Adult Industry Veteran T.J. DiReda Passes Away

LOS ANGELES—T.J. DiReda, the former marketing executive and producer whose colorful career in adult entertainment spanned most of the 2000s era, has passed away. DiReda died of a cardiac arrest on Oct. 26 in Ventura County, Calif. He was 55. An L.A. native who grew up in Glendale, DiReda broke into adult in July 2001 as the Director of Marketing for Vivid Entertainment Group, leaving his roots in mainstream Hollywood, where he worked as a literary agent and talent manager. His adult industry experience also included stints as the director of marketing for Club Jenna, Pure Play Media and Girlfriends Films.   “It’s crazy how the years go by and you forget to check in on the people who helped shape your life—the ones who opened doors you never even knew existed,” Moose, CEO of Penthouse and owner of Girlfriends Films, tells AVN. “I still remember the first time I met T.J. We brought him on at Girlfriends Films to handle PR and marketing, and instantly he pulled us into a world I could’ve never imagined. “But the best part of T.J. wasn’t the access, the parties, or the people he knew. It was him. His energy. His passion. His heart. He just had something inside him that made everything bigger, brighter and more fun.” During DiReda’s two-year run at Vivid, he was instrumental in raising the profile of the Vivid Girls, landing the studio’s exclusive contract stars in ad campaigns and orchestrating events that often blurred the lines between adult and mainstream. DiReda in 2003 began to steer the marketing at Pure Play Media, where he promoted Hall of Fame director Michael Ninn’s NinnWorx contract girls as well as Seymore Butts and SCORE. A year later he transitioned to studio ownership, producing movies for Vertigo Video before selling the label to Caballero. By 2005, he had joined Jenna Jameson’s production company, Club Jenna, which tapped into his marketing skills for the studio’s expanding roster of exclusive talent. DiReda would go on to launch the gonzo brand, American Hardcore, producing about 15 titles before taking the reins of short-lived talent agency, It Models, in 2008. His last stop in adult was at Girlfriends Films before leaving to pursue opportunities in the gentlemen’s club and cannabis spaces. “T.J. was truly one of a kind and the reason I found my footing in the industry,” says 21-year veteran photographer, Rick Shameless, who got his start in 2004 shooting for Vertigo. “So many of the people I love in this business, the friendships that have shaped my life, came from doors he opened for me without ever asking for anything in return. His friendship changed my life. … T.J. was the kind of rare friend you don’t realize you’ve been gifted with until you look back and understand how much they shaped you.” Travis Nestor, who also did marketing for Vivid in the early 2000s, collaborated with DiReda for almost a decade. “I have stories for days about T.J.,” Nestor tells AVN. “He and I had a lot of great times together. Unfortunately, we hadn't been as close the last few years which I really regret right now. He was more than a friend and more like a brother. The dude was a legend and will be missed.” Veteran executive Joey Wilson, the former president of 3rd Degree Films who now is the COO of Sensuva, remembers getting to know DiReda in the mid-2000s. More recently, they reconnected after discovering they lived in the same neighborhood. “He was just a good guy, a really good guy and he really enjoyed what he did,” says Wilson, who tells AVN that T.J. introduced his sons—who are aspiring graffiti artists—to his network in the graffiti art community. “He always had some hustle going.”Jon Blitt, vice president of Mile High Media, also knew DiReda since the mid-2000s, when they crafted a few deals together. “My heart goes out to T.J.’s loved ones, as we all mourn his loss at such a young age,” Blitt tells AVN. “It was a genuine pleasure to work with him and know him. He will always be remembered for his larger-than-life personality and the joy it brought.” Former adult star Samantha Ryan met DiReda when she was new in 2004. “What I always appreciated about T.J. was not just his professionalism on set,” Ryan recalls. “He made things easy because of his laughter and the way he was always keeping things light. I went on several different gigs with him. I traveled with Girlfriends Films and we hosted parties and he always made us girls feel happy and taken care of and feeling safe.” Former industry vet Tony Testa worked closely with DiReda in the 2000s, doing event coordination and shooting movies. “T.J. was a force in the industry,” Testa tells AVN. “He had a magnetic personality that drew people to him. He was always up to something and he knew how to throw a great party. “He was like the coach of the all-star team we used to say. He had a silver tongue.” Adult star Alexis Malone agreed—the two formed a bond early as she starred in one of the first movies DiReda produced in 2004. “We remained close friends throughout the years, always finding time to laugh about our crazy shenanigans and create new ones,” Malone tells AVN. “He was the master of quick wit and sharp comebacks. If he wasn’t cracking jokes, he was dancing or making everyone laugh, helping them forget their own struggles. He had a gift for turning chaos into stories worth sharing. “T.J. never hesitated to open his home—or his heart—to anyone in need of comfort, a place to stay, or a job. He was always championing the underdog, connecting creative minds, or playing the role of therapist. Losing him is a deep loss, and I will forever be grateful for the good times we shared.”