Of course, there are controversies in the industry other than having the biggest tits of the most beautiful pussy. Some incidents made it to the headlines of national newspapers (not just tabloids), and national TV. And so, friends… Today we will make you remember what you read (and probably never paid that much attention to) a few years back.
From bomb threats to incest. Man, the industry never really runs out of controversies. Now, are you ready to get your mind blown? Not by a bomb but by these…
The Linda Lovelace Abuse
Linda Boreman, aka Linda Lovelace, was born in the Bronx and will always be remembered for the titular foreplay in 1972’s crossover porn comedy Deep Throat. However, she received competing attention for her 1980 memoirs Ordeal, which alleged abuse and evident sexual enslavement by her ex-husband/manager Chuck Traynor and others behind the scenes.
Feminist stalwarts such as Andrea Dworkin and Catharine MacKinnon publicly backed Lovelace, who subsequently adopted Christianity and periodically spoke to the press about her trauma before dying in 2002 from injuries incurred in a car accident.
Cameron Bay Tested HIV Positive
The pornographic industry continues to debate the usage of condoms, in large part because actress Cameron Bay (a former cast member of the VH1 reality show Tool Academy) stated in 2013 that she had tested positive for HIV. Her partner, fellow XXX artist Rod Daily, also acquired the virus, and their diagnosis was exacerbated by reports (now disproved) that Anthony Weiner’s internet mistress, Sydney Leathers, shot a porn session with Bay.
Since her discovery, Bay has become an active advocate for STD prevention in adult films, as well as HIV and AIDS education.
The Suicide of August Ames
On December 2, 2017, August Ames, a Canadian-born pornographic actor, tweeted a warning that a performer on a prior set she had worked on had been involved in gay pornography. She implied that allowing him to work with female performers was unprofessional. The remark sparked outrage, with many in the industry accusing Ames of being anti-gay. Ames defended herself, claiming that she had the right to feel safe in her employment and the freedom to work with anyone she wanted, but the threats, allegations, and criticism continued. The next day, December 4th, 2017, Ames put out his farewell tweet, which simply said, “fuck y’all.”
Her body was discovered a day later; she had committed suicide by hanging. This incident generated an international debate about bullying, insanity in the pornography industry, and people’s attitudes toward homosexuality.
The Shaming of Belle Knox
Belle Knox, popularly known as The Duke University adult film star, rose to national prominence after a classmate recognized her in one of her videos in early 2014. This resulted in an exclusive profile in Rolling Stone, television and radio interviews, and a great deal of criticism and backlash for her career decisions. Miriam Weeks, a freshman women’s studies and sociology major at Duke University, began performing in adult videos.
Since her identity was revealed, she has become a champion for the X-rated film industry, but she also attributes her decision to become an adult film actor to the escalating costs of postsecondary education. Knox has spoken out against the widespread “sl*t-shaming” in school and is a firm believer that being an adult film star does not imply that you are a feminist.
Farrah Abraham’s Transition From Reality to the Industry
Farrah Abraham, a former Teen Mom star, has made it quite apparent that she is dissatisfied with the 15 minutes of fame that the MTV program provided her. In 2013, she appeared in the film Farrah Superstar: Backdoor Teen Mom, alongside adult film icon James Deen. She initially claimed the tape was a personal movie that had been leaked, but she later revealed that she hired Deen to create the video in order to sell it for profit.
Abraham claimed to have been “drugged and sexually abused more than once” while presenting her sex tape at adult entertainment conventions. She was also shut out of a Teen Mom revival because the other moms feared she would have a negative effect on their children.
Belladonna’s Interview Drama
Belladonna, who made her adult film debut in 2000, is regarded as one of the most popular adult actresses of all time. She has received numerous awards and is now semi-retired, mostly directing and producing for her own production company, Belladonna Entertainment. In a 2003 interview with Primetime’s Diane Sawyer, she burst into tears and was portrayed as an adult film actress who had been exploited and damaged.
The interview was used by anti-p*rn groups, and Belladonna received criticism from the industry for portraying it in a negative light. Despite the interview, she has always maintained that she enjoyed performing.
Bree Olson’s Entanglement with Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen has had numerous porn starlet hookups, dating back to his Nineties sweetheart Ginger Lynn and continuing through his turbulent 2010 romance with Capri Anderson. However, as one of Sheen’s live-in “angels” during his 2011 barnstorming “tiger blood” antics, small-town Indiana girl Bree Olson (born Rachel Oberlin) was thrust into the limelight.
During and after her controversial union with Charlie, the former professional corn dealer appeared on shows ranging from TMZ to ABC. Unfortunately, Bree Olson left Sheen in mid-2011, abandoned pornography shortly thereafter, and rapidly exploited the recognition to gain semi-legitimate Hollywood work in the impending horror sequel The Human Centipede 3.
