Latest news with #JoeGow
CBS News
28-01-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Former UW-La Crosse chancellor fired over porn videos sues in hopes of teaching again
A former University of Wisconsin-La Crosse chancellor fired over his involvement in the adult entertainment industry filed a federal lawsuit Monday in hopes of getting reinstated as a professor at the campus. Joe Gow's story has garnered national attention both for the salaciousness of a high-profile university official making pornographic movies and publicly talking about it, and for the questions it raises about free speech rights. Universities of Wisconsin spokesperson Mark Pitsch declined to comment on the lawsuit, saying only that the system doesn't comment on pending litigation. Here's what to know: UW system regents removed Gow as chancellor in December 2023 after learning through an anonymous complaint that he and his wife, Carmen Wilson, have discussed sexual issues in their "Sexy Healthy Cooking" YouTube videos, created and starred in online pornographic videos and published two e-books under pseudonyms about how porn enriches their relationship. Gow had a backup position at UW-La Crosse as a tenured communications professor, but then-interim Chancellor Betsy Morgan placed him on paid leave after he was fired as chancellor, preventing him from sliding into that spot. The regents formally terminated his professorship this past September after university attorneys argued that Gow acted unethically, violated terms of his contract and damaged the school's reputation. Gow has never apologized for producing pornography and has made no promises that he won't do it again, although he told The Associated Press that he and his wife haven't produced their "Sexy Healthy Cooking" YouTube show since the summer of 2023. "It has been a very expensive hobby and we're satisfied with what we've produced," Gow said. "But if someone else offered to make a video we would be open to that conversation." Gow argues in his lawsuit that the firing from his professor position violated his free speech rights under the U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit alleges that the videos and books Gow and his wife created were not obscene or illegal. He distributed them outside the UW-La Crosse workplace, produced them while on vacation and personal time, and personally covered production costs. Gow said he took no deliberate steps to use his public position with the university to promote the content, to discuss the videos or books with students or colleagues, or to encourage them to purchase them. The lawsuit seeks a court order reinstating Gow as a professor as well as unspecified lost wages and other damages. "As a public employee, Dr. Gow has a First Amendment right to speak as a private citizen on issues of public concern, such as healthy human sexuality and the best ways to promote strong monogamous marriages," the lawsuit states. Gow told the AP that he chose to file the action in federal court in Madison on Monday because it's the first day of the spring semester at UW-La Crosse and he should be in the classroom. A UW-La Crosse faculty committee that recommended Gow be fired as a professor found that it was not unethical to create pornographic videos, but accused him of exploiting his faculty position to generate more interest and revenue from the videos. The committee noted that Gow invited adult film star Nina Hartley to speak on campus in 2018 without disclosing that he and his wife had made a sex video with her. The committee also questioned his "intellectual honesty" for describing the e-books as true accounts despite acknowledging the authors took "creative liberties," and chastised him for not cooperating with an investigation. Gow maintains that he offered to answer questions in writing.
