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The porn star from Laguna
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Content
The Porn Star From Laguna Beach
A Memoir
By
Rachel Lorraine Swimmer
A Thesis Presented to the
Faculty of the Annenberg School for
Communication and Journalism
University of Southern California
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
Master of Art
JOURNALISM (SPECIALIZED JOURNALISM)
December 2019
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my father, Jules Swimmer, and my mother, Claudia Darr, for raising
me in the magical place called Laguna Beach. I would like to thank my Aunt Cheri Gregg for
giving me the motivation to attend USC and for pushing me to do better. I would like to express
gratitude to my entire thesis committee in the Annenberg’s journalism department, that have
given me confidence and insight in the world of writing. Lastly, and most importantly, I want to
thank the adult industry as a whole for shaping me into the multi-faceted human being I have
become and creating the empathy that runs through my veins today.
ii
Table of Contents
Book Proposal 1
Outline 4
Chapter 1 11
Bibliography 34
Proposal
I have an entertaining and empowering story that I want to share with the world. I will
take readers on a journey from my life in privileged Laguna Beach to my young adult life in Los
Angeles where I began working in the adult industry. Being candid and honest throughout the
book, I will reveal secrets and truths about the xxx business. For example, what really goes on
behind the scenes and how the “Me Too Movement” has affected my perspective. The lessons I
have learned, the under belly I wanted to avoid, how social media and the internet has changed
the landscape of the adult industry. And most importantly, how I have stayed resilient. I will
show how breaking stereotypes and boundaries is necessary for change to happen. For example,
the age old narrative of a victim pushed into porn because she has no other choice, couldn’t be
farther from my truth. I want people to know that the one story they so often hear about “Porn
Stars” is just a generalization and that the humanization of the adult film star is on the horizon. I
want to be a part of that evolution. I can travel for signings and I love promoting events through
Instagram and Twitter, boasting over 1 million followers on social media alone. My life-story
will appeal to both men and women, curious about sex, adult film and to people who want to
escape their day to day lives. To entertain, educate and empower people is the purpose of my
memoir. My accounts are unique and the juxtaposition between glamour and shady conditions,
academia and porn, and everything in between will keep my audience wanting more. Jenna
Jameson’s “How to Make Love Like a Porn Star," was the spark that ignited my desire to
perform in adult movies. Her story was raw and so incredibly moving that it changed my life
trajectory. Asa Akira’s more recent memoir “Insatiable” inspired me to write my own memoir,
because the world needs more authentic voices. We will never see an egalitarian society if we do
1
not dispel harmful stigmas and she does just that. Asa captivated her readers by giving diary
accounts of the real emotions she had during the filming of her movies and the living of her life.
Both Jenna and Asa’a stories were extraordinarily popular, landing on the best-sellers lists and
having influenced millions of readers. In the last ten years the adult industry has evolved faster
and in the spirit of popular culture, gaining more attention than ever before. Our president had a
controversial affair with Stormy Daniels, bringing to light the very complex role of wearing the
Scarlett letter in 2019. The bill Sesta/Fosta passed through Congress affecting the sex industry
online through blockading any ads about sex or regarding business that has to do with sex. And
the legalization of sex work is at the forefront of current political discussions. The issue of
consent has been a constant theme throughout all forms of media in the last year and I have been
a crucial part of that movement. Lisa Ling shot a piece for CNN where she followed me around
campus at USC and filmed my lecture at Chapman University. The television episode will air
this fall. I would like to tell you a story about a young woman who has lived a wild life, who has
taken an unusual path that has lead to some very brave choices. Against my families wishes, with
little support emotionally from anyone close to me, I did what I wanted to do. The modern story
of the female millennial entrepreneur, who makes money on her own terms. A story about the
evolution of pornography prior to the #MeToo movement, up until now. Transforming into an
arena where women are in charge and have been able to cut out the directors and producers
entirely due to new technology. In turn taking back their power. Someone that prioritizes
consent and communication and is happy to lend a hand to fraternities and on college campuses
when it comes to sex education. Someone that will be able to shed a positive light and change
people’s opinions about adult film actresses all together. I have come to the realization that I
2
want future generation’s to have a different mindset about women and sexuality than the current
one does now. One that is accepting. An outlook that makes it so other young women who follow
in my footsteps won’t be shamed and othered. The normalization of sex work is upon us. The
time for this book is now. Below is my outline of what each chapter will consist of, along with
the first chapter. Enjoy!
3
Outline of Chapters
Purpose: To Empower, To Educate And To Entertain
The good, the bad, and the ugly: a tell-all, no holds barred story of a Laguna beach princess
turned porn starlet.
Chapter 1 will focus on the flashback of undergoing intense plastic surgery before entering the
porn world. I will give a glimpse into my life at the Playboy mansion while simultaneously
studying at UCLA. Painting a picture of my thought process and what my first big sex scene on
film was like, from my lens as a performer and as a feminist. “I woke up in a drugged up stupor,
with double D-sized breasts and a perfect little nose, though I couldn't see either appendage due
to the white bandages that covered my swollen body and bruised face. I was recovering at the W
Hotel in chic-as-fuck Westwood, California….”
Chapter 2 will introduce my upbringing in the affluent town of Laguna Beach, California.
Painting a picture of my wild childhood juxtapositioned with the normalcy of growing up in a
small, wealthy town in Orange County. I will take the reader on a journey from the shady depths
of a broken home to the exciting, internationally recognized television show “Laguna Beach”.
Where I was cast as a young elite teen living by the shore. Then to my wicked step-mother who
stole millions of dollars from me when my father passed. The complicated relationship I had
with my alcoholic mother. How my break-up with a wealthy young man from a high power
family, lead to heart break. And ultimately a transition into the rebellion that is the sex industry.
“Don’t lose your towel or your virginity!” my wild mother yelled as she dropped me and my best
4
friends off in her white, 1974 V olkswagen convertible, at one of the most exclusive beaches in all
of Orange County. Emerald Bay, was the place to be and to be seen, especially when you were
just a freshman in high school trying to establish your social status…"
Chapter 3 I will deep dive into what living in Los Angeles as an 18 year old was like for me.
The draw I had to the adult industry and how a sociology class, craigslist, my father’s death and
my personality brought me to the unregulated and highly popular world of escorting. I will delve
first handedly into the escorting world and how it brought me to be a sex work advocate and
deeply passionate about the rights of sex workers. “I got the phone call, “You’re going to meet
your first client tonight at 7 pm sharp in Marina Del Rey," the middle man said over the phone.
“Don’t worry, he’s super easy, a really nice guy” and my heart started to beat out of my chest.
