I talked to Alex last night because something on the Quarterly Report she sent me struck me as a bit much. That was 1000.00 a month to stay in the “model house”.
She told me that was correct and i asked her if that got her a room of her own, she said no that most of the time she had to share her room with another model. I asked well did it include anything? her response was no, that she had to buy her own toilet paper, paper towels, food, anything she used. Then she said it did include one thing. She said it included being hit on all the time by Kevin O’Neal. This is the Kevin O’Neal formerly with Type 9 Modeling, who left owing a lot of people money.
As a side note when I found out Kevin O’Neal was staying at the model house I spoke to Mark Schecter who assured me that all people who were owed money by Kevin had been made good and that Kevin would not be hitting on the models. Less than a week later Here we are.
So I took the quarterly report and redacted off the company names, I will let the readers decide for themselves what is right here:
57 Responses
Alex Tanner Paying 1K a Month To Share A Room and be Hit On By Kevin ONeal http://t.co/ZtOy0SGLpQ
Looks like your getting fucked! Welcome to the porn world of sex slavery Alex Tanner. It’s amazing that Kevin O’Neal is still around after he closed his agency and said the talent was irresponsible and too much of a liability. I guess he is back at it as a House dad for ATLMA.
Move onto another agency girl.
Shalom!
The best thing would be the girls to lease, buy, rent their own car and get their own spot to avoid this kinda thing. By looking at the invoice she made enough money to do so. Some of these girls are way too trusting. I am told some of the girls have been told but still dont heed.
@truths,
Using the comapny driver is just another way for the agimp(agent/pimp) to maintain control. The fewer options the girl has, whether its transportaion, lodging, or even communication, the more control agimp has. These tactics are nothing new.
@jilted. It is a vicious cycle
Two questions come to mind reading this.
1) Was this also the fee structure and SOP before Mark bought ATMLA from Shy Love.
2) How much of this is typical of Porn Valley agencies in general?
@ Toby. Yes and yes
This cycle is decades old.
http://www.lukeisback.com/2012/10/ernest-greene-supports-condoms-back-in-1993/
I leaned something with this post: Alex will take $600-$800 for a BG.
Thanks for the heads up. ????
What a fucking racket…these guys probably convince themselves that what’s looking At them in shaving mirror is a nice chivalrous fella…hahaha
Did she have to provide a test for the shoots before 6/4 test?
Since there aren’t any $20 credits it seems the 14 day testing fee they announced as an add on producer fee in March is just another way to PAW a revenue stream saying shit like were looking out for our talent when the only adult welfare they are protecting is their greedy ass bottom line?
Now I can see JustDavexxx taking full advantage of this one for $600 for a B/G scene for Brazzers and pocketing the rest. Whata racket.
I just thought? How much she would charge me for a BG strap on scene for my amateur company, and fuck me up the ass for how much?
Wonder if invoices like this were behind Derek Hay open letter re unjustified scene rate variances?
Wonder if her agent based rate on how desperate she was for toilet paper in model house with shared room at 30 bucks a day. Hope it was nicer than fleabag notells that toss in toilet paper & postage stamp towels.
This is fucked up. $35 a day just to share a room and she had to provide her own toiletries, she could have probably had a cheap hotel room to herself at the Red Roof Inn for $50-$55 (toiletries included), if she could have found another performer to make friends with and split the room it would have been cheaper per day than ATMLA charged her and one hell of a lot easier to deal with than ten models in the same house at two or three to a bedroom. A small car rental is about $40 a day plus gas (she was charged $50 for most of her trips via ATMLA) and she could have went anywhere in the area she wanted on her days off without an extra charge. $50 to drive across town (at most) is ridiculous (I don’t know where the ATMLA “model house” is but I would guess it is somewhere in either Los Angeles or in the San Fernando Valley, I would guess with the reduced fee to drive her to Burbank it is the latter).
My understanding is most agencies charge a flat 20% if transportation and a room is included (including Brian Berke’s now closed Girlz Inc. agency in Florida including supper at night at the model house and toiletries — and he would even take his clients to the mall during the day and the bar at night without extra charge other than talent paying for their own drinks and maybe restaurant/bar food (I think, he wasn’t clear in his posts whether he paid for drinks for clients at the bar or not) — and people complained about him). At least ATMLA didn’t mark up the price of her VD testing, TTS charges $155 for the test and that was what he charged her. I think of ass to mouth when I see the ATMLA logo but maybe I should be reminded of an ass fucking from a donkey dick without lube instead.
Also, that one-off $140 driving fee sounds ridiculous, where did they drive her to — fucking Eureka (about 600 miles north of Los Angeles)?
