Ex porn actress - Michelle Avanti - tells her story of the biz as she experienced it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40Z6Ef1v9AU&
Thoughts? Does anyone think it's a glamorous industry?![]()
Ex porn actress - Michelle Avanti - tells her story of the biz as she experienced it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40Z6Ef1v9AU&
Thoughts? Does anyone think it's a glamorous industry?![]()
A cunning linguist...
Its not glamorous...its a job like any other. Sometimes you have good days, sometimes you have bad days.
The biz been good to me and I have fun. Its annoying when people get out and then talk shit about it...and it happens a lot. Like they think that if they renounce it that the stigma will go away.
^There have been far too many actresses doing TV specials about how baaaad it is and waaaah it's so crueeel to women like me and -
And then they do 30 more titles anyway. Drives me insane.
Get the fuck off my harbl, yo'.





Several years ago while still dancing I met a couple who act and produce porn movies. I'm not saying names (it'll make sense in a few minutes) but they convinced me that working with them would help my dancing career. They helped launch the career of several famous porn stars, and the wife herself had somewhat of a name (she mostly did girl-girl). At the time, I thought it sounded good so I decided I would check it out. I saw a few of the girls I worked with become features, and thought I could be next. I was also in college and thought being a feature could also help pay for college.
Long story short, I did one amateur movie, and felt dirty. Something that was usually special to me was degraded into something else. It hurt really bad and am ashamed I did it, though I've found out that the movie was probably never released (he didn't release all movies if he didn't like the result). Even so, I always worry that it will eventually show up, though it never has and this was 14 years ago. Out of all the times I had sex in my life, this was one of the very few times where it wasn't a boyfriend. Making the video was not fun by any means. I felt like a piece of meat. The only good thing was the guy I worked with was a professional (he wasn't the guy producing the film, luckily). The porn couple were sleazy. The husband kept trying to get me to have sex with him, and to have sex with the both of them (though I told him I wasn't bi). I did not have sex with them, but fear had I done another that might have been the film. He kept wanting to make more videos of me, and I knew it was a bad decision. I just did the one video. Incidentally when I've told other dancers I worked with them, the ones who did movies told me they either didn't do movies with them or did one. Said that the guy had a rep for being sleazy and expecting sex with every girl who worked with them. A few years ago he was arrested for prostitution for running a massage parlor, and I'm pretty sure his wife is retired, and they are now divorced.
This was the turning point for me on various levels. I went back to college to graduate, and made a vow to abstain from sex until the relationship got serious. I have kept this vow. I don't begrudge everyone in the industry because there are decent people, but I realized it wasn't for me.





I don't know that once you are actually "in" any industry that it is all that glamorous. It's like going to a shop that looks gorgeous to the consumer, but once you are hired you see the ugliness of the place: things that aren't clean, drama between employees, corruption. It's everywhere... even in churches - and the porn industry is no different.
Porn has a lot in common with stripping though... you have to be smart or it will use you up and toss you to the side looking for the next big thing. We all know how people of society stereotype strippers into women that are abused & drug addicts... yet there are tons of us in this industry who don't fit that stereotype and don't have problems. A lot of what the media catches are the worst of the worst and create scare tactics about actresses getting drugged & murdered. Sure it happens... it happens in the stripping industry too - but it's not as common as people want to make it out to be - particularly if you are smart about what you are doing! Going to photo or video shoots alone & without references is very dangerous. Sex is an activity that spreads disease, and if you shoot without you & fellow actors getting test or you go without condoms you are increasing the likelihood of catching a disease.
Being smart in that industry is:
- Knowing when to turn down work - things you aren't comfortable with or that are dangerous
- Knowing not to do too much too fast - once heard a private conversation between Ron Jeremy & Sunny Lane where he was telling her about the hazards of letting the industry use you up quickly.
- Having someone with you on set who you trust to help out if things go wrong.
- Be able to stick to your boundaries of what you feel is safe & knowing when it's time to leave
- Not letting people or agents bully you into work you aren't comfortable with. If there's one thing I've learned even in the dance industry its that even if you can't work with some agents there are always others.
With that said, even when you are smart - porn isn't always glamorous. I was working on a set once where there was a new male actor and he couldn't get fully hard or stay hard. After 4 hours I was irritated, moody and friggin' hungry! There are also cases where the people you have to have sex with get mean on the set... and the company still expects you to have sex because that's what they are paying you to do. Let's not forget about the bad hygiene or bad breath of some actors... yeah - not glamorous! Add in the "embarrassing moments"... again - not glamorous.
The glamorous side to the porn industry or even the dance industry is usually the conventions & the parties - not really the work itself.
I really don't think that video gives a good picture of the porn industry. People die everyday of things like car accidents, liver disease, and suicide - they need to be able to show how it relates directly to the porn industry.
Last edited by Kylea2; 05-29-2010 at 02:44 PM.
Don't you ever sleep?
Not at night...that's when the stars have rather better things to do. They're coming out, shining, that sort of thing.
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I don't know. She talks of trust issues, issues with men... I think she likely had those problems before she went into porn since she speaks of being raped. She also talks about being drugged and getting drunk... It seems like she was threw a lot, but she did make some very poor choices and didn't seem to stick up for herself, which is just a hazard of going into porn when you're young and troubled and have no real support network set up.
Does anyone really go around claiming working in porn is glamorous though? I could write an article about how there is nothing glamorous about working in the dry cleaning business, i don't think it would surprise anyone either.




