THE ADULT FILM MINUTE: Once per month, except for occasionally when there’s a multi-part series, Dr. Chauntelle Tibbals will be telling us a little bit about what’s going on in adult entertainment and why it should matter to you.
While the hot ladies and the horny dudes get 99.9% of the ink/black pixels, making porn takes a lot of elbow grease, and it’s not just the people on the box covers doing the work. Because it’s March (and because I figured it would be interesting), I asked some of the lesser-known guys who work in porn what they do when the cameras stop rolling. March Men-ness, get it? Here’s our second installment.
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Dr. Chauntelle: So, Man Working in Porn – who are you, and what’s your job?
Nate Glass: My name is Nate Glass, and I’m the owner of Takedown Piracy. We’re the leading name in anti-piracy for the adult industry, so when studios or performers find their stuff on piracy sites, I’m the guy they call to take care of it. You might think that means I watch a massive amount of porn every day, but at our core, we’re a technology company. A big chunk of my time is spent either making our software better, talking with our tech partners to have new code written, or finding ways to make the company more efficient – all in order to combat copyright infringement and online theft.
DrC: So basically, you’re like a hero?!
NG: Actually, my job title means that before people know anything about me, they generally either intensely HATE me or really appreciate me, depending on how they feel about piracy.
DrC: Well, I know that piracy is a *huge* problem, so fighting it must take up a lot of time. What do you do when you’re not working?
NG: I typically work seven days a week, usually ten hours a day, but being my own boss makes the time spent worth it. I do, however, actually make time for myself –
Otherwise, I’d just be a burnt out shell of a man.
First and foremost, I am an unapologetic pro-wrestling fan. I loved the WWF and WCW as a kid, and as I got older I got to understand more of the business side and the behind-the-scenes art of professional wrestling. These days I’m more of a fan of Ring of Honor (who is also a Takedown Piracy client), New Japan Pro Wrestling, and the independent wrestlers I’ve come to know, like Colt Cabana. I’ve been to the last three Wrestlemania events, and I’ve got numerous shout-outs from Colt Cabana and CM Punk during Colt’s “Art of Wrestling” podcast. So I guess I’ve went from a young kid who was a total fanboy to grown man who is a total fanboy. And if I have to pick my favorite wrestlers of all-time, I’m going to go with Randy Savage from the ‘80s, Lex Luger from the ‘90s, Nigel McGuinness from the ‘00s, and Daniel Bryan from the ‘10s.
I’m also an avid collector of bobbleheads and Funko figures. I probably have around 100. My personal favorites are my Flash Gordon, Star-Lord, and Vault-Tec bobblehead from Fallout 3. I like to shop for cheap obscure bobbleheads on eBay. That’s where I’ve scored a Harvey Pekar, a Satchell Paige, and a Shriner’s figure, each for under $5. I have a complete set of the WWE Funko figures and all of the amazing Universal Monster mini figures. I also have a Sarah Palin bobblehead – it’s just as insightful as the real thing.
DrC: Ha! Do you ever go outside?
NG: My newest hobby is disc golf. And, like most sports, I suck at it, but I keep trying to get better. The best part is that it’s a cheap hobby, the discs are affordable, the courses are usually free, and it’s a great way to get some sun and a little exercise. Just a few days ago, I missed a 150′ birdie by about six inches. It probably would’ve been the kind of story I would have been telling for years had I made the shot – my “Al Bundy, Polk High” moment.
DrC: LOL well, if nothing else, you’re definitely breaking down porn stereotypes! Tell me some more about your journey working in the adult industry…
NG: I don’t think many people set out to be involved in the adult industry, but one way or another some people make their way there. The industry is infinitely interesting to me. It’s seemingly always in a state of flux, adapting to new technologies and new sensibilities amongst the general public. What saddens me the most is that people from outside the industry have a preconceived notion that everyone in porn is some sleazy stereotype of a ‘70s porn producer. There’re so many more people involved in the industry besides those you see on the screen.
I got started in this business when I was just twenty years old. I was a small town kid who was totally amazed at getting free porn rentals at a store in Dallas. At first, all the different things people were into sexually was mind-blowing to me, and then after a while I just came to realization that people are into a whole lot of different things sexually. They’re all equal to me – it’s not my place to pass moral judgment on anyone’s ball-busting fetish, or whatever.
Since then, it’s been one helluva journey though. I mean, who else can say they’ve been on the cover of Adult Video News, faced a criminal trial for pandering obscenity (and WON!), and been on “Nightline” and quoted in Forbes. If nothing else, it makes for great stories at my high school reunion.
DrC: It’s like it was meant to be! But, do people treat you weird? I mean, besides disc golf and Rich, how’s your personal life?
NG: Actually, the best part of all this is that, through the adult biz, I was able to meet the woman I love. What started as a chance encounter has turned into the best relationship anyone could ever hope for. She’s my biggest fan and supporter, and she’s gotta be the only woman in the world that comes home and sees me sitting at the computer with porn playing on the screen and says: “Oh honey, are you still working?” How cool is that?
And she’s willing to put up with my wrestling addiction. She even went to Wrestlemania with me last year and endured five –FIVE!— days of pro-wrestling. Am I lucky? You’re damn right I’m lucky. And I wouldn’t have met her at all were it not for me being a part of the adult industry! You know, for once I’d like to hear the haters of porn, those people who spout bullshit “stats” about porn ruining relationships, acknowledge that there are tons of couples that are together because of porn, or at least are enjoying porn together.
DrC: Dang Nate, in every respect, you’re a lifer…
NG: By my math, if I’m involved in porn for another two years, I will have spent half my life working in this industry. I have no regrets and no apologies. It’s been an incredibly enriching experience for me. I’ve learned to balance my work and personal life in a way that being “in porn” doesn’t define me – it just makes for a great conversation starter and even better friends.
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Full disclosure here people: Nate Glass is a dear friend of mine. I greatly admire his ethics and his sass. Visit him on Twitter at @tdpnate.
Dr. Chauntelle Tibbals is a sociologist specializing in gender, sexualities, work and organizations, media and technology, and popular culture. She has been studying the adult entertainment industry for over ten years.