The Latest
Joe Represents Himself, Triumphs in Federal CourtApril 7th, 2011
After eight days of trial in a federal courtroom that saw tears, fireworks and a compelling performance in which he initially served as his own lawyer, Joe won a resounding victory against four women who had sued him for millions of dollars for damages they claimed to have suffered after appearing in a Girls Gone Wild video. The girls, all of whom lied about their ages in order to participate in the filming, blamed Joe and Girls Gone Wild for every bad thing that happened to them in the eight years since the brief filming took place. In carefully rehearsed performances, the girls cried on the witness stand as they admitted to dropping out of school, using drugs, losing jobs and becoming involved with abusive boyfriends - all, they said, as a result of being on Girls Gone Wild. But Joe, acting as his own attorney, skillfully took the girls' cases apart. After six days of trial, the jury awarding the plaintiffs exactly nothing, and Joe won the case, making national headlines. "We have never lost a jury trial," Joe said, "And we never will."
What Friends Are For April 5th, 2011
Joe was welcomed by the cream of Miami's movers, shakers and reality stars recently at Lea and Roy Black's Annual Gala to benefit the Consequences Charity & Foundation, held at the EdenRoc Renaissance Hotel. The annual event, always the highlight of Miami's social calendar, featured the theme "That's What Friends Are For." Joe took this sentiment to heart by donating an all-expenses-paid vacation at his 40,000-square-foot Mexican Riviera mansion, Casa Aramara (a popular getaway for Hollywood celebrities) to the charity's auction. Thanks to such acts of generosity, the event raised a reported $750,000 for at-risk kids. According to the press, Joe "worked the room like a politician," greeting his many friends and taking photos at the event. Entertainment for the evening was provided by Dionne Warwick, Pharrell Williams and Joe's friend Pitbull.Spring Break - Joe Francis Style March 21st, 2011
Joe surprised two hundred unsuspecting Spring Breakers in Puerto Vallarta by inviting them to join him for a spontaneous party at "Girls Gone Wild Island." The college students were provided with first class transportation to the most exclusive vacation destination in the world. Surfboards, wave runners and speedboats crisscrossed the calm blue oceans as gourmet snacks and drinks were served poolside. Joe posed for photos with dozens of star-struck students, who found him to be a consummate host. "I've always wanted to meet Joe Francis," said an engineering major from ASU. "He's living every guy's dream!" A group of girls from USC explored every square inch of the property. "This place is amazing," they agreed. "No one is going to believe that we were actually here." At the end of the day, most of the students were reluctant to leave. Said one, "This is something I will remember for the rest of my life."Reality Star March 18th, 2011
The cameras captured the action as Joe held a strategy meeting with his staff on the hit HDNet reality TV series "Girls Gone Wild Presents: Search for the Hottest Girl in America," now in its second season. Joe appears regularly in the series as he consults with the Girls Gone Wild production staff, monitors the search and reviews photos and videos submitted by contest hopefuls. He's been known to pay a surprise visit to photo shoots for Girls Gone Wild Magazine, where his arrival is invariably cause for excitement and even nervousness on the part of the models. "Joe is full of energy," says one contestant, a blonde college girl from Washington. "I was really nervous when he showed up but he quickly puts you at ease. He really likes everyone to have fun." Fans are invited to vote for their favorite girls at GirlsGoneWild.com. The winner will be announced in a special one-hour finale on May 19. "Girls Gone Wild Presents: Search for the Hottest Girl in America" airs Thursday and Saturday on HDNet at 1 a.m. EDT, 10 p.m. PDT.River Gone Wild Mar 14th, 2011
Joe is featured in the pages of "Tell to Win", the current New York Times bestseller written by Joe's longtime friend and Academy Award®-winning producer Peter Guber. In the book, Guber recalls a 5-day trip on the Colorado river he took with what he describes as a crew of "type-A powerhouses" such as NFL president Steve Bornstein, actor Pierce Brosnan, Life strategist Tony Robbins, New Line president Tobey Emmerich and "rambunctious Joe Francis, who'd steered his career through the rapids of Girls Gone Wild." Guber recalls that the group spent two days "throwing water bottles at one another, jumping boat to boat and generally ignoring our expedition's guides rules" until it came time to confront Lava Falls, the fiercest whitewater in the canyon. Guber says he and his crewmates put aside the hijinks long enough to skillfully navigated the class 10 rapids, in the process learning an important lesson: "Risk can be transformative but only if you survive it." Joe says that Peter's book, which contains insight on how to create purposeful stories that can serve as powerful calls to action, is "Fascinating and VERY helpful in business." For more information on Peter Guber's "Tell to Win", click here.Better to Give Mar 7th, 2011
Joe made an appearance on a recent episode of the hit Bravo TV show "The Real Housewives of Miami" which chronicles the lifestyles of South Florida's most most connected and influential women, including Lea Black, wife of renowned defense attorney Roy Black. On the show, Joe pays a surprise visit to his very good friend Leah as she oversees preparations for the Blacks Annual Gala, a star-studded charity ball to raise funds for at-risk kids in South Florida and Haiti. "We have the most amazing donors and guests in the world here," Leah said of the event. Leah listed the most impressive prizes donated for auction at the charity ball, including one from friend Joe. "We've got a trip to Mexico at Joe Francis's mansion!" she told the cameras. The four-day all-inclusive vacation to the beachfront mansion (actually the Girls Gone Wild corporate retreat) went for an impressive $50,000, all of which was given straight to the charity. Click here to check it out.Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best? Feb 2nd, 2011
Joe Francis appeared on a recent episode of Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best? - the new WeTV reality series starring Joan and Melissa Rivers. Joe offered Melissa a generous sum to appear topless in a proposed new Girls Gone Wild DVD titled "Hollywood Moms Gone Wild." Cameras followed Joan as she brought Melissa to the Girls Gone Wild corporate offices to meet with Joe, who showed them a DVD box cover and a copy of Girls Gone Wild Magazine mocked up with a topless photo of Melissa. Joan, who insists her daughter has an "amazing body" encouraged Melissa to accept Joe's offer. "I would be so proud to say, 'That's my daughter'." Melissa politely declined the invitation to go wild, but admitted, "Joe's offer was incredibly tempting - it was a lot of money." According to Joe, if Melissa changes her mind, the offer still stands. Click here to check it out.
