Bill Handel is an AM radio personality in Los Angeles. A little known fact is that his brother, Mark Handel, is a real estate developer who slummed [and I use that in the pejorative sense] in the adult business over ten years ago under the name Khan Tusion.

Khan Tusion was the vanguard of the Rough Sex movement and headed up a company known as Pariah Pictures. There was a famous scene in the Meatholes series in which Handel as the character Khan Tusion practically choked Ashley Blue to death. Even now she won’t talk about it.

I think that history puts Bill Handel’s comments aired last week on KFI-AM about condoms in better perspective.

“I don’t think real porn can exist with condoms,” said Handel stating that is his “fundamental belief.”

“It sort of takes away all the fun, if you will.”

Handel couldn’t imagine the porn performers of the business being told what to do in their movies.

“To me it all boils down to just figuring this out money-wise because that’s all I care about. When it comes to adults doing what they want to do, as long as they don’t hurt anyone else and it’s informed consent, that’s their business. I don’t think anybody has a right to get involved in anybody’s life.”

Handel says while he believes in helmet laws, seat belt laws, forcing car manufacturers to implement “all kinds of safety devices,” etc., he also believes that condoms should not be forced on the porn actors.

“To me it’s a question of tax dollars. That’s what it all boils down to,” he says.

“Forget about morality; forget about the lack of fun that occurs when the porn people use condoms or big business being lost, because the San Fernando Valley happens to be the porn center of the world which employs thousands of people in the industry – the caterers, and of course the performers and the lighting people and the camera people. So that will probably be gone for the most part, I believe. The porn people also believe that too.”

Explaining his stance on condoms as opposed to motorcycle helmet laws, Handel says, “Helmet laws are in place because a whole lot of people drove motorcycles without helmets.

And when people get into a massive accident and get all of these massive injuries and don’t have insurance, this is a whole lot of people taking tax dollars to deal with their injuries. I don’t know how many people get AIDS in the porn industry- I really don’t- but compared to people who are not wearing seat belts in car accidents, what do you think that costs us?

“So when it comes to safety laws other than kids, I look at it just in terms of the premise you leave people alone. You let them do what they want to do. Until it starts costing some serious tax dollars because of the laws or the lack of laws. So I’m now looking at the cost of porno actors and actresses getting AIDS or HIV.

“I don’t know how many there’s been in the last ten years,” Handel continues.

“I’m willing to bet very few. But assuming that a porn industry actor or actress gets HIV, the cocktail of drugs assuming they don’t have insurance I’ve gotten [figures] anywhere from $15,000 to $40,000 dollars a year down to $12,000 to $35,000 per year.”

“That’s a chunk of money. But you’re not talking anywhere near the money not even close to the money the injury in a car accident causes to someone without a seat belt.”

Handel says there’s arguments to the helmet law because people who would be killed instantly still suffer major trauma because they’re still alive.

“And a brain injury costs zillions of dollars and that’s another issue.”

Handel said weighing that against adults doing what they want to do and putting themselves at risk of AIDS comes down to this, “if these people want to take that risk, let ‘em. That’s their choice. I think people are nuts to get on a motorcycle and I never would. But are we going to stop people because there’s ten times the rate of accidents on a motorcycle then there is driving a car?”

Handel believes it’s looking at the benefit that allows people to do what they want to do as adults versus the cost of allowing them to do that.

“I think Measure B makes no sense,” he says.

“Also the whole issue of watching porn without condoms.”

Handel points out that AHF spent $2M to get the initiative passed.

“Ever given to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation?” he asks.

“Ever thought the money would be to stop porno from using condoms as opposed to helping people with meals-on-wheels or giving medication or helping people with psychological support all these people need?

“And your money, your donation goes to passing Measure B. If I gave a lot of money to these folks, I would be super upset. What are they doing?”