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In an era when hardcore pornography was still navigating legal grey areas, especially in markets like the UK, the appetite for adult entertainment was undeniable. Ironically, much of what was available was often diluted – American X-rated productions tailored for cable television, carefully edited to skirt explicit depictions of penetration, erections, and overtly “real” sex. These were the versions gracing channels like The Adult Channel and Television X, frequently repackaged and released by British porn distributors. These releases often faced further scrutiny from the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), sometimes losing significant portions of their runtime to secure an 18 certificate, and even undergoing additional censorship for the more restrictive R18 rating reserved for licensed sex shops. The continued market for these heavily sanitized tapes spoke volumes about the British adult entertainment consumer’s blend of hope, desperation, and perhaps, lowered expectations. It’s challenging to imagine these films delivering much in the way of genuine sexual arousal after the censors had wielded their scissors.
Given the often-compromised nature of these releases, most adult film distributors opted for a low-profile approach. Press coverage, even within adult magazines, was rarely sought after. The very concept of media outreach seemed foreign to many. One anecdote perfectly illustrates this disconnect: an attempt to explain the value of review copies to a label head at London’s Erotica Festival dissolved into a comical loop:
“So you want to sell them?”
“No, I want to write reviews.”
“To sell them?”
“No, as press coverage for the releases.”
“So you’ll be selling them…”
This circular conversation persisted for an exasperating five minutes before the effort was abandoned, a business card accepted, and a hasty retreat made towards the bar.
However, a few distributors recognized the potential of media attention, particularly when they had something beyond the typical adult fare. Vision Video, primarily known as a gay-oriented label that had also ventured into sex education videos, acquired the UK rights to a couple of straight pornographic films that were already generating significant headlines. They proactively leveraged this pre-existing buzz to its fullest extent. Despite their efforts, the inherent challenge remained: the films they were releasing were still heavily censored, a reality that even the most skilled marketing couldn’t entirely obscure. Yet, they made a valiant attempt.
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By the time this author encountered Vision Video, they had already launched Sunset and Divine, a Ron Jeremy-directed production starring Divine Brown. Brown was the Los Angeles prostitute who briefly captivated the media after her encounter with Hugh Grant became a tabloid sensation. In an era preceding the ubiquity of celebrity sex tapes, films featuring individuals who had gained notoriety through tabloid scandals were a burgeoning trend. Vision Video astutely retitled the film Taken for Granted – arguably a more impactful title – and brought Brown to the UK for a press tour, which proved surprisingly successful. It remains a curious phenomenon how mainstream media outlets, often quick to condemn, are equally eager to interview figures they can publicly express moral superiority over.
Building on this momentum, Vision Video went all-in in 1996 with the UK release of John Wayne Bobbitt Uncut, the film that arguably ignited this fleeting trend of scandal-adjacent adult entertainment. John Wayne Bobbitt was, by this point, a household name and an international punchline. The infamous incident involving his then-wife Lorena Bobbitt severing his penis and discarding it had catapulted him into global infamy. The subsequent successful reattachment of his member, while perhaps not medically groundbreaking, became the most widely publicized procedure of its kind. Bobbitt became the subject of intense public curiosity: what did his penis look like post-reattachment? Did it still function? Ron Jeremy, ever the opportunist, offered Bobbitt a starring role in a pornographic film, recognizing the immense sales potential fueled by this morbid fascination. Even Jeremy likely underestimated the film’s eventual impact. John Wayne Bobbitt Uncut would become one of the highest-selling adult tapes in history, a testament to the public’s insatiable appetite for the sensational and the bizarre.
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Vision’s UK release, predictably, was the softcore version, though they could technically claim the “Uncut” title was accurate as the BBFC passed it with a 67-minute runtime and no further cuts. The film itself is a cinematic disaster, so poorly made that even a cameo appearance by Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister couldn’t redeem it. Viewers were left to assume Bobbitt’s penis was functional, as explicit action was absent. However, the film did offer a glimpse, confirming its relatively normal appearance. Jeremy, in classic showman style, had hyped it up, suggesting it resembled the Frankenstein monster. In reality, beyond some minor scarring, it was quite ordinary – and frankly, rather small in its flaccid state. It was clear Bobbitt’s porn career was solely contingent on his notoriety, not any inherent talent or physical attributes typically sought after in adult performers. Once the novelty of seeing “the penis” wore off, the film offered little else. The acting was atrocious (Bobbitt, who reportedly had casting approval, clearly had a specific, and not particularly refined, taste in co-stars). Ron Jeremy’s directorial skills were nonexistent, and the production values were abysmal. In the same year, Michael Ninn’s Latex was released, representing the cutting edge of adult filmmaking. John Wayne Bobbitt Uncut, in stark contrast, felt like a regression to the worst excesses of early video-era adult films.
