The Aftermath
Opinion/Editorial By The Colonel
June was a heavy month: violence and bloodshed in the streets of Iran, new suicide bombings in Iraq, the economy’s continuing downward spiral, extreme weather across the Unites States, serial celebrity deaths, and of course HIV outbreak in the adult industry. Let’s put the other things aside for a while and focus on this recent HIV incident:
What we know so far, is that AIM detected a HIV positive female performer and quarantined her and the others who have worked with her. There’s no way to verify the exact length of the window of infection and the number of people who are currently on the quarantine list. What we know for certain is that AIM has removed all of the quarantined people from their database, so if you call AIM office or log into their web site to verify a performer’s test and get the message: ‘currently there is no information available on this person’, it means that particular individual is on the quarantine list.
However, some names have been published, including names of the director and the male performer who were involved in shooting the scene with the HIV positive female, allegedly a friend of the director. The male performer has tested twice since the incident, and is waiting for his third test. The shocking part of the story is that he, probably along with the other quarantined performers, look forward to resuming their performing career once they’re removed from the quarantine list. So I need to explain some very important facts about HIV infection/detection, and why they shall never work in the adult industry again.
Since HIV infested the humanity in the mid 80’s, there have been numerous speculations and theories about the origins of HIV, how it operates and how it can be contained and/or treated. I don’t have to get into any of those debates here, the only fact I have to address is that malignant, treacherous HIV virus has the ability to hide and lay dormant, undetected inside a host for months, even years before becoming active and beginning to invade the host. This is what every physician will tell you. In fact, when you get tested for HIV, the lab can never tell you with certainty and beyond the shadow of the doubt whether you’re positive or negative. What the lab tells you is that the HIV virus has not been detected. It means you can be infected, you can be the carrier, you can be the host of a dormant, hidden virus that will eventually strike to destroy you.
Let me give you a hypothetical example: two people get tested for HIV, one has never had any contacts with a HIV positive person, and the other one recently had sex with a HIV positive person. The test results of both indicate: HIV not detected. But which one of them has a higher chance of being infected by a dormant, hidden, yet undetected virus? And why on earth such person should be allowed back to have sex with more people and expose them to such a life threatening disease? Why that person shouldn’t realize and accept the potential danger he can pose to other’s lives, safety and livelihood and jeopardize them for the sake of his personal gain? And why we, as an industry, should tolerate this and pay the price for someone else’s misfortune? How many more lives most be destroyed and what does it take for us to understand?
Therefore, I highly recommend that people involved in the recent HIV incident must be prevented from working in the adult industry and posing potential danger to others. This is an extremely serious issue and I cannot emphasize enough on it’s importance.
* * *
The last decade, we witnessed the tragedy that Marc Wallace brought on the adult industry and many lives he destroyed for the sake of his benefit and gratification. One of his several victims was Karen Stagliano AKA Tricia Devereaux, then a young girl seeking a career in the adult industry. Today, she’s the wife of John Stagliano, one of the most successful producers and directors in the history of adult cinema. But I guarantee you all the power, all the fame and all the wealth in the world cannot and will not give her back the life that Marc Wallace stole from her. The question is: how many more Tricia Devereauxs do we need and how many more can we afford until the powers that be crack down on us and destroy our house of cards? Think about it, and draw your own conclusion.
Colonel,
Are you suggesting that every performer who was on the Q list back in 2004 should be, or should have been, similarly ‘banned’ fro life from the adult industry?
What about second generation contacts?
Isn’t Marc Wallace still working in the industry?
test will show up 95 percent correct in 30 days, and the unigold test will be 100 percent after 6 mons.. the test will be able to pick it up, your body may not show signs of having hiv up to 10 to 20 years, but a test will pick it up in 30 days to 90
What I suggest is when someone comes to contact with a HIV positive person, he/she must either give up the performer career like John and Karen Stagliano did or be banned and prevented from performing like Marc Wallace was.
As for Marc Wallace, since the late 90’s outbreak he was banned from performing. He did however emerged as a director/editor years later and worked for a few people including T.T.Boy, but he wasn’t able to perform again.
And finally, I understand that the test will show %95 accuracy within the 30 days; but what concerns me is the %5 margin of error, and when it come to life and death issues, every margin of error, regardless of how big or small matters.
