James Deen fined $78,000 over porn condom violation; actor says he was unfairly targeted

Adult-film actor/producer James Deen fired back at state regulators Thursday, calling excessive the nearly $78,000 in fines issued to his production company for allegedly failing to protect performers through the use of condoms.

Cal/OSHA announced Wednesday it had issued nine citations with fines totaling $77,875 to James Deen Productions, also known as Third Rock Enterprises, for violations it noted during a Jan. 12 inspection of a Woodland Hills film shoot.

Regulators said the lack of condoms violated the state’s blood-borne pathogens standard. They also faulted the company for failing to provide vaccines or follow-up exams to performers who may have been exposed to hepatitis B.

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On Thursday, Deen criticized the citations and fines, noting that the vast majority were for “potential” exposure, not actual exposure or injuries.

He also insisted that no performers were exposed to any illness or suffered any injuries. Deen noted that a San Diego company was fined just $58,000 in December for an explosion that injured four employees and a painting company was fined only $30,410 in January 2015 over a worker who was electrocuted at a work site.

“The fines presented against my company are significantly higher, and not one person was exposed to or contracted any illness on my sets,” Deen said. “I gave the performers the option to perform with condoms; however, they desired not to use condoms, and I honored their requests.”

Juliann Sum, head of Cal/OSHA, said Wednesday the Division of Occupational Safety and Health requires condom use in adult films “to protect workers from exposure to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.”

AIDS Health Foundation officials on Wednesday hailed the citations.

“We want to thank Cal/OSHA for acting so swiftly on our workplace-safety complaint against James Deen Productions and Third Rock by citing and fining Deen, one of the industry’s most well-known producers and adult performers — and the one who is the most vocal critic and prominent public face of the industry in its opposition to condom use,” AHF President Michael Weinstein said.

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