As a journalist who spent years immersed in the world of Joe Francis and “Girls Gone Wild”, I can confidently say that the story is far from over. While the documentary provides a compelling account of what happened, it’s the women whose lives were forever changed by their involvement that truly hold the narrative.
In the late ’90s and early 2000s, if you happened to switch channels late at night, chances are you’d remember the ads for “Girls Gone Wild” vividly. These infomercials, easily identifiable, showcased deliberately pixelated clips of young women lifting their shirts to expose briefly in college bars or during spring break in Miami. The “Girls Gone Wild” brand logo cleverly concealed any explicit content, while an announcer with the finesse of a loudspeaker advertised VHS tapes and later DVDs containing the uncensored footage deemed too explicit for television. The appeal was to witness the transformation of the girl next door into someone less conventional – all for a reasonable price, including shipping and handling fees.
The Untold Story,” suggests that the franchise continues to impact conversations and popular culture today, despite the women who appeared in the tapes still dealing with the lasting effects of their inclusion. This documentary, directed by Jamila Wignot and featuring reporting by journalist Scaachi Koul, is largely based on interviews conducted at Francis’ home in Mexico in 2022, where he has lived for a decade to avoid legal action against him in the United States. Francis has consistently denied all accusations made against him.
Koul’s nine hours of interview recordings from 2023, initially used in her HuffPost article, offer an unparalleled view into a man who persists in cherishing a reputation he has long propagated to anyone who listens. At one instance, he refers to himself as the victim in this situation. However, the lingering effect of “Girls Gone Wild” is more sinister than prior investigations had suggested. Some of the women, who were students or minors when they appeared prominently in the videos and their promotion, have struggled to move past these experiences. As some of them share in the series, they continue to receive messages online or are approached in person by people asking for autographs or requesting more explicit content. Since they participated 25 years ago with a bit of alcohol, they must be ready to do it again spontaneously today, correct?
The documentary features ex-employees of Francis’ Mantra Films describing tactics they claim were pressured upon them to persuade women to expose themselves for the films, tactics that extended far beyond simple exposure and could involve offering alcohol as they filmed explicit content. Additionally, in-house training videos show camera operators being instructed not to accept ‘no’ as a refusal.
As a devoted fan, I can’t help but reflect on the tumultuous journey of this beloved franchise. Despite the moral controversies it faced, they didn’t necessarily lead to its demise. In locales such as Panama City Beach, Florida, the creator, Francis, found himself entangled in lengthy jail terms and relentless legal battles with authorities who accused his company of filming underage girls without consent. Moreover, participants took legal action against him, claiming insufficient preparation and compensation for their involvement.
Over time, Francis’ company was gradually weakened by expenses related to legal fees and settlements from a high-profile dispute with Steve Wynn, as well as the increasing availability of online pornography. These factors eroded his company until all that remained were the scandals he used to sustain his storyline. In 2013, Francis was convicted for detaining three women against their will in his Los Angeles residence in 2011 and assaulting one of them. He was sentenced to 270 days in jail. However, during the appeals process, he escaped to Mexico and has not returned since.
Following decades of research into the “Girls Gone Wild” craze and locating Francis, Koul recently interviewed EbMaster regarding their upcoming documentary. The discussion covered the growth and decline of his empire, the ongoing cultural and emotional impact of “Girls Gone Wild”, why famous figures and society were so quickly captivated by the illusion in the past, and if the Kardashians still keep his number on speed dial.
Did you ever think you would be an expert on “Girls Gone Wild” and Joe Francis?
Friend, please reconsider! The vast amount of information I’ve gathered about this company has crowded out other details – specifically, I can no longer perform calculations with ease due to my mind being filled with intricate details such as the title, release year, and contents of every “Girls Gone Wild” video.
How did your interview with Joe Francis in Mexico and your reporting become involved with this documentary?
Four years ago, Karolina Waclawiak, my fellow producer on this project, and I embarked on an intriguing journey. As a Gen X native, she posed a question that hadn’t crossed my mind – “What became of ‘Girls Gone Wild’ and Joe Francis?” Being a mid-millennial, I found myself pondering over the same inquiry. Delving into the matter, we discovered some fascinating legal issues in Panama City and the circumstances surrounding Joe being in Mexico. This sparked our interest, leading us to involve Maxine Productions early on in our reporting process. However, at that point, I wasn’t sure where this investigation would lead. Over time, I had numerous conversations with Joe in 2022, but my research began much earlier and continued long after that interview.
