As we all know, the Hollywood entertainment industry is no stranger to the Jewish touch, and pornography is no exception. With the Sex Awards breaking new ground for Jews in the business, Shalom Life went back to discover the Jewish influence and its roots deep within the adult film industry from its inception to modern day.
Beginning with the “porn chic” of the 70s, Jews have played an influential role in the growth of the adult entertainment industry. Most notable of the Jewish pioneers of porn from its Golden Era is of course Ron Jeremy – credited with appearing in over 2,200 adult films, directing 284 of them, and becoming the first pornographic film actor to successfully transition into mainstream movies such as The Boondock Saints, among others.
“Jews don’t go crazy with that Devil thing, the burn in hell, the sin, so we have a bit of an advantage as far as that goes.” – Ron Jeremy told Shalom Life on the Sex Awards red carpet, on how coming from a liberal background like Judaism has affected his career choices.
In addition to his contribution to the film industry as a whole, Jeremy has always been very smart about his branding, merchandising, and business decisions – leading to his becoming the most recognizable and successful adult film star of all time.
Speaking of the business side of the sex industry, you can’t acknowledge the Jews who have made the biz what it is without mentioning Steve Hirsch (the man behind the Kim Kardashian sex tape) – considered the “Donald Trump of porn”, the Cleveland-born founder of Vivid Entertainment is known for revolutionizing the business and challenging industry standards. Last year, he received the first Adult Video News Visionary Award for his ongoing contributions to the industry.
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