Hot Topic: 'After Porn Ends'...The Documentary

From Left to Right:  Producer Andy Weiss, Mary Carey, Crissy Moran, Nina Hartley, Director Bryce Wagoner

Last night, I had the opportunity to see a screening of the documentary, After Porn Ends.  I can hear your thoughts right now.  Yep, I said porn.  I'm not here to talk about the rights and wrongs of the porn industry though.  You either like it or you condemn it.  I thought the idea of the documentary was fascinating though:  What do you do with your like "After Porn Ends"?  Do you have a family?  Do you get a "regular" job?  Does society allow you to have a "normal" life?  After watching the film, I realize how all-encompassing the job choice becomes even when you leave it behind.  The former entertainers are constantly judged even if they move on to become parents, real estate agents, artists, or devout Christians.  Some of the participants in the film fell into the stereotypical traps of the porn industry with addiction, abusive relationships, and suicidal tendencies. However, other entertainers like Mary Carey, who is hilarious and deserves a mainstream Hollywood job, or Nina Hartley, who is still in the business, are very comfortable with their choices and feel like the adult industry has offered them a privileged life.  It was rare to hear that from the female performers because, not surprisingly, the men were judged less harshly than the women upon leaving the industry. The dark reality hit the women harder than the men.

Mary Carey

The other interesting delineation in the film fell between the entertainers who worked in the early years of the adult industry, the 1960s-1980s, versus the actors that worked in the internet years.  It seemed like the experiences of those that worked in the earlier years had an easier time.  Porn was more of an underground industry, they were able to lead a more private life off-set, and they endured less judgement from society.  It was almost cool to work in porn during that era.  For the internet-era stars, there appeared to be more personal difficulties transitioning back into the real world because of a tool called Google.  Neighbors, co-workers, and family are now able to see images of their former life on their laptops.  It never goes away.  While many featured in the documentary went on to have well-adjusted kids and careers, their former life lurks in the background.  During the Q&A after the documentary, one of the panelists mentioned that this film should be screened for everyone new performer in the adult industry as a cautionary tale.  The addictions and the abusive relationships you can move on from, but the stigma of porn.......you cannot.



After Porn Ends will be available On Demand beginning May 21st and the DVD will be out in August. (Warning:  There are porn images in the documentary.)


I wrote about a similar topic after I interviewed Demi Delia from Crackle.com's reality web series, Mommy XXX back in 2009.  Demi has left the adult industry behind and has her own talent management company.  She goes by her given name, Gina Rodriguez, now and reps some infamous personalities like Octomom and Michael Lohan.  See the controversial article I wrote here and my interview with Demi here.


I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic.  Hit me up in the comments below, on Twitter, or on Facebook.


Today is the last day to enter my Gift Bag Giveaway.  You have until 11:59PM PT tonight.  Enter here.  

Year in Review: July 2010

I was looking through my calendar and my photos from July 2010 and I was happy to see that I took some time to relax.  I am really going to try and make that a priority for 2011...maybe 2/3 work and 1/3 personal. I think that is a good start since my life last year was 90% work and 10% play.  Here's to New Year's Resolutions!

1. While in Chicago for Women's Health Magazine's annual Are You Game?, I had a chance to hang with one of my favorite cousins, Michael. He's been my little buddy ever since the day he was born.  Awwww......

2.  I was invited by Lexus Dark Ride to the opening of SPiN Hollywood at the Mondrian Hotel.  It was an evening of A-listers like Susan Sarandon and an evening of D-listers like Michael Lohan who arrived at the party on the same exact day his daughter, Lindsay, went to jail.  Ponder that thought for a moment.  Anyway, I had a great night laughing until my stomach hurt with my pal, Maria.

