Whenever you see these behind the scenes documentaries about porn stars they never fail to mention drug problems, bad childhoods with abusive stepfathers, etc. This creates the stereotype of the porn actress as being a coked up junky with no other job skills that fucks on camera because she can't make money any other way.
I'm wondering which stars break the stereotype and live clean lives with no drug addiction (I'm not talking about occasional weed smoking), no battles with abusive spouses, no criminal records, etc. Also, which ones have decent educations?
Tricia Deveraux has a bachelors in biology, I believe. John Stalaiano (sp?) has a degree, maybe an advanced one, in economics. There was a thread on porn stars and education somewhere. Nina Hartly and Tera Patrick were and perhaps are RN's.
Where in the hell is my grilled cheese? 575 Posts 3/05
Posted - Jun 3 2005 : 11:51PM
Take a look at your work environment. Among your co-workers, you can bet that you cross paths with alcoholics, rage freaks, and pill-poppers. Likelwise, you problably work with "clean" people as well. I've become convinced, albeit with little documentation, that pornstars are just like the rest of us. Some of them are completely messed up, some of them have their own vices of choice, and some of them have no demons to speak of. For some reason, I think we magnify the problems of people in the adult industry much more so than we would of our neighbors.
Fly, you do make a good point. I work in a regular office job and I have many messed up co-workers. I think some in the mainstream media start with a preconceived idea that if someone does porn, they must have had a troubled life. Thus, they overly emphasize the negatives in their lives. I would just like to see more of the "normal" side of porn performers.
most of these porn documentaries decide the story they want to tell before they ever shoot the first frame. out of 1100 performers working monthly they will find the ones that advance their storyline.
Been in the biz about a year now and the so called Deviant Porn whores and such, are some of the most normal honest, and well adjusted people I've ever met.
Well both the adult news sources and Howard Sterns and others like Lukeford; paint most of the gals are from sex abused families of one sort or another. Most have drug problems too! The name that come to mind is Chasey Lain! I am not sure if that is just something that they developed while they are in the business or had before they came in!
Got to remember; it a rough life - being a pornostar; not counting in the top 20 or so stars who can pick and choice! The others are mostly at the mercy of the directors and producers for their lively hood!
Recent statistics paint a picture of 1 out of 3 females being sexually abused before their 18th birthday. That is one third of all the women you know. That holds for women of any occupation, doctors, lawyers, rock stars and porn performers. Recent statistics on broken homes, physical abuse, and other childhood troubles are even worse. So many people have tough backgrounds these days it's hard to NOT encounter them. Drug addictions, eating disorders, and other self abusive behaviors are usually ways of coping with a world that seems out of control. It's not surprising to find them in an industry full of young adults making a reasonable wage who are really not encouraged to behave well and not penalized if they don't. As for education, again, you're looking in an industry primarly geared towards young adults. Not many 18 year olds have a college education. Not many 21 year olds do, either. If someone stays in the industry for many years, they may not be interested in acquiring a standard education, and they may not perceive a need for one. Since most performers that drop out of the industry leave the public eye, I don't think we know if many of them seek higher education after porn. That might be a completely different statistic.
All of this being said, I agree with The Fly. A broad sampling of porn performers is likely to turn up a "just like the rest of us" conclusion. I, personally, am so clean my ass squeaks after an enema. I don't smoke (weed or 'baccy). I don't drink (except for tea). I don't pop, snort, shoot or otherwise use. The only addiction I have is caffeine (tea!!). No domestic disturbance. A VERY minor arrest record (I seriously need to go have that expunged)<I was young and stupid, doesn't everyone make a mistake or two?>. I'm in college now, and I already have a significant education. I have had decent paying mainstream jobs, and I look forward to a decent mainstream life whenever I decide to have one.
Geezzzz...not all of us have entered the porn industry because of a bad childhood or drug problems. In fact a lot of us are well educated and we do this because we love the sex. The ones that are in it because they soley love the sex and are happy that it just happens to pay the bills as well aren't typically the ones with bad childhoods or the ones with drug problems. We have high self esteems and are able to deal well with other forms of pressure.
The ones that are in the industry with drug problems have them because of possibly couping with bad childhoods etc...or are female stars who get into it so quickly at such a young age even if they had level heads in the beginning it's too much attention too fast so they are easily corrupted into white powdered substances.
If anything I would say it's 50/50 just like anyone else in the real world. So please don't sterotype us!