I've met some people who do think sex work in general is glamorous. Some of them were sex workers, but had only briefly been a sex worker. The ones I met either had just one gig, did very little in sex work (and didn't get to see the more difficult parts), and often didn't need to do it for money. They politicize and romanticize sex work because they are young, think anyone can do it and feel empowered, and it's quick easy money. So, yes some people do claim porn is glamorous.
I get annoyed with videos like this. At my work we have these "pink bag" people who send us gifts all the time, often expensive makeup and hair products. We looked them up and it is a faith based organization, which does have former sex workers in it. They think all sex workers were abused/molested/raped, may have drug issues, etc. And yes some do and probably need help, and this stuff may help them. But it can be annoying; when my club announced it was closing they sent us a letter saying they'd help us get over our drug problems, give us counseling on our abuse issues, and get us back into the job market. I really hate it that their outreach means they feel the need to try and victimize each and every one of us.
Goodbye Seattle Lusty Lady, where every Miss is a Hit, and every Hit is Missed. 1985-2010.





Don't you ever sleep?
Not at night...that's when the stars have rather better things to do. They're coming out, shining, that sort of thing.
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Basically, this is one of the two 'politically correct' ways for society in general to view girls working in the 'sex industry'. Either we are 'bad people' (i.e. the stereotype lying, thieving, drug addicted whores) ... or we are good people who have been 'victimized' by bad people, from abusive step-fathers to sleazy porn producers.they feel the need to try and victimize each and every one of us





I remember many of those faith based groups. I am mixed on those people. Part of me understands why they do it because some of the women are trapped in the industry. I used to see so many women leave it for a normal job, only to return because it paid better or they couldn't find anything else. However, I remember one of these women coming into the club offering "training" for a respectable job. Sounds good until you realize the jobs were things like fast food. No thanks. Instead I was able to get into a corporate job myself.
Exactly. So a lot of times when a girl gets out of the business..she talks about how oh so victimized she was and how she never REALLY wanted to do any of those things or do drugs or whatever she did and how NOW she sees the light. That the adult industry is SO evil and how it just sucks you in agaisnt your will and destroys you.
Because NOW..she has repented and will be forgiven so she can make the transition into mainstream society.
Otherwise...if she wasnt victimized and SO SORRY for what she has done...shed just be a no good whore who isnt worth associating with.
A GREAT example of this is Desi Foxx. She was in the biz for a yr or two, but shes 50 and not too many people wanted to book her. They DID however want to book her cute 19 yr old daughter. So she got her daughter into the biz and they booked themselves as "the REAL mother daughter team". Elli (the daughter...these are stage names obviously, I wont post their real names here) was a very mature for her age nice sweet girl. (I worked and traveled to LA with her several times). Young, tiny,blonde and very cute.
Well Mama ended up pissing off pretty much...everyone in the industry and soon nobody would book Elli either because they didnt want to have to deal with her mom.
Desi went to Shelly Lubben(one of the most famous of the faith based anti porn people..she has an organization, the Pink Cross that helps women get out of porn...shes an ex porn star and prostitute herself. Its actually an organization I have nothing against because a lot of girls CAN benefit from it...but a lot just take advantage of her and latch onto her name to "redeem" themselves)and started writing a blog about how evil the people in porn are and how they just come into your homes and steal your children away(even though SHE was the one who got her daughter into it) and blah blah blah.
Of course she REALLY went off the deep end saying how people were after her trying to kill her because she was "outing" all the bad shit about the industry and how she had to go on the run and into hiding....seriously psycho stuff.
Its annoying, but whatever. Most of us CHOOSE to be in the industry and are smart about it. Esp those of us that are older and/or have been in the biz for a few years. I have a happy healthy marriage, no drugs, dont even drink except for a glass of wine once in awhile. NO abuse in my history...nada. I'm just a normal everyday chick who happens to get naked and/or have sex on camera.




http://www.thepinkcross.org/gallery/?g2_itemId=635
A link from the group behind that YouTube video. Best believe if that bitch was sitting at a table trying to waste my time with some anti stripping propaganda I'd have her thrown out quicker than she could say "hail Jesus".
If you are willing to do for one year what other's won't, you can spend a lifetime doing what other's cant.





