It was eventually revealed by the police that the reporter, in an apparent effort to avoid facing a lawsuit by me for her baseless allegations, convinced this girl to actually file a rape report three months after the supposed incident. She told the girl that they could tour the TV talk shows together and the girl could become rich if she was willing to publicly accuse me of rape! The authorities wouldn’t go along with her scheme, because despite the reporter’s constant pressure to bring charges, their investigation revealed that no crime had been committed. What’s more, I expressed full willingness to undergo a lie detector test. Once again, I was never arrested or charged with any crime, but the press seemed gleeful at the opportunity to connect my name with the word “rape” in their headlines. Rape? Me? Un-f-ing-believable. I’ll tell you what I find particularly upsetting about these baseless charges, and the manner in which the press seems to enjoy reporting them. Every time some girl uses a bogus claim of rape to win money or publicity and is later proven to be an opportunistic liar, I’m sure it makes genuine victims of rape reluctant to come forward, fearful of being perceived the same way by a media whose very lifeblood seems to be scandal, and the more lurid, the better.
Most people who deal with the press learn that any reporter (especially a feature reporter) typically goes into a story with an angle already in place; the “reporting” then consists simply of looking for facts to fit in with the conclusions the reporter has already made. The Times reporter seemed determined from the beginning to paint me in as bad a light as possible. She apparently only interviewed people who might have something negative to say about me, and never talked to any of my friends or business associates – even though I’d provided her with the contact information for more than a hundred people.
The article was full of not just inaccuracies, but sneering judgments of my business, my character and even my looks. In spite of this, or perhaps because of it, it became the second-most read article in the newspaper’s online history. Someday I’ll take the time to refute each one of her outrageous allegations, which should make a pretty compelling story in itself. But for now, her article remains a matter of public record, with no retraction or correction ever offered by the reporter or her newspaper.
BIGGER AND BETTER
In early 2007, I commissioned a complete line of high-quality “Girls Gone Wild” apparel. The designer I hired created three amazing collections, including casual wear, sleepwear and, with famed designer Ashley Paige, a line of spectacular swimwear. We held a runway fashion show during Mercedes Benz fashion week in South Beach and Ashley’s designs were an instant hit. As I see it, the “Girls Gone Wild” clothing line helps expand the brand to an audience that wouldn’t normally order a DVD, but still wants to experience the “Girls Gone Wild” lifestyle. We have always been about inclusion. “Girls Gone Wild” is a lifestyle and an attitude that I want to share with others. What’s more, it’s my feeling that there is a “Girls Gone Wild” in every girl: That impulse toward fun, freedom, free expression and youthful exuberance. Our clothing line is 90 percent tailored to women because, let’s be honest, we all know women love attention. From what we hear, every girl who puts on a “Girls Gone Wild” shirt gets more comments and attention from men for that piece of clothing than from anything else she’s ever worn.
LOCKED UP
In spring 2007, I entered mediation in a civil case brought by the families of the Florida women who had posed for “Girls Gone Wild” cameras after lying about their ages. The judge essentially ordered me to settle the suit, or go to jail. If this sounds implausible to you, read the “Legal Story” page of this Web site and be prepared to be outraged. My lawyers and I spent several days trying to work out the settlement in mediation talks. In direct violation of the court-ordered confidentiality of these talks, one of the girls’ attorneys complained to the judge about my negotiating style. Remarkably, the judge was that same attorney’s ex-law partner! In the mediation session, I promised that the lawyers would not be able to extort money from me for their clients’ lies. These guys were no better than the scumbag who’d broken into my house and tried to extort money from me with a gun to my head. Upon hearing the “colorful language” I used as part of this posturing, the judge in the case held me in contempt of court and ordered me to jail. Jailed for using colorful language in a confidential mediation! Legal scholars reviewing the case have expressed dismay at the possibly dangerous precedents set by the judge’s actions (see this story on the legal story page). Nevertheless, I was arrested, thrown in jail and deprived of my most basic rights for almost a year. Jail was an adventure in itself; an entirely unpleasant one, but I remained hopeful throughout the experience that I would be exonerated, and the love and support of my friends and family were a great comfort to me through those long dark months. While I was in jail, I made numerous appeals for bail, all of which were denied. I grew increasingly outraged as my constitutional rights were being violated, and I began to see my battle for justice in larger terms. It was no longer just about me: there were principles at stake. After all, if justice could miscarry so badly in my case, why should any of us have any expectation that our constitutional rights will actually be upheld? I began to grant media interviews with prominent journalists such as Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren and ABC Nightline’s Martin Bashir. As the details of my case became more public, I was flooded with letters and e-mails of support. Meanwhile, it became increasingly apparent that my relentless persecution was the result of a virulent campaign by one politician in Panama City, Florida, whose agenda against me was clearly personal. Bay County Florida State Attorney Steve Meadows took every opportunity to badmouth me to the press, but his reckless obsession with me got the better of him as he engaged in increasingly bizarre and arguably illegal antics to promote his anti-Joe Francis agenda. As the publicity surrounding his behavior increased, Meadows starting calling my defense attorneys almost daily, begging me to take a plea deal so a trial could be avoided. Anxious to put the entire ordeal behind me and get on with my life, I decided to enter a “no contest” plea to a couple of minor charges and on March 12, 2008 I finally walked out of jail a free man. The following day I stood before the courthouse in Florida and asserted to the gathered press that I had pleaded no contest for the simple expedient of getting out of jail. I admitted no guilt, as I had committed no crime. I was anxious to get back to running my company and enjoying life with my friends and family.