Yes, Colonel…you are a MD/PHD in infectious diseases, yet can’t diagonose you’re own disease. You have graduated yourself from a financial guru to a Medical Dr. to a PHD. You’re a modern day porn Nostradamus, yet are a legend only in “you’re mind”.
I’m all that plus a bag a chips. Now get the fuck out of my thread or you will be kicked out. We’re talking about a serious issue here and I’ve got no time or tolerance for your annoyance and stupidity.
Wow!, do you threaten everyone like this who dares to face you? You have no medical knowledge or expertise to dispense medical advice, or is that another “expert” opinion of yours?
HIV/AIDS is a very serious issue, but “the colonel” is no authority to look for information.
“Therefore, I highly recommend that people involved in the recent HIV incident must be prevented from working in the adult industry and posing potential danger to others. This is an extremely serious issue and I cannot emphasize enough on it’s importance.”
Shouldn’t anyone who as ANY sexually transmitted disease be “prevented from working in the adult industry”?
I’m not sure I fully understand your reply Colonel. Do you mean every performer who has any contact with an hiv infected person should be banned, or any person who ‘contracts’ hiv should be banned?
And again, what about second generation contact?
John and Karen Stagliano are HIV positive, that is why they dont perform anymore. That is alot different than just having had contact with an hiv positive person.
Any sexually transmitted disease is different from HIV. Chlamydia and gonorrhea are very common in the adult industry, but they’re not life threatening. You can medicate them with antibiotics. Even herpes, as bad as it is, is not life threatening; while HIV is an entirely different issue. It may no longer kill people, but as a life long chronic illness it will change and impact people’s lives, safety and livelihood for the rest of their lives. Fortunately HIV is not common in the straight sector of the adult industry in compare to it’s complexity and size. HIV contraction in the straight sector of the adult industry is something that can be effectively controlled and reduced, if not completely eradicated.
That’s why I recommend performers who become in contact with a HIV positive person, whether they contract and be detected as HIV positive or remain undetected, must be banned and prevented from ever working in the adult industry as performers. I understand it may sound too much, but there’s a risk involved that I personally will never take. I will never work with such performers and I know I’m not the only one who prefers to be more safe than sorry.
“HIV contraction in the straight sector of the adult industry is something that can be effectively controlled and reduced, if not completely eradicated.”
Then why can’t other sexually transmitted diseases that are common/rampant in the porn industry “be effectively controlled and reduced”?
HIV and STDs are two different kinds of diseases with different impacts and different treatments. STDs are mostly caused by bacterias and can be cured immediately by administering antibiotics, while HIV is caused by virus and cannot be cured. Therefore the only thing we can do about it is trying to control and reduce it’s contraction through precaution and foresight.
Colonel, what do you make of the CDC guidelines that say HIV can be accurately detected after 3 months of exposure? If it can be determined that the virus is not present in the person by that time, shouldn’t the quarantine/lifetime ban be lifted? HIV can cause no overt symptoms for several years but as far as I know it really can be detected within months.
Colonel is doing something here. He is what you can being “pragmatic.” Keep it simple stupid. Common sense always comes out ahead of the game. I”m no talent but if I where I’d want some semblance of safety when it comes to whether I”ll be able to have kids some day w/o the dilemma of having a diseasterly disease.
Call me crazy and I can be neurotic and a worrier in the plainest of issues. Bills, appearance, career, reputation, basic bullshit. I mean to say I worry about mundane issues, I couldn’t imagine if I had to worry if today was going to be the day that some poor bastard had std even I don’t even want to say it: hiv/aids, et al.
I’m sure it’s 50x’s as difficult w/ a woman’s perspective what they have to endure on a daily basis. I couldn’t fathom where their feelings lie.
I”d have a hard enough time keeping a hard-on w/ all those jokers standing around idly waiting for the camera’s to roll. Case in point: male performer issue. I realize it’s a rarity to have a voice of reason but what the Arthur is conveying cold hard facts about keeping above ground and at least attempting to live a normal life w/o having to worry about somebody infecting them for their rest of their yrs.
B.c lets be honest, it’s hard enough coping w/ day to day being talent w/ all the shit you get from squares wanting to outcasts you for your living.
In short, and i’m sure particularly nobody wants to see a peer cut their career and or life short b/c of something that could have been avoided in the first place being cautious.
