Joey Stefano (born Nicholas Anthony Iacona Jr.; January 1, 1968 – November 21, 1994) was an American

pornographic actor A pornographic film actor or actress, pornographic performer, adult entertainer, or porn star is a person who performs sex acts in video that is usually characterized as a pornographic movie. Such videos tend to be made in a number of dist ...

who appeared in

gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...

pornographic film Pornographic films (pornos), erotic films, sex films, and 18+ films are films that present sexually explicit subject matter in order to arouse and satisfy the viewer. Pornographic films present sexual fantasies and usually include eroticall ...

Career

Born Nicholas Anthony Iacona Jr., Stefano grew up in

Chester, Pennsylvania Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located within the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, it is the only city in Delaware County and had a population of 32,605 as of the 2020 census. Incorporated in 1682, Chester is ...

. His father, Nicholas, Sr., was a union painter who died of colon cancer when Stefano was 15. After the death of his father, Stefano began using drugs and was eventually sent to rehab for six months. After rehab, he tried to become a model and built a portfolio. In 1989, he met a gay porn actor named Tony Davis who helped him enter into the gay adult film industry. Stefano's adult film career took off after meeting

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 (), and has been credited as director under the names "Lawrence David" and "Taylor Hudson". Career ...

during a trip to

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

. Stefano's looks were well received and his persona as a "hungry

bottom Bottom may refer to: Anatomy and sex * Bottom (BDSM), the partner in a BDSM who takes the passive, receiving, or obedient role, to that of the top or dominant * Bottom (sex), a term used by gay couples and BDSM * Buttocks or bottom, part of th ...

" (sexually submissive but verbally demanding) contributed to his popularity. His image and success caught the attention of

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...

, who used him as a model in her

1992 File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...

book ''

Sex Sex is the trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing animal or plant produces male or female gametes. Male plants and animals produce smaller mobile gametes (spermatozoa, sperm, pollen), while females produce larger ones ( ova, of ...

''. While he was a popular performer, Stefano's family had no idea he was gay nor were they aware that he was performing in adult films. According to Stefano's older sister Linda, he told the family that he was a male model. She later found out about his real occupation but did not inform their mother. During his lifetime, he was the subject of rumors regarding his relationships with prominent entertainment industry figures who were known to be gay. At a May 1990 dinner and interview with Jess Cagle (''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...

'') and Rick X (host of Manhattan Cable TV's ''The Closet Case Show''), Stefano discussed an alleged series of "dates" with

David Geffen David Lawrence Geffen (born February 21, 1943) is an American business magnate, producer and film studio executive. He co-created Asylum Records in 1971 with Elliot Roberts, Geffen Records in 1980, DGC Records in 1990, and DreamWorks SKG in 199 ...

, who at one point implored Stefano to quit using drugs. After the videotaped interview appeared on Rick X's show, ''OutWeek Magazine'' "

outed Outing is the act of disclosing an LGBT person's sexual orientation or gender identity without that person's consent. It is often done for political reasons, either to instrumentalize homophobia in order to discredit political opponents or to com ...

" Geffen, who went on to announce his homosexuality at an

AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...

fundraiser. Stefano danced at the Gaiety Theatre, New York (male burlesque) in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was one of the more famous Gaiety dancers (and porn stars), having been featured in Madonna's

book in 1992, as well as having a biography written about him by

Charles Isherwood Charles Isherwood (born 1964/65) is an American theater critic. Education Isherwood is a graduate of Stanford University. Career Isherwood wrote for '' Backstage West'' in Los Angeles. In 1993, he joined the staff of ''Variety'', where he was pr ...

, ''Wonder Bread and Ecstasy'', that touches on his life as an erotic dancer at the Gaiety. Over the course of his five-year career, Stefano appeared in 58 gay adult films, and two music videos with Madonna. Despite his success, Stefano did not save his earnings and relapsed into drug and alcohol abuse. Contrary to rumor he was never officially diagnosed as HIV+ by any medical professionals. Craqdi released a tribute collaboration in 2020.

Death

On November 26, 1994, Stefano's body was found in a motel room in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

. It was later determined by the Medical Examiner that he died of an accidental speedball overdose (in his case, a mixture of

cocaine Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly recreational drug use, used recreationally for its euphoria, euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from t ...

morphine Morphine is a strong opiate that is found naturally in opium, a dark brown resin in poppies (''Papaver somniferum''). It is mainly used as a analgesic, pain medication, and is also commonly used recreational drug, recreationally, or to make ...

heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a potent opioid mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects. Medical grade diamorphine is used as a pure hydrochloride salt. Various white and brow ...

, and

ketamine Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic used medically for induction and maintenance of anesthesia. It is also used as a recreational drug. It is one of the safest anesthetics, as, in contrast with opiates, ether, and propofol, it suppresses ne ...

). He was 26. He is buried next to his father, Nicholas A. Iacona Sr., in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Cemetery in

Linwood, Pennsylvania Linwood is a census-designated place (CDP) in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,281 at the 2010 census. Geography Linwood is located in southern Delaware County at (39.825945, -75.422808). It occupies the easter ...

Legacy

In 1996, Stefano's life was chronicled in the book, ''Wonder Bread and Ecstasy: The Life and Death of Joey Stefano'' by Charles Isherwood. His life is also the subject of a one-man-play, ''Homme Fatale: The Fast Life and Slow Death of Joey Stefano'', by Australian playwright Barry Lowe. Director Chad Darnell has been working on a film based on Stefano's life. The film has been in development since 2010 and is tentatively titled ''X-Rated''. A second biography of the actor, ''Joey Stefano: The Life, Loves & Legacy of the Prince of Passion'' by British celebrity biographer

David Bret David Bret (born 8 November 1954) is a British author of show business biographies. He chiefly writes on the private life of film stars and singers. Life Born in Paris, France, in 1954, Bret was adopted by an English couple and raised in Wath ...

was published in 2015.

Awards

*1990

XRCO Award The XRCO Awards are given by the American X-Rated Critics Organization annually to people working in adult entertainment and it is the only adult industry awards show reserved exclusively for industry members. Once every calendar year, XRCO m ...

– Newcomer *1995

AVN Award The AVN Awards are List of movie awards, film awards sponsored and presented by the American adult video industry trade magazine ''AVN (magazine), AVN'' (''Adult Video News'') to recognize achievement in various aspects of the creation and m ...

– Gay Video Performer of the Year *1997

AVN Hall of Fame The ''AVN'' (''Adult Video News'') Hall of Fame has honored people for their work in the adult entertainment industry since 1995.List of male performers in gay porn films This is a list of notable men who have appeared in gay pornographic films. Pornography has become more mainstream and as of 2009 was a $13 billion industry in the United States; globally consumers spent more than US$3000 on porn every secon ...

References

External links

* *
Joey Stefano
at the

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Stefano, Joey 1968 births 1994 deaths 20th-century American male actors American actors in gay pornographic films American people of Italian descent Burials in Pennsylvania Cocaine-related deaths in California Deaths by heroin overdose in California Gay pornographic film actors American gay actors LGBT people from Pennsylvania People from Chester, Pennsylvania People with HIV/AIDS Pornographic film actors from Pennsylvania 20th-century LGBT people