Before presenting a brief remembrance of the porn performer Haley Paige, who died a year ago today, I’ll share with you an anonymous comment I just received on a post about the late Anna Malle:
“hey anna is going to hell by the way..fornication is a big sin to God..she will suffer the blitz of hell fire..pray for other birls in porn also to change.”
I have become a heavy comment moderator recently, trashing your First Amendment freedoms, I know, but I choose to leave some hateful comments intact as a reminder of the dangerous regard some fans have for people they think they know.
Maryam Irene Haley was 25 when she died on August 21, 2007 in the Central California town of King City. Three weeks earlier, on August 2, she had married her boyfriend, porn director Inkyo Volt Hwang, in Las Vegas.
From my Fleshbot story last October:
People who see porn as a multi-billion-dollar cautionary tale need look no further than the sad story of husband and wife Inkyo Volt Hwang (aka Chico or Wanker Wang) and Maryam Irene Haley (aka Haley Paige). Hwang was a website owner and director of extreme porn videos, and Paige was a performer who appeared in the gamut of what porn has to offer, from gangbangs to “couples-friendly” films.
Hwang was arrested on suspicion of pistol-whipping Haley in June, they were married at the beginning of August in Las Vegas, she was dead at month’s end, and he was found dead in September.
Hwang, 38, had served time in prison before. For two years in the late 90’s Hwang was in Chico State Prison on two felony counts of sexual battery and assault with a deadly weapon, charges nearly identical to those that landed him in jail in June. When running a previous incarnation of the site lukeford.com, Hwang was at the forefront of “shocking” porn website content that mixed gallows humor with extreme sex, often forcing his overweight “minion” to sit on reluctant starlets.
Toxicology reports on both deaths have not been released, but Haley’s father said that Hwang was in the room with Haley during her overdose, which occurred on August 21. She had said in the months immediately prior to her death that she had left porn and was planning to go back to school. Hwang was found September 29 in a motel in Morgan Hill, CA, south of San Jose.
Many who knew Haley said she was too sweet and too vulnerable to be in porn. Born in Mexico, she claimed that she was molested by an uncle and raped by gang members before moving to San Diego with her family at 12. Seven years later, she was working at a Blockbuster when she answered a nude modeling ad. She later appeared in more than 300 scenes. She was 25 at her death.
On porn message board ADT, Hwang wrote this of Haley in March: “I think we’re attracted to each other simply because we have the exact opposite personalities. She’s sweet and quiet. I happen to be aggressive and loud. I guess opposites do attract.”
I met Paige a few times, and she was indeed very sweet, but also distant. I met Chico Wang (who adopted the name of his prison) a few times, too, and didn’t enjoy the experience. But he was distant, too. I have since met a number of friends of both Paige and Wang who say that the couple were very private people, despite the clinical nature of the work they did, and that Wang’s public persona masked vulnerability, low self esteem, and shame. And that those things got the better of him.
So many porn performers don’t want their families and hometowns to know what they do, and there is such a deep stigma to the job in such a benighted society that only a few people (Nina Hartley comes to mind) can really transcend it. But Hartley actively seeks transcendence in everything she does, and the majority of porn personnel prefer to keep large aspects of their lives under wraps for fear of what confused idiots like the person quoted at the beginning of this story might do.
But by virtue of there not being a continued thread in Porn, a legitimate archive or history that competent people who are proud of their accomplishments can carry on, departures like Paige’s get swallowed up in the face of 11,000 new porn titles a year that bring on anonymity far swifter than in Hollywood, and that is a shame.
People loved Maryam and people loved Haley, and I encourage those people who’ve talked to me privately to leave a positive message in the comments section.
Most of the images above are from I Love Haley Paige, a compilation disc released this year of scenes shot between 2003 and 2005. It does not have behind the scenes footage or anything extra that reveals Haley the person, which I think is a missed opportunity for her fans. But she sure was lovely.
I Love Haley Paige
Previously: The Da Vinci Load and gallery; Haley Paige video surfaces posthumously
She was a beautiful girl, and that came across in her scenes. She was also incredibly sexy, almost otherworldly in how much heat she gave off. Her work with Manuel Ferrara is some of the best stuff he has ever done. It’s a real shame that she spent a good portion of her life surrounded by animals like Chico and her uncle, who, I might add, is mostly responsible for her death. You rape a girl, doesn’t matter what age, and you destroy their soul, the possibility that they will even be able to find meaning in what is essentially a meaningless world. But that’s something you figure out when you’re older. That’s not something you need to know when you are a little kid. The person who needs to rot in hell is not Haley, it’s her uncle and those who abused her. Haley was an angel here on Earth, and that’s more than enough.
