'We were paying them': University chancellor fired over porn says he made no money off videos, books

 

LA CROSSE, Wis. (CBS 58) – A university chancellor ousted for making porn with his wife in his free time claims he was never paid for the content they created.

After a media report of the now-fired UW-La Crosse chancellor, Joe Gow, surfaced saying he admitted to being under contract with a porn production company, he now said that is not the case.

"Did you have contracts with the production companies?" CBS 58 reporter Stephanie Rodriguez asked Gow on Friday, Dec. 29.

"No, we did not. We pay the production company to help us make the video. We pay for their equipment and their expertise. So, any kind of relationship we had, we were paying them," Gow replied.

Gow, who was fired by the Universities of Wisconsin on Wednesday for misconduct they say hurts the school's reputation, said he did not have to disclose his hobby of starring in pornography with his wife because he was not under a formal contract with the company producing the videos.

"We worked that out through email so that may give an impression of a contract, but I think the misperception is that somehow we were paid by the studio, and that is not true at all," he explained.

Gow added that since he did not make money off the content, titled "SexyHappyCouple," he believes he should not have to report it to the Wisconsin Ethics Commission. CBS 58 obtained copies of Gow's financial disclosure reports and found no mention of production companies.

Gow maintains his firing was unconstitutional but was unsure if he was bound to a morality clause in his employment agreement with the Universities of Wisconsin.

"There was a letter that I had, and this would be 16, 17 years ago, and I don't remember it having the word morality in it, no," he said.

CBS 58 asked Gow if he sees any moral or ethical issues with making porn as a university chancellor.

"I would hope that people would see the importance of freedom of expression and freedom of speech, and I've gotten a lot of great messages from people who say we like what you're doing. 'Keep going. You have courage,'" he said.

But the Universities of Wisconsin disagree.

"Dr. Gow appears to be equating, in his prior role as a chancellor, that the First Amendment gives him a “free pass” to say or do anything that he pleases. Dr. Gow’s assertion is ridiculous. We are all accountable for what we say and do," President Jay Rothman said in a statement on Friday.

"Good judgment requires that there are and must be limits on what is said or done by the individuals entrusted to lead our universities. We expect our chancellors, as the leaders of these great institutions, to be role models for our students, staff, and faculty as well as for the communities we are privileged to serve. We likewise expect our chancellors to put the interests of the universities they lead ahead of their own personal and outside financial interests. We believe these are attributes of great leaders in whom we can all take pride. Unfortunately, Dr. Gow failed to live up to those standards. As a result of that abject failure, Dr. Gow is no longer the UWL chancellor, and it is time for us to turn the page."

Gow has told many media outlets, including CBS 58, that he did not get due process in his firing, but Rothman said that was by design.

"Finally, as a limited appointee, Dr. Gow served at the pleasure of the Board of Regents and is not entitled to any specific process. That should be abundantly clear to him," Rothman said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Gow said he is still unsure if he will pursue legal action.

"No, we haven't had a chance to sit down with attorneys and talk about that. So, perhaps we'll be able to do that in the coming days and get professional opinions," he said.