This was the craziest thing I had ever done, and I was going to get paid for it. As my long blonde
hair dripped over my chest and my adult braces clung to my teeth, I felt one step closer to being
a part of this mysterious world…"
Chapter 4 will be my obsession with Hugh M. Hefner and how I ended up spending my
weekends attending UCLA studying women’s studies while lounging around the playboy
mansion. The letters I would write Hef and the things I learned while living in that culture. Why
it is that I grew to love it and ultimately how I was kicked out. Commentary on how the #Metoo
movement and today’s political climate would most likely not allow for such an environment to
exist. The #metoo movement and my experience around the sex industry has given me a unique
perspective. “ In 2006 I saw the hit E! Television show “The Girls Next Door," and my life
5
changed. I knew from the second that I saw Holly Madison, with her bleach blonde hair and
ample cleavage that I wanted to be just like her. As she fed miniature capuchin monkeys and
directed photo shoots with scantily clad women, I was intrigued. Much to my surprise, no one
else around me seemed to be on board..”
Chapter 5 what my very first day on an adult film set was like, step by step. How I came to
making the transition from Playboy style photos to hardcore porn movies. The moment I realized
that it was my calling and how I took the actions to stand out amongst all of the thousands of
women who join the business every year. Advice and help for young people who are trying to get
into the business now. “Dear Rachel, you are no longer invited to Fun In the Sun on the
weekends. I heard you are now doing hardcore pornography and that is not consistent with the
Playboy brand, sincerely Hef”. Tears streamed down my face as I read the words of rejection.
The feeling I had done something to dishonor my Playboy family was sickening. This was my
worst nightmare….”
Chapter 6 How and why I made my way into one of the most hardcore adult agencies here in
Southern California. Going against the social grain of where I came from. What dating my 48
year old agent when I was just 21 years old was like and how in retrospect that was wildly
inappropriate. A first-hand story about what it is like to be complicit with very bad activity and
ultimately lie to yourself (unconsciously) about what exactly is going on at “LA Direct models”.
An agency recently under investigation for sex-trafficking and coercion by the board of
equalization and over 30 women who spoke out. How creating a brand gave me power, influence
6
and ultimately my freedom. “ He was handsome and powerful. I have always been attracted to
powerful men, but who isn’t? There was something so intriguing about Derek, something so
mysterious. His British accent and piercing blue eyes struck me as something I wanted to have. I
wanted to fuck my soon to be agent before I even signed his contract. I was turned on and I
wanted him.”
Chapter 7 What managing college life at prestigious institutions from UCLA to USC was like
for me. How I have juggled those two full-time jobs at the same time, and what obstacles and
victories I have had along the way. What is student life really like as a performer? How it
affected my personal life. A focus on my public speaking endeavors and how they have affected
the person I am now. What it is like to go into a lecture hall of over 300 students alone and have
them ask pressing questions. What I have learned from them over the last seven years of doing it
and how exactly that lead me to a space within fraternities. Performing speeches and lectures
about negotiating consent and the topic of sex and the adult business. “ I began guest-lecturing at
universities—starting at UCLA, my alma mater—about seven years ago. In the beginning it was
nerve racking, and I wasn’t sure the juice was worth the squeeze. I always figured my speeches
about the adult industry could be recorded and played in class, but apparently that doesn’t have
the same effect on students. I was back on the hallowed grounds of Bruin territory, almost two
years ago, when a student came up to me after class…"
Chapter 8 My own #Metoo Stories, one story in particular was addressed nationally, in regard
to an incident I had on a Wicked Pictures set for Stormy Daniels as the director. Who is alchemist
7
of our generation, a role model to me and sadly a person I realized was not on my team at all.
This will be the detailed version of what went on the day I was sexually assaulted on her set and
the actions I have taken since then to seek justice in a system that was not built for sexual assault.
I will explain the depths I have gone to attempting to reform the sexual harassment and assault
regulation or lack thereof in the adult film industry. From a potential law-suit to asking the Free
Speech Coalition for help, I will outline the tricky puzzle that is navigating safety on set. “I was
sexually assaulted by one of Stormy Daniel's crew members. He groped and grabbed me from
behind. I spoke up immediately because I was in the moment, and I was so proud of myself. She
was the director that day, I went straight to her and straight to the man that did it, we had a
conversation about it, I went to the owner of Wicked Pictures, I did all the right things…"
Chapter 9 The moment that changed my life. I inherited millions of dollars out of nowhere and
how that has shifted my overall trajectory and given me the ability to pursue exactly what it is I
want-happiness. My socio-economic privilege and how I will never take that for granite. Why it
is so difficult to speak up in the adult industry and how predators are continually protected by
our patriarchal society. “Can you change systemic issues from the inside? I have never thought
there was only one way to fix a problem. I’ve always been outspoken. That is just the way I was
raised. In some cases it works for me, in other cases is back fires, it’s all about playing the game.
Porn really brought me into my power. I recall feeling more emboldened than ever after a few
months performing, something just switched. With the new era we are in, I feel more brave than
ever to speak my truth. The price of speaking out is expensive and I am willing to pay…”
8
Chapter 10 Why it is not only important but necessary to showcase adult actresses in television,
in mainstream and in government. It is imperative to give a voice to performers because we are
worthy of a say. Words matter and social media has forever changed what it is like to be a young
Starlet in the adult world. How the words we use to describe women in adult film, as journalists,
as commentators and as a nation matter. Having an everlasting impact on the people around us.
“August Aimes took her life the summer of 2017, than Shyla Stylez, than Seraph, than Yurizan
and many more female performers. I was the chairperson of APAC “The Adult Performer
Advocacy Committee” at the time and I didn’t know what to do or what to say to interviewers.
Why were these women dying at an exorbitant rate? “Fuck your #MeToo Movement” I thought.
We have women dead. Why you might ask? It is a compound issue, one that has many layers and
we all are playing a part in the quality of their lives…"
Chapter 11 Dating in LA is challenging for most people, especially millennials and especially
with dating apps. I will share my most exciting and frightening experiences in this modern world
of love in Los Angeles County. How I met the love of my life Kyle. Also my personal advice to
young women looking to settle down. Focusing on who I am today. “Swipe right, swipe left,
swipe, swipe, swipe. When you are single and in entertainment, dating is shallow. Who’s the
prettiest, who’s the richest, who’s the most famous? People judge you by a profile photo and
some cheesy quote you found online. “Am I ever going to meet a man who accepts me, for me?”
