Monaco Gone Wild

International News with the snap of one silly picture.  Brooklyn Lee, one my best friends, and I decided to take a fun vacation to Monaco with the friendly owner of Penthouse and a group of casual friends.  Little did we know what we were all getting ourselves into that crazy night…

Brooklyn and I were rushed off the 13 hour flight and pushed to hurry and get gorgeous for Prince Albert and Bill Clinton’s fundraiser next to our lavish Hotel hermitage at the palace.  This all sounds very ridiculous and wild but its hard to take anything in when you have less then 15 minutes to get ready.

As we sipped down bubbly champagne and attempted to mingle and be sociable, a sweet and very pretty girl we were with wanted a picture with the former President.  I on the other hand can be shy about asking for photos or walking up to someone I have never met in public, but she had the balls, and did I mention she isn't even a performer?!!

After being politely turned away by secret service because Bill Clinton was in the middle of a conversation, Mr. Clinton noticed us walking away.  In my opinion, he assumed the obvious - we were guests who donated money and he needed to be cordial.  He went ahead and posed for the photograph with the three of us, and continued on with his dinner.  I’m sure this was just one of the many photos he had taken with all the other guests and didn't think twice about it.

I on the other hand wanted to casually send it to my mother because she was always a big fan of Clinton but instead realized I had irresponsibly forgotten to set up an international plan with Verizon and therefore had no working phone.  The mysterious blonde friend with us tweeted this pic and tagged @tashareign in it... it went viral.  Who knew that a cute photo op would turn into such a controversy and so quickly! 

Wild and extreme but with no shame, people were pointing fingers, accusations and making up sex scandal stories.  I for one was completely shocked anyone cared.  I had a rude awakening of the ugly truth: America is not okay with pornography.  I live in my own reality in porn valley and grew up in the fairly open minded California lifestyle, so this was just overwhelming to me.  I immediately wanted to party after all of this drama, so Brooklyn and I cruised over to a boat and had some fun... the interviews then proceeded, and I said some intoxicated comments not realizing back home that people were actually tuning in.

The Cannes Film Festival was going on, and the parties we attended were filled with mainstream celebs, but news travels quickly, and their PR people wouldn't let us near certain tables due to the drama we had just caused.  Social Media is amazing, transcending countries, traveling at the speed of light, just more then I knew it could before I experienced it first hand.  The capacity to communicate on a global level with such a quick turn over is difficult to wrap my mind around.  People love to paint with a broad brush so to speak and have an affinity for generalizing; after all it’s only natural. 

I am still flabbergasted so many people cared and thought this was at all noteworthy; after all I’m an actress and model and above all human, right?  The television shows and news channels and hundred or media sources perpetuated the idea that something may have happened or some how Clinton was at fault and above all that I am not the type of person that should be in the same room as a political figure.  I felt hurt by all of this, especially because in high school I was in Model United Nations and participated in many mock trials and conferences defending different views and countries.  I was freshmen class president and always ran for school office.

Regardless, I understand if you Google my name you can watch me have sex with other actors; if you're googling there's a good chance you're masturbating, and this does not sit well with people.  I can’t wrap my head around it.  If everyone condemns what I do, how did adult movies become so popular, and who is watching it?  Doesn’t everyone have sex?  Don't we over sexualize everything in America, from ads to commercials to children in pageants?  Isn't sex the most exciting thing to talk about?  What is a movie without sex?  Isn't it 2012?  It’s all so confusing to me, and I keep on trying to wrap my head around the prudes of society and negative connotation PORN has.  I have a new perspective on the sheep of the world and I wish to change it!  America, let your freak flag fly!

Tasha