Steven Hirsch | |
|---|---|
 Hirsch in May 2009 | |
| Born | May 25, 1961 Lyndhurst, Ohio, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Founder and Co-Chairman of Vivid Entertainment |
Steven Hirsch (born May 25, 1961) is the founder and co-chairman of the adult entertainment company Vivid Entertainment, [1] which he founded in 1984. [2] It has been estimated to be the top adult entertainment company. [3]
The second generation of his family to be in the business, he is credited by AVN as the creative visionary who saw the potential to change the nature of the adult entertainment industry. [4] [5] Hirsch and his original partner, David James, an industry veteran with extensive international experience, were later joined by a third partner, Bill Asher, a Dartmouth College graduate with an MBA from the University of Southern California, who has engineered the company's recent financial success through a series of transactions and alliances. The three are co-chairmen of the company. [1]
In addition to a hardcover book with HarperCollins, [6] Hirsch developed Vivid Comix and graphic novels with Avatar Press [7] and erotic novels with Thunder’s Mouth Press. [8] The faces of Vivid Girls have appeared on billboards in high traffic venues such as Sunset Boulevard [9] and Times Square. [10]
The 2004 pseudo-documentary TV series Porno Valley, documents Hirsch's private life and family, and interaction between Hirsch and his Vivid dream.
Two additional seven-party reality series were seen on Showtime. Deeper Throat covered the remaking of the classic adult movie and Debbie Does Dallas Again was about the trials of getting permission to remake this all-time favorite.
In 2012 Hirsch received the first Adult Video News Visionary Award at a gala ceremony in Las Vegas. According to Paul Fishbein, founder of AVN, "Nobody in the modern era of the adult industry has been more innovative in mainstreaming their company image than Vivid. That made them one of the premier brands in all of Hollywood, adult or otherwise. Steve and the company are truly deserving of this achievement." [11]
Hirsch opposed Measure B, a law passed in Los Angeles County on November 5, 2012 that requires all performers in adult films to wear condoms when filming sex scenes. Hirsch expressed confidence that the law, which was passed by 56 percent of voters, would be overturned on the grounds that it violates filmmakers' First Amendment rights, but stated that failing this, Vivid would move production out of Los Angeles County to survive, commenting, "There have been obscenity prosecutions, but this is something on a whole different level." [12]
Hirsch was born in Lyndhurst, Ohio. Hirsch operates his company with his sister, Marci, who was inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame in 2015. [13] He is the father of two children (Alexa and Jack Hirsch) with his ex-wife. [14]
Ginger Lynn Allen is an American pornographic actress and model who was a premier adult-entertainment star of the 1980s. She also had minor roles in various B movies. Adult Video News ranked her at #7 of the 50 greatest porn stars of all time in 2002. After ending her pornography career, she began using her full name and found work in a variety of B-movies. She had a late-career return to the adult industry and made a brief series of movies. Allen is a member of AVN, NightMoves, XRCO, and Urban X Halls of Fame.
Steven St. Croix is an American pornographic actor and director. In 2013, he received a NightMoves Lifetime Achievement Award. St. Croix has made several mainstream appearances, including a music video for Gloria Estefan and the 2004 film The Girl Next Door.
Aurora Snow is an American retired pornographic actress, director, and columnist.
Barbara Dare is an American former pornographic actress. She was one of the industry's initial contract performers with Essex Video and Vivid Entertainment and is an AVN and XRCO Hall of Fame inductee.
Vivid Entertainment Group is an American independent pornographic film production company, featuring internet content.
Dyanna Lauren is an American erotic dancer, pornographic actress, singer and director.
Marc Wallice is a former American pornographic actor. He performed in over 1,700 pornographic films and has directed as well. Wallice was inducted into both the AVN and XRCO Halls of Fame.
Sunrise Adams is an American author and pornographic actress.
