In their earlier lives, they would never have imagined themselves working in the adult industry.īut they made a success of their unexpected business venture, creating a homey atmosphere that welcomed the local gay community. Karen was a criminal justice journalist and Barry was a special effects technician for the film industry - he worked on the classic film 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and spent three years on the crew of the original Star Trek TV series. The film goes into Barry and Karen's pre-bookstore backgrounds. 'These are called cockrings,' she says matter of factly. She points to a box filled with sex toys. At the store, Karen is seen going through a collection of gay porn discs so she can fill a customer's order. But the store was a very different world from the white picket fence they went home to. At home the Masons ran a typical middle-class household - Karen professes to be deeply religious and is quite involved in her synagogue. Eventually, they became the biggest producers and distributors of gay porn in the United States, working with gay porn superstar Jeff Stryker, who appears in this film in newly shot interview footage.Ĭircus of Books is a fascinating look at a most unconventional family. They hid the nature of their work from their friends, their rabbi, and, for a time, even their children.