I had no idea Anna Malle died, speaking of heat. When? And how? She was an incredible peformer.
Oh, I clicked on the Anna Malle link and I see that she died in a car accident. What a shame.
I was raised in an evangelical Christian family. The tone and wording of the comment you posted in the article screams misguided evangelical Christian (which is the majority of them). All their fire and brimstone talk is related to “moral” issues, like sex and homosexuality, which has nothing to do with it.
Did Adolf Hitler believe in Jesus Christ as his personal savior? He’s in heaven then.
Every child that dies before he or she is able to comprehend and decide for him or her self (and every miscarried clump of cells, using their definition of life)? Straight to hell.
If justice is served, the commenter will keep them company.
…yes, and that the anonymous Anna Malle poster had searched for her name over hundreds of porn sites just so he could spit a little venom confirms my suspicion that a lot of porn surfers stay up all night looking for it on Saturday so they can get it out of their system on Sunday at church
A lot of comments in a lot of porn forums are filled with hatred for the beautiful, sexy, dirty women whose images have just assisted some moron to his solitary ejaculation. The particular moron in this case packaged his hate in religious terms but others use more general derogatory terms and often express the urge that something really violent be done to the performers. Pop psychology would say these pathetic beings are expressing their guilt and hatred of themselves for whacking off. They should be grateful that the performer gave them a moment of bliss in their miserable lives.
Excellent post Grams. What happened to Haley is truly tragic, and it’s nice put up something like this so she’s not forgotten. Porn has a habit of swallowing people up and they simply disappear into the abyss.
“forced his minion”??? Not by a long shot. http://www.TheMinion.com is the website featuring these scenes and he was not forced into anything during these scenes.
re: “forced his minion”…. sorry, it certainly seemed that way, and Wang’s own statements to me when I interviewed him several years ago (sorry that I can’t quote the article) were to the effect that the “Minion” was supposed to be a luckless subservient buffoon. While I understand that that was the character the Minion played, Wang seemed to be looking for someone who wouldn’t have to act too much.
So I’ll stand by the statement that he forced “The Minion” but not the person playing him.
On adultdvdtalk, on the subforum “Star crossed” the thread devoted to Maryam Haley’s death contains at present on his end useful links to another threads. If you follow them you will discover Maryam Haley/Haley Paige as seen by her father.
As a participant in these threads (and as a mourner of Haley Paige), I will add two things.
1° According to Maryam Haley’s father ONE single incident occured between Maryam and her uncle. It was not a rape but rather an uncalled gesture. Maryam’s uncle died a few years later (alcoholism…) when Maryam was still a child. Maryam’s parents never spoke about the incident to the other members of the family but they never spent another night under the uncle’s roof till his death.
Of course it doesn’t lessen the trauma Maryam Haley probably got on this time. But,sadly, another traumatic episodes were to come: the rape in high school, unlucky (probably an understatement) relationships with certain persons (Martin Del Toro, Chico Wang came without difficulty to my mind).
However Maryam Haley’s life cannot be reduced only to these episodes. She knew highlights too. The fact she surmounted many of these difficulties is a testimony of her wonderful vitality and appetite of life.
2° Maryam Haley’s father communicated the conclusions of the official autopsy report (apparently only released on july 2008): the cause of Maryam Haley’s death is officially UNKNOWN. But apparently the hypothesis of an overdose is now ruled out.
I thank the redactor of this blog for not forgetting Maryam Haley/Haley Paige. Like you I think it would be great if persons who knew her in the Industry could bring some lights about Haley Paige.
On a opposite side I despise all the “persons” who dumped their crass comments on this marvelous great little woman.
Kerguelen.
Sorry if my english looks queer but english is not my first language.
I’m so shocked to find out about Maryam, It was always fun to look her up on the internet and
see how her career was going. I saw her listed under wikipedia, I got excited for her,
only to find out see had passed. I knew her in 2001 when she lived in Tulsa, she was good
friends with my girlfriend. She was a free spirit and you would of liked her the minute you
meet her. She ran around with us for a few months before she went back to California. A couple
quick stories with Maryam.I went to
an Ani Defranco concert with her, she made me hang around for about an hour and a half after
the concert, she was in love with Ani, but we didn’t get to meet her.
