UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. — The AIDS Healthcare Foundation today filed seven additional workplace safety complaints against porn producers with both Cal/OSHA and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health for filming in the county without condoms.
Among the newly cited producers are James Deen Productions, Brazzers, Evil Angel Productions, Jules Jordan Video, Burning Angel, Zero Tolerance Entertainment and Elegant Angel.
At least seven adult film productions by the studios were shot in Los Angeles between May 6-July 30 without condom use, nor with any film permits taken out, AHF spokesman Mark Cohen told XBIZ.
The new safety complaints include the following producers and productions:
- James Deen Productions: “Stockholm Syndrome,” filmed June 28.
- Brazzers: “Fourth of July: Big Butt Independence,” filmed May 27.
- Zero Tolerance Entertainment: “How to Train Your Teen’s Ass,” filmed May 11.
- Burning Angel: “Ronda Arouse Me,” filmed July 30.
- Evil Angel Productions: “His Ass is Mine #2: MILF Edition,” filmed May 6.
- Jules Jordan Video: “Bra Busters 7,” filmed July 15.
- Elegant Angel: “Busty Workout,” filmed June 27.
The AHF, in announcing that it has filed complaints against the seven studios, also announced that it has collected 557,136 signatures of registered voters in order to qualify for a statewide ballot initiative that would expand the power of Cal/OSHA and local California public health departments to enforce condom use on adult film sets throughout the state.
“We will be filing by today’s deadlines in all 58 California counties statewide,” AHF spokesman Ged Kenslea told XBIZ, noting that 365,880 valid signatures were needed to qualify the ballot initiative.
“When signatures are verified, the California Safer Sex in the Adult Film Industry Act will appear on the November 2016 ballot in California,” Kenslea said.
The Free Speech Coalition, the adult film industry trade association, today reiterated its opposition to the ballot measure.
“In his zeal to control and monitor adult film, [AHF President] Michael Weinstein and AIDS Healthcare Foundation have crafted an outrageous initiative that would allow any citizen of the state of California to sue a porn star or producer for not using a condom on film, and gives them a financial incentive to do so," FSC CEO Diane Duke said in a statement. "The initiative likewise permits private citizens to sue hotel chains, cable operators and retail outlets for selling or distributing such films.
"In an effort to patrol community morals, Mr. Weinstein's initiative turns the state courts into a legalized method of stalking, harassment and exploitation of adult film stars."
The AHF made the announcements at a morning press teleconference that included Weinstein and Cohen, along with the usual troops of former porn stars that gather at the press conferences on behalf of the Hollywood, Calif.-based organization (Cameron Bay, Sofia Delgado, Derrick Burts and Darren James, as well as Tiffany Maples and Vanessa Blake).
Mike Stabile, an adult entertainment industry publicist who represents the FSC, said the teleconference “really showed how little regard Weinstein has for dissent.”
Stabile told XBIZ that Weinstein “started off by suggesting that performer opposition to his legislation isn't real, said that no performer could have a successful career using condoms, and was caught unaware when [adult performer Ela Darling] pointed out that the controversial enforcement provision of the legislation would affect performers.”
“The interaction between Weinstein and Darling was telling. Weinstein was dismissive and kept trying to cut her off, then conceded that, yes, performers who producer their own content, whether it be cams or clips or personal websites, would be liable under the law,” Stabile said.
“Private citizens could bring lawsuits against them for not using condoms. But when she tried to talk to him about how this would leave performers vulnerable to stalkers, he ended the call. He's not interested in anything that complicates his savior narrative.”
Darling told XBIZ that she asked Weinstein what he would say to performers who are afraid for their safety and privacy because of the provision that allows anyone to sue them for the work they do.
“He said people can't sue performers and I explained that part of our job is producing content for our sites, etc.,” Darling said. “He said that we're breaking the law and so this will apply to us.
“So, I asked, what would you advise we do when our harassers and stalkers are given access to our lives and can sue us for doing our jobs,” she said. “I told him that this has a graver impact on performers than anyone else because we're actually in the public eye and that this hurts performers.”
Darling noted that she’s got privacy concerns with the ballot initiative.
“This would give access to the people who have harassed me because of my work,” she later told XBIZ. “It's like real-life trolling. The people who send me nasty emails because they want the intimacy of an angry response will now be able to continue that kind of harassment in person and get paid for it.
“Weinstein trumpets his concern for performer safety while throwing us to the wolves,” Darling said.
"It's such an alarming day for porn."
Pictured: AHF's Michael Weinstein