If a person has a possible exposure and tests negative 3 months later, then according to the CDC, they don’t have the virus. The virus can certainly lie dormant and not make you overtly ill but it will be detected 99.9% of the time by current testing methods after 3 months. At 6 months, it’s 100 percent. The absence of symptoms does not mean you will wrongly test negative. People who feel perfectly well test positive all the time. I appreciate that the Colonel and others want a zero tolerance policy for their industry to keep everyone as safe as humanly possible; this is their business, so let them make the rules. What I want to do is dispel the idea the virus is somehow able to evade detection for years. Its a tricky virus but not that tricky. Basically, GQtaste, the standards that will give ethical producers peace of mind are not necessary for anyone outside the industry to remain safe.
Dodger, I respect the CDC guidelines, but as a person and as a producer I have my personal guidelines and responsibilities; and like I said, I prefer to be safe than sorry.
Let’s assume in %99.9 of cases HIV can be accurately detected after 3 months, but what about the %0.1 margin of error? Don’t you think when it comes to life and death issues, every margin of error, no matter how small matter? Let me ask you a hypothetical question: if you meet a woman for a one night stand and somehow find out she had sex with a HIV positive man some months ago, what would you do, even if she presents you with a most recent test result which indicates: HIV not detected. Will you still sleep with her, or will you prefer to be more safe than sorry? I know what I’ll do.
Like GQ said, it’s not about cutting anybody’s daily bread, it’s about being cautious and responsible.
Margins for error? The chances that you’ll die violently while driving to work are many, many times better. Maybe we should all just stay home. Let’s be safe.
well I am not sure about the whole band thing, But I wouldn’t allow that person to come back in 30 days, theres that 5 percent chances, and after three months there’s less than a 1 percent chance…but after 6 months you should be good.
Jeremy, I think we’ve already been through debating this issue and you gave me the answer I expected. So there’s no reason for going back and forth.
Wow, at least you didn’t say ‘trannyfucker’ ten thousand times….
In fact, when you get tested for HIV, the lab can never tell you with certainty and beyond the shadow of the doubt whether you’re positive or negative. What the lab tells you is that the HIV virus has not been detected. It means you can be infected, you can be the carrier, you can be the host of a dormant, hidden virus that will eventually strike to destroy you.
Seems those tests are worthless then.
No dear, those tests are not worthless, they’re inexact, indistinct and uncertain. But that’s all medical science has to offer as of today, which is exactly there’s a margin of error and a risk in having sex with those who were exposed to HIV virus. I hope now you can catch my drift.
“inexact, indistinct and uncertain”… yes.. it’s a scam…
Let me say in conclusion what I see as a profoundly pitiful state of affairs in modern times…. we are collectively much more of a disgrace than the populations who use to born witches and believe in all sorts of nonsense because today we have the internet and the means to access information that is out there… yet we put our blind faith in the holy television and official statements from deemed authorities without critical review and examination of facts or any open debate of controversial and important issues like AIDS, 9-11, rigged Presidential elections, etc, etc. It is indeed profoundly pitiful. Strange coincidence that the “likely cause of AIDS” was announced the same month and year as Orwell’s 1984 book began because there are parallels in modern regards to “double think”, “newspeak” and mindless adherence to authority…
I would never tell a performer whom to work with; it’s their career; it’s their life. But I think a six-month quarantine, followed by a condom-only restriction would be suitable to reasonably ensure the safety of other performers. If others don’t want to work with him for whatever reason, that’s their business. But banning him at the administrative level seems unreasonable, and the same standard isn’t upheld for other higher risk performers. If that were the case, every performer who escorts, every performer who works outside the U.S., and every performer who works or has worked in bi/gay/tranny porn (including many females) ought to be permanently banned as well. After a single low-risk exposure and six-months of consistent negative tests, I find it hard to believe that Dickens poses an unreasonable risk of infection to other performers.
The Colonel is right. John Holmes died. From AIDS. He worked with Ginger and Amber and others. They worked with Ron Jeremy, Peter North, Tom Byron and others. They then worked with many, many girls, and are still working today. So everybody in porn today could have HIV because it could be dormant in everybody, and nobody should be allowed to work anymore. Thanks a lot John Holmes, you ruined the entire adult industry. Everybody needs to be quarantined permanently as The Colonel recommended. It’s a good thing The Colonel can fall back on his degree working with special needs children. Steele, I’ll have a large fries and a McChicken.
Great. Now we have The President on board to enlighten us further.
