LOS ANGELES—If there’s one thing mainstream media outlets understand, it’s this equation: Porn equals clicks. Which works great for adult performers, because positive mainstream attention offers exposure to new audiences and the potential for new fans.
One stylish illustration of positive mainstream exposure comes from FourTwoNine, a national magazine based in Los Angeles that describes itself as an “up-to-the-minute men’s brand aimed at thought influencers and cultural leaders of all genders.” The magazine covers “the latest news in culture, style, sports, technology, business and politics.” And in its September issue, which will be on the newsstands through December, the mix includes adult entertainment.
A piece titled “At Home with the New Superstars of Porn” is a photo portfolio of adult stars shot by Jeff Riedel, whose work has been seen on billboards for HBO and Showtime as well as in The New York Times and many magazines. The photos are paired with text by Susannah Breslin, whose introduction offers a quick overview of the current state of adult.
“In the Valley,” Breslin writes, “a new generation of tech-savvy pornographers is busily turning your freakiest Google searches into high-production projects for which even the most jaded porn watchers are shelling out money. For the first time, women are elbowing their way into the industry’s old boys’ club and creating a new brand of porn that’s sex positive, feminist, and ethically made. And the once clear division between straight and gay porn is slowly, inexorably disappearing.”
Featured in the piece are a wide range of performers from both the gay and straight sectors of the biz: gay adult stars Brent Corrigan, Adam Russo and Jay Austin; Icon Male creative director Brendan Patrick; trans activist and AVN’s 2007 Transsexual Performer of the Year Buck Angel; power couple Kayden Kross and Manuel Ferrara; AVN Best New Starlet turned celeb DJ Carter Cruise; longtime male talent Tyler Knight; and up-and-comer Lana Rhoades, who won the AVN Fan Award for Favorite Female Performer.
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