Ask Adult Empire: Are Porn Cumshots Fake?
Want answers about porn, the adult industry, or your favorite adult stars? We respond to your burning questions in “Ask Adult Empire,” the newest feature on the Adult Empire Blog. Submit your questions by using the hashtag #AskAdultEmpire on Twitter! (Some questions are edited for clarity and length.)
Q: Are the cumshots in porn always fake?
(from _sexy_svg)
A. It depends what you’re looking at or watching, of course, but the short answer is no. Male pornstars excel at their jobs because of certain genetic gifts, including the capacity for copious ejaculations. (Peter North and Rodney Moore are some of the most famous stars in this regard.) That said, there is certainly a degree of fakery involved in some scenes. Some cumshot-themed studios make use of faux cum, pumps, hoses, and dildos to provide the kind of face-drenching popshots their fans crave. (The intrinsic absurdity of these scenes advertises their fantastic nature from the start. Think of it like pro wrestling — sure, it’s fake and everyone knows it, but that’s beside the point.) Fake cum is much more common in posed porn pics, where hand lotion is often used as a semen substitute. (VICE discussed fake cum in a 2018 article, recapped here on the AE Blog.) Cinematic skill can enhance the effect of porn cumshots, since movie magic isn’t reserved for mainstream cinema alone, of course. The flattering angles, lighting schemes, and editing tricks that make it look like your favorite stars appear in just the way a director intends are certainly evident in the world of porn. “Fake” can sometimes be in the eye of the beholder!
Q: Why do some pornstars have so many alternate names?
A: IAFD is one of our reference bibles around here, and if you navigate to the profile of certain veteran stars, you’ll find a veritable telephone directory under their list of alternate names and aliases. In our Adult Empire data entry forms, sometimes the “alternate names” field becomes so crammed, we have to store other names in a separate field, like a bubbling sink with an overflow drain. What gives?
There are many reasons stars use different names at different points in their careers. Whereas mainstream actors’ stage names are limited by Screen Actors Guild rules, no such comparable regulation applies to adult stars. A few stars do use their actual legal names, including Angela White and Lisa Ann (albeit not her full name), but most choose a porn pseudonym. Sometimes legal action means a star must abandon an established name and select another one. (Eva Lovia went by “Miss Eva Lovia” in the early days of her career due to a spat over a domain name.) Sometimes stars are seeking to rebrand, so they devise a new name for their new identity, or they have an alternate name for a specific studio’s movies. In some instances, a star with a challenging spelling may find an incorrect spelling printed on a cover or credits list, meaning that variation is inadvertently added to the mix. According to star Misha Cross in a recent Adult Empire interview, European audiences crave new talent, so having an established, recognized name may keep Euro stars from getting booked as frequently as they’d like. Certain crossover male stars have names they use when shooting gay content and another name when shooting straight content (see Ryan Driller vs. Jeremy Bilding). Other stars started out as cam girls, with simplified names that had to be expanded once they started shooting porn (“Aaliyah” became Aaliyah Love when she pivoted into porn, for instance). In other words, pornstars are not deliberately trying to confuse you, but it does add up to a long list of names in some cases! And thankfully, sites like IAFD and Adult Empire’s own pornstar database keep tabs on aliases and alternate names so that you’re always able to keep them all straight. (For instance, type “Madison Swan” into AE’s search field and you’ll be led to her more famous name, Mia Malkova.)
Q: How do I break into the industry as a male performer?
(from hooligang_dnice)
A: It may seem like the ultimate dream job, but being a male performer in the industry isn’t easy. Sex at home is one thing; sex on set with studio lights and a crew watching is something else entirely. (There’s a reason you see a select band of male performers in movie after movie. They’re reliable and possess exactly the right combination of talents for a job with its own series of tricky challenges.) As a result, any guy daydreaming about the idyllic life of having sex all day may want to consider that the fantasy may not be the blissful existence they’re imagining. To boot, even if you are sure you want to be a male pornstar and have the talent to back it up, it can be very difficult to break into the business. Ryan Driller, in an interview with Men’s Health, noted that “It’s all dumb luck . . . You can’t ask another guy to get you in. You can’t ask studios to try out you. You can’t get a girl to bring you in. Most of the time.” In the end, it requires a bedrock assurance that you want to do it long term (in the internet age, there’s no hiding a porn past), talent, a few connections . . . and, as Driller notes, a lot of luck.
Q: How do you best prep for anal sex?
(from Brad)
A: Anal sex can be an intimidating prospect for both partners if you’re lacking in experience or confidence. As Nina Hartley once memorably told Adult Empire’s Becky in an AE podcast, “The butt don’t lie.” We asked our resident sex toy and sex health guru Chelsea to take this one and offer some tips for anal-sex prep:
“How to prep for anal sex isn’t just to make sure you’re clean. Yeah, of course that’s the main thing you think of is hygiene, but prepping your hole is MAJOR.
These are the steps to prepping…
1. Don’t go in cold turkey without talking to your partner about it, giver or receiver.
2. If receiver, get yourself a toy to train your body and open up your hole gradually over time.
3. GET LUBE
4. The hygiene part: Go #2, light enema use and a rinse of the hole
5. Relax, be confident and enjoy it!”
(Watch for an expanded blog post on this subject from Chelsea coming soon.)
