LOS ANGELES — An admittedly unscientific survey done by a Slate.com blogger asked porn stars and civilians alike if consumers would still watch porn that required performers to wear condoms if the Measure B initiative passes in Los Angeles County.
Although the answer is painfully obvious to the industry that knows “condomed” films could hurt sales (and push most users to even more bareback free Internet porn) the article found that although most people would prefer them not to be seen, most are ambivalent.
Porn star Carmen Valentina maintained that performing with condoms doesn’t turn off her fan base. “I [asked] my web members and twitter followers when I shot for Wicked what their thoughts were of the scene and condoms in general … the majority claimed they did not care.”
And one 27 year-old male respondent said, “You watch it just to get off … caring about that would be like caring about the nutritious value of fast food when all you want to do is stuff your face.”
Quoted from a Jezebel article, Wicked CEO Steve Orenstein, whose company has a condom-only policy, said “a lot of people in the industry feel that condoms drive away consumers … we haven't noticed a problem because of our condom policy.” The Wicked chief went on to say that many performers respect the studio’s rule and actually prefer/request to work with the company.
Although Orenstein supports the defeat of Measure B, he noted that a number of fans, “tell us all the time that they love and respect the fact that we DO use condoms in our productions.”
The article also pointed to "the sexiness of safe sex" shared by one respondent. "Condoms make the porn look more like the kinds of sex I actually have — and that makes for hotter fantasies.”
But there were some who hold to the idea that visible condoms are a turn-off to viewers.
Performer Lily LaBeau said in the article, “It’s just not what people want to see.”
And Wicked star and director Jessica Drake, who recently appeared in a "No on Measure B" PSA video with Jame Deen — although appreciative of Wicked’s rule — said she doesn’t think the mandatory condom initiative should be imposed on everyone.
Not surprisingly, most men queried don’t like seeing condoms, responding with comments like “less sexy,” “understandable, but ugly” and “UNWATCHABLE, FOR SURE [sic].”
