As a seasoned observer of the ever-evolving landscape of entertainment, I find myself both amused and intrigued by the metamorphosis of OnlyFans from a platform predominantly associated with adult content to a burgeoning hub for mainstream artists and personalities. The story of comedian Cummings moving her specials to OnlyFansTV is a testament to the platform’s expanding horizons, much like how Google started as a search engine but now encompasses a plethora of services.
Events organized by Babes in Toyland charity might be considered as top-tier meetings for individuals with a shared passion for adult entertainment and charitable giving. An instance of such an event took place at Avalon, a club in West Hollywood, during August 2021, benefiting For the Troops – an organization that sends care packages to military personnel. One attendee purchased a ticket to catch some of his favorite performers and models, including adult film star Kayley Gunner, a former sergeant who utilized her healthcare benefits from the Army for her breast augmentation before opting out of re-enlistment to focus on creating adult content instead. This anonymous attendee, who wasn’t surprised when asked to remain unnamed, was sipping on a whiskey and Diet Coke at a side bar when he recognized Gunner. They had interacted previously at a porn expo and conversed extensively during her early days as a webcam model. After congratulating her on her career growth in the adult industry and asking if she’d visited her home state of Hawaii recently, he deftly transitioned to discussing boots.
He had given her boots that reached her mid-calf, which were on her Amazon Wish List, and pondered if any adult film directors had allowed her to wear them in a scene. Sadly, despite her fondness for the boots, she hadn’t. Thus, the admirer suggested he compensate her by creating a custom video where she wore the boots, mentioned his name, and expressed joy in a way that was suitable for both of them to discuss over a drink at a bar. “I thought it would be a unique personal item that no one else would possess and couldn’t download,” he says. According to him, she instructed him to contact her on OnlyFans to arrange the specifics.
A few days passed, and as expected, he carried out his plan. However, on the platform OnlyFans, Gunner flatly refused to acknowledge ever meeting him, and surprisingly, claimed to be unaware of the boots in question. When he sent a picture of them both at the event, she took a long time to respond. To him, this silence was evidence that he wasn’t exchanging messages with Gunner, but with a phantom erotic writer. Despite several attempts, Gunner did not respond to requests for comment.
The fan asserts, “I’m no fool, mind you. I never believed that those girls were genuinely interested in me or that we had a romantic relationship. Visiting strip clubs multiple times has taught me that their behavior is often feigned to get customers to spend money. The same goes for OnlyFans – it’s all an act.
For decades, there has been a profitable space that exists between honesty and deception. In the early days of cinema, studio publicists fabricated romantic relationships between famous actors. Modern celebrities employ assistants to respond to fan mail on their behalf. This realm also encompasses magicians, professional wrestlers, and the airline representative who initially appears as an artificial intelligence but later transforms into a young woman with a strong accent, introducing herself as Jennifer when you switch to a phone call.
But the Gunner/boot fan thought OnlyFans had gone too far on the lying side.
***
It appears that in late July of this year, law firm Hagens Berman filed a class action lawsuit in a federal court in California against OnlyFans and eight modeling agencies associated with the site. The suit alleges fraud, specifically claiming that OnlyFans allows a large number of users to pose as models and engage in lengthy, intimate relationships with other users under false pretenses. The complaint starts by stating that romance scams have been around for quite some time.
Hagens predicts that the trial for this case is unlikely to occur within the next two years, yet damages in billions are being pursued. The law firm Skadden, a renowned 76-year-old New York-based firm and one of the world’s top six earners, is representing OnlyFans in this matter. If successful, this case could impose a substantial financial burden on OnlyFans, potentially transforming or even threatening its business model. According to Michella Kras, the plaintiff lawyer, “While it might not jeopardize the company, OnlyFans has a straightforward solution: inform users that they may be interacting with chatters. This could potentially decrease future revenue, but it won’t necessarily lead to the company’s demise.
OnlyFans entered the scene in 2016, alongside TikTok, during a time characterized by breaking down traditional structures and intermediaries. This platform bridges models with their fans, enabling top earners to amass wealth surpassing that of any previous form of adult entertainment. Scenes from porn sites, which are often freely accessible, serve as promotional tools for OnlyFans accounts. The top 10 creators on the platform make anywhere from $1 million to a staggering $20 million monthly. In the past year alone, over 305 million registered users have spent approximately $6.6 billion to engage with content creators directly. Not all users are sex workers; for instance, there’s comedian Whitney Cummings. However, the majority are. OnlyFans proved to be highly scalable, boasting more than 2 million models, each contributing 20% to the company, making its primary owner, Leonid Radvinsky, one of the wealthiest Americans, with a net worth of $3.8 billion, according to Forbes.