Fake Ari, if she even knows how to use a strap-on probably $1300 or more. That was the highest rate I saw for one of her scenes on the attached statement. Wait a year and that will probably go down to about a grand. Of course that includes vaginal, a blow job and a sucking of the balls along with the Aunt Peg thing. Of course you are taking the risk of her Aunt Peg tearing your anal sphincter from her inexperience pegging and lack of lube, putting you in the hospital with a colostomy bag to shit in for a month. Frankly, you should hire a Kink.com Divine Bitches chickie to do the Aunt Peg thing instead (I am sure Madeline will turn you on), the chances of her tearing up your anal sphincter are much lower. 🙂 🙂 🙂
@jilted
Lol…only thing better than tribal protection via condom and ‘stood in front of panel at FSC saying unless we address this we’ll be back in the room again… is kennerson posting link to article I first saw on LATATA site. That 2009 article clearly outed a 42 year old woman while claiming HIIPA limitations…then upped the ante by detailing how a woman who tested clean to start a month prior was determined to be an off set transmission for HIV and other STI because they tested the two scene partners from 6/4 and seven secondary. Uh okay Ernest…glad that explanation works for you but unless every scene partner from prior to her last clean test (which is every partner in this case) were tested and eliminated as a source nobody but an absolute lemming buys what took 8-9 pages to sell.
All I gotta say is: Who says porn isn’t glamorous!
I have to comment on his one because this entire situation gave me serious flashbacks to when I was active in porn about 4 years ago now.
THIS IS WRONG! It’s BEYOND WRONG and technically falls under the definition of sex trafficking considering the element of fraud.
I suppose things have changed in 4 years, but evidently not too much has changed considering that Kevin is still lurking around (STOP sexually intimidating the girls KEVIN – GROW UP YOU FREAK).
A model house is supposed to SAVE a talent money – I don’t view this “model housing” as being very cost effective for the talent. In fact I’d say it’s a blatant means of ripping the talent off. I stayed at a Motel 6 on several of my trips out to CA when I was still residing in Florida and I had a rental car through Budget. Girls, that’s what you need to do if you’re an active talent commuting to California from another state.
So the agency is paying for performer testing? If so, it seems to me as though the testing center would give the agent a “group” or “bundled” discount. That amount looks a bit inflated.
The “driver” fee is straight up ridiculous.
In the previous post there was something about a 3,500 “buy out” fee…WTF is THAT? Did she pay it? If so, she should be REFUNDED RIGHT NOW! Who does this guy who runs ATMLA think he is? I took a look at Alex Tanner – very pretty girl with an unusual look considering the red hair – she would be very sought after even in today’s dwindling porn shoot climate.
I don’t like the way Alex mentioned that her agent didn’t respect that she needed a “break from shooting” either – again that brings us back to an element of sextrafficking which is “force” – it’s like he was saying “be with me or else”.
I’d like to know exactly how many shoots Alex did, the frequency of the shoots and how long she was kept on set. Something IS VERY OFF in regards to this situation and I doubt she’s the only one dealing with this – she was simply one of the few who’s come forward.
I’m actually surprised that a supposed “licensed” agent would have this sort of a “pimp” system in place. Exactly who “licenses” LATATA “approved” agents? Why is this sort of “pimp system” acceptable? Where is APAC in all this? Will James Deen swoop in and do something? What about the FSC?
Seems to me that girls are better off booking themselves through twitter.
@ Monica, Being you were in the business you can see allot more than the rest. And you are so right about allot of things. The thing that is the funniest is the fact of this so called LATATA is the funniest thing. So basically if you are not OKd in by the group, you cannot be a member of these agents. What a crock! Does this really exist? And girls follow this? What is even more hilarious is the girls research to what they think are good agents by looking online and pick out the agency that has the best looking girls (to be like those girls LOL), prettiest colors, and the list goes on. What is really crazy is some of these girls that slip through the crack could of really made good money, real money to really do something, but they listen to all the wrong people and just fall off. It takes timing, looks, good decisions, good guidance, and a luck of the draw to really do good things. The girls who did really well had “managers” back in the day and they faired much better. Real managers. But those days are probably long gone.
RT @MikeSouth1226: Alex Tanner Paying 1K a Month To Share A Room and be Hit On By Kevin ONeal: I talked to Alex last night because s… htt…
I come up with 26 entries on this statement where a scene was noted. That means she performed in at least 26 scenes in 2 1/2 months, possibly more as some film up to four scenes at a time (Matt Williams, a BDSM porn director at Intersec is well known for splitting the four hours of footage he takes into four distinct scenes for his site and posting them separately, when he was at Kink he did this as well — although both companies pay more than LA based production companies for their talent’s time, performance and model release).
As for booking through Twitter, with the 140 character limit all someone (either talent or producer) can do is tweet a person/company that they are interested and please call or DM to discuss. Kink will tweet a person that a director there has interest in hiring in this way. I think Intersec will on occasion as well. However, I haven’t heard of any of the LA based companies doing so although it isn’t actually a bad idea. Some performers keep an e-mail account for this purpose for the few companies that will take advantage of it.
Talent agency licensing is done through the State of California, do a search at http://www.ca.gov and you should be able to find the info you are looking for. I don’t doubt that ATMLA is placing their license in jeopardy with tactics such as what was used against Alex but I would not go so far as to claim sex trafficking.
If LATATA is planning on remaining intact, maybe they need to extend their “approval” system to actual managers. Not pimps, but MANAGERS. Actually that could create jobs for ex-pornstars who aren’t completely soured by the industry (such as myself – I think it’s all a road to no where and I could never in good faith subject a young woman to that world). Ex-performers know the ropes better than most and they could provide decent guidance to help newbies avoid nightmares such as what this Alex Tanner has shared.
