LA Times Interviews HIV-Positive Porn Actor

Last October, the report of an unidentified performer testing HIV-positive broke. Today, the LA Times reveals his identity:

Derrick Burts, 24, said he tested HIV-positive in October at the Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation in Sherman Oaks after working in both gay and straight porn films for a few months…

Burts, who performed in straight films as “Cameron Reid” and gay films as “Derek Chambers,” said he was tested at the clinic Oct. 8, then received a panicked call from clinic staff the following afternoon, summoning him to the office. When he got there, he said, clinic staff told him that he had tested HIV-positive. They wanted to perform a follow-up test and begin notifying performers he had worked with since his last negative test result Sept. 3. Those performers, he was told, would be placed on a quarantine list while they, too, were tested. Burts said he gave clinic staff the names of about a dozen performers he had worked with in California and Florida in both gay and straight productions. The list included his girlfriend, who also works in the industry as a performer. He watched as clinic staff began scanning a performer database, notifying those he had named and placing them on a quarantine list.

The clinic has since said that none of the performers on its quarantine list tested positive. [Burts] said that when he returned to the clinic Oct. 23 to review the second test results, clinic staff told him that they had traced his HIV infection to someone he had performed a scene with whom they described to him as a “known positive.” […] Burts says he may have contracted the disease during a gay porn shoot in Florida.

If the “clinic has since said that none of the performers on its quarantine list tested positive,” does that mean that the positive scene partner who Burts claims infected him was not put on the quarantine list back on October 8th, when “Burts said he gave clinic staff the names of about a dozen performers he had worked with in California and Florida”? Either Burts didn’t give AIM the name of that performer, or he did and AIM didn’t know, at the time, that that performer was positive, even though the performer, according to Burts, was later descibed by clinic staff as a “known positive.” Huh?

Before he left the clinic Oct. 23, Burts said clinic staff put him in touch with a doctor affiliated with the clinic and promised to arrange for his follow-up care. Burts said no one followed up, and he felt neglected. “AIM promised they would help me set up a doctor and get treatment,” he said. “They did none of that.”

Why not? That’s a serious charge against an agency whose main purpose is to protect the health of adult industry performers. Did the LA Times ask AIM what happened?

Clinic officials could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday night. An attorney for the clinic was traveling outside the United States, according to an e-mail received from him earlier in the day.

Oh.

Maybe try calling them back? There are a lot of phone numbers for AIM here.

Burts also gave a video interview to the LA Times, in which he strongly advocated the use of condoms in all porn. He also reiterated his theory that he was infected on a gay porn set in Florida. A gay porn set where, ironically, condoms were used.

0 thoughts on “LA Times Interviews HIV-Positive Porn Actor”

  1. AIM is known for not being as professional as it should be, standing as an industry advocate and inter-industry information source for STDs and HIV, but I do know that agents pose a big block for communication with talent. The deeper issues on the straight side of the business have to do with agent control and lack of communication. The agents insist on buffering communication with actors. In fact, it is often the agents who are the biggest bullies. There is another industry-friendly clinic, but LA Country Department of Public Health has already indicated its investigation of Talent Testing Service, as well.

    Thank you for allowing me a moment to throw my two cents around, and thank you, Estelle, for the mention. I’m trying to follow it all as closely as possible to see the bigger picture, if possible. I hope Derrick knows what he’s doing. If anything, hopefully he can continue to work in the industry since, it is my understanding, that the gay side has production areas just for HIV-positive actors? The straight side doesn’t have anything like that in place.

  2. A few thoughts for those who think Derrick is full of crap….

    AIM makes no profits off the tests(clearly), and they don’t burden the state, as many have claimed; they get the industry to contribute to the services provided for the tests. But doesn’t that defeat the purpose of a ‘clinic’ which by definition to assist and treat those infected and educate those that are NOT. Profits are always going to be apart of the process of running one, whether its AIM or any other clinic outside of the industry… so how does AIM prevent conflicts of interest, when the bill is being paid for by the industry itself. You have to admit that is somewhat a conflict of interest, that AIM will want to protect the industries bottom line instead of trying to provide a ‘substantial’ service to your talent pool.

    I don’t believe AIM has any exit strategies for their performers once diagnosed. I only know of ONE instance of where the diagnosis was made and then AIM called the performers manager INSTEAD of directly calling the actual person in. That is somewhat disturbing. I also think it is incredibly wrong when they don’t return calls, and don’t follow-up, to ensure the performer is finding ways to get medical attention OUTSIDE AIM. Where are the referrals? Do they make them? Do they have any councilor on hand to assist with emotional health after a diagnosis is made? None of those details have been made known– or at least I cannot find those details readily. AIM is suspiciously silent about its practices, guarded may be excusable considering scrutiny is inevitable with the XXX professional association…. but that shouldn’t be the reason AIM shouldn’t make an effort to be vetted in every way possible.

