The following is a guest editorial that appears as a response to the interview with James Deen in The Huffington Post
James Deen tells us that requiring condoms in porn is a violation of his rights as an American citizen, that condoms restrict his artistic vision. He uses a few examples, making a movie about a husband and wife trying to conceive a child, or making a movie based on time periods before condoms were invented. On the surface these may sound like legitimate concerns, but lets go a little beyond the surface of Mr. Deen’s statements, seeing as how the interviewer failed to ask any pertinent follow up questions.Mr Deen asks how he can make the above mentioned movies with condoms. He could use technology available today to remove the condom, visually from the scene, or he could use innovative camera angles, or even clear or skin tone condoms that aren’t visible in the final product. Yes, the technology may be expensive, but simply not being able to afford to follow the regulations that require condoms does not exempt you from them. There are many movies made every year that use this technology, and there product suffers not from it. Many regulations for movie makers are expensive, such as having fire personnel, safety persons, and safety equipment for stunt people, which porn actors are often compared to. But this is just a minor issue. How many porn films really fit the categories that Deen speaks of? You don’t make laws based on the rare exceptions.But lets talk about Deen’s right to artistic impression. The real question here is whose artistic impression are we talking about here? The performer, or the producer. Who owns the speech that is being created.? It is the producer who is creating the speech. Deen is merely a paid actor, playing a role in the production of someone elses artistic vision, ie,the producer. When the movie Deen is in wins the award for “best picture” it is the producer who accepts the award, because it is his picture. When the picture Deen is in gets charged for being obscene it is the producer who goes to trial, because it is his picture.Vivid Video is a company that has often said they are condom optional. It is their decision(the producers) to allow you to use or not use condoms. Wicked Pictures says they are condom mandatory. It is their decision(again, the producer) who mandates condoms be used. Is this a violation of your rights Mr Deen? And when on a set,, who decides if you use a condom Mr. Deen, is it your, or your scene partner? If you’re working for condom optional Vivid, and your scene partner says she wants you to use a condom is this a violation of your rights? No it is not, because its not your decision to make. If you work for Wicked Pictures and the producer says you have to wear a condom, is he violating your rights? Of course not, because its not your decision to make. And it is not YOUR artistic vision, it is the PRODUCERS artistic vision.And this is what makes you a DUPE Mr Deen. You say that you are fighting for your rights, when if fact you are fighting the battle for the producers rights, or the so called rights that the producer claims he has. You are Mr Deen, a person who is unquestionable, and/or unwittingly serving the cause of another.YOUR RIGHTS MR. DEEN, END WHEN YOUR PENIS ENTERS ANOTHER PERSONS BODY AND YOU SHOULD HAVE NO SAY IN THAT DECISION, AND NEITHER SHOULD A PRODUCER OF PORNOGRAPHY
James Deen obviously likes to use his first amendment right, and as an American citizen he has the right to do so. But freedom of speech comes with some consequences and responsibility. We have all heard the saying, “You cant yell fire in a crowded theater, if there is no fire.” Actually you can, but there are consequences. If someone gets trampled to death as a result, you can be held liable. There are also libel and slander laws, none of which do I claim that Deen has violated. Then there are responsibilities, and though there may not be laws that regulate this, they certainly do exist.And here is where Deen shirks those responsibilities in his interview. And again, I would also like to chide the interviewer for not asking follow up questions, but then again, he obviously knows nothing about the adult industry so lets give him a little break. Deen says,”You are basically in a fluid locked relationship with people that are tested every 14 days, with the highest standard of equipment, and theres a database backing everything up, and everything is cross referenced about who’s worked with who(m) and what happened here and you can pretty much cut anything off.” Lets look beyond the surface of this statement and ask the questions the interviewer did not. So he uses a condom if he hooks up with a stranger at a bar, who’se sexual past he has no knowledge of, but no condom with the stranger on the porn set who he knows has been having multiple unprotected partners within the past few days but has a two week or older std test. Yeah, that makes alot of sense.First, what the heck is a fluid locked relationship? Who cares, it doesn’t matter, but still, wtf is he talking about?Next, ‘all getting tested every 14 days.” As we all know, the first mention of a 14 day testing regime started during the Measure B campaign. Since the inception of AIM in 1998 30 days has been the industry standard. For a few weeks during the campaign the industry line became 14 to 28 days, now its 14. Yet, according to my sources, and correct me if I am wrong, the criteria to be listed as ‘Available for work” in the APHSS system is still one month. Deen also fails to mention that it is performers who pay for those tests. Now, according to Deen, performers must pay for tests twice a month instead of once.