Boy Crush production manager Andy Kay emailed me last week to discuss a subject he has been concerned about for some time. The controversy over testing and condom use in Gay Porn.
Why this is such a hot button political issue in porn in 2010 is frankly amazing but illustrates why so much political discourse in the USA today results in absolute gridlock.
Right now the porn industry is split between two widely divergent practice’s on set, the straight industry far larger than gay porn is almost completely condom-less (bareback) while very rigid about testing all performers and banning ALL STD positive performers from work. In California (where the bulk of straight porn is shot) AIM (The Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation) testing is the standard in straight porn.
Gay Porn is the polar opposite with almost universal use of condoms on set (some exceptions) with absolutely no testing of porn performers by mainstream establishment Gay Porn studios. In short Gay Porn relies solely on a cheap piece of latex while straight porn relies entirely on AIM testing as the firewall against STD infection among porn performers.
The result has been periodic “HIV scares” in Straight porn in 2004 and this fall with Gay4Pay model Derek Burts AKA Derek Chambers. You do not have the equivalent (STD scares) in Gay Porn simply because no one tests except a handful of studios (Next Door,Chaosmen and Boy Crush) the result in Gay Porn can be likened to the Ostrich effect bury your head and hope that condom don’t break. Also you have the maybe intended effect of keeping HIV positive performers out of the news (exception was Mason Wyler who worked at Next Door which tests)
Andy Kay wanted to talk about the Testing,Condom and Bareback policy that Twink studio BoyCrush has implemented which involves advanced PCR DNA testing for HIV (includes detection up to within days of the test)and full panel STD tests and use of condoms or no condom depending on model preferences.
Andy my first thoughts based on your statement on testing and condoms in a very strong post on your blog excerpted below.
“I wanted to take this opportunity to talk a little about Boycrush Studios’ testing policy. I’ve worked at a lot of different studios and don’t know any who go to the lengths we do.
Each of our models is full panel tested for HIV and STDs before they shoot. We keep these tests current and if there is any question to whether a boy needs to be tested again the answer is always yes.
We also get new models a PCR DNA test which lets us know if the model is positive in up to a few days after contraction. We are doing absolutely everything we can to keep our boys safe and in the last eight years Boycrush has never had anyone contract anything on our sets.
I’ve unfortunately had to be at the AIM testing facility on a few occasions where new models tested positive the day of their shoots and didn’t know previously. The first time this happened the boy was scheduled to shoot with ME that day. If we hadn’t gotten him tested, that shoot could have been the cause of me contracting HIV.
When I think of all the bullshit I’ve heard since I started in this industry about condoms and their solidarity, it infuriates me. The terrible safe sex policies of some go hand in hand with the people who think yelling the same three words over an over again makes a good, informative PSA.”
DeWayne; Okay sounds sensible you test and a very advanced testing regimen at that and you shoot bareback porn. So ChiChi Larue wont have you on her Xmas card list and Treasure Island Media will say your wasting your money on “testing” since their policy is don’t ask just fuck and breed.
Now your in a lonely position Jake Cruise Media,Chaosmen and BoyCrush are the only studios I know in Gay Porn who test and shoot condom-less porn. Next Door Studios shoots condom only and TESTS.
Everyone (well almost) would agree BoyCrush is responsible with testing performers, but why shoot bareback at all?
Andy Kay; Several reasons; first, It’s lucrative, obviously. Bareback sells way more than condom, especially when it comes to DVDs. Also, I think its a big double standard that most of straight porn is bareback and gay porn isn’t. We know that a ton of our members love bareback porn and we’ve been working on Baretwinks since we started Boycrush.
If we weren’t going to the lengths we do to make sure everyone’s tested I don’t think I could condone it, but in this situation, I think it’s ok. We don’t run our business sketchily. We don’t force people to shoot bareback if they don’t want to. We have a new model out here now that decided he didn’t feel comfortable shooting bareback when he got out here and it’s an easy fix, we just add condoms.
