The man, the member, the mystery — Ron Jeremy is the elder statesman of the adult industry we all know, whether we like it or not.
Isn't it time to know more about this (not so) little lover?
Short and stout, many wonder how Ron Jeremy became the industry leader he is today. Perhaps he was actually quite handsome, back in the day? It's for the real story about 'The Hedgehog" and his 40 years meeting and mating with beautiful women on camera!
Read on to see myth vs. fact about "The Hardest Working Man" in the business!
Macho Mozart
Born Ronald Jeremy Hyatt in 1953, Queens would be the neighborhood that shaped him. Ron became a pretty musical guy back then: "Yes, I played classical music all throughout high school and college, and I'm pretty good at it.
A lot of Jewish boys in New York, our parents made us learn the piano, so I'm very good at it, and I'm also pretty good at the harmonica and violin...I got to play with a Celtic band once, and that just made my day. I love that kind of music."
Did he continue seriously in college, though?
Truly Special
Nope! After graduating from Cardozo High School, young Ron went on to pursue a legitimate career in teaching. A master's degree and a program to work in special ed, no less!
Very nice, Ronny boy! What did he do right after graduation, though?
Acting in the city wasn't quite paying the bills, at this point. Like many Jewish youngsters at the time, Ron went up to the resort area in the Catskills to make money at the hotels. And as it turns out, that's where all the action really was!
Lover Boy
Ron recalled: "They had this thing called 'Bungalow Bunnies,' where the women would stay up in the Catskills and their husbands would leave to work. They didn't really care if their wives were messing around because they were doing the same thing with their secretaries back in Manhattan.
We were up in the Catskills, and I had a very good sex life, to the point where when I was once late to dinner and told the maitre d' I was with a girl."
Popular with married ladies, was he able to find a real relationship at this time?
Naughty Suggestions
Yes, despite his reputation as a bad cad, Ron actually did enjoy having a girlfriend. What young lady could resist a classically educated actor aspiring to the big screen? And with a big heart, too! If Ron didn't make it, he was already set up to teach special ed in New York.
All that was needed was a plan to make it through a little rough patch, financially.
Ron has explained his early erotic modeling: "We agreed — my girlfriend Alice and I — to take some pictures in the deluxe wing of the Paramount." Goodness gracious, for what magazine?
Playgirl Material?
"We knew women could do Playboy and that might lead to a career in theater, film. I thought I would try it out and at least get some kind of exposure, pardon the pun. So my girlfriend took the photographs and sent them to Playgirl. I thought maybe they would agree to bring me to L.A. for a layout, and while I'm in L.A. I'll try to get some work in Hollywood."
Playgirl merely wanted to use the pictures for the mag, though.
That's a major step, Ron! What did his family think about this side gig?
Gay Fans Galore
Despite Hugh Hefner's American revolution on the men's side, Playgirl did not really have the audience people might expect. Soon, Ron's granny started to hear from his new fans nationwide:
"A lot of people looked up R. Hyatt in Queens, New York, but they were getting my grandmother, Rose Hyatt, who lived downstairs. My poor grandmother was being woken up night and day, mostly by guys.
Playgirl likes to think that their audience is mostly women, but no, no, the majority is gay. My poor grandma had to move."
Yikes, buddy! What loving threats did Ron's dad make next?
Family Matters
With calls clearly disturbing the family, Ron's dad was forced to have a necessary chat about all of this quirky work.
He was direct: "I don't know what cockamamie business you are getting into. You want to do something, fine, you're an adult, but don't you ever use the family name again."
Ron stopped using his real last name, opting for his middle name instead. Ron Jeremy was born! But as everyone knows by now, this man actually became a prolific, lifelong adult star. How did he transition from titillating magazine tease to the real deal?
A Simple Kind Of Life
Ron described the atmosphere in America during his first truly explicit videos:
"In the '70s it was a hippie-dippie-sexual-revolution-Woodstock kind of gig. Flower children in many ways. Pot smokers, though once in a while you would see cocaine or a pill. Most of them had been to college. Some have come from broken homes, some from abusive homes. "
Sounds wild! But still, was this big risk really financially worth it at the time?
Save Dat Money
Ron explained that the industry was kind of a microcosm of Hollywood as a whole: "There were kids who wanted to do something goofy and crazy. Some were actors who wanted to go for an acting career, like me, and settled for this because acting was just a murderously difficult thing to get into.
