Gay porn actor Jaxton Wheeler responds to claims he drove August Ames to suicide
THE man who urged porn star August Ames to “take a cyanide pill” has broken his silence, claiming her fan are trying to destroy him.
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WARNING: GRAPHIC
A GAY porn actor accused of driving adult entertainment star August Ames to suicide by telling her to “take a cyanide pill” says he’s not responsible for her death.
Jaxton Wheeler says he is now a pariah in the industry and is haunted by the tweet, which he claims has sparked a vicious bullying campaign against him, including threats to his life.
“It’s been overwhelming and not just online,” Wheeler told gay porn blog The Sword.
“Newsweek ran a story and put me as the sole bad guy right in the headline. Newsweek!
“I have received so many threats of death and violence I had to call the FBI — the f***ing FBI.
“My mother’s and my son’s personal information has been doxed. I had two gay shoots set up for next week and I was fired from them. I was also fired from Evil Angel, but that is expected as August also worked for them.
“Like I said, she is the victim here, but it doesn’t mean that I too haven’t been victimised.”
Ames killed herself last Wednesday, four days after igniting an online firestorm over tweets about working with men who had appeared in gay adult movies.
The 23-year-old Canadian was labelled a “homophobe” when she revealed she had pulled out of an adult film after finding out her co-star was a “crossover”.
“Whichever (lady) performer is replacing me tomorrow for @EroticaXNews, you’re shooting with a guy who has shot gay porn, just to let cha know,” she wrote. “BS is all I can say. Do agents really not care about who they’re representing? I do my homework for my body.”
After being accused of “discriminating” against the gay community, she added: “Sorry, it was just my opinion. My body, my rules. Honestly I’m sorry if I offended anyone.”
While Ames was inundated with hundreds of critical and abusive comments, most of them from industry peers, Wheeler’s tweet has been singled out as the one that pushed her over the edge.
It read: “@AugustAmesxxx the world is awaiting your apology or for you to swallow a cyanide pill. Either or we’ll take it.”
You told my friend August to swallow ancyanide pill... you are directly responsible for her death. I will not rest until you are deleted from social media all together. https://t.co/e4VBdIwrgB
— Jenna Jameson (@jennajameson) December 7, 2017
@jaxtonwheeler You are responsible of August Ames death. You will remain the biggest #SHAME of your parents and humanity. pic.twitter.com/hkVvUMF5Ap
— x03c6 (@x03c6) December 7, 2017
Since @JaxtonWheeler decided to retreat to his safe space, here is some context pic.twitter.com/4uiyRw4itm
— James (@JamesZJeff) December 7, 2017
Wheeler told The Sword his attention was simply “to bring about a conversation about the stigmas and issues talent like myself deal with every day against gay porn actors”.
“To me, it was a forceful way to say, ‘suck a bag of d**ks’. I regret expressing it that way,” he said.
“That will haunt me the rest of my life, but it was never, ever, in any way meant to be an actual course of action.”
Wheeler claimed that by the time he posted his comment, Ames had already made the decision to die.
“Before they knew she had (killed herself), both our tweets were posted, and I was blamed as the de facto cause,” he told The Sword.
“I do understand everyone wants a villain to hang in the public square for the tragic death of this sweet, beautiful girl. While she is indeed the victim here, I am not the villain.”
Wheeler expanded on the timing of his tweet versus her death in his statement.
“As a matter of public record, my comment was posted after August had chosen to take her life,” he said.
“I am disappointed my comments have been used to distract from my original issues and devastated they have inappropriately been attributed as the reason August chose to take her life.”
Ames, who starred in more than 270 films and twice won at the Adult Video News Awards, suffered from bipolar disorder. In the lead up to her death she had reportedly sought help for depression related to having been sexually abused as a child.
A suicide note in which she apologised for taking her own life reportedly made no mention of Wheeler’s tweet.
In a statement issued last week, her husband and director Kevin Moore said: “She was the kindest person I ever knew and she meant the world to me. Please leave this as a private family matter in this difficult time.”
Wheeler said he hoped others could learn from the tragedy and begged those trying to avenge Ames’ death by punishing him and his family to stop.
“My heart goes out to her friends and loved ones, and to all affected by this,” he said.
“Hopefully, this allows us to reflect on the choices we make on social media. It may be anonymous, but real harm can be done,” Wheeler said in his statement.
“I am pleading with people on both sides to put to an end to the verbal abuse and threats made so freely every day, and in particular, those directed at me right now. This serves neither her memory or any of others we have lost this year.
“I will continue to work for the rights and ethical treatment of crossover models, and I am hoping to end the unfair stigma attached to our entire industry.”
HOW THE CONTROVERSY UNFOLDED ON TWITTER
Sorry, it was just my opinion. My body, my rules. Honestly I’m sorry if I offended anyone.
— August Ames (@AugustAmesxxx) December 4, 2017
Hi August, we're doing a story on you and this tweet. Why is it an issue if you (or any lady) shoots a scene with a guy who has shot gay porn? How does this represent something that agents don't "care about"? And, what does this have to do with "homework" on your body?
— Str8UpGayPorn (@Str8UpGayPorn) December 4, 2017
How am I homophobic if I myself am attracted to women? Not wanting to have sex with gay men is not homophobic; they don’t want to have sex with me either?? so byeeeee
— August Ames (@AugustAmesxxx) December 3, 2017
If you or somebody you know needs help, phone Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au.
Originally published as Gay porn actor Jaxton Wheeler responds to claims he drove August Ames to suicide
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