Bob Zak, the owner of high-end fetish production house GwenMedia, died of an apparent heart attack last night, the company said. Zak was 51.
GwenMedia Creative Director Jonathan White said Zak’s body was found by his girlfriend, GwenMedia performer Mistress Aradia, accompanied by police, at the Gwen Media offices in Van Nuys.
“His girlfriend had been trying to get a hold of him for a couple of hours,” White explained. “And generally he will answer the phone no matter what he’s doing to get her call, but he didn’t answer, didn’t answer, didn’t answer. And she panicked, hopped in the car, drove over, was really nervous about the situation. She just happened to come across a couple of police officers and asked them to come inside with her and that’s where they made the discovery.”
Zak’s death “was completely out of left field,” White said. “There were no signs of anything being wrong. One minute everything is fine, the next minute I’m getting a phone call saying ‘Bob's dead.’”
Zak, a fetish scene veteran who split his time between Los Angeles and the Pittsburgh, Pa. area, founded GwenMedia several years ago. Its numerous productions distinguished themselves from the rest of the specialty pack with high-end production values, physically stunning Mistresses and top-notch latex fashions. They garnered a number of AVN Award nominations and in 2003, one such title, Ivy Manor 5, won Best Specialty Release – BDSM. Zak directed a few GwenMedia titles, including 2004’s The Asylum, which was nominated for Best Specialty Release – BDSM.
White said a memorial service for Zak is being planned for later this week, though the details were still being worked out. Zak’s body will be transported back to his wife in Seward, Pa. for funeral arrangements.
White said he plans to continue GwenMedia as a viable production house.
“At this point in time, until further notice, we’re doing business as usual,” he said.
GwenMedia titles are distributed by Bizarre Video.
