Rob Spallone

Rob 5/7/98 Rob Spallone 5/25/98 Rob 6/2/98 Rob 10/27/98 Rob 2001

Jew Roy Karch, born around 1947, and Italian Joe Spallone, born around 1936, grew up together in the Bronx. "Joe was an unbelievable athlete," says Roy, a former gym teacher. "He was a relentless defensive lineman. When we picked teams in schools, he was always picked first."

From 1952-56, Joe Spallone served in the US Armed Forces. Then Joe played catcher for the AAA baseball team of the Yankees, Richmond during the 1950s and he also played semi-pro football in New Jersey for the Jersey City Giants. He played defensive lineman and running back.

One of Joe's best friends was Howard Wasserman. "Our mothers used to push us in baby carriages."

Joe joined the adult industry in the 1970s, working in several adult bookstores on 42nd Street in New York with Howie Wasserman. Spallone's main source of income, however, came from his work in the steamship business.

In 1986, Joe moved his family to California  to work full time for Wasserman's Gourmet Video. In 1994, the two men became partners. Howie is now retired, and Joe appears semi-retired. Joe's son Rob operates Star World Modeling, located next to Gourmet. Another son is a doctor and another son is in jail in Barcelona, Spain, for drug smuggling.

"I've done all sorts of work behind the scenes," says Joe Spallone, a soft spoken slow moving 5'8 gentlemen with silver hair and a pot belly. "I've boxed tapes,  duplication, arranged health care for  employees… I helped Rob set up Star World.

"Normally, I'm quiet and easy going. I just don't like all the bulls--- going down now in the business, with everybody cutting each  other's throat over prices. We used to sell tapes to distributors for $20 each. Now we're lucky to get $10. This is the only business in the world where manufacturers don't make the price. Distributors tell us how much they will pay for our movies.

"I know that it is against the law to fix prices…but this is BS. Some people sell tapes for $1:65. The little guy will never be able to make money at those prices. So  little guys like me are getting pushed out of the business.

"Most businesses get to raise their prices each year. We're the only business that decreases our prices. We can't get a fair price for our product. We sell some tapes for $3, and only make 75c a tape. While stores are charging up to $50 each tape.

"The other thing I don't care for is people telling people what they got to do. This is America. You can do what you want here.

Roy: "I know that really bothers you. It's a personal freedom issue."

Joe: "I like to get along with people, but when they try to shove something down my  throat… Free Speech? You can't speak  your mind at Free Speech [Coalition] unless you're one of the guys.

"Talent have been coming to me for years, wanting me to represent them. I procrastinate. Then it took me a year to get a license… I do things carefully, by the law. Then I found out that the talent doesn't  really care [who represents them? The talent doesn't care about themselves? About life?] I love these kids but… They often book themselves. They are promised  $1000 for a scene but are only paid $500.

"Then they come to me to complain. But there is nothing I can do about it then. But if I get the girl the job, I make sure she gets her money.

"Some of the big companies [VCA, Vivid, Wicked, Evil Angel] fear that if they switch over to a new agency they are not going to get a shot at the new girls [through Jim South's World Modeling]. Well, I am  working on some things. I plan a lot of advertising for girls."

***

On Wednesday afternoon, 4/29/98, about 12:30 PM, I wandered through the dark hallways of Gourmet Video and Star World modeling looking for straight-talking New Yorker Rob Spallone. I spotted on the wall in the entrance a framed certificate of agency from some state government office in San Francisco. Rob's slender assistant Sarah, wearing a large ring in her nose, told me she stood in line all day to get that important piece of paper which conveys legitimacy and government sanction on Spallone's work.

Sarah led me outside. In the bright sun, I saw a short, squat muscular man in shorts and a dirty yellow T-shirt break a beam of wood over his head. Crack!

We all gaped. Rob Spallone rubbed his head. It hurt. We shook hands and wandered into his office where the Italian-American owner of Star World modeling gave me the scoop.

Rob: "I know more about this business than people who have been in it for 30 years. I've been in it three years. I owned a topless bar in New York that went out of business. I brought my wife and kids here so I could go to work for my father. I started out as a PA [production assistant].