(Lets leave the performer subsidy fund for another discussion).Next,” the highest standard of equipment” All of the testing is done by CLIA licensed laboratories, all of whom use equipment approved for the particlar testing being done.Now here is where Deen crosses the line of RESPONSIBILITY. “Theres a database backing everything up, and everythings cross referenced about who’s worked with who(m) and what happened here, and you can pretty much cut anything off.” The APHSS database contains nothing more than a list of names of people who have tested for gonnoreah, chlamydia, and HIV within a certain time frame, nothing else. There is NO cross reference database about who worked with whom, and no database about what happened here or there! Why would Deen make such a statement, does he actually beleive such a database exists, or is he beign intentionally disingenuous, attempting to mislead the viewers about how well the industry is “self regulated.” Are they going to tell assembly members that this database exists? So I will ask Deen the questions the interviewer didnt, Who keeps this cross reference database, how does it work, who inputs the data, and where does the data come from? How well did this database work with the latest syphilis outbreak? If this was in place why was there so much confusion and chaos, and why didnt anyone hear that the database was used and all of Marcus’ scenes and partners were tracked and cross referenced?(LOL) I have a feeling hell will freeze over before anyone tackles these questions, Dianne, would you like to take a shot?Next, “Zero HIV transmissions’ While this may be debatable, no matter what, the HIV rate in straigh porn is very very low. (And we will leave the gay industry and the use of ‘cross over’ talent for another day,Derrik burts) But what about the thousands of other documented cases of stds. How well does your system track those James? And what about, HPV,PID,bacterial infections,etc,etc. Again, I chide the interviewer for not following up, so I will. James, what about all these other stds, would you care to comment, how about you Dianne?Next, “Our sytem works, and it works really really well” I agreee James, it works very well at documenting thousand of cases of stds, but falls so short when you consider that all of he these thousands of std’s your system had documented are only gonnoreah and chlamydia, and nothing else. Everything else is simply falls under the other standard industry system of “Don’t ask, don’t tell” like Hep C, and drug use.
Now lets examine what is perhaps the most disturbing part of this interview. I hope that James will clarify his remarks, if not here, then in some other forum.Deen says,”If there was a 15 year old girl, an underage girl,an underage guy, an underage person that is viewing a scene that I’m in, or any sort of porn, chance are they’re doing it because either they’re curious,they’re horny, whatever it is. They’re sexual enough that it is something that they desire, that they crave, that they want, and tis not necessarily a bad thing.”Where to begin? Of course 15 year olds have sexual urges, and they act on them, nobody denies that. But where does Deen draw the line? Again, the interviewer asks no questions. Deen makes no statement that 15 year olds should not be watching porn, which would be the resonsible thing to do, but we know that they do, and it is readily available to them. Not just soft, Playboy porn, but hardcore XXX porn, as Deen says, “any sort of porn.” James,, where do you draw the line. Twelve year olds know what sex is, and are curious too, is it ‘not necessarily a bad thiing” that they are viewing porn?James, do you see any problem with minors viewing your scenes, and having access to “any sort” of porn? When you were a youngster James, you didnt have internet porn. Maybe you found dads Playboy in the dresser drawer, but that does not even begin to compare to what is on the internet today. Why dont you include in your remarks that children shoudn’t watch porn? Again, becasue the interviewer is lacking I will ask, “Do you think it is harmful for 15,14, 13, 12 year olds to watch porn? You know they do, but what do you think about it?I will give Deen the benefit of the doubt here, and say that he meant that exploring their sexuality, and being curious is not necessarily a bad thing. But when he makes no statement about the wrongfulness (is that a word) of children seeking to explore their sexual desires through internet porn, then he is severely lacking in the responsibility department. Without talking about the XXX hardcore porn abailable to children when speaking on the subject of children viewing prnography, is irresponsible. James, you didn’t have this growing up and you seem like you turned out ok. Do you think porn is a good way for children to explore their sexuality? Where do you draw the line, the law says 18, what say you? Do you think the porn industry should look for more ways to prevent children from accessing porn, like XXXSpongebob?
