HIV cases put adult film industry on pause

LOS ANGELES - Much of the San Fernando Valley's multibillion-dollar adult-movie business stopped production Thursday as it banned nearly four dozen actors from working after two tested positive for HIV, the AIDS virus, industry officials said.

Companies that churn out movies in what is estimated to be a $9-billion to $13-billion industry took a cautionary approach to the scare, which was revealed by the health agency that the industry created several years ago as part of its self-policing of sexually transmitted diseases.

The production halt - which includes most of the adult-film companies, but not all - will remain for at least 60 days while testing continues, but could extend beyond June.

The first performer to test positive, a male who performs under the name Darren James, worked with 12 women after being exposed to the virus while making a movie in Brazil during early March, said the Sherman Oaks-based nonprofit Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation.

He was tested about every three weeks and eventually a test came up positive. Industry performers are tested for sexually transmitted diseases regularly.

The two-hour finale of the reality series The Apprentice on NBC proved to be an overpowering ratings force on Thursday night, scoring among the highest popularity ratings for any entertainment show on television this year.

It was seen in whole or in part by more than 40-million viewers and pulled in an average of 28-million viewers.

Among viewers from 18 to 49, The Apprentice attracted 17.5-million viewers, a figure exceeded this season by two entertainment programs, the Academy Awards on ABC-TV and the premiere of the latest edition of Survivor on CBS-TV that followed the Super Bowl.

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