    What is the rate of prevention? How many, on average, STI’s do they test for and then offer treatment solutions for? Why isn’t AIM sharing those rates. It can be easily calculated with the proper documentation and software, which typically is used in a ‘real’ clinic. Clinics have to prove their worth in every way–otherwise they DON’T get their funding! AIM has a stream, as you have indicated, outside of CA state health system. I agree, this is a good thing, but it also comes with some issues when you have a ‘fat’ system in place. A lot of oversight can occur in such a situation.

  3. There’s nothing wrong at all about being poz and doing porn. Having models be public about being HIV+, combined with practicing safer sex, would go a long way to reducing the fear and stigma that all poz people are walking biohazards.

  4. I really like Derrick/Derek. I’ve shot him three times for RealGuysExposed.com. The last time was on November 14 after he texted me and told me that he needed the money and asked if I would do a shoot with him. I knew he was the guy then being called Patient Zero. But he’d always been a sweet guy and a great model. We had a successful shoot and he was very upbeat, really sexy.

    I didn’t know Derrick was so torn up. I knew he was going through some tough stuff, and I thought doing the shoot with him would help. He said it would. And he seemed very enthusiastic doing the shoot and said he had a good time. I had no idea he felt so betrayed by the industry or that he was planning to go public. In fact, I was editing the shoot with Derek for RealGuysExposed.com and had just sent him an email about what a pleasure it was to work with him when I saw the story on the Los Angeles Times Blog Tuesday night. I never heard back for him, but I did see him on the news coverage of his press conference on Wednesday.

    I wrestled with the decision whether or not to post the clip. In the end, I figured that he was a sexy guy who wanted to do a shoot and the video came out great. It wouldn’t do Derrick any favors by burying the shoot. He may have been positive when he did the shoot, but it was solo. And why can’t a positive model be sexy? Mason Wyler is one of the sexiest guys working in porn and he’s open about his HIV status. I went ahead and posted the Derek Chambers video as scheduled.

    I hope Derrick is getting the care he needs. He’s a good guy and I’m sure this is all very confusing for him. My heart goes out to him.

  5. Infection isn’t like pregnancy where you can count back the months. I worked in Testing and education and I can tell you in Texas, a positive/ reactive test result is not carried out that way and you have a results appointment. No one would call you on the phone and show zero professionalism by scaring the hell out of you. Since shifting to “Reporting” 10 or more years ago, when a person test positive there are medical/state organizations that must be notified. If the story is true in its completion, it is a very horrific display of medical neglect. If condoms were used on that set, I would assume he backed up on one that wasn’t in the film at some point. Jeez, 25 years later, misinformation is still messing people up with HIV.

  6. sheesh Mr. Burts is the one that brought the innuendo on himself. Lets break down his claims

    1) He never had sex with anyone when he wasn’t FILMING other then his girlfriend

    Fact-He had an active rentboy ad up until the scandal so to speak broke and it was promptly taken down.

    2) He told the LA Times that he probably got it from oral sex during the Florida porn shoot.

    Fact-In his press conference with AHF, he now says it was because the cum dripped into his ass, which means there was no cum in the mouth. Another fact, the odds of contracting HIV from oral sex are near zero.

    3) He told the LA Times that he was notified by AIM that all of the performers that he had worked with tested HIV negative.

    Fact-He then said AIM notified him that he most likely contracted it from a “known HIV positive performer”. So which is it? None of the talent you worked with was HIV+ or one of the models you worked with was HIV+?

    Some of the more iffy things, he may or may not have been posting on a straight industry board about his status and how he wasn’t bothered about his status. Some of the comments he allegedly wrote were that he was barebacking with other guys, proud to be HIV positive, among other things. I’ll link the blog which has some of the statements bolded and she links to the webboard but be warned it is very homophobic. One other thing he said he tested positive for herpes during his first month of porn but AIM doesn’t test for herpes and his rentboy ad proudly proclaims that he is “AIM TESTED” which to me implies that he is disease free.

    http://www.juliemeadows.com/blog/

    In other words, the facts are this guy isn’t telling the whole story. There are some very valid reasons to have mandatory condoms in all porn shoots but this isn’t the guy they should be using as a spokesperson or example.

  7. How would it be any different if this was a female star, who escorted on the side! I can’t believe some of the crap people are saying on this board, and a GAY one no less!

    And yes, many female performers escort. Don’t draw conclusions off of innuendo and speculation. Until AIM confirms if this was a male or female partner, this discussion is pointless.