By the time of the UK release, Bobbitt had already been a public figure for a couple of years – predating the explosion of D-list celebrity reality television. The 1993 incident had thrust him into the headlines, and by 1996, his initial shock value was waning. Public perception had shifted, portraying Bobbitt less as a victim and more as an abusive husband who had driven Lorena to extreme actions through physical and emotional abuse. While he was acquitted of raping her, Lorena was found not guilty of malicious wounding by reason of temporary insanity. Their relationship, by all accounts, was volatile. On the night of the incident, Lorena famously told police, “he always have orgasm, and he doesn’t wait for me ever to have orgasm. He’s selfish.” In 1997, she was charged with assault for attacking her mother. Even Bobbitt’s defense witnesses painted a picture of him as controlling and abusive. He was, to say the least, an unconventional and controversial figurehead for the adult entertainment industry.
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Domestic issues aside, Bobbitt was undeniably globally recognized, and he attempted to capitalize on his unfortunate circumstances. His first foray into monetizing his notoriety was forming a band called The Severed Parts. This venture failed to gain traction; no recordings seem to exist, and their musical quality remains a matter of speculation. The pornographic film offer must have appeared financially irresistible. Bobbitt also seemed eager to engage in sexual encounters. His newfound fame ensured a steady stream of curious women eager to assess the functionality of his reattached penis. John Wayne Bobbitt Uncut served to satisfy this global curiosity, however crudely.
By the time of the UK release, Bobbitt had already filmed his second and final pornographic movie – Frankenpenis. This title cleverly played on Ron Jeremy’s initial Frankenstein comparison and Bobbitt’s recent penis enlargement surgery. However, public interest had significantly diminished. The novelty had worn off; once the freak show had been visited and found underwhelming, repeat viewings were unlikely. But in the UK, the first film was still unreleased, and Bobbitt’s name recognition remained sufficient to guarantee substantial press attention when Vision Video brought him over in 1996.
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Similar to Divine Brown’s press coverage, the Bobbitt media circus was a blend of salaciousness and moral disapproval. The Guardian, a prominent UK newspaper, dedicated a full page to arguing that Bobbitt was unworthy of attention. Daytime television personalities Richard and Judy, known for their “family-friendly” approach, curiously sanitized his films as “soft porn” (which, in the UK release format, they technically were). Presumably, a “hard porn star” would have been deemed unsuitable for daytime television audiences. The media frenzy culminated in a promotional event at Stringfellows, a London nightclub then synonymous with footballers, Page 3 models, and aspiring socialites. The era of dedicated lap-dancing clubs was still a few years away.
At this time, the author was briefly involved in editing a proposed UK edition of AVN Magazine, a venture that quickly dissolved due to the publisher’s unrealistic ambitions and financial instability. Despite the project’s brief lifespan, it yielded an invitation to the Stringfellows event, an opportunity too intriguing to decline. Accompanied by Marc Morris of Nucleus Films, the author and his dubious “publisher” ventured to Stringfellows, anticipating a memorable evening. It certainly lived up to that expectation, albeit in unexpected ways.
The guest list seemed to be a mix of journalists, video industry hangers-on, and hopeful starlets vying for attention. It lacked a genuine celebrity atmosphere. Recalling a recent sensationalist exposé in the News of the World tabloid, the author’s first instinct was to check the restrooms for cocaine-snorting Page Three girls. Evidently, it wasn’t their night for illicit substances, or perhaps they simply didn’t frequent the men’s room. Bobbitt and his entourage eventually arrived, and, somewhat surprisingly, the author and his companion were the first to be introduced and then awkwardly positioned for a group photograph. The thought crossed the author’s mind that they might be perceived as the most important attendees, a somewhat deflating realization about the event’s overall star power.
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Everyone sought a piece of Bobbitt’s attention (though not that piece!). He appeared somewhat bewildered and overwhelmed by the spectacle. He seemed unaccustomed to wearing a tuxedo, a stark contrast to his pre-fame life. Throughout their conversation, Bobbitt remained polite and respectful, yet his responses were delivered in a flat, emotionless tone. It was easy to be critical of Bobbitt, who was clearly not intellectually gifted, but a degree of sympathy was also warranted. Propelled into the media spotlight through a horrific personal trauma, he seemed like a puppet, out of his depth and lacking control over his own narrative. One could only hope he was at least financially benefiting from the ordeal.
After signing numerous video sleeves, the initial flurry of attention subsided, and the author found himself in a more extended conversation with Bobbitt. Struggling for an opening line, the author asked the predictable question: how did he enter the pornographic film industry? “I met Ron Jeremy,” Bobbitt replied. “He pretty much introduced me to the adult video business. I thought it was a great idea, to do an adult video of my story.” Better than a mainstream “Movie of the Week”? “I think it turned out better than a mainstream movie. People had a lot of curiosity, to see if the penis worked, you know. It couldn’t really be done as a TV movie type thing… but maybe that’ll happen later, it’s possible that it might be made as a regular movie sometime in the future.”
Given the decidedly unglamorous setting of Stringfellows, the author inquired about the US premiere of the film. “There was a huge reaction. It was premiered at the Motion Picture Academy of Arts & Sciences. Pretty phenomenal, people were going crazy, it had lots of press, during the production as well.” A night at Stringfellows surrounded by glamour models and inebriated journalists felt like a significant comedown from an Academy premiere, but such was the reality of Bobbitt’s bizarre career trajectory.