Well that question of what happened to Joe Francis took you to an undisclosed place in Mexico for this nine-hour interview that serves as the backbone of this documentary. What was it like going down there and talking with him in this new reality he has built for himself, far from Hollywood?
The house is stunning, I can’t help but mention that. Living a lavish lifestyle indeed, if one can call it that, given his circumstances as an exile. It’s clear he leads a comfortable life. However, I sense a tendency towards myth-creation. He seems to strongly identify with the narrative he spins about his company’s origins and his role within it, or as the guardian of a specific culture.
Being in exile is also a way to distance yourself from anyone who might try to refute your version of events.
Indeed, he’s currently residing alone since his former partner took their children away. As far as I know, he hasn’t visited the U.S. in quite some time, but I can’t confirm this for certain. Occasionally, people do drop by to see him, but it seems his life is significantly less bustling compared to when he was living in Bel Air and socializing with celebrities like Kourtney Kardashian. His current lifestyle is quite a change from the past.
For those who weren’t seeking out “Girls Gone Wild” videos or kept up with the craze as it was unfolding, this documentary might be the first time they realize these tapes actually included pornographic scenes. It wasn’t just girls flashing the camera. And yet, “Girls Gone Wild” was widely accepted and even promoted by some of the biggest stars of the time, even when most porn is siloed to one corner of the industry. The documentary shows photos of people like Brad Pitt and Ashton Kutcher wearing the merch. Why was “Girls Gone Wild” the one that broke through?
I think it was always because it was regular girls. So, there are a few things. That last piece of every tape that is porn, there are still people who I would talk to in the reporting today, who don’t believe that that is porngraphy because it is only two girls. To me, it is an incredibly outdated understanding of sexuality, sexual autonomy and body autonomy. I don’t cosign that, but there were so many people who believed it wasn’t porn because it was just two girls messing around. And on top of it, the two girls often knew each other, they were friends, so how could it be coercive or abusive if they knew each other? That is something that is still in our discourse when we talk about sex and sexual politics today.
In essence, these individuals weren’t professional performers; they were ordinary girls, which added to the allure. This appeal resonated deeply within the heterosexual, cisgender male mindset of 1999. The idea was that you could have a porn star, but in reality, anyone could have her. This is the underlying theme of those videos. However, for the typical girl who lives nearby or attends your classes every Tuesday, the fantasy lies in the notion that she’s a good girl, but for you, she isn’t. This relatability makes it more culturally impactful because it’s within reach. It wasn’t so much a porn company as it was a brand.
And a brand can be put on a hat.
Yes, indeed, the item is on a hat, and it seems that some well-known individuals took interest in it, possibly unaware of its exact contents initially. All they saw were ads and this man at various events, who was known to have wealth and companionship. It was a different era, one where you couldn’t quickly search for “what occurs in Act 3 of a ‘Girls Gone Wild’ video” on the internet. You had to witness it entirely, not merely an advertisement for it.
Joe Francis was so closely associated with the Kardashians in the early years of their fame. The documentary shows a clip of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” when he called into the show from jail in Florida. Kim Kardashian wore a “Free Joe” shirt in another clip from that time, and advocated for his acquittal. Do you know his relationship with them today? Have they disavowed him?
As a movie enthusiast, I haven’t had recent interactions regarding this subject with either party. To be honest, it’s been several years since I last spotted them together or at his place. One vivid memory that stands out is Kylie’s 18th birthday bash at his Mexican villa. Fast forward to today, Kylie is 27, so it’s safe to assume they haven’t crossed paths much in the past few years. However, I can’t definitively say what their relationship looks like now. Frankly, I share the same curiosity about their bond, given his significant role in shaping their fame journey. He was indeed a key figure in the reality aspect of it all.
As a film enthusiast diving into this documentary project, I find the process intriguing for several reasons. On one hand, it serves as a refresher for people like us who might recall those days, nodding in recognition and saying, “Ah, yes, that’s how it was.” But on the other, it’s an enlightening journey for the younger generation who didn’t experience that era firsthand. They’ll gain insights into the origins of the Kardashians, their rise to public prominence, and even understand who Joe was and the impact of his company – a legacy still resonating in our contemporary culture.