BACK TO WORK
In April, 2008, we launched Girls Gone Wild Magazine, a monthly non-nude publication aimed at young men and women, featuring entertaining articles and images from some of today’s hottest young writers and photographers. The magazine was an immediate hit, and we have a lot of fun with it. Shayne Lamas and Tila Tequila have appeared on the magazine’s cover, but for the most part, the magazine features the kind of real girls you might meet on campus or at a store, or on the street where you live (if you’re lucky). The magazine has drawn praise from celebrities such as Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and radio giant Howard Stern, who said on his radio, show, “It is great. I carry it with me for the weekend, so I have reading material.” The fact is, everyone I’ve spoken who picks up the magazine “for the articles” and actually reads the magazine reports that they find it very entertaining and very funny. The photos of the girls are amazing, of course, but the magazine also profiles hot young comedians, filmmakers and actors, and offers sex advice and offbeat tips to help its readers get the most out of life.
In early 2009, as the U.S. Government was generating controversy with it bailout of the US automobile and banking industries, Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt and I decided on a whim to make a public announcement of our intention to petition the US Congress for a $5 billion financial bailout for the adult entertainment industry. “Our industry has been very successful,” I said in our press release, “but since Congress seems willing to help shore up our nation’s most important businesses, we feel we deserve the same consideration.” The bailout request was regarded by some media pundits as a PR stunt, but my intent was to make an impact on the discussions surrounding the government’s role in business. I was surprised when our wry request for a bailout generated an enormous amount of attention, becoming headline news in the mainstream print and TV media. Larry and I were the first people to raise that absurd idea and play it straight and play it long enough for people to say, “Wait a minute …” That’s exactly what we wanted and that’s exactly what we got – though of course, no government bailout was forthcoming.
Meanwhile, there was one more nagging legal matter to dispense with. Back while I was in jail, a federal grand jury indicted me with two counts of tax evasion. I couldn’t believe it. I had always been diligent about paying my taxes, and I couldn’t understand where these new charges were coming from. The truth would turn out to be quite a shock. For the next year, the tax case provided a troublesome distraction as I worked to grow my company after spending 11 months behind bars. As it turns out, the tax charges stemmed solely from allegations made by Michael Barrett, my former chief financial officer, who was trying to collect a reward from the IRS’s Whistleblower Program. Barrett and two other former employees had conspired to embezzle money from my company by creating phony business entities and then submitting invoices and expense requests through these entities. Barrett then tried to cover his tracks by making false allegations about my tax returns (which he had prepared) to the IRS, hoping to put me behind bars before his illegal scheme to defraud my company could be uncovered. When I discovered this conspiracy, I immediately alerted the federal prosecutors in my tax case. Barrett confessed to his fraudulent activities and prosecutors immediately began seeking a deal in order to avoid having to try to prove their case in court. In September 2009, I pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of knowingly filing false tax returns (though I had never actually reviewed nor signed those returns). I paid a small restitution and fine and finally brought this long legal nightmare to an end. I was happy to finally be able to redirect my attention to the business at hand, which is to provide quality entertainment for our millions of fans all over the world.
As I write this, cameras for Mark Cuban’s HDNet channel are following me and the Girls Gone Wild staff and crew around to gather material for a new reality TV show. After watching our infomercial one night, Mark contacted me and said, “Dude, why aren’t we doing a show about Girls Gone Wild?” We quickly worked out a deal and “Girls Gone Wild Presents The Search for the Hottest Girl in America” will debut on national TV in March. The search is genuine, and our campaign to find the Hottest Girl in America has taken off beyond our expectation. Thousands of girls have been approaching our tour bus crews, contacting our magazine or submitting photos and videos to our website in hopes of winning the title. The girl who receives the most votes from our fans will be named the Hottest Girl in America, and will represent the brand around the world for the next year. I can’t wait to meet her myself.
And so my story arrives at present time, in 2010. Currently, I’m having more fun that I’ve ever had, with ambition and ideas to spare. “Girls Gone Wild” as a company is doing better than ever. The brand has expanded into more than two dozen countries around the world. We’ve discovered that “Girls Gone Wild” and the phrase “Gone Wild” have entered the vernacular of countries across the globe just as they have in the United States. As this roller coaster ride prepares for yet another exhilarating climb, I can’t say for sure what lies over the next hill, or around the next turn. Nobody can. But there’s one thing I know for sure: It’s going to be a hell of a ride.
