Free Speech Revolution Interview With Audrey Elson
1) How long have you been in the industry? How did you get started? Have you had fun in the industry?
I have been in the industry for two years. I had always had an interest in performing in adult films, and it was only a matter of time until I decided to fly out to Los Angeles and begin filming. I contacted an agent and was filming withing a week.
I’ve had a lot of fun working within the industry. I’ve never had a more interesting or fun job than being an adult performer. It’s like summer camp every day!
2) Are you concerned with the rights of the adult industry to make and produce movies/web clips?
Somewhat. I’m disturbed with the censorship of pornography that goes on at the state level, and whether or not the law will consider residents of that state viewing ‘illegal’ pornography on the internet a crime in the future, considering the fact that the internet is the internet, and exists wherever you can pick up a signal. I’m certain that the adult industry will always exist, and that we’ll always be able to produce adult content, as the demand will never diminish. It’s funny- the communities that ‘ban’
pornography on the shelves have the most internet porn customers.
3) A lot of the problem people have with the adult industry is the misconception that “pornographers” are always trying to lure under age people in and make “kiddie porn”.Could you talk about what it is actually like on a set, as far as having ID, signing model releases, having a AIM test, etc? Have you seen or heard of anyone in the legitimate adult industry knowingly using minors in films or the web?
The adult film industry in no way enables or encourages minors to participate. When you walk on to ANY set, you are expected and required to furnish two forms of government identification. These ID’s are photocopied, dated, and signed by the performer. The performer is then photographed holding both forms of identification next to their face, proving that they in fact had both IDs on them at the time of the shoot.
On top of all this, many companies will even film the performer holding their IDs next to their face and have them state their name, their birthdate, their age at the time of the shoot, the date and time of the shoot, the location of the shoot, whether or not they are under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, what kind of scene they are performing that day, and that they are performing of their own free will. Performers are also required to take an ‘AIM’ test every month. ‘AIM’ stands for Adult Industry Medical- it’s an organization that draws and tests our blood and urine every 28 days (or sooner) for HIV, chlamydia and gohnnorhea.
Producers require we bring a two copies of our AIM test to set, one to share with our costars, and another to sign and file. This is to ensure the prevention of the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. This seems like a lot, but the government requires that such steps are taken to ensure complete compliance with the law, and also to make sure that we are all safe.I have never heard of anyone knowingly using minors in adult media, and no one would want to in the first place. So-called ‘kiddie-porn’ is shot and shared amongst predators, not the producers of smut in porn valley. As a mother, I find child pornography unforgivable and disgusting, and would never be associated with a business that exploits and profits from the degradation and abuse of innocent children.
4) Do you ever get offended by shows like South Park or Family Guy? What do you think about shows/writing that offends people?
Not at all! I enjoy both shows very much, but even if I did not enjoy them, they would still have the right to exist and be aired. I’ve always felt that if you’re offended by a television program, simply change the channel. You can exercise your right to like or dislike something all on your own, but you certainly should not be able to make that decision for anyone else.
5) What do you think about some of the stuff that pushes the limit in the adult industry, stuff like Max Hardcore, Kink.com, JM Productions?
I’ve worked for both Kink.com and JM productions, but never for Max Hardcore. To be perfectly honest, I do not like what Max Hardcore shoots.
However, he has every right to shoot the content that he shoots. He uses adult actors and shoots in compliance with the law, so why shouldn’t he be able to shoot his content? I exercise my right to dislike his material and not view it, but I would never make that decision for anyone else. I think it’s necessary to push the limits and explore taboos.
6) Have you ever been asked to do a scene or something on film that you thought was crazy and wondered if it was offensive/legal? What was it? Did you do the scene or the act anyway?
I was once asked to do a piss fetish video, but declined because I know it falls under the ‘obscene’ category and I didn’t want to deal with any legal troubles. I didn’t personally have a problem with shooting it, and I feel that such videos should be legal- same goes for fisting. The government should not be able to decide what is obscene. Something that may be obscene and offensive to you may not be obscene and offensive to me.
7) Why do you think America has such a fascination with sex and with regulating sex?
This country was settled by religious purists and I find it only natural that some of that stuck around. When a society makes sex something shameful and dirty, it ends up becoming more interesting and attractive.
Not-so-surprisingly, many adult performers come from strict religious backgrounds.
A lot of people in the industry have told me that most the people in the industry don’t care about protecting free speech, or really about anyone other then themselves and their money. Do you think this is true?
Do you think a lot of the people that are new to the industry care or have any concern about free speech and protecting the right to make movies?
I can only answer that question based upon my own experience in the adult industry.
I think that most people in the adult industry care about protecting free speech. They have to care, because the issue affects whether or not they have a job in this business. Whether or not they would defend that right is another issue entirely. A majority of performers are young people who lack the life-experience and education to actually give a damn about anything other than what kind of mercedes they’re going to lease at the end of the month. As far as producers and filmmakers go, I’m certain most are concerned with free speech, because the majority of them are older, more experienced people that have a career to look after. When an issue affects someone’s bank account, it’s amazing how quickly it captures their attention.
9) Is the “character” you play in your DVD’s anything like you in real life?
Not necessarily. Sure, I’m a sexually open person in both my on-camera persona and in real-life, but I’m nowhere near as submissive and passive as I appear on film. I play the character the part calls for.
10) What is the craziest thing you have done/or scene you’ve been in on camera?
The crazier things that have happened to me have definitely happened to me off-camera in the past, but on-camera it would have to be the ‘ass smoothie’ that I shot. It’s nothing very shocking or sexy. It’s actually just gross. I made a raspberry smoothie enema and then drank it.
11) Have you been involved with trying to change people’s opinions about the industry?
Not really. It’s difficult to change someone’s perspective on something they don’t understand, and most people won’t give you the time of day to explain the adult industry. They think you’re creepy for even bringing it up. I wish people were more receptive to new ideas and challenging their conventions.
12) Why do you think the industry is so caught up on the portrayal of
young- a lot of DVD’s always say “18 & 19 years old” etc?
Society is obsessed with youth- people are always trying to look and act younger. Youth is desirable, and is thus reflected in the trends of the adult industry, albeit taken to somewhat of an extreme.
13) What is your website?
You can find me on myspace. http://www.myspace.com/audreyelson. Come by and say ‘hello’.
14) Anything else you’d like to add:
Don’t take your freedoms for granted. 18,000 people in California were just stripped of their marriages, and in effect, their civil rights. It breaks my heart, and it’s not right. I look forward to the day that everyone in this country is truly equal. Aren’t we all supposed to have the freedom to love who we choose and pursue happiness?
FreeSpeechRevolution.com was founded by Mike Dickinson. If you want to be involved, offer ideas, or exercise your right to free speech and tell him you hate his ideas please email him at Mike@FreeSpeechRevolution.com
