Ric Warren’s “Venus with a Penis” Finds a New Home

​Preserving, Protecting and Promoting Jerome Caja’s Artistic Legacy

This is at the core of our mission here at The Jerome Project. The removal of Ric Warren’s Jerome video from YouTube underscores the importance of our goal.

Several weeks back I got an email from my friend Ric, who was frustrated and annoyed with YouTube for pulling his Jerome Caja video “Venus with a Penis” off their website. Ric had first posted the video long before I even created The Jerome Project back in 2010. His video was key in keeping Jerome’s spirit alive for many, many years, and it was also instrumental in illustrating the need for a feature-length documentary film on Jerome.

Like many of us queers from the late 80’s and early 90’s in San Francisco, we are activists at heart and do not take No for an answer. Ric kept re-publishing “Venus with a Penis” many times, but it was always getting taken down for supposedly violating YouTube’s adult-content policies. It had been public for over 10+ years without any red flags or inappropriate-content problems.

Is it porn? Is it art? Is it pornographic art? Do we know it when we see it? It seems that Ric’s video is mistakenly getting flagged as inappropriate content or pornography based on the name alone, “Venus with a Penis.”

Or did Ric’s video get taken down because Jerome…
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• poses like a 50’s pin-up model on his back with his legs spread wide open?
• attempts to seduces a goat outside while slinking around in women’s lingerie?
• wields a Michael Myers-sized kitchen knife for our viewing pleasure?
• fake pukes in a toilet and then attempts to fellate his own fist?
• takes a bubble bath and enjoys himself orgasmically while Mr. Rubber Duckie is perched on the  back of the toilet and watches voyeuristically?
• performs ancient erotic theater in a bathtub and re-enacts un-consensual sex scenes between a troll doll and an innocent child doll?
• has Mickey Mouse and Mini Mouse dolls talk dirty to each other while they frolic in the bathtub with him?

​I am very curious to know which of the YouTube categories Ric’s film violates. Is it their “Nudity & Sexual Content Policies” or is it the new “Child Safety Policies”? After reading YouTube’s fine print, my hunch is that Jerome’s silly filthy “Mouseketeer” talk is what flagged Venus with a Penis as inappropriate.

​Needless to say, I told Ric it would be an honor to permanently house his lovely Jerome video on The Jerome Project’s website.

​— Thank you, Ric Waren!

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© 1989-2020 Ric Warren, Muzzle Slut Production, Length: 00:09:57

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CONTENT NOT ALLOWED ON YOUTUBE:
Hate speech, predatory behavior, graphic violence, malicious attacks, and content that promotes harmful or dangerous behavior isn't allowed on YouTube.

NUDITY & SEXUAL CONTENT:
Don’t post content on YouTube if it has any of the items below.

• Depiction of genitals, breasts, or buttocks (clothed or unclothed) for the purpose of sexual gratification
• Pornography depicting sexual acts, genitals, or fetishes for the purpose of sexual gratification

CHILD SAFETY ON YOUTUBE:
Misleading family content that targets young minors and families, but contains:

• Sexual themes
• Violence
• Obscenity or other mature themes not suitable for young audiences
• Family friendly cartoons that target young minors and contain adult or age-inappropriate themes such as violence, sex, death, drugs etc.

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Other Jerome Caja Content by Ric Warren that is still up on YouTube:
PLEASE NOTE: Both of these videos are animated slideshows
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Jerome Caja 1958 – 1995
Length: 00:06:56

​Jerome Caja Paintings / Performance
Length: ​00:01:02

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​Post by Anthony Cianciolo