NBC News
27-01-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Ex-Wisconsin university chancellor fired over porn career sues in hopes of teaching again
MADISON, Wis. — A former University of Wisconsin-La Crosse chancellor fired over his involvement in the adult entertainment industry filed a federal lawsuit Monday in hopes of getting reinstated as a professor at the campus. Joe Gow's story has garnered national attention both for the salaciousness of a high-profile university official making pornographic movies and publicly talking about it, and for the questions it raises about free speech rights. Universities of Wisconsin spokesperson Mark Pitsch declined to comment on the lawsuit, saying only that the system doesn't comment on pending litigation. Regents fired Gow after learning about porn hobby UW system regents removed Gow as chancellor in December 2023 after learning through an anonymous complaint that he and his wife, Carmen Wilson, have discussed sexual issues in their 'Sexy Healthy Cooking' YouTube videos, created and starred in online pornographic videos and published two e-books under pseudonyms about how porn enriches their relationship. Gow had a backup position at UW-La Crosse as a tenured communications professor, but then-interim Chancellor Betsy Morgan placed him on paid leave after he was fired as chancellor, preventing him from sliding into that spot. The regents formally terminated his professorship this past September after university attorneys argued that Gow acted unethically, violated terms of his contract and damaged the school's reputation. Gow has never apologized for producing pornography and has made no promises that he won't do it again, although he told The Associated Press that he and his wife haven't produced their 'Sexy Healthy Cooking' YouTube show since the summer of 2023. 'It has been a very expensive hobby and we're satisfied with what we've produced,' Gow said. 'But if someone else offered to make a video we would be open to that conversation.' Gow alleges that terminating him was unconstitutional Gow argues in his lawsuit that the firing from his professor position violated his free speech rights under the U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit alleges that the videos and books Gow and his wife created were not obscene or illegal. He distributed them outside the UW-La Crosse workplace, produced them while on vacation and personal time, and personally covered production costs. Gow said he took no deliberate steps to use his public position with the university to promote the content, to discuss the videos or books with students or colleagues, or to encourage them to purchase them. The lawsuit seeks a court order reinstating Gow as a professor as well as unspecified lost wages and other damages. 'As a public employee, Dr. Gow has a First Amendment right to speak as a private citizen on issues of public concern, such as healthy human sexuality and the best ways to promote strong monogamous marriages,' the lawsuit states. Gow told the AP that he chose to file the action in federal court in Madison on Monday because it's the first day of the spring semester at UW-La Crosse and he should be in the classroom. A faculty committee found Gow engaged in unethical conduct A UW-La Crosse faculty committee that recommended Gow be fired as a professor found that it was not unethical to create pornographic videos, but accused him of exploiting his faculty position to generate more interest and revenue from the videos. The committee noted that Gow invited adult film star Nina Hartley to speak on campus in 2018 without disclosing that he and his wife had made a sex video with her. The committee also questioned his 'intellectual honesty' for describing the e-books as true accounts despite acknowledging the authors took 'creative liberties,' and chastised him for not cooperating with an investigation. Gow maintains that he offered to answer questions in writing.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former UW-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow, fired over porn videos, sues for wrongful termination
Former University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow filed a federal lawsuit Monday in a last-ditch effort to reclaim his teaching job after he was fired last fall for appearing in pornographic videos with his wife. The lawsuit argues Gow's termination violated the First Amendment and flouted the UW System's committment to free expression. "I think this is an important moment for free speech and I'd like to think this will result in a court saying you can't fire someone for what they do on the internet on their own time," Gow, 64, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "It sounds grandiose but maybe we can get people to rethink pornography." Milwaukee-based attorney Mark Leitner and the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a national free speech-focused nonprofit, filed the lawsuit on Gow's behalf on Monday, the first day of spring semester classes at UW-La Crosse. Had Gow not been fired last September, the semester would have marked his return to the classroom after nearly 17 years as chancellor. The UW System did not immediately return a request for comment. The lawsuit asks the court to order the UW Board of Regents to reinstate Gow as a tenured professor and award an unspecified amount in damages. Gow's termination meant the loss of his $91,915 faculty salary and more than $313,000 in unused sick leave. A program allows state employees to convert unused sick leave to pay for health insurance premiums upon retirement. UW-La Crosse said Gow's amount could have potentially purchased health insurance for he and his wife through age 75. "The First Amendment protects Dr. Gow's speech, even if it may be unpopular or contrary to the majority of public sentiment," the lawsuit said. "Indeed, the First Amendment is most important when the danger of stifling controversial speech is at its highest." Gow and his wife filmed videos, sometimes with adult film stars, for years. The couple decided in late 2023 to post the videos on public platforms, such as OnlyFans, LoyalFans and PornHub. The regents fired Gow as chancellor days after the UW System learned of his unorthodox hobby from a complainant who requested anonymity. Gow's contract, however, also came with a tenured faculty appointment. During the disciplinary process to terminate Gow's professorship, UW System attorneys argued Gow would pose a "serious risk" for UW-La Crosse if he returned to the classroom. They said he displayed a pattern of poor judgment, citing his 2018 decision to invite an adult film actress he had filmed with to speak on campus and extensive media interivews. UW System attorneys said legal precedent was on their side, pointing to a 2004 U.S. Supreme Court case about a San Diego police officer fired after posting sex tapes online. The court ruled in favor of the city, which argued the officer's activity hampered the department's function and wasn't a matter of public concern. Gow said the San Diego case was a was a poor and outdated comparison because the police officer wore his official city police uniform in the video and pantomimed police work, while he made brief and vague mentions on video to his job, such as a 'Midwestern location,' his 'academic career,' and one instance when his name was said on camera. A faculty committee unanimously recommended Gow lose his teaching job. They said a professor creating porn videos in their private capacity wasn't unethical, but they found Gow's response after his pastime became public to be problematic. They said he "exploited" his role as a faculty member and capitalized on the controversy without the university's interests in mind. Gow pointed to UW-La Crosse's strong financial position and healthy enrollment, saying these undercut claims about reputational harm. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel asked several experts last year to weigh the merits of Gow's case because he had publicly floated the idea of a lawsuit even before he was fired. Corey Silverstein, one of only a few attorneys in the country who specialize in the adult entertainment industry, estimated wrongful termination claims by adult content creators are won less than 30% of the time, and even less so when it involves an educator. That's because employment contracts often have morality clauses requiring workers to meet a certain behavioral standard. The UW-La Crosse employee handbook requires faculty to 'exhibit a level of behavior supporting the university mission." Howard Schweber, a UW-Madison political science professor and expert on constitutional law, said one factor that may hurt Gow is his videos were not just private activities, but earning him money. Commercial expression is much less protected under the First Amendment than other forms of communication. In the four months since Gow lost his job, he said he's felt "a little stir crazy." He's given interviews to a couple of podcasts and is working on his third book with his wife, Carmen Wilson, about their experience in the adult entertainment industry. Wilson continues to create vegan cooking videos that Gow said he films. He said the two of them haven't filmed a sex video since they made their last one in summer 2023. One of the more rewarding experiences Gow and Wilson recently had was speaking to a media law class at the University of Minnesota. They took a photo on the First Amendment bench in Murphy Hall, which houses the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The class clapped at the end of their talk, the instructor, Christopher Terry, said. Several went up to the couple afterward to ask for a selfie. Gow said the young students were much more open-minded than the administrators he faced off against over the past year. Kelly Meyerhofer covers higher education in Wisconsin. Contact her at kmeyerhofer@ or 414-223-5168. Follow her on X (Twitter) at @KellyMeyerhofer. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Former UW-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow sues over porn videos
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Former Wisconsin chancellor fired over porn films sues in hopes of teaching again
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A former University of Wisconsin-La Crosse chancellor fired over his involvement in the adult entertainment industry filed a federal lawsuit Monday in hopes of getting reinstated as a professor at the campus. Joe Gow's story has garnered national attention both for the salaciousness of a high-profile university official making pornographic movies and publicly talking about it, and for the questions it raises about free speech rights. Universities of Wisconsin spokesperson Mark Pitsch didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Here's what to know: Regents fired Gow after learning about porn hobby UW system regents removed Gow as chancellor in December 2023 after learning through an anonymous complaint that he and his wife, Carmen Wilson, have discussed sexual issues in their 'Sexy Healthy Cooking' YouTube videos, created and starred in online pornographic videos and published two e-books under pseudonyms about how porn enriches their relationship. Gow had a backup position at UW-La Crosse as a tenured communications professor, but then-interim Chancellor Betsy Morgan placed him on paid leave after he was fired as chancellor, preventing him from sliding into that spot. The regents formally terminated his professorship this past September after university attorneys argued that Gow acted unethically, violated terms of his contract and damaged the school's reputation. Gow has never apologized for producing pornography and has made no promises that he won't do it again, although he told The Associated Press that he and his wife haven't produced their 'Sexy Healthy Cooking' YouTube show since the summer of 2023. 'It has been a very expensive hobby and we're satisfied with what we've produced," Gow said. 'But if someone else offered to make a video we would be open to that conversation.' Gow alleges that terminating him was unconstitutional Gow argues in his lawsuit that the firing from his professor position violated his free speech rights under the U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit alleges that the videos and books Gow and his wife created were not obscene or illegal. He distributed them outside the UW-La Crosse workplace, produced them while on vacation and personal time, and personally covered production costs. Gow said he took no deliberate steps to use his public position with the university to promote the content, to discuss the videos or books with students or colleagues, or to encourage them to purchase them. The lawsuit seeks a court order reinstating Gow as a professor as well as unspecified lost wages and other damages. "As a public employee, Dr. Gow has a First Amendment right to speak as a private citizen on issues of public concern, such as healthy human sexuality and the best ways to promote strong monogamous marriages,' the lawsuit states. Gow told the AP that he chose to file the action in federal court in Madison on Monday because it's the first day of the spring semester at UW-La Crosse and he should be in the classroom. A faculty committee found Gow engaged in unethical conduct A UW-La Crosse faculty committee that recommended Gow be fired as a professor found that it was not unethical to create pornographic videos, but accused him of exploiting his faculty position to generate more interest and revenue from the videos. The committee noted that Gow invited adult film star Nina Hartley to speak on campus in 2018 without disclosing that he and his wife had made a sex video with her. The committee also questioned his 'intellectual honesty' for describing the e-books as true accounts despite acknowledging the authors took 'creative liberties,' and chastised him for not cooperating with an investigation. Gow maintains that he offered to answer questions in writing.
