Wisconsin university chancellor says he was fired for producing and appearing in porn videos
MADISON, Wis. — Former University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow said Thursday that the school's board of trustees fired him because its members were uncomfortable with him and his wife producing and appearing in pornographic videos.
The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, which oversees UW-Madison, UW-La Crosse and 11 other regional campuses, voted unanimously to fire Gow during a hastily called closed meeting Wednesday evening.
After the vote, Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman and Regents President Karen Walsh issued statements saying the Regents had learned of specific conduct by Gow that subjected the university to “significant reputational damage.” Rothman called Gow's actions “abhorrent” and Walsh said she was “disgusted.” But neither provided details about the allegations.
Gow told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Thursday morning that regents had discovered that he and his wife, former UW-La Crosse professor Carmen Wilson, had produced and appeared in pornographic videos.
He claimed that he did not mention UW-La Crosse or his role at the university in any of the videos and that the dismissal violated his right to free speech.
“My wife and I live in a country where we have a First Amendment,” he said. “We are dealing with consensual adult sexuality. The regents are overreacting. They certainly do not adhere to their own commitment to freedom of speech or the First Amendment.”
Gow also complained that the regents never told him what policies he was violating and that he was never given a hearing or other opportunity to present his case. He said he is considering a lawsuit.
“I got an email last night saying I had been fired,” Gow said. “I wish I had been given the opportunity to be heard. When reasonable people understand what my wife and I are creating, they will calm down.”
Gow planned to retire at the end of the 2024 spring semester and transition to a role teaching communications courses. But Rothman said Wednesday evening that he planned to file a complaint with UW-L interim chancellor Betsy Morgan asking for a review of Gow's tenure.
Rothman said in an email to the AP Thursday morning that Gow has failed to act as a role model for students, faculty and the community and wrongly believes that the First Amendment equates to a “free license to say or do anything.” do what he wants'.
“Good judgment requires that there are and should be limits on what is said or done by the individuals entrusted to lead our universities,” Rothman wrote.
Rothman added that Gow served at the pleasure of the regents and was not entitled to a specific trial.
“That should be abundantly clear to him,” Rothman said.
Gow was heavily criticized in 2018 for inviting porn actor Nina Hartley to speak at UW-La Crosse. He paid her $5,000 in tuition to appear. Ray Cross, then president of the UW System, reprimanded him and the regents refused to give him a raise that year. Gow then said he was implementing the system's free speech policy.
Gow and his wife star in a YouTube channel called “Sexy Healthy Cooking,” in which the couple cooks meals with porn actors. They have also written two e-books, “Monogamy with Benefits: How Porn Enriches Our Relationships” and “Married with Benefits – Our Real-Life Adult Industry Adventures” under pseudonyms. Their biographies on Amazon contain links to their videos on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, and a pornographic website.