The problem with porn "parodies".
I haven't been blogging as frequently as I used to over the past few weeks because I've been going through a period of serious self reflection and reevaluation - both as "Monica Foster" and as the woman who created the "Monica Foster" camgirl, exotic dancer and pornstar persona.
I felt the need to address the following subject matter on "the problem with porn parodies" in this blog, not as a method of "repenting", but just as a human being with a conscience who's able to decipher what responsible mainstream OR adult entertainment content production is vs. lazy and irresponsible entertainment content production.
I'm not against porn "parodies" - far from it. The whole concept unfortunately IS starting become worn out and old surprisingly quickly unfortunately due to the sub-par parodies being churned out nearly every month (time for a new concept hollywood/porn-valley), however I will say XXX parodies, if well done, I've always found to be very funny.
What I AM against however, is people hurting PEOPLE - and as of late, the parody "movement" in porn is doing just that. The people in charge of producing these movies are NOT making good and responsible choices, nor are they listening to their conscience.
XXX Parodies should be based on FICTITIOUS CHARACTERS and not REAL PEOPLE (and the characters XXX parodies are based on should be much more carefully considered).
I don't think that the Obama porns should have ever been produced. Period. The reasons are obvious, but if to you, the reader they are not - here are some reasons why:
Barak Obama is not a fictitious character - he is a REAL PERSON who has accomplished more in his lifetime than 90% or more of the people currently on this planet ever will. He's our current political leader and should be given much more respect than what the adult video industry is currently giving him (yet the industry whines every chance it gets that times are just SOOOO tough for them - gee I wonder why - ever hear of "karma"?).
Obama and those he works with have taken a tremendous amount of care to ensure that he's viewed by our society and other countries as a strong, solid, respectful, fair and positive individual. He is trying to HELP our country which is one of the few countries in the world that ALLOWS for industries such as the adult video business and PROTECTS THE FREEDOMS of such industries. The individuals in porn who couldn't think of any other way to make money in our current economic crisis than to slap the leader of our country in the face are simply pathetic.
The production of the "Nailin Palin" series was one of the most vicious assaults on a female political leader in recent history being that it probably
seriously affected the image of Sarah Palin in the eyes of many (primarily male) Americans, whether anyone wants to admit it or not.
Ms. Pailin, like Mr. Obama, is a political leader and a REAL PERSON, who has worked VERY hard in life and has accomplished quite a bit as a political leader, a woman AND a mother. Considering how many other topics and characters that a porn company with plenty of monetary resources could do a "parody" of, WHY make one of this woman who ALREADY was pulled through the ringer via mainstream media? It is so WRONG on SO many levels. Movies like this DO effect the individual they are patterned after, whether anyone wants to really believe that they do or not - it's just not cool, responsible or respectful. The creators and participants of "Nailin Palin" are neither young or naive - they knew better, but they were greedy. That is sad.
I'm certainly not a hypocrite (and strive quite hard not to be) so I want to personally apologize to Felicia Rashad, Bill Cosby, the creators/producers of the Cosby show and to all of those who feel offended by the "Not the Cosby Show XXX" movie.
Before I accepted the role of "Claire" I did think twice, but I probably should have thought one more time. Fortunately the studio that created "Not the Cosbys XXX" probably did a better job of producing such a parody than any other adult video studio currently in existence, however this doesn't mean the movie should have been made. I enjoyed myself more than 50% of the time and learned a lot through out the flick's production process, but since deciding to take a break from performing, I've come to realize that some things you think are important in life, are really not that important after all.
I felt taking the "Claire" role would be good for my "porn career" (which in reality would never be anyways and never was to begin with considering that I don't and won't play the "behind the scenes" porn game). When I think of all the REAL work, time and effort that went into the fine tuning of the "Claire" role by Felicia Rashad, and how the character was pretty much butchered and trivialized in the XXX flick and how my lack of acting skill even FURTHER dumped on the "Claire" character of which was and IS an African-American icon, I just want to throw up.
Again, to those who feel I have desecrated an African-American institution, ideal and cultural icon, I am truly sorry.
At the time when I took the role I really thought I needed the $1900, and I thought that it would help me in the long term, rather than hurt how I feel about myself and past choices overall today. "The Cosby Show" and it's primary characters are not just "characters" - they were & are icons - symbols. The Cosby show isn't just a sitcom, it gave real hope to a huge sect of the American population - it didn't need to be trivialized by "Claire" boning an English dude in her college days.
Lastly before I end this blog, though the scene was VERY loosely scripted, I am very sorry to Michelle Obama for even loosely portraying her in Foot Fetish Confidential #56. LUCKILY my wardrobe and hair was hardly close to Ms. Obama, however simply implying that I was her in scene was beyond wrong on both MY and the director's parts.
Considering how upstanding and accomplished of a woman, leader and mother that she is I'm a complete asshole and idiot for agreeing to even loosely portray her in a porn scene. I had no right. When I did it, at the time I wasn't in a good frame of mind, and I thought I needed the $1000 or so dollars (ironically I was offered a Michelle Obama feature part shortly after moving to Los Angeles - I'm glad I was in a right enough state of mind to decline that role at least).
Funny how what seemed like substantial money at the time, now seems like nothing and IS nothing in comparison to amount of possible damage I've caused to people's hard legitimate work and image. I always felt that I was someone who couldn't be "bought off", but apparently for the grand total of $1900 I could be (and no, I, like most other actors and actresses in porn DO NOT receive residuals - regardless of how much money the studios make off the flicks. My income has been and continues to be primarily from my webcam shows until I can make the transition into another line of work). Any porn and/or non-porn roles I take in the near and distant future will be original fictitious characters.
I don't regret the path I've taken in regards to performing in adult video, it's the path I suppose I was meant to walk down, however I HAVE learned some lessons - the hard way. If my site www.gettingintoporn.com had been created by someone else in porn, before I'd decided to start, and if I'd read it and/or maybe if I'd read a blog like this, I DEFINITELY would have realized that just like in mainstream entertainment - in adult entertainment, you should really consider the ramifications of any role you play.
Some may say I don't have a "sense of humor" for writing and sharing the above, but I don't care - because I don't find things that are truly important in life to be funny - especially when it comes to the treatment of and portrayal of individuals.
Unfortunately from my perspective for as long as "Not the Cosbys XXX" and "Barefoot Confidential #56" are in circulation "Monica Foster" will be a symbol of a black woman selling out in pursuit of building a "career in porn". It's depressing, embarrassing, I'm disappointed in myself for having not understood why I shouldn't have taken the roles and I feel as though now I'm on the receiving end of a public stoning considering the emails I've received in response to both videos.
Well that's all I have to say for today - See you all on webcam this weekend - I'll be working.
Oh, and to the porn directors/studios/producers - it's time for you to try shooting your imaginations up with steroids rather than your penises for once (or hire someone who was born with some creativity since most of you were not) and write some 100% original content again before even the whole XXX "feature" movie concept dies along with everything else.
