Lars Ulrich may have become the face of the antipiracy movement when Metallica led the charge against Napster a decade ago, but now the mantle may be transferring to an even homelier mug: Ron Jeremy. On Thursday, the Free Speech Coalition began releasing public service announcements on YouTube that feature Jeremy, along with other adult film stars, making the case to pay for porn.
“When you illegally download any type of content, you make it harder for the artists and performers you enjoy to make a living,” says actress Sinnamon Love in the two-minute spot. According to industry figures, sales of adult DVDs are falling at twice the rate of Hollywood’s, due in large part to piracy on the Web.
Of particular concern to the industry are torrent sites and so-called “tube” sites, which mimic the functionality of YouTube, but with adult films, often stolen from other sites. “While the performers, artists, producers and retailers are losing money, the guys that run the illegal tube and torrent sites are making money,” Jeremy explains in the spot.
“We produced these PSAs hoping they will start a public dialogue on the ways illegal downloading and content theft have a tremendously negative impact on the adult industry,” said FSC membership director Joanne Cachapero, in a statement.
All of the performers and directors that appear in the video, along with the production crew, worked for free to produce the PSA. A second, racier clip entitled Turn a Frown Upside Down features actress Charlie Laine offering her own take on the situation.