I thought to myself as I “bumbled” and “hinged”. “Don’t lose hope Rachel," I would say to
myself in my tall, gold mirror. But after what felt like hundreds of dates with really weird men,
what was I supposed to think? Was it this difficult for my parents? Is it the whole porn thing?…"
9
Chapter 12 Epilogue - What I have learned and what I have to tell the world! I have learned to
accept myself for who I am, even when the world can be cruel and judgmental. My biggest critic
is myself and I will work every day to not only love myself but live my most full life. The adult
industry is not what it appears and it is what it seems. It has shaped the lens in which I see this
world through and I hope to share that with society. It is about time that we see sex workers as
valued people and hear the voices of adult film stars for the artists that they are. Stories about
them, through their perspective. 2020 is going to be incredible. We can be both intellectual and
sexual, they are not mutually exclusive traits. We can respect sexuality as an art form and we can
view pornography and the people who create it in a new light. I hope you read my book and
think “ That is not what I expected”. “When we think of hip hop artists we don’t ever say “ Oh
it’s so sad that they are performing! I can’t believe they suffered growing up in poverty and now
they are making money off of those sad lyrics, what victims.” But then why do we victimize
female porn stars? Why are they either seen as feminist heroes and exploited victims on Rashida
Jone’s Netflix documentaries? I have this conversation with myself almost daily. People want to
put you in a box, they naturally want to categories people and in doing so we are limiting people
and their potential to be seen for who they are..”
10
Chapter 1
Being a feminist does not mean you are a perfect example of that identity all of the time.
What feminism means to me is the belief in the ability for women to choose what they want to
do and how they want to live their lives on their terms. If a woman supports another woman’s
autonomy, even if it does not align with her own political agenda, that is feminism. Choosing to
monetize one’s body or persona in ways that are seen as traditionally “taboo, immoral or wrong”
is feminist. Liberals tend to view sex workers as victims and conservatives tend to view them as
trollops. Actually they are just women doing work, often times in ways that liberate them and
give them freedoms that they wouldn’t have otherwise. Women are inherently sexual, therefore
to allow them to express themselves in an equal way to men is imperative in creating an
egalitarian society. This is my story -- a graduate of two elite universities and a daughter of
Orange County privilege who chose to enter the porn business with my eyes wide open and
became a self-made entrepreneur. But it was not a painless path...
I woke up in a drugged up stupor, with double D-sized breasts and a perfect little nose,
though I couldn't see either appendage due to the white bandages that covered my swollen body
and bruised face. I was recovering at the W Hotel in chic-as-fuck Westwood, California, a
luxurious hotel in a cute college town, right next to Hugh Hefner’s old mansion and adjacent to
my university at the time, UCLA. I was 21, my father had just died, and I had spent over $20,000
on plastic surgery. I had received about $200,000 from his life insurance policy and I was in no
mental state to fight for my $6 million trust fund that my evil stepmother was holding above my
head.
11
My father had lost a battle with Sarcoma (blood and tissue cancer) , after two long years
of fighting tooth and nail to survive. He had tried literally every solution: chemo, new drugs,
experimental procedures, and cures not even on the market yet, expensive procedures costing
hundreds of thousands of dollars. You name it, he tried it. He was a handsome man, an active
man, an overall renaissance man. Jules Swimmer my late father, immigrated to Canada from
Israel when he was just a toddler. He is a rags to riches story, entrenched in poverty and
somehow against all odds worked his way up to owning a thriving dollar real estate company.
After years of dentistry and a stint in men’s Western apparel, he found his way into creating a
legacy in affordable senior housing developments and trendy coastal restaurants. Everyone in his
hometown of Newport Beach wanted to be like him. After all, he had six children, a multi-
million dollar home in a coveted private neighborhood, a yacht, a sailboat, a membership to the
best country club in town and a hott mistress to boot, even at age 65. He spoiled me rotten, but
not as much as he did for his step-children, which I would grow to resent later on in life.
I booked myself a $400 a night suite at the W Hotel. I was going to recover in decadence
and allow myself a lavish mourning. I was going full throttle into the trust of Drs. Garth Fisher
and Raj Kinodia to perfect my youthful body and change the direction of my career for the better.
After all, I was launching myself into an industry where your ticket in is how you look.
My whole life I had been obnoxiously insecure about my nose. I was teased about it in
middle school and high school, mostly snarky comments from boys. I never felt fully confident
with my profile in pictures, there was bump that to me was not aesthetically pleasing. Even in
college at UCLA, when I started posing for sexy photos, I was still insecure about my nose. I am
an advocate for plastic surgery that enhances your confidence. If you don’t like something,
12
technology has created incredible capabilities to help design whatever your desires are. I couldn't
shake the memory or the insecure feeling I had. My mother’s nose was perfect. I thought she was
the most beautiful woman around and I aspired to have a profile shot more similar to hers. After
all, beauty is fleeting and subjective. And if I was going to capitalize on my image, I might as
well do it exactly how I envisioned. I was never the prettiest girl in high school, but I was always
very smart. And I knew what I wanted.
My best friend Candice came from a famous Hollywood family that would send us a limo
every weekend starting at age 8 , to visit them in the hills of Los Angeles. Her father was Ted
Field, a successful producer known for movies such as “FernGully” and “The Hand That Rocks
the Cradle." All his girlfriends were stunning: playmates and super models. I grew up idolizing
him and the lifestyle he had curated for himself. He had a close friend, Raj Kinodia, who also
happened to be the best rhinoplasty surgeon in the world.
Fast forward 13 years and I am doing intel at the playboy mansion, trying to find the best
plastic surgeons. Who should I go to? I asked the blonde, beautiful, babes with perfect features as
we played pool, waiting for Hef to linger down from his bedroom to take photos with us. It’s
easy to get the work done, they told me. Just go to Fisher and Kinodia. One of surgeons I’d
known as a child. Just like that, my life came full circle. It is a small world here in Southern
California and everyone knows everyone.
For years I had waited for this moment. If we are being honest, internet porn had been
huge for me in middle school. I recall watching Jenna Haze in a girl-girl sex scene, hiding from
my mother. Jenna had pretty brown hair like I did at the time. She was in front of a big fireplace
with another model and it was such a less daunting video that the ones I had seen with men. This
13
seemed right. From then on out, I was constantly worried about being a lesbian in conservative
Orange County, the bible belt of Southern California. I grew up mostly in an all-female
household so I would run around screaming, “I’ve got porn star boobs! I’ve got porn star boobs!”
and bouncing them around in the mirror. My mom didn’t stop me. During high school I had
watched documentaries about adult film stars like Stormy Daniels and Tera Patrick. “That looks
like the best job ever,” I thought. I, like most young women, enjoyed sex.It’s something society
tries to mask. I believe that if there wasn’t such a social taboo about sex-work, many more
women would be open about their desire to do it in some capacity. I was proud of my body and
sexuality. Capitalizing on it seemed like the next fitting move. Although my boyfriend growing
up would shame the idea of the adult industry, it wasn’t enough negative patriarchy to turn me
off of my dream completely. At age 16 the hit “E” television show, “The Girls Next Door,” had a
tremendous influence on my life. Once I saw Hef’s girlfriend at the time, Holly Madison, I knew
I had to pursue modeling. She was fun, business minded and every day seemed like the best day.