For the record, John Holmes never worked as a performer in the United States after he contracted AIDS in 1986. He went to Italy and shot a few scenes there, his final movie was The Devil In Mr. Holmes. So Mr. President, all those John Holmes scenes you so obsessively jerk off to were produced prior to February 1986, when He was diagnosed as HIV positive. After all, you’re right about one thing: I do have a degree in working with special children AKA retards. That’s why I’m responding to you right now.
So next we’ll have the Chairman, Emperor, King, Tsar, Kaiser and of course the Pope. Leave the Steele cheapshots to us Mr President. John Holmes was one of the worst scum sucking life forms in porn history. He was the ultimate whore, he pimped himself, he pimped his second wife. Val Kilmer got that weasel pretty good in Wonderland. At least when the Trannyfucker sucks cock and takes it up the ass he does it for a decent sum, not a $5 rock. Okay, who’s the goddamned producer and who at AIM answered the damned phone.
Larry, you forgot to mention Ayatollah, we need a fucking Ayatollah on this board, too. Come on, let’s see which one of you fanboy fuckers will steal my brilliant idea and amuse me and my folks here. Don’t hesitate, there’s enough space on my coat tail for all of you to ride along.
We’ve got The Colonel, We’ve got The General, We’ve got The President. I think We should have a God-Father next..
… and maybe we’ll get a return visit from Dr. Pain or Wayne Mcdaniel
Man, Dr. Pain was great. I also loved that little Neo Nazi monkey punk who used to call himself ComeOnYouGuys. He was so much fucking fun.
But don’t worry Christian, you’re still the best bitch I ever had. Only if you could stop playing War Craft for a second and come here to dance for me a little.
John Holmes worked with Amber Lynn and Tracy Adams in the movie you mentioned Colonel. And in a roundabout way through other male stars and female stars, they are connected to you, and you must be quarantined for life. Unfortunately you will have to find another job as your article details. You can never be too careful. Never.
Here is the thing many people, and I’m assuming you’re one of them, don’t know about The Devil In Mr. Holmes: Paradise Visuals released this title in 1987 and marketed it as ‘John Holmes’ final movie’. Holmes performs in 4 out of 7 scenes in this title, but his scenes were shot a while back in late 1985 and were supposed to be used in various titles, but after Holmes contracted HIV and tested positive in February 1986, Paradise Visuals hold on to those scenes and didn’t release them untill they finally decided to come up with a story with John Holmes in the center, shoot some additional none-sex scenes with him to develop the story, add a few new sex scenes with other performers and make it into ‘John Holme’s final movie’ to cash in on it. See my friend, that’s not magic, that’s just Hollywood.
Besides, I know you can never be too careful, but I also know you must try your hardest, and preventing people who were in contact with a HIV positive person is a part of that effort.
no doubt colonel
I can tell you have not seen The Devil in Mr. Holmes, Colonel. How John Holmes looked in 1985 is not how he looks in this movie. Back then people didn’t know what to look for but you can tell in this movie that he has HIV if not full on AIDS. He has the Rock Hudson look when Hudson made that last appearance on television that shocked everybody. He did another movie at the same time over there with Cicciolina. Cicciolina worked with Ron Jeremy and Christoph Clark. Stop making excuses Colonel, according to your own marching orders you and most people in porn have to be quarantined for life due to possible HIV exposure as a result of this chain.
And Holmes looks exactly the same in the sex scenes as he does in the rest of the movie. Your explanation makes no sense. It’s common knowledge at this point Holmes did those sex scenes after testing positive for HIV.
ok ok
Look Mr. President, I may have a special degree in working with retards, but currently I’m not pursuing that career, so fuck off and go bug somebody else. It maybe common knowledge to douchebag fanboys like you that John Holmes did those sex scenes after testing positive for HIV, but people who were actually in the adult industry long enough to know better can and will tell you that’s not the case; and I don’t have to explain anything to you any further.
The problem with fools like you is the problem with the American people in general: they’re strongly opinoinated and yet poorly educated and ill informed. You run your fucking mouth about anything and everything without even having the slightest idea about what are you talking about. If I present an opinion about the adult industry, it’s because this industry is my life and my livelihood. What the fuck do you have on stake except for too much time on your hand and nothing else to do with your life?