"I know more, not because I'm smart or nothing, 'cause I did not go to school. It just doesn't take a genius to understand this business. It's a monkey business. A monkey can make one of these movies.

"I want to start with the AIDS thing. When we shoot a movie, we start with the paperwork. If you are going to participate in the movie [have sex on camera], you have to fill out paperwork - model releases, two copies of ID and an AIDS test no older than 30 days.

"This is not a law. It's just industry policy.

"You can get your AIDS test anywhere. There is the George Boros 10-minute clinic in Venice that everyone used to go to. Pay your $35 and you get it done.

"I am shooting a movie. I hire Ken to be here at 11:00. His test is a month old. I can't use him. My father [Rob Spallone who owns Gourmet Video] won't let me do that. Other companies will let it go a bit. So I have to wait for Ken to drive 40 minutes to Venice, spend an hour in the clinic, and drive back. For two-and-a-half hours, I am sitting around jerking off waiting for him. And this has happened lots.

"Most shooting is done in North Hollywood. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that there should be an AIDS clinic need here.

"This [delay] thing happened to me a million times. One day, about a year ago, it happened with two girls in one day. I was very angry. I got in my car and I drove around. I found a clinic on Coldwater and Victory. I met two guys. One a doctor and one an owner. They had been open six months and had 40 customers. They did not do the AIDS ELISA test.

"North Hollywood 10-Minute HIV Test Center is located at 12910 Victory Blvd.

"I walked in and told them what I did for a living. I said that if they found out what test the Venice clinic used, I could send them 200-300 people a month. The ELISA test is like a home pregnancy test. They spin the blood and if it turns a certain color, the test is inconclusive.

"They called me back. They said they had found a more accurate test, and they were going to charge $35. I do not own the place. I am friendly with the doctors. I made it convenient for shooters, for the talent… Everything is beautiful.

"Now, a few people have gotten AIDS [tested HIV positive]. They…the Free Speech Coalition, PAW [Protecting Adult Welfare] are two bulls--- companies. They say they are in business for the health of the people. They are not. They are full of it. They should not be making rules.

"The talent should decide what tests they should take. Not a scumbag like Jim South, or dykes like Bill Margold and Sharon Mitchell.

"FSC decides that talent should now get PCR DNA HIV tests at $250 a pop. These kids can barely pay for the $35 a month test. I call up the doctors at North Hollywood. I tell them to try to find the DNA test as cheap as possible.

"VCA decides that they will pay for all talent to test the first time for the DNA PCN HIV test. My doc found a test for $95. I asked him to not make any money on the test. Just charge $95. He agreed.

"Three days later we found that it was not the right DNA test. Not a PCR test. They finally found another blood lab to do the right test. Sharon Mitchell and Bill Margold thanked me. They said: All we are concerned about is the health of the kids. Thank you very much.

"By my doctor only charging $95 for this test, it forced the other two clinics to lower their price to $95.

"I am a great guy. I did this.

"Jim South has tried to tell people [such as Roy Karch] to not use my clinic, to not shoot in my studio..etc…

"A month ago, Sharon Mitchell told me: "We will do the PCR test one month, and the Elisa the next."

"Three days later, Sharon and Bill decide that with Jim South, they will open up their own clinic, which is totally against the law. They draw blood there now. And they tell talent to not go to the North Hollywood test center. I got angry.

"On Monday, April 13, the producers got together with the Free Speech Coalition. A big meeting. I was listening and raising my hand. They would say, We're not taking questions now. But they kept taking questions from Russ Hampshire [owner of VCA] and all the big shots.

"Finally, I had enough. I stood up. They said: We're not taking questions. What do you mean you are not taking questions? You are answering these guys' questions. What about mine?

"Five minutes before, Sharon the dyke cunt had stood up and given this little speech about how she had brought the price down to $95. She did not do that. I did that.

"Jim South, Bill Margold, and Sharon Mitchell are now telling people that they are not accepting tests from the North Hollywood clinic. That is against the law. My lawyers are working on it.

