Controversial adult DVD empire founder Joe Francis has been thrust back into the spotlight after Peacock’s new documentary “Girls Gone Wild: The Untold Story”. The three-part series forces Francis to confront his sketchy past, featuring interviews with former employees, women who were coerced into performing sex acts on camera, and Francis himself. Here are five major takeaways from the documentary.
Francis’ empire was built on the backs of underage girls, with police arresting him on 22 criminal counts in 2003, including promoting the sexual performance of children. He pleaded no contest and served only a few months in jail.
Despite allegations of coercion and assault, Francis maintains he doesn’t feel bad for women who appeared in Girls Gone Wild videos. In fact, he believes they were the ones who “victimized” him.
Francis has a history of alleged sexual assaults and misconduct, including a 2006 incident where Los Angeles Times reporter Claire Hoffman claimed he assaulted her. However, Francis denies ever physically assaulting anyone.
The documentary also sheds light on Girls Gone Wild’s production of tapes featuring straight men performing sex acts on camera for a gay male audience. Former employees describe the experience as “traumatizing”.
Francis’ company filed for bankruptcy in 2013 after being sued by Steve Wynn over a debt, and he was sentenced to jail time for an assault. The documentary marks a return to public scrutiny for Francis, who has largely remained out of the spotlight since his empire’s demise.
Source: https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/girls-gone-wild-joe-francis-peacock-doc-1235191346