Girls Gone Wild
Created byJoe Francis
Original workDVD
Films and television
Film(s)Over 300 films
1997–2011

Girls Gone Wild (GGW) was an adult entertainment franchise created by Joe Francis in 1997,[1] who occasionally appears as the host of the videos.

Girls Gone Wild was known for its early use of direct-response marketing techniques, including its late-night infomercials that began airing in 1997.[2] The videos typically involve camera crews at party locations engaging young college-aged women who expose their bodies or act "wild", especially during Spring break.[1] Since 2008, the Girls Gone Wild products have been sold primarily through their website as streaming videos, downloads, and DVDs.

In February 2013, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.[3]

In 2014, the company was sold to Bang Bros.[4]

Background

The first Girls Gone Wild film was released in 1997.[5] In 2001 the company sold 4.5 million videos and DVDs.[2][6] By the end of 2002, the company had produced 83 different titles and had begun airing 30-minute infomercials on E! Entertainment Television, Fox Sports Net, BET, Comedy Central, Tech TV, Style, and all other major U.S. networks.[2] The infomercials targeted a late-night channel-surfing demographic that Joe Francis had identified in the late 1990s.[2] According to TNS Media Intelligence, Girls Gone Wild spent more than $21 million in advertising in 2003, becoming the largest advertiser for programs on the E! channel. In 2008, Francis' net worth was approximately $150 million.[7]

Instances of Girls Gone Wild in popular culture include the appearance of Eminem and Snoop Dogg in the company's videos,[1][2] as well as various references and parodies of the show in popular television series and movies. MGM announced in 2002 that it would release a feature-length film based on the Girls Gone Wild concept.[1][8]

Content

Most Girls Gone Wild videos follow a common formula in which a film crew interacts with a large crowd of people either at a party, club, or other event.[6] Women willingly take off their clothes, engage in sexual activities, or participate in wet T-shirt contests.[2][6] Compensation for taking part in a Girls Gone Wild video often consists of a free hat, T-shirt, or money.[6] Occasionally, participants are invited to be filmed on a Girls Gone Wild tour bus.[1][2][9]

Distribution channels

At its inception, Girls Gone Wild marketed its product, namely videos, through direct-distribution channels such as infomercials, pay-per-view, and video on demand.[1][2][6][10][11] This distribution was followed in 2008 by the launch of a Girls Gone Wild magazine, a clothing line, and a compilation record released on Jive Records.[1][6][10]

Girls Gone Wild for Katrina

In September 2005, Girls Gone Wild announced that it would donate all proceeds of Mardi Gras–themed DVDs and videos to the Red Cross.[12] Proceeds from the video sales, which included a title featuring Snoop Dogg, were intended to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.[12]

Guys Gone Wild

In 2004, Girls Gone Wild began soliciting men for participation in their videos.[1] Guys Gone Wild was a video series and male analogue of Girls Gone Wild targeted at young women.[13] These video tapes and DVDs featured much the same content as the Girls equivalent, only instead showing young men performing for the camera—e.g., in the shower, playing football naked, etc.[14]

In an article,[15] Bill Horn, spokesman for Mantra Entertainment which produced the videos, notes a gender-related double standard in these videos. In the Girls Gone Wild series, sometimes the young women kiss, while the guys' series does not have that feature. Horn explains: "Let's face it, there's a double standard when it comes to guy-on-guy as opposed to girl-on-girl. It's sexy to see two girls making out. It's not considered sexy to see two guys making out. That's just the reality, and, we were there to capture the reality."[16]

The hour-long Guys Gone Wild productions featured women camera operators who encouraged men to get naked and perform strip teases.[13]

In 2003, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a complaint against Girls Gone Wild alleging that the company failed to notify customers when they purchased subscriptions under a continuity program, rather than single DVDs.[17] In 2004, GGW settled for $1.1 million and agreed to disclose all terms and get consent for recurring charges.[18]

In 2006, Girls Gone Wild marketer MRA Holdings pleaded guilty to charges for failing to record the ages of its subjects 2002 and 2003.[19] The parties agreed to pay $2.1 million in restitution and fines.[19]

In 2008, Ashley Dupré filed against Joe Francis and other defendants claiming that they filmed her without consent.[20][21] She later dropped the suit, commenting through her attorney that she wanted to focus on positive opportunities in her life.[22]

In 2008, a Missouri woman claimed that she was filmed without consent when a Girls Gone Wild contractor removed her halter top at a St. Louis bar.[23] A jury found that she consented. On re-trial, a judge awarded the woman $5.77 million after the defense failed to show at court.[24] On appeal, the judge upheld the verdict.[25]

In March 2008, four women claimed that they suffered emotional distress by being shown in Girls Gone Wild film.[26] In April 2011, an all-female jury declined to award damages to the plaintiffs.[26] However, in January 2015, Francis agreed to settle a separate 2003 lawsuit which involved allegations of him taping the exposed breasts of underage girls as part of Girls Gone Wild content.[27] The 2015 civil settlement also involved Francis agreeing to serve 336 days in jail after accepting a no contest plea to criminal charges of child abuse and prostitution.[27]

