Producer vs Performers - is Professionalism dead?

I have been fiddling around with some feelings and observations that have lead me to finally speak out. After having an extensive conversation today with Rock The Icon, a male performer who has received little recognition for his talents, and is definitely one of the industry's most underrated stars, we came to the conclusion that there are some serious issues that need be addressed.

Performers and industry talent are quick to talk about producers and porn companies being unprofessional in their business practices, and hold them to the highest of standards when calling them out publically on any discrepancies. However, performers themselves are not as "exposed" for this same lack of professionalism and not held to the same accountability.

I may spend the rest of my career being unnoticed or neglected from recognition for the hard work I have put in, but I refuse to convert to the business practices of the less professional. I have had moments where I probably should've done things differently or may have not been "as" professional but this is a learning experience. As for others, I have noticed a display of true disregard to the help that they've been given, and their tactics are no better than a street hustler (no pun intended). Come on... aren't we working towards making a difference in the industry for bbw's? Not all of us, for some it's all about them and how they can keep the spotlight on them regardless if it's negative attention, caddy drama or merely posting lies in press releases and interviews.

Is this referring to someone specific? No, it actually applies to several individuals who have displayed such a lack of respect for the hard working "professionals" and made the industry about caddy fights, insults and who can be the "baddest" bitch in the game. Unfortunately being the "baddest" usually takes the more literal definition moreso than the adjective version of the word when selling yourself with lies, trash talking about other talent, and simply methods of attention that are unbecoming of industry work ethics. As the bbw market becomes more saturated with girls of these same tactics, it has made such a difficult reputation for our niche as a whole making it more difficult to get larger, mainstream companies to shoot with plus size talent, and created obstacles for the overall respect of the overall fan base.

Is the online drama getting a lot of attention? It sure is. This is the U.S., home of Reality Wrecklessness. The truth of the matter is, it's very short lived. Let's analyze this shall we?

We work in PORN. Porn is designed to sell a fantasy. If the average person who watches porn is using the world of porn to evade his/her own "dramatic" life, why in the HELL would they want to be involved in similar drama amongst the performers? It's interesting for about a minute, much like the "beef's" inside the music business but at the end of the day it's just short lived entertainment and more than good, hard working individuals who spend countless hours perfecting their craft and concerned about putting out "quality material." Things have CLEARLY gotten out of hand when the "craft" is no longer the focus.

What's the solution? It's OBVIOUS that the display presented by these individuals reflect a lack of self confidence, a cry for acceptance and an undying desire for attention. Face it, it's time to truly analyze how you treat people, and how you are treating yourself. The product needs to be the focus and not the credits. It's time to help each other, not bring each other down. I include myself in this journey to "step things up" and impliment a new standard of business amongst our plus size market. There are so many battles out there we could be fighting TOGETHER. Come on, it's time to stop thinking about ourselves, being selfish and truly uniting to make a change. I challenge you.

In closing, it's time we uphold to the same standards we expect from our peers, and fellow industry leaders. I hope to see some positive changes in the near future and will do my best to be a part of that positive change. Good luck to all of you!

Comments

Unknown said…
Well Said as always Kari!