Share:

Editor’s note: This story has been updated since it was first posted

World famous pornography star and PCC alumnus James Deen gave a presentation on sexuality and pornography to Hugo Schwyzer’s Humanities 3 class without a hitch on Wednesday.

The event drew nationwide media attention Tuesday when school officials abruptly canceled it claiming that ‘over a hundred people’ were planning to protest at the event scheduled for the Creveling Lounge, a public venue.

There were no protesters.

Deen commented on the controversy surrounding his scheduled public appearance.

“I thought it was fine that they canceled the event, but I don’t know the reason,” he said in an interview after his presentation. “I also thought it was hilarious because there [weren’t] any protesters. They made a big mound of an anthill.”

Before Deen spoke, Schwyzer also commented on the events that unfolded the previous day. “I’m not trying to make this a media spectacle,” he said.

Deen’s lecture addressed various myths surrounding the adult film industry and human sexuality in general.

“The adult industry is a legitimate industry. It’s just a specific type of entertainment targeting a specific audience,” he said.

Deen also commented on the way society perceives sex. “Sex is awkward and uncomfortable, and it’s uncomfortable because we as a society made it that way,” he said. “ You shouldn’t have this shame behind sexuality.”

He also brought up the issue of not confusing pornography with reality. “Don’t turn to porn as a source of information,” he said. “Entertainment is entertainment, people forget that.”

[wppa type=”slide” album=”15″ align=”center”][/wppa]

Another famous porn star, Stoya, was also in attendance and was pleased with Deen’s lecture.

“He always represents the industry well,” she said. “He’s eloquent and always knows what to say.”

Other than the anticipated protesters that never showed up, school officials also claimed  Schwyzer never filled out the appropriate permits required to hold the event which was originally slated to be in the Creveling Lounge.

Schwyzer combatted those accusations by posting on Twitter a picture of the Official Activity Request form that two of his students completed on Feb. 4.

Additionally, in a statement released after the public cancellation, Schwyzer also said that he had filled out the same type of form to book other porn stars and guest speakers in previous public lectures.

Associated Students President Simon Fraser was outraged at the cancellation.

“It’s disappointing. This college should not be afraid of controversy. Protests are no strangers to college campuses and we shouldn’t be afraid of them,” he said.

“We should engage it in open discussion. I think the censorship of the event has caused a negative idea of what PCC values.”

Schwyzer also said he never agreed to move the event to his classroom but was simply ordered to.

“I want to make clear that there were no negotiations; I was simply told that the public event was off,” he said. “This was a decision unilaterally imposed rather than negotiated.”

Schwyzer’s students displayed their irritation with the public cancellation and subsequent controversy.

“It’s aggravating because its supposed to be a learning experience, and the school isn’t allowing it,” said Christian Balas.

Christian Samortin also expressed his opinion on the cancellation.

“The school is scared of getting negative feedback. It’s totally unnecessary and its backfired on them,” he said.

Deen lightheartedly addressed the issue on Twitter after all was said and done. “There was no riot. No protest… Just talking,” he tweeted.

Follow: