Adult entertainer Armond Rizzo claims that a studio called Blacks on Boys — the self-proclaimed “home to the best interracial” gay content — pays bottoms “way less” than tops under the rationale that the site is “more top dominant.”
Rizzo, who has won the 2020 GayVN Award for Social Media Star and the 2020 Grabby Award for Hottest Bottom, took to Twitter stating, “This has never happened to me but there’s a studio who is interested in me and what I found out about them is mind blowing.” Rizzo continued, “They pay bottoms way less than tops [and their] excuse [is] the site is more top dominant. I don’t give a f*ck, who are you to say that a bottom is worth less?”
The performer’s public accusations sparked debate online, prompting him to broadcast a Twitter live video titled “Tops vs Bottoms”.
In the lengthy video, he gave a candid account of the demands that the two preferences face in the adult film industry, but elaborated on the notable differences.
Rizzo described in detail how the two positions are judged differently, arguing that tops are afforded particular privileges, especially in the porn industry.
He emphasized that, traditionally, tops spend less time getting ready for shoots whereas bottoms must prep comparatively more and even monitor what they eat.
“I’m getting very passionate because I have literally had to do all the work on set,” Rizzo said.
His allegations provoked fury from followers, with fellow adult film stars providing their own accounts of the pay gap between tops and bottoms.
CNBC reported in 2016 that male porn performers “average $500-$600 per scene or day” with better-known stars earning up to $900 and “superstars” up to $1,500.