  8. IMHO, this story just goes to blow some extra wind into AIM’s sails. That is because it just goes to prove that condoms are just not enough and that testing should be required. I am still wondering why is not, especially on the sets of strong safe sex advocates such as Chi Chi LaRue’s.

    Isn’t this exactly the opposite of AHF’s agenda?

    Either that or AHF just decided to add a new point to their agenda: using condoms for oral scenes…and in this case, I am really looking forward to the reactions from the straight side of the industry.

  9. There are some discrepancies in BOTH stories here. I don’t think anyone has to gain anything by being honest in their role about this, especially AIM. They are going to distance themselves as much as possible by indicating this was a HOMOSEXUAL spreading the disease. They don’t dare to actually say this, but they imply it with suggesting it came from private contact.

    Unless you know your sex partners history, it should be assumed they are a high risk partner, and therefore use a condom which not only protects against HIV, but other STI’s. Sex workers in general are a high risk group.

    This reminds me of some of the crazy statements some of the black community have made against gays spreading HIV within their communities. The largest group of infections are now black women, and the majority of those infections came from partners who had a high risk behaviors associated with sharing needles; OR because of the lack of practicing safe sex is a pervasive problem in that community. DH Hugley’s accusations against gay men, specifically the ones on the DL, are not true. This also reminds me of the batch of women who contracted HIV from the same partner–who incidentally was not gay nor had any contact with gay men, and KNEW he was positive but lied about it to his seven or eight different partners! The transmission of HIV was because the middle aged suburban WHITE women and divorcees, assumed there weren’t a high risk group. Again, you can easily find cases for someone contracting the disease because they assumed they were safe based off a false stereotype. People lie, shit happens, and you should take the proper precautions by assuming the worst case scenario.

  10. Why was this guy not discussed when every straight porn board outed him with a week or two after he “shut down” their porn industry? I assumed it was his ties to FabScout and JetSet.

  11. I have one more post to write before I close my C.A.N blog but this situation is an example of how the Industry is imploding on itself.

    2010 has been the hardest year for gay porn, more and more models are turning up HIV+. . We have seen some major companies fold and close its doors!! Iconic Magazines are folding left and right!! Studios/Sites are putting out the same ole material, using the same models over and over. Too many models are being overexposed, overused and the scenes they are turning out are lackluster. Fans are getting tired of the Gay4pay stars, and they are tired of being force fed by Studios/Sites on what type of models are hot!! And the lack of diversity in gay porn is insulting to me and many Men of Color because it doesn’t reflect the changes that are happening today (More interracial dating than ever) all this is pretty sad!!

    The industry is doing this to themselves, I have sat back for almost a year. Just watching all this happen!! Ashame!!! I kept telling people there needs to be change but nobody wants to listen Oh well….

    We made this situation happen!!! There should be nobody shocked about what is happening in Our industry!!!

  12. Michael Whiteacre

    Mr. Colt, you are correct. This story does not add up — until you realize that Mr. Burts “just so happened” to run into the open, loving arms of Michael Weinstein and AHF.

    Even the LA Weekly — which has virtually ALWAYS sided with the porn industry’s political opponents, is calling bullshit:

    “His gay scene in Florida involved oral sex – a long shot for HIV transmission. But that’s his story, and it doesn’t add up if you ask us. He’s a mostly straight guy
    who’s loyal to his girlfriend but had protected gay sex and still somehow came up with HIV?

    AIM Healthcare’s claim that he got HIV through his own extracurricular, off-camera sex life is B.S., he says: He only has off-camera sex with his girlfriend. (He
    says she turned up negative, too).

    Really?”

    Here’s another wrinkle – this “mostly straight guy” (credited under his nom de porn Derek Chambers) on the set of a shoot for JetSet, talking about how gay porn was always what he wanted to do, how much he enjoys bottoming (which he implies he’s experienced at), how he’s “always been a fan of JetSet,” among other things.

  13. Why’s he “patient zeta” now, not “patient zero”. I don’t think zeta’s a synonym for zero. According to Wikipedia:

    “Zeta is the sixth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 7”

    1. Maybe because if he were “patient zero”, it would make it sound like all HIV originated from him? Neither one really applies; perhaps “patient X” would have been more appropriate.

      1. Thinking about it, maybe they were referring to him as patient zero of the straight porn “outbreak”, then when they realised one conversion hardly makes an outbreak, the “patient zero” tag sounded a bit offensive.

        Maybe they changed it to zeta because it sounds a bit like zero, not to the extent that googling “patient zero” would pull up “patient zeta”, but if you saw something about it on a website, it’s obviously the same story – even if the literal translation is patient 7.

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