When I first came out to California, I was with a management company that in the grand scheme of “porn world” was better than most. There were things about it I didn’t like but I was SAFE. The man who’s agency it was DID know who to guide the talent he worked with away from (which is probably why the California agents and pimps habitually try to steal his girls – I was drawn away from him by a male talent I’d shot with to Type 9 ironically).
In hindsight, after reading Alex’s account and through other stories I’ve heard from girls over the years I see EXACTLY how it’s the girls they have trapped in their “pimp outline” that are worked the most – and what’s screwed up about it, is that even though they’re cast in more shoots, they’re not making nearly as much money as the girls who retain their independence outside of the model houses, drivers, etc (because all the hanger on jerks who are a part of the pimp system aren’t getting their “cut”).
This “driver” element is really bothering me. On my pornnewstoday website, I have a post including an interview with Karmen Karma who alleged that the “driver” for the agency she was with who she also had been dating (he obviously was a driver not to make money but to get laid) physically assaulted her. That’s not just unprofessional – it’s dangerous and I’m questioning exactly what is the “criteria” agents are utilizing to book these drivers? Are they running background checks? Do these drivers have “chauffeur licenses” because if not, there could be lawsuits in time. What about the cars these drivers use? Are they limos? Considering what the girls are charged, they’d better be fully stocked limos, with snacks, drinks etc…(I’m being sarcastic but only to a degree).
What makes more sense to me, would be for agents to ditch the model houses and just book 2 girls together in a motel room so they can split the cost. It would be safer and FAR more comfortable with less pressure. Going back to the first manager I was with – he had all the girls he had out at a time share a motel room. For me, that didn’t work out (which was in part why I bailed) – I’m the type who’s very independent. However, though his system wasn’t perfected, in hindsight he was thinking along the right lines. I’d like to see responsible California agents ENCOURAGE the women to retain their independence and save their money – it seems as though that’s what a good agent would want because it would in the long term cultivate a much happier and responsible client for the agent – however unfortunately knowing what I know now – no agent wants an independent roster of talent. They want a harem of immature little girls who are scared and totally dependent on “Daddy”.
You’re a bunch of sick f*cks Porn Valley pimps which is why life is biting most of you right in the a$$ as of current.
I don’t even really want to address you mharris, because I’ve read your comments here and there throughout Mike South’s blog and frankly I think you are chauvinistic and don’t defend what’s right, but in this case I’m going to share my perspective…
Alex Tanner’s case could be easily viewed by the mainstream public (people who aren’t familiar with the cultural “standards” of those who make up the production side of the porn industry) as “sex trafficking” which is broadly defined as “Force, Fraud and Coercion”.
The whole TERM of “sex trafficking” is relatively new and not quite specifically defined as of current. In America for many to even CONCEIVE that women are being trafficked is unbelievable but it happens – and in my opinion more so through psychological means rather than physical.
In the initial blog Mike South posted in regards to Alex Tanner she outlined via points her perception of what happened – and she did a really great job. Immediately I related to what she felt and as I stated in my first comment on this post, it gave me “flashbacks” to when I was active in the industry.
Now I don’t know this girl, or where she is from or what her background in adult entertainment is…however from her list of “points” (and the fact that she reached out to an established blogger such as Mike South for help) – she obviously has a good head on her shoulders and entered the business with financial goals in mind. She KEPT SPREADSHEETS (your run of the mill pornstar doesn’t do that).
The fact that she kept a record of her financial earnings may have made her agent (or whoever was around her looking to profit off of her) a tad nervous, because they knew that she would get hip to their “pimp game” relatively quickly (which she did). She is a THINKER which is not what many in porn want the performers to be.
The fact that she mentions her agent “raising his voice to her” says a lot (coercion). That’s an intimidation tactic that works on many women to keep them submissive. Again, I don’t know this girl’s background, but if she NOTICED her agent doing this, it tells me that she’s not coming from an environment to where she’s already been “groomed” to respond to such an intimidation tactic (which is unprofessional for an agent to engage in anyways).
The point Alex made about the agent threatening to put her out on the street from the model house….completely unacceptable. This is a very young girl in a NEW and UNFAMILIAR city (coercion again). Los Angeles is DANGEROUS (I lived here almost 3 years and it’s not like other places). If she’s been paying to stay at that house and he’s been her agent, if he doesn’t want her there he needs to be PROFESSIONAL and make other arrangements (or simply send her home and bill her for the cost later).
For her agent to bad mouth her in effort to block her from potential job opportunities in the future is wrong. He’s an agent – he has other cash cows – what’s his problem? Why is he trying to have a monopoly? Very immature – it also tells me that this particular girl may have been very valuable to him (I don’t know her performance style but as I stated in an earlier comment, she has a certain look which is one I know would be very sought after – I think her agent realized that value and wanted to expedite the “grooming” process but inadvertently couldn’t control himself due to anxiety and fear of losing a valuable meal ticket).
Her 6th point really got to me – she mentions needing a “break”, but her agent having a problem with that (force). This is a sensitive issue, but I’m going to address it. PORN SEX IS NOT LIKE NORMAL SEX. I don’t care if the girl had been a seasoned escort / prostitute. PORN SEX is harsh (in many cases brutal). I think it was Jenna Haze who at one point referred to herself as a “sexual athlete” because it’s true. The male talents in porn scenes are not “making love”, they are PENETRATING the woman at a rapid pace and with a lot of force behind the trusts. If the girl is new, and she’s even a bit “tense” it leaves her sore afterwards. It can take several months for a woman to get used to “porn sex”. It effects you physically and psychologically. After you leave the porn industry, “porn sex” alters your perspective on normal sex as well.
