Director Chi Chi LaRue has stopped directing straight productions exclusively for Vivid Entertainment Group effective immediately due to Vivid changing its condom-only policy.
“I was scheduled to do a Savanna [Samson] movie and I was informed that the company is going condom-optional and that’s absolutely their right and I totally understand it,” LaRue told AVN.com. “But, as a person who has been very vocal about condom usage in every aspect of the gay business as well as the straight and as a person who went to work for Vivid because of their mandatory condom policy, I had to stop directing for them once it became condom-optional.”
LaRue was very positive overall about his time with the company.
“I love Vivid. They gave me a great opportunity to make some really cool movies for them and actually won some awards for them, which was great,” La Rue said.
LaRue may direct the Where The Boys Aren’t series along with other all-girl features for the company in the future but he stood firm on his pro-condom stance.
“It’s my policy to use condoms and it would be very hypocritical of me after how vocal I’ve been in this industry in the gay and straight sides to continue to do movies and not use condoms. I love directing straight porn and I’m going to miss it greatly but hopefully, there will be something I can do down the pike for Vivid or another company that lets me use condoms,” LaRue said.
Of LaRue ending his exclusivity with the company, Vivid’s Howard Levine said, “He’s a great director — one of the best — and I respect his decision in doing what he is doing. For a long time, he has been a major advocate of a condom-only policy and we can understand that. Unfortunately, times have changed and Vivid’s policy has now changed and I respect what he has to do. Like Steven [Hirsch] said, it’s not financially motivated for sure. Steve doesn’t really care about the money. He cares about and has cared about people’s health and I think that he is comfortable now with the fact that the testing has been very accurate and he is giving the actors a choice and he is comfortable with giving them a choice. These are responsible adults.”
Levine summed up his respect and liking for LaRue with a smile saying, “My hat is off to Chi Chi for his commitment to his beliefs and I wish him the best but I do wish he would return the dress he borrowed from me for the AVN Awards.”
LaRue welcomes straight companies to contact him regarding directing opportunities via email, [email protected].
