WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif.—Steven Daigle is much too unassuming and down-to-earth to be a porn star. Maybe that’s why his sudden appearance in Channel 1 Releasing’s stable of exclusive performers has turned the spotlight on him in a big way.
Daigle’s masculine good looks, shy smile and “aw shucks” country charm have stood him in good stead in mainstream Hollywood and Porn Valley. In a land where hardly anyone is who or what they seem, Daigle appears to be the real deal: a championship bull rider on the International Gay Rodeo Association circuit, articulate, sexy and unabashedly gay. The world discovered all of that when he appeared as one of the housemates during the 10th season of ABC’s Big Brother.
Since signing an exclusive three-picture deal with Channel 1 co-founder and GAYVN Hall of Fame director Chi Chi LaRue in January, the mainstream media can’t seem to get enough of him. Gossip wag Perez Hilton gushed about Daigle’s bod in a posting Feb. 26. TMZ, The Advocate and most gossip rags beat Hilton to the announcement, but none but Hilton had the guts to post full-frontal Daigle on their pages.
The PR machine at C1R, of course, is whirring in high gear. Although the DVD won’t be available until March 9, Daigle’s first adult movie, Steven Daigle: XXXposed, is available for video-on-demand viewing at C1R.com and at a brand-new site the company established just to promote the title. (For trailers and other goodies, see XXXposedVideo.com.)
Despite all the attention, Daigle seems only slightly flustered.
“Since being ‘outed’ as a porn star, my life has been in fast forward,” he told GAYVN.com with a chuckle. “Things are coming at me faster than I can process, but it has all been a positive experience. I have had several days of my phone blowing up with friends and family calling or texting to say ‘WTF?’
“The after-effects are actually a lot of fun,” Daigle added. “I get to show all my friends the pictures of the hot guys I am having sex with. I kinda expected the attention after going through it all after Big Brother, but this time I’ve learned to ignore any negative comments.”
Most of the comments and experiences have been positive, though.
“I can be naked anywhere now and not think twice about it,” he said, laughing. “I just have been so busy I haven’t had time to just be. I will say my life has changed for the better, because I have made a whole new set of friends. The gay porn industry has a bunch of really good people in it.”
That doesn’t mean he has left his career as a bull rider behind, although he has put it on hold for a bit while things settle down.
“Honestly, I haven’t ridden or been to a rodeo since the story broke,” he told GAYVN.com. “Since I ride on the gay rodeo circuit, I don’t think I’ll catch any flack for [performing in porn]. I think [the other gay rodeo cowboys] will love it!”
Steven Daigle: XXXposed also marks a new beginning for C1R. From now on, every project the studio undertakes will be shot in high-definition format. Even the studio’s award-winning live online sex show “Live & Raw” is lensed in HD now. C1R plans to begin releasing titles on Blu-ray Disc by the end of the year.
So what’s next for the hunky cowboy? He and LaRue began filming the second of his contractual three titles last week. The studio expects to release Steven Daigle: Stalked this summer.
