University of Wisconsin chancellor Joe Gow says he regrets ‘self-censoring’ his secret life before it was revealed he and wife posted X-rated videos online: ‘I thought the board would be a little more understanding’
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow said his only regret after being fired for posting adult content online with his wife is that he wishes he hadn't censored that part of his life for so long.
Gow, 63, was fired Wednesday by the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents after they discovered he posts X-rated videos with his wife online under the name Sexy Happy Couple.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, Gow and his wife Carmen Wilson share photos of video clips from their cooking channel where they regularly feature adult video stars as guests. They also link to LoyalFans and OnlyFans for “fully explicit scenes.”
He told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel he has no idea how the board became aware of his content and he was never asked about it by the board or the school system.
'I didn't expect us to end up where we are now. I thought that given their staunch support of free speech, the administration would at least be a little more understanding. But that's clearly not the case,” Gow said.
UW-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow, 63, said his only regret is “self-censorship” after he was fired by the Board of Regents on Wednesday after learning he posts X-rated videos with his wife online
Gow (right) and his wife Carmen Wilson (left) post content under the name Sexy Happy Couple and host a cooking show where they have adult film stars as guests
Gow, who was previously reprimanded for hiring a porn star to speak on campus, said after attending a free speech panel the board hosted this month that he felt no one would have a problem with are adult content.
“I would say that everything I do, or my wife and I, do as citizens in the United States, who have the freedom of the First Amendment of the Constitution, to create and publish books and videos that explore consensual adult sexuality , ' he said.
'I think we have people on the board who say they are for freedom of speech, but in reality they are not. And I don't know how they're going to explain this.”
UW-La Crosse Provost Betsy Morgan was named interim chancellor and as a permanent faculty member, Gow was placed on paid administrative leave. He planned to retire at the end of this school year and return as a teacher in the fall — which he still plans to do.
Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman has filed a complaint to have Gow's permanent status reviewed.
'In recent days we have become aware of specific behavior by Dr. Gow, causing the university to suffer significant reputational damage. His actions were abhorrent,” Rothman said.
Rothman said they have hired an outside law firm to investigate the matter.
Gow and Wilson hosted adult film stars Danny Mountain and Mia Malkova on a recent episode. Gow said he thought the board would be understanding because of their free speech values
In one episode they hosted adult film star Sofie Marie. Gow said he still plans to return to the school to teach in the fall
'Dr. Joe Gow has shown a reckless disregard for the role entrusted to him at UW-La Crosse to serve students, faculty and staff, and the campus community,” said UW System Regent President Karen Walsh.
“The outrage over his behavior is reflected in the UW Board of Regents' unanimous vote to remove him as chancellor. We are alarmed and disgusted by his actions, which were completely and unequivocally inconsistent with his role as chancellor.”
Gow, La Crosse's second-longest serving chancellor, said his content is protected by free speech and that no university property or money was used to create it.
“Nothing is said about the University of Wisconsin; nothing is said about the chancellor (on the videos). So someone else would have to make those associations. And then someone would have to say this is problematic,” Gow said.
In 2018, Gow was denied a raise after paying porn star Nina Hartley $5,000 from his discretionary fund to speak at the La Crosse campus.
During the 90-minute speech, Hartley told students that it is acceptable to enjoy pornography, and not to enjoy it or be confused by it. She also emphasized that pornography is fantasy.
Gow later apologized for the “sensational” media attention Hartley's performance had attracted, saying he was naive about the possibility that her appeal would overwhelm her message. He also personally reimbursed the school for the $5,000.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Gow and Wilson have six videos on OnlyFans featuring adult film stars, according to the videos' descriptions.
In a recent cooking video, the couple had adult film star Lauren Phillips (right) as their guest. Their cooking account tells users to go to their OnlyFans page for 'explicit scenes'
The couple had adult film star Tyler Nixon (left) as their recent guest. The Board of Regents called Gow's actions 'abhorrent'
In 2018, Gow was denied a pay rise after getting in trouble for paying porn star Nina Hartley (pictured) $5,000 to speak on campus
The couple also appear on at least two other porn websites – PornHub and XHamster – and some videos have been viewed more than 200,000 times. All videos were posted within the last two months.
Guests on their cooking channel include Lauren Phillips, Damon Dice, Tyler Nixon, Will Pounder, Danny Mountain and Mia Malkova.
Gow and Wilson have reportedly published two books about their adult content under pseudonyms and describe themselves as executives of well-known institutions in the country.
In Monogamy with Benefits: How Porn Enriches Our Relationship, published in 2015, the couple said they are “fairly certain there would be a scandal if our peers knew what we did.”
'We think our sex is beautiful and have no problem with other people seeing how we make love. But our established colleagues would probably be shocked to see us complete the full carnal process – especially with professional porn stars – and we're pretty sure we'll be shunned in our community.”