Spice Of Life: Porn Coast, Best Coast

Nudity is one thing. And, pornography is a whole other thing. There are endless arguments for and against pornography. But, sex (softcore, hardcore, subliminal or obvious) is everywhere and is a part of everyday life. Still, entire generations have no idea that porn wasn’t always accessible by a swipe or click. Pornographic drawings were discovered as early as 510 B.C. Most—if not all—cultures have their own style of pornography. As anyone who peruses a porn site knows, anything and everything (within legal boundaries, please) is online, for adult consumption. But, not everyone knows the story of where the adult film industry was born, before it blossomed under once-cheap rents and an unlimited supply of beautiful, fame-hungry wannabe stars: Porn Valley a.k.a. Silicone Valley a.k.a. San Pornando Valley a.k.a. San Fernando Valley a.k.a. my hometown.

Oh, the beautiful west coast and sunny Southern California. In the 1970s, after big name adult publishers like Hustler’s Larry Flynt and Hugh Hefner at Playboy cleared the legal hurdles surrounding adult material, Southern California’s San Fernando Valley saw the rise of an entire industry that produced not only adult films, but adult products and manufacturers of sex toys, lubricants, specialty clothing (rubber and latex sex attire) and all things related to the purpose of adults achieving orgasm. Some consider this time to be pornography’s heyday. American filmmaker, Paul Thomas Anderson (Punch Drunk Love, Magnolia) wrote a film depicting that period within the industry—Boogie Nights. And, there is no question that SoCal’s adult industry generated boatloads of cash. When Hollywood began exporting movie production overseas, adult film production increased and topped $4 billion annually in the 1990s (BusinessInsider.com).

In the mid-1990s, porn websites began to show up and it was a game-changer in every way. The online adult industry was one of the first to experiment with streaming videos, broadband, ad revenue from pop-ups and online payment systems. As a writer working for an online adult industry trade magazine at the time, writing about adult companies—who were working on ways to watch porn on your phone seven years before iPhones were invented—was mind-blowing. Such was the content that was being generated (a whole film series dedicated to women wearing spiky high heels and popping balloons with them, grown adults wearing furry animal costumes while having sex with each other, etc.) and the adult stars that were exploding (no pun intended) on your computer screen.

And, while we can’t list by name all of the beautiful women who were introduced to us through the porn industry, here are a few who have changed the porn landscape:

Jenna Jameson

Almost every generation has seen or heard of Jenna Jameson. This slim, blonde beauty started out as an exotic dancer and appeared in Playboy. Jenna eventually left adult films and stepped behind the camera, to direct and start her own adult business, ClubJenna. After allegedly being charged with a DUI, Jenna turned to sobriety, which led her to launch an online Instagram support group for sober women (@SoberGirlsRule).

Sasha Grey

At age 18, Grey filmed her first adult film, but her career was short-lived. The model and musician eventually left the adult business and began working for the mainstream entertainment industry (Girlfriend Experience, Entourage) and is involved in adult industry advocacy.

Sunny Leone

Canadian-born Leone started as a Penthouse Pet, before self-producing her own adult films. Since leaving the adult industry in 2013, Sunny has found a second career in Bollywood—through MTV in India’s reality TV series Bigg Boss.

As with a number of industries, the porn industry started out as (and, has continued to be) male-dominated. With the exception of female performers, women weren’t really involved in the production of adult films until recently. But, in the last decade or so, female porn producers and female-owned adult businesses have become prevalent. Female-owned-and-operated adult site Ersties.com offers viewers the experiences of amateur women—some with their real-life partners—and according to the website, nothing is scripted. While the concept isn’t unique, adult film director Paulita Pappell spends a lot of time with each model—making sure the model has full control over what is ultimately posted online. If a model changes her mind, the content is removed. And, more and more women have begun to take charge of the adult film industry behind the scenes. Former exotic-dancer-turned-actress, Stormy Daniels, performs both in front of and behind the camera. Daniels has directed more than 70 adult films and, last year, won adult film awards for Best Picture, Best Drama and Best Director.

Whatever your views on sex and pornography, there is no doubt that people like watching other people get naked. Thank you, west coast, for evolving it!