Working 9 To 5, It's a Way to Make a Livin'

Who would have imagined that when Linda Lovelace strutted her stuff across the silver screen in "Deep Throat" back in 1972 and caused a national furor, that being a pornographer would become such a reputable occupation? Back in the old days, being a porn star was akin to being a drug dealer or hooker in terms of a 9-to-5 occupation. You were dodging cops, giving the finger to the government, trying not to end up in cahoots with the mob, getting hit on or worse by lecherous men and risking catching a variety of diseases. Here in 2003, being in the porn biz is still a dicey game, but there are a group of organizations that are trying to better the porn community and make having sex on camera -- or broadcasting it via video, DVD or the Net -- a more reputable occupation to be in.

Former adult film star Sharon Mitchell co-founded Adult Industry Medical Health Care Foundation (AIM) as a non-profit corporation "to care for the physical and emotional needs of sex workers and the people who work in the adult entertainment industry." They offer HIV and STD testing and treatment, counseling and support-group programs with a goal to provide health care for "the body, mind, emotion, and spirit." New age-y sounding, sure, but they patrol the businesses and sets of the adult community insisting on AIDS test for all performers and offering vitamin shots for anyone interested. They also mandate the use of condoms in all production, the penalty being death, of course -- though this initiative seems to be a losing battle.

Contract girls for some of the bigger companies, such as Wicked Pictures, Vivid Entertainment Group and VCA Pictures, not only get paid as well as many legit actresses (and sometimes, waaaaay more) but they are offered health care packages and benefits like any other employee of the company.

"Of course they do," explained Wicked publicist Daniel Metcaff. "They are treated like any other employee here, except they get paid a lot more and don't have to come into the office 9-to-5."

Hey, this job is sounding better and better... sex, easy hours, vitamin shots... hmmmm...