Don benn writesL Gene,

There appears to be some confusion as to my current and/or future status with KSEX. First of all – I amazed (and flattered beyond words) that anyone gives a damn. Next, let me try to set the record as straight as I possibly can.

As you (and the rest of the industry knows), the past couple of years have been marked by a variety of health related issues resulting (mostly) from a condition known as empty sella syndrome. Almost 11 years ago (October 1996) I sustained an (undiagnosed at the time) traumatic brain injury in a car accident (I was run-over by a Pontiac) which, over a decade’s time began to manifest itself in a variety of symptoms and behaviors (come to think of it, it includes the time period during which I joined the adult industry…hummmm).

In any case, the condition was finally diagnosed a few years ago, I had an operation, and my post-operative life and lifestyle has been less than enviable).

For the past year or so I’ve undergone an intensive variety of psychological and brain injury therapies (trying to get the parts that work to pick up the slack for the damaged sections) as well as the vast number of conditions caused by having a damaged pituitary gland. I am scheduled to complete my last (for now) portion of therapy in late June.

My speech, word recognition, night time driving skills, and motor control have vastly improved, my self-confidence has (to a large degree) returned, and quite frankly, I miss a hell of a lot of folks in the industry (you, my friend, are certainly on that list) and, well, that brings us up to the matter at hand.

Several weeks ago (here in Philly) I had dinner with the former publisher of Adult Stars Magazine (Jeff Cartwright) and industry icons Luc Wylder and Alexandra Silk. During the course of dinner conversation, the topic of the Wankus/KSEX “separation” was brought up. Having been totally out of the (industry) “loop” since selling PNN (which by the way, has returned to daily publication) to HOT MOVIES I was, as they say, the last to know about this (what I consider to be a bad, bad move).

I immediately called and emailed Wankus to see how he was doing and to find out what happened. When a few days passed with no response I went to his blog (does everyone but me have a blog and a my space page?) and read his official statement.

Knowing that there are always (at least) three sides to any story (the actual truth may be number four of five) I next contacted Joe Brandi (who DID immediately respond). Joe and I have known each other for a few years and (despite what others have to say about him) I like him and have always found him to be totally professional and above-board in any and all dealings we may have had.

Anyway, Joe provided me with both an official side of the story as well as a few additional confidential details and we ended the conversation with my expressing full understanding for his situation and my wishing KSEX and it’s new owners all the best. Later that day (and this was about two weeks ago) Joe called me up and approached me with an offer for potential employment (gee – it’s only taken me six paragraphs to actually respond to the immediate question).

I was flattered by the offer and since I learned long ago from Sean Connery (or was it Sahsa Gabor….I always get the two confused) to Never Say Never Again….the word “No” did not flow from my lips. We discussed the duties and responsibilities that he had in mind, my current health issues, and we began to formulate a POSSIBLE job description which I could and would be able to do.

I informed him (and again, this was two weeks ago – prior to the Batman item) that one of the (many) things that I needed to take into consideration before saying YES was the feelings and the opinions of a certain Mr. Wayne Lewis. While less than thrilled with my response, Joe totally respected my love and respect for Wankus and (at that point) we put things on “hold”. When an additional week passed by and Wayne had STILL not responded to me I informed Joe that I was ready to proceed to the next step.

The next step was the creation of a press release announcing my return to the industry via the KSEX position. I provided Joe with a brief industry bio, a few quotes (some that made the final cut, some that did not) he sent me back a final draft for me to proof (which I promptly accidentally deleted without reading) and as he did not receive negative feedback from me, felt confident to send the press release out to the industry (and I guess Batman was his first stop).

Starting last weekend I began receiving hundreds of emails and phone calls (OK, I’m lying, it was actually dozens, well, maybe not dozens….OK, I got a phone call from Mike Kryger asking me if I had read Batman’s website re me! I hadn’t so I did and I read and said WOW! According to the press release I was set to be the second cumming (pun intended – not a Craig V “speling eror”) of Les Nessman, Ted Baxter, and Kent Brockman combined. And then the dozens (no bullshit) of letters and phone calls DID begin to come in….including one from Wankus.

A few days ago Wayne and I had a long (one of the longest we’ve had in a long time) conversation in which (among other things) he conveyed his feelings about a potential KSEX/Don Benn relationship. He expressed his personal and professional opinions (in a professionally personal way I might add) and in the end made one request of me.

He asked that if I did take a position with KSEX that I maintain my own integrity, not engage in any “Wankus-bashing” (as if I ever would…..at least not without him being in the same room) and never give them anything less than the quality of work that he knows me to be capable of performing.

So here’s where we are……YES – I thought that the announcement of my un-retirement was a tad premature (of course I also feel that the announcement of my actual retirement was a few years later than it should have been) and YES – KSEX and I are formulating a plan in which my limited time (and even more limited talent) can best be put to use and YES – if all goes well and I complete my last course of therapy in a few weeks and THEN spend 10 very needed days in Cancun (my first plane ride or journey more than a hundred miles from home in a year) goes well, THEN – by mid July – IF all the other pieces fall in place I would be ready, willing, and most importantly, ABLE to join KSEX.

At this point in time there is NO contract and NO fully defined scope of duties but also NO denying the fact that I am extremely grateful and honored by even being considered for ANY position with KSEX and NO shortage of love and thanks for all the industry folks who’ve already welcomed me back with phone calls, emails, and blog articles.

Don