Joslyn James and the Golf Superstar
Tiger Woods had more than one mistress, but adult film actress Joslyn James revealed their text conversations, proving Woods’ womanizer status. James claimed to be Woods’ “full-time mistress,” and the text message transcripts appear to confirm this.
She was one of many mistresses across North America who were more than willing to reveal everything Woods requested in the bedroom. It’s no surprise that Woods’ wife dumped him as soon as the scandal surfaced.
Janine Lindemulder’s Custody Case
Janine Lindemulder (also known as Janine in pornography circles) rose to prominence in 1999 as the star of Blink-182’s “What’s My Age Again?” video and the cover girl for the band’s album Enema of the State. However, a decade later, she made national headlines when challenging ex-husband Jesse James and his then-wife Sandra Bullock for custody of James and Lindemulder’s daughter, Sunny (James got full custody).
Lindemulder had recently served six months in prison for tax evasion, and she would return after pestering James in 2011. Bullock and James split the following year, and Janine has since avoided the slammer.
Christy Mack was a Victim of Brutal Beating
Christy Mack, a model turned adult film actress, has spoken out about the abuse she faced at the hands of her ex-boyfriend, MMA fighter War Machine. She has starred in 101 adult films and is noted for her distinctive hairdo and tattoos. In 2014, she shared photographs on Instagram of her injuries after an attack by War Machine.
Christy Mack sustained 18 shattered bones, a broken nose, missing teeth, a fractured rib, and a ruptured liver. During Mack’s evidence, War Machine laughed when she mentioned the abuse, but he later attempted suicide in jail.
Traci Lords and Her Fake ID
Traci Lords began modeling for Penthouse in the 1980s and later moved on to adult films, appearing in nearly 100 videos before authorities realized she was underage at the time of filming. She had been using a phony ID that stated she was 20 years old when she was actually 16. Although the makers of her movie were arrested and charged, she never faced any legal action.
Traci wrote an autobiography called Traci Lords: Underneath It All, in which she claimed that the production firms profited more from the scandal than they would have made otherwise. After leaving the adult film industry, she appeared in a number of mainstream films and television series.
Mia Khalifa Death Threats
Religious symbols and their use have long been a cause of controversy, even outside of the pornographic industry. In 2015, however, a new shock occurred when Lebanese-born singer Mia Khalifa appeared in a scene wearing a headscarf, a garment worn by Muslim women to show modesty. Upon its release, this scene drew the attention of the Islamic State, which then called for Khalifa’s murder, even posting a photo of her home to their Twitter page and creating a fake video of her execution.
These threats, combined with the group’s hacking of Khalifa’s Instagram page, caused her to leave the porn profession after only a few short months. In 2018, Khalifa said in an interview that she left the porn industry because of these threats and regretted her time there. Mia’s is hardly the only negative story like this.
Mercedes Carrera Child Abuse Scandal
On February 1, 2019, police invaded the house of pornstar Mercedes Carrera and her husband Jason Whitney, resulting in the couple facing many criminal accusations. The most serious claims are those involving the alleged sexual abuse of Carrera’s young daughter from a prior relationship. The girl reported the alleged abuse to her father, who reported it to the police. Police searched the couple’s house and discovered that their bedroom had been rigged to record pornographic recordings, as well as digital data that they believe demonstrates abuse. In total, the couple was charged with inappropriate touching, oral copulation, and digital penetration, as well as additional charges of gun and drug possession that were later dropped.
Their trial was set to commence on February 6, 2020, but due to scheduling conflicts with lawyers and the coronavirus, it has been postponed until further notice. If the pair is found guilty, it will serve as an example of sexual abuse, which porn opponents allege is common in the industry.
Joey and Sami White’s Incestous Scenes
Incest is rightfully condemned in every modern country on the planet, and it can lead to mental instability, drug misuse, and suicide among its participants. However, this has not stopped the pornographic industry. The step-fantasy has long been a popular theme in the porn industry, but it was entirely fantasy until lately. Many pornographic companies are now hiring blood relatives to appear in scenes and photoshoots together. In January 2020, a mother and daughter became famous on Twitter after announcing the creation of an OnlyFans account, complete with lingerie photos. This is only one of numerous examples of family members appearing in pornographic videos together.
Joey and Sami White, fraternal twin sisters, have acted in multiple scenes together, as have Polish sisters Natalia and Natasha Starr. Some scenarios have gotten around laws because the girls did not touch each other; however, this is not always the case. There have been videos made and released on major pornographic websites that show actual blood relatives having sexual connections. One famous example would be real-life half-sisters Katya and Veronica Rodriguez having sex and uploading the film to pornhub, where it still exists today. Incestuous prostitution was prevalent throughout the Weimar Republic’s last fall.