“Right now, with the environment the way it is and all the controversy brewing with safe-sex issues, I felt that it was time for somebody to take a stand in defense of the models and not so much in defense of the studios,” FabScout President Howard Andrew told XBIZ. “I think the studios that are doing the bareback thing — they care about profits and they care about their studios, but they don’t care about the models.”
With the controversy between condom-only producers and bareback studios becoming a hot-button topic for the gay adult industry, Andrew decided to make the company’s policy clear for both personal and professional reasons.
“Whether it’s a really bad financial decision for me or a really good financial decision for me, it’s the only decision I can make,” Andrew said.
“I haven’t worked with bareback companies in two or three years,” he said further. “When I first started my business, I would cast with anyone who needed it. Then one day you have an awakening when you’re with a model and he’s being tested and he comes up positive … it takes a chunk out of you. Every little chunk that they take out of you — how many times can you get hit?”
The policy appears on the front page of the agency’s website, next to a public service announcement video clip by Channel 1 Releasing founder and condom-only advocate Chi Chi LaRue.
There also is a comment thread where several industry members have responded positively to FabScout’s action.
“Howard's overture should not be limited to models, studios and producers,” performer/director Paul Barresi wrote. “It is incumbent upon everyone associated with the adult entertainment industry to do whatever necessary to discourage the manufacturing, promotion and sales of unsafe sex films. Therefore, I challenge all unsafe sex film distributors in the United States and around the world to jump on the bandwagon and help save lives.”
“Thank you for having the ‘cojones’ to take this stand. It's very daring at a time when bareback producers are getting proactive and lashing out at anti-bareback advocates,” PZP Productions’ Peter Zaragoza said.
“Our hats off to Howard and his team at FabScout,” Titan Media Vice President Keith Webb said. “This action shows that they put the health and well being of their performers above profits. As the most successful gay talent agent in the industry, Howard has shown that protection and profit can indeed go hand-in-hand. Thank you for doing the right thing Howard.”
Andrew said that he doesn’t feel that financial repercussions will become an issue since he has not worked with any bareback studios for the last three years and thinks it is unlikely that any major gay studios will make the decision to produce bareback, which might cut into his bottom line if that were the case.
However, earlier this week, Andrew did get some negative response from a producer who wanted to book talent and locations for a Fort Lauderdale shoot.
“I asked him flat-out if it was bareback, and he said ‘no,’ and I asked him if he shot bareback, and he said ‘no,’” Andrew said. “Then, I went on his website and saw that he did shoot bareback and I refused to supply him with studio space and talent. He was pretty pissed off.”
Despite what some industry members have perceived as bareback becoming a dominant market for gay adult films, Andrew is resolute in his decision.
“I know bareback sells really well. I know there are people that love watching it. It’s just something that I personally don’t believe in. I’m not going to exploit talent just to profit by it,” he said.
To read the FabScout policy, click here.