Ben English aka Derek Hay

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British male performer Ben English aka Derek Hay
2002-10-03 18:34:44

I talk by phone 10/1/02 to British male performer Ben English, a friend of Legend contract girl Hannah Harper.

Luke: "How did you get into the adult industry?"

Ben: "In 1995, I started dating a big boobed model and feature dancer, Tawny Peaks. I went on some shoots for her. She worked almost exclusively for Score magazine. Also, Tonisha Mills. I met them in England. At the time, I was in the music business and I worked a lot in America. I've lived in California since 1988.

"Almost inevitably, I went on some shoots with the girls. The Score photographers were all from England, so we got on well. They said I was a decent looking chap and that I should think about getting in front of the camera. I resisted for a couple of years. Finally, I did a scene or two. Towards the end of the 1990s, I lived in San Francisco. I'd be in London occasionally and work for the Score group.

"By this time, I was no longer dating Tawny. A different girlfriend, Jordan, and I started working for a number of people in San Francisco. There are no major companies there but it's a vibrant small industry. We did about a 60 scenes together. The music business took me back to London in early 2000. I was a production manager for major touring acts."

Luke: "You must've met a lot of women that way."

Ben: "In the mid to late eighties when I was touring with all the medal acts like Van Halen, Metallica, Motley Crue, Scorpions and other metal acts. There was a lot of action in those days but I don't think there is anymore.

"A friend of mine in London [Kirsten Klass] asked me to assist her with running her agency Direct Models. Initially it was only going to be for a couple of weeks. It turned into a year. Kirsten is the ex-wife of Omah, who sells that line to VCA. She used to have the agency Kool Klass."

Luke: "How did you meet Hannah?"

Ben: "She knocked on my door one day looking for representation. I thought great, this is a good new girl. She's 18. She's every agent's dream. She had a great attitude. She did everything and did it well. It was perfect."

Luke: "She was married at the time?"

Ben: "She was."

Luke: "How long did it take for you guys to get involved?"

Ben: "A few months. I have a strong sense of integrity that you shouldn't mess around with models you represent and obviously she was married. That's a double no-no. But of course as I got to know her..."

Luke: "Your integrity went out the window?"

Ben: "I wouldn't say that but I did learn that all wasn't sweetness in her marriage."

Luke: "When did you start working together?"

Ben: "Fairly quickly. I worked as talent as well as representing girls."

Luke: "Did the adult industry play a role in breaking up her marriage?"

Ben: "I don't think so. That question is better posed to her.

"I returned to Los Angeles in 2001. I'd found myself working fulltime in adult."

Luke: "How would you compare the industry here to the industry in London?"

Ben: "There really is no comparison. About eighty percent of adult material shot in the US is shot in the San Fernando Valley. Most UK companies and photographers are not ok. Mostly its amateurish and cheesy and the pay is low. There are more sharks around [in the UK]."

Luke: "What do you love and hate about the industry?"

Ben: "I love being around uninhibited people. The more people you meet, it becomes like an extended family. I like going to the conventions or award shows. I appreciate and admire the people in the industry who have championed the way for the rest of us, like Larry Flynt... The people who've made the industry more mainstream and more generally accepted.

"What do I hate? Not much. Though it's much better here than the UK, I hate that we still have to deal with unprofessional models."

12/12/05

Joe Zigfield writes for XBiz.com:

Although there are a number of firms in Los Angeles representing adult talent, Direct Models, Hay said, is one of only three licensed adult agencies in the area. (The others, he said, are World Modeling and Pretty Girl International.)

"For those of us who have gone through the rigors of processing our licenses, I think it's nice for the girls to know that," Hay said. "They have that reassurance that we have a clean criminal record and have posted a bond, and they have somewhere to turn to if they have a grievance against the agent."

In addition to agents, Direct Models has a publicist and a team of drivers to shepherd talent back and forth to bookings.

Using Foreign Talent

1/16/06

In June of 2005, because of the Justice Department's new interpretation of the 2257 anti-child-porn regulations, the major porn producers stopped using foreign talent who didn't have a greencard (legal permission to reside and work in the US). Many prominent First Amendment attorneys said this was not necessary but the major producers erred on the side of safety.