Surrounded by baby animals and glamour, that was path I wanted to be on. But no one in Laguna
had any advice about this career path and no one really supported it.
And I’d begun working as an escort by default in an attempt to get into modeling. Out of
all places the shadowy depths of “Craigslist.com” had caught my attention. I found there to be a
lot of intersectionality between entertainment and sex work. Then, at age 20, I had begun doing
some semi-nude modeling in hopes of posing for Playboy. I was on a mission to work for the
company that seemed to give so much independence to so many women. Hef had allowed a
platform for countless women to use and build a brand on. More recently, I’d worked as a dancer
at a classy gentleman’s club. That was the most challenging job of all, because in my experience
14
it didn’t pay well most nights and you had to hustle and I am not a hustler. I had taken a class
at Santa Monica College called “The Sociology of Sex-work.” I was both fascinated by the
career and actively pursuing it. The more I learned about what seemed like a top secret industry
at the time, the most I wanted to do more of it. The education fed my passion to get involved,
and get involved I did. As I learned in a women's studies class that the only job that pays more to
women than men is modeling and the adult industry, the more I did both. Now, I was nearly
ready for the next step in my path. I wanted to be a performer in adult movies.
I woke up in a blur, so highly medicated that they rolled me out of the hospital in a
wheelchair in my green cotton tracksuit with the words “True Religion” emblazoned across my
chest. I know my mother, Claudia, picked me up because the surgeon had later told me what a
delight she was. No doubt she flirted with him, just like she flirts with everyone. My mother was
supportive about the surgery up until what seemed like the moment I needed her most, the day
of. She would shower me with praise and then just as quickly snatch them away the kind words.
You never knew what you were going to get with her growing up. “Does she love me or hate me
today?” I would think coming home from high school. Her admiration for me and my younger
sister would be overdone and then out of what seemed like nowhere, yelling would ensue and
Mom would be speaking down to us.
“WOW! You haven’t a stitch of makeup on,” mom couldn’t help but comment as I rose
from my wheelchair and eased into her grey Prius. So passive aggressive.”
From my bed at the W, I could see Mom eyeing my oxycodone painkillers as I lay in my
oblivious haze. Mother is an addict who has been in and out of rehab a couple of times. Wild, fun
loving and depressed during my entire childhood, her affinity for Chardonnay and pain pills was
15
enough to make me not want to touch the stuff. As I lay in pain, my head propped on the pillows,
Mother leaned in: “Try to get some sleep, Rachel. You need the rest.”
I woke up in my suite to a stream of high school friends bearing gifts. A throbbing, heavy
feeling that lay over what felt like my entire front side. From my nose downward, there was a
complete weight of the world that wouldn’t seem to leave me. Within minutes I was screaming,
“There’s an elephant on my chest!” In my blurry haze I spotted one of my oldest friends
hovering over me like a little brunette angel.
“Nico!” I shouted. “Please fetch my pain medicine.”
“Where is it?”
“Right there on the dining room table!”
“Uh-oh Rach...I think your mom took all of them....”
Mother. She pocketed my Oxycodone. To protect me from addiction, she would no doubt claim –
when we both knew she snatched those fun little suckers right up for herself.
Now with no medication and an elephant on my chest, what was I to do? I kept throwing
up, over and over and over again. “Are you okay?” my friend Lexie asked from the other side of
the bathroom door, as I hurled out the nothingness inside of me. This was my therapy. Barfing
everywhere and in so much pain I could hardly move, I was obviously not okay. I went from my
beloved father dying on Christmas Day, straight into what I thought would make me a happier,
more confident person. Shopping would have been so much easier.
In my plush bed at the W, as the pain slowly subsided, I watched old porn like “The Devil
In Miss Jones," an erotic movie by Vivid, starring Jenna Jameson. I had recently read her
memoir, “How To Make Love Like a Porn Star,” written with Neil Strauss, and it had excited
16
me, tantalized me, changed me. Powerful stories will do that to you. Now, as I watched her on
screen, I was drawn to the glamour and beauty that Jenna seemed to capture. But also something
more masculine and strong. I loved the athleticism of the sex itself, it was like the best of the best
competitors doing the most enjoyable thing imaginable. I thought that the mere idea that she was
monetizing her physical body was the coolest thing in the world. Little did anyone know I had
already started escorting, which we will save for a full step by step run down later on in the story.
I had to keep that fact top secret because of the shame the profession holds. At least Playboy was
“mainstream” and an easier topic to broach. Porn would also allow me to be more open about
receiving money for sex (a burden of a secret to hold in your 20s). I had always had a strong
desire to entertain people, I was always sexual, this seemed like the right fit. How could someone
get paid for having sex on film and doing it with so much grace?
Jenna Jameson worked during the so-called “Golden Age” of porn. Little did I know I
was coming into something more saturated and far less glamorous… I related to her and the
other unbridled women in front of the camera in photos and videos and I knew that I had to be
one of them. I felt like I was meant to be a porn star. I was in a lot of pain in that hotel bed but I
had an epiphany about what my future looked like. The same way in which men idolize football
players, I idolized Tera Patrick, Stormy Daniels, Carmen Electra, Jenna Jameson, Pamela
Anderson, and so many other powerful and beautiful women nude icons. Now all I had to do was
dive into their world. But where would I start?
A week later, I was back in the black Porsche Cayenne I had just paid for in cash,
speeding around town. A cop pulled me over for running a stop sign. I swindled my way out of
the ticket because I showed him my nose bandages. He felt bad for me. Shit, I felt bad for me, I
17
was a mess and a half. That following week I was back in class at UCLA, bruises, bandages and
all. People starred but no one dared to ask me why my bandaged-up face looked blue. They
probably just assumed it was plastic surgery. This is LA, after all.
