Chi Chi LaRue

Larry David Paciotti (born November 8, 1959) is an American director of pornographic films. He appears as the drag-diva persona Chi Chi LaRue (/ˈʃiːʃiː ləˈruː/), and has also been credited as director under the names "Lawrence David" and "Taylor Hudson".[1]

Chi Chi LaRue
LaRue at the Folsom Street Fair in 2009
Born
Larry David Paciotti

(1959-11-08) November 8, 1959
Hibbing, Minnesota, U.S.
Other namesLawrence David
Taylor Hudson
Websitehttp://www.chichilarue.com

Career

"Chi Chi LaRue" began when Paciotti moved to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area and began performing in drag as one-half of "The Weather Gals", a "hag drag" revue.[2] He and a friend moved to California, where LaRue was hired by Catalina Video as an administrative assistant and publicist because of his knowledge of porn and the workings of the porn industry.[3] Even as a "DJ" ("DJ Paciotti"), Paciotti conducts most public business as "Chi Chi LaRue", and has a significant presence in the pornographic film industry, moving up the line of responsibility and creativity so that he was soon directing high-demand pornographic product.[2] LaRue has directed hundreds of gay porn films since 1988, mainly for Falcon Studios.[4] He now owns Catalina Video, a label under his umbrella company Channel 1 Releasing.[2]

In 2003, LaRue began to divide his directorial attention between two porn studios: Vivid Video, where he gets along with much of the female talent (particularly Jenna Jameson and Tera Patrick), and his own Rascal Video.[4]

In March 2004, LaRue was preparing to leave to travel to London to direct Taking Flight (the studio's two-part annual travelogue) when he had a mild heart attack. Instead of abandoning the production, Falcon hired Chris Steele, the script's author, to direct. In 2005, LaRue shot his last film for Falcon, called Heaven to Hell (the tale of an angel sexually tempted by the Devil and then cast into hell). It was the only movie ever to be cast of Falcon exclusives.[4]

In 2006, LaRue announced that he would no longer produce films for Vivid Video because they were featuring actors and actresses having sex without condoms.[5]

In 2007, LaRue was chosen as one of Out magazine's Top 50 most influential people in the LGBT community.[2]

In August 2008, he directed the controversial bisexual film titled Shifting Gears. LaRue coined the term "straight-for-pay" (a play on "gay-for-pay"), to describe performer Blake Riley's first encounter with a woman.

In 2012, LaRue directed the music video for "Trouble" by RuPaul's Drag Race contestant Willam Belli, which premiered on Logo TV.[6]

In 2015, LaRue admitted himself into drug and alcohol treatment in Minnesota, feeling he was "near death", according to friend Kevin Molin.[7]

Awards
Chi Chi LaRue at the Free Speech Coalition's 13th Annual Night of the Stars Dinner
  • 1990 Dave Awards winner of Best Video and Best Director for "More of a Man" (All Worlds Video).
  • 1991 AVN award Best Director (Gay Video) – "The Rise" (as Taylor Hudson), Catalina Video.[8]
  • 1991 AVN Award Best Non-Sexual Performance–Bi, Gay, or Trans Video – "More of a Man", All Worlds Video.[8]
  • 1992 Gay Erotic Video Awards Best Director – "Songs in the Key of Sex", HIS Video (tied with Jerry Douglas, "Kiss-Off", All Worlds Video).
  • 1993 AVN Award Best Director (Gay Video) – "Songs in the Key of Sex", HIS Video.[8]
  • 1993 Gay Erotic Video Award Best Special Interest Video – "Chi Chi LaRue's Hardbody Video Magazine", Odyssey Men.
  • 1993 Gay Erotic Video Award Best Gender Bender – "Valley of the Bi Dolls", Catalina Video.
  • 1994 Gay Erotic Video Award Best Non-Sexual Role – "Revenge of the Bi-Dolls", Catalina Video.
  • 1995 Gay Erotic Video Award Best Director – "Idol Country", HIS Video.
  • 2000 Grabby Award winner of Best Director and Best Video.[9]
  • 2001 GayVN Award Best Director – "Echoes", Men of Odyssey.[8]
  • 2002 GayVN Award Best Director (Bisexual Video) – "Mile Bi Club", All Worlds Video.[8]
  • 2003 GayVN Award Best Director (with John Rutherford) – "Deep South: The Big and the Easy Part 1" and "Part 2", Falcon Studios.[8]
  • 2006 Grabby Award Best Director – "Wrong Side of the Tracks Part One" and "Part Two", Rascal Video.[10]
  • 2009 GayVN Award Trailblazer[8]
  • 2011 Cyber Socket "Best Personality"
  • 2012 Cyber Socket "Best Personality"
  • 2020 Special Stiletto Award : Evolution Wonderloundge Hall of fame

See also

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 29, 2010. Retrieved 2011-07-14.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. http://www.trumansays.com/2007/04/being_closeted_.html%5B%5D
  3. ""Sex Becomes Him: How one portly, effeminate lad from Minnesota rose to the top of the gay porn industry"". Archived from the original on February 26, 2009. Retrieved June 24, 2007.
  4. Jeffrey Escoffier Bigger Than Life: The History of Gay Porn Cinema from Beefcake to Hardcore at Google Books
  5. "Chi Chi LaRue leaves Vivid"
  6. Spargo, Chris (November 25, 2012). "Willam Returns To Logo With 'Trouble'". New Now Next. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  7. Hunter Houston, "LaRue Needs You", South Florida Gay News, August 5, 2105, p. 51, http://southfloridagaynews.com/Film/porn-pulse-larue-needs-you.html?highlight=WyJsYXJ1ZSIsImxhcnVlJ3MiXQ==, retrieved August 11, 2015.
  8. "GayVN Awards past winners (select year from droplist)". AVN. Archived from the original on February 19, 2009.
  9. "Grabby Award Winners 2000". Gay Chicago Magazine. Archived from the original on June 9, 2002.
  10. "The 16th Annual (2005) Grabby Award Winners". Grabbys – Gay Chicago Magazine. May 27, 2006. Archived from the original on July 9, 2006.
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