Commentary: Paul Maginn on Aussie TV Series 'You Can't Ask That'

Our experiences of porn performers in the 21st century are mediated via the internet. Tube sites have dominated our viewing inquisitiveness, pleasure-seeking desires and sexual fantasies. Porn aficionados or ethical consumers continue to pay for their porn. They do so via online platforms such as AEBN, OnlyFans or cam sites such as MyFreeCams or Chaturbate. Some folks still buy DVDs via online adult stores and even brick-and-mortar sex shops. Others, what my sexademic colleagues—Crystal Jackson, Barb Brents and Aleta Baldwin—and I have termed “porn superfans," go to events such as the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo or Sexpo here in Australia in order to meet porn performers in the flesh. Hugs, fist bumps, high fives, air kisses, and small talk are all exchanged! Suggestive poses are struck! Photos are taken! Autographs are collected! Fans walk away high on excitement after having met their favorite performers. Despite the presence of online porn, when was the last time you saw a group of performers on national TV talking about themselves, why and how they got into porn, and their career and personal aspirations? You don’t see that, that often! When, and, if, adult performers do appear on TV they’re often the center of some sensationalist tabloid expose reinforcing sexual and cultural stereotypes. The Australian television series, “You Can’t Ask That” (YCAT) recently ran an episode on Australian porn stars on national TV. YCAT is a reality/factual entertainment program that seeks to “give a voice to misunderstood and marginalised Australians who front up to answer the most brutal probing questions you can imagine." All manner of marginalized, maligned and stereotyped groups and issues have featured on the program since it first went to air in 2016. They include: short statured people; wheelchair users; Muslims; ex-prisoners, Indigenous Australians; people with Down syndrome; suicide attempt survivors, refugees, sexual assault survivors; carnies and show people, bogans, prescription drug addiction, juvenile detention, and dementia. Each episode comprises eight guests, who, individually or in pairs, read out and answer various unseen questions from members of the public. The questions posed range in nature from the deeply personal, cringe-worthy, and, even offensive. Kirk Docker, one of the show’s co-creators, recently noted in online magazine ABC Backstory: “We had a question in amputees last year: ‘Has anyone f[ucke]d your stump?’ Sex and sexuality has been a common theme over the last six years with  transgenderism, polyamory, sex workers, S&M, swingers, intersex, nudists, lesbians; and, gay men all featured on the show. Guests on the porn stars episode were a diverse bunch in terms of age, gender, sexuality, cultural background and body type. There was Aussie global porn superstar Angela White, who is arguably one of the most business savvy performers around. Marissa Minx, a transgender performer appeared alongside Robbie Oz, a straight male performer and sex coach. Robbie stated to me that being paired with Marissa “was amazing [and] loved hearing about her journey.” He went on to say that although, “a lot of what [Marissa] shared was too explicit for TV he learnt a lot from her.” Now, that’s what you call pornucation! BBW performer Arianny Koda and retired performer turned real-life librarian and author Nikki Stern shared honors in answering questions. Gay male performer Woody Fox flew solo. Then there was Morgana Muses, who featured in the 2019 documentary Morgana, a doc about ”a lonely house-wife's plan to end it all takes an unexpected turn when her last hurrah begins a radical journey of sexual exploration and personal re-invention.” In her own words, Muses described herself to me as “not your stereotypical mainstream porn performer.” Rather, she sees herself as more an “average middle-aged woman producing and performing in porn wanting to send out her body-positive and age-positive messages.” Sri Lankan Australian Rubi Valentine highlighted that the show seemed keen to ensure showcasing a diverse range of performers. She told me that “[w]hen I spoke to the producer pre interview there felt like there was quite a focus on my experience as a brown performer working in the Australian scene.” Valentine was keen to take part because she was “worried that if [she] didn’t do it they would give [her] spot to a white woman.” She was also motivated to do the show because “it’s [her] grandma’s favorite show!” All those that I spoke to—Morgana, Robbie and Rubi—enjoyed recording the show and felt that what went to air was informative and showed that performers are just everyday Aussies. For me, it would be interesting to know what questions and responses ended up on the cutting floor. No doubt issues such as stigma, discrimination and regulation would have been covered. If they were, then, it would have been good to air these. If the US version of YCAT ever features porn performers I’d suggest that performers make their own recording of things so that they have a full record of what happened on set. This is so you can counter any poor editing by the show’s producers. Moreover, you also have material that you can use for own ends. It is your labor after all! You can watch the Australian porn performers episode of You Can’t Ask That here on ABC iView. Paul Maginn is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Western Australia in Perth. Follow him at @Planographer.