The Search for Terri
Terri Nicole Hess appeared on the Howard Stern Show this morning to promote her book, A Long Time Coming - The Search For Terri Nicole Hess. What makes Hess' story unique is that she used to be a he - the CEO of Dechtar, once the largest Advertising agency serving the adult entertainment industry. Hess writes: "In 1993 to the shock of my family friends and business associates I decided that I wanted to live out the rest of my life as a woman. Believe me they didn't take it well. Despite the opposition I forged ahead with my desire to live as a woman and eventually become one. Over the last few years I have had my body hair removed, added a beautiful pair of breasts, lost my businesses and experienced a horrifying assault at the hands of six hotel security guards."
Hess: "On May 16, 1997 while a guest at the Peninsula Hotel I was having a drink at the prestigious Club Bar. When I left the bar to use the Ladies Room the entire security staff of the hotel conspired and planned to try to kill me. As I stepped out of the Ladies Room, six men in dark suits attacked and beat me, dragged me to a back room and threatened to kill me. Why? Because I'm a transexual woman and I used the Ladies Room. Of course I'm mad as hell and I'm suing the hotel."
The following are portions of press releases issued by Hess after the incident:
Terri Nicole Hess, Chairperson and CEO of one of the world's largest adult entertainment and adult mail-order companies, was handcuffed and savagely beaten by six security guards at the posh and exclusive Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills.
As a result of the attack, Ms. Hess was forced to seek medical treatment for the injujuries she sustained because of repeated blows that were administered by Hotel security guards.
According to Ms. Hess, she was assaulted because she is transgendered. A frequent guest of the Hotel, Ms. Hess beleives [sic] she was singled out by Hotel security personnel who "chose to send a message to transsexuals that they are not welcome at the Peninsula Hotel." Ms. Hess added that,"this time, they picked on the wrong person."
The Peninsula Hotel is an exclusive getaway for many of Hollywood's most glamorous celebrities and corporate exectives. Located at the corner of Wilshire and Ltittle Santa MOnica Boulevards, the Hotel is the only Five Star/Five Diamond hotel in Beverly Hills.
Following the assault, Ms. Hess retained legal counsel and is planning to file a lawsuit against those who were involved in the assault against her and against the Hotel.
"I was viciously assaulted by six security guards who beat me with their fists and kicked me mercilessly because I used the ladies' restroom," said Ms. Hess. "It saddens me to think that a paying guest of the most exclusive Hotel in Beverly Hills could be subjected to the most brutal form of dicriminatory treatment imaginable."
According to Ms. Hess, she was overpowered and asaulted by six Hotel security personnel as she left the ladies restroom in The Club Bar at the Hotel the evening of May 16th. "I was returning to The Club Bar to rejoin a friend when the assault began," said Ms. Hess. "Within minutes, the guards had kicked and beaten me, handcuffed me and forced me out of public view to a secluded garage area of the Hotel. As the garage door was closing, the chief of security said, "no one will ever know what happens to you in this room."
Ms. Hess said that the security guards never once identified themselves to her as Hotel personnel. She said the beating by the Hotel security guards did not cease until Beverly Hills police officers arrived on the scene. Hotel personnel lied to police that Ms. Hess had assaulted them.
"Their claim, that I assaulted them, was a lie devised to cover up their unconscionable actions," said Ms. Hess. I have been a guest of the Hotel on numerous occaisions because I prefer the privacy and intimicy of its surroundings. I would never contemplate initiating such behavior.
"While I am saddened by the whole affair, I will not take this kind of discriminatory abuse passively," said Ms. Hess. "The simple truth of the matter is that I was attacked because I am a transexual. The individuals who attacked me, and the Hotel which condoned their behavior, were acting out their personal bias against me," said Ms. Hess.
"This assault should serve as a warning to others who have chosen a different lifestyle that you are not safe from discriminatory violence, even if you are a professional businesswoman or a guest at an exclusive Hotel or Club in Beverly Hills," said Ms. Hess.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 13, 1997
L.A. DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE DISMISSES CHARGES AGAINST DECHTAR CEO; REFUSES TO PROSECUTE PENINSULA HOTEL GUARDS WHO BRUTALLY ASSAULTED HER
Beverly Hills, CA. --Ms. Terri Nicole Hess, Chairperson and CEO of DechTar Direct, one of the world's largest adult entertainment and adult mail order companies, is feeling both justified and mystified at the recent decisions of LA County's Deputy District Attorney Helen Gordon, who is assigned to the Beverly Hills District. Ms. Gordon has dropped assault charges against Ms. Hess stemnming from a recent attack by security guards at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills. However, Ms. Gordon has also declined to prosecute the six security guards involved in the incident.