Every Friday night, I’d drive my Porsche to Hef’s Playboy Mansion. I would pull up at
the wrought iron gate and press the call up key to the guard gate. Then I would say “Rachel
Swimmer here for Fun In The Sun!” It was a routine that I cherished and truly looked forward to
every weekend. It was never not exciting to be able to see all my weekend girlfriends and be in
the presence of Hef. We would all lay out by the pool, wade in the famous grotto, take photos
with one another and Hef of course. It was every “Girls Next Door” fan’s fantasy. Then we
would watch movies at night while sipping custom cocktails and eating whatever his personal
chefs had curated for our palettes that evening. Everything from a tasty dessert bar with rich
chocolates and miniature cakes to creamy mashed potatoes, fried chicken, fresh grapefruit
platters -- the tasty list goes on. I wish I could say there was something sexual or more wild that I
did there but there was not. I was just a girl looking to have some fun.
I finagled the gig whilst dancing at “Foreplay” in West LA. A sleazy yet wealthy man I
had met at this club had invited me up to Hef’s house to meet him in person. I had been speaking
about my desires and the universe had clearly been listening. I was awestruck and grateful. I had
always dreamed that I would end up at his house but when the moment finally came, I couldn’t
believe it. There was something magical about the baby animals, flocks of glamorous women
and, of course, Hef himself. I made quite an impression on Hef. He invited me up for “Fun In the
Sun” on Saturdays and “ Sunday Movie Night” every weekend.
18
He even had a photo of me, that I had given him, framed in his room. I was laying
luxuriously on a yacht, in the nude, wearing black and white Converse sneakers. I had a captain’s
hat on, puffing on a thick cigar, an homage to Hef’s routine. After my surgery I had submitted
photos of myself to Playboy photographers. One of them agreed to shoot me and then those
photos were published in Playboy’s Special edition magazines, “Sexy Summer Girls” and “Fresh
New Faces.” But I wanted playmate, the most in demand title.
I was cast as one of the “UCLA Girl’s of the Pac 10” in 2010 and my audition was with
Arnie Freytag, the most coveted glamour photographer at the time. I was still not satisfied. I
wanted to be centerfold. So, I wrote Hef. It was the custom for the young female guests of the
mansion to write handwritten letters to him and place them in his basket by the staircase. I wrote
“Dear Hef, it would mean the world to me if I could test for Playmate, it has always been my
dream and now that I am your model I would love this opportunity, Love Rachel”
Hef obliged and set up my test at the Playboy studios in Santa Monica. This day was
especially exciting for me.My shoot was with Arnie Freytag again and I was determined to make
Playmate. Arnie said “Put this Agent Provocateur on, my models only wear the best lingerie.”
This made me smile and I felt like I was on cloud nine. My backdrop was pink walls and white
curtains, much like my taste at the time. I was not shy, as I had shot a nude a few times before
and I was more than eager to be there. I took direction well and I couldn’t believe this was all
actually happening.
That following weekend I told Hef about my test as we both looked over an article about
it, that had been published in some local paper. I was always nervous around him and preferred
to write him letters than to actually converse. Many of my memories with him were not talkative
19
ones but social ones. By this time he was well into his 80’s and his hearing was leaving him. A
few weeks went by and finally the phone rang, “Hello, Rachel?” It was Playboy. “Unfortunately,
you did not get Playmate, instead we will make your test shoot a cybergirl pictorial.” This meant
my photos would instead be published online and not in print. I was devastated.
From here I decided to take control of my destiny. I clearly couldn’t control whether Hef
published my photos and made me centerfold. ButI could still work. Maybe, though, it wouldn’t
be for Playboy. I googled. I researched. I emailed. I found “Jim South," Jenna Jameson’s old
agent in the San Fernando Valley. He was nice enough but I didn't like the run-down office he
was in. It smelled gross, it was in a seedy part of the valley and it was really old. Even the chair I
sat in felt like it was from the 80’s and not in a good way. Cleary, his business was not doing
well. The modeling/acting production companies he wanted to book me with weren’t on my level
-- most of them I hadn’t even heard of. I am inherently an elitist, always have been, coming from
Laguna Beach. It’s in my blood.
I kept looking. I found a guy named John who owned a company called “Matrix Models.”
He called himself an agent, and without really knowing what I was doing, I signed a contract
granting him exclusive rights to represent me in the adult world as my agent. John proceeded to
not book me once in three months. Not once. I was confused. I had literally signed my youth
away to some random guy who promised me he would get me work. I had never signed a
contract before. Not to exonerate myself but college hadn't prepared me for this one. It was very
stereotypical, I felt like I was in a bad parody movie. I had given my modeling rights over to an
old white man, which would soon be a theme in my life. He had trapped me in an agreement that
I couldn't shoot at all without him booking me the job,or without me giving him a percentage of
20
my income. How fucking stupid was I to have done this, I thought to myself as he phoned me
while I was visiting a friend in New York. He called to tell me that he would take me to court if I
dare shoot without his permission, he must have found out I was submitting myself to other
agencies for representation.
It is important to mention that after my father Jules’s death I needed to get a job to
support myself. Otherwise, I had to be under the supervision and control of my stepmother
Diane. She had rules for me if I was going to continue to live off the money she had stolen from
my father. She demanded that I stay in school full-time and that would immensely limit my
ability to get into the adult film industry where I could build a brand and make more money
instantly. I would also be on a stricter budget now that my dad was gone and Diane favored
giving his money to her children. I was already a regular at the Playboy Mansion while
simultaneously escorting, so I was thinking long term about what I wanted to do for work. I was
not loving academia and I was drawn to potentially being a sex symbol. But now I felt trapped
by John and his sketchy agency and I had to do something about it.
“Should I be doing this?” I thought to myself. What would other people think? I went
back to the old millennial drawing board, Google. I searched the most relevant adult film stars,
Tori Black and Alexis Texas. I had watched Tori in a movie recently. I had never seen anyone
have sex like her before. She was not only passionate and talented but sophisticated. I had never
seen women in mainstream films featured in the same way they were in adult films. No, I don't
mean seeing “the pink,” which means women’s hardcore naughty bits.. No, I don't mean the wild
sex, I just mean that the women seemed way more powerful. I love watching the confidence that
they seemed to have, I thought, who else has this type of confidence? I had always strived to
21
have such confidence, but the way they seemed to feel about their bodies, I had literally never
seen in that in film before or in real life. The popular performers seemed to come from one
agency, LA Direct Models. I thought I would submit my photos and hope for the best. Maybe an
agent would see me and think “That’s the next Jenna.” I needed to get out of my contract with
John and quickly. In my mind I was already four years older than the 18-year-olds who got their
start right out of high school. I got an immediate response. Veronica, their assistant, requested
that I come in person to meet the owner and lead agent, Derek Hay. Remember that name for
later.
