This article is about the American series. For the British series of the same title, see Family Business .

Family Business is an American reality TV series produced for the cable network Showtime. Based in Los Angeles, the series focuses on the pornography industry and the life of Adam Glasser , a 30-something reality porn star and video director who uses the nom de plume Seymore Butts . Also featured on the series are his mother, Lila Glasser , and his 60-year-old cousin, Stevie Glasser , both of whom help Adam run the eponymous "family business" of the series, which in this case is a successful porn video production and distribution house in the San Fernando Valley.

The series first aired in 2003; a second season of 30-minute episodes began in 2004. In Canada, it is broadcast on Movie Central. Both seasons are currently available on DVD in North America.

Overview

Episodes usually follow a day or two in the life of the Glassers, and often feature Adam's young son, Mark; a divorced father, many episodes focus on how raising a son (and successfully keeping him separate from his profession) keeps Adam grounded. Other episodes focus on his difficulties in establishing relationships outside the porn industry. Much of the show's comedy relief is provided by Stevie, a cantankerous character who often gets into mischief and, as the series progresses, becomes a video director in his own right.

The series is sexually explicit as it also goes behind the scenes of Adam's video shoots, and it also looks at the life of other porn stars away from the camera. For example, in one episode the series follows Herschel Savage , a performer whose career dates back nearly 30 years, as he tries to establish a second career as a stand-up comedian. Another episode sees Adam and Stevie going to great lengths in order to convince a young woman not to enter the porn industry; similarly, a second-season episode sees Stevie trying to convince an actress to not get breast implants. One episode follows Stevie as he experiences a cancer scare, spending several days on pins and needles waiting for test results from his doctor.

The show has attracted some criticism for avoiding some of the more unsavory elements of the porn industry; the series avoids the issue of drug use, for example, even though numerous "Seymore Butts" videos feature the activity. Others have applauded the series for casting a positive light upon members of what the series refers to as "LA's other film industry."