Kurtis Wolfe On What To Do In A Post-Rentboy World: “Always Have A Back-Up Plan”
Following yesterday’s raid of Rentboy’s New York offices and subsequent shutdown of the company’s website (arguably the largest male escort website in the world), Str8UpGayPorn reached out to Randy Blue gay porn star and escort Kurtis Wolfe to see why he thinks the raid occurred, how his career might be impacted, and what steps he’s taking to protect himself from an encroaching federal government.
Str8UpGayPorn: Are you advertising elsewhere now that Rentboy has been shut down?
Kurtis Wolfe: Prior to the raid and shut down I was advertising on both Rentboy and Rentmen, and participated actively on both platforms. After the raid, my ad is now only active on Rentmen. There are other platforms available, including Men4RentNow. However, for the meantime I’ll only keep my ad available on Rentmen until other options are reviewed.
Can you still earn as much and be as active on Rentmen?
I haven’t discovered other advertising platforms as reliable and desirable as Rentboy and Rentmen. I’ll begin to supplement my advertising and customer service efforts by actively participating in the “Daddy’s Reviews” forum.
Shouldn’t Rentmen be worried about a shutdown?
Rentmen should not be worried about being shutdown because they are an overseas company, based in Amsterdam.
Has your business been affected yet? Do you think it will?
Right now, it’s too early to determine if the shutdown has had an affect on business. I receive a significant amount of requests from both Rentboy and Rentmen, and most of my clients are also repeat clients. In the short term, many clients will be scared off or not know where to look for active listings, but over time the client base will find alternative ways to seek out escorts.
If things really slow down, will you have to find another job?
Escorting is a form of income supplementation for me, and it’s not my primary source of income. Always have a back-up plan for your sources of income. For example, if you’re involved in an accident, it would be very difficult to escort. Having that back-up plan—and a back-up plan for your back-up plan—is always the best course of action.
What about the long term impact of the shutdown on male escorts?
Rentboy was the largest platform for male escorts and provided many services, directly and indirectly, to everyone in the adult industry and the community. The shutdown of Rentboy will be felt by everyone, from a lack of advertising for escorts and porn studios to strains on local governments needing to support escorts who will now have difficulty supporting themselves. This shutdown does not help anyone—no one can argue against that and remain factual.
How much money do you earn monthly from escorting, on average?
I’d rather not say how much. It’s enough to live on, easily. In recent months, it’s been on the higher end, and a lot of it goes toward paying off debts and retirement.
What steps should escorts take to protect themselves in the wake of the arrests?
Two things escorts should consider immediately: 1. Securing and locking down client information. The Department of Homeland Security will more than likely be subpoenaing escorts who advertised on Rentboy to further support their complaint. In this case, DO NOT under any circumstances record any information on paper. Use an electronic contact system that utilizes encryption standards, without a method for backdoor access. If a government agency requests this information or a malicious party illegally procures this information, they’ll get a jumbled mess of information that can’t be deciphered. 2. Review your tax returns and ensure that you have supporting documentation both for your income and expenses claimed. Information obtained from Rentboy’s systems could link you to your tax returns and be used to see if you’re paying your portion of taxes. This is especially true for many escorts who claim zero exemptions, claim they are homeless, or pull benefits from government subsidized programs. If you’re one of the escorts doing this, be prepared for a potential audit from the IRS in the near future.
Any inkling as to why Homeland Security went after Rentboy now, after 18 years?
Money. The holiday parties at the NYPD and the DHS are going to be extremely lavish this year.
[Kurtis Wolfe images via Randy Blue; Mark Henderson]