In the documentary, we hear from a lot of people who interacted with Joe over the years while working for his company, Mantra Films, and in the media who covered him. But one person who doesn’t make an appearance is Claire Hoffman, a former Los Angeles Times reporter who detailed in a 2006 story him allegedly assaulting her in the process of reporting that very story. Why was she not included in the series?
As a movie enthusiast, I feel we made an attempt to connect with her, but it seemed she wasn’t interested in engaging. We managed to speak with Amy Wallace, her editor, who provided us with valuable insights. I can empathize with her reasons for not wanting to talk, given my long-standing association with Joe Francis. He’s been a constant presence in my life for four years, and I can imagine a situation where someone calls me about him, and I might not want to discuss it. Joe is indeed overwhelming; this is clear from the recordings. He’s intimidating, and other women in this documentary will share similar sentiments regarding their fear of him and the power he wields. He’s draining, no doubt. However, Claire is my hero, so she has every right to make her own decisions.
Speaking of the tape, there is a moment in the third episode when you ask him about the allegations from his ex-partner, Abbey Wilson, and he patently denies ever raping her or their two daughters. It is chilling that he adds the last part because that was not part of your question. Do you know why he insisted on saying that?
In the article I penned, it was mentioned that Joe allegedly confessed to me, openly, about Abbey accusing him of inappropriately touching their daughters. However, neither Abbey nor her legal team have made such an accusation in any official records; her lawyer has explicitly denied any belief in these allegations. Yet, Joe maintains this claim. Thus, I remain unsure as to the source of this information.
So he’s refuting it just to refute it?
In my critique as a moviegoer, I must confess that I’ve yet to encounter this perspective echoed by any other viewer, making me question its universal resonance. It’s a peculiar take that I haven’t overheard in discussions outside of the film’s central figure. Frankly, I find it challenging to fully grasp his viewpoint, but listening to the recording, his unique perspective towards women and girls is evident, if not unsettling.
The documentary closes by pondering the legacy of “Girls Gone Wild” and Joe Francis, and how his greatest punishment may be irrelevancy. Do you think it is possible that he and “Girls Gone Wild” will ever be irrelevant?
I believe I could rephrase your statement like this: “I’m of the opinion that ‘Girls Gone Wild’ will remain significant due to its reflection of our current and future state. Not all culturally relevant things are necessarily pleasant or uplifting. It seems Joe is concerned about becoming obsolete, but more than that, he aspires to be seen as someone who contributed positively to society. Whether he has accomplished this is a matter of perspective and the individual asking the question.
You’ve answered the question you set out to: What happened to “Girls Gone Wild” and Joe Francis? But your reporting and this documentary suggests the story now rests with the women whose lives were changed because of their involvement in all this. Is that where you think it goes from here?
This narrative has consistently been theirs since the beginning, and it remains so in the future. They’ll guide us on where its impact is meant to occur, and I’ll follow suit, no matter their intentions. I am keenly aware of how deeply their lives were altered by their appearance on a “Girls Gone Wild” video. The repercussions are something I may never fully comprehend, but they’re unmistakable. There’s a personal effect and an extensive cultural impact. At 33 years old, the influence of “Girls Gone Wild” has shaped my interactions with men as a woman without me even realizing it. Interestingly enough, I had never watched a tape before embarking on this reporting journey. I only saw two ads, but still, its impact was significant for me, which means it will influence how I communicate with others and how they engage with me. It’ll shape the conversations I have with my 14-year-old niece who has no understanding of this phenomenon yet, but it will affect our discussions about her body, sexual politics, and navigating the world. This man certainly succeeded in creating something that people won’t forget, and they haven’t.
Have you been able to make room for math again in your brain and allocate less space to Joe Francis now that this documentary is out? Or are you still keeping tabs on him?
He’s currently residing in Mexico. Not too long ago, he was socializing with Mario Lopez in Mexico City. They shared some of their experiences on Instagram. Just a heads up, I might drop by occasionally but won’t stay for long.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
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2024-12-04 03:18