"I found out today: On each test is a raised seal. If someone faxes you a test result, it is not going to have that seal. Without that seal, anyone can make it with the typewriter. Some kids have gotten caught switching dates on their HIV test results [Marc Wallice, Frank Towers…] I found out today that Jim South got a seal from the Venice and Norton clinics. So when they fax him tests, he can put a seal on it. That is not right. The only person allowed to put that seal on it is the doctor or nurse who drew the blood. My lawyers are handling this.

"How can Jim South and PAW tell people to not accept test results from a licensed clinic? It is a licensed doctor at the North Hollywood clinic. I do not own it.

"Jim South has told Mitch Spinelli, James DiGiorgio, Dexter from Fat Dog…told people to not shoot in my studio. If they shoot in my studio [Gourmet], they will not be welcome in Jim South's office. Who the f--- is he? If he f---s with me anymore, I will take this modeling agency and rent space next to him. I don't think he will like seeing my face everyday.

"I asked Gene Ross of AVN a month ago to come do an interview with me about the above. Gene said he would love to…but he never got back to me.

"Last week (April 19-26), Dave Hardman was on a set. He gave them his test. And they told him they weren't supposed to accept test results from the North Hollywood clinic. That he had to go take his tests from Sharon Mitchell.

"Dave called me and asked me to straighten this out with Jim and Sharon. I called Gene: We need to do this interview. Gene says he can't. Paul is good friends with Jim South and does not want to rock the boat.

"I replied: Gene, no problem. Just pass this message on: I opened this agency a year ago [spring of 1997]… I make a ton of money. I get along with all the talent. Every girl on this wall you can get from me or Jim South or Reb. Except Christine Wolf. She's mine.

"I tell these girls: I do not care if you are with Jim. If he gets you work, he gets paid. My girls carry around this card: "I _________ am represented by Starworld Modeling Agency in this production. A fee of 10%, not to exceed $60, is to be made payable to myself or Starworld Modeling."

"About three months ago, Cash Markman shot an anal gangbang of Brooke Ashley. Fifty guys did her up the ass. Fourteen of the guys came from me. The guys got paid $100 each. I earned $140 for my 14 guys. Jim South and Reb charge $65 per person whether you pay the talent $100 or $600.

"I have better prices. A lot of people who have been loyal to Jim are now coming to me. Because I work for my money. They just sit around and bill people for anyone who has ever worked through their door. f--- 'em. I never bad mouthed the guy [Jim South] until he did this to me.

"So I told Gene: I will now call the Health Department and every talk show and every newspaper and every church. I will tell them what I do for a living. I make a ton of money. But everybody is getting AIDS all of a sudden. I do not want to be a murderer. I am going out of business. And let me tell you what is going on here.

"And I will shut this whole industry down. Nobody will shoot a porno. I said to Sarah: Get the Health Department on the phone. Then I hung up on Gene.

"Five minutes later he called me back. Rob, please calm down. You do not know what you are saying. I am coming out to do an interview. I talked with Gene for three hours. I told him everything I am telling you.

"Jim South says that I do not have a license. I do. See. [Luke: I saw it.]

"About a year or so ago: LA magazine wrote about Jim South that he represents most of the world's porn talent. The article says: Jim South has a non-dating policy in his office.

"Jim South gets blow jobs from girls. I've talked to girls who've said they've sucked his dick. I am one of the few guys in this industry who does not fool around. That's why the girls respect me. I am a happily married man. I love my wife. I have kids. I would not touch one of these girls with a rock. Any girl that you tell to take off her clothes and climb into the dirty dumpster and f---, and does it, is not my type of girl.

"Jim South has had his dick sucked by these girls. His son Jim South Jr. dates these girls. Steve Austin is in the movies. He did a scene in my parking lot two months ago for Sin City.

"AVN kept telling me they could not interview me. Yet they print everything. Kevin Beech on Midnight gets into a car accident and they write about it. They print everything. If a girl gets hit by her boyfriend, they print it. But they did not want to print this.

"The talent is under the impression that Jim South has AVN bulls---ted. My father's company [Gourmet] paid him $600-$700 a month for years. Steve Hatcher has been in the business a long time ago. Hasn't been in Jim South's office for years. Yet if you use Steve Hatcher, you'll get a bill from Jim South. Jim is a dog, a pimp and a piece of s---. He f---ed with the wrong guy.