She was such a funny little girl, sometimes she would say strange things, but she was always
so happy, always smilling. She had my girlfriend and I go to a strip club with her one night, the place was
a dump but you only had to be 18 to get in. Maryam had never been to one and she just wanted
to she what it was like, we had a good time.
After finding about her death, I spent a few hours reading these blogs and other things under her name.
It feels good to have known her, she really was here a short time and for her life to end in such
a tragedy hurts. It sounds like in the end the heroin got her and she just couldn’t change what
her life had become. I always thought I would bump into her again one day and I would be able
to tell her that she had become famous just like she’d always wanted to.
Maryam the Free Spirit you will be missed, Goodbye
People forget that people have free will.
Sadly, those who profess godliness off times cherish only those who are cookie cutter images of themselves.
I am not that religious – one thing that keeps me with faith is the tenet that God alone decides what is right and wrong.
Haley and all the other shoot9ing stars brightened our paths but fizzled too fast.
Good wishes in their flighgt to the promised land!
Hope you finally found somewhere gentler than this world, Maryam. You made life a little more interesting for a lot of people.
God bless you I hope your happier now where your loved for being you. I pray for you sweety
I always wanted to meet Hailey because I
Was thinking of being part of the make a wish
Foundation. I have 6 disabilities. But she stole
My one heart. I hope when I pass I still see her
I love you Hailey 🙂
It seems to me that she was a very nice women which a tragic life. I am really thinking about it for weeks now, what a shame. Remember her, she´s in a better place now.
___________________________________
Maryam Haley you are in our hearts forever. 1982 – 2007
___________________________________
You were a good person who was lost in a world of hurt and menace. You achieved many wonderful things and touched many lives outside of your adult career.
Thinking of your everyday precious angel.
__________________________________
Excuse my error above, her birth date is 1981.
Maryam Haley December 30, 1981 – August 21, 2007
God bless
Considering it's now August 30th, 2009 I am out of the loop. I stopped working in this buisness years ago. As I surfed the net I can't recall what I glanced at but fell upon a site that indicated dead pornstars and I have to admit after seeing Haley's name I was shocked. I am aware of the crap young women are exposed to,from men and their abuse of the adult buisness. I met Haley years ago when she first started with Pam Peaks on her kitchen show, she was very sweet and vulnerable. It's the worst to know a young beautiful girl like that is dead at such a precious age. Her parents should have been taking care of her and this would have never happened. But now, now the angels will.. God Bless you Haley:)
Nikki Santana
I have to say how wonderful it is that the tone of all these messages belies the general nature of the porn industry (besides, I think, Viv Thomas – espescially 'The Art of Sex). In this "take 'em in and spit 'em out" (no pun intended…I promise) attitude of the industry that leaves so many people burnt out so quickly from what is to me a very legitimate career – obviously unlike the anonymous Anna Malle poster, and many other sexually insecure folk in this world – it is truly gratifying and warming to read people appreciating – no matter what their distance or allegiance to what they viewed – someONE for what they admired them for. Just because it is porn does not make it cheap. So kudos to anyone here who has written positively and geniunely of Haley Paige and the things they experienced through her movies. I only now know of her now through this blog (glad I stumbled upon it), but just wanted to add my thoughts without ever having seen her…I think it's brilliant to see a properly positive message being construed of an individual involved in this industry – Obviously despite the tragic nature that brought all this on. It is an utter sin that anyone or any living thing is burdened like she was by whichever people caused her damage – so it is conversely and equally as refreshing that she should be remembered positively. Without being too pretentious(!) – People are people, so hence humanity prevails.
So sad to learn of her death. She was just likable, but the shame is to find out she was accompanied by bad people early in life and then again later. God bless you little child.
Where the FUCK were you porn peple when she needed help? If you watched some of her later scenes it obvious that she was chemically impaired! But all you fuckers are concerned about is making a quick buck. As a certain ex-pornstar told me recently…porn is full of low-lifes!!
And another thing, in today’s internet era there is no way in HELL a performer can hide what they do from family and thier hometown…everyone is wired today and they have no control over thier images or DVDs.
You’re right. But I’d argue that Haley’s visible impairment was so similar to that of hundreds of other people who cleaned up, straightened out, and/or got away that friends gave her the benefit of the doubt. It is the adult industry despite how childish people can act. But that is no reason to not try to help. Thanks for your comment.
She was a beautiful little thing, and it amazes me how some of us can be so ignorant, full of hate and arrogant at the same time.