Approximately 40% of creators’ earnings on OnlyFans stem from monthly subscription fees, which can vary between $5 and $50. A slightly higher proportion comes from selling custom videos, requesting tips, and charging for chats. Just like many aspects of the gig economy, being a porn star on OnlyFans is more about salesmanship than it used to be.
As a retail salesperson, similar to the role of an OnlyFans model, doesn’t easily scale due to logistical challenges. For instance, when dealing with thousands of fans who are sending you messages, it becomes difficult to promptly offer them additional content, which is crucial for a business like this that faces constant competition and growth.
To meet the growing need for your business, it’s crucial to bring on more team members. On platforms like OnlyFans, models address this by partnering with an agency, which typically takes about 40% of their earnings. (It could be that these agencies earn almost as much as OnlyFans itself.) The agency handles a model’s entire OnlyFans profile, using tools such as Supercreator. This software maintains a library of pre-made “custom” videos categorized by price and type; standard phrases for chat conversations; information about the model; the subscription history of each user; and a database of personal details each user has shared. These databases resemble those used by high-end restaurants, where they record your birthday and spouse’s name, but instead of disliking olives, they note a preference for feet.
As a gamer, I could have my own dedicated community manager who’s always on hand, interacting with fans around the clock and personally promoting special offers to them.
To keep up with rising demand for your business, you need to employ the efficiencies of globalization. So agencies exported the loneliness of men from rich countries and imported workers in poorer countries to talk to them. On sites such as Upwork and the Reddit thread r/OnlyFansChatter, people in the Philippines post impressive credentials to work as chatters for models. For $4 an hour, they’ll chat with 20 subscribers at a time, taking a 20 percent commission for anything they can sell. After an eight-hour shift, they’ll hand their leads to the next chatter. It’s Glengarry Glen Toss.
On Upwork, it’s quite striking to come across extremely comprehensive profiles of potential chatters. One individual presents a portfolio displaying past sales transactions and conversations, along with a skill bar graph: 95% proficiency in English Writing, 80% in Manipulation, 90% in Gaslighting, and 90% in Simulating Girlfriend Experience. His specialties include “Authentic Interaction.” Another user, showcasing her work with an influencer, describes her role under “Project Overview”: “My job was to establish rapport, amuse fans, and sell them PPV content through messages. Crucially, selling them the illusion of dating an influencer girlfriend.
Once I began investigating this tale, I spent an entire month attempting to persuade various individuals to allow me to serve as their chat representative for a day. However, every time someone agreed, they would back out a few days later. No one was willing to confirm on the record that they used chat representatives. When I subscribed to Gunner’s OnlyFans account, she responded within seven minutes:
“Hey there Joel :> welcome…im glad u found me here what can i do for you?”
In a simpler and more conversational manner: “You’ve shared a lot! By any chance, are you one of those people known as ‘chatters’? If you are, could you tell me about what you do in that role? Would you be willing to share if I mention that it piques my interest?
“what do you mean? lmao ”
There’s no reason to roll with laughter over this topic. A significant number of the popular models on OnlyFans employ agencies and communicators, frequently based in the Philippines. If you happen to be a communicator, I’d be intrigued to learn more about your role. And if you’re Kayley, let’s delve into the chatter business together. Cheers!
“talk to someone else You are not making any sense right now!”
I was then blocked from Gunner’s chat.
In a somewhat similar scenario, I encountered Denise Richards, the actress famed for her role on “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” who reportedly earns approximately $2 million monthly on a certain platform (as claimed by “In Touch Weekly”). Over the years, I’ve maintained a connection with her publicist, but was informed that due to Richards being engrossed in production and traveling, she might be too busy for a conversation. Consequently, I reached out to Richards via her platform on OnlyFans. To my surprise, she promptly responded to my message.
Typically, I hold back more information initially, but I thought it would be interesting to approach things differently with you, Joel.
Later, she requested that I pay $29.33 to access a picture, but instead, I inquired about ‘chatters’ from her. She appeared puzzled and stated she wasn’t familiar with them. At this point, I clarified their meaning for her. In response, she indicated that she didn’t understand.
I apologize, but I’m a bit older and more traditional, preferring to handle tasks on my own rather than relying on others. There are some private aspects of my life that I choose not to share.
When I asked her how she kept up with all her fans messaging her, she responded:
“If you want more details first send me a $25 tip”
Despite not giving her a $25 tip, she contacted me the following day with a slightly unclear photo and warned, “Do not open this if you’re surrounded by family,” requesting $15 from me. Later on, she sent me a rose emoticon.
