xbiz world
xbiz premiere

Burlesque Dancer Sues Learning Annex for Being Labeled as Porn Star

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Is calling a burlesque dancer a porn star an actionable offense? According to one Brooklyn dancer it is. She’s suing the Learning Annex after videos she performed in for the company were posted online that labeled her as a "Young Sexy Porn Star Stripper Dancer" and a "Big Tit Sexy Teen Girl."

Tara Lee Heffner, aka burlesque performer Veronica Varlow, was hired last year by the Learning Annex to lead a seminar on burlesque dancing. Her lawyer claims the videos, which surfaced on YouTube, were derogatorily labeled and discredits her artistic performances as tawdry and connects her to the X-rated industry — an association she wants no part of.

A YouTube.com search for the allegedly offensive labels or the name Veronica Varlow

"She's a burlesque performer and she takes it very seriously as an art form," her lawyer, Ivan Saperstein, told the New York Daily News. "She's purposely avoided nudity her entire career to avoid being harmed in this way."

The suit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, accuses the Learning Annex and contractor PHI Media of tarnishing Heffner’s name and causing her “great mental pain and anguish.”

Heffner also operates an online clothing boutique that sells burlesque fashions and has appeared as a burlesque dance instructor on the MTV docu-reality series “Made.”

The suit seeks unspecified damages.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Trump Administration Issues Executive Order Against 'Debanking'

The White House on Thursday issued an executive order limiting financial institutions’ ability to restrict access to financial services for people or groups involved in lawful industries, a longtime goal of adult industry advocates and stakeholders.

Florida AG Sues EU-Based Adult Companies for Failing to Age-Verify Users

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a lawsuit Monday with the 12th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida against five EU-based adult companies for allegedly failing to require age verification before allowing access to adult content.

Arcom Warns 5 Adult Sites Over Age Verification

French media regulator Arcom has sent enforcement notices to the operators of five adult websites that the agency says have failed to implement age verification as required under France’s Security and Regulation of the Digital Space (SREN) law.

FSC: Identity Theft Targeting Adult Performers

The Free Speech Coalition has issued an alert warning of an individual found to be targeting adult performers for identity theft.

European Commission to Assess Pornhub, XVideos, XNXX Compliance With Digital Services Act

The European Commission plans to conduct a study to determine how well adult sites Pornhub, XVideos and XNXX are addressing illegal content and other potential harms under the EU’s Digital Services Act.

German Higher Court Upholds Ban on PornHub, YouPorn

The Higher Administrative Court of Rhineland-Palatinate on Thursday upheld a “network ban” on Aylo-owned adult sites Pornhub and YouPorn for failing to comply with German age verification regulations.

Alabama Notifying Adult Sites of New Tax Set to Take Effect Sept. 1

The Alabama Department of Revenue has begun sending notices to adult site operators about a new 10% tax on their revenues, set to be enforced starting Sept. 1.

Ofcom Investigates 4 More Adult Companies for OSA Compliance

U.K. media regulator Ofcom has launched investigations into whether four companies operating adult websites have implemented requisite age assurance measures under the Online Safety Act, the agency announced Thursday.

Kyrgyzstan President Signs Measure Outlawing Internet Porn

President Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday signed into law legislation outlawing online adult content in the country.

NC Legislature Overrides Veto of Extreme Anti-Adult Industry Bill

The North Carolina state legislature on Tuesday voted to override Gov. Josh Stein’s veto of a bill imposing regulations that industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most creators and content.

Show More