Funny ManJan 20th, 2011
Joe recently appeared in a viral video spoofing the Girls Gone Wild brand that was produced as a promotion for the hit HDNet series "Girls Gone Wild Presents: Search for the Hottest Girl in America." The comic short, produced for the "Funny Or Die" website, was written and directed by Jordan Rubin, whose credits include writing for "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," "The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn," and "The MTV Movie Awards." According to the production's director of photography, Joe's improvisations had the crew cracking up so much that multiple takes were ruined by off-camera laughter.Lights! Camera! Action!Dec 18th, 2010
Joe took the camera himself in Miami this December to help shoot footage for HDNet's reality series "Girls Gone Wild Presents: Search for the Hottest Girl in America." The show is currently in production on its second season, after last year's 12-episode run became the most popular series on Mark Cuban's high-definition TV channel. "Our Search for the Hottest Girl in America generated an enormous response," Joe says. "Thousands of girls submitted themselves and hundreds of thousands of fans voted for their favorites. This year we've launched an even bigger and better search, with more locations, more girls, and more fun for the fans." Joe met up with the Girls Gone Wild camera crew and magazine staff during an open audition for contestants in Miami. Hundreds of local girls submitted themselves for the contest, out of which over two dozen were invited to the Girls Gone Wild vacation House for test photos. "Miami has some of the most beautiful girls in the world," Joe says, "So it was a natural location for us to launch our 2011 Search for the Hottest Girl in America."Apology AcceptedDec 14th, 2010
Former reality TV personality Brody Jenner publicly apologized to Joe Francis for his involvement in false news reports that Joe had attacked Jenner's then-girlfriend in a Los Angeles nightclub in 2009. In a message to Joe, Jenner wrote, "I would like to acknowledge for the record that the media reports that you beat up Jayde Nicole at the Guys & Dolls nightclub in August 2009 were completely inaccurate. The entire incident was an unfortunate misunderstanding and I am sorry for the whole thing." Jenner didn't stop there. He went on to write, "I have always known you to be a gentleman and I'm very sorry that you were wrongly accused that night." When asked if he accepted Jenner's apology, Joe said, "I'm glad he admitted his mistake. Anyone who knows me knows I would never act disrespectfully towards women, and this guy's accusations were very hurtful. I'm happy to put the whole incident behind me."All in a Day's WorkNov 16th, 2010
Joe visited the Girls Gone Wild Photo Studio on a typically busy day last month to chat with several beautiful young women who were there to shoot for Girls Gone Wild Magazine. The production facility offers of a large array of sets, backdrops, and equipment for photo and video shoots when going on location isn't practical. During Joe's recent visit, several contestants in the Search for the Hottest Girl in America took the opportunity to get a souvenir photo with the Girls Gone Wild CEO. They are (from left) Peyton Cummings, Kristin Myers, Amanda Miller and Kelli Reichel.
