Money Shot (or, 'on another taboo topic')

[Dave Wilton]

> >'Money shot' has application and meaning in several realms
> >of discourse - e.g., sports, music, or any other endeavor
> >where a well-timed success, or the action that guarantees
> >success, is important enough to warrant it's own term. The
> >article linked and quoted below ascribes the term to
> >the porn industry.
>
> "Money shot" is such an obvious synonym for "pay-off move"
> etc. that it quite likely arose independently in several
> different fields.

Yes, but transfer between the "legitimate" film industry and porn is pretty
easy. They are both centered in L.A. (Hollywood v. San Fernando Valley) and
I would assume that many (technical crew, not "talent") move between the two
worlds.

The earliest cite in the OED2 is from Ziplow's 1977 book. That indicates an
origin in porn, but I would bet a token sum that it started in Hollywood and
was adopted jocularly by the porn makers.