Does too much sex kill? Well, not directly, but the rash of deaths within the gay porn world seems to suggest otherwise. Some were health-related, while others were undisputedly self-inflicted. But sadly, they are gone. They were big players in the scene, and they were my friends. Being a recognizable face in this industry, many have asked me, ‘Johnny, how did they die?’ or, ‘Johnny, what’s going on in that world of yours?’ Then, most recently, writer and friend Brett Edward Stout asked me, ‘Johnny, how did you survive?’ I was speechless. I had no answer.
“How did I survive? We all faced the same challenges, so why am I still here when my friends are not? Even after taking days to think about it, I still can’t totally explain why I survived. Maybe it’s because my family supported me, or maybe it’s because I made good or lucky choices…There are no ‘porn stars’ anymore. And that could be a huge reason why we are losing some of the ‘big guys.’ Many didn’t have a way out or didn’t have goals for when the title stopped meaning as much…Maybe the only answer to the question of my survival is the collision of the aforementioned preparation and opportunity. Even so, I’m grateful I’m still here, and I miss those who are not.”
— Frankie Valenti, aka former gay porn actor Johnny Hazzard, contemplates the porn industry as well as its recent tragic deaths and his own survival on The Huffington Post.
balehead
Still being hawt might help….although more sports players will take their lives than porn stars…just sayin..
B Damion
This is really really..sad.
We live in such a superficial world and then times that by 100,000 for the gay community alone, it just makes it so hard to deal. It really makes me think about how we beat ourselves up as well as eachother for the way we look on the outside and inside theres is an emotional warfare that rages on.
I wish him all the best.
miagoodguy
Who cares. Porn stars are insignificant people. They are “stars” because of having sex on camera for pay. You don’t need to know anything more about them other than they have little respect for themselves and will sell themselves for the sexual enjoyment of others.
Tackle
He choose to give an interview. Now I would like to know what did he survive through? Some parts are vague. Did he survive through drug/alcohol addiction /recovery? Did he survive the dehumanizing aspects of porn or prostitution? Or some may claim it’s uplifting to them. I don’t know. But since he gave the interview and opened the door a bit I wish he would open it all the way. Or did he survive a business and coulture that prais, glorifies and reward the young? Please le us know Johnney/Frankie…
erikwm
@miagoodguy: Is your username meant to be ironic? Because you’re certainly not “good.” To call people “insignificant” is wrong. To judge and say those who make pornography lack self-respect is wrong. I couldn’t do porn myself, but I do watch it and appreciate those who do such work.
You should consider changing your username to miadoucheguy. It would be more appropriate.
miagoodguy
Another gay guy who worships at the feet of people who make a living based on their looks and nothing productive or through actually using your intellect.
muscl954
@miagoodguy: NO human being is insignificant.
Dixie Rect
He makes it sound like he was fighting in the Iraq war. Its porn baby, sit down, look sexy, and shut up.
heybudletsparty
@miagoodguy: Wow. What a total judgmental asshole. Nobody’s “insignificant”- even an obvious piece of shit like you.
heybudletsparty
You MUST be an ugly, bitter old troll….
GlenRN
@miagoodguy: Seriously?? ‘Porn stars are insignificant people’?? It is unfortunate that you believe that, and more unfortunate that you give it a voice. Even you – bitter, bitchy, and judgmental – are not insignificant as a living soul. You are sad and despicable – but not insignificant.
tardis
@GlenRN:
I don’t think he means literally that they’re a waste of space. I think he’s being more critical of the culture that glorfies people that do nothing really but have sex on camera.
gayjim1969
@Tackle: This is a summary of a larger article in The Huffington Post. The link to the full article is at the end of this article. Click on The Huffington Post.
Tackle
@gayjim1969: thank you.
Reid Condit
For the life of me, I do not understand why men who show themselves or perform sexually on camera deserve opprobrium. I grew up with porn in the ’50’s as a teenager and now enjoy it in what’s probably my last decade. As an institution, porn has been more dependable than most people I have known. Insignificant? Hardly. If poets are the legislators of humanity as Shelley claimed, then porn stars are the inventors of our ever evolving sexuality. They are as much artists in their own right as painters, dancers, writers, etc. But of course, some are more accomplished or appealing to our tastes than others. The commercial aspect can be irrelevant. If there were no market for porn, it would have patrons. Porn stars should feel very good about themselves and we should treat them with respect and honor their generosity. Thanks, Johnny. Sorry you lost your house. You can blame the banks for that and the politicians who made that possible.
miagoodguy
It is this thinking that “everyone is special” is what is ruining this country. Not everyone is special. In the grand scheme of things, most of us are insignificant. Get over the thinking that you are special and stop defending people whose sole claim to “importance” is having sex on screen.
