Hirsch, Jeremy, Haze to Conduct USC Film School Panel

LOS ANGELES—Vivid Entertainment co-chairman Steven Hirsch, triple-X icon Ron Jeremy and A-list performer Allie Haze convene next Thursday, April 4, at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts for an evening panel discussion on the adult movie industry. Organizer Mike Dillon, a Ph.D. candidate in the school's Critical Studies program, said the discussion will “focus on a range of topics befitting our academic environment: Cultural attitudes toward sexual representations, business practices of the adult industry, legal frameworks (including the recently-passed Measure B), the myths vs. realities of the industry, etc.” He said he anticipates a “very interesting and informative conversation for our film students.” There is no admission cost for the event, which kicks off at 7 p.m. with a screening of the documentary Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy, followed by footage from Star Wars XXX: A Porn Parody, recently named best-selling and best-renting title of the year at the AVN Awards. A humorous send-up from FunnyOrDie.com on Measure B, the law passed in November by Los Angeles voters that mandates condom usage in porn movies, will also be screened. The panel will be moderated by David Lerner, Ph.D, whose academic expertise includes the histories of non-mainstream film genres that as they relate to issues of censorship or broader cultural attitudes. Among the subjects slated for discussion are the impact of wider availability of adult entertainment, how cultural attitudes toward porn have changed over time, how different presidential administrations have impacted the cultural climate around pornography, how a major company like Vivid contends with the proliferation of online competition, what constitutes the Vivid “brand” amid all of these options, and what has spurred the recent trend toward adult parodies of mainstream films. Haze and Jeremy will be asked to discuss the differences between being a contract star and working independently, issues surrounding a performer’s longevity, differing standards between men and women in pay scale and work schedules, and how the nature of the business differs from what a star such as Haze expected when she started. The address of the USC campus is 900 W. 34th St., Los Angeles, 90089.