Vivid Entertainment Group, one of the last two remaining straight adult production companies to require performers to wear condoms during their sex scenes, quietly changed its policy last week, allowing performers to choose whether they wanted to wear protection in their scenes.
"It's something we've been discussing with our actresses and directors for a long time," said Steven Hirsch, CEO of Vivid. "And we feel comfortable giving people their choice. The testing by AIM is effective and has been working well."
The first condom-optional movie, a big-budget film shot last week, tentatively titled Fashion Under Ground, stars Tera Patrick , Lanny Barby, Penny Flame and Steven St. Croix and was directed by Paul Thomas for release later this year. Hirsch said that none of the performers chose to wear condoms. Patrick, incidentally, had sex in the film with Tommy Gunn and Jean Valjean, her first without husband Spyder Jonez since she joined Vivid and formed Teravision.
"Most of the talent wants to work without condoms," said Thomas. "I think that AIM does a great job testing so I'm not at all worried about the performers."
Nonetheless, Hirsch said that the company remains firm in allowing performers a choice. "We have a close relationship with our stars and directors," he said. "We thought about it, discussed it and felt that this was the right time to make the change."
Steve Orenstein, owner of Wicked Pictures, and the last remaining straight, mandatory condom company, told AVN.com, "every company needs to decide for themselves how they handle the condom issue. I'm sure they thought out their policy change and have done what they feel is best for them.
"Wicked is all condoms and at this point, we have no plans to change that," he said.
Savanna Samson, one of Vivid's star contract performers and winner of the AVN Award for Best Actress for The New Devil in Miss Jones, told AVN.com that she agrees with the policy change. "I always said we should do a hardcore version with condoms, a softcore version and a European version without condoms," she said. "I admire Steve Hirsch because he could have made more money but wanted to sleep better at night. I love working for him because he's so responsible and I respect that."
Jenna Jameson, whose Club Jenna films are distributed by Vivid, agreed with the new rules. "I believe in leaving condoms up to the performers," Jameson said. "I have never believed in a company governing a performer's right to choose. I understand that condoms are the best choice, but I do believe in choice."
Hirsch said that the move to condom-optional productions was not financially driven.
"I never had a problem with the potential financial loss," he admitted. "I'm sure we left a lot of money on the table. The way we make movies now, we're perceived to be a couples-oriented and condoms added to that. But it was never about financial loss or gain."
Interestingly, Samson's reasoning for liking the decision had more to do with her own personal tastes than any health issue.
"I like wearing them but I don't like watching sex with them," she said. "I'm happy we don't have to use them but mostly for my visual enjoyment. Since I'm married, I have my tests and my partners (HIV) tests every two weeks, even if I have to pay for the extra tests."
Meanwhile, Hirsch expects performers to use condoms in future Vivid productions. "It is completely up to the actors and actresses. Our contract star Monique Alexander just told me she wanted to continue to use condoms and I'm fine with that."