DeWayne; You are a performer as well as producer of porn, you said in your statement Wednesday one of the potential models you had tested was positive and you were scheduled to shoot with this model. Kind of brings it home, are you comfortable with bareback? Or do you feel knowing your status and your partners means two responsible people should be able to fuck sans condom?
Andy Kay; That was a very scary situation, but again, testing was my saving grace. I believe we were going to shoot that scene with condoms but I’m still not comfortable shooting with a positive model even if protection is involved. I wouldn’t have models do something I’m not comfortable doing myself. If you look at my work at other studios, you’ll notice the only company I’ve ever done bareback porn for is Boycrush Studios. You’ll also notice that this is the only company I’ve worked for that tests their models every month.
Now, I sent in my test results to Daddy Mugs, Afton, and Lucas when I shot for them even though it wasn’t required but I’d never shoot bareback without getting tested the day of with the other model. Same as in my personal life. I have bareback videos with my ex, Seth Serenity, on xtube but you better believe we were both tested before that was filmed.
DeWayne; What about this argument from the condom nazi camp that porn must serve as a sexual role model for the pornsumer that what Monkey sees Monkey will do?
Andy Kay; Bareback sex has been around long before the internet made porn household accessible. I’ve heard that claim a lot but you have to remember that it’s just a theory. Those pro-condom people aren’t scientists or psychologists that have done massive and accurate studies on the subject. They’re porn industry workers.
Is it likely that people would want to perform the acts they see in really hot porn? Absolutely, but we don’t force people to not use condoms. These aren’t children we’re working with, these are teens and adults who have gone through sex education and should know at least the basics. It’s easy to try to place the blame on bareback porn because some companies aren’t responsible about model safety, but if you shoot known positives or models who just might be infected even with condoms, you’re doing something far worse. We will never shoot a model who has even the slightest chance of being positive even if condoms are involved. It’s just far too risky.
Porn might influence people a little but if you’re going to be unsafe in your personal life that’s your decision. No one is making anyone do anything here. It’s like blaming violent video games on violent behavior. The video game companies aren’t the ones that go to jail, it’s the people involved that are at fault.
DeWayne; Do you see a latent stigma against Gay Porn that gay porn performers should wear condoms but its okay for straight performers to bareback? Derrick Burts claims he got HIV from a “gay porn performer on a gay porn set” despite condoms being used.
The implication is clear from Derrick that he could not get HIV on a straight shoot but of course he got it on a gay shoot. Never mind that in Gay Porn it’s the Gay for Pay porn models everyone is bitching about (for precisely this reason)
Andy Kay; I spoke about this in length in my blog post. I think that gays will always get blamed for HIV problems because of the outbreaks in the 80s and 90s. It will be a “gay” disease for a long time. I think that many straight people are unaware that it’s something they can even catch. That makes gay studios an easy scapegoat in HIV transmission cases.
Derrick’s case is so obviously driven by someone’s agenda.[ed note Aids Health Care Foundation] Derek has been proven over the length of this ordeal several times that he’s lying but there’s no sign of a motive for that. I won’t delve into it; my proof only comes from his rentboy profile and his incredibly unrealistic gay porn experience.
The rest you can piece together on your own. The only thing I will point out is Derek’s hypocrisy and the hypocrisy of whoever’s telling him to say what he’s saying, if that person exists. If all studios are forced to wear condoms, it still wouldn’t have saved him from getting it, whether he caught it during oral sex or during a cumshot. People might still think safe sex is hot, but no one is going to think a blowjob with a condom is attractive. The day I’m forced to shoot porn like that is the day I leave the industry.
DeWayne; You mentioned on your blog some of your potential models testing positive during initial screening. New BoyCrush models are 18 to 20 years old shouldn’t we be alarmed that guys this young are already positive?
