Former University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow claims the termination violates his First Amendment rights
The chancellor of a university in Wisconsin has been fired for producing and starring in pornographic videos with his wife.
Former University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow was canned Wednesday through a vote at a closed-door meeting of the university regents after it was discovered he was making pornography with his wife, Carmen Wilson, under the pseudonym "Sexy Happy Couple."
"My wife and I live in a country where we have a First Amendment," he said. "We're dealing with consensual adult sexuality. The regents are overreacting. They're certainly not adhering to their own commitment to free speech or the First Amendment."
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Students walk on campus at the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse as a staff member clears snow during a storm. (Peter Thomson/La Crosse Tribune via AP, File)
The former chancellor says he was fired without warning and without an opportunity to explain himself to the school officials.
Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman and regents President Karen Walsh announced the termination following the vote, saying that Gow and his wife's pornographic content caused "significant reputational harm" to the university. The statements called the pornographic material "abhorrent."
"I got an email last night saying I was terminated," Gow said. "I wish I would have had the opportunity to have a hearing."
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"When reasonable people understand what my wife and I are creating, it calms them down," Gow said.
Gow's claim that his First Amendment rights have been violated by his termination fell on deaf ears with the university and its regents.
University of Wisconsin La Crosse entrance sign on campus. Former Chancellor Joe Gow said regents fired him because they were uncomfortable with him and his wife producing and appearing in pornographic videos. (Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
"Good judgment requires that there are and must be limits on what is said or done by the individuals entrusted to lead our universities," Rothman said. "That should be abundantly clear to him."
In 2018, Gow invited porn star Nina Harley to speak at the campus, paying her a $5,000 honorarium.
He was reprimanded for the decision and was denied a raise that year. Gow said the event was in line with the university's free speech policies.
Gow and his wife also operate a Youtube channel called "Sexy Healthy Cooking," where the couple makes food with porn stars.
Timothy Nerozzi is a writer for Fox News Digital. You can follow him on Twitter @timothynerozzi and can email him at
