Wisconsin university chancellor who was fired after making porn with his wife vows to continue OnlyFans channel

The ex-chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, who was dismissed due to his involvement in a risqué OnlyFans endeavor, has expressed his contemplation of pursuing legal recourse against the institution. Furthermore, he has affirmed his steadfast commitment to maintaining his adult content platform. 

Joe Gow, a former university chancellor who produced and performed in explicit online material on multiple pornographic public platforms alongside his wife, asserted to The Messenger that his dismissal by the university's Board of Regents was an infringement upon his "academic freedom." Gow maintained that his termination was unjust, as he believed he was exercising his constitutionally protected right to free speech. 

The couple has additionally published two books chronicling their adventures in various forms of consensual non-monogamy within the adult entertainment industry.

“We believe our books and videos are protected by the First Amendment and certainly the Board of Regents have a policy on commitment to academic freedom and freedom of expression that would protect these kinds of materials," Gow said. 

Since his termination from his position at the public institution, Gow has been contacted by free-speech lawyers and organizations offering assistance and representation should Gow decide to take legal action against the university, an option which he is currently exploring. 

Gow, a long-standing member of the university community for nearly two decades, faced termination on Wednesday following the revelation of his involvement in a provocative YouTube channel, as well as explicit accounts on platforms such as OnlyFans and LoyalFans. These accounts showcased videos of Gow and his wife, Carmen Wilson, engaging in intimate activities with adult film performers, following scenes of them sharing meals together. 

In a statement, the University of Wisconsin System Regent President Karen Walsh said, “This Board is charged with the stewardship of our great Universities of Wisconsin. Unfortunately, Dr. Joe Gow has shown a reckless disregard for the role he was entrusted with at UW-La Crosse to serve students, faculty and staff, and the campus community. The outrage over his behavior is evidenced by the unanimous vote by the UW Board of Regents to terminate him as chancellor. We are alarmed, and disgusted, by his actions, which were wholly and undeniably inconsistent with his role as chancellor.” 

“We got into this because we were both married before and we had unhappy marriages and we got together and we found that this was something that made us happy and was interesting to do and I never thought it would kind of blow up with a Board of Regents like this,” Gow told The Messenger in an exclusive interview. “We didn't get into this to make money. We actually have spent a lot making our books and videos,“ he said. 

The couple remain steadfast in their commitment to maintaining their online presence, undeterred by the recent wave of criticism. While they remain resolute in keeping their accounts active, the duo expressed uncertainty regarding the prospect of producing new adult content beyond their existing video repertoire.

“What we do on our own time and with our own money, we should be able to do when it's not hurting anyone," Carmen said.

"It's not pushed to anyone, people have to seek it out and they want to seek it out."

On Thursday, Gow and Wilson asserted that they believe their termination from their respective positions was directly linked to the dissemination of the explicit videos which were shared under the username "Sexy Happy Couple." The couple maintained that their constitutional right to freedom of speech was infringed upon by the university's punitive measures in response to their video productions.

Regarding First Amendment rights, Ken Paulson, the director of the Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University, acknowledges the merit in the contention that the publication of explicit videos is indeed safeguarded. However, the crux of the matter lies in determining whether this constitutional protection extends to an individual in a position of authority within the realm of higher education, who appears to have refrained from taking any action that contradicts the University of Wisconsin's best interests.

Paulson asserted that the matter of individuals within educational settings engaging in the production of adult content online remains largely unexplored, thereby potentially providing Gow with a legitimate basis for contestation.

Gow contends the university fired him abruptly, without any prior notice or opportunity to present his perspective in a formal hearing. 

Gow says the recent termination has sparked a "polarized response," eliciting both expressions of encouragement and criticism. 

“They don't have to agree with us," he said, "but to say that I should lose my job, that's another matter.”

“There was no due process, I was not informed of any policy I violated,” he told NBC News. “There are the classical exceptions to the First Amendment but having material that explores consensual adult sexuality, we should be able to talk about that at a college campus.”

When asked if he was held to a different standard as the chancellor of the university and the face of the university in many ways Gow responded, “I’m not sure.”