There are a lot of performers in porn, (mostly guys) that do not have any addiction to drugs or alchohol or anything. Some may do it from time to time, while others stay completely away from any substances of any sort.
I would think some of the drug usage comes from the party girl thing. From strippers I have known perhaps a larger percentage use drugs than what I have found to be average. Some get that from partying, which in itself is a method of coping or dealing in some people. Now in the US many porn stars seem to have been strippers at some point. I will make an unfounded assumption that they are similar. That said, I have also known strippers who have lived (relatively) clean, gotten a degree, and gone on to good jobs.
If I compare the people I know inside the industry with the people I know outside the industry, the latter do a lot more drugs, but that might be just my choice of friends. More seriously, Matthew mentioned mainstream documentaries, and of course they want to have the problem cases, since there are no ratings to be gained with stories about squeaky clean girls like Kimi (although I would watch it), so they try to find the problem cases, and the Fly made the point already, you can find those in any business.
Maybe I'm a little OT but I've never seen those documentaries , my point is what's their purpose? I mean are they trying to demonstrate that porn ruin girl's lives? or that a lot of pornstars are ruined?
In first case they might enlight a wrong point, someone might guess that closing every house and prohibiting porn they will save those girls.
I don't thing that starting doing porn is same as starting doing drugs , although that might be true for a few people, i think that addicted are addicted with or without porn , besides porn is way more safe and healthy than street prostitution.
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Mienhagen aka Shameless deactivated again
Europe 696 Posts 6/04
Posted - Jun 5 2005 : 4:29AM
I am sure drug abuse in porn is not more common than in the whole film and entertainment industry. Still, some people always try to highlight exactly porn girls using drugs. It`s simply part of a crusade against porn. And this is probabely exactly the reason matthew started this post. Just my guess...
Nah, I'm not on some anti porn crusafe. I love porn. In fact, I masturbate to it daily. I'm just curious about the stereotyping of the performers. I was just wondering if the stereotypes are true, what performers break the stereotypes, etc.
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Mienhagen aka Shameless deactivated again
Europe 696 Posts 6/04
Posted - Jun 6 2005 : 2:50AM
The stereotype is in your head, Matthew! If you want to get rid of it, dont ask porn actresses to change or alreday fit the non-stereotype, but change yourself. Its the same as with the fact that you often feel like doing something wrong watching porn and probabely wanking to it, too, as you write in the other tread about Derogatory Box Covers. Forget your stereotypes and enjoy porn!
Again Matthew, I have to agree with Mienhagen. Just enjoy the porn, you're never going to know who is using and who isn't. Some people might be notorious drug users and others just keep it secret, while others don't use altogether. It's better not to know since there is nothing that you can do about it, so just have fun and whack-off to it.
I firmly believe that when the "mainstream media" wants to score brownie points with the Christian fundamentalists they slap together a "documentary" about the evils associated with the adult industry. If they can't find fucked up. bubble-headed bimbos to point an accusing finger at, they slice n' dice taped interviews to make them appear so (a la Belladonna).
So far the best documentay I've seen was that 5 or 6-part series HBO broadcast some months ago, and even THAT highlighted some of the extreme fringes of the biz. I wouldn't call it "balanced"
there isnt a performer in the business who is going to point fingers at another performers drug use....but i will say this....to say that drug use in mainstream workplace is higher than porns is ridiculous.
think of the scenario....first of all, the drug use is highlighted more because the performers have a call time, and their performance is based on looks....so drug and alcohol use affects them more.
second, you are talking about young people who have a shitload of free time on their hands, no boss telling them what to do, and a lot of cash on a daily basis as opposed to a two week paycheck. you see?
are there a lot of performers who dont do drugs or abuse alcohol in the business? of course. are there a lot of performers who do? of course.
Christian bro... I was just scanning through a few old topics here on the board, and was shocked to see you posting here... good to know that since Ive only seen a few posts from you on the NaughtyAmerica board... see ya in LA this weekend for the convention bro...
I am sober do not do drugs or drink now. It was only a few months into the industry when I started using drugs. Now I am sober ( 5 months ) I do not do drugs nor do I drink. ( You can ask Shylock he drug tests me. )
I have my pharmacy tech license and attended real estate school. I got into the industry simply because I LOVE SEX. Not because of money issues or bad childhood experiences, or a drug problem.