Spike
Google image search Johnny Hazzard, it will give you a better context when understanding his statement . . . “Maybe the only answer to the question of my survival is the collision of the aforementioned preparation and opportunity.”
Tackle
Ok I read the main article in the Huffington Post. And I had to laugh. Johnny/Frankie seems to be delusional or does not understand his own industry. But first let me say that porn/ex porn prefomers are important and are not insignificant. Queerty writer Lester Brathwaite did a good summary on the orginal HF post. I guess you have to read between the lines and fill in the blanks to make it not so vauge. And Johnny/Frankie says it all when he states, ” we all faced the same challengs”. OK, so since many had drug/alocohol addictions. Mental illneses. Health related illneses.Depression ect: So frankie came through. Good for him. Really. But here’s where the fog comes in. I seriously doubt a ton of money was made doing porn. Many have stated they mede more prostitution themselves from the exposure they got through porn. And if a ton of money was made from porn why not go back, make so you can save your home?? And the claim that I was not naive when he started. From what I understand, Frankie had asparations to be a singer. Did he really think doing porn would help a mianstream singing career? And the answer to why he made it is simple. No need to be stuck on stupied. And finally be honest about this. You got older. You were no longer in demand. The life of a hot porn preformer fades faster then a strong fort. Three years max. You get older, and if your an exclusive top, he starts to bottom. And after that they cross over into the bareback sceen. Which accounts for most of the porn profits these days. And BTW, Johnny/Frankie was NOT a star. If I can remember, Matthew Rush was an ever bigger name then Johnny Hazzard. And he was not a star. Jeff Stryker, Ryan Idol and Rex Chandler were really the last so-called stars of gay porn. I wish you well in life Frankie…
Tackle
Fart: ..Ha ha
stfallon1028
Well, as you’re certainly among the living Johnny, you might want to do something about that tattoo, I suggest either finishing it or having it covered up, as tribal tattoos are fantastically idiotic unless an elder in a undeveloped native tribe is doing the procedure with soot and an old fashioned mortar and pestle
pbuff
@miagoodguy: Hypocrite! If you ever got aroused, bought a porn mag or a porn movie you gave what Johnny and the guys who do the films and photo spread legitimacy. You got something out of it. DOn’t try to make yourself above them when you did this. You’re not better. You don’t know why they got into porn and don’t say it’s because they could do nothing else again you do not know any of them. I hate people like you who sit on judgement while talking out of a hypocritical ass.
BlogShag
I don’t know exactly what kind of goals he had, but he’s right about the others. If you don’t find a way to the other side of the camera with directing, producing, writing, etc, you’re gonna be toast when you’re no longer hot property.
Sharon Mitchell saved her money, put herself through college and became a clinical sexologist, Jack Wrangler went on to become a director of live theatre. Al Parker started producing and directing his own films. Johnny Hazzard did some conventional modeling and fashion designing. I don’t know if he’s still doing that
I met him in person at a convention. Very nice guy, What was most surprising was his size. He’s a petite medium height little thing
BRENT
@miagoodguy:
BRENT
A little harsh, don’t you think?
tricky ricky
he should be more amazed he survived chichi larue. there is a string of corpses in that directors wake.
tricky ricky
@pbuff: there is a difference between being a whore and being a passive observer.
Doughosier
It’s not like anyone can be a porn star. You have to be gifted genetically and be able to perform on camera, which isn’t easy. That may not be the biggest gift one can offer but it’s no small thing.
nomebear
I find it difficult that some people have so little compassion for adult film actors, must be the same self-loathing mindset of men who beat up their sex partners because they’re gay.
odawg
@miagoodguy: You’re a JERK!
LuckyboyLA
I figured @miagoodguy had been pretty well dealt with until he came back with this:
“It is this thinking that “everyone is special” is what is ruining this country. Not everyone is special. In the grand scheme of things, most of us are insignificant”. Well what a nice way to go through life thinking about yourself and others. Didn’t some guy write a downer of a book about a dystopian future called “1984” that had reduced most everyone to about this level? So those of us with a positive self image and who see same in others are ‘RUINING THIS COUNTRY’.I thought Corporate Money in politics was.
ousooner1997
And the winner for most bitter jaded queen is…..@miagoodguy