By Dave Cummings

YNOT – Piracy seems to have a chokehold on many companies, performers, crew members and other players in porn production. Why shoot when you might not recover production costs, let alone make a profit? The number of performers and productions has thinned considerably. My personal access to sex via porn shoots is way down; almost nonexistent lately. Thankfully, swinging continues in what seems like an expanding way, so I have access to sex via that avenue.

One of the odd side-effects of piracy is that, due to larger numbers of people illicitly downloading porn from the internet, my face is more readily recognized. Yesterday, during my daily exercise walk on the beach boardwalk while wearing sunglasses and a hat for privacy, I was approached four different times by porn consumers who recognized me from downloaded adult films. No, I didn’t get any action, but last night a groupie coed brought a new dorm girl by to show her that she actually knew me, and yes they both gave me head before they went back to studying. Being an older porn star sometimes helps me get laid by women who are into the “daddy thing.” (Elegant Angel has a whole series titled It’s a Daddy Thing, and yes I’ve performed in a couple of the videos.) Last night at a local happy hour, a military guy approached me to ask a number of the usual porn questions: Do the girls really cum? How do porn stars prevent getting HIV/STDs? And, of course, he asked how he could get into porn. I guess it was good that I had ordered a salad, because otherwise my meal would’ve grown cold while he fired off questions galore. I left early, just to regain some privacy and be alone with my best friend, namely me.

On Nov. 6, the voters of Los Angeles County opted for mandatory condoms in porn shoots, something most of we porn people are not happy about. I imagine a lot of the remaining producers who still shoot in spite of piracy now are reviewing their options. California and New Hampshire are the only two states where porn production is legal. A lot of insider people at last week’s Free Speech Coalition Summit brainstormed alternatives for dealing with — or refusing to comply complying with — the condoms mandate. I sense that this will not be easily or quickly resolved.

Between the negative effects of piracy and the financial mess of mandatory condoms, porn production as a business seems stressed.

The Xmas holiday season is approaching quickly. Drive safely and enjoy life and family.

Dave Cummings, “the world’s oldest porn star,” is a performer, producer, director and member of the AVN Hall of Fame. Visit him online at DaveCummings.com, DaveCummings.tv or DaveCummingsVOD.com, or call and chat with him live at DaveCummingsInfo.com.