Over the next few months, LA Direct Models got legal American IDs for their foreign models (I assume LAD got them CA Driver's Licenses), allowing them to work for most producers.

Most producers will not use foreign talent without American ID. The most careful producers, such as Penthouse, will not use foreign talent who don't have greencards. But dozens of girls who won't be used by Penthouse will be used by Hustler and other producers.

I was scanning the chatboard of one content producer. A fan wrote in: "I'm so glad you finally shot Barbara Summers. She reminds me of Stacy Valentine. I didn't want to put a request in for her because she's European and I thought it was impossible for you to legally shoot her. How did you manage to do it? Is she American now?"

The producer replied: "She got her American IDs through the help of her agency."

I assume this means a CA Driver's License. To get one as a tourist, all you have to do is show the DMV your driver's license from your home country, and fill out a form that vouches you are getting a Social Security number. This temporary license is good for three months and is a sufficient form of American ID for many content producers. Whether it is legally obtained is the question. If you falsify stuff on your application to get the CA Driver's License, then it is obviously fraudulent and producers who use girls with fake ID are legally responsible.

To the best of my knowledge, only LA Direct Models will arrange this type of American ID for their foreign talent.

In the long run this may not be a big deal because this part of the 2257 regulations may not stand up to legal scrutiny.

Another reason foreign talent is signing with LA Direct is that LA Direct allows producers to pay the agency for the talent's work and then the agency pays the model, and I believe this gives significant tax advantages to the model (she doesn't have to suffer the 25% withholding tax, etc). I'm not sure how foreign talent can be legally paid in America if they do not have a Social Security number.

I wonder if the feds will go after content producers who were accepting foreign IDs one month, and then CA Driver's Licenses the next month from the same talent. Surely many of these foreign talent have fake Social Security numbers as well. So maybe the IRS will take an interest. Maybe the content producers will be on the hook. Maybe they'll have to explain to a jury, "Yes, I knew she previously only had Czech ID but the next month she had American ID and I thought it was all legitimate." I wonder if the jury will buy that?

Some foreign porn stars who've never driven and never held a driver's license have obtained CA Driver's Licenses over the past six months.

LA Direct Models is the only talent agency that works extensively with foreign models who don't have greencards. World Modeling and other conservative agencies tell foreign talent not to come over to the States because they can't get them work.

One porn girl is getting an investor visa to work here legally but you need a lot of money in the bank to prove that you are coming here to start a business.

Who's The Toughest Agent?

1/23/06

Without a doubt, it is Derek Hay, owner of LA Direct Models. He makes more porn girls cry than any other agent. And it is precisely this quality that both producers and talent love.

Because his talent fears him, Derek gets them to show up to sets on time and to give 100%. Producers obviously adore an agent who can do this. And flakey porn girls respect a man who can keep them in line. If a porn girl is unreliable or alcoholic or drug-addicted, there's probably no agent who's more likely to whip her into shape (and make her money) than Derek.

Many porn girls want a man who will take charge of their life. That man is Derek Hay. They fear him. They obey him. They make more money because of him. What's not to love?

Derek Hay (LA Direct Models Owner) Is Ben English (Male Performer)

Kelly writes 1/25/06 on ADT:

When you talk about him as the owner of LA Direct Models (aka World Modeling of the new era, no disrespect to Spiegler though), he's Derek Hay. When you talk about him as a male performer, he's Ben English. Either way, he's the same guy and he bothers the hell out of me.

Who is he? Well, as Derek Hay he built up the reputation of LA Direct Models on two fronts: 1. They were the director/producer's best friend due to their professionalism and ability to ensure that their girls wouldn't flake. 2. They were the performer's best friend because Hay and Hanna Harper (then-girlfriend and LADirect co-owner) were performers themselves so they had an insight that fellow performers could trust. As Ben English, he was AVN's Best Male Newcomer two years ago, had a run as a director for Wildlife's gonzo label (Powerhouse), and is a f---ing fixture in any New Sensations/Digital Sin non-European cast.