3. On the set of one of my favorite live online shows, Stupid for Movies, hosted by Wade Major and Mark Keizer, and created by my pal, Mike Rotman.  I was lucky enough to be asked to do a guest spot where I had the opportunity to bring in a film you might have missed. Given my love for Bob Fosse, All That Jazz was my pick.  I like to think I was ahead of the latest dance movie trend.  If you love Black Swan, do yourself a favor and watch Fosse's incredible film.  Also, I will hopefully be helping out on SFM during Awards Season in 2011, but I will keep you posted about any possible upcoming appearances.

4.  You know how much I love my Prius, well, you are going to get really tired of me once the 2012 PHV Prius comes out.  Here I am at the Plug-In Conference in San Jose.

5.  The ITVFest Opening Night Gala continues to be one of the hottest parties in Web TV each summer.  Here are a few photos from my red carpet coverage where I hugged.....everyone and check out the red carpet interviews with Mingle Media TV here.

(Yes, that is James Denton of Desperate Housewives. Swoon.)

Photos 5-7:  Courtesy of Mingle Media TV

My Tabloid Life

Okay, I'm not really leading a tabloid life, but I need to rant here for a little and some of it is my own fault.  See, I have a bit of an addiction to a little US Weekly and perhaps I have Perez Hilton bookmarked on my tool bar.  I'm part of the problem even though I now refuse to read any Kardashian, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, or Palin Family articles anymore.  I'm just tired.  Give me scoop on Sandra Bullock and her cute baby or Shiloh's "Montenegro" style outfits, but save me from these famous-for-no-reason-people.  I like light and fluffy, not overexposed, talentless hacks, but lately I can't seem to avoid these paparazzi-on-speed-dial-manufactured-"stars".  Besides my willingness to buy the magazine or click on a link, I blame Alexis Neiers.  Why?  She started my tabloid month.

I was in downtown LA at the courthouse sitting on a bench one day (I'm not a criminal, just helping out someone on a case.) when I see this wild-eyed woman walk past me with a huge entourage.  Holy cow! It's that wacky, hippy dippy mom from Pretty Wild on E!.  I scour the crowd and see her daughter, Alexis Neiers, in the middle of the pack.  Ah, she's turning herself in today.  That's what you get for being part of the "Bling Ring" and breaking into Orlando Bloom's home.  (And Mazel Tov to him for getting married yesterday!)  This encounter led to a series of F-list encounters that comes full circle back to Lindsay Lohan and Alexis.

Earlier this week, I head off to the opening of SPiN Hollywood at the Mondrian.  This is a hip new ping pong bar owned by Susan Sarandon. Great, my reality show luck has turned as I see Susan, her gorgeous daughter, Eva Amurri, and a slew of ICM agents circling the VIP table.  An Oscar winner?  Score.  This is an A-list night.  Well, it WAS an A-List night until they all decided to go to dinner and the riff-raff took over.  Over in the far corner stood The Bachelor's, Vienna Girardi.  She looks much softer and prettier in person, but I just wanted to tell her that Jake Pavelka really did ping my gaydar, so she's much better off.  Then, the ultimate F-lister joins us.  Oh yeah, Michael Lohan.  He had been on every news outlet that would have him crying about how upset he was that Lindsay was jailed that day.  Waaahhh, waaaaahhhh.  Yeah, he's so upset that he HAD to attend the opening of a ping pong lounge.  Would you be out partying if your daughter was sent to jail that day?  Just saying.

Yep, that's Michael Lohan at the SPiN Hollywood party. See how upset he looks?  (Snort)  The best part is the SPiN employee's shirt:  "Balls are my business".  Awesome.


That's when we knew it was time to exit the building.  Susan's out, Michael's in, and with that, we hustled right back out onto Sunset Boulevard.  And Lindsay Lohan?  Well, she's sitting in a prison cell right next to Alexis Neiers.  Yep, Lindsay was a victim of the "Bling Ring" too.  Poetic justice or just another day in Hollywood, kids?

**UPDATE** As of Saturday, July 24th, Alexis Neiers has been released from jail.  Uh-oh, do my tabloid run-ins start all over again?  Stay tuned.......