If this girl needed a “break” that should have been respected. I’m very upset that her request was ignored, and my perception of her agent is that of him being an insensitive PRICK.
In addition, the fact that this girl mentioned Kevin O’neil hitting on her bothers me. If she’s paying money to stay at a model house – when she’s there, she should feel relaxed, safe and free of pressure to do anything. The fact that she didn’t feel that way I view as “fraud” because no one TOLD HER she’d be putting up with BS. That’s not right.
Again, “porn sex” is not normal sex. Guys like Kevin O’neil (who might not perform but are in the porn production world) often feel they have something to “prove”, so when women have sex with them, the WAY they have sex is the equivalent to a porn scene. I never was with Kevin sexually, but when I was active in the industry, a lot of BTS guys came at me and many of them felt the need to try to be like how they saw the male talents perform on set. Girls new to the industry are not prepared for that psychologically out the gate.
Alex’s references to the “buyout fee” are coercion and fraud, and what she was charged throughout her time with ATMLA is fraud from my perspective.
I doubt that Alex herself will consider her ordeal “sex trafficking” if she wants to continue with her career as an adult film actress, but what I outlined is how many would look at this situation who are removed from the “porn culture”, but who have educated themselves through the blogs of ex-pornstars who’ve opted to relate their accounts of their time in the industry.
I encourage you all to read the latest blog post by @MikeSouth1226 http://t.co/juYvwymuzu – I made a few comments. It’s the #truth of #porn.
@ monicaf . some of the stories I hear about the buyout, unbelievable. Drivers were apparently selected by their availability and their willingness to be on call. Not a great selection process for drivers. Regarding the physical vs psychological characteristics of human trafficking is like forcing a person to give money or willingly give money. That willingness is education, need, and desire. Human trafficking is generally defined as a the modern form of slavery, with illegal smuggling and trading of people, for forced labour or sexual exploitation. ,,,Trafficking is officially defined as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons by means of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, or abuse of power of a position of vulnerability for the purpose of exploitation.”. Another subject. The managers back in the day had talent names like Vivika, Julie Ashton, Carmen Luvana, Dee, Jack Napier, and there were a few more that got major deals with some good companies. This was before agents came around and where given power by the directors and producers because not all talent can get those deals and higher rates. The difference between managers where they were interested in long term money verses the agency fee and shoot percentage. They also seemed to look out for the talent much better. I will admit that the dynamics of the adult business and talent is a whole new animal and the girls have it tougher and the adult career has been shortened, unless they change how they do business. It is tough.
Mainstream take …ditch the sex trafficking rhetoric and start discussing when taking advantage of a situation crosses the line into exploitation. A year of open minded research hasn’t altered my position that too many performers are no better off than undocumented migrant farmers.
Seeing this invoice reminds me of an investigative piece done by Vice.com re undocumented warehouse workers in Chicago. Doesn’t matter if it’s a six dollar daily transport fee or those listed above, if using that service is a requirement of the job it’s likely lining the same pockets ripping off your wages in other ways.
Company towns still exist in the Appalachian Mountains. Workers are charged rates that benefit their employer and are subject to a 24hr move out should their employment end. Using the invoice listing $1000.00 a month for a shared room we can assume the landlord is eligible for placement as the bad guy in a full page ad by “rent control” advocates in NYC or San Francisco.
In the late 70’s a co-worker married but stayed on the job for nearly a year saving for an upgraded vehicle and housing down payment because her husband was a PA coal miner who was lucky if he saw $100 a week after his rent, transport and company store bills were deducted while she took home close to $300 working the counter at a coffee shop. On the upside his employer deducted and paid FICA so he was eligible for Social Security Disability four years later when he was fired for daring to develop compromised lungs.
The real cost of being paid as an IC for models, migrant farmers etc is beyond my meager homemaker skills to calculate. Production costs for a scene at $1000. would increase less than $50. for the employer portion of the SS/SSD safety net, but this would also require expensive workers comp and other labor costs. It also means withholding and forwarding payroll taxes which would cut into prime opportunities ripe for exploitation. IG housing, travel, testing, makeup, kill fees and my favorite..charging $200 to have pics taken for use by the agent on the agents site to generate booking fees as a nice perk to the contracted 15%. (If that photo fee is something else I heartily apologize for the assumption)
Meanwhile our President is hawking SEIU efforts for civil disobedience to force McDonalds franchise operators to pay all employees at least $15.00 an hour. Sure they work longer and come home smelling like grease but most know if they get hurt on the job or get old they have a safety net. Most also have the luxury of knowing a disagreement with their boss won’t leave them homeless the same day they are out of a job.
Writing this has made me itchy to do a spreadsheet comparison using this real invoice vs a real fast food workers pay stubs for the same period to see whose actual bottom line was higher. Given the models unpaid tax liabilities my guess is slinging burgers at 12 bucks an hour might not be glamorous but it pays a better living wage.
Guess I’m not done ranting…
Reading the models mail pissed me off so much that it seemed best to stick to agreeing that this model house wasn’t such a bargain after all and wish her luck moving forward.
Some comments today are indicative of living in an insular community that thinks they are unique in their woes. Porn isn’t unique and tonight would not be a good night to start Corporate Capitalism arguments with me unless you’re prepared to get both barrels 🙂
To Lurking. It is porn. Wild Wild West
Lol…and here I thought I grew up in NJ/NYC where realities of the hospitality & restaurant trade fully explained how Picante sauce made in NYC is surely more authentic than any sauce made in tumbleweed gulch.
@ lurking. Ur too funny
Holy shit they r just putting this lil 18yr old thru it. Driving fees, low rates & a 1k 4 a model house? I think this is called sex trafficking. So after taxes she takes home a net profit of what 5%? She makes less then the hourly wage of a fast food employee. Shit at least they have benefits
As for not defending the “right things”, I agree with you that she should not have been raked over the coals by Mark like she was. On top of 15% for representation, the model house fee was ridiculous, the buyout fee was beyond the pale and the driver fees were probably more than a taxi would have cost (and should have been included in her 15% like most agencies). I cited somewhere here Brian Berke’s policy at the now defunct Girrlz Inc. That was 10% just for representation, 15% if the model needed housing but could transport herself and 20% for representation, housing and transport to and from set. Brian and his fiancee were the house parents. People complained about him too but he was a saint compared to this Mark Schecter — 47% and she had to put up with her “house dad” hitting on her constantly, what a crock of shit. On top of this she has to pay 15.3% to Social Security and income taxes on the net amount after deductions at least 15% and probably closer to 30% if she works the rest of the year at $25K every ten weeks (the Social Security tax is due at the 15.3% self-employed rate on all porn-related net income unless one or more of the companies she worked for withheld at the employee rate and paid the employer’s share, the income tax rate varies with income).
Monica, just because I disagree with you on kink and condoms doesn’t mean I don’t give a shit, I would actually like you to come back for one condom scene and tell me how your lady parts feel after fucking with a condom for three hours. I can almost guarantee you will feel the same about condoms as I do when you are done. Obviously I can’t claim to have personally experienced a condom inside of me as I am male and straight but have heard from numerous women that it hurts like hell if the man fucks her for more than about 10-15 minutes — especially if the top doesn’t know how to lube his condom up properly (I do use condoms myself in my private life but know how to lube them properly and can’t keep from cumming in less than 10-15 minutes anyway, completely different than porn sex — also, my dick is only about four inches erect whereas most porn dicks are eight to ten inches — big difference). As for kink, some people are aroused by it and some think it is barbaric. For the record I have been in a kinky submissive role (I identify as a switch) during lovemaking many times over the years, just not on camera. I know what it feels like to be tied up (never suspended due to my weight) and paddled (I am further into bondage than corporal but don’t dislike either one), frankly I enjoyed it. BTW how chauvinstic am I — really — if I am willing to let a cute chickie tie me up and paddle/whip/cane my ass? I thought chauvinists were those that kept their women under their thumb and treat them like they have an IQ of dog shit.
BTW, I have seen the Twitter ranting you have done (assuming you are really Monica Foster and not posting here under her name just to cause trouble, you never know although I do think you are the real Monica). Please think before you go on Twitter in the future, it may save you from further lawsuits like the Randazza law suit you are currently fighting.
Monica, now that you mention it a limo might not be a bad idea. In San Francisco you can call one of several “town car” companies, they will pick you up and drop you off, round-trip if need be for a fee. Drivers are licensed (properly), bonded and the company is regulated and insured. I think LA has these as well. A trip from SFO to downtown San Francisco (about 18 miles) is about $75 plus tip. It is not a limo but is a stretched Prius or a Town Car. Not a way to save money unless the trip is really short (granted the trip from Burbank area to Chatsworth or even southern Ventura County is a lot less than 18 miles) but the girls would not have to worry about getting molested and raped by the unscreened “model house” driver. A taxi is cheaper for short trips, LA taxis are $2.85 plus $2.70 per mile (I just checked), a jaunt across Chatsworth is probably about $15, a trip to Pasadena or southern Ventura County about $25-$30 — both one-way (a lot of filming is taking place just outside of LA County thanks to Michael Weinfuck and Izzy “Asshole” Hall).
Even acknowledging you was pointless mharris. Condoms don’t hurt and for you to perpetuate that LIE tells me everything I need to know about you – you are worthless. 100% worthless and the exact reason why the porn industry has become what it is.
As for me ever doing another scene – I’m too good to do that. The frivolous lawsuit I’m contending with is nothing more than a method to silence the truth about pornography, my Freedom of Speech and to attempt to sex traffic me into areas of adult entertainment I’m not comfortable with (back into porn).
The person behind the lawsuit I’m contending with is even more worthless than you are which is ironic – isn’t it.
The hell with this subject. Let’s talk about the frivolous lawsuit that Monica Foster got “baited” into by the Sean Tompkins and Whiteacre stalking team and Harold Greene using fake twitter accounts to sit Monica up, thinking it was Jennifer Randazza needing help.
That is going to be a hell of bust right there.
Danny I have good reason to believe you are absolutely correct and I recently communicated that to Mr Randazza.