13 Responses
Austin Roosa liked this on Facebook.
Good points made why James Deen made very stupid argumet. Show good point why some porn stars should talk on subject.
Deen just might win this years ” Mr. Marcus Stupidity Award “
he will probably join Mr.Marcus in the unemployment line
Hey James, there’s a good question in this article, “How well did that tracking system work with Mr. Marcus?” Oh yes, your system works “really really well.” Why would he lie like that?
And as far as calling yourself James Deen, you just arent that cool.
This article sounds like it was written by a paid stooge for AHF.
This read like some one know issue well. Useing facts common cent attack James Deen argument wrath well. When break down what he say make alot cents. He does great job break down why condom issue not frist amendment issue. He does amzasing job explain away James Deen issue of porn star have same right as man and his wife try make babe which I thought was stupid comparison. He took any credible away from James Deen being good spokes person for porn when he point out that James Deen thought ok for young teens watch porn. Best part argument was when guy explain how unsecure STD testing is in porn industry how unpaired indusrty is when has STD event. I thought man asked good hard questions that porn indusrty need good answers to. Becuase indusrty keep say ever thing it does cover under first amendment gone lose war with those fighting put condoms on it.
Of course, James Deen’s opinions carry about as much weight with respect to the strictly legal issues at stake here as would Tom Cruise’s opinions on the constitutional status of mainstream acting.
In other words, not a whole lot. This “response” is a vehement attack on the opinions of an obvious non-expert, and ultimately is just as irrelevant.
Yet James Deen opion is beeing post on ever one lesser porn sites as sage advice on porn condom matter. One lesser web site has such man crush on him they post ever thing they can about James Deen. Alex are welling answers counterpoint question that where brought up buy counrter pointer??? After all argument was so irrelevant you had come here say so. Please explain at any point what part counrter point has been irrelevant what happen in porn industry today?? If James Deen so irrelevant why is ever one indusrty get hardon for this guy if he so irrelevant Alex??? If guy argument so irrelevant Alex you can explain away questions with much common cents straight talk as guy did posting his counterpoints. Remind Alex FSC hire professional republican politician stop condom law from happen in Los Angeles that prove very irrelevant in out come that happen there.
You have badly misunderstood.
James Deen’s opinions are irrelevant to the legal issues at stake. Those are settled in court, not in an interview with one (albeit well known) performer.
I didn’t come here to post about it, I happen to read Mike South’s site, and saw the article.
Regarding the “response” itself, there are PLENTY of things that the person says that are irrelevant to the legal issues at stake, and also lots of things that are simply false. I’m not going to go through them all here, because honestly it doesn’t bear that much examination. Like I said, it’s an irrelevant response to an irrelevant interview.
But you seemed to be very juiced up by it–please don’t let me get in your way. Go revel.
I find silly you can not explain Alex why counrterpoints made in this argument are irrelevant. Alex find like most people who judge these thing irrelevant is becuase they do want admit that person point out these short coming in James Deen argument had made some very good comments why that so. Like alot people do industry you attack dodge issue buy lable this irrelevant . Buy way your opion on James Deen legal issue wrong he is new poster boy that FSC useing fight condom issues. Buy way been one main criticise on condom laws there try pass in Ca so does make irrelevant on this use. Becuas he neck deep in it. When Tom Cruise’s gives opinions on acting most people listen him very susseful at it. So when James Deen talking about what he does for living very susseful at people tend listen to him even if being stupid. Special on subject porn becuase that what jobs is irrelevant issue you claim that are irrelevant him effect him directly.
http://www.xojane.com/sex/interview-james-deen-on-free-speech-condoms-and-measure-b
Another interview where James Deen lies about the industry testing system, claiming there is a cross referencing system. Again, a clueless interviewer who asks no follow-up questions. James, how many other interviews have you done where you lie about this? Will you continue to tell this lie in the future? And this issue he is lying about it at the very heart of the so called testing system, and how the industry would handle any outbreaks. I wonder if his publicist knows he is lying about this stuff.\?
My favorite lie of his is that he has NEVER caught an STD!!!
I challenge him to a lie detector test for that one!!!
Or maybe I could peek in Dr. Riggs medical records, eh?
The things he says are down-right farcical.