpower report from the front (panty) lines.
13 Comments
Thanks for the link to Yahoo’s list of professional sex escorts! If Mumpower and Boyle are investigating "escort services," why don’t they just call some of those numbers or check to whom the numbers belong?
I wish someone would catch Mumpower in bed with a prostitute-preferably male. These holier-than-thou types usually have something to hide.
I have truly begun to despise Carl "Goat@%$#er" Mumpower.
I don’t know if it is true or not, but I heard that Carl is single. That could be the most damning commentary on the local dating scene.
oh, and I always find it amusing when one of the ‘girls’ is walking the street and her pimp is following her about 20 feet behind. Real discreet!
It’s not that difficult, really. Anyone who works or regularly frequents downtown knows the ‘boys" work Haywood Street from the Sheriffs office to the other side of the gay bar O’ Henrey’s and the ‘girls" work all along Hilliard and the streets that run off of it. I have been "approached" by both the boys and girls, but didn’t ever take either of them up…
It is not just guys who can’t get dates that use prostitutes. It’s people who want a prostitute that use prostitutes. Carl’s crusades embody the knowingly quixotic and elaborate Ziegfeld Follies of publicity campaigns that we’ve seen so many politicians use to gain attention to themselves while leaving the real problem untouched at best and exacerbated at worst. The most Carl could possibly accomplish is push what sex industry that does exist here further underground – which means that the sex becomes riskier for both parties. Violence and VDs would likely increase in a group that is already vulnerable to such things.
In addition, the escort services are the most benign and offer some protection for their ’employees.’ Serial killers that target prostitutes pick up the freelancers that are unlikely to be missed, not the call girls who have more connections to the greater community.
Carl, if you care about safety and health and not headlines, why not work on starting an outreach program for people at risk to turn to prostitution? With anything else proposed ‘solution’, it seems that you are the only one to gain. Mumpower 1, AVL 0. Though public debate about social problems like prostitution is always good, Carl fails to address that most of the whoring in this town is done in election years by men and women in suits and ties, on television and in the newspaper.
Also: Amsterdam. Nuff said.
I do like Carl, though I won’t be voting for him. I think he is more misguided than dishonest and prime offense is attempting to build an audience instead of finding one. We don’t follow the leaders in this country – the leaders follow us.
Good ol Mumpower, blowing the lid off of nookie. I think Carl’s just trying to get his pecker polished while pretending to be duddley-do-right, crime fighter at large.
Hey Carl, you need to start wearing a cape!
Chalk up another "cause" for Carl to investigate….now that he’s "observed" drug dealing on the street, dope smoking at a Grateful Dead Concert (I’m shocked), and the hiring of illegal immigrants by a local company. It’s amazing he still has time for his practice and city council duties….of course having another run at elected office seems like the real ireason. I guess questioning taxing and spending issues by government just isn’t as exciting as looking into the sex industry. Thanks for protecting us, Carl.
The dating scene in Asheville does kinda suck. They should call it "Land of Couples" instead of "Land of Sky." It seems like everyone is already in a relationship. Where are all the single people?
why is prostitution even news? people need to grow up and face reality.
Interesting story. Thanks for reposting it on my website. I really appreciate your involvement, it means a lot to me.
Shocking news! People like sex Carl, so much so that they are willing to pay for it.