Andy Kay; Well its a very low number. Maybe 1 or 2 percent of models come in positive; some try to get us to not test them because they already know they’re positive, but our policies don’t change for any reason. It is scary that they’re positive so young, but I don’t blame that on porn necessarily. Few guys come in that know a ton about porn and actually want to work in the industry for a long time. I think that if there is a failure in our system, it comes from lack of proper education when these boys are young. 18 is much to old for someone to be taught about safe sex.
DeWayne; You mentioned on Twitter and I think on your blog that you frequently have to show a new 18 year old model how to put that condom on, they have never used one I would think that might explain why some of them test positive on that initial screening.
Andy Kay; I’d definitely agree.
DeWayne; With 18 yo Twinks showing up positive what do you think this bodes for established Gay Porn studios hiring models in their mid twenties without testing them and expecting the latex to keep them STD free? Isn’t this a irresponsible fantasy on the part of the condom studios?
Andy Kay; For sure, if a person has had a lot more unprotected sex then there’s a much higher chance of them catching something. I have a feeling that sometime in the future these people are going to change their tune and start promoting testing like they’ve been doing it all along. Hopefully that time isn’t too far out.
DeWayne; Where do you do your STD testing in Arizona?
Andy Kay; Fit Health Clinic in Phoenix, AZ. The head doctor and his staff are very accommodating there. He always keeps me updated on new testing procedures and we’ve never had a bad experience in the two years we’ve been going there exclusively. Also, he keeps prices low and I think one thing that most studios who are worried about cost don’t think about is that if you talk to testing places, they will probable be ok with cutting you a deal if you go there all the time. Testing doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg, even testing as much as we do.
DeWayne; Describe for a moment what happens when a potential model is picked up at the airport to the time you actually shoot him in his first scene?
Andy Kay; New models go straight from the airport to the testing facility. That ensures that we get that out of the way and we get the PCR DNA test results back as quickly as possible. No model is allowed to shoot bareback before that test arrives. Then the model will shoot his interview which is how we make sure these models are able to perform and that the photos they sent in are accurate and not them three years and forty pounds ago. If the interview goes well then the model is ready to start the shoot week.
DeWayne; BoyCrush was a condom only Studio from its inception in 2005 till BareTwinks was launched in 2008 as a separate line. Why did the studio go into condom-less porn relatively late?
Andy Kay; That’s actually not true. Bryan filmed bareback content ever since Boycrush began in 2005. He just did it at a very slow rate. We launched Baretwinks in 2008 with something like 30 scenes and 10 more updates ready. It took 4 years to compile all that, hence why you’ll see really really old SD scenes on Baretwinks. He’d been planning to launch Baretwinks a lot earlier but there were a lot of delays and it just didn’t end up happening til then. I feel better now that the sites are combined though. Will our mobile capabilities and wider range of video format options, we are now totally up to date on both sites.
DeWayne; This fall BareTwinks was folded into BoyCrush under one studio line you shoot with and with out condoms, who decides how a scene will be shot?
Andy Kay; The models actually do. We’ll have some DVDs that we’ll need to shoot bareback or condom but most scenes the models can pick what they want to do other than that. It helps us ensure that the models aren’t doing anything they’re not comfortable doing (although honestly most want to shoot bareback and we sometimes have to shoot the scene with condoms so we’re more balanced).
DeWayne; In 2007 Bareback Gay Porn production in the United Kingdom essentially came to a halt when 3 porn performers at LoadXXX tested positive, the resultant outcry (BBC News-night) and political pressure resulted in most porn studios going back to condom only shoots.
It looks like BoyCrush could easily enact a moratorium on condom-less shoots if need be so my question if you had to shoot condom only would you continue to test?
Andy Kay; Yes, we’ve had plenty of shoot weeks where we shoot condom only content and every model is still tested. It’s the principle of the thing.
DeWayne; Do you think the “Wrap it Up” mantra and “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policies of the Big Gay Porn Studios is about model health or masking the large number of HIV positive models suspected to be in the business?