It's thousands of people chasing so few jobs, with everyone driving a taxi, working as a waiter."
Yes, he tried teaching, he tried small acting jobs. But could he really pay the bills as a waiter trying to make it big?
Totally Skeezy
Ron soon got an offer he couldn't refuse. Only in California would this have floated by, but this man was in the right place at the right time for destiny to unfold.
Ron recalled: "After Playgirl I went to see a filmmaker I knew. Joe said he only did adult movies, so I said that's kind of sleazy."
Fair enough, Ron. But clearly, things moved forward. What happened to seal the deal?
Undercover Career
Ron recalled: "Then I did theater for a few months and starved. So I went back to Joe and thought, it's not so bad. I asked my family what they thought and they said, [we] aren't crazy about the idea but if you really want to do this go ahead, if you think it may be a shortcut to the mainstream.
So Joe put me in my first adult film, Tigresses and Other Man-eaters. I spent an hour in makeup and they never once saw my face."
Sneaky stuff! But would Ron stay anonymous forever as demand grew?
A Very Big Debut
A little exhibitionism was in order for Ron Jeremy, who described the entire experience as a bit awkward when he started. Despite all the fun he remembered from the Catskills, he wasn't sure if he enjoyed having sex on film!
Ron remembers his process of acclimation: "The acting I always loved because it's taking on a role, but the sex was 50-50." Wait a minute, the lady loving was just so-so, Ron?
Prying Eyes
There is always a little nervousness that you are going to be naked in front of a room full of guys and a couple of makeup artists.
You did some dialogue and then they would say, 'OK, Ronnie, let's go.' It was a bit uncomfortable in the beginning, but once your body and your mind told you you've done it before, you can do it again. It became kind of fun."
Some may wonder, what was the most fun aspect of all?
Hollywood At Heart
Yes, it was the acting, Ron still loved the craft, and he brought it to the porn set whenever possible:
"This might sound corny or cheesy, but I just loved acting, doing dialogue. All my friends were still doing theater off-off-Broadway and I was doing film. Yes it's porn, but it still goes into theaters. They still had acting back then. They had big scripts.
There were no videos back then, no DVDs, no Internet. I came at a time they called the Golden '80s."
Could Ron really build a lasting fortune off these silly lines, though?
Penis Pills And Thrills
Some may laugh now at these memorable vintage stories, but that's what Ron had really wanted to do all along. As time went on, it was obvious that he had chosen his path.
Hollywood was not going to be his fame-making career, and he decided to go all-in and make money, money, money.
According to RJ: "I did well, not so much through porn but because of the marketing that came from porn: the rolling papers, the penis pills — which I'm on a lot of infomercials for — the skateboards and the T-shirts made me fairly wealthy."
What else was part of was his business strategy?
Dirty Hairy
Ron was now in hundreds of pornos, and he even moved on to directing in the industry. Now, it was time to look for more opportunities to capitalize on his face and name. The real profit was from side ventures!
"I go to topless clubs and nude clubs, crack jokes and do a burlesque act while the girls are stripping. I make jokes and then we do autographs, meet and greets, like the ambassador of good will. That has added real good money to the bank account."
Sounds like cold, hard cash. What industry would he pop into next?
Big Pianist
People really took notice of the hairy guy who had been in every porno they had seen. What was this guy, of all people, doing in all these scenes, anyway? No matter.
When it was time for a shocking cameo, musical artists started to feature him their videos! Guns N' Roses, Kid Rock, Sublime, Everclear — the list goes on and on! 48 music videos is nothing to scoff at, and Ron is proud of his record.
Soon, mainstream appearances happened as well. Some of his roles are now embedded in Hollywood cult history! To refresh, which titles include RJ credits?
Tinseltown Triumph
Ron Jeremy is considered to be a rare cross over star because of the Hollywood work he really did in his spare time. Outside of porn, he was hired as a special consultant and small-time actor for major movies.
Boogie Nights, 9½ Weeks, The Chase, Zombiegeddon, and Ghostbusters all make the list.
Ron has also been in numerous parody films, like Orgazmo and Poultrygeist. And who can forget One-Eyed Monster? Good times, Ron!