If proof is found that Monica was set up and did not make the libelous rants made under her name on Twitter than I will owe her an apology along with Sean, Whiteacre and a few others. As has been discussed here at the Mike South Institute site I and some others have come to believe that everything Whiteacre and Co. does is not on the up and up so I will withhold further judgement about Monica’s sanity until the evidence is in.
Monica, I agreed with you about 90% of the points you made here. I don’t think just because I disagree with you on a couple of them that I am worthless. As for the condom chafing, at least 30 performers disagree with you. If in your experience condoms didn’t hurt I say you are one of the lucky ones. For the record as I have said on this site many times I believe in condom optional, if someone were to walk onto one of my sets (assuming I had one) and wished to use condoms than it would be OK with me. This is Kink’s and Vivid’s policy BTW. I would also make sure the male performing knew how to lube the condom to reduce chafing and provide both the condoms and the lube (polyurethane condoms due to Leya Falcon’s latex allergy). Of course if talent brought a preferred condom and/or lube I would allow them to use it assuming all parties agree on their use over what I would provide (due to Leya’s latex allergies and my preference in providing condoms made of polyurethane because of that issue).
Marcelle, assuming four hours a scene (Kink’s standard performing day for a model) at $15,500 net she made $149.04 an hour gross. McFucks, Wendy’s Fuck and Burger Fuck pay about $10 an hour. Even many executives don’t make $149 an hour (and they have to work a lot more hours). Assuming a 50% total tax rate (which is probably a bit high) she took home about $75 an hour — not bad for fucking which she probably enjoys anyway or she would not have even thought about entering the adult film industry. A good accountant (like me) could find her a lot more deductions than I have discussed here, I just chopped the tip off of that iceberg. Her meals (since she is away from home), clothing used for scenes, airplane tickets, transportation to and from the airport (mileage at 54.5 cents per mile if she is driven by a relative or drives herself, taxi fare if she uses a taxi), her TTS VD testing, condoms and lube if she provides her own, diaphragm or other birth control, medications to treat any VD she may get, even make-up — these are all deductible on her taxes. If she incorporates these would be deducted on the Schedule C, if she does not she can deduct them on her personal tax return.
Monica indeed made the rants BUIT…and this is where it sounds like Whiteacre because he has done this before…even to me…manny times.
monica got tweets and emails from who she THOUGHT was jennifer randazza as it turns out that was most likely Michael Whiteacre pretending to be Jennifer Randazza in order to set Monica up, knowing that an attorney like Marc Randazza would avenge his wife. Its a sordid story but from what I have seen its at least a 50/50 likelihood
Yes Harris, all those things are deductible, BUT, she has to pay for them in the first place. Dont you need to subtract the cost of all of these expenses before you calculate her net income. The tax deduction is great, but it does not cover the entire expense that comes out of pocket first.
Regarding the model house. Are these houses zoned as short term rental properties? Can a model be legally evicted on a moments notice? Can the owner of the property be legally responsible for the sexual harrasment of a ‘paying guest?’ Lots of other questions about this and those drivers, insurance, is the agency running a taxi service, are they liscensed to transport people for money?
@mharris
Go have another look at the invoice you quickly found twenty something work shifts on…compare it to the #’s in the email….now start explaining why email lists $610 in airfare but nada on invoice which includes a cash advance.
Aside from the obvious already mentioned that in order to write it off you have to spend it…those deductions only reduce the taxable gross leaving an additional expense.
IRS doesn’t take cancelled checks to substantiate questioned deductions and good luck to anyone who tries to use an invoice similar to the four page joke ATMLA provided their client. Using that to sustain deductions would only raise questions about additional unreported income 😉
Regardless sexworker, plumber, mechanic etc that hourly rate has to cover overhead and liabilities before the provider sees a dime. Which explains why many lawyers start out working 90 hours a week till partnership or hanging a shingle in the low rent district.
@jilted.
Let’s not forget …model house rent is NOT a deductible business expense unless there is proof it was temporary housing as part of relocation expenses. Home based businesses get to deduct a pittance of their indirect expenses (whole residence) rent/mortgage insurances, utilities, trash etc. vs straight deduction for direct expenses (IG paint office, office furniture or business only policy vs indirect umbrella policy that covers whole house & personal automobiles too)
mharris127 – you need to read those documents a bit closer.
1. Alex is under 21 and so can not rent a hotel room on her own.
2. You will see that ATMLA had to front her 200 dollars. This means that even though she made roughly 15,000 net in 2.5 months she saved a grant total of 0.00
3. This makes it hard to pony up the dough for a cab when you are sitting around with zero.
I think the Alex Tanner case isn’t outside the norm for many porn girls in this business. You think they are earning huge amounts of money (which they are) without working hard for that money (relatively speaking). But in reality, they aren’t getting paid on a biweekly paycheck with taxes taken out. No they get some checks same day, some in 2 weeks, some payroll with taxes out, some are taken by the agency for fees. Think back to when you were 18, could you do the accounting of Alex Tanner’s situation and save money and keep a tight budget? Remember LA is one of the highest cost of living cities in the US as well. You will also see that ATMLA was fronting the money for her 2 weeks testing.
In my humble opinion, ATMLA didn’t do anything outside of the norms for any of the other agents or agencies. But they did make 2 errors
1. they let her debt get to over 4000 dollars which makes it look like she is an indentured servant, especially bc the documents don’t include a precise accounting for her income.