Andy Kay; I honestly don’t know. I feel like there are tons of models who are positive and don’t know it but unless everyone is tested, you can’t know for sure. I think it will be brought to light a little bit in the next few coming months, people like Howard [Fabscout]are beginning to test more and more as well as companies like Gay Life Network (thanks to Preston Andrews who told me he found a free clinic and took every model there himself to make sure everyone was tested.) There are some people in this industry who can see the bigger picture and I hope more will emerge soon.
DeWayne; So who has the better “ethical standard” Straight porn who insists all models MUST be STD free in order to work or Gay Porn that secretly says all models should be able to work despite whatever STD’ they may have?
Andy Kay; Even in my first PSA [Below] I spoke about my admiration for the straight industry’s way of doing things. It may show a lack of sympathy when I say this but I’m firm in my stance that if you catch an STD that can’t be cured but can be passed on to others then you don’t have any place in the porn industry. You can catch more than one strain of HIV which is why I don’t agree with the companies who dont test and only shoot positive models. There’s just too much risk involved and I’d hope the models who are in that position can see that on their own.
DeWayne; So your not saying someone with an STD cannot have an active sex life, they just do not have a right to a job in porn? Or at BoyCrush?
Andy Kay; Absolutely. I don’t have any control over what models do in their personal lives, I can only advise them on that. When it comes to the studio I represent, however, it’s not going to happen.
DeWayne; Finally lets get back to porn, you can watch a bad bareback scene and a scorching hot condom scene do you think this controversy is more about Porn Politics than health which most of the companies on the extremes do not seems to care that much about?
Andy Kay; It’s ALL about politics when it comes to the industry’s position. The more you talk shit about your competitors, the better your company looks, right? I don’t think most of the Team Condom side of the industry could give two shits whether my company tests or not, as long as we’re using condoms.
Aside from the politics, I want my company to continue to grow and flourish. If condom porn suddenly began to sell really well and bareback plummeted, you bet we’d shoot a lot more Boycrush than Baretwinks.
DeWayne; Do you see an anti-porn agenda on the part of Aids Health Foundation in California and its Porn Hysterics campaign?
Andy Kay; I’m not really sure what to think of that. When the AIM clinic(news story) in Sherman Oaks got closed by LA county I was pretty surprised. But then again, if the porn industry can’t get their shit together, then the state or national government is probably going to intervene. I wouldn’t call it an anti-porn agenda, just an extreme way to deal with a problem with a more simple answer.
Thanks Andy!
Andy Kay PSA
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BoyCrush Production Manager @AndyKayBC on Testing,Bareback,Condoms and the Derrick Burts controversy.
I like his stance, they don’t force models to do bb, (some studios might pressur there models) and that they test right away etc. and the fact that every model should be tested mo matter if it’s condom and bareback. as for the comment that he has to show how to put on a condom, speaks also to the fact that now after abstinence only did more harm then it actually good, which I don’t agree with at all abstinence isn’t realistic.
Andy Kay is absolutely correct. A bit late for a more complete response. More tomorrow.
Andy Kay is not only not correct, he is morally bankrupt, and a shameful excuse for a human being. All that matters is that they make money plain and simple. He calls objections “More Condom Crap”. Well the next time you choose to demean every person I had to bury in my life I suggest you keep it to yourself. To suggest that the other side of your need to make money and fighting for the life and death of models is crap speaks to the oxygen deprivation you suffer with your head being so far up your ass.
Holding your pathological need to let young men know how important and sexy bareback sex is because you need to make money is as repulsive as your camera work. Moral bankruptcy may mean money in the bank, but you have blood on your hands, not that you would care. It sells better. As for the moronic comment from whomever Drew 85 suggesting that saying that condoms are people asking for abstinence is just that moronic.
Andy Kay can take his shave off their pubic hair and make them look 12, with the crappiest camera work on the planet garbage and shove it where his head is. After all that hole passed 100,000 miles years ago and there is plenty of room.
