Pornography is a sexual aid, and perhaps its value lies in getting sexual release over with quickly.

Is pop music to art music what porn is to interpersonal sexual activity? That is, a quick excitement allowing a quick release, so one needn't bother, any longer, with troublesome complexities. The thing is done and over with in a few minutes. Now, back to work, or gaming, or eating potato chips; something with more inherent interest.

Tila Tequilla's I Love U video is a good example of pop music conjoined with porn in the lowest of unions: the tiny penis of the paltry music is shoved into the stretched, gaping maw of porn. The music is simple, driving, and over with quickly. The sexual antics help make its purpose clear.

Thankfully, it is indeed over quickly.

For years, I've been fond of quipping that the paucity of ugly, homely, or even just normal people in most pop music scenes demonstrates the lack of importance the genre places on music as an art.

But the rise of the Beautiful Young Things in classical music takes some of the fire out of my quip, or blows it back in my direction. Even in opera, known for years for corpulent blimps careening on stage, now sports a number of attractive, slender divas.

And I just saw a picture of Joshua Bell, the violinist. His theme song could almost be Pretty Woman.

In my defense, I still prefer Gidon Kremer to all other violinists; I have more of his recordings than any other. I have no idea what he looks like.

I presume he doesn't look as pretty as Joshua, though.