another tragic week in porn

2007 has been a year of much success for the gay adult industry but sadly it has also been one filled with tragedy. In 2007 our industry lost seven of its most talented stars, among them Cody Foster, Brett Mycles, Kent North, and Danny Roddick, who left us earlier in the year. Add to that list Latino pornstar Joe Romero and muscle performer Haus Weston, both of whom died in the short span of a week. Both Joe Romero and Haus Weston had an incredible on screen appeal and talent that will be missed.

Joe Romero is easily one of the most recognized faces from 1990’s gay porn. Between 1994 and 2006 Romero starred in more than 650 movies making him one of the first gay Latino pornstars to develop such an extensive body of work. However, not content with just being a porn star, Romero was also a successful rock musician. Dubbing himself the “Shock Rock Pornstar,” he released two CDs on his own Motorock Records label and spent time touring the US, Italy and Germany.

Although he may be most remembered for his work in films like Falcon’s “Hot Pursuit,” much of Romero’s later work focused on his fetish for leather and BDSM. Movies like “Leather Obsession,” “Bareback Blvd.,” and “Leather Daddies Gang Banging Brad Benton” gave him a reputation as a bad boy, which was quite opposite from reality. Romero actually spent much of his private time volunteering for organizations like Paws LA, The Tom of Finland Foundation, and APLA. He also participated in numerous charity events. In September 2006 Romero retired from the porn industry, claiming he was battling cancer. Born David Joseph Romero, he passed away on October 30 at his home in Manchester, New Hampshire. After a career that spanned more than 14 years Romero is survived by his partner, his father and two sisters.

Not as prolific a performer as Joe Romero but equally talented was 29 year old Haus Weston. From 1999 to 2001, Weston made his mark on the gay adult industry appearing in such hits as “Two Brothers: A Savage Night*,” “Tales From the Foxhole,” and “Another Man’s Hand.” A true cowboy at heart, Weston began his career in porn shortly after his military one ended, starring in Dink Flamingo’s first hardcore video, “Basic Training,” in 1999. Weston went on to do films for All Worlds Video, where he worked with famed director Chi Chi LaRue. Weston’s final film was an appearance in Active Duty’s* “Basic Duty” in 2001.

Weston used his notoriety as a porn star to become an internationally famous escort, for which he received rave reviews. He was known in the escort circle for his kindness, professionalism and skills. Certainly Weston’s muscled physique attracted many and made him stand out not only as a performer but also as a model. He was photographed for the 2003 COLT Men and COLT Leather calendars and will appear as Mr. April in the 2008 COLT Cowboy calendar. Weston was in the Philippines when he died of a heart attack on November 6.

With 2007 quickly approaching its end we sincerely hope that the deaths of Joe Romero and Haus Weston will be the last we have to write about for a long time. Our sincere condolences go out to the families, friends and fans of both performers.