LOS ANGELES — Forbes has asked for some hard advice from male porn stars.
Along with the expected job "challenges," some of adult’s leading men shared their professional career and workplace tips that are no different than what most workers face every day.
The article asked James Deen, Brandon Iron, Seymore Butts, Richard Mann, Jeremy Steele, Zak Smith and senior performer Dave Cummings, to give their advice on everything from being liked on the job to successful negotiating.
No suprise to porn pos, veteran Butts lamented about the constant pressure of getting and keeping an erection.
“The most difficult part about being a male porn star is the hard-on. They have to get it up and off on cue essentially and all the while in between maintain [it] for two to three hours. This must be done under the most difficult of circumstances, including not being attracted to their female co-star, having sex in the most uncomfortable settings, i.e. on hard surfaces, cold/hot weather, etc., and/or having to stop frequently for direction or shot setups. They have to be in great shape in order to perform. It all adds up to being the most difficult job in porn, in my opinion,” Butts said.
But Iron, who directs as well as performs, told Forbes the toughest part is the impact the job could have on one's personal life as a potential relationship killer.
“The hardest thing about being a male porn star is convincing your female co-workers that you are an interesting, well-rounded, fun guy who they might consider dating in a parallel universe after a few drinks,” Iron said.
And Steele agreed, warning that appearing in a porn film could ruin a new relationshiip or even sabatoge a future career switch.
Too much on-the-job experience can also hurt. Take Cummings, who at 72 noted that age plays into porn as much as it does in the corporate world, often affecting how management perceives his abilities and his overall career.
And like any job, money’s always key, along with the art of negotiation.
Mann’s biggest concern is not getting paid royalties. He said men (and women for that matter) get paid once and that’s it.
But current media darling and surprising tween heartthrob Deen had the most succinct advice. He told Forbes that his secret to success is a positive attitude, while admitting that his job is “pretty easy.”