"The North Hollywood clinic now offers the DNA PCR test for $85. Best price around. Don't just not go there because Jim South, or Bill Margold or Sharon Mitchell told you not to. Who are they to tell you where to go? I am going to tell you where you to get gas or a haircut? Are they the Mafia that can tell me where to get my garbage picked up? They can all come down here and suck my dick.

"I came out here three years ago to work for my father. Roy Karch directed movies for my father and hired the talent. I worked as a PA. After five years, I started hiring the talent. I never met Jim South. Reb only once. When he came to pick up his wife, a very nice lady who worked as a PA.

"I started booking talent. The girls did not mention that I had to pay any agent. Then I found out that my father was paying Jim South and Reb $600 a month. Dad, what are you doing? Let's open our own agency. It took us a year to get our license.

"Gourmet happens to be one of the only companies in the business that has never bounced a check. Yet Reb starting spreading rumors about us.

"One day Jim South held a talent call. I went to his building. I passed my card around. Before I opened this agency [Starworld Modeling - similar name probably meant to piss off Jim.]. Roy Karch ran over to Jim and said that is the kid from Gourmet. Jim came over to me: Can I help you? I said, no, I'm just looking at the talent. He walked away. He did not have the balls to tell me to leave because he is a cunt. Five months later, Jim holds another talent call. I have my own agency now. I know that I can't go to Jim's call. I put a rumor out that I was going to his talent call. I had no intention of doing it.

"I told my friends to meet me outside of Jim's building at one PM. We show up. We see guys on every corner with walky talkies. Ten guys are only talking about: Where is that Spallone kid? I go outside. Steve Austin, twice my size, comes over and gets in my face. "You're Rob from Gourmet, you can't be here."

Rob: "I can't what?"

Steve: "You can't be here soliciting girls. You better get out of here."

Rob: "I better do what? Suck my f---ing dick. Get out of my face."

"He gets on his little walky talky and says, "I need help…"

"Ten guys come down. I tell them: "I aint going anywhere. Don't tell me what to do. I am in the public street."

They: "What happens when you have a talent call and we come?"

Rob: "My father owns the building. You come on to our property, I will tell you to leave. You don't leave, I will shoot you and leave you in the place to die. You cunts."

"Rob: I hung out for another 45 minutes and handed out my card to girls. Then I left. I am not a tough guy. I ain't a wise guy. I am doing nothing wrong. You can't stop me.

"I just heard about you [Luke] yesterday. You [Luke] printed something yesterday that made me look like a liar [a quote from S. Andrew Roberts]. If I was a bad guy, I would take your tape recorder and stick it up your ass… You can print what you want. When you are done with me, go over to Jim South's office and ask him if he told Mitch Spinelli, Roy Karch, Dexter….to not shoot at Gourmet? Then ask Mitch, Roy or Dexter?

"They are not on my payroll. Randi Lee, Dave Hardman, Candy Apples, Chandler were told that they could not use my AIDS test. f--- Jim South, Sharon Mitchell… I am not going away. If you want to f--- with me, I will move my office next to Jim's or I will close the whole industry down.

"I am 35 years old. I can go get another job. They haven't met anyone like me. I close the whole industry down.

"The talent does not care who their agent is. They do not have a contract. They are not Vivid girls. If you can get them work, they will go with you. They are not concerned about Jim South… Regan Sentner gets people work. He got me a girl. I paid him.

"Regarding the current HIV crisis: These kids are playing Russian Roulette. It's their decision. They should be making the rules. If they want to wear condoms, they should wear condoms. If a girl does not care, then she should not wear condoms. The problem is the shooters: Every time there is an AIDS scare, people say they are going condom-only.

"Dave Hardman was here Friday for two hours, talking as fast as I am talking to you right now. I'm condoms only. This kid works six times a week. By Monday he'd changed his mind. For he lost all his work.

"Last year, when Nena Cherry tested HIV positive, I told the talent that they were welcome to use my studio, at no charge, to have a meeting. And about 80 people showed up.

"I think the talent should meet every month, not just when someone shows up HIV positive.

