Ron Jeremy
Ron Jeremy is one of the most famous names in pornography and the porn industry. Born Ronald Jeremy Hyatt on March 12, 1953, he became known worldwide as a male pornographic actor, director and adult-film personality. Nicknamed "The Hedgehog", Jeremy appeared in more than 2,000 porn films and became one of the few porn stars widely recognized outside adult entertainment.
People searching for Ron Jeremy porn, Ron Jeremy sex guide, Ron Jeremy sex stories or information about his long career in adult films will find details here about his pornography career, famous films, mainstream appearances, businesses, relationships with the sex industry and later legal problems.
Jeremy's image became closely connected with the wild side of the adult business, including porn stars, sex workers, hookers, strip clubs, swingers event and adult conventions. He was never mainly known as a pimp or brothel owner, but his public career was strongly tied to the wider world of prostitution, adult entertainment and commercial sex.
Besides his long career in pornographic films, Jeremy appeared in mainstream movies, television programs, music videos, documentaries and video games. The 2001 documentary Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy was made about his life and career.
Contents
Early Life
Ron Jeremy was born in Queens, New York to a middle-class Jewish family. His father Arnold was a physicist and his mother worked as a book editor and had served in the O.S.S. during World War II.
Jeremy attended Cardozo High School in Bayside, Queens. He later earned a bachelor's degree in education and theatre and a master's degree in special education from Queens College in New York.
Before becoming a porn star he worked as a special-education teacher and substitute teacher.
Pornographic Film Career
Jeremy left teaching to pursue acting in New York City. Like many struggling actors he made very little money at first.
His entry into the adult industry came after his girlfriend submitted photographs of him to Playgirl. The appearance brought him attention and he eventually started performing in pornographic films.
He originally used his real surname Hyatt professionally, but changed to Ron Jeremy after people began calling his grandmother while trying to contact him.
Jeremy became known as "The Hedgehog" after an incident during the filming of Olympic Fever in 1979. He arrived at a cold mountain location dressed for warm weather and became extremely cold. After warming himself in a shower his body hair stood up, leading fellow porn actor Bill Margold to compare him to a hedgehog.
Jeremy became one of the most prolific performers in the history of pornography. The Internet Adult Film Database has listed more than 2,000 acting appearances and hundreds of directing credits.
His appearance was very different from the typical muscular male porn star, which became part of his fame. He was also known for his large penis, sense of humor and willingness to joke about himself.
One joke that circulated in the adult industry was that some actresses would perform bestiality and sado-masochism before they would have sex with Jeremy.
Despite the jokes, Jeremy became one of the most recognizable male performers in pornography and was inducted into the AVN and XRCO halls of fame.
Mainstream Fame
Ron Jeremy became unusually famous outside the porn industry.
He appeared in mainstream films, television programs, reality shows, music videos and documentaries. This made him one of the best-known examples of a porn star crossing into mainstream entertainment.
He also worked as a consultant for films involving sexuality or the pornography business.
Movies
Jeremy worked as a special consultant for the 1986 movie 9½ Weeks.
He later served as a consultant on Boogie Nights, the 1997 movie about the American porn industry.
His mainstream movie appearances included:
- The Chase
- Orgazmo
- The Boondock Saints
- Detroit Rock City
- Killing Zoe
- Spun
- Crank: High Voltage
- Poultrygeist
- One-Eyed Monster
- Big Money Rustlas
Jeremy also appeared in several movies released by Troma Entertainment.
He was the subject of the 2001 documentary Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy, which followed his career and unusual position between pornography and mainstream celebrity culture.
In the horror comedy One-Eyed Monster, an alien force takes control of Jeremy's dick and begins killing people.
Television
Jeremy appeared on numerous American television programs.
In 1980 he competed on Wheel of Fortune using his real surname Ron Hyatt.
He later appeared on the second season of The Surreal Life, where he became friends with Tammy Faye Bakker despite her strong Christian beliefs and opposition to pornography.
Other television appearances included:
- Chappelle's Show
- The Surreal Life: Fame Games
- Penn & Teller: Bullshit!
- Tosh.0
- Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations
- Silent Library
- The Farm
- Red Eye
- Family Guy
- Robot Chicken
Jeremy's mainstream fame became so widespread that his name was occasionally used as a joke or reference even when the subject had nothing to do with pornography.
Music Videos
Ron Jeremy appeared in music videos by many different artists and bands.