On a sunny summer day I drove myself over to a gray three-story office building in
Studio City, in the heart of the American porn industry in the San Fernando Valley. I parked in
their garage and took a deep breath. Outside the front door a gold sign proclaimed: “VIVID.” I
walked into to the legendary office building. This is the company to whom Kim Kardashian and
Paris Hilton had sold their sex tapes to. I snapped a photo of the iconic sign outside hoping to
upload the image to my Facebook page, partially to get attention, partially to update all my
friends about my next phase in life. I pressed PH and made a B line from the elevator. I was
headed to the number one adult agency of the time, known for creating adult superstars.
I felt giddy and nervous and so fucking excited about becoming a porn star. I wish I was
still that neurotic about anything. I was intrigued by the idea of it and also the fact that it was so
tangible. Most people don't grow up fantasizing about a career and then get to go and have that
career. But that’s the way I felt.
22
I walked into Derek’s white, open, spacious office, hoping for him to approve of my look
and ambition. He was the owner and agent here and I knew that he made the big named girls,
well, big. After all, I was 21, tan, blonde and eager…what would there not be to love?
“Hello, nice to meet you” I said with a smile. Derek looked equally pleased.
“How did you hear about us?” he asked.
“I found you online while I was Googling what agencies represented adult actresses, yours kept
popping up.”
Derek was intimidating, with piercing blue eyes, a thick English accent and a forceful
handshake. He reminded me of what Lucifer might look like. He wore a light blue button down
business shirt and a pair of tight khaki pants. His gaze seemed not to move off of me, not even
for a second. He was clearly excited that I had walked into his office that day.
Suddenly I felt uncertain. My angst and self-doubt came when I realized that my hometown
friends and family would see my legs spread open. I know that is graphic but that is just the way
I felt. I had this realization, “Oh my god, they are going to see these photos and what are they
going to think?” Explicit porn has a different connotation than soft core “Playboy-style” porn,
doesn't it?
Then something else occurred to me: should I be worried about my safety? STDs,
stalkers, assault? “Is this safe?” I asked Derek. Let’s say he wasn't completely dishonest. He
described a case of sexual assault that he was dealing with one that occurred on set that week. I
was shocked but it didn't turn me away. I was also fearful of the sheer pain. I thought to myself
how on earth would a penis the size of a performer’s penis ever fit inside of me. I asked Derek:
“Does this hurt?” “Sometimes it can be painful depending on the situation and film, but no, that
23
probably won’t be an issue,” he replied. In retrospect, why on earth would Derek have known if
it hurt a female vagina or not? So I can give him a break here. Kind of. The truth is, as I would
soon learn, yes sometimes on set sex hurts. Anyway, I was fucking nervous about this aspect. I
had no one to ask who would tell me the truth.
Another thing: this decision, which I knew would cause controversy on the home front (at
the time, though, I had no idea just how much), was a lot easier to make now that my father was
deceased. I know how that sounds but hear me out. My dad was not thrilled that I was modeling
for Playboy, “What did I do wrong to make you want to do such a thing?” he asked me from his
bed, weak with cancer. I assured him that he didn't do anything wrong. Maybe gave me a little
too much power to do whatever I wanted to do? Anyway, all of this was going through my mind
but it just wasn't enough to turn me away. Now that my dad was out of the picture it was easier to
make decisions that before would have been out the question. Who would want their father to
see/know that they have sex on film for money?
Derek’s unblinking eyes penetrated mine. His eye color looks almost fake because of how
light blue his irises are. He was in superb physical shape, muscular, tan with a fit build, still
performing on occasion under the stage name Ben English. Many adult film stars have an
intoxicating air about them that is highly self-assured. Derek has this. As my anxiety dissolved.
and I was intrigued and attracted to him. I felt again like I was at the right place at the right time.
Derek was charming and, overall, he made feel safe. I sensed he would become a stable presence
in my life, a woman’s intuition you could say. I knew his models called him “Daddy D.”He
would bail them out of jail if they got in trouble for partying too hard in public or drunk driving
or who knows what else. He would make sure they had work. (Little did I know what lies he had
24
hidden at the time or that in 2019 he would be under investigation for trafficking. More on that
later, so hold onto your seat.)
Veronica, Derek’s assistant, casually handed me a checklist. Under “explicit acts you are
comfortable performing,” I scanned the list: “Anal, BDSM, boy-boy-girl, group sex, ass to
mouth, fetish, bondage, swallows, foot-job, blow bangs, interracial.” I didn’t recognize some of
them, like “pegging” for one. I was instructed to check each one was comfortable doing. I wasn't
comfortable with much, in fact I barely checked anything off at all, just boy/girl, girl/girl and
solo. There were three long columns of acts ranging from group sex to anal thatI was not
interested. Despite the inspiration of Jenna Jameson and other stars, I was coming into the
business very closed minded when it came to sexuality and sexual acts. I just hadn't experiment
past “vanilla” boy/girl sex.
Derek asked me to go into a room in the clean, white office. He followed me in and
closed the door. He asked me to undress to make sure that the photos that I had submitted were
accurate. I took off my clothes, something I was very comfortable with. He stood four feet away,
examining me, head to toe in a clinical, not a creepy way. As far as I could tell at the time, he
was being professional. The room was plain, with a conference table and fax machine. I felt
anxious for his approval. I really wanted to sign with an agency that would book me work. In
today’s world anyone can photoshop themselves into whatever it is they dream up. Women can
erase bad tattoos, they can make themselves taller, and prettier and younger. Naked, under
Derek's’ gaze, I turned around, so that he could see everything. “Well…Rachel..I think you're
going to work a lot.”
25
I got dressed and then had a seat in his office. He had another agent working for him,
Mike, who sat facing him behind a desk on the other side of the room. There were adult
magazines and awards around the office and most striking of all, framed magazine covers
everywhere, on every wall. We mapped out what I was going to be performing, that I was going
to start with just solo video work, then girl on girl action (which I had never really done before),
and then boys…boy girl work. That is what they call it. That was what I was most excited for. He
now had my checklist to confirm I was comfortable with all the sex acts I was going to be
booked to do.