"I send people to PAW to get their first free test (HIV DNA PCR), but PAW/FSC force them to cough up $50 to join the FSC before they will give them their free test.

"All kinds of people are attracted to performing sex on camera. From prostitutes to drug addicts… Curtis Cleveland, Ron Jeremy [Juli Ashton]… used to be school teachers.

"I get calls all the time from guys who want to be in the business. They tell me how big their dick is. I don't care how big their dick is. Can you f--- in front of ten people with a light up your ass? To hire a new guy, you have to bring a new girl, pretty, and she is willing to work with you, bring her. And if you can't perform, she'll work with someone else. Then I'll hire you."

Rob represents 150 performers. "They come and go. These kids change their numbers like you and me take a shower every day. "

Rob's father is Joe Spallone. "His partner Howie (Howard Wassenman) was the first guy to shoot a porno on video. I have the modeling agency and the studio. It is separate from Gourmet. You can't own both. That's why Jim South is not an agent. He shoots as well. It's a law that agents can't shoot.

"Do I like the business? No. I have never met so many scum bags in my whole life. Few nice people. They will stab their own mothers in the back. Gabor at Heatwave. A drug dealing punk. He will hire you to shoot movies for him for $6000. You could shoot for him for a year, but when someone else comes along who will do it for $5500, you're fired.

"They are all full of s---.

"Every time there's an AIDS scare, the shooting schedule slows down. Until it blows over. What about the poor girl with AIDS? It ain't over with her. My father asked everybody to stop shooting for two months. Everybody shut up.

"Russ Hampshire at the FSC meeting [4/13/98] said he was going condoms only. Just for the sex. [Will keep using facial cum shots.] The Chinese scientist the FSC hired says that the fastest way to get AIDS is to get a cum shot in the face, and the girl gets cum in her eye.

"AIDS is a scary thing. And anal is a bad part of this AIDS thing. Stop the anal. But it's never going to be 100% safe because a lot of these girls are prostitutes and junkies. If these kids f--- for a living… They are not horny. They do not need to go out and get laid. If they stay with their partners, and don't cheat, and get tested…They should be the safest people in the world. Obviously, somebody is doing something out there. If you've got two girls who just got it. There's a guy out there giving it. There's not a doubt in my mind that one or two guys with AIDS are forging tests right now. And there are lots of producers and directors out there [John Bone] who should be getting this AIDS test.

"Many producers say to the talent: You wanna work? You gotta suck my dick. You gotta f--- me. We don't do that at Star World.

"I don't have to worry about that. I do not even touch the towels that they [performers] use. Never mind touch one of the girls.

"My wife thinks this business is disgusting. And it is. These people will do anything for money. And the pimp boyfriends are the best. They don't work. They carry the suitcase. They wipe the cum off of her face. Next life, I am marrying a porno girl.

"If you're a dancer [stripper], you make a few movies [porno] and then go out and feature. You don't make any money here. Four years ago the average budget was $15,000. Today it is $6000 to shoot one of these movies."

The average girl works for $400-$600. The average guy $150-$250. Highest paid girl - maybe $1000. Guy - $500.

Rob provides some talent for male-male shoots but none of his guys, Rob says, work both straight and homo.

Rob says that if AVN prints his interview, then he won't call the Health Department.

"AVN gives people knowledge about the business. I don't read the thing. I don't care how many stars my movie got. A monkey could direct this stuff.

"Other directors in this business think they are Stephen Spieldberg. "Oh, I got four As." Big deal. One thing sells these movies - the boxcover, unless you are a Wicked, VCA or Vivid…

"I shot Waters Hos for $6200 in my parking lot. No script. Put pretty girls in it. Simon worked for Yosef and Rita at Factory Home Video. He went on his own and got an office on Sunset Boulevard. Shot a movie for $40K. Beverly Hills Sweats. He called me up…asked about the AVN review. He got two stars [as many as Luke F-rd's What Women Want, which I made for Yosef and Rita at Sunshine Films for $4000]."

John Bone calls in.

Rob: "You're a busy guy. You mentioned something about PAs. Two? How much are you paying them? I give them $150 each. They are not moving much s---. Give them $100 each. They are not doing anything except cleaning up for you."