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 © 2026 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

Arizona Senate Removes 'Catch-22' Provision From Consent Bill

The Arizona State Senate has amended a bill that would impose new requirements for adult content uploaded online, removing a seemingly contradictory provision that could have effectively made it impossible for adult sites to operate in the state.

Italian Court in Aylo Case Limits International Reach of AV Rules

An Italian administrative court has ruled that Italy’s recently-enacted age verification rules for adult content may not currently be enforced against sites based in other EU member states, pending further procedural action under the EU’s Directive on Electronic Commerce.

OCC, FDIC Prohibit Use of 'Reputation Risk' by Regulators

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) on Tuesday issued a final rule codifying the elimination of ‘reputation risk’ as a criterion in their supervision of financial institutions.

Wisconsin Governor Vetoes Age Verification Bill

Gov. Tony Evers on Friday vetoed AB 105, an age verification bill that would have allowed anyone to sue adult content providers for damages over alleged failure to age-verify users in Wisconsin, with penalties of up to $10,000 per violation.

FSC Releases Statement on Wisconsin Governor Vetoing AV Bill

The Free Speech Coalition has released a statement on Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers' veto of the state's age verification legislation.

AV Bulletin: West Virginia Enacts AV Law, Ohio 'Innocence Act' Advances

This roundup provides an update on the latest news and developments on the age verification front as it impacts the adult industry.

Woodhull Survey Reveals Concern Among Sex Educators Over AV Laws' Impact on Access

A national survey of sex educators by the Woodhull Freedom Foundation found that a majority of sex educators and sexual health professionals are concerned that age verification (AV) laws will negatively impact access to information and resources.

Clips4Sale Wins Trademark Infringement Case Against Fraudulent Domain

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has ruled in favor of content platform Clips4Sale in a case against a website using a similar domain to impersonate the site.

Ofcom Escalates FTV, Web Prime Investigations Over Age Assurance

FSC Talks Age Verification on Capitol Hill

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a blog post detailing the organization's talks on age verification on Capitol Hill in Washington.

Show More