In November, porn star (and once ill-annointed Feminist Icon) James Deen, born Bryan Matthew Sevilla, came under fire when his ex-girlfriend Stoya tweeted what amounts to a straightforward rape accusation. This lead to accusations from nine other women — all adult film stars. The accusations lead to Deen’s falling from grace, as well as losing work with fetish site Kink.com and other studios. Everybody was criticizing and analyzing Deen and his reputation, and few folks came out in support of the actor. Until now.
Bret Easton Ellis, who has become famous as much for his general dickishness as his writing, is good friends with Deen (who starred in Ellis’ The Canyons) and spoke to The Hollywood Reporter in defense of him. His general argument? That this all happened “in the porn world! And BDSM invite-only parties! What are we talking about? Is everyone nuts?”
It’s an extensive interview, and Ellis’ anger seems to stem primarily from the fact that he’s Deen’s friend and also that mere accusations have the ability to derail a career. He seems to be of the mindset that the women — specifically former MTV-star Farrah Abraham — are piling on, though he can’t/won’t guess why, and, in the end, calls it a joke.
It’s, “Look at me, how do I feel? I’ve been victimized, I’m a victim too. Oh, she said she’s a victim? I’m also a victim.” It’s a domino effect. And I don’t know where it will stop with James. Maybe it will be 80. Maybe 80 women in porn are going to start saying, “Well, looking back on it, that was pretty rough sex and he did go further than he probably should have in that Brazzers.com scene.” It seems to me to be all a kind of joke.
Read the whole interview for more of that beautiful, thoughtful stuff.