GUS MATTOX: ‘DON’T BLAME PORN’
Wringing your hands about the death of gay porn stars? Didn’t believe Wilfried Knight when he says he was unconflicted about his sex work? Tom Judson — the composer and Broadway star better known to us as porn star Gus Mattox — says don’t blame the porn industry.
The basic rap on porn is that it’s a shadowy world that exploits the insecurities of vulnerable young men who, after they’ve been wrung dry of their essence and virility, are callously tossed into the dustbin from whence they emerge to a life of drugs and prostitution and an untimely, yet inevitable, demise.
Not so, says the one-time GayVN Performer of the Year in an op-ed in today’s Huffington Post …
(Gus/Tom in Big Rig)
I have made porn movies. I have also appeared on Broadway, performed in two National Tours of Broadway shows, and composed music for feature films and television. All of the porn companies I worked for were run professionally, conscientiously and with a concern and respect for the performers in their employ equal to and in some cases exceeding — by a wide margin — the mainstream businesses…
Since becoming familiar with the porn industry I have argued — from first-hand observation — that porn is simply another branch of show business. No more, no less. And yes, show business is tough on people. E! True Hollywood Story wouldn’t exist otherwise. So while I concur with the naysayers, I also feel it supports my contention that the gay porn business can’t be held responsible for an individual’s personal fate any more than, say, Diff’rent Strokes.
Of course, anyone who knows Gus also knows that he’s no featherweight — his collection of essays “Laid Bare” is a must have.
Read the full piece at Huffington Post
“Gay Porn’s Bad Rap” (via Huffington Post)
(Gus/Tom with Josh Weston in Falcon’s Kept)
Related:
With Laid Bare, Gus Mattox Turns A New Trick
RIP: Wilfried Knight
Tags: Gus Mattox, Wilfried Knight
Jay March 15th, 2013 at 8:35 AM
Finally some common sense. When a lawyer, a nurse, or a teacher commits suicide, no one automatically blames their respective fields for their death. Nor, are their clients, patients or students blamed. When a porn star dies, it’s always someone else’s fault: the industry, the fans, the ‘haters’. And it’s precisely that mentality of placing the fault somewhere else which keeps so many people in porn dying. How about acting as an adult and taking responsibility for your own life?. You don’t want to die(or become suicidal) young?, then stay away from the steroids, drugs, untested/unprotected sex with anonymous clients, etc.; save money and build a patrimony. And if you choose to live that life, which is your right, don’t blame your fate on others. Personal responsibility is the best way to ensure a healthy life.
Jay March 15th, 2013 at 9:53 AM
By the way, are you sure that’s Chad Hunt in that last pic?. He looks a whole lot like Josh Weston.
Mike March 15th, 2013 at 10:02 AM
You’re right. In my rush, I got it mixed up. Josh’s actual name was Chad — that’s what I get for trying to post before coffee.
Steve March 15th, 2013 at 8:51 AM
I completely agree with Jay. It is unfair to blame the business for the deaths of porn stars. When someone does this it really fosters the idea that no one take the responsibility for their own behavior and they toss it to a scapegoat. Kudos to Tom for really stating the truth. As a well-known Straight actor once told me “People want to focus on the bad. They rarely talk to people like me who really love sex, love this business, and love what they do”. Sad that porn only gets a spotlight when it’s being vilified or blamed.
And by the way, GPB, your caption is wrong. That is Gus Mattox and Josh Weston, NOT Chad Hunt.
Mike March 15th, 2013 at 10:03 AM
Got it, thanks for catching.
sean March 15th, 2013 at 1:50 PM
Well said , mattox. Yeah if we’re looking for a killer of gay men, it ain’t Republicans, the porn industry or even HIV any more. No the big threat to LGBT is drugs and alcohol. We’ve ignored the problem for decades and now we’re at epidemic status. Addiction takes more lives in the community than porn ever will.
Luke March 16th, 2013 at 6:03 AM
Nobody is blaming porn. Insecure people should NOT be doing porn. Here what has changed. Many years ago (when gay porn was hot), models were selected by their looks and ability to fuck on camera. The models had careers out of gay porn. Today the models are brought to the studio by friends. Look who has killed themselves over the past several years…. you will see a link on how they got to gay porn. Today too many want to rely on porn as their sole source of income (bad idea). When someone insecure does porn, it does make them feel better with all the attention. But once the scene dry up or they get scrutinized, they crash and cant take it anymore. Stop allowing insecure people, HIV infected people, and drug using people make the majority of gay porn today and the gay porn suicide problem will go away. SIMPLE
Next week, I solve the middle east situation…..stay tuned!
Jay March 16th, 2013 at 1:17 PM
Do you regularly follow gay porn blogs?. EVERYBODY is blaming porn, porn and fans of course. You got a point, though: junkies should be kept away.
Hector March 16th, 2013 at 7:56 PM
Take into account too that depression is also often completely unrelated to any particular thing in a person’s life. Sometimes people go into things like porn, or high risk sports, or other types of non-mainstream activities or careers because they are already suffering from some form of depression (or possibly mania) and the activities involved help them deal with the depression. It is, actually, a kind of self medication, like turning to drink, and it only helps for a little while, because eventually the depression simply overtakes you, and if you don’t develope the tools to actually recognize and deal with it, it can lead you to this bitter and horrible end.
Of course, each person is different, and not everyone who kills themselves is actually depressed. Some people really do just sort of believe they have found themselves at the end of their lives and just decide it is better to go than remain.
John March 17th, 2013 at 12:59 AM
Even though I don’t blame porn for the numerous suicides that occurred last year, one has to wonder where drugs and alcohol fits into the picture. And what about other mental health problems as well. I’m not saying that all porn performers have addiction issues. I would like to see studios have not only have doctors and nurses on the set, but perhaps counselors assigned to an actor. This is a tough business with a short career span. You can’t tell me that after doing hardcore on film, you are the same person as before. And Luke, you sounds like you could handle the middle east problems :)
Casey March 22nd, 2013 at 8:12 AM
Interesting choice of pic for this piece. Gus Mattox’s co-star in that photo died last year…