An NYU Student Who Pays Her Tuition By Making Pornos
Posted by: Jessica Goldberg
Filed in:
news
1:00PM, Tuesday October 13th 2009
Porn star Lorelei Lee, who took her stage name from Marilyn Monroe’s iconic bombshell in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” has been nominated for three Adult Video News Awards. But don’t underestimate her—she’s a serious smartie who is getting a master’s degree from NYU’s coveted creative writing program and has published short stories in $pread magazine and the Denver Quarterly. Still, she’s not your typical movie-of-the-week character who strips or hooks to pay her way through school. Interestingly, her porn career barely covers the bills from the bursar’s office. Her daily rate on a film is $1,400, and she estimates that her earnings from porn are somewhere around $30,000 to $60,000 a year. We say that the porn diva should study screenwriting, so maybe she can pick up some additional money by penning some of her movies. If so, I hope we can look forward to more plot-driven dialogue in our skin flicks. And to heroes beyond the pizza delivery boy. [Gothamist]
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CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on October 13 2009 @ 12:23 pm: [report]
And this is surprising how?
Humble Bee
wrote on October 13 2009 @ 12:32 pm: [report]
OMG, I went to high school with her!!!!
I wasn’t sure how to spell her name, but thats it!
I also know Tia Tinaka, I’ve mentioned it before here… Wow, I’m so cool, haha… At least she’s getting a good education, while I’m working a respectable job and attending community college…. lucky her though, a job is a job.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on October 13 2009 @ 12:34 pm: [report]
@Humble: Is this the one you mentioned but couldn’t spell her stage name?
wikid
wrote on October 13 2009 @ 01:29 pm: [report]
If you haven’t heard of it you should definitely look it up, but there is a performance tour called The Sex Workers’ Art Show; they came to my school last year to perform. Ms. Lee was one of acts and read some of her poetry, and I would just like to say it was nothing short of impressive. The poem she read was full of all the distasteful little details of the everyday life she experienced that brought her to her career but at the same time I thought it managed to be beautiful and heartwarming. And she also wasn’t afraid to joke about her career. I really enjoyed her performance and certainly admire her.
hawaiianpeach
wrote on October 13 2009 @ 07:19 pm: [report]
Get it how you make it! Hey, she isn’t doing porn to shoot drugs in her arm or to build a mad shoe collection. Audaces fortuna iuvat!
SouthOC
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 09:51 am: [report]
Everyone has choices to make in life, and their character dictates what they do. This woman has chosen to become a prostitute. There is a character flaw somewhere.
I’m not saying she’s the devil or anything, but how many of us would approve of our daughters making this same choice?
I had several friends back in the 80’s who could have pumped some short-term money into the cocaine industry to turn around a huge profit. They passed on the money, and kept their integrity intact. Bravo…
C.Munro
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 10:17 am: [report]
I’m not going to question Ms. Lee’s character. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with sex, even if it’s sex with strangers for pay or intended as entertainment for others. To me, at least, it’s not a question of morals.
What it is is a little sad. This is an intelligent person who has talent and goals, yet is being employed in about the basest manner possible because she’s valued more for simply being an attractive woman. I can’t imagine this being anyone’s first choice in occupations, but it’s even more difficult to understand when someone who has a lot going for her does it. It seems like a depressing place to be.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 10:47 am: [report]
@SouthOC: Judge not lest ye be judged.
Riley
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 10:51 am: [report]
@Cheese - Isn’t that from the bible? I thought someone that bucked religion as much as you would quote more liberal sources.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 10:55 am: [report]
@Riley: I assume anyone who finds ladies like this deplorable to have read it too much, hence the quotation.
PinkRanger
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 10:55 am: [report]
@southoc: cocaine is a bigger social and international issue of safety and society’s well-being as a whole. Porn is not. when is the last time you heard of someone smuggling porn into the country in a balloon up their ass? wait. don’t answer that.
SouthOC
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 11:02 am: [report]
@CheeeeEEEEse: Hey man, I don’t know you and you don’t know me. I’m not saying she’s a terrible person, I’m saying she has character flaws. Research abounds that paint a picture of people who have sex for money… They are typically victims of sexual abuse, and therefore don’t have healthy boundaries.
