Porn vs. Political Satire

What made John Wilmot, the 2nd Earl of Rochester, hot? It's not a question of whether he was hot or not because he clearly was HOT!
Was it for his dirty ditties? Or was it his sharp satiric edge? Or...

Was it his lovable smirk?
Look at that adorable monkey!

After I saw that terrible film, The Libertine, I can't help but imagine Johnny Depp reading to me every time I read Rochester's poetry. I mean, Johnny Depp would be the ideal image of what we would WANT Rochester to be like.

Yet, I think our contemporary version of Rochester would be Stavros Niachros. Or Paris Hilton. Blah.

Perhaps we should return to the idealization of true wit and leave behind the slutty twit.

Or maybe we should all go out and buy ourselves a pet monkey. . . Nah.