Although vindicated by the dismissal of the assault charges against her, Ms. Hess is nevertheless outraged over the D.A.'s failure to bring charges against the security guards.
"They jumped me, threw me to the ground, beat and kicked me," Ms. Hess said. "There were six of them and only one of me. I did nothing to provoke this attack, except to use the ladies' restroom. If this dosen't constitute discriminatory assault, I have no idea what does. This is a hate crime of the worst order."
Ms. Hess claims that credible witnesses have come forward who will testify that Ms. Hess did nothing to provoke this incident.
"I intend to pursue this matter with the U.S. Justice Department, and I have launched a private investigation on the Peninsula Hotel itself and the security guards involved," said Ms. Hess.
It's been the hotel's conention all along that Hess "failed to plead facts sufficient to support her claim".
Hess' website terrinicole.com offers up to the minute court records, pleadings, complaints, depositions etc. The Civil Rights portion of the law are of national importance to the entire transgendered community.
According to Timothy J. Marten, M.D., a plastic and reconstructive surgeon in San Francisco, Hess sustained the following injuries after the alleged assault:
"Ms. Hess sustained multiple injuries when brutally attacked on May 16, 1997 in Los Angeles. Currently her concerns are as follows:
1) tender swellings on her upper arms, shoulders, back, flanks, chest and lower extremities
2) bilateral wrist pain and intermittent numbness and paresthesias in the left upper extremity
3) swelling, tenderness and eccymosis over her groin and genitalia
4) nasal tenderness and a visible nasal tip deformity
5) bilateral temporo-mandibular joint tenderness
" Her history is remarkable for repeated forceful blows to the face, breast, body and groin adminisered by multiple assailants while handcuffed in a secluded area. Blows included punches with closed fists and kicks with hard soled shoes delivered while she struggled face down on a hard surface. No immediate medical evaluation or attention was provided. Ms. Hess denies experiencing, diplopia, hematuria or epistaxis. She is uncertain whether she experienced any loss of conciousness but it appears she has some amnesia to at least some parts of the assault."
The Search for a Biker Bar
The first thing that comes to mind when you hear the words "biker bar" is visions of a den of ZZ Top lookalikes in sunglasses. The first guy I run into this past Wednesday on the Knob/Ryder company set that's wearing motorcycle regalia is a dead ringer for actor Roy Scheider with a mustache - clean cut, Hollywoodish, slenderish, Roy Scheiderish. So much for stereotypes.
A new adult video company Knob/Ryder Entertainment takes its act out to the heat of the San Fernando Valley and The Sundowners bike club to shoot two features - Psycho Biker Bitches From Hell [a girl-girl feature] and Secret Agent 69 - that's two features simultaneously. Director Scotty Fox used to pull that balancing act off all the time with the aid of color-marked 3 by 5 cards and a bottle of Excedrin. Relative newcomers Kristen and Devon Sapphire are attempting to do the same without the Excedrin and the cards. Then, again, they aren't as battle-weary as Fox.
According to Sapphire, Secret Agent 69 was originally slated to have Tabitha Stevens for the lead. "She no-showed but we wound up getting a better deal by getting Temptress who's doing boy-girl again," Sapphire says. "We were fortunate in getting Temptress involved in both features."
Sapphire makes particular note that Bridgett "the anal queen" was showing up. Dang it, I missed the coronation. Good fortune did not come, however, without the flake element attached to it.
Sapphire says he got a call from Stevens' boyfriend the night before the shoot [9pm] telling Sapphire they wanted to give him "some notice" that she wouldn't be there. "Then I got a call from Devon Davis' manager who got a call from her boyfriend that she had decided to fly to Arizona the morning of the shoot to get wardrobe for the shoot against my wishes. She never showed up as of her call time. But we replaced her. We move on.
"This location is the actual Sundowner biker gang location," Sapphire goes on to say. "The funny thing is we're not allowed to shoot the Sundowner logo. If you take a good look around you, everything here has either a swastika, an SS bolt or the Sundowner logo on it. So we're really shooting around their stuff. They've been nice enough to let us shoot here. Believe it or not, we had two media guys who helped organize F.O.X.E. awards who are African-American that Bill Margold sent down. They walked into this establishment. We were told that was the first and only time in the history of this club that there have been black people in this club. But they were real accommodating about it. I think that's an interesting note to this shoot.