Additionally, there is a huge difference between judging (bringing condemnation) and discernment (the ability to understand right and wrong).
Pretending to live in a society without any kind of morals is ridiculous. If you really believe having sex for money is normal behavior, you’re naïve.
C.Munro
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 11:06 am: [report]
I didn’t say having sex for money is normal. Just that I don’t find it immoral.
Riley
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 11:19 am: [report]
@Cheese - I was just bored.
@SouthOC - You are right, they are all Godless Jezebels that will burn in the righteous fires of damnation!
Stating that she has an inherent character flaw in your POV is judging. Extending your personal views to draw a conclusion about another, is that not what you did?
You obviously view pornography as wrong, hence the “discernment” cop out; you are discerning that it is wrong. Who is to say what is right and what is wrong as long as it is not affecting others in an adverse way?
Morals are subjective and forming opinions on others based on personal morals is judging. Embrace the judgmental character flaw, don’t disguise it.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 11:23 am: [report]
@Riley: I was getting lunch, so I didn’t get to say what you said. Raspberry right back at you.
SouthOC
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 11:35 am: [report]
@Cheese, Riley, and PinkRanger:
All of you are putting words in my mouth.
My original intent was to talk about choices. Based on your responses, my only thought is… “Me thinks thou doest protest too much.”
It’s okay to agree to disagree.
cooldad
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 11:36 am: [report]
Odd that prostitution is illegal, yet if you film it, it’s legal
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 11:45 am: [report]
@SouthOC: It is a choice. And you made the choice to judge that choice, and that is wrong.
SouthOC
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 11:49 am: [report]
@Riley and Cheese: All morals are not subjective. What do you say about murder, rape, incest, stealing, lying, slander, domestic violence, etc.???
I think you will find (if you’re willing to look) that there are plenty of morals that are the pillars of the society that we live in.
People who typically freak out when discussing morals either have none of their own, or have had them crammed down their throats by wounded and destructive parents.
If the latter applies to you, I’m very sorry, but be careful not to throw out the baby with the bath water.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 11:52 am: [report]
@SouthOC: So who is to say selling yourself is immoral.
PinkRanger
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 11:57 am: [report]
bodily autonomy anyone…....?
Riley
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 12:06 pm: [report]
@SouthOC - Please re-read for the following: “Who is to say what is right and what is wrong as long as it is not affecting others in an adverse way?”
I should have qualified the last paragraph statement with that sentence, I thought it would be a given since it was only centimeters above; live and learn.
Unless there is a new form of murder, rape, incest, stealing, lying, slander, domestic violence, etc. that does not harm others, it is safe to say I was not addressing those as part of my ambiguous morality statement. Let’s face it, if you have to resort to comparing consensual sex that is recorded for profit to rape and murder then the argument you’re making is DOA.
People that typically judge are usually the most morally bankrupt. I can make sweeping character generalizations as well, even though it doesn’t add to the discussion at hand and only serves to distract.
I flushed the baby with the bathwater along with my pet alligator.
Humble Bee
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 12:17 pm: [report]
@CheeeEEEse, her real name is Diana, and yes thats’ the one I couldn’t spell, lol. I knew it was lauralee or something like that, but when I saw the spelling here, it just clicked. We used to google her in HS to watch clips, but we never got the spelling right. lol.
I don’t judge them, because I know what some of them have been through, my other friend did it for her family, her young brothers and sister who were being sent to foster homes because their mom was insane. It was the quickest solution, and it beats stripping at cheap joints, you get man-handled for measly tips (I assume, lol) This Lorelei chick is a freak though! She’s been doing porn since she was 18, her parents were just old school jerks and she got tired of them, she would say the nastiest things though, I’ll never forget those huge tits! I’m not casting any stones here, but I’ll never do porn, i’d rather work at burger world earning minimum wage then f*ck people I don’t love and never will. BUT then again, I’m not in their unfortunate situation, so we are just luckier than them, before I judge people, I try to put myself in their shoes… and that changes things completely. Sometimes people don’t make the best choices because they don’t have any.