I LOVE SEX! I LOVE ORAL, VAG, ANAL I LOVE IT ALL. I have passion for my work and I LOVE IT!
It sucks when you see a girl or a guy get into the industry for the wrong reasons. Unfortunatly some girls and guys do. But you can tell who it is it comes across in their work.
You know many of our girls. Have you ever seen a Spieglergirl come to the set high on drugs, or beaten by their spouses, etc? Also, do you know of any Spieglergirl to even have a reputation for drug use?
Thanks for the comments. I guess maybe I've heard too much from bible thumpers. I live in a very religous area, we have churches on almost every block. However, when I look at the office where I work, we have alcoholics, people abusing/being abused by their spouses, people using drugs, and in fact, I think there's one or two that sell drugs on the side. I guess that kind of stuff is in all walks of life.
I sense that the talent pool is a cross-section of society, with all it's good and bad aspects just like many corporations, churches, neighborhoods, families, etc.
I really AM a retired U.S. Army Lt Col, one who served in Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, and on the Staff & Faculty at West Point. I really DO have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics, and a Masters Degree in Public Administration.
One night, I once tried three puffs of pot, but nothing before/since then. I sanely drink socially. I treat all women nicely, and try to be a gentleman. I vote, show up for Jury Duty, and pay my taxes.
I'm part of the talent pool--and, yes, I'm part of society!
spiegler! whats up....no, i totally agree with the way you run your agency. it is a recognized fact around sets that spiegler girls always are consumate professionals....and i know that he runs a tight ship with the girls that live in his house. if i ran an agency, i would run it just like him. :) i have worked with rita, poppy, taryn, claire, and lola. love them all, super nice girls....
Anytime Matthew, you remind me of my younger self.. just getting the feel of things and the sympathy for the junkies and alcoholics in our society. You can't save the world matthew, you can only accept it and perhaps try to make a difference. If you have the bread, start up a charity to help these people or you can say fuck it and worry about your own short time on this planet. I prefer the later of these views and have not been happier since. So it's either 'fuck these losers' or 'help these losers' but you will have to make a choice.
Edited by - green-toke on 6/7/2005 1:43:46 AM
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Haze Deactivated User
769 Posts 7/04
Posted - Jun 7 2005 : 2:31AM
Have you ever noticed Keri Sable itched her nose a lot in the behind the scenes stuff and seems a little twitchy.
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Mienhagen aka Shameless deactivated again
Europe 696 Posts 6/04
Posted - Jun 7 2005 : 3:00AM
No, I notice her on-set performance. Thats all. Her personal life is not my business, either.
Just so you know ChickenMaster, the spellcheck at this site has been updated and is working perfectly. Now, what do you mean by this statement. Do you actually get off to a scene knowing that a pornstar's life is in shambles? Tell me that there is more to you then a shallow shell of a human being.
The more fucked up a chick is the better i masturbate. There's a meatholes wheer some girl says she was raped and then Khan Tusion calls her a "shit eating whore that licks butt-hole". I jerked off the best ever.
We weren't bickering. We had some fun with each+other the other night and that was it. I hope that we will not be prevented sharing thoughts in these threads in the future. I harbor no ill will towards ChickenMaster, just for the record.
Further, my response to ChickenMasters statement "Knoledge of a pornstar's shambled life can enhance the quality of a scene." was not inappropriate in relation to the statements made by others on this message board.. At least in my view.
I may have went overboard with the 'shallow shell of a human being.' remark and for that I apologize to the ChickenMaster.
edited for spelling
Edited by - green-toke on 6/8/2005 7:50:58 PM
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DenverDon Benevolent
Firmly Embedded in Depravity 5914 Posts 7/02
Posted - Jun 8 2005 : 8:14PM
Take your 'fun' to the other place or relegate it to email then.
I will vouch for Taryn's sobriety and natural love of sex. It was obvious she loves what she does and made it through a very difficult situation on Road Trixxx 3 like a champ. Thank you Taryn for being a positive image in this industry and I wish much success for you. Good luck with the continuation of your sobriety.
thats why i am proud to be a spiegler girl, everyone knows straight that you come sober and dont have whatever problem, and treat you with much more respect then when you come alone or from another agency.
Thank you so much Devinn! I had a ton of fun on Road Trixxx 3 and was glad I was able to experience. I am still sober obviously and continue to stay this way. : ) It just makes my work so much more enjoyable.
Posted - Jun 3 2005 : 11:26PM