"It's always fun to have Joe at the photo shoots," says Girls Gone Wild Magazine editor Leland Zaitz. "His presence really kicks up the energy. The girls are almost always nervous to meet him at first, but Joe puts quickly put them at ease. He's down to Earth and wants everyone to have fun."And The Winner Is...July 29th, 2010
On July 29, Joe appeared on HDNet's "Girls Gone Wild Presents: Search for the Hottest Girl in America" to officially award the title of Hottest Girl in America to 20-year-old Chelsea Brooke of Louisiana. Chelsea was selected by fan votes from among thousands of contestants who submitted photos and video to GirlsGoneWild.com. "Chelsea is amazing," Joe said. "She's beautiful, she's smart and she's got a great personality. She's everything we were looking for to represent the Girls Gone Wild brand." Chelsea couldn't wait to tell her friends and family about winning the title. "I want to say thank you to all my friends and the fans who voted for me," she said. Chelsea has begun a nationwide tour to represent the Girls Gone Wild brand at live events and media appearances. She also appears on the September issue of Girls Gone Wild Magazine. HDNet has already ordered season two of "Girls Gone Wild Presents: Search for the Hottest Girl in America" and the hunt is already underway to find Girls Gone Wild's 2011 Hottest Girl in America. Lil Wayne Rocks Girls Gone WildJuly 15th, 2010
A custom-made Girls Gone Wild guitar added some sex appeal to the hot video for Lil Wayne's hit single "Knockout" with Nicki Minaj, which has been rocking the airwaves all summer. The song, from Lil Wayne's album "Rebirth," charted on Billboard's Hot 100 list and features Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj living out a high school fantasy in which Nicki plays Wayne's love interest. In the video, Lil Wayne plays a solid-body, limited edition guitar custom made for Girls Gone Wild by Schecter Guitar Research with graphics designed by Ron Villanueva. Last winter, Joe Francis called Lil Wayne and asked the rapper to perform at the Power of Hope charity gala, an annual event to benefit youth programs in Miami, hosted by Roy and Lea Black. Lil Wayne was happy to oblige and predictably brought the house down. As a thank you for Lil Wayne's generous support for an important cause, Francis presented his friend with a rare Girls Gone Wild electric guitar. Lil Wayne prides his GGW guitar as one of his favorite instruments. See Lil Wayne rocking out on GGW guitar here.HDNet in 3D is HOT! April 7th, 2010
On April 7, Joe and three very lucky Girls Gone Wild models were shot in 3D by Mark Cuban's cable network HDNet, as part of the network's promotional package for the upcoming HDNet series, "Girls Gone Wild Presents; Search for the Hottest Girl in America." Joe traveled in typical fashion with these three hot ladies at his side (from left): Michelle Ballee, Katy Johnson, and Dustyn Jandro, each of whom are in competition to win the title of Girls Gone Wild's Hottest Girl in America. The promo was shot at a hilltop mansion in Hollywood with state-of-the-art 3-D cameras. Joe proved to be the perfect spokesman for the future of this new technology, illustrating his point with the perfect visual aid: three beautiful girls in three small bikinis.Giving BackMarch 2nd, 2010
On February 27, Joe Francis attended the 15th anniversary of the Blacks Annual Gala in Miami, a star-studded charity ball given by famed attorney Roy Black and his wife Lea. Continually breaking tradition on the charity circuit, this power couple hosted an over-the-top annual gala, with zero expenses, raising funds for at-risk kids in South Florida and Haiti. Held in the largest ballroom at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, this successful event was served by the Consequences Charity, Educate Tomorrow, I Have a Dream, and Project Medishare. While Grammy Award Winner Natalie Cole performed, Joe along with celebrities as diverse as Florida Governor Charlie Crist, Terrel Owens, Bernard Hopkins, Lennox Lewis and Gloria Estafan all came together for this great cause. Among other things Joe donated a four day all inclusive vacation at his company's exclusive Mexico Corporate retreat, which sold for $50,000.00 during the public auction at the event. The entire $50,000.00 went straight to the charity.Reality TV About To Get Wild!February 4th, 2010
In January, Joe brought five models to the GGW corporate retreat in Puerto Vallarta for a Girls Gone Wild Magazine shoot. The weekend was captured by cameras for a new reality show scheduled to begin airing on HDNet in April, titled "Girls Gone Wild Presents: Search for the Hottest Girl in America." Joe treated the models (from right, Dustyn, Chelsea, Candace, Jessica and Katie) to a private, pre-dinner Mariachi concert.Chelsea Goes WildFebruary 2nd, 2010
In February, Joe sent a gift package to the Chelsea Lately staff of Girls & Guys Gone Wild goodies. Once Chelsea, Chuy and the Round
Table comedians indulged themselves with the box full of GGW apparel and DVD's, things got pretty wild around the production offices.
There might have even been a pillow fight. Click here to check it out.What Happens in VegasFebruary 1st, 2010
The January issue of OK! Magazine featured Joe's attendance at an exclusive Kid Rock concert at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Joining Joe were Khloe Kardashian and pal Mario Lopez. While in Vegas, Joe oversaw a Girls Gone Wild Magazine photo shoot and was followed around Sin City by camera crews gathering footage for an upcoming HDNet reality TV series featuring Girls Gone Wild's Search for the Hottest Girl in America In March For Equal RightsJanuary 26th, 2010
On Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009, Joe was among 250,000 marchers who turned out in Washington DC to demonstrate in front of the White House in defense of gay rights. Civil rights for all people has always been a passionate issue for Joe. "It was an intense experience," Joe said at the time. "And it was an amazing thing to be there for what will hopefully be a major turning point in history."On The TownJanuary 16th, 2010
Last September, Kim Kardashian wrote on her popular blog, "(Sister) Khloe, Lamar (Odom), (brother) Rob, Joe (Francis) and I all wanted to go out, so we hit up LA club Playhouse. Joe took time to smile for Kim's camera with Rob and Lamar.