Am I mad dam right. You manipulate these impressionable young men into thinking that putting their lives at risk is ok. it is shameful, and an insult to every one that has died before decided that what mattered was what makes money. This industry is coming down around your ears because you all refused to police yourselves, and care about the safety of your models. You self-righteous proclamations that you test and that makes you better then others is self-serving nonsense that simply dresses up a corpse. You act like you are better than the revolting and insane murderer Paul Morris, when in reality all you are is Paul Morris with shaved crotch hair and crappy camerawork.
“More Condom Crap” tell that to Kurt Marshall, Lance, Al Parker,Tim Kramer….. I could go on with many names your condom crap diminished, but why would you care about human beings. Many of us who lost so many still cry ourselves to sleep every night. Our hearts were ripped out and stomped on many years ago, but I will be dammed if I will stand by and
watch some talentless young hack puff up his chest and call this madness “Condom Crap”. This is insane, the idea that a condom to protect is less important then you making money shows you for what you are. As the walls come down around you, and one of the young men you lure in pays for your greed with his life who cares you made money.
I noticed the tweet on this post go up and my thinking was oh boy wait till ChiCHi Fabulous gets wind.
Not far off instead its Kevin Clarke who comes into spew his moral indignation all the nasty bareback producer. Save us from the liberal crusaders as much as the Conservative ritghtous they are cut from the same whole cloth only they know what is best for you and me.
Don’t get me started on how many young men Kevin Clarke filmed in his hey day who would up tossed aside. Was it his porn that corrupted them? That is what the christians would say indeed sounds like Mr.Clarke has joined them
Will be be burning Andy Kay at the stake now?
I suggest he climb on that fire first to make sure its hot enough!
What wretched disgusting tripe.
Kevin, you misunderstood what Drew85 wrote. He meant that the fact that 18-year-olds have to be taught how to put on condoms means that abstinence-only education is dangerous because those courses do NOT teach students how to use condoms, because if they’re using condoms they aren’t abstaining. It’s actually a very good point.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Dewayneinsd, daniel harcourt. daniel harcourt said: * "I noticed the tweet on this post go up and my thinking was oh boy wait till ChiCHi Fabulous gets wind.Not fa…" http://bit.ly/hcqzxR [...]
In all of recorded history, abstinance is only known to have failed once.
Thank you and you are correct to what I was saying.
[...] interviewed me on the subject of testing once again. The you can read it here. Mad props to Dewayne for his support. I’m just going to say this once just because I’m [...]
“Once in a generation a “Twink” movie aspires to move to the head of the pack and take it place at the top of the heap. In 1999 I succeeded with “The American Way” and today “Twinkblood” takes it’s place next to the classics of that genre. The story, the special effects and the SEX are all first rate. What comes across best is that everyone involved was having fun. If you thought great movie making had descended into a world of loops this instant classic will remind you that people who care about and love what they do are out there and that if this is any indication of what these people are capable of then we all have a lot to look forward too… Simply Superb ”
Kevin Clarke
Remember that? Our policies have only gotten more safe. Doesn’t look like you had any problem with our content or how we ran things back then . . .
Sexually transmitted diseases have been around since sex began. AIDS/HIV is just the most notorious at this time. Some soldiers returning from the Viet Nam conflict had some ghastly stuff. We must not ignore or forget Chlamydia, syphilis, crabs, anal warts,…you get the idea.
Acting in porn is only a full time job for a tiny few. (Irony intended!) For most, it is a fun and easy way to make a few bucks quickly and maybe have an adventure. A good studio will pay a fair rate and take good care of it’s talent. To do that they must make a profit,….DUH!
A studio head (PZP) once criticized a model (SC) for not revealing his medical condition. I believe the studio must know (test) the medical condition of it’s actors. Adult studios need to be licensed, insured and liable for any STD transmission. That would also mean testing after the shoot.
The use of condoms is a personal choice. Of course sex is better with direct flesh contact. Some may prefer the extra protection. Their choice. Watching some guy use a condom is not going to convince me to have DeWayne put a condom on. We are long distance but abstinence works.
