LOS ANGELES—Public sentiment is a powerful thing, as Vivid honcho Steve Hirsch found out today. After making waves with an offer for Casey Anthony to star in a porn movie while the ink was barely dry on her verdict, Hirsch withdrew his offer today, perhaps aware that doing business with an accused child murderer would harm his brand.
Anthony yesterday was acquitted of murdering her two-year-old daughter Caylee in 2008, but convicted of four misdemeanor counts.
"It has become obvious to us that Vivid fans, and people in general, want nothing to do with her and that includes a XXX movie,” Hirsch told TMZ.com today.
Hirsch explains, "We were ready to make an offer to Casey to star in one of our feature films. It's clear to me now, however, that there has been an overwhelmingly negative response to our offer and so we've decided to withdraw it."
Hirsch has been aggressive in courting tabloid sensations with offers to star in a Vivid movie. Past apples of his eye have included Nadya “Octomom” Suleman, Pippa Middleton and Russian spy Anna Chapman.
With most Americans believing Anthony to be guilty of the horrible crime only to be found not guilty because the state made a poor case, the backlash to Hirsch’s offer was swift.
"We now believe that we underestimated the emotional response that people are having to the verdict,” Hirsch said. “A movie starring Casey Anthony is not what people want to see."
