From the TimeOut NY shoot- about my job- on Friday.Answers to typical questions about my lovely new job. (Note, asterisks are used for words that I don't want people googling to get here.)
What do you do?The title is Public Relations Coordinator at an (all-male) gay p*rn company. And since my boss is a sort of celebrity, I am also his publicist. I write all kinds of things, like: the copy on the boxes and website, press releases, attention grabbing letters to magazines, reviewers, fans, etc- whatever I can to get good press, and assist my boss in writing his blog. I often have opportunity to incorporate jokes into my workproduct. I keep track of our press, which includes gathering reviews and press mentions, etc. I deal with friends of the company and try to keep them happy. Magazines often request materials from me, I have to gather them. I deal with public appearances and interviews, etc. I have to come up with new ideas as to how to get publicity and how to help our image. There's a bunch of random things to do that come up in a day. It's a very demanding and important job to the company because if I don't do a good job, we don't sell, and we don't make money.
Would you ever appear in p*rn?No. Absolutely not. For a few reasons. First of all, I don't want to be objectified. I don't want someone to give value to my body over my mind. I don't want to be seen without some contribution from my soul. Secondly, I want to choose who sees me naked. That's something intimate I want to reserve for me and who I choose to share it with. I would, however, appear in something artistic. I don't have a problem with nudity, if it is beautiful and is able to show the nude form with some sense of humanity rather than treat it as something solely for getting off on. I would do something like that out of curiosity as to what the artist could see in me. But this is about my choice, not others. P*rn actors are people too. Just because they make choices that I wouldn't make, doesn't mean they are bad or worthless or anything like this. Sure, maybe some are, but not all. Actually, from my experience, they tend to be very interesting and complicated people.
What are your feelings about working there?I would never work in straight p*rn. I think that women in p*rn tend to be cut up and mutilated- which is how I view cosmetic surgery. Their god given bodies are cut up not for their own good, but purely to please the tastes of mid-life crisis Bush-voting mofo's sitting in their basements while their wives are asleep, frat boys, or pre-pubescent little jerks among some decent people as well. Making personal life choices simply to benefit the tastes of others, let alone others who include all kinds of assh*les, disgusts me. I make my choices when I know they are right by my terms and no one else's. I can't imagine cutting up my body because some guys like Barbie lookalikes.
Gay p*rn is different, I think. But I could be wrong. Men seem to have a lot more power as subjects, and it is not all about being degraded and humiliated as I find often happens to women in p*rn. It seems a lot more consensual to me. And while I have met plenty of gay people in my life, I've never had a close relationship with a gay person. Gay people are a whole sector of society that I didn't understand or know as well before, and I am happy to be a part of it. You learn more about life from people and how they live, and I'd welcome the opportunity to have an inside look into other social and racial groups as well.
How did you get this job?The ad said something about wanting a funny, edgy writer. I sent in my resume, came for an interview, submitted a writing sample. Then it was narrowed down to 3 people and we had to write a press release. I won the job because they said I wrote the best press release.
What's the office like?Same as any, but there's some interesting magazine covers on the wall. We have a sense of humor about what we do, so the office has a great energy. It's cool because it's a medium sized company, and jobs are split between few people. You see how individual business decisions greatly impact everyone.
How do you feel, morally, about being there?This is not your ordinary p*rn company. Their goal is to make sexy videos of safe, drug-free fantasy. We have a strict condom policy and will not work with actors who have done b*reback (no condom) films. On big productions, we drug test the actors. The message is that sex can be fun and great even when it is safe and without drugs. We are also very concerned with fashion and beauty. One of our slogans is that we are "New York's Best Defense Against Bad P*rn." My boss often questions why p*rn has to be so cheesy and stupid looking. We aspire to be the champagne and caviar of gay p*rn. They are also not into "gay for p*y" or using straight actors. They want to use guys who want to be there. I am really happy to assist a company with these goals. Maybe I'll find that I don't believe in this company down the road. I suppose if that happens I will leave. But as far as I can see, this industry is just the kind of honest, no bullshit, kind of place that I am. Kind of. I am not a place. Kind of.
Do you have to watch a lot of p*rn?No, not really. I find some of it gross and I may have someone else at work watch it for me to help me know what to call the things that are happening. I'll watch it but fast forward through the stuff I don't really enjoy. I don't have time to sit through it all anyway. I definitely enjoy the plot. I don't go to set and I don't deal with casting. I am in an office at a desk with a computer.
Do you like p*rn?It's alright. I prefer the real thing. I find movies like
Henry & June more enticing. I get more worked up seeing my favorite sexy actors in movies or tv shows. I am also more excited by memories of real experiences. But I must say, some of the pictures of hot guys at work are rather appealing. Sometimes I am just struck by some of our images. I've taken a new appreciation of male beauty.
How's the pay?Better than anything I've had before. Great benefits, hours, and delightful co-workers. And instead of coworkers checking out my ass, they're checking out my freakin cute shoes.
Is everyone there gay? Do any women work there?It's a medium sized office, but the business keeps expanding and we've hired 3 new people since I have been there. Yeah, there's a few women, and about half of the office is straight.
Do you like an*l s*x?No. I haven't tried it and I never will. As I've said before and I will say it again, why do an*l when you have a perfectly good hole next door? Men supposedly have some kind of g spot there, but women don't. Plus my V serves me perfectly fine for all such purposes. I think it's insulting to the V. She shouldn't be ignored. She does the job very well as is. Plus all things associated with poop strike me as un-sexy. I don't have anything against men doing it with each other. I am glad they can have such a nice time together.
"I'm not interested in any of that/I'm not gay/Keep me away from that"Listen straight boy. Nobody cares about you. There are plenty of hot g*y men out there and they could give a crap about you. They've heard of homophobia, they don't want to make you feel uncomfortable. Get over it, you're not that cute anyway.
(yesterday was a good day)
It's hard for a gay p*rn star to get favorable press. But he's less of a wh*re than many of the Paris Hilton types out there- because when he makes p*rn he labels it as such rather than doing the stupid Britney Spears/Jessica Simpson "I'm an innocent virgin but don't I look cute in this thong" complete bullshit/facade existence. One thing I do know is that this is the most honest industry that exists. When it's nasty, it labels itself nasty. Michael himself knows that what he does isn't art and he'll tell you that he thinks that a hundred times over. But as far as creating healthy and beautiful sexual expression that caters to upscale appetites- yeah, we think it is just that.