These included:
- Guns N' Roses
- Kid Rock
- LMFAO
- A Day to Remember
- Escape the Fate
- My Darkest Days
- Armin van Buuren
- Insane Clown Posse
- Everclear
- Moby
- Fear Factory
- Steel Panther
He appeared in LMFAO's music video for Sexy and I Know It and in Armin van Buuren's This Is What It Feels Like.
Jeremy also released a rap single called "Freak of the Week".
Video Games
Jeremy has also appeared as a character in video games.
He was a playable character in Celebrity Deathmatch and appeared in Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude.
He also appeared as the king of Bonetown in BoneTown and played fictional mayor Raul Chomo in Postal III.
Books
Jeremy released his autobiography Ron Jeremy: The Hardest (Working) Man in Showbiz in 2007.
The book describes his childhood, teaching career, entry into pornography, thousands of sexual encounters and his unusual crossover into mainstream entertainment.
Public Speaking
Jeremy frequently appeared at universities, conventions and public debates.
In 2005 he was invited to speak at the Oxford Union.
He also participated in the Porn Debate Tour, debating pornography with Christian anti-porn activist Pastor Craig Gross at colleges around the United States and Canada.
Despite representing completely different views about pornography, the two regularly appeared together in public debates.
Businesses
Jeremy lent his name to several businesses and products.
He was associated with the pornographic website HotMovies and regularly appeared at adult-industry events such as the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo.
In 2009 Jeremy and business partner Paul Smith opened Ron Jeremy's Club Sesso, a swinger club in Portland, Oregon.
The club later closed in 2015.
Jeremy was also involved with a rum brand called Ron de Jeremy, playing on the fact that ron is the Spanish word for rum.
Health Problems
In January 2013 Jeremy drove himself to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after suffering severe chest pain.
Doctors discovered an aneurysm near his heart and Jeremy underwent emergency surgery. He was released from hospital several weeks later.
Years later Jeremy developed much more serious neurological problems.
Sexual Assault Charges and Current Situation
Jeremy's later life changed dramatically after numerous women accused him of sexual assault.
In 2020 he was arrested in Los Angeles and prosecutors eventually brought dozens of sexual assault charges involving multiple women. Jeremy pleaded not guilty.
The criminal case never reached a normal trial.
In January 2023 a Los Angeles judge ruled that Jeremy was mentally incompetent to stand trial because he was suffering from severe and apparently incurable neurocognitive decline.
He was later committed for medical treatment and in late 2023 was allowed to move to a private residence where he could receive medical care.
Because of his mental condition, the criminal charges have not been decided by a jury and Jeremy has not been convicted on those charges.
The allegations and criminal case badly changed Jeremy's public reputation after decades in which he had been one of the most recognizable figures in the porn industry.
Personal Life
Jeremy never developed the conventional private image normally associated with mainstream celebrities. Much of his public identity was connected directly with sex, pornography and his reputation for having performed with huge numbers of women.
During his career he frequently discussed pornography, sex, free speech and sexual culture in interviews and public appearances.
He also became friends with people who strongly disagreed with pornography, including conservative Christians he met through public debates.
Partial Filmography
Jeremy appeared in thousands of pornographic films as well as many mainstream and independent productions.
Some better-known titles and appearances include:
- Olympic Fever (1979)
- Inside Seka (1980)
- Debbie Does Dallas Part II (1981)
- Wanda Whips Wall Street (1982)
- 52 Pick-Up (1986)
- Caged Fury (1989)
- As Cute as They Cum (1990)
- Super Hornio Brothers (1993)
- The Chase (1994)
- Killing Zoe (1994)
- Tromeo and Juliet (1996)
- Orgazmo (1997)
- Terror Firmer (1998)
- The Boondock Saints (1999)
- Detroit Rock City (1999)
- American Virgin (2000)
- Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV (2000)
- Fast Sofa (2001)
- The Rules of Attraction (2002)
- Night at the Golden Eagle (2002)
- Finishing the Game (2007)
- One-Eyed Monster (2008)
- Crank: High Voltage (2009)
- Big Money Rustlas (2010)
- Chillerama (2011)
- Return to Class of Nuke 'Em High Vol. 1 (2013)
Awards
Ron Jeremy received numerous awards during his adult-film career.
Some of them include:
- 1983 - AFAA Best Supporting Actor
- 1984 - AFAA Best Supporting Actor
- 1986 - AVN Best Supporting Actor
- 1991 - AVN Best Supporting Actor
- 2004 - Crossover Performer of the Year
- 2006 - F.A.M.E. Award for Favorite Adult Actor
- 2009 - Free Speech Coalition Positive Image Award
- 2013 - Lifetime Achievement Award
Jeremy was also inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame and XRCO Hall of Fame.