I contacted approximately 10 models, 10 modeling agencies, and around a dozen chat platforms, inquiring about interviews. However, none of them responded to my request. The closest response I received was from Carmen Electra, but only after I paid her $22.22 for a month’s worth of chatting. Upon discovering that I needed to send a minimum tip of $5 per text, I paid an additional $5 for the privilege of asking about chatters. Unfortunately, instead of providing information about chatters, she sent a promotional message for a live lesbian show she was performing with Drea de Matteo. In a previous interview with Nightline, Drea revealed that she makes more money per month on OnlyFans than she did per episode of The Sopranos.
Some OnlyFans performers are also found on SextPanther, an updated version of a telephone sex service. Rather than encouraging models to sell photos or videos, it encourages interaction at $1 to $5 per text message (or $10 to $20 per minute during video calls). When the company was established 10 years ago, customer chats were not a priority. However, recently, this has become a contentious issue within the company, according to CEO and founder Alex Guizzetti. He admits that there’s a temptation to ignore the issue, considering the financial benefits still attractive and users unaware or indifferent. Yet, he emphasizes that this is not the path his company wishes to take.
Certain content providers on platforms like OnlyFans are circumventing direct interactions with users by employing artificial intelligence to simulate flirtatious conversations, often referred to as “ghost-sexting.” Companies such as Botly and Flirtflow specialize in developing AI for this purpose, specifically catering to models on OnlyFans. Botly’s website claims that their AI chatters can help build trust with users, learn about them, and establish a foundation for stronger connections. Similarly, Flirtflow markets its service as fostering genuine relationships. Although OnlyFans doesn’t prohibit the use of chatbots, it does not endorse them either. Some adult entertainment agencies are finding ways to comply with these rules by having AI generate numerous messages, which are then sent manually by a human operator.
As an avid follower, I can’t help but share my perspective on the intriguing case involving attorney Kras, who has yet to join OnlyFans. Initially, I too harbored doubts about the subscribers’ allegations of incurred damages. However, upon delving deeper, her skepticism seemed to dissipate as she listened to some heart-wrenching narratives. Many of these interactions took place during the pandemic, a time when loneliness was rampant. The models were confided in about deeply personal matters, ranging from marital issues to intimate details. Shockingly, these confidantes often turned out to be ordinary individuals like ‘Joe Schmoe’ residing in the Philippines.
As a devoted admirer, I reached out to OnlyFans regarding ongoing legal matters, but they chose to adhere to their policy of silence on pending lawsuits. Regrettably, my messages to Skadden remained unanswered.
Mike Stabile, director of public policy for the Free Speech Coalition, which represents the adult industry, finds the lawsuit baseless. In a recent survey conducted by his firm, SWR Data, among 400 adult content creators, only 5% were found to use chatters. However, this figure might be somewhat deceptive, as the top 1% of earners account for about a third of the total income generated on the site, while the average model makes approximately $100 per month. (Kras notes that the plaintiffs currently lack data regarding the usage of chatters by OnlyFans models, but they plan to uncover this information during the discovery phase.)
Essentially, Stabile argues, it’s just as unlikely for someone interacting with a social media personality who has 100,000 followers at 3 a.m., as for a mother expecting Idina Menzel instead of Elsa at her child’s party. The fundamental idea is that the individuals you’re communicating with aren’t actual people; they are characters, fictional entities. You’re not being deceived because these personas are not real people, but rather representations. This is all about entertainment. Just as you wouldn’t be upset at Universal Studios for not taking you to Hogwarts when you expected it, you shouldn’t be surprised if the person you’re paying to interact with isn’t who you thought they were.
He’s got a point. Would you sue a 1990s phone sex service because the person you paid $1.99 a minute wasn’t the model in the newspaper ad and wasn’t doing to herself what she claimed to be doing to herself? Bolstering Stabile’s point: The class action complaint states that two of the five named plaintiffs “did not stop using his OnlyFans account after learning of the Chatter Scams through the present litigation.”
Another reason he finds the suit infuriating, he explains, is due to its attempt to militarize the misogyny some males express concerning their perceived impotence against adult entertainers who are already subjected to harassment and threats frequently. One OnlyFans user I interacted with, who had connected with the law firm handling the class action suit, identified himself as a men’s advocate. He spent $500 to persuade a model that he was genuinely interested, believing that men are being taken advantage of in this context.
