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Ventura County Fire Marshal Shuts Down Adam & Eve Shoot
2003-10-14 14:45:30

Adam & Eve director Toni English was about finished with her first sex scene of the day when a Ventura County fire marshal announced himself at the gate of the canyon shooting home, just 200 yards from Los Angeles County.

The shoot came to an abrupt halt as Gina Ryder and Chris Cannon quickly dressed and went into the house as ordered, followed by the crew.

The marshal first talked to the operator of the house, Tommy, and then he asked Toni English for her shooting permit. Toni showed him her Los Angeles county permit, which did not cut it.

Production manager Patti Rhodes asked the marshal if they could at least finish shooting their scene. He said not until they had a valid shooting permit.

Adam & Eve productions are big affairs. There were about a dozen crew members and about 20 cars parked along the steep snaking driveway.

The marshal said someone had phoned in a tip about the shoot. It was only the second time at the house a marshal had come to check up on things. That first time, the shooters had the requisite permit. Many shooters don't worry about getting a permit and keeping things legal. The operator of the house does not check.

Off to the side, Toni says to Tommy, "What happened to your owner telling me nobody ever came up here?"

I suspect there will be a vigorous discussion over A&E having to pay full price to the owner for a half day shoot.

I believe the A&E crew spent the next three hours after I left the set at 1:30PM, shooting driving scenes in LA county, and then a couple of sex scenes at the home of Patti Rhodes (former companion of F.J. Lincoln).

I arrive at 10AM and say hi to Patti Rhodes then walk over to the pool and chat with Gina Ryder. I met her and her ex outside Jim South's office in May 1998, in the midst of an industry HIV-scare.

Gina owns a home in Texas but flies out here regularly to shoot. She left the industry from May 2002 - May 2003. Everyone seems to like her. She's nice and cute.

She loves LA but has more friends and family in Texas.

Toni directs a pool set-up with Sergio, Carmen Luvana, Olivia O'Lovely, Dana Vespolina, Gina Ryder, Chris Cannon.

I'm particularly thrilled to see Dana. I had a great interview with her at this same house over a month ago, when I first tried out my new camera. I'm not sure my photography skills are improving.

I love smart mysterious feminine brunettes like Dana.

There's still nothing of the prima donna about rising star Carmen Luvana who remains easy to talk to.

Olivia freaks over a bee.

Toni to a PA: "If she does that again, just slap her."

Covering a Toni English shoot reminds me of following Mike McCormick aka Quasarman around. They both have a quick wit and don't take themselves too seriously. Toni's humor is less lethal.

Now Toni's screaming about a bee.

PA: "That's not a good way to set an example."

Women and bugs. They don't mix well.

Patti Rhodes comes over to Toni and sprays anti-bug stuff.

PA: "DUC gets maced."

Luke: "It won't be the first time."

Patti Rhodes set up bee repellant all around the perimeter of the shoot.

A call goes out for a ladder or box or sandbags.

Chris: "I don't know how many scenes of dialogue I've had to do standing on a box."

Cannon stands about 5'7". Pale and from Boston, Cannon's pumped his way through porn for five years now.

The girls on set scream as the bees buzz around them.

I love Adam & Eve shoots because the company is nice, Toni English is funny, and the catering is lavish. The caterer is called "mom" by everyone. There's big box of donuts. I eat a large chocolate one. There's a pile of breakfast cereals, chocolates, cashews, cantalope, salad, chocolate and regular chai to go with the coffee, french rolls, cake, cookies, granola bars, juice, macadamia nut popcorn clusters....

I stand for an hour by the crafts service and chat with Dana about life, literature, love, emotions, Tony Robbins' book Awaken the Giant Within...

Dana loves the new Quentin Tarantino movie Kill Bill. I did not like Pulp Fiction. I do not like gore in my films nor drugs. I lose all sympathy and interest in a character who uses drugs. Dana never touches drugs. She's careful about what she eats.

Dana chops up a banana in a cup and adds cashews. She's like a child around the catering table, entranced by all the colorful and provocative packages. She doesn't open any.

I meet Domonique from the Czech Republic. In porn five years, she's lived in Los Angeles for four years.

Toni corrects the dialogue in the pool scene: "We hate bad grammar. We don't mind weak anal scenes but we hate bad grammar."

1PM I wander through the house. I hear Olivia on the phone to Playboy. She's concerned about how slow the shoot is going and whether she will make her Playboy audition today or tomorrow.

I talk about drugs on sets. I've never seen hard drugs on a set. One girl says she saw cocaine at the end of a shoot. No drugs allowed on A&E shoots.

I walk outside towards the pool. People are scrambling to tidy up, put on clothes and get inside the house. I look down the driveway and see a white Ventura County fire marshal's van drive up. A man in his fifties with white hair gets out. He has a no-nonsense look.

Tommy, who runs the house and let the man up, approaches him. They chat privately. The marshal wants to see a permit. Toni English comes out of the house into the garage and chats with the marshal. It's bad news for this A&E shoot. Not the time you want a DUC (Deep Under Cover) around.

They break for lunch at 1:30PM, an hour early.

I overhear Tommy talking on his cell phone, presumably to the owner of the house. Tommy's challenged why he allowed the fire marshal to come up.

Tommy: "Because if I didn't, he'd come back with the Sheriff and a fire truck and you'd really be in trouble."