As many of you know, I travel now and then. When I travel, I pretty much always travel out of my own pocket. Many people assume that producers are flying me here and there and putting me up in lavish hotels and feeding me lobster (which I’m allergic to by the way) … etc … It’s the glamorous assumption but far from reality. The reality is. I book my shoots. I pay for my airfare. I pay for my hotel. Usually pay for a driver as well as food, etc … It adds up quickly.
Yesterday late afternoon / early evening I was sitting down at my computer to start looking through flights to book my trip to LA for August 3-8th. I’d JUST finished getting my final scene booked for September 8th then I’d be flying out that night, to return home on the 9th. (Yep – I always take the red-eye) Something was telling me to stop what I was doing and check my email – but once I start something I tend to be pretty focused on it – so searching I continued doing. I still had that nagging feeling to check my emails. OK …. fine … I’ll just take a peek and see if anything new came in that I can’t wait until later for ….
I browse through the “subjects” of my 7 new emails quickly and then I see the following:
“FSC Calls for Moratorium as Performer Tests Positive for HIV”
Wait, hold the phone …. what the fuck did that just say!?!? This one I’d better click on … NOW!
So I anxiously and hesitantly at the same time … click the link …. Here is what is to follow:
“CANOGA PARK, Calif — The Free Speech Coalition today is calling for a moratorium on adult film production because a performer has tested positive for HIV.
“We are following established protocols,” FSC CEO Diane Duke said, “for the protection of performers.”
The moratorium will continue until further notice; APHSS will update industry stakeholders about the moratorium as more information becomes available.
APHSS is operated by the FSC as a resource for the adult film production industry and to administer the protocols that uphold industry standards for health and safety.
The FSC and APHSS at post time did not release any other details.”
So, of course the first thing I do is click the “tweet” button and share this information so other people are aware what’s going on. Next, I text my agent and ask if I should hold off on purchasing my ticket. His response. I’ve just gotten off the phone with EVERYONE. All shoots canceled until further notice. Phew. Had I NOT listened to myself I’d have just eaten $1,000 (what it costs me when I travel to LA) … and I never get the “trip insurance” because … well … I’m cheap for one … and for two … when I say I’ll be someplace – I show up.
So … my trip to LA for September 3-8th is currently not happening and I’m sure when they lift the moratorium producers will desperately flock to grab any talent they can since everyone will most likely be behind on content – thus pushing my planned trip back even further. It generally takes me at least 2-3 weeks to get my bookings just right enough for me to decide to actually travel out there … so this should be fun … (I’ve been booking this trip for almost 2 months now!)
That being said. In the end, I didn’t eat the $1000. Some performer may now have HIV. (She has come out publicly already so you can find out for yourself who she is) I could have gone out there and possibly contracted it myself had I worked on set with her or someone she had worked with – so …. it could have been worse. I had a shoot booked for this Saturday. BUT … he’s recently worked with girls from out West. The other girl I was supposed to be shooting with (with him) was on set with this girl (though they didn’t interact at all) and who knows who everyone has worked with who may have worked with … you get the point … so I’m canceling this shoot as well. Sometimes the risks just outweigh the rewards – and with a positive HIV test in this industry – I’d rather be safe than sorry!