Worse yet, Stabile, a former editor of Gay Porn Blog, says the stories about chatters —including this one — always seem to mention that men are impersonating women. “It’s some man in the Philippines and you’re having sex with him and you’ve been polluted. It’s a little gay panic,” he says.
Perhaps it’s also a growing sense of isolation that we’re experiencing. We’re at the brink of forsaking genuine human interaction. We converse with potential dates online for days, but never meet in person, interact only virtually with colleagues, order meals to be delivered to our front doors, and venture into public spaces while wearing earbuds to prevent any unwanted encounters. A brief video message from someone who says our name while wearing the boots we bought them can provide a sense of validation. If we’re unable to receive that moment, due to distractions like chatterboxes and bots that intercept it, then we might truly be imprisoned by technology. To rescue us, we need a champion. Once more, our country looks to you, Kayley Gunner, for help.
***
I’m Just Here for the Jokes, I Swear
OnlyFans is aggressively pursuing and pushing its non-adult entertainers, from comics to boxers.
2022 found me considering an offer from OnlyFans, and I saw it as a space of liberty. Unlike traditional platforms, OnlyFans doesn’t come with an app. Instead, you subscribe to access any content. It became clear to me that this wasn’t a hunting ground for casual viewers; it was a sanctuary tailored exclusively for my supporters.
As a gamer, if I were comedian Sarah Silverman, I’d opt for a platform like OnlyFansTV to share my jokes without fearing the harsh comments on social media or the threat of demonetization from using certain keywords in my content, such as “QAnon”. Posting on Netflix was great, but OnlyFansTV offers a unique space where I can push boundaries and test the limits of comedy with my 2023 special, Mouthy. Moreover, this platform allows me to create Friar’s Club-style roasts, like the one where comics took jabs at me and another where we targeted Bert Kreischer, all in good fun.
Two years ago, comedian Jiaoying Summers saw an opportunity to earn money when the company approached her. After OnlyFans assured her that they valued her personality more than anything else, she met with their CEO and COO at her godmother’s restaurant, Xi’an Beverly Hills. Convinced by them, she organized a live comedy show featuring Matt Rife, and everyone involved was required to open an OnlyFans account. According to Summers, they were generously compensated for this. Since then, she has reportedly earned $1 million on the platform by releasing her podcast episodes early and creating personalized roast videos for her fans, as well as engaging in conversations with them. Unlike her Instagram messages, she pays attention to the messages from her dedicated fans on OnlyFans, who sometimes tip her $100 just to say hello. She responds to these messages personally.
Similar to how adult entertainment platforms sought mainstream acceptance in the past, OnlyFans is striving for respectability today. For instance, Penthouse’s Bob Guccione brought Helen Mirren, Peter O’Toole, and Malcolm McDowell to his film adaptation of Caligula; Hugh Hefner hosted Bob Newhart, Patty Duke, and Sammy Davis Jr. on Playboy After Dark. In a similar vein, OnlyFans has attracted celebrities like Bella Thorne, Cardi B, Iggy Azalea, Lily Allen, DJ Khaled, Terrell Owens, Carol Alt, Floyd Mayweather Jr., and tennis star Nick Kyrgios. However, these stars soon departed from the platform. Nevertheless, OnlyFans persists in its efforts. It’s supporting a team in the second division of Grand Prix motorcycle racing, producing shows on OnlyFansTV like House of Sims, a reality series that has also been aired on Netflix UK and features the family from The Only Way Is Essex (a blend between the Kardashians and Real Housewives). An OnlyFans spokesperson notes, “Many creators joined organically, while others did so due to OnlyFans’ backing of grassroots sports and entertainment, such as our flagship comedy show LMAOF on OFTV.
Boxer Nico Ali Walsh, Muhammad Ali’s grandson, was approached two years ago by executives from OnlyFans about joining their platform and receiving sponsorship. He explains, “Making the decision was simple; the challenge was dealing with the negative perception.” He posts training videos and charges $5 for advance details on upcoming fights that haven’t been publicly announced yet. In the ring, he dons the OnlyFans logo on his boxing shorts. Walsh likens it to being sponsored by Google: “If someone is endorsed by Google, you wouldn’t automatically assume they’re backed by a porn site. However, that’s what many people use Google for.
Embracing its core essence, mainstream entertainers like myself are starting to explore the unique offerings of OnlyFans. Recently, I’ve been sharing a few beach-themed snaps, including some bikini photos. “I appreciate my physique,” I express, “and if fans are willing to support me with a $50 fee, I’m more than happy to oblige.
This story appeared in the Oct. 9 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
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2024-10-14 19:26