2. I think that the agency fee’s for each girl should be 10 percent of the scene rate and then a flat 5 percent for the driver and nothing more.
Nice post, Christian, and well put. Again, I am not defending an agent who allegedly hit on an actress or threatened to put her in the street if she didn’t perform – if those things happened. Not saying they didn’t. We just don’t know. That said, I think people are making a mistake when they say she netted $15,000.
Assuming she made $25,000 and assuming the agent took 15% as a booking fee (that’s Alex’s math), her net before taxes for performing was $21,250. ($25,000 less $3,750).
You can’t say, well, she really didn’t net that because she’d have to pay income tax (about 15%) and self-employment tax (15.2% instead of 7.625% because she’s a contract employee) because she would have to pay tax regardless of her chosen profession and regardless of whether she had an agent.
If Lacey is reading these she will tell you that there is your gross income (sales less your cost of goods); your net income (Gross income less your overhead, which would include her agent’s fee and business expenses); and your after tax income (net income less taxes). In her case, the taxes have nothing to do with her agent. Her business expenses, above and beyond the agent’s fees, amount to less than $1,000 if I’m reading the statement correctly.
Her gross income was $25,000 since, to be blunt, her body was her cost of goods.
So, her net income on $25,000 (less agent’s fees, testing and makeup) was about $20,000. Someone had to pay for testing, makeup and photography.
All of the other deductions are for living expenses – regardless of her chosen profession, she needed a roof over her head, she needed transportation to get too and from work and she needed spending money (cash advances).
Now, you can argue whether its ethical for an agent to also be a landlord and cabbie since his talent is young, vulnerable and in a strange location. At the same time, as Christian points out, she’s under 21. She could not rent a car from a car rental agency until she is 25 and many hotel chains would not rent her a room because she is under 21. So, she’s going to call cabbies (who I guarantee you are going to charge more than $75 for trips to and from shoots) and she’s going to look for a roomy on Craig’s List – assuming she has the cash for her share of a deposit, utilities and rent. Could she do that for less than $1,000 a month in LA? Don’t know. But, at the end of the day, those are living expenses – the fact that she paid them to her agent may be distasteful, but she was going to pay them to someone whether she works in porn or is a cashier at the CVS on the corner. They’re not a deduction from her income.
Last, Christian is right that the agencies real error was letting her rack up $4,000 in bills because it does make her look like an indentured servant when the bills become due.
And, hey, if you want to see what all the fuss is about, her first scene on Brazzers went up this morning. http://ma.brazzers.com/scene/view/8312/gingers-have-no-soul/
Don’t think it’s unethical for an agent to be a landlord, cabbie or banker..think it’s foolish to intermingle those roles into an all-in-one statement that does little or nothing to help client (and outside observers) to distinguish those services/roles. Blurs the picture from both sides.
Also think it’s foolish to include airfare (deductible if work related) in his email but leave it off the all-in-one invoice that includes banker services for testing and driver…. smears the already blurry picture.
The age issue limitations is a great point mirroring disadvantages faced by undocumented workers. Those vulnerabilities make it that much more important to ensure a clear picture of mutual benefit vs exploitation.
LurkingReader – you’re right on the airfare. I didn’t include it because that’s an expense she had to pay whether or not she had an agent – somehow or the other, she had to get from Florida to California and back if she was going to shoot. Unless her agent charged her a booking fee, the cost of the flight is the cost of the flight. That one looks like it was in everyone’s self-interest – she couldn’t do the shoots if she wasn’t in Cali, and the agents couldn’t make their fees if she didn’t get out there.
For what it’s worth ….. From 1990 to 1995, I worked in mainstream entertainment as a television writer. I live on the East Coast, but I would spend a portion of every project in LA, usually spending two weeks per trip. Now, I was a member of the writer’s guild, so any network I worked for was obligated under the union contract to cover my transportation, hotel and meal costs; and they were required to provide a certain level. For instance, flights were first class; hotel had to be of a certain quality, which was pretty good; meals were a per diem and while not lavish, the per diem was generous. So, this cost me nothing, but it did cost the networks for whom I was writing.
The production company I worked with most often was privately-owned by two old Hollywood hands, who knew the ropes. They also owned a travel agency and a car service, both of which were housed in their building. Any time I booked a plane ticket or hotel, they had me do it through their travel agency, which meant they were getting a cut of the travel expenses they were charging back to the networks. They did the same thing when they were booking travel for the crew and talent when we shot a project (I worked on TV movies of the week and back then, we either shot them in Canada or North Carolina). They never rented me a car in LA, but always provided me with access to their car service. Heck, on one project, they put me up at a beach house they owned in Malibu rather than pay for a motel – and I’m sure they billed the networks for the rent. Since I never saw the bills, I have no idea whether they were excessive compared to the competition, but, all I’m getting at is that similar things happen in mainstream – or did when I worked in that industry.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=lab&group=01001-02000&file=1700.23-1700.47
“No talent agent shall knowingly issue a contract for employment containing any term or condition, which if complied with would be in violation of law, or attempt to fill an order for help to be employed in violation of law.”