SouthOC
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 02:32 pm: [report]
@Riley and Cheese:
Allow me to repeat myself. It’s okay to agree to disagree, and “Me thinks thou doest protest too much.”
You’re both using circular logic to try to defend actions that 99% of the world’s population believe is troublesome.
Additionally, if you read Humble Bee’s post, she clarifies that the poor girl comes from a difficult childhood.
Furthermore, unless you’re willing to say that making porn films is okay for your sister, daughter, mother, etc. You should probably stop talking…
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 02:39 pm: [report]
@SouthOC: Come on, you are being obtuse. Just because one person is using her body to get an education, and get ahead, you assume everyone has similar life experiences.
Personally I wouldn’t care if anyone in my family made any sort of money in any LEGAL industry whether it be porn, cigarettes, or booze.
SouthOC
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 03:02 pm: [report]
@Cheese: As I said earlier, you don’t know me. You can disagree, and post as many boorish comments as you like.
With regard to the % of women who sell their bodies that have been abused, do some research. The numbers speak for themselves.
Regardless, I don’t take issue as much with the girls as I do with the people who exploit them. (I actually feel sorry for the girls.)
SouthOC
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 03:03 pm: [report]
You obviously don’t have a daughter. If you did, you wouldn’t spout this kind of mindless drivel.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 03:12 pm: [report]
No because I’m 24, and see the reasons to not want or need one now or ever.
Riley
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 03:20 pm: [report]
@SouthOC - I’m mainly addressing the fact that you are clearly passing judgement on another person due to personal moral viewpoints and then attempting to disguise it. You’ve made little point to counter this, just appeals to absurdity and worn-out quotes.
Like I said, embrace your judgemental character flaw.
It is time to go home though, once 5:00 p.m. rolls around my apathetic character flaw kicks in.
Queen Frostine
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 03:24 pm: [report]
The only shocking aspect of this the ridiculous cost of her tuition.
ashleye
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 04:06 pm: [report]
So what if she wants to star in porn. She’s making a living and going to school. She found something that works for her and if she’s happy then I say do it. Almost everyone enjoys porn and not just men who are “perverted” into thinking that’s how sex has to be. Your not perverted or immoral for watching/starring in porn. Sex is a natural part of life…many have one night stands, it’s the same thing. So I say congrats to finding a way to pay for college. It doesn’t make her less of a person.
Jessica Goldberg
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 06:50 pm: [report]
Word, Queen Frostine.
joyy
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 08:15 pm: [report]
Why bother getting the masters in creative writing in the first place if she’d rather do porn? Terrible ROI.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 08:31 pm: [report]
Honestly, I’m totally whoring myself out by putting my shirt and slacks on every morning and going to work. I don’t see how that is so much different. Personally I’d like to do something else, but it’s whats left to me. More power to the ladies that can take advantage of the free market.
I’m totally calling all you socialists out. LOL.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 08:38 pm: [report]
@joyy: Are you angling for a career change?
joyy
wrote on October 14 2009 @ 09:50 pm: [report]
@cheese - I already got my career change, and my salary is in the $30-60k bracket without having to go to grad school OR do pornos, both of which sound (un)appealing to me.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on October 15 2009 @ 05:58 am: [report]
I’m 24 and I’m already well into that bracket….
joyy
wrote on October 15 2009 @ 09:30 am: [report]
urf, that ‘un’ wasn’t supposed to be in parentheses, I was super tired last night. but that’s my point! I’m 24 too, and I hit that bracket with an english degree & a job in my field without having to #&@$% onscreen or get another degree. so, maybe the real point is that if she’s doing pornos, she should be making a LOT more money…
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on October 15 2009 @ 09:33 am: [report]
@joyy: She is going to NYU…which is in New York. The porn industry is in California. See where I am going? She can only ‘work’ on breaks. It’s not unheard of to fly in for a couple weeks, workout the va-jay-jay, and then fly home with some serious bank. Part time job FTW.