Tony L. Manning
Tony L. Manning
Occupation: Principal and Managing Director
Location: Detroit, Michigan, United States
The Sex in My Business: I serve as a legal, business, and tax consultant to individuals in the adult entertainment industry.
A Typical Day: I get up around 6:00 a.m. to check my emails and survey the news — mainly by watching CNN and by reading the Detroit Free Press, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal. Once I am fully in work mode, I spend most of my day in meetings, which can often last until 9 or 10 at night. Throughout the day, I communicate frequently with my clients, and I also like to attend training workshops and seminars when I have the chance. In addition to the people I work with who have sex-related jobs, I frequently serve as an advisor to members of the legislative branch at the state and federal levels — which means I’m guaranteed a lot of variety in my days.
The Best Part: My favorite part of this job is being able to help people find their way out of a bad situation and get their focus back on doing what they love.
The Worst Part: My least favorite part of this job is encountering people who are difficult or unapproachable. I know it’s a normal part of most occupations, but in the work that I do, it always makes things harder.
How I Got Here: While I was going to school for public policy and legal studies, I started driving and doing security for models and porn stars as a way to make extra money. After getting to know some of these people, I learned that many attorneys, legal consultants, tax consultants, and others often exploited people in the adult industry for their money, and did not care enough about their client’s bottom line. I realized that there was a need for a legal and tax consultant who was in it to really help adult performers make positive financial, business, and legal choices for the longevity of their career. Even though I came to this work accidentally, it quickly became something I love and I consider it one of the best decisions I ever made.
What Society Thinks: Attitudes toward my job really depend on who you talk to. Being in this field can be hard on romantic relationships, but among my friends, I am known as a "legal beagle" or a nerd, so the fact that I now serve as an advisor to major adult film stars and management companies amazes them. In general, I try to live my life from the position of “fuck you,” which is a reference to one of my favorite scenes from The Gambler (2014) and basically means that I strive to ensure my life is so good that I do not have to care what anyone else might think. Of course, I am human and have feelings, but I try not to let people affect the way I operate. That being said, it is nice to be needed and to have people value me and respect the work that I do.
When I’m Not At Work: When I am not at work I enjoy working with people who are homeless and individuals being released from prison who really want to change their lives. I also love bowling and spending quality time with my daughter Penelope (Pen-Pen).
Published in Issue IV: Activism