Why does he bother me? He has long since been mentioned on KSEX, Lukeisback, AdultFYI, and whatever other mecca of gossip you can think of as being a complete asshole. There was even a somewhat public war of words between him and Ginger Lynn that aired out through KSEX, with their debate traced back to her rather negative experience with him off and on-screen in Jewel De'Nyle's Size Queens 1 . Some, of course, admire the guy. Anyone who read Lukeisback's updates yesterday saw an article positively (or sarcastically) touting Hay as the Toughest Agent in Porn. However, I read that and I think of Hay as the new Chuck Traynor, just with the whole roster of LA Direct in place of Linda Lovelace. Good businessman? Yes. Admirable? Eh, depends on who you ask.

With the rumors, is it "where there's smoke..." or "they're just rumors"? It's hard to tell. There's a difference between being tough and being an asshole. It does seem that girls can go through LA Direct and make plenty of money.

This is where he bothers me: I feel weird watching him working (industry word for f---ing, thank you Eric Edwards) in a scene with one of his LA Direct girls. I mean for all intents and purposes you're watching a pimp f--- one of his girls and he's getting paid for it. So, does he get paid a performance fee and then an agency fee for the girl (or does her individual agent get the fee and as an employee of LA Direct they then split it with Hay)?

As a performer, the guy just creeps me out. Maybe it's his mechanical, passionless, emotionless way of f---ing (I've seen Jon Dough look more into it in old feature films back when his name was really perfect for his persona) or his suspect habit of being everhard (even after cumming) that begs the question of what impotency medicine he has a prescription to (the same criticism can be made about a majority of all current male performers though). Either way, his presence in a scene kills it for me, even it it stars a girl like Naomi or Sara Stone.

"I'd like to point out what a potential conflict of interest he represents. He's one of the most powerful agents in porn, representing many of the top women. When he's on set, if a director thinks he's gone too far, or is out of control, does he feel comfortable stepping in and setting things right? Or does he worry that he may anger someone who can freeze him out."

That's a good point. Do you say anything critical to "Ben" knowing that he's stopped LA Direct business relationships in the past with people he's had a dispute with? However, the conflict of interest that immediately concerns me is the boss-employee dynamic that exists between "Ben" and any of his LA Direct co-stars. On one end, you can argue that if he performs with one of his LA Direct girls he can help her improve in the long run. He's essentially sampling the goods, and afterward he can offer the girl any tips he has on things she might do better for on-screen performing. I'm thinking stuff like, "You might want to use more eye contact during this," or "You might want to cheat more toward the camera in this position," etc. Also, if the girl is new maybe it's nice for her to work a scene with a guy she knows and trusts.

However, that would assume that Derek is a nice guy, which even if he's not an asshole he's probably not guilty of being a truly nice guy. He's a consummate businessman. He may have absolutely no personality on camera, as performer or director (ever see his pre-scene interviews in his Intensitivity series? Those were some of the most awkward and pathetic interviewing I've ever seen in porn, plus he cast almost entirely LA Direct girls in that series and most didn't look comfortable being interviewed by him). But I don't really imagine him offering these girls polite suggestions. Of course, maybe I'm giving him too little credit and he's professional enough to keep his two roles separate.

Girls can make a lot of money through Derek, and some of them have been with him almost their whole career (Haley Paige, Harmony Rose). He has his fans and he has his enemies. Me? The guy just bothers me. I compared him to Chuck Traynor earlier. Well, it's not like I think he's beating his girls (why would he? that would then make them desirable to only a fringe market, and that's bad for business), but the iron fist and anything for money mentality seems prevalent.

Dragon Novelties writes:

Derek the business owner was and is very easy to work with. Responds quickly to inquires and is forthcoming with information good or bad, and Lisa Ann was also very thorough, professional and not to mention stunning in person.

Some of Derek's peers say that he's a paid consultant to the escort service BellaModels.com (the new Nicisgirls.com). When I asked Derek about this in Vegas, he wouldn't address the issue. If this accusation were true, Derek would have his talent agency license yanked once it came to the attention of the California department that regulates such matters.

