Official Blog of Monica Foster

"I see your true colors - shining through....." - I always liked that song, but tonight I experienced the literal meaning of that particular phrase.

People who work in the adult entertainment industry generally come from just about every walk of life - ex-attorneys, ex-athletes, ex-computer techs, ex-musicians, people who've never had a job before, college students....I've even met an ex-cowboy (yep a real life cattle rancher) who's life somehow led him into the world of adult entertainment.

Sometimes these people realize that this business isn't for them, and they leave, other times they stay in, but pursue other interests as well (such as myself), and then there are others who find that the adult business is their "calling" and they're in 'till they day they die in at least some capacity.

Generally I've found those, that are in till the end, are amazing people - not always - but quite often they are. They're people who have risen above acknowledging others who judge them, and who refrain from judging others in turn.

They're people who are OK with "taking a walk on the wild side", and who realize that though porn encompasses a lot of "party time", in order to survive, they have to find a balance and develop a level of professionalism within the party/circus atmosphere in order to make a living and survive financially.

Most of all, "porn lifers" tend to have respect for ALL aspects of the business, because typically these are the people who got into porn from the ground up. It's cool how this "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" trend which usually is the backstory of MANY successful people in industries all across the board (from software company owners, to clothing label owners, to oil company owners) translates into porn as well - but I suppose it's because porn IS a business and if you're going to be a successful business owner you need to have worked nearly EVERY position of that business in order to have a complete mental picture and understanding of what you're truly heading/leading.

One thing that you shouldn't do when working in a business or leading a business, is feel that somehow and in some way you're above or "better" than any other position which is vital for that business to continue. In other words don't be a snot nosed hypocrite who's making money off someone else's labor that you wouldn't do yourself.

I wrote a blog a few days ago about how some men in porn have a deep hatred of women (and how it's often reflected in the content that produce), but here's another element/angle that I've recently become much more aware and attuned to.

Today I learned that someone I know who works behind the scenes in the adult world and who's livelihood is primarily dependent upon the continuation of male and females to perform in the adult business, would never themselves be an adult industry talent because they think it's wrong to pay or be paid to have sex.

I was blown away.

I've witnessed a lot of hypocrisy in my life, I've even found myself being a hypocrite at times - but upon realizing it, have corrected my thought pattern OR stopped participating in whatever activity it was that deemed me a hypocrite (usually within a very short period of time). However this individual has worked in the adult industry for over a decade and feels this way. Not only was I amazed, I quickly found myself pitying this person.

Now I know I have stated in the past that I won't work as an prostitute, but I don't think escorting is wrong. If I did live where prostitution was LEGAL, I just might do it (if I wasn't in a healthy, committed, happy, healthy, monogamous relationship that is - which still is a life goal), who knows.

I now really wonder how many people in the porn business and adult industry as a whole are willing to profit off the talent, but are not willing to do the "dirty work" themselves and who actually think BADLY of the talent. In the past I thought it was a few people, but now I think it may be a higher percentage. It's kinda like "rich kid syndrome" (for example: someone who's dad started out in a company as a janitor and in time after nearly killing themselves rose to own the company and then who has a kid who's never worked a day in their life and then inherits the company, but who has no respect for the company's current janitors which is essentially where he or she's current position stems from).

Could THIS mentality be what has initiated this transitional period of the porn industry? Quite possibly, because I do believe that any flip or change in anything is rooted in karma.

Moral of the blog? Don't expect for your tree to stay healthy and consistently give you fruit, if you don't acknowledge the importance of and take care of it's roots.

Currently in porn, the roots (the talent) are gaining more and more power without needing many of the individuals who were initially a vital part of the "behind the scenes" production process due to the awesome power of computers and the Internet.

Everyone from video editors, distributors, to cameramen, to directors, to lighting people to studio owners are being cut out of the picture due to a talent being able to reach their fans directly minus the middle man through their websites.

Yes, there will always be a few of the behind the scenes people still in the game, but not in the capacity (or in the numbers) as they were in the past. Certain people who work behind the scenes in porn need to realize this if they want to continue in the adult business in a profitable capacity (and maintain their lifestyle), and may want to rethink exactly what they would and wouldn't do...and get off their high horse.

If you're not willing to be the janitor and sweep the floors of your business, then you have no place in heading or leading that business.

I suppose all I'm saying here is how can you lead and army, if you've never been a soldier?