LOS ANGELES—Six adult stars shared their opinions on the impact Golden Age classic, Deep Throat, had on women and on the adult entertainment industry in a feature today on TheDailyBeast.com, on occasion of the film's 40th anniversary this year.
Joanna Angel, Alexis Texas and Wicked Girls Stormy Daniels, Jessica Drake, Alektra Blue and Kaylani Lei all credit Deep Throat with legitimizing porn as an important part of pop culture and of the acceptance of porn it created in society.
“Deep Throat gained this level of legitimacy where everybody knows about this film and saw it," Angel said. "When I started Burning Angel, my goal was to cross over and become a piece of pop culture and create a place where people were comfortable and celebrated sexuality. I wanted to take something that was supposed to be secretive, bad, and dirty, and turn it into something cool, that people could talk about and relate to.”
Daniels sought to dimiss the notion many have that adult performers are victims, saying, “90 percent of the movies that I’ve starred in, I was also the director. And I’m not forcing myself to do something I don’t want to do, so I completely eradicate that voice in the back of people’s minds when they’re watching my movies that says, ‘Maybe this girl doesn’t want to be here, maybe she has a pimp.’ I take away that guilt, and people are able to relax and enjoy and find pleasure in the movie.”
Though Deep Throat's star, Linda Lovelace, later came to regret her time as an adult performer and even stated that she was "forced" to perform by her abusive husband, Drake credits her with empowering women to take control of their sexuality at a time in the 1970s when many women were still fighting to be seen as equals.
“I think women in the industry today followed in the footsteps of other great women and have done many positive things," Drake said. "When I first started as a performer, I never thought I was limited, but after a few years, I saw women becoming forces of authority, power, and control. It just seems to be a natural progression, just like we are seeing it happen in society, and I think this will continue to evolve.”
TheDailyBeast.com today also includes a story written by Kristin Battista-Frazee who's father was prosecuted in 1974 for distributing Deep Throat. She cites the movie as a tipping point for women's rights.
In the well-written and personally touching piece, Battista-Frazee ends by saying, "So on this 40th anniversary of Deep Throat, I am again thankful that the film broke so many taboos, helped advance women’s causes, and permanently changed perceptions and attitudes about sex. I also have no misgivings about how the film changed my life. It started my father’s business, which provided me a private high-school education, loan-free college and graduate-school tuition, and financial security throughout my childhood. Thank you, Deep Throat, for everything you have given to all of us."
All models were at least 18 years old at the time of their performance. 18 U.S.C. 2257 Record-Keeping Requirements Compliance Statement.