There actually is some evidence of that ... eg http://forum.stripperweb.com/showthread.php?t=141422
I loved going to strip clubs; I actually made some friends there. Now things are different for the clubs and for me. As a result I am not as happy.
Customers are not entitled to grope, disrespect, or rob strippers. This is their job, not their hobby, and they all need income. Clubs are not just some erotic show for guys to view while drinking.
NOTE: anything I post here, outside of a direct quote, is my opinion only, which I am entitled to. Take it for what you estimate it is worth.





On one hand:
I'm a firm believer that working in the adult entertainment industry (porn, dancing, escorting, etc) does not "make you" a drug addict, nor does it indicate that you had a troubled childhood or are suffering from any sort of mental condition.
On the other hand:
We are completely kidding ourselves if we believe that this industry does not attract a higher percentage of drug addicts and people who struggle with mental problems. While no one should be instantly judged for their profession, those stereotypes exist for a reason. I mean, honestly.
I've had other jobs. I used to work for the school district teaching the severe and profound mentally disabled. I used to manage a coffee house, etc. I can tell you right now that the percentage of drug addicts and generally unstable personalities is extremely higher in the strip clubs I've worked in than any other job.
So, while I agree with most of the posts concerning the unfairness of these assumptions, I also think a lot of dancers are kidding themselves. Of course there are plenty girls who choose to dance, enjoy dancing, or maybe just do it "as a job" but are otherwise content and stable. But there are also plenty of girls who are doing these types of jobs to support habits and/or would not being doing it if they were "in their right mind".





There is also evidence against it though:
http://forum.stripperweb.com/showthread.php?t=138211
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See, I agree with this, but I think that it's an important distinction that the troubled past and drug using usually precedes dancing, as it did in this case. She was an alcoholic and drug user that was abandoned by her family (in an emotional sense) and was raped. A job where you don't need any stability is something people sometimes need when they're unstable.
It's hard calling into a day job manic depressive.




From what I have heard from girls in porn no it is not glamorous.
I never thought it would be in the first place!
Who thinks this?
Sorry don't mean to hate.
I hope Michelle and others get the help they need and get through their experiences.
It takes a big person to come forward and say what she has said.





Here's another prime example of porn not being glamorous!
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...,2731768.story
There are certain industries, including anything dealing directly with money (such as stripping), and intense physical contact (such a porn), where I really think it would be good to run background & reference checks on all employees.
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and actually a lot of those who posted have experimented with drugs. there's a difference between trying a drug once or twice or using it recreationally and being a drug addict. addicts are in every line of work, addiction doesn't discriminate, so i think your point is moot and somewhat offensive to the women on this board.




I agree. I think I'm a pretty good example of this. I started dancing when i was not in 'my right mind' and when you're bipolar it's hard to keep a regular job. But at the same time, while some parts of my life were completely chaotic, I've still managed to keep a high gpa at a top university and also dealt with my issues with alcohol and bipolar disorder while stripping. And I know a lot of alcoholics and addicts who aren't in the sex industry and keep their addictions fairly secretive. It's just my opinion that it's a lot more out in the open and acceptable in SCs. I look at this way, an alcoholic college student can have some success but may not finish school, while a stripper may have a drug addiction and spend all her money on drugs...but neither will have long-term success when loaded.





<out in the open> Perhaps it's only more acceptable because of the prevalence of other strippers using alcohol and drugs, or of customers who think imbibing in those substances makes the stripper easier to influence and/or less inhibited. And perhaps management also. And perhaps since it is relatively common, the more newer, influencible strippers gradually accept it as normal and even 'useful.' In any case it is not acceptable to many who have their heads on straight. Stripping or porn.
Perhaps also that is why much of society tries to close down the industry too.
I loved going to strip clubs; I actually made some friends there. Now things are different for the clubs and for me. As a result I am not as happy.
Customers are not entitled to grope, disrespect, or rob strippers. This is their job, not their hobby, and they all need income. Clubs are not just some erotic show for guys to view while drinking.
NOTE: anything I post here, outside of a direct quote, is my opinion only, which I am entitled to. Take it for what you estimate it is worth.





Yes. I'd add further that most people have experimented with some drugs, regardless of industry. I've known people who went into law related jobs who've smoked pot or even done cocaine. Even President Obama admittted he smoked pot! I've tried pot a few times, but was never even a recreational user. It kind of reminds me of stories I've read that state many women have experimented with lesbianism, doesn't mean most are lesbian or even bisexual. People experiment with various things because they are curious.
Honestly I found porn more "glamorous" then dancing in LA......at least they werent trying to offer me 40 bucks for "full service"!
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