Los Angeles, CA (June 1, 2023) — One of the most controversial, profitable, and iconic films ever made comes home to Hollywood as the World Tour to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of “Deep Throat” draws to a close. This Friday, June 2, the Laemmle Royal Theater will host a red-carpet event and screen a 4K Restoration, presented by the director’s son and daughter, Gerard Jr. and Christar Damiano, who will share their stories of being on location in Miami during the filming of “Deep Throat” and being raised by the man whose original name for an oral technique is in Webster’s Dictionary.

World-renowned sexologist Dr. Susan Block will moderate the talkback following the screening. They will be joined by veteran “Golden Age” Porn Star Herschel Savage and the legendary Nina Hartley, whose career in adult film spans four decades, to discuss the history, cultural impact, and controversies surrounding the film.
“Deep Throat entertained, aroused and outraged the world—and it still does,” says Dr.Susan Block. “So, I’m looking forward to seeing the movie as its late director Gerard Damiano intended, and to discussing the issues surrounding this seminal film (in every sense of the word) on our post-screening panel.”
“Deep Throat is synonymous with the sexual revolution of the 1970s. It captured lightning in a bottle, inspiring the intelligentsia of the day to embrace Porno Chic,” says Nina Hartley. “The subsequent legal battle laid the groundwork for adult entertainment’s transformation from an illicit part of the culture to its current ubiquity. All of us who enjoy adult entertainment today owe a  debt of gratitude to Gerard Damiano’s vision.”
“Some of the theaters have been reluctant to show Deep Throat out of fear of push back based on comments the film’s star Linda Lovelace made years after it came out. Her story is a very complicated one, and there is no doubt that she suffered greatly at the hands of her husband. People assume that he beat her up because she didn’t want to perform in the film, but the truth of what actually happened on the set of Deep Throat is very different,” says Gerard Damiano Jr.
“Linda’s comments were made while she was being coached by Andrea Dworkin and Gloria Steinem and are often taken out of context,” he continues. “She was further used by the Reagan administration whose very public anti-porn agenda helped to galvanize his conservative Christian base. Linda later rejected the ‘anti-porn feminists’ and made peace with her past. At the end of her life she returned to porn, posing for “Leg Show” magazine and attended conventions where she autographed “Deep Throat” memorabilia and took photos with her fans.” His sister Christar adds “ Our father always dreamt of making films in Hollywood. We are proud to honor him by ending ourDeep Throat 50th anniversary world tour in California. “Other adult film stars from the “Golden Age of Porn” are expected to be inattendance. The Damianos will present the film the following night, Saturday,June 3rd in a more intimate setting at 910 WeHo at 910 N La Cienega Blvd, LosAngeles, CA 90069. They will then head to the Bay Area for the final shows ofthe “Deep Throat @50 World Tour.”Friday, June 2
Laemmle Royal
11523 Santa Monica Blvd.,
 Los Angeles, CA 90025Red Carpet Event 9:15 PMDoors Open at 9:30 PMShow starts at 10PM
Saturday, June 3
910WeHo
910 North La Cienega BoulevardLos Angeles, CA 90069
Doors open at 8PMScreening at 9PMTalkback at 10PM70s Themed Dance Party 11PM to close
For more information on Damiano Films visit https://damianofilms.com
For more information on how you may #VoteThroat and help Deep Throat to join the ranks of American classic cinema on the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry visit: votethroat.org
About Gerard Jr and Christar Damiano:
Visual Artist and Filmmaker Gerard Damiano Jr. and Sound Healer and Performance Artist Christar Damiano are the only children of director Gerard Damiano Sr. They grew up in Queens, NY, in a house that always seemed to have film in the refrigerator. They were raised to believe that the human body was “a thing of beauty” and never something to be ashamed of. They often accompanied their father to the film set (although they were never exposed to hardcore sex). They were on location in Miami with their family during the filming of Deep Throat. Reacting to their father’s arrest and subsequent prosecution, their mother reassured them that “People don’t understand him because he’s ahead of his time.” Gerard and Christar believe that their father’s time has finally come. They have dedicated themselves to preserving his legacy and continuing his fight for Freedom of Expression without censorship through their company Damiano Films.
About Deep Throat:
The Zeitgeist of 1972, Deep Throat brought adult films into the mainstream andkickstarted the Sexual Revolution. Its success was unprecedented, breaking box office records in its very first week of its release. Lauded as one of the first hardcore films to feature a plot, character development, and production values, it pushed the limits of what could be shown on screen and made an international celebrity of its star, Linda Lovelace. Busted by police, picketed, and banned, the ongoing persecution only added to the film’s popularity. It would help to create the Adult Film Industry and an audience hungry for feature length films with adult content. Celebrities, dignitaries, couples and women joined the usual “raincoat crowd,” waiting in lines that wrapped around the block just tosee it. A half century later the film still enjoys a cult status, having found its way into every aspect of popular culture. Referenced in countless films, documentaries, and TV shows, it has inspired songs, plays, and musicals. The term “Deep Throat” became a household word and can now be found in Webster’s dictionary. Deep Throat is still considered to be the most profitable film of all time.A Brief History of Deep Throat:
In the Summer of 1972, shortly after Deep Throat premiered in New York City, Mayor John Lindsay sent police to shut down the theater and seize the film print in a highly publicized effort to “Clean up Times Square.” As the cops had violated due process, it was back on the screen the very next day. This gave Lindsay time to “stage” an even larger assault, and a week later no less than 50 uniformed police officers returned to arrest everyone, from the ticket takers to the projectionist, in a show for the cameras.
The war on Deep Throat had begun.
The immense popularity of the film made it a symbol of the new sexual freedom and therefore a target. President Richard Nixon attacked it in an effort to draw attention away from his own wrongdoing. This came to the attention of the “Citizens for Decent Literature,” who used their crusade against “pornography” to galvanize the burgeoning “Conservative Christian” movement. Joining forces with the Republican Party made their cause not just a “moral” one, but a political one as well.The newly organized Anti-Porn Feminists also staged protests and sought to ban the film. For a time, even Linda Lovelace joined their cause. The Federal Government went after male lead Harry Reems. Fearing they could be next, A–list Hollywood stars came to his aid, forming the “Harry Reems Defense Fund,” a cause célèbre. He was eventually acquitted of all crimes, but the persecution took a tremendous toll on his life and career. Legal battles were fought all the way to the Supreme Court. Finally, it was not the film, but the very definition of “obscenity” that was on trial. Ultimately it was decided that no definition could apply to the entire nation. What may be commonplace in San Francisco could be shocking in Memphis. Therefore, what was considered “obscene” could only be determined on a local level, based on “community standards.” This created further chaos, as one county would ban Deep Throat completely, while across the river people would line up to see it. Between the relentless attacks by the Feds, The Right AND The Left, the mere mention of Deep Throat became a touchstone of the Free Speech Movement. All the while the film’s popularitygrew.
When the President was finally brought to justice, Damiano quipped “Nixon tried to take down Deep Throat, but in the end it was ‘Deep Throat’ who took down Nixon.”Under Reagan the “Integration of Church and State” continued, setting the stage for the struggle against censorship and for Freedom of Speech, which continues to this day.