There’s something about the world of spicy content creators that is inherently interesting. Whether it’s the sex or the money (or both!), the online adult industry is shrouded in mystery. Well, at least, to those who aren’t a part of it.
Now, thanks to Stan’s latest Australian reality show Turned On: Dirty Sexy Money, sticky beaks like you and me can finally find out what really goes on behind the scenes of OnlyFans stars and whether it really is as glamorous and it can seem online.
According to Annie Knight – a hugely successful OnlyFans star with a reputation for being the “most sexually active woman in Australia – the show isn’t just about scratching an itch of curiosity for the public, it’s about breaking down misconceptions about the industry and humanizing sex workers.
“I really hope audiences can see that I’m a normal person,” Annie tells TV WEEK.
“I live a very normal life outside of work. I am authentic, I’m genuine. I am a kind person. I have strong morals, despite the fact that I do sex work, because — believe it or not — you can have good morals and do sex work at the same time.I hope they just see that I’m just a human being that happens to be in the sex industry.”
One thing the series does incredibly well is shows audiences just how much work goes into OnlyFans, and Annie says it was one of the reasons she wanted to sign up to the series.
“There’s a few misconceptions about my industry, that it’s easy money or we don’t have to work hard, which isn’t true,” Annie continues.
“But one of the main ones is that when we’re dumb and that we’ve gone into this industry because we have no other options, a lot of the girls on the show had law degrees, they were doctors, or studying so many amazing different things, and we’re actually quite smart. You have to be intelligent to run the business the way that we do, and be as successful as we are.”
While the series aims to show the realities of sex work, Turned On: Dirty Sexy Money isn’t without its critics. Mainly, people who worry that the series will glamorise the profession in a way that encourages young girls to take part.
According to Lily Phillips — an OnlyFans creator who has gained worldwide notoriety and received significant backlash for viral stunts like sleeping with 101 men in one day — the series is a wake up call to those who think OnlyFans is an avenue towards easy money.
“I think the series shows the good, the bad and the ugly. I wouldn’t say it glamorises the industry,” she explains.
“Its nice to show the behind the scenes because it humanises us as sex worker.”
Like any other compelling reality show, the subject matter is only half of the story. While the sex work angle brings in the titillated viewers, it’s the girls that make you stay.
They’re smart, they’re sweet, they’re complex and, boy, are they entertaining to watch.
And the drama between the group (a pre-requisite for any good reality show) is sizzling, with a few issues taking place at once. Ruby has fallen out with Mia, who has talked badly about her relationship to the twins, April and Amelia.
Meanwhile, half of the girls have taken issue with Annie and Lily for the way they take part in stunts online. But for the constantly viral dynamic duo, the differentiation about what classifies as worthy sex work is only adding to the stigma.
“I don’t like drawing lines between stunt work sex workers and run of the mill sex workers,” Annie shares.
“At the end of the day, we’re all doing the same thing. We are, you know, selling our bodies for money online, and I find it interesting when other sex workers are judgmental towards the stunt work. I think at the end of the day, we’re doing the same thing, just on a much bigger scale. We’re not trying to destroy the industry or make our industry more taboo. We’re actually trying to normalize the industry, and I think we’ve done that.
Ultimately, Turned On: Dirty Sexy Money delivers exactly what reality TV promises at its best: spectacle, conflict, and personalities that refuse to be easily reduced into stereotypes. But beneath the drama and the headlines, the series also opens a window into a world that is often talked about but rarely understood — and that’s a good thing.
Turned On: Dirty Sexy Money premieres on Stan on May 29.
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