HE’S RATED AX FOR SEX ‘ED’
U. Wisc. chancellor ‘porn’ fallout
The University of Wisconsin chancellor who previously paid a porn star thousands of dollars to speak to students on campus was canned Wednesday — after it was revealed he films his own adult content with his wife and posts the X-rated videos online.
The Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents decided unanimously to fire longtime UW-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow, citing his “abhorrent” conduct in a vague statement. “In recent days, we learned of specific conduct by Dr. Gow that has subjected the university to significant reputational harm. His actions were abhorrent,” UW president Jay Rothman said in a statement.
Gow — La Crosse’s secondlongest-serving chancellor — appears in various online porn videos with his wife, Carmen Wilson, using “Sexy Happy Couple” as their public account name.
The films, which sometimes feature well-known porn stars, appear on sites like OnlyFans as well as Pornhub.
‘Alarmed & disgusted’
UW system regent president Karen Walsh accused Gow, 63, of showing a “reckless disregard for the role he was entrusted with.”
“We are alarmed and disgusted by his actions, which were wholly and undeniably inconsistent with his role as chancellor,” Walsh added.
Chancellor since 2007, Gow will be placed on paid administrative leave as he transitions into his faculty role.
However, Rothman said he filed a complaint Wednesday evening with interim Chancellor Betsy Morgan asking that Gow’s status as a tenured faculty member be reviewed. An outside law firm has been hired “to undertake a fulsome investigation of the matter,” Rothman said.
The former chancellor claimed that although his face was shown in the videos, he never revealed any connections to his prestigious university position.
“There’s nothing said about the University of Wisconsin. There’s nothing said about the chancellor [on the videos],” Gow told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel after his firing. “So someone else would have to make those associations. And then someone would have to say those are problematic.”
‘Sexy Healthy Cooking’
He pointed out that no school funds were used to create the content, which explores consensual adult sexuality and falls within his right to free speech under the First Amendment, he said.
Gow also claimed he was not contacted ahead of the Wednesday meeting and questioned whether the board afforded him due process.
Earlier this month, Gow and his wife launched a YouTube cooking channel dubbed “Sexy Healthy Cooking” in which they invite adult film stars to cook vegan meals — occasionally ending with Gow and his wife walking suggestively offscreen with their guest.
Their X account more blatantly directs their followers to view their LoyalFans and OnlyFans sites “for fully explicit scenes.”
One of their videos features adult film legend Nina Hartley, who landed Gow in hot water in 2018 after he paid her $5,000 in discretionary La Crosse funds to give a 90-minute speech assuring students it’s “OK to like porn.”
After a backlash, Gow apologized and promised to reimburse the school with own money.