Sapphire: "Knob/Ryder came about with individuals from feature film deciding to get involved in adult entertainment. They had editors from Millenium and X-Files. They knew quite a bit about shooting and Rob Knob, one of the owners, him and his wife and their family own a bunch of adult video bookstores. They've seen a lot of product, knew they had the ability to shoot it, and became interested in shooting decent quality product and putting it out through their stores. In the process, they began scouting people they felt had the ability to create the type of film they were looking for. They have now just settled down with their three directors for the year which is still in flux. Right now it's Kristen, myself and Jim Ryder of Knob Ryder. For now we're just concerned about having the three of us working on all the projects together. Apparently Damien Michaels is still involved with them in directing, but I'm not sure whether he's under contract. I can't say at this time. He's done features for them in the past. I don't know where he stands now."
Rob Knob is an amiable guy who's built more like a motorcycle spoke than a motorcycler. Knob gives the skinny on his company.
Knob: "We're a new company. We're all from mainstream and decided to get into this business. I've been doing commercial productions/infomercials for several different companies that I own for years. I was originally involved in the O.J. video with Tony Hoffman. And I've been doing commercials for the hair replacement industry. One of my directors is from mainstream full-length features. We also have guys with degrees in cinematography from UCLA.
"The general idea of the company is to do mostly features. We're doing no gonzo. We're producing an occasional wall-to-wall with at least eight scenes or more. We're doing all-digital editing. We film-look every single thing we put out. With the exception of the first two films everything else will be completely film-look. We're trying to get a mainstream film with really hot sex.
"Our first two features were I Cream of Jeannie and a wall-to-wall called Gush which concentrates on women who squirt. From that point our next three features were high budget. We're trying to use A-list girls only. We're trying to put out a product that not only has good sex but is filmed properly. [If you're keeping score, the third feature is called Limousine Confessions.]
"We're finishing up Secret Agent 69 and starting Psycho Biker Sluts. I use a lot of directors. There are different specialists in the industry. I have one director who concentrates on just the camera work, the angles and the lighting. The we have a sexual director who makes sure we have the appropriate positions. Our first feature I Cream of Jeannie, is, I believe, as far as I know, the first porno with mainstream special effects. It was done by some people who I've been asked not to reveal the company, but they do major effects for Millenium and X-Files.
"We haven't released any of these features yet. We're releasing the first three in conjunction with the AVN summer expo. I want people to take us seriously. I don't want to release one film and promise that we're going to do two films this month, two films the next month..."
[Though Knob says his people did research on "Jeannie" titles to make sure they weren't running the risk of duplicating, he said he wouldn't be surprised to learn if that title had been used before - twice, actually, one being a feature reviewed in the December 91 AVN, and one in the May '96 issue. "A lot of people have looked at 'Jeannie' and said, wow, that's an excellent film," Ryder says. "And I feel that's the weakest of the films we've put out to this point. It's a learning process. Envy and Kristen are the two Genies."]
"Me and my wife's family have a chain of adult bookstores [Diamond Adult World]. We have offices in Van Nuys, Tuscadero, Taft and Santa Maria. They've been in the family for about 15 years. I married into it."
Knob was asked what kind of feedback he gets from customers.
Knob: "They'll walk out of a [peep] booth and say the movie was a piece of shit. The movies you get the best comments on are the higher-dollar features. What lines move best depends on the store. In our Van Nuys store, gay videos are real big. Out in the country, Santa Maria, hetero features do real well. Features always rent real well. Gonzos sell better because they're cheaper on the shelves."
"One day I was sitting around my wet bar at two in the morning and it came up as a joke. My last infomercial was $350,000. Somebody told me they're filming a lot of porno for $5,000 and $6,000. I thought, geez, why don't I spend four times that much and put out something with quality and hopefully that it will sell.
"We try to have a different hook in each feature to get people interested. Limousine Confessions was a takeoff on a taxi cab-type confessions. Alexandra Nice is the main role. The major hook also was the cast. We also used Brittany Andrews, Inari Vachs,Tabitha Stevens, Teri Starr, Coral Sands,Temptress, Bridgett and Envy. Everyone, I believe, is an A-girl.
"Plot-wise Psycho Biker Sluts from Hell is an all-girl Easy Rider-type of theme. Secret Agent 69 is sort of a cross between Pulp Fiction and Escape from L.A. In fact one of the people working on the set worked in Escape From L.A.
"We'll always have at least two camera shoots [backed up by two still photographers]. We're trying to deliver not only a sharp-looking boxcover but we don't want trash to be inside.