3/2/06

Kami Andrews Vs Derek Hay

Kami writes Feb 28 on ADT:

I find it heart breaking [that Hannah Harper, Derek's ex-wife, is with LA Direct Models].

I have worked for LA direct as a performer and with LA direct as a Director so I feel like I'm "in a position to talk" not to mention I'm feeling reckless as of late.

As a performer I worked like crazy with them, and I was happy, I made a LOT of money and had great camaraderie with all the girls. I learned a ton and had a good time. I am not a traditional beauty and really think the only reason I had any sort of career was LA Direct. When I started with them they had maybe 20 girls, they recruited me off one model place.

My complaints at the time all began after Hannah moved out. The agency got really big really fast and over crowded housing and *hours* long waits for rides became the norm. They stopped taking me on go-sees and that was a small portion of the problems.

For the year and a half I was there I always paid my rent up front and my commission on time, 80% of the time before I was even paid for the job, but they would pick up my checks, forge my signature and charge me a check cashing fee and take the commission themselves and give me what was left when they felt like it. I keep better track of my money than a lot of porn chicks and this really pissed me off. I called Derek on it and he freaked out: "Are you accusing me of doing something illegal?" I told him I don't give a fuck what he does, just stop doing it to me.

I went home from that trip and never went back to work for them. I went under contract with Extreme and when it ended I wrote Derek and asked him to take me back (so obviously things couldn't have been that bad) He said no. I didn't blame him when I left there I was hysterically crying in the office, I was pissed about them holding my money and I later found out Derek felt like I was threatening him. so whatever.

As a director I used him to book a girl for my first movie through Kevin, he has a lot of great girls and they DO always show up no matter what, in fact this girl showed up even though she should have been at a hospital.

On my last movie I wanted to book one of their girls. I called about 2 weeks out and asked if she had American ID's and was told yes, so i placed the booking. I had another english girl booked through gold star and when I asked the same question about the ID's they emailed me a copy of the girls english passport and American drivers license, I showed this to my company and asked if it was ok, I was told no, because the girl was not legal to work in the US, if she was she would have a certain stamp on her passport or a work visa. I cancelled this girl and Goldstar helped me find another girl.

Then I call Direct to see if they have has this stamp, (this is the very day after I booked her and 2 weeks from the shoot). She doesn't. I'm told she got married and will have a social security number soon, but not in the next 2 weeks, i tell them i can also take an EIN, but she doesn't have that either. I tell them I have to cancel her. At this point he could have booked one of his other girls with me but that's not the path he chose. Derek calls me back and says this is bullshit this has nothing to do with 2257, I tell him I know but she is not legal to work in the US. He says I'm being stupid and that I have to use her. I tell him I can't and that I will not be able to get paid if my paperwork is not legal and he says. "Then I'm sorry we won't be working together anymore." He banned me from using any direct model girls. Fine. I was only able to do two movies last year and it doesn't look like I'll get many more this year so they didnt lose a lot of business from me. It was just Derek trying to bully me into using a girl (who by the way was getting $500 more than any other girl Ive ever used).

It was possible for Derick to let me pay his corporation for this scene but he didn't want to do that. he was right it had nothing to do with age verification per say, it had to do with a girl working in America illegally with no intent on paying any taxes. So he's gone kinda power crazy and I will have no dealings with them any more. Keep in mind I was totally willing to work for him again after my extreme contract (that I didn't negotiate through him) and he turned me down so we did have a history.

Mike South writes me:

Kami's account of Derek is consistant with what I have heard MANY times before the part that really gets me is how Derek cashes the checks for them. Too often I have heard of him bringing in foreign talent who left with NOTHING because he wouldnt give them the money they earned. What are they going to do sue him? Report him to the labor board. The problem is people are scared of him and wont go ON the record. I know people who detest him and his practices but absolutely will not say anything bad about him on the record because he will cut them off from his "talent." I would NEVER book through him because of his practices. I am not interested in contributing that that particular style of doing business. I tried to out him but couldn't get anyone to talk. Kudos to Kami for standing up. He will take just as much advantage of each girl as he can get away with. Ask around.

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