Unlike your false assumption, I don’t dictate anything to anybody, I’m in no position to do that. I only present my opinion, I make recommendations to better this industry and protect the lives, safety and livelihood of it’s workers. That’s why I ended my article by saying: think about it, and draw your own conclusion.
And finally, there are certain risks involved in doing any kind of job, the degree of risk varries depending on what that job is. In the adult industry, HIV conntraction is a serious, life threatening risk; and it’s not everyday that a performer tests positive for HIV or becomes in contact with a HIV positive person. That’s why I recommand those unfortunate ones who do, must be banned and prevented from ever working in the adult industry and seek a career elsewhere. Maybe they can start working with retards like you for instance, I could care less. Do I have the authority to make demands and impose them on an entire industry? Of course not. Can I have my personal guidelines, decide to choose or reject performers for my own projects and make recommendations to others as to what to do to ensure their lives and livehood? Of course yes. So now that we’re clear, piss off and mind your own business and let me mind mine.
Honestly, who gives a damn about John Holmes? He’s a dead AIDS-infected crackhead (and the fact that he had been freebasing for years accounts for the way he looked at the end of his life – sunken and sallow – even before the effects of AIDS had set in). People back in those good ol’ days days of porn didn’t give a good goddam about health and safety, and the excellent diagnostic resources we enjoy today didn’t exist then, as we all know. Today, the idea of industry banishment is a bit ludicrous (and the very word is downright Puritan), as there is no way to enforce anything like that, nor is there any way to validly ascertain who would qualify for banishment or by what criteria. Who is going to appoint the health police? Will people police themselves, or one another, with honesty? The honor system only works with people who are honorable, and this business has always been a little short on that quality.
Colonel, I get what you’re proposing, but I think its practical application is next to impossible. Porn has always been a risky business, people (used to) make a lot of money from it, and it has to this point been blissfully free of outside regulation. Internal regulation is definitely something we should aspire to, but for it to work, everyone has to get onboard. Good luck herding all those cats!
Third Axis, I understand how hard, if not impossible it is to suggest something decent in an indecent industry and indecent times. But I have to do my part anyway, that’s all I can do, the rest is up to each and every individual. I have to speak up, and I hope the day never comes when I look back and say I told you so.
An honorable voice*
The problem with John Holmes is that he got infected in 1984 but…it was dormant and he did test positive only in 1986 so yes…he had it while fuc….with Amber and Ginger and…pretty logic,right?
I don’t think he got HIV in 1984 but The Colonel here is the only person who has ever offered up this theory that Holmes was not HIV+ when he went to Italy in October 1986 to shoot two ENTIRE films with full sex scenes. Cicciolina confirmed it. Amber Lynn confirmed it. Holmes’ business partner Bill Amerson confirmed it, Holmes surviving wife confirmed it and Holmes himself admitted to it before he died. Why would these people who defend Holmes as much as possible not offer the same story as The Colonel about Holmes then? Because it ain’t so. My overall point is not about John Holmes the man, it’s about the holes in The Colonel’s own idea of some lifetime ban for being connected to someone with HIV at any point in time. I’m showing you yourself aren’t even able to live up to it. Your degree of paranoia is not necessary Colonel, nor is it practical. Fortunately HIV is not very easy to catch from female to male.
Allright Mr. President, to close this debate over the fuck up crack head loser who was John Holmes, he did work in Europe briefly with very few partners including international performers Cicciolina, his long time friend and late Moana Pozzi after he tested HIV positive in early 1986. I don’t know why they worked with a HIV positive person, I don’t care to know or speculate either. However he did not work in the United States and/or with American performers after he was diagnosed with HIV in February 1986. Why haven’t you heard the facts behind his final movie: The Devil In Mr. Holmes, and why his wife and closed ones don’t speak about it publicly? Perhaps because they don’t want to for personal reasons. Just like Michael Jackson’s family and closed ones don’t and perhaps will never speak publicly about some of the facts in his life.
There’s so much going on inside every industry that ordinary people don’t hear and don’t know about. For example I don’t know many facts and particulars about the General Motors bankruptcy, because I’m not in the auto industry, and I’ll never know because the insiders will never speak about them. I hope this gets you off my back and on to your own business, assuming you have any business.
Having problems with this thread guys. Comments are disappearing before my eyes. I have to close this comments section until I have time to figure out how to fix this. YOu can still write on all the other ones. Have a good one. xoxoxCindi