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The author then asked about his future in the adult film industry. “I don’t know – I could become a really big porn star now, but I’ve not really decided. I like the porno industry, but I’m not sure if I want to make it a full career.” Missing the subtle Bobbitt pun, the author inquired about his recent penis enlargement, prominently featured in Frankenpenis. What exactly was the procedure? “They lengthened it. They don’t use silicon, they use your own body fat. Now when I have sex with a girl she has to be fully stuffed. It’s a lot bigger, which is why I said I could become a big porn star now. And it’s still fully functional.” A reassuring update for everyone, no doubt.
At this point, conversation topics were dwindling. So, the author asked Bobbitt’s opinion of his own films. “They’re pretty much regular versions, home movies. They turned out pretty well, because they were made quickly, and we didn’t have much money.” And how much creative control did he have? “Not very much – I just kinda winged it. I just followed what I was told… I had to cut it short.” Another Bobbitt pun, seemingly unintentional, but illustrative of his awkward attempts at humor. He later reinforced this during a brief speech to the assembled crowd, advising partygoers not to get “half-cocked” (a bit late, given the copious amounts of free wine).
Bobbitt displayed genuine enthusiasm only when asked about future pornographic projects. “I’ve been talking about another movie – John Wayne Bobbitt’s Gang Bang. It’s about a beautiful girl who’s getting married, and her girlfriend doesn’t want her to. So she tells her if you have an affair before the wedding, you have to call it off. They get invited to a party, and there are male dancers there, someone spikes the punch with an aphrodisiac, all the girls get horny and I come in, and there’s a huge gang bang. It’s all videotaped, and when the girl sees the tape, she admits to having an affair and not wanting to get married after all. So I might do that, I haven’t decided yet.”
Politely, the author commented that the storyline sounded promising.
“Hopefully it’ll have a better script. It’s got thirty-five women in it. So that’s thirty-five cum shots in three days. But I don’t know what I want to do yet. I’m going back to school, to study real estate, and to acting school – I’d like to do some regular movies, but I like porno.”
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With that, the author concluded the interview, wished Bobbitt well, and left him to the autograph seekers and women eager to pose for photographs. More pressing matters beckoned – namely, consuming as much of the terrible free wine as possible before its paint-stripper-like quality induced a stomach rebellion and an impromptu bathroom redecoration, a somewhat fitting end to a surreal evening.
John Wayne Bobbitt’s Gang Bang remained unmade – a potential cinematic masterpiece lost to the ages. Bobbitt’s career as a pornographic actor quickly fizzled out. He likely failed to recognize that his appeal was purely based on novelty. Once the initial shock and curiosity subsided, he lacked the conventional attributes for sustained success in the adult film industry, particularly in the mid-1990s, a period of renewed creativity and talent within the genre. He simply couldn’t compete with established performers like Jon Dough or Mike Horner in terms of looks or acting ability.
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Soon after his UK trip, Bobbitt embarked on a new career path – unsurprisingly, neither mainstream acting nor real estate materialized. Instead, he officiated Vegas wedding ceremonies for the Universal Life Church (an organization with loose ordination standards, also humorously mentioned in connection with the author’s deceased cat). Over subsequent years, he held various jobs with decreasing levels of prestige – a 1998 appearance on WWE’s Monday Night Raw was followed by stints as a stand-up comedian, limousine driver, pizza delivery person, and tow truck operator. Trouble continued to follow him. In 1999, he received probation for involvement in a convenience store robbery. In the early 2000s, he faced battery charges related to his new wife, demonstrating a failure to learn from past relationship issues. For Bobbitt, who had stretched his initial fifteen minutes of fame into several years and seemingly had little to show for it after legal and medical expenses, life must have been a constant source of frustration. The irony of being one of the decade’s most recognizable faces while delivering pizzas for a living was undoubtedly profound.
In 2014, Bobbitt sustained a broken neck in a car accident. By this point, he was largely forgotten by the media, a punchline to a joke that most people no longer remembered. Current public perception tends to view him as the antagonist in his own story, a man who deserved the violence inflicted upon him by a wife pushed to her breaking point. His films are available on a 2009 DVD compilation (with Frankenspenis relegated to bonus feature status), but have faded into obscurity. Devoid of their original scandalous context, they are unremarkable, low-budget pornographic films lacking star power or production quality. Lorena Bobbitt, conversely, had her narrative reframed in a 2019 Amazon documentary series. While arguably biased and manipulative, it further solidified a negative public image of John Wayne Bobbitt, particularly within the #metoo era.
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The John Wayne Bobbitt saga serves as a precursor to our contemporary celebrity culture, where fleeting fame is often built on media scandals, leaked private content, and tenuous connections to genuine celebrities. If Bobbitt were not burdened by his reputation as an abuser and misogynist, he would likely be a fixture on reality shows that thrive on washed-up and scandal-adjacent figures. Perhaps he still could be – producers of such programs understand that controversy drives ratings. And Bobbitt likely still craves both fame and financial security. It’s conceivable that we haven’t seen the last of John Wayne Bobbitt in the public eye.
DAVID FLINT
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