But first, we had to get rid of John, the creepy agent from Matrix Modes John. I told
Derek the story about how I was signed with him. He listened tentatively, eyes steady and
focused. Derek could make you feel like he really, truly cared about you just by the way he gave
his full attention. He pondered and looked to be thinking of a solution. He very matter of factly
said “Rachel, we will pay him off.” When Derek said we, he meant me, and by payment he
suggested a couple thousand dollars be written in a check to John to pay him what is called a
“break-fee.” Something Derek would soon command from me if I were ever to try to cancel a
shoot last minute. So, I agreed to it. I don't know if John ever even got that money, I have no idea
actually, but I was told that he did. I was escorting at the time so I had cash on me but I
remember thinking that the whole thing sounded shady. Derek told me that the payment would
buy me out of my five year contract, I would later find out wasn't even a legal contract at all. Just
some man abusing his powers.
Derek asked “What would you like your stage name to be?” I had never really thought of
it. At Playboy we just used our real names and then my middle name for my last name. I didn’t
26
really want to change my name. I took the topic home for consideration, I asked my mom “What
do you think my porn alias should be?” My mother’s issues with my career have always
fluctuated, much like her attitude about everything. During this moment in time she was on
board with my choices as long as they made me happy. Which made for an easier transition
initially. Later on she would shame me about my how despicable it was that I spread my legs for
the whole world to see. In an interview for the Daily Bruin she stated she wished I had become a
lawyer or a doctor, but that she was proud of me. She is very fickle about most things in life, that
or bi polar, I’ll never know. We brainstormed. Tasha seemed to have a ring to it and the name
“Reign” came from queen’s and power but also for that seedy club “Silver Reign”. So. I would
become “Tasha Reign.”
Before getting your booking info as a model with Derek, you receive a phone call. I was
getting my nails done on Wilshire Boulevard when my phone rang. My heart kind of dropped in
my chest. “Hello,” I answered nervously, not knowing exactly what to expect. In his heavy
British accent that sounds like he just arrived in the states “Hello, Miss Reign, how are you? I am
calling you about a new booking. You will be shooting your first girl girl girl scene for
Penthouse, with the performer Ashe Hollywood, she is a great model.” I responded with a giddy
“Okay, can’t wait! When?” Derek said “Two weeks from now, make sure you're prepared.” Next
step is a photo shoot for the modeling site, kind of like head shots, but these also involve your
body. That day was extremely nerve racking because there are lots of other models on set. The
house was a large well decorated home in the Hollywood Hills, there were boxes of shoes laid
out to choose from on a dining room table. Women were picking out their lingerie sets and
jumping into hair and makeup. It felt exciting and new. There was a pretty pool outside and lots
27
of youthful chattering energy. I have never liked working with lots of other women in this type of
environment. It is way too competitive for me and makes me feel insecure. It is impossible not to
compare yourself to the other girls on set.
On this particular day my make-up artist, Nicole, was in a mood. She had bleached
blonde hair and a face that looked like she had been through a lot. She had a typical valley girl
accent and high cheekbones, a full face of makeup on herself and a snarky undertone. She was
doing a good job painting my face in “Natural Glam” style, but I couldn’t ignore her jealous
attitude. In a giddy voice I said “I am so excited to shoot with Josh Ryan today! Did you know he
works for Playboy and Guess?” in excitement to her, while I sat down in her make-up chair.
Nicole couldn’t help but rain on my parade. She had the audacity to say “It’s not like they make
love to you,” when I was eagerly asking the other models and her about what the boy/girl sex
scenes were like. Her tone of voice was rude and her energy was bad, something I would learn to
hate on set. A bad attitude can be a real buzz kill.
Before getting booked by bigger production houses you are asked to do “go-sees,” which
is essentially the same thing as a modeling gig where the producer sees you, the product in real
life to make sure you look like your photos. Once you've gone through taking these still shots for
advertisement, then gone on the go-sees under the supervision of an agent, then it is time to get
tested for STD’s and STI’s. Sexual health, I would soon learn, is a huge priority in the business.
Testing is scary because needles are horrible. I have always been petrified of being poked
with a needle. How could someone so terrified by needles end up in a job that requires
mandatory blood and urine testing every two weeks? Well, I did. The mainstream adult
community test at just two facilities. They will only validate your results if you go to these
28
facilities. It is a self-governed rule which makes it controversial and not as efficient as if
Congress and law makers would enforce it. That is because some underground productions don’t
even use the PASS system. It is a system for above the board directors to be able to check to see
if talent is STD free and therefore able to shoot sexual content. The technology at these labs
detects the HIV virus quicker than other locations in the U.S.. Having sex is always risky but
when you get tested every 14 days for most STDs and the dreaded HIV virus it makes things
safer. Statistically using this system, the PASS system, we have been able to prevent HIV from
spreading on an adult film set for over a decade. That is something that makes me feel safe, yet
it’s not a guaranteed result, nothing in sex is guaranteed. I guess you could say that I feel more
confident having sex with a performer because their livelihood depends on if they are clean or
not.
In most adult films, there are a series of steps that are taken before a video is made. If
you're on an above the board, mainstream adult film set you will need to prove your age. You
will need to fill out tons of paperwork and sometimes you will have to film a “consent” video,
explaining that you are not being trafficked, that’s when shit gets dark. I don't think we should
have to make those videos, they kind of feel like blackmail, a way that a shady director could
somehow “prove” consent took place, even if it didn’t. Questions like “Are you here on your
own free will?” and “Can you confirm you doing a boy girl scene today?” are common pre-scene
questions that a director may ask you before filming. The paper work discloses that the
production house can use the content in the way they see fit, forever. There are laws that protect
artist from this language and ways to get around it but I always say that once you do something
on film, it is out for everyone to see forever, because of the internet. The director asked, “Can
29
you hold up the passport and license by each side of your face?” I smiled and took the photos.
This is also termed “bunny ears.” The only law on set that I see strictly enforced is the age
requirement to be 18 years and older to perform. That is because it’s a federal offense if you
shoot someone underaged. The age requirement is something I think should be raised to 21
because those three years really help you get to know yourself.
For my first girl-girl scene Ashe Hollywood was my cast mate and she was the hot new Starlet
who had a flat chest and long blonde hair (when she clipped in her extensions). She was a
tomboy, which I would later find many women who do such masculine work of rigorous physical
capacity. She was so bold, so confident and so good at what she did. She was a fantastic
performer.
I looked around Penthouse studios, with a stack of “A VN” magazines (“The Business of
Pleasure”) with Kayden Kross, a performer I was fan-girling over on the cover. The receptionist
said “Is that you?” I was flattered. “No, but thank you so much!” I exclaimed. The studio was
huge and professional, with tall ceilings and many rooms and areas to shoot in. Wardrobe had its
own room, make-up a separate section, I was eager to see what was next for me to do. Paper
work, so much paperwork, “When can I shoot?” I thought to myself.