But wait — what about love during this exciting professional climb?
Lost For Love
After 40 years in porn, Ron has revealed that romance is not easy in the business. Just how difficult is it?
According to Ron: "It's very, very difficult. If you look at statistics, the majority of marriages around the world don't work, which is very sad because they can work. Now let's go to porn. Very rarely do they ever last a long time.
There are a few I'm proud of that are going strong, but it's so difficult because you have to have the alternative lifestyle attitude."
But does Ron even aspire to love, at this point?
Never A Prude Dude
Ron has said that he isn't even sure if people were meant to be monogamous for life. He explains that ancient cultures didn't even try!
Still, as people living in a Judeo-Christian civilization, it is the norm today. Ron never succeeded in this area, and remains a lifelong bachelor. Was this the perfect persona for his next major business venture?
In 2009, Ron tried out a swinger club with a business partner in progressive Portland. Total failure, but he remained interested in some aspect of the nightlife industry. The porn man decided to get directly involved with drinks!
Juices De Jeremy
Today, Ron Jeremy is part of the active marketing for "Ron de Jeremy". In Spanish, 'ron' means 'rum'! A perfect fit linguistically, and as the brand claims — culturally, as well.
Selling rums, gins, and "one-eyed spirits" to the masses, the company has explained the product "celebrates the extraordinary life of the legendary Ron Jeremy".
Indeed, they know there are skeptics out there. But they go ahead and explain their concept further for all the haters! Is it good enough to win over hearts and wallets?
Beer Belly Marketing
According to the website: "Portly Ron is not blessed with film star looks and a chiseled six-pack, his appeal and talents lie in other body parts and his regular guy appearance, comedic talent and amazing endurance in front of the camera. For a Living Legend Ron is a really nice guy. Let’s drink to that!"
As it turns out, Ron is a nice guy to animals! Yes, it's true. What kind of causes is he involved with when he isn't pushing porn and liquor?
Porno for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Ron Jeremy has been involved with PETA in the past. What was his special campaign all about?
To raise awareness about dog and cat overpopulation, Ron angelically laid on white sheets to get viewer attention.
The ad explained: "Too much sex can be a bad thing. Spay and neuter your cats and dogs." A universal message, for pet lovers! But beyond that, Ron cares about chickens.
He participated in a 2008 PETA video about the inhumane slaughter practices that restaurant chain KFC became notorious for in the 2000's. Has anything changed on these fronts because of Ron Jeremy?
Community Outreach
It's tough to say, but Ron hasn't given up being an active citizen in other challenging areas.
In 2006, he was the opponent in a debate series facing off with an anti-porn pastor online. The two actually went on tour all over North America to air the issue on college campuses. The "Porn Debate Tour" reached thousands!
Outside volunteering his time, some may wonder if Ron is actively involved in shooting porn scenes these days. Is he doing anything at the moment?
Always Camera Friendly
The answer is yes, but most recently for charity:
"I just did one a few days ago, a benefit for a great New York director who has serious colon cancer. We all did a free porn film. I did a sex thing with a sweet girl named Candy, she's actually here because we did a scene and she is staying over...I am also doing a horror film in Arizona called Blood Moon Rising."
Seems like Ron's stories are endless. Has he tried to formally document it all for historians and future aliens from space?
Author, Advocate, Philanthropist
Released back in 2008, there is already an autobiography on this unconventional life: Ron Jeremy: The Hardest (Working) Man in Showbiz.
The book claims to be "a scandalously entertaining deep insider's view of the porn industry and its emergence into popular culture, and a delectable self-portrait of the amazingly endowed Everyman every man wanted to be."
But he's far from closing the book on life! Surprising no one at all, Ron has admitted that the stereotype about waning libido in a male's older years is correct. Does he plan to gradually quit the business because of it?
Fighting Father Time
No way, Ronny boy says: "Nature is cruel! As you get older, as you get into your 50s, it is more effort to get into liftoff. I'm 55, and it's a bit of a strain, but it's not to the point where it's a chore because then I just wouldn't do it. I don't have to do porn anymore for economic reasons. However, I like to stay current. I don't want to be an ex-porn star."
In the case of Ron Jeremy, the screen-time has lasted for 4 decades and counting. Ron de Jeremy on the rocks, please!