Bankruptcy

In 2013, GGW Brands LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.[3][28]

Accounts from alleged sex victims

An episode of the TNT true crime anthology series Rich & Shameless called "Girls Gone Wild Exposed" aired on TNT on April 23, 2022, and featured accounts from alleged victims of Joe Francis who were employed for Girls Gone Wild.[29][30]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Mireya Navarro (4 April 2004). "The Very Long Legs of 'Girls Gone Wild'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 31 March 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Michael Schneider (8 December 2002). "'Wild' infomercial struts its stuff". Variety. Archived from the original on 30 June 2019. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  3. 1 2 "'Girls Gone Wild' Files Bankruptcy to Fight Vegas Debt". Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg. 28 February 2013. Archived from the original on 2 March 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  4. ↑ Randazzo, Sara (2014-04-24). "Girls Gone Wild: Under New Management". WSJ. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
  5. ↑ Claire Hoffman (6 August 2006). "Joe Francis: 'Baby, give me a kiss'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 1 September 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ariel Levy (22 March 2004). "Dispatches from Girls Gone Wild". Slate. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  7. ↑ Bruce Spotleson (24 September 2012). "Wynn sets the precedent". Vegas Inc. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  8. ↑ "MGM plans Girls Gone Wild Film". The Guardian. London. 2 October 2002. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  9. ↑ Keith Falkiner (12 June 2011). "Girls Gone Wild in Ireland; US sex show eyes up Irish venues for tour". Sunday Mirror (London). Archived from the original on 12 March 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  10. 1 2 "Media: Analysis- Girls Gone Wild tries tamer approach". PR Week (US). 3 March 2008. Archived from the original on 18 May 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  11. ↑ "This Guy's Gone Wild". Newsweek. 28 September 2003. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  12. 1 2 "'Girls Gone Wild' for Katrina". CNN Money. 20 September 2005. Archived from the original on 12 March 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  13. 1 2 Daniel J. Vargas (12 July 2004). "Ok, girls, now it's your turn for a 'Wild' video". The Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on 4 March 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  14. ↑ Swaim, Michael. "Guys Gone Wild: A Comparative Study for the Well Versed Pornographist". College Humor. Archived from the original on 4 March 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  15. ↑ "The world's gone mad for wild guys and girls". 3 July 2004. Archived from the original on December 29, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  16. ↑ ""Guys Go Wild" in New Video Series". Fox News. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  17. ↑ "Sellers of 'Girls Gone Wild' Videos Charged with Deceptive Practices". Federal Trade Commission. 17 December 2003. Archived from the original on 14 February 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  18. ↑ "Sellers of 'Girls Gone Wild' Videos to Pay $1.1 Million to Settle Charges of Unauthorized Shipping and Billing". Federal Trade Commission. 30 July 2004. Archived from the original on 28 July 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  19. 1 2 "Deferred Prosecution Agreement, Stipulation of Fact, Public Statement of Joseph Francis, and Films Subject to the Agreement". FindLaw. 12 September 2006. Archived from the original on 18 June 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  20. ↑ "Ashley Dupre Gone "Wild" -- Legal or Jailbait?". TMZ. 19 March 2008. Archived from the original on 28 February 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  21. ↑ "Ashley Alexandra Dupre, the Former Prostitute Who Had a Paid Liaison With Ex-N.Y. Governor Eliot Spitzer Files a $10M Lawsuit Against Girls Gone Wild". FindLaw. 28 April 2008. Archived from the original on 11 July 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  22. ↑ "Call girl in Spitzer case drops "Gone Wild" suit". Reuters. 3 July 2008. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  23. ↑ Jim Salter (27 April 2012). "Mo. woman wins $5.8M in 'Girls Gone Wild' case". FindLaw. Archived from the original on 18 June 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  24. ↑ Robert Patrick (26 April 2012). "'Girls Gone Wild' ordered to pay $5.77 million to woman filmed in St. Louis". The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on 29 August 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  25. ↑ Donna Walter (20 June 2012). "$5.77M judgment stands in Girls Gone Wild case". Missouri Lawyers Media. Archived from the original on 24 June 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  26. 1 2 "All-Female Jury Throws Out "Girls Gone Wild" Lawsuit". CBS Miami. 7 April 2011. Archived from the original on 8 December 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  27. 1 2 "'Girls Gone Wild' Founder Joe Francis Pleads No Contest to Child Abuse, Prostitution Charges". Fox News. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  28. ↑ Egan, Matt. "Legal Headaches Force 'Girls Gone Wild' Into Bankruptcy". Fox Business. Archived from the original on March 4, 2013. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  29. ↑ "Rich & Shameless: Girls Gone Wild Exposed Cold Open". TNT. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  30. ↑ "TNT's "Rich & Shameless" Debuts on April 23 with "Girls Gone Wild Exposed" Uncovering the Truth Behind Former Hollywood "It" Boy Joe Francis". Futon Critic. April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
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