Who is James Deen? If you’re a typical horny college student who lets their mind wander to the XXX side of the Internet while you’re trying to research that term paper, you’ve likely caught glimpses of the side of his handsome mug more than a handful of times – more likely the side of his cock as it’s being plunged into a vocally enthusiastic female co-star. And, more recently, you’ve probably seen his half-naked likeness plastered on posters around campus inviting you to spend “A Night With James Deen.”
With his average 5-foot-7, 150-pound frame and inkling of a cute, tousled Jew-fro, you might mistake him for a studious coffee shop frequenter or slightly older-looking dude at the frat party. He’s “porn’s boy next door” or, as Zack Braff has referred to him, “the Daniel Day-Lewis of porn,” and he’s coming to a college campus near you. With more than 4,000 films of the adult variety under his belt (Deen directs and produces pornographic films now as well) and the mainstream project “The Canyons” alongside Lindsay Lohan, Deen is quickly gaining notoriety in both Hollywood and sexuality circles.
This Hump Day, it was my turn to ask the questions in an exclusive interview with the man of your masturbation session dreams. During the interview, I kid you not, he was waiting for the plumber to arrive. Here’s hoping his plumber is Sasha Grey. Ever proving he’s more than just a pretty face attached to a camera-ready dick, here are some lessons learned from the on-the-rise career of James Deen.
We still can’t talk about sex.
James Deen created quite a stir just by showing up at Pasadena City College in February to speak to students in a course titled “Navigating Pornography.” Although the professor typically invites guest speakers, this one had more buzz. What was all the controversy about?
“Because he was having me,” Deen said. “And, I’m trying to say this in the most non-arrogant way, so excuse me if it comes off that way … but because he was having me, there was a larger response. Because it was supposed to be a public event at a public college, they were worried there was going to be these protesters.”
Talking about sex, out loud, in a public forum? Oh no! Deen said the curious thing is that it was the media, not so much the students or the administration, that turned the event into a big taboo.
“This thing got blown up into a mass media explosion,” Deen said.
Despite a cultural overtone that we’re living in a post-sexually liberated culture, the very mention of porn still gets people hot and bothered, and not in the good way, even when we know that an incredible number of Americans watch it.
“I was just trying to use the opportunity to preach about my whole message about positive sexuality education,” Deen said. “Then, when I showed up to go to the college, there was a bunch of news and crazy stuff happening.”
Deen said that although the topic of pornography is controversial, it’s important to talk about.
“The difference of opinion is what fuels open thoughts. Open discussion is a good thing. It’s about respecting other people’s opinions and other people’s spaces and bodies and desires.”
Women are horny people too.
While pornography has historically been considered a male-dominated industry (male-produced and consumed), many pornography consumers are actually now female, with nearly one in three porn watchers being women. Not to mention the slew of tumblrs dedicated to Deen’s image geared toward female viewers.
Deen is known partly for his “female-friendly” videos, but don’t call him by that label.
“Porn is personal. Sex is a personal thing and porn is a sexual thing, so porn is a personal thing,” Deen said.
When asked by The Guardian if he thought his work was appealing to women, he said, “I think it’s idiotic.” It certainly doesn’t acknowledge the complexity and diversity of female sexual desire.
“You’re going to get some girls that are going to want watch different movies,” Deen said in the video interview with The Guardian. “Some are going to watch the really lovey-dovey pretty stuff, you’re going to get some who want the really crazy rough stuff and everything in between.”
So what about the rough stuff? When I asked, Deen said, “People say, ‘You’re humiliating or objectifying women.’ No, actually. You’re humiliating and objectifying women by saying that women who express themselves in that they like this type of sex [rough or not “female-friendly”] that that means they’re weak.”
There’s more to safer sex than condoms.
James Deen is an outspoken voice against the Measure B condom mandate in Los Angeles, the legislation that requires all actors in adult films produced within the city limits to use condoms while performing. The authors of the legislation cited a motivation to protect the actors in the business, but Deen highlights the extremely low STI rates in the self-regulated, above ground porn industry as evidence that frequent testing, sexual history disclosures, open communication and fluid-bonding are also forms of safer sex. This is a poignant illustrative example that there is more to “safer sex” than the use of barrier protection methods.
“Are we safe? Yes we are.” Deen said. “Our testing system works and it works well, and it’s proven to work time and time again.”
Comprehensive sex education is a must.
“Pornography is not a guide to live your life by. It is not a curriculum. It’s not any sort of educational video in any way shape or form,” Deen said.
But, in an age of federally-funded abstinence-only education, pornography is acting as a substitute tool for how the masses learn about sex. Deen thinks that porn should be reserved for the realm of fantasy and enhancement rather than a first reference for how young people learn about sex.
“Education is the way to fix problems. People are saying pornography has a horrible effect. Well, okay. Educate people about pornography: what it is, the purpose for it, the effect that it potentially could have. Study it in an open, safe environment and put some research into it and teach it to people so that ignorance doesn’t have a negative effect.”
Healthy sexuality can be anything between informed, enthusiastic, consenting adults.
“Communication is key,” Deen said. “It really is. It’s being able to explore and advance your personal desires and be able to communicate them with a partner safely and consensually expand your horizons.”
Sexual expression and desire is extremely complicated and diverse. The good news is, if we find compatible and willing partners, everyone has the potential to have their own personal version of their best sex life.
“You might not know if you like it in the butt until someone starts playing with your butt. And then you might say like, ‘Wait, that’s really scary,’ and then a couple days later you might say, ‘No, wait, that was kind of cool.’ Or you might think it’s something you enjoy and then try it and you hate it. Anything is possible.”
Human sexuality is fluid, Deen said. “You can have a week where you do nothing but anal sex and another week where you have nothing but really nice passionate, romantic sex.”
Deen suggests we take a tip from those in the kinky community.
“Anyone who knows anything about the BDSM community knows that it’s about communication, communication, communication. The dominants are always the submissives and the submissives are always the dominants. The person who holds the safe word, the person who is allowing other people to do certain activities with them, is the one who’s actually in control.”
Want to get your questions answered by a real life porn star? Want to learn more about porn and its relationship to modern sex education? Come to “A Night With James Deen: Pornography & Sex Ed” presented by Sex Out Loud next Thursday, April 18, at 7 p.m. in Room 1310 Sterling Hall. Admission is free, but grab a seat before they’re gone!
Have a question for our Hump Day columnists? Send them to [email protected].