Associated Press
27-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Former Wisconsin chancellor fired over porn films sues in hopes of teaching again
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A former University of Wisconsin-La Crosse chancellor fired over his involvement in the adult entertainment industry filed a federal lawsuit Monday in hopes of getting reinstated as a professor at the campus. Joe Gow's story has garnered national attention both for the salaciousness of a high-profile university official making pornographic movies and publicly talking about it, and for the questions it raises about free speech rights. Universities of Wisconsin spokesperson Mark Pitsch didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Here's what to know: Regents fired Gow after learning about porn hobby UW system regents removed Gow as chancellor in December 2023 after learning through an anonymous complaint that he and his wife, Carmen Wilson, have discussed sexual issues in their 'Sexy Healthy Cooking' YouTube videos, created and starred in online pornographic videos and published two e-books under pseudonyms about how porn enriches their relationship. Gow had a backup position at UW-La Crosse as a tenured communications professor, but then-interim Chancellor Betsy Morgan placed him on paid leave after he was fired as chancellor, preventing him from sliding into that spot. The regents formally terminated his professorship this past September after university attorneys argued that Gow acted unethically, violated terms of his contract and damaged the school's reputation. Gow has never apologized for producing pornography and has made no promises that he won't do it again, although he told The Associated Press that he and his wife haven't produced their 'Sexy Healthy Cooking' YouTube show since the summer of 2023. 'It has been a very expensive hobby and we're satisfied with what we've produced,' Gow said. 'But if someone else offered to make a video we would be open to that conversation.' Gow alleges that terminating him was unconstitutional Gow argues in his lawsuit that the firing from his professor position violated his free speech rights under the U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit alleges that the videos and books Gow and his wife created were not obscene or illegal. He distributed them outside the UW-La Crosse workplace, produced them while on vacation and personal time, and personally covered production costs. Gow said he took no deliberate steps to use his public position with the university to promote the content, to discuss the videos or books with students or colleagues, or to encourage them to purchase them. The lawsuit seeks a court order reinstating Gow as a professor as well as unspecified lost wages and other damages. 'As a public employee, Dr. Gow has a First Amendment right to speak as a private citizen on issues of public concern, such as healthy human sexuality and the best ways to promote strong monogamous marriages,' the lawsuit states. Gow told the AP that he chose to file the action in federal court in Madison on Monday because it's the first day of the spring semester at UW-La Crosse and he should be in the classroom. A faculty committee found Gow engaged in unethical conduct A UW-La Crosse faculty committee that recommended Gow be fired as a professor found that it was not unethical to create pornographic videos, but accused him of exploiting his faculty position to generate more interest and revenue from the videos. The committee noted that Gow invited adult film star Nina Hartley to speak on campus in 2018 without disclosing that he and his wife had made a sex video with her. The committee also questioned his 'intellectual honesty' for describing the e-books as true accounts despite acknowledging the authors took 'creative liberties,' and chastised him for not cooperating with an investigation. Gow maintains that he offered to answer questions in writing.