I am almost exactly 5 years older than Chi Chi LaRue. I watched many good men go down to a horrible death. Testing may not have been available at that time but condoms were. Safe sex is not a new idea. It was available to there grandfathers. In the end, the choice was there’s. Regretting the choices of the dead is not an excuse to blame the living.
BoyCrush takes models from the airport to be tested immediately. They do not even do a solo scene until those results are in. At his time in history, that seems about as responsible a position as one can take.
The only porn movie review I have had published was ‘Emo Twinks’ by Candy Spookie Studios. It was all condom except one scene. Kyros Christian and Dillon Samuels did not use a condom in their one scene together. There was no need. They had committed themselves together in a marriage act. There are exceptions and there are personal preferences. God gave us the right to choose.
I have held off responding to comments on the blog until my anger cooled a bit, one thing I have learned in 3 and a half years of blogging do not comment or post when you are white hot. You can’t think straight and you rarely make sense.
First; I want to thank Andy Kay for an excellent interview and giving me the chance to post on a subject which has consumed so much of the Adult Press the last week. You do not have to agree with Andys stance on bareback porn,testing and condoms but he has aright to voice his opinion.
In fact Andy Kay is uniquely qualified on the subject he is not only a producer of porn (both condom and bareback) he is also a model. He is not asking ANYONE at Boy crush to do anything more or less than he has!
Bareback porn is the shooting standard in straight porn, in gay porn it has always been highly charged and controversial. Part of the reason is the self-loathing Gay Men all too often fall into, the other is the bullshit that AIDS is a “gay disease” which it is not. The result has been a depiction many times by gay men who should no better that gay sex is dirtier than straight sex.
And must be sanctioned.
The handful of modern Gay Studios who shoot bareback porn have endeavored to make the practice safer by MODERN PCR DNA testing. To my thinking and to most who shoot bb and test, an STD free performer is a SAFE MODEL. If you wish to buy a double layer of assurance and add a condom I don’t think anyone would object.(no matter how unnecessary)
I might add since I post content from Chaosmen,BoyCrush,Helix and Jake Cruise Media that contains some bareback content I encouraged Andy Kay to explain how Boy Crush conducts testing and decides when and how to shoot sans condom.
Now Mr.Clarke
I am frankly appalled at the irrational and unhinged behavior displayed by Mr.Clarke last night, while I have known for sometime that Clarke holds great personal animosity toward Andy Kay I was not expecting such a spittle filled outburst of vitriol and unbridled hate.
And it was completely unnecessary. Kevin Clarke was someone until last night who I greatly respected both as a director and a writer. If he had asked to make a rebuttal post to Andy Kay as to why he is opposed to TESTING and why he supports mandatory condom use in porn. I would certainly posted his response. Indeed I have posted Clarke’s well written posts before.
Instead Clarke decided to launch a personal ad hominum attack on a young man out of his own personal issues of jealousy and hate. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem
Quite frankly Clarke abrogated his arguments in the first paragraph.
So what is Mr.Clarkes issue? And what does this have to do with bareback,testing and condoms?
Not a damn thing!
The hostility shown by Clarke to Andy Kay predates the launch of BareTwinks in 2008. As Andy pointed out in his comment today Kevin Clarke mentored Bryan in the early days of BoyCrush. You will note nowhere in Kevins diatribe does he mention Bryan yet he as the owner is the one that implemented STD testing and bareback production at BoyCrush. Not Andy Kay so why is Andy singled out?
In 2007 Kevin Clarke informed me first about BareTwinks telling me that Bryan had told him in a phone call and described the testing precautions to be taken. While Clarke was not pleased he had a measured and CALM response.
Why the diametrically opposed attitudes displayed to Bryan vs Andy Kay?
This is all very simple to see, in myriad conversations it has been made very clear to me that Kevin Clarke views Andy Kay as a no talent hack, he could barley contain himself in heaping abuse and scorn the last two years.
Why you may ask?