Which basicly means every time a performer is booked to do a no condom scene, the AGENT has violated the law, and the contract with the performer, and the performer can have his/her contract with that agent voided.
Lots of other things in these regulations that agents violate every single day, especially section 1700.33
jilted. Completely agree, and, as I’ve written here many times before, I don’t personally like to watch condom scenes, but think they’re as necessary as safety harnesses in stunt scenes. That said, until the government is willing to enforce the law or a performer or group of performers is willing to insist that they will only perform with condoms, its meaningless. Only in porn.
If Monica was set up by Whiteacre than he should pay for it, not her. If this happened I hope Monica finds proof somehow and brings it into evidence at trial. Unfortunately Monica didn’t hire an attorney (or get one from her state’s legal aid for civil cases) so she is likely screwed but I hate to see someone have to pay for being set up. I hope the truth comes out either way.
I have extensive experience with accounting – heck, my college education was in accounting. I may have glossed over a few things but I was attempting to explain in a form that the general public could understand. I did not reailze she was under 21 but couldn’t her parents have reserved a room for her and send her with their credit card with her reimbursing her parents later?
For the record lodging away from home when working on the road is deductible whether it be a hotel room or model house.
Writer’s guild benefits were direct project costs & production company was able to write off expenses while the Mann Act creates potential criminal liabilities of the same for legitimate productions where talent crosses state lines from home or previous work location.
The Mann Act creates a real catch 22 for producers, agents and talent that is entirely absent from mainstream businesses. Performance contracts can’t include travel related add-ons like an IT IC can or even more closely related entertainer contracts.
1984 corporate move from Nj to Boston we were put up in a company condo usually rented out to franchisees for six week training required as part of FA (franchise agreement) was a pit that came with last occupants trash and maggots in dishwasher. 2003 realtor asks which apt/condo complex appealed most apologizing that because they were min 30 day rentals we’d need to stay at an embassy suites for house hunting trip. That’s part of moving up the totem pole in corporate America as is a higher per diem than allowed by IRS which means company is eating excess.
Glad he isn’t on the road 250+ nights a year, even happier we never dealt with bed bugs coming home.
Lmao mharris how to take one foot out and put the other in!
Clearly you aren’t a frequent or recent auto renter all drivers must be listed. Sucks when your kid is away at school and calls crying cuz the dealer making warranted repairs can’t give her a loaner because they’re agreement is with rental company.
Hotels there’s a bit more leeway but …
Lets be real…even if her parents could rent her a car and room she wouldn’t have been relying on agent. Plus the fact that most parents in a position to provide authorized CC use would be asking what it’s for and likely the last people an 18 year old is going to call. Belle Knox and blindsided parents ring any bells?
Honestly, I haven’t rented a car since the late 90’s. I don’t recall having to list drivers although I was the only driver anyway. I do recall needing my credit card and showing my car insurance policy (required if you don’t pay for their insanely priced insurance) but I don’t recall having to declare all drivers.
As for relying on parents, I forget that my father is more understanding and supportive than most, if I would have wanted to do porn at 18 (granted the industry as we know it today did not exist) he would have supported my decision just like he supported (with both his checkbook and encouragement) my decision to go to university at a bit younger than 18. Hell, at age 93 he would still support my entering porn now (it would have to be as a director or producer as my physical appearance isn’t that great), he would probably even move to California with me.
Intentionally referenced Belle Knox…even the most understanding parents would likely have questions. Teens are notorious for avoiding parental scrutiny often at the cost of much needed support.
Having a supportive dad is a gift, having him at age 93 a treasure that the majority of kids don’t know. More than half of today’s kids are in single parent households at some point before age 18.
Any 18 year old working in porn or any other job for that matter likely needs a paycheck because they don’t know the luxury of using parents authorized CC living a carefree life without the demands of working commitments hampering normal teenager rites of passage.
No idea what this kids family background is or what kind of parental resources she has. What I see, and what Christian pointed out, is that she apparently had little in the way of personal resources because the agency was fronting her airfare and personal expenses, right down to spending money. Flip side is, she spent ten weeks in California. Had she chosen to get a motel room rather than the model house, you’re looking at a minimum of about $75 a night, even for a Red Roof Inn, once you factor in taxes and fees. That’s $5,250. Next, there are huge taxes and fees on top of car rentals – a $30 a day rental in Los Angeles is easily $60 with taxes and fees and add about $18 for insurance. She’s looking at another $3,000 easy for car fees – and, no, you can’t rent a car for someone else. Every person whose going to drive has to be listed and show their drivers license – she could not drive off the lot without going through that process. If not, the rental car agency is not responsible for anything that happens to the car. So …… here’s a 19 year old whose going to ask her parents to front her $10,000 so she can go to California and lick asses on camera (one of her listed scenes). Let’s get real. I think Christian rightly noted that agencies, model houses, drivers and cash advances exist for a reason and that reason is most 19 year olds don’t have any resources.
Same here re her background which is why I refuse to paint her as a poverty stricken starving kid who resorted to porn. Nor will I assume she has the luxury of Bell Knox family but chose to keep them in dark vs ask for support.
Whatever the cause the fact remains that there is genuine need for the additional services agents provide. The need for services doesn’t negate responsibility of provider to ensure every effort is taken to avoid even appearance of crossing line from mutual benefit to exploitation.