Sordid James Deen allegations

By John M. Glionna, the Guardian, January 22, 2016

PHOTOGRAPH by the Guardian

LAS VEGAS — James Deen was once the poster boy of porn, a likable sex performer with boy-next-door looks who cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony of the 2015 Adult Entertainment Expo in Las Vegas, a mecca of excess.

This year the 29-year-old actor, whose real name is Bryan Matthew Sevilla, is once again center stage, although this time he is mired in rape and abuse allegations that have rocked the porn industry.

He appeared to be lying low in the opening days of the annual Las Vegas convention, amid signs the industry is struggling to come to terms with the fallout from the accusations.

Last fall, porn actor Stoya went public on social media with accusations that Deen, with whom she has had a personal relationship, raped her off-set. She wrote on Twitter that he attacked her even though “I said no, stop, used my safe word.”

She added: “I just can’t nod and smile when people bring him up anymore.”

Soon after, at least three other porn stars came forward – their accusations playing out like the alleged victims of disgraced comedian Bill Cosby, who has been accused of drugging and sexually assaulting women.

Cosby has denied the allegations, which he dismissed as gossip, saying “people shouldn’t have to answer to innuendos”.

Within weeks of Stoya’s claim, porn stars Tori Lux and Ashley Fires joined the chorus of sexual allegations against Deen, who has said he was “completely baffled” by the claims, which he dismissed as “exaggerations” or “inaccuracies” that had been “grossly distorted”.

The controversy has rocked the multibillion-dollar sex industry.

Porn officials insist sexual violence is a societal ill and is not confined to their industry.

“This isn’t a porn thing – it’s a problem everywhere that needs to be handled appropriately and immediately,” said publicist Brian Gross, who helped organize this year’s AVN expo. Gross represents porn star Joanna Angel, who also claims she was raped by Deen, saying that in one sexual encounter with Deen, she thought to herself: “I’m going to die here.”

To deal with the controversy, planners of this year’s porn convention added a panel discussion on the rights of porn stars, entitled “Consent Degrees: Yes, No and Everything in Between”.

The debate, originally scheduled to be anchored by Stoya, was advertised on the expo’s publicity handouts.

“Adult performers of all gender orientations operate in the world where they must create the illusion of ecstasy even though sometimes they may not always be having a good time,” the handout read. “We’ll bring together a group of experts and industry veterans to discuss how the adult community can work to make sure performers – particularly young newcomers – are comfortable about speaking up if they’re not really down with what’s happening on and off the set.”

On Wednesday, the convention’s opening day, the seminar was abruptly cancelled. Gross said organizers pulled the plug after learning that Stoya would not be coming to Las Vegas. He did not speculate on why she stayed away and would not name any other performers scheduled to have taken part on the panel.

Stoya could not be reached for comment.

Deen, meanwhile, has found himself facing a public firestorm. Several film companies have cancelled contracts with the actor. Along with the rape and sexual abuse allegations, the porn star who in the past had been held up as an icon in his industry now faces legal scrutiny. In December, his Los Angeles home studio was raided by California occupational safety and health officials, who did not disclose the nature or goal of their search.

Still, some actors stand by Deen, who entered the industry in 2004 at age 18 and quickly gained a following for his slender build, lack of tattoos and everyman appeal in an industry dominated by hyper-masculine male actors.

“I’d still love to work with the guy but because of all this, I’m not sure I’ll be able to,” said actor Abby Lee Brazil as she hawked autographs at the expo. “He seems to be a nice guy and I’m sure he’d be a really respectful person.”

Industry experts say the expo’s panel on consent might have been too hot an issue, even for this publicity-wise industry. “What performers would you want to put on the spot to handle the question?” asked sociologist Chauntelle Tibbals, author of the book Exposure: A Sociologist Explores Sex, Society, and Adult Entertainment.

A five-year veteran female actor who uses the stage name Christie Stevens addressed the controversy while signing glossy nude shots of herself at the sex convention.

“The entire episode has made male performers a bit skittish – they’re more aware of their behavior on and off the set,” she said. “Before this, you might get a big hug, but now guys are far more careful. They’ll say: ‘Sorry, I can’t touch you. It’s because of James Deen – I can’t go there.’”

The question of on-set consent most often comes into play in a fetish genre known as bondage, domination and sadomasochism (BDSM), where safe words are devised

“BDSM is a lifestyle, and its adherents want authenticity in their pornography; they want something that looks like the real thing,” Tibbals said.

But she said most porn shoots are closely choreographed and agreed upon in advance, with both actors and their agents often involved.

“Nobody shows up like a wide-eyed doe on the set wondering who they’re going to work with,” Tibbals said. “Still, people do get tricked.”

She said fans are often blinded by stardom.

“When people get famous, the light no longer shines as brightly on them – people don’t look as critically,” she said. “Look at Bill Cosby; the public personality of his character Cliff Huxtable caused people to stop looking at what might have been going on behind the scenes.”

“I’ve never seen an act of rape in the industry,” said 10-year porn veteran Syren De Mer, penning an autograph for a fan. “But I’ve seen a lot of coercion – where a girl gets so much pressure she finally gives in.”