Andy Kay is successful at his work, at 22 owns his first home and has a career in Gay Porn in front and behind the camera. Andy Kay is highly respected in porn, with demand for his freelance videography in and out of porn. If he was truly inept its very unlikely that The Gay Life Network or Thexis would have actively sought out and used Mr.Kays talents.As a model he was sought out by Michael Lucas,Helix and Afton Nills.
To sum up it does not take a Psyche degree to figure out what is wrong with an embittered man who repeatedly reminds everyone ad nauseum he has not been shown proper deference for his accomplishments in porn.
That may be true but one can’t help but wonder if lack of recognition for ones achievements is more a reflection on personality and ones personal vendettas against anyone that man perceives has slighted him or not shown him “proper respect”
Excuse Mr.Clarke you were a Pornographer I think most people in this buisness who are not on their DYI pedestal realize that the only artistic qualifications in Porn
Involve making money
and focusing and pointing a camera in the right direction!
If you can do a bit more than that and suck up and be nice to some people you might get a piece of Lucite for your mantel. If not all you can expect from your peers in porn is one giant
FUCK YOU!and Go To Hell!*
Not hard to see what path Mr.Clarke chose as he has one very empty mantle!
I can’t help but notice that is Mr.Clarkes overriding opinion of HIS peers in Gay Porn is *(See above)
Karma Mr.Clarke your generation was supposed to have written the book on that!
I have held off responding to comments on the blog until my anger cooled a bit, one thing I have learned in 3 and a half years of blogging do not comment or post when you are white hot. You can’t think straight and you rarely make sense.
First; I want to thank Andy Kay for an excellent interview and giving me the chance to post on a subject which has consumed so much of the Adult Press the last week. You do not have to agree with Andys stance on bareback porn,testing and condoms but he has aright to voice his opinion.
In fact Andy Kay is uniquely qualified on the subject he is not only a producer of porn (both condom and bareback) he is also a model. He is not asking ANYONE at Boy crush to do anything more or less than he has!
Bareback porn is the shooting standard in straight porn, in gay porn it has always been highly charged and controversial. Part of the reason is the self-loathing Gay Men all too often fall into, the other is the bullshit that AIDS is a “gay disease” which it is not. The result has been a depiction many times by gay men who should no better that gay sex is dirtier than straight sex.
And must be sanctioned.
The handful of modern Gay Studios who shoot bareback porn have endeavored to make the practice safer by MODERN PCR DNA testing. To my thinking and to most who shoot bb and test, an STD free performer is a SAFE MODEL. If you wish to buy a double layer of assurance and add a condom I don’t think anyone would object.(no matter how unnecessary)
I might add since I post content from Chaosmen,BoyCrush,Helix and Jake Cruise Media that contains some bareback content I encouraged Andy Kay to explain how Boy Crush conducts testing and decides when and how to shoot sans condom.
cont next comment
Now Mr.Clarke
I am frankly appalled at the irrational and unhinged behavior displayed by Mr.Clarke last night, while I have known for sometime that Clarke holds great personal animosity toward Andy Kay I was not expecting such a spittle filled outburst of vitriol and unbridled hate.
And it was completely unnecessary. Kevin Clarke was someone until last night who I greatly respected both as a director and a writer. If he had asked to make a rebuttal post to Andy Kay as to why he is opposed to TESTING and why he supports mandatory condom use in porn. I would certainly posted his response. Indeed I have posted Clarke’s well written posts before.
Instead Clarke decided to launch a personal ad hominum attack on a young man out of his own personal issues of jealousy and hate. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem
Quite frankly Clarke abrogated his arguments in the first paragraph.
So what is Mr.Clarkes issue? And what does this have to do with bareback,testing and condoms?
Not a damn thing!
The hostility shown by Clarke to Andy Kay predates the launch of BareTwinks in 2008. As Andy pointed out in his comment today Kevin Clarke mentored Bryan in the early days of BoyCrush. You will note nowhere in Kevins diatribe does he mention Bryan yet he as the owner is the one that implemented STD testing and bareback production at BoyCrush. Not Andy Kay so why is Andy singled out?
