LOS ANGELES — Since the release of the Hollywood action epic “Joker,” searches for the term have skyrocketed on adult tube site xHamster.com.
A character familiar to fans of the “Batman” franchise, “Joker” features veteran actor Joaquin Phoenix in the title role and generated pre-release controversy due to its depictions of extreme violence and mental illness.
“Forever alone in a crowd, failed comedian Arthur Fleck seeks connection as he walks the streets of Gotham City. Arthur wears two masks — the one he paints for his day job as a clown, and the guise he projects in a futile attempt to feel like he’s part of the world around him,” states the movie’s synopsis. “Isolated, bullied and disregarded by society, Fleck begins a slow descent into madness as he transforms into the criminal mastermind known as ‘Joker.’”
“People are now fantasizing about the fucking Joker,” said xHamster VP Alex Hawkins. “Human sexualization is weird sometimes, but the Joker searches have risen over 1,300 percent, which is astounding.”
Hawkins said that xHamster expects the search surge to continue over the next week.
For more information, visit xHamster.com.