"It's interesting being in this business. I'm not in the industry to see the sex. I'm in the industry to put out a good product. If you'll notice I don't grab-ass with the girls, I don't flirt. I have a beautiful wife who's on every set with me. I'm very happy with her. I also own a chain of men's hair replacement/transplantation facilities, so most of my employees are primarily female for the last 18 years. So I find flirting very unprofessional. My company is called Today's Hair Replacement. We have offices in California and all the way through Texas. We have offices throughout the southwest. We originally started up in Dallas."
When asked what Sy Sperling was really like, Knob said he used to make hair for Sperling from his Indonesia factory. "I got paid a very small percentage of the amount of money they owed me," Knob says.
"How we got the biker club is that one of my wife's best friends dates one off the members. When we decided to shoot at a biker club we started looking at sets...then this was brought up. If we do sequels we'll shoot here," Knob adds. "There's fights scenes, car crash scenes...this is about a hardcore girl biker gang. So much of the all-girl stuff is gonzo and I'm not personally a fan of gonzo. I don't like 'em. I think they're trash. People light scenes poorly and make a two-hour movie out of three or four scenes. It's ridiculous. We thought we'd do an all-girl feature. There's so few of them done anymore. If I ever do gonzo, I'll open up another company to do it. I don't want gonzos associated with the company name. I don't believe you should put out a shitty product to the public."
Kristen: "Rob's just signed me and Devon to do features over the next couple on months. We're working hard on that. That's pretty much all I've got time for now. I'll be directing more and performing less. I'll be more picky. After I get my teeth done then I'll start performing more. These are temporaries. I got a car. I live by myself now....Randi Rage...she's not working I guess....I don't know what happened. She didn't pay her bills. She owes my old roommate like $6,000. She just booked on everything."
Brian Surewood who's decked out to look like a biker guy, talks a bit about his new company Apocalypse Productions of which he's a partner. The company's first title Anal Ball was released Wednesday through Evil Angel.
Surewood: "We're having pretty good feedback on it. Every feature we do will get more and more out there. The next feature will be Pussy Crimes. It's funnier than shit. It's going to be pretty out there - twisdted, demented. It's about a detective who's more twisted than the characters he's going after. You'll have to see it. The cop is dirtier than dirty. I play a character named Stocking Terry who breaks into places and steals everything that's not nailed down. It's got a lot of goofy characters I don't think it will have Montana Gunn in it. The release date on that will be August 10. We got a new girl. Bailey, one of the biggest bombshells I've ever seen. She only wants to work for our company right now. So we're going with her on this one. I think it's going to be pretty easy to outdo Rob Black. Rob is trying to slam us in every way, shape or form. He's coming out with a movie called Cornhole Apocalypse which portrays guys getting slammed in the ass by chicks. He's taking a lot of shots, but if he wants to do guys getting fucked in the ass, that's kinda gay. Rob's forte of movies is...well, call a fag a fag. Let him go ahead and shoot gay movies.
"We're going to focus on our company and do our thing. Let Rob do what he wants to do. We're releasing a movie once every six weeks. Our editing is not like normal editing. Our editing is an 8-week process. We take pride in every scene. Every piece that goes out will be top quality, as best as we can do it. Tom [Zupko] is in Los Angeles right now. We're trying to get the final two scens for Pussy Crimes. As soon as they're editied he'll be back in Vegas. Right now we're still based in Vegas and Los Angeles.
"We're also focusing a lot on our music. Right now we got a lot of bands in Vegas and out here who want us to put their music into our videos. So far we've been using a lot of Greg Bradford's music. We got it going on, music-wise.
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Paul Fishbein writes: "Dear Gene- I read with great interest your story on David Christopher's surprise birthday party. I was under the impression that I was one of Mr. Christopher's closest friends. It isn't even a business relationship so much as a 15 year friendship. I was invited to his 4oth birthday party 8 years ago and he was invited and came to my recent 40th birthday party (my wife knew to invite him).
I am not upset with David since obviously someone else made the invites. But whomever did, obviously forgot me and I am insulted. I always like to honor my friends.
Plus I could have continued my renewed frienship with Mike Albo, who is one of the most consistently entertaining people on your website.
Please pass this on to whomever made this blunder.
Gene sez: "The list has now been narrowed to two suspects; the investigation will continue."
Mara Epstein of i-Candy Entertainment writes: "Hi Gene, just wanted to let you know that INSATIABLE will be released in time for it's 20th anniversary in a new dimension -- DVD! Scheduled for released around August 2, 1999. In addition to everything else... The Grande Dame of Dish GLORIA LEONARD will reveal filmmaking secrets behind adult's "Golden Era."