In 2007 Kevin Clarke informed me first about BareTwinks telling me that Bryan had told him in a phone call and described the testing precautions to be taken. While Clarke was not pleased he had a measured and CALM response.
Why the diametrically opposed attitudes displayed to Bryan vs Andy Kay?
This is all very simple to see, in myriad conversations it has been made very clear to me that Kevin Clarke views Andy Kay as a no talent hack, he could barley contain himself in heaping abuse and scorn the last two years.
cont
Why you may ask?
Andy Kay is successful at his work, at 22 owns his first home and has a career in Gay Porn in front and behind the camera. Andy Kay is highly respected in porn, with demand for his freelance videography in and out of porn. If he was truly inept its very unlikely that The Gay Life Network or Thexis would have actively sought out and used Mr.Kays talents.As a model he was sought out by Michael Lucas,Helix and Afton Nills.
To sum up it does not take a Psyche degree to figure out what is wrong with an embittered man who repeatedly reminds everyone ad nauseum he has not been shown proper deference for his accomplishments in porn.
That may be true but one can’t help but wonder if lack of recognition for ones achievements is more a reflection on personality and ones personal vendettas against anyone that man perceives has slighted him or not shown him “proper respect”
Excuse Mr.Clarke you were a Pornographer I think most people in this buisness who are not on their DYI pedestal realize that the only artistic qualifications in Porn
Involve making money
and focusing and pointing a camera in the right direction!
If you can do a bit more than that and suck up and be nice to some people you might get a piece of Lucite for your mantel. If not all you can expect from your peers in porn is one giant
FUCK YOU!and Go To Hell!*
Not hard to see what path Mr.Clarke chose as he has one very empty mantle!
and Mr.Clarkes overriding opinion of HIS peers in Gay Porn is *(See above)
Karma Mr.Clarke your generation was supposed to have written the book on that!
My history of understanding this whole bareback debate is nowhere as extensive nor deep as many people in the industry. Having said that it is a topic that I have wrestled with in my mind for some time and it is very much an emotional journey of extremes. Perhaps that is why the vitriol surrounding this topic is so out of control.
For those who have read my opinions before I apologise but we need to take emotion out of this and approach it in a methodical way. My background is in managing people and industry requirements and this is topic should be dealt with in the same way. The studios are businesses and the models are either employees or sub-contractors…take the nature of the work out because that is a distraction.
The “so-called” leaders of the industry have a responsibility to provide a “SAFE WORK ENVIRONMENT” first and foremost. That means that when models apply to do work or are asked to work that they provide studios with documentation stating that they are fit to do so. They have an obligation to make sure that their side of things is above reproach and not fall for the current situation where all of the responsibility lies with the models. Not many work places I know get away with that!
The models themselves also have a responsibility to make sure that they are ready for work. Athletes, performers in other spheres, labourers…etc are work ready and models should be no different…their hourly rate is better than most of us, so they also have a responsibility.
If the debate revolves around morals and lifestyle then nothing will happen, and perhaps that is what the industry wants. This is a workplace issue and there are billions of dollars at stake so let’s cut through the crap and fix it.
Personally I do not find bareback scenes any hotter than the other, to me it is, and always will be the people on the camera. We have an obligation to make sure these young men have a future life.
I got tired of seeing “17 Comments.” This one makes 18. I am happier now.
Albert do you straighten the pictures on your walls when you walk by?
oopsie #19 LOL
Bitch. Yes i do. #20
[...] more, I have included a link to an interview at Dewayne In San Diego with Andy Kay in the post Andy Kay on Testing, Bareback, Condoms and Patient Zeta. Andy Kay is the Production Manager for Boycrush Studios, the company behind Bare Twinks. I found [...]
Doubtful J.J considering where your ip address is located that you EVER worked for BoyCrush.