Rumored Layoffs At Naughty America

We've all heard how porn is recession proof, how porn companies are posting record profits while the rest of the world lays off half their staff. But is that really the truth?

An anonymous tip just received by the Fleshbot staff indicates that things might not be so rosy—at least not for one company:

I just got off the phone with [a Naughty America staff member], who was telling me the story of how the entire Los Angeles production crew was laid off yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon. As they were wrapping up their final shoot of the day, all of the employees who were at the studio—roughly 15 of them—were asked to sit down for a conference. Out of nowhere, Laura D. (executive producer) and Michelle (head of HR) appeared and informed everyone that they were going to be laid off. They were offered two options: two weeks severance pay in addition to the two weeks of vacation pay they were about to get paid—apparently the production crew were all about to go on a two-week paid hiatus, OR, two weeks paid vacation after which they would return to assist in the tear-down of the studio, which would probably take two weeks, and two weeks severance pay. Basically, four weeks of pay or six weeks of pay. It sounds like everyone was stunned and a lot of tears were shed, including many from Laura D.

Also from the phone conversation I learned that NA is sitting on about three weeks worth of unedited footage that will hold them afloat for roughly a few more months, but there isn't any word what the company is going to do after that. I would imagine that those employees working in NA's San Diego office who haven't yet been laid off are wondering what kind of job security they have at this point. I've heard of at least three layoffs from within the San Diego office over the past two months. The economy is truly affecting us all.

If this is true, we're both shocked and saddened—Naughty America has long been a Fleshbot fave, and to see them taken down by economic woes would be truly tragic. We hope this email isn't a sign of things to come across the entire industry—it's so much better when people are getting laid, rather than laid off.

· Thumbnail illustrates happier times at the Naughty Office (naughtyofficegallery.com, via Ask Jolene)