Savanna Samson is the stage name of Natalie Oliveros, an American former pornographic actress. The winner of several AVN Awards, she has spent most of her career as a contract performer with major producer Vivid Entertainment, and is known for her roles in acclaimed adult films such as The New Devil in Miss Jones. In addition to performing, she has her own adult film studio, Savanna Samson Productions. A native of upstate New York, she entered the adult film industry in 2000, after working as a dancer at the Manhattan strip club, Scores.
Adult Video News is an American trade magazine that covers the adult video industry. The New York Times notes that AVN is to pornographic films what Billboard is to records. AVN sponsors an annual convention, called the Adult Entertainment Expo or AEE, in Las Vegas, Nevada along with the AVN Awards, an award show for the adult industry modeled after the Oscars.
Wicked Pictures is an American independent pornographic movie studio headquartered in Canoga Park, California. Between 2004 and 2021, it was one of the only heterosexual studios to maintain a condoms-only policy.
Axel Braun is an Italian-American adult film producer and director known for his productions of pornographic parodies. He is the most awarded director in the history of adult films.
Monique Alexander is an American pornographic actress, nude model, and 2017 AVN Hall of Fame inductee. Alexander has also been an advocate for free speech and sex education, and has appeared on Fox News and in a debate at Yale University addressing these topics. In addition to her pornographic work, she has had several cameo appearances in mainstream films and television shows.
Kimberly Kane is an American pornographic actress.
Sexually transmitted infections in the pornography industry deals with the occupational safety and health hazard of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) by workers in the sex industry. Since the 1980s many cases of pornographic performers contracting HIV/AIDS have been reported. However, since the mid-2000s strict adherence to rigorous STI testing, and limiting sexual contact with only fellow tested performers has halted the spread of HIV and other STIs in the industry.
Measure B, also known as the County of Los Angeles Safer Sex In the Adult Film Industry Act, is the law that requires the use of condoms in all vaginal and anal sex scenes in pornography productions filmed in Los Angeles County, California. The measure also requires porn production companies to obtain a health permit prior to production and to post the permit and a notice to performers regarding condom use during production. All individuals involved will also be required to pay $1,600 every 2 years.
The 30th AVN Awards ceremony, or XXX AVN Awards, was an event during which Adult Video News (AVN) presented its annual AVN Awards to honor the best pornographic movies and adult entertainment products of 2012. Movies or products released between October 1, 2011, and September 30, 2012, were eligible. The ceremony was held on January 19, 2013 at The Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Paradise, Nevada. Comedian April Macie, AVN Hall of Fame inductee Jesse Jane and Asa Akira, who won Female Performer of the Year, hosted the AVN Awards. The awards show was held immediately after the Adult Entertainment Expo at the same venue.
The 29th AVN Awards ceremony, presented by Adult Video News, honored the best pornographic movies and adult entertainment products of 2011 of the United States and took place January 21, 2012, at a new venue, The Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Paradise, Nevada. Movies or products released between Oct. 1, 2010 and Sept. 30, 2011 were eligible. The ceremony was televised in the United States by Showtime. Comedian Dave Attell hosted the show for the second time. He first presided over the 27th ceremony held in 2010, and shared the 29th ceremony with co-hosts Bree Olson and Sunny Leone. The awards show was held together with the Adult Entertainment Expo and Internext at the same venue.
31st AVN Awards was an event during which Adult Video News (AVN) presented its annual AVN Awards to honor the best pornographic movies and adult entertainment products of 2013.
The 33rd AVN Awards ceremony, presented by Adult Video News (AVN), honored the best pornographic movies and adult entertainment products of 2015 and took place on January 23, 2016, at The Joint in Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Paradise, Nevada. During the ceremony, Adult Video News will present AVN Awards in 115 categories released from October 1, 2014, to September 30, 2015. The ceremony, taped to be televised in the United States by Showtime, was produced by Gary Miller. Comedian and actress Kate Quigley co-hosted the show for the first time, joined by adult movie actresses Joanna Angel and Anikka Albrite.
CAVUTO: Steve, I think you have a 2-year-old, right? HIRSCH: Yes. Yes, that's correct.