After an hour or two of makeup and hair I looked gorgeous and Ashe and I were put into
wardrobe to finish the looks up. We had two different sets that day. A set is a look and a theme
for photos and usually a matching video. The theme was a fashion show parody and I was giddy.
I didn't even know how to have sex with a woman and luckily for me Ashe had enough
experience that she just took over. First, we got into hair and makeup and the artists transformed
us from regular “girl-next door” types to stunning vixens with pink and blue streaks in our hair.
30
We had heavy eye-makeup and light pink lip gloss over our plump pouty lips. I was anxious
because I had never had sex on film before, I had never had sex with a woman and I didn't even
know if I would be good at it. I was fucking nervous and extremely self-conscious, which makes
for a great model and a terrible actress. In modeling you need to be hyper aware of your figure,
in acting you need to completely let go and not be self-conscious. In porn, you have to do both,
today when people ask me what my job is, it’s difficult to choose model or actress because of
this.
“Rolling and action.” I was clitoris to mouth on my first ever girl-girl lesbian adult movie
set for Penthouse. I couldn't have been happier and more nervous, all at the same time. I was
excited that my dream of becoming the next Jenna Jameson could possibly come true. I also
knew that Penthouse magazine had centerfolds so I immediately thought maybe that day on set I
could catch the attention of the editor, Kelly Holland, who may think I am centerfold worthy. I
loved the glossy pages of men’s magazines, the celebrated fold out poster of the woman of the
month, looking so dreamy. I was always bisexual but never had acted upon my desires because
of fear. So for me this idea was not only an aspiration but a turn on. I loved the idea of being
every fan’s favorite model to gaze at when they were having their private time alone. I always
thought that would be so intimate. I had been working out, doing yoga every day to make sure I
felt my best in front of the camera. The amount of work I put into my looks was insane. From
hair, skin, body, it is a full time job, a really expensive full time job.
Ashe seemed to have everything under control, she clearly knew what she was doing and
made me feel more at ease. She was soft, pretty and smelled really great. As you have sex with
31
more and more people, you realize how pivotal a role the olfactory senses plays in having
intercourse.
Ashe used her tongue and fingers, she checked in with me about what I liked and didn't
like. That thorough form of consent between people was introduced to me on porn sets. As young
adults we aren't always taught to negotiate what acts are going to happen, in porn it’s a must. I
owe a lot to porn, my knowledge of the human body is one of those subjects that I truly thank the
adult industry for educating me about. I remember being asked to pose for photo stills that were
taken before the scene, “pretty girls," is the official name we call them, they are advertisements
for online and print. There is a lot of specific lingo that performers and the business use.
Civilians are what we call “outsiders," like in the army. My scene with Ashe is a blur, it seems
like a decade ago, because it was and because I was so nervous. Ashe ended up being a friend of
mine and someone I worked on movies with throughout my career. I do recall admiring her
physicality and flexibility, her strength and her beauty. I remember that I couldn't help but think
“Wow, now this is art.”
I recall feeling how incredibly vulnerable I felt, as well as powerful, beautiful and
playful. I imagined myself working like this regularly and how easy and freeing a job like this
would be. I would still finish my college education, but on my own schedule, not under the
ruling thumb of Diane. I never liked authority. I hoped that my photos and videos would be
released soon and that I could post them on social media. I wasn't thinking of a boyfriend or a
future husband or dating at all. I was 21 and thinking about life in the present and about the
Louis Vuitton bags I wanted to buy. I was eager to see what was going to come next. I was
scared that I would drift even further away from my Laguna friends than I already had. I keenly
32
remember leaving work that day excited about what the next chapters in my career would bring
me, proud that I was working for “Penthouse” and wildly independent with the knowledge I was
bringing home a paycheck for a job I would have done for free. I was pulling my weight and
creating enjoyable and entertaining content that would engage viewers. I loved the notion that I
spent my entire day filming a movie and taking photos that others could enjoy. My sweat and
labor had been put into something that would be out forever online. I felt most importantly like I
was doing what I was supposed to be doing.
33
Bibliography
Swimmer, Rachel. (My own memory of life events and experiences.) 1989-2019.
34
Abstract (if available)
Abstract
A memoire of a well known adult actress from Laguna Beach, known by many as Tasha Reign. A story of a young woman born into privilege and exposed to a stereotypical ""Orange County"" experience. With many divorces, step siblings and even a reality show along the way. A former Bruin, who had a fascination with sex work took a leap of faith and joined the adult industry. Although no one she knew had ever been involved in it, she made her own path. With the death of her father at a young age, she is temporarily robbed of her inheritance. Desiring a large income and glamour, she goes on to escort, then to perform in over 100 adult films. Posing for magazines, billboards, and signing at conventions worldwide for her millions of fans. Tasha works over a decade in different genres of the adult business. The #Metoo movement finally happens and realizations that hadn't hit her before, suddenly slap her right across the face. She starts advocating for consent on college campuses and speaks out against sexual predators. Tasha is conflicted, yet focused. Determined yet overwhelmed. She is a complicated character that tells it all to her fans and her followers. I am Tasha. Tasha is me....
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Asset Metadata
Creator
Swimmer, Rachel Lorraine
(author)
Core Title
The porn star from Laguna
School
Annenberg School for Communication
Degree
Master of Arts
Degree Program
Specialized Journalism
Publication Date
12/18/2019
Defense Date
12/17/2019
Publisher
University of Southern California
(original),
University of Southern California. Libraries
(digital)
Tag
#MeToo,acceptance,Adult,Animals,beauty,class,consent,culture,Economics,fame,feminism,film,Laguna Beach,memoire,Modeling,OAI-PMH Harvest,Playboy,pornography,privilege,sex work,Sexual assault,social media,Sociology,story,teaching,USC,Writing
Language
English
Contributor
Electronically uploaded by the author
(provenance)
Advisor
Reeves, Richard (
committee chair
), Castaneda, Laura (
committee member
), Tolan, Sandy (
committee member
)
Creator Email
Rachel.swimmer@gmail.com,Rswimmer@usc.edu
Permanent Link (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-255228
Unique identifier
UC11673374
Identifier
etd-SwimmerRac-8096.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-255228 (legacy record id)
Legacy Identifier
etd-SwimmerRac-8096.pdf
Dmrecord
255228
Document Type
Thesis
Rights
Swimmer, Rachel Lorraine
Type
texts
Source
University of Southern California
(contributing entity),
University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
(collection)
Access Conditions
The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...
Repository Name
University of Southern California Digital Library
Repository Location
USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA
Tags
#MeToo
acceptance
beauty
consent
fame
feminism
memoire
pornography
sex work
social media