The first of an audio series from i-Candy Entertainment. In addition, Insatiable will feature Games, Clubs, Bio's, stills and animated photos that have been lost for more than 20 years! It's really exciting using a medium the way it's intended. Additional info:[email protected] or the old fashion telephone 310 737-1976 or toll free 877 422-6383 or visit www.icandvd.com!
\n Mike South mike-south.com writes, obviously about Kid Vegas and others of the Kid ilk: "Although my pal JimmyD (DiGiorgio) came up with the theory I see the truth in it. It seems that this business has had so many people ACTING like retards (you figure out who) that it is now attracting real retards.
On a different front I have been contracted to produce three music videos for a local artist backed by Elektra. Word is that TLC bad girl Lisa "left eye" Lopez is gonna be involved. I suggested they tell her to leave her lighter at home.
And a note to Astral Ocean and Jilly Kelly...25 girls is not a gangbang it is more like a Tupperware party. see y'all in hell.....South
\n Chip writes: "Hi Gene, Hope you don't mind the intrusion over something so measely, but a few friends told me that Jenna Jameson was supposed to be appearing on Comedy Central's "The Man Show" on the 16th of this month (and again on the 30th) and I got the impression they got this news from your site.
Well, I've looked around some past issues of your very cool site (I'll be sure to be a regular visitor now that I know about it) but didn't see any mention of Jenna's appearance(s). I also taped the June 16th show, and didn't see her anywhere when I went to watch it. Do you know if something happened in scheduling or whatnot that kept her from being on?
Gene sez: "I don't mind measely intrusions at all - just ask Kid Vegas. Just kidding. The June 16th edition of The Man Show did not have a porn star featurette. The June 23rd show featured Julia Ann and Serenity in a cute little skit that turned into a pillow fight. I would imagine subsequent episodes to continue with the format of porn girls giving household tips.
Jody "Babydol" Gibson the newly-crowned ``Madam to the stars'' told the LA Times that she was a struggling pop singer. Gibson, 41, who was arrested on charges of operating a call girl ring, told the Times that her first love is music.
Gibson is due to appear in court next week accused of pimping and pandering with a client list that included actors, celebrities and top businessmen.
According to the Time story, Gibson announced her arrival in Hollywood seven years ago on a billboard overlooking Sunset Strip promoting her dance number with the title ``Good Girls Go To Heaven, Bad Girls Go Everywhere''. The single, according to the Times piece, bombed.
Police allege Gibson was building up a 30-strong ring of prostitutes catering to the rich and famous, while she was also struggling to carve out a career for herself in the music business.
``My driving force has always been the music,'' Gibson told the paper, adding that she was keen to release a single from another album she recorded earlier this year.
``I put my blood and sweat into every second of this thing. The music is what keeps me going. It's real. It's what's in my heart.''
Wanna take bets that Gibson's music career soars after this?
\nGoofy Obscenity Case of the Day
According to New Jersey's Asbury Park Press a first-grade teacher in the Howell school district was in drag when township officers arrested him last weekend for asking two security guards and a truck driver if he could "dance for them," police said.
Allan S. Tepperman, 39, of Franklin Township, told police he had done this several times before and asked for leniency because he was "three days from getting tenure" as a schoolteacher, police said.
Tepperman, who is married, teaches at the Taunton School in Howell and works as a part-time security guard.
Howell Superintendent Charles Kuzminski said he learned of the arrest when reporters began calling his office the last day of school for students. Kuzminski said the teacher had taught in the district for three years. He declined to comment further on the advice of the school board attorney, except to say that the charges would be reviewed by the board before any action was taken.
"We honestly don't know what we will do at this point," Kuzminski said.
At 9 p.m. last Sunday, police got a call from a security guard for High Grade Beverage who complained that a 6-foot-tall man in drag was pestering him. The guard said Tepperman wanted to perform a dance for him.
About a half-hour later a female security guard at another company called police and said she had had a similar encounter with a tall man in drag. She told officials that she had decided to call police because she had been bothered on other nights by Tepperman.
A few minutes later several patrol officers who had responded to the area spotted Tepperman, this time talking to a truck driver in the parking lot of The Home Depot. The truck driver told police that he wanted to sign a complaint against Tepperman, who was asking if he could dance for him, police said.
At the time of his arrest, Tepperman was wearing a shoulder-length wig, makeup, a floral print blouse, a black skirt, stockings and high heels, police said.
Tepperman was arrested at The Home Depot and charged with disorderly conduct and harassment. He was then released on his own recognizance pending a Municipal Court hearing, police said.
