Alleged Marilyn Monroe Porno "Flops" at Auction

In following up to my blog post of July 23, 2011, "Marilyn Monroe Porno? The Widow's Peak Speaks," I'm pleased to announce that, not surprisingly, the sale of this pornographic film flopped at auction on August 7 in Argentina. In spite of Mikel Barsa's unsubstantiated claims that it was a young Norma Jeane performing sex acts on an unknown man in the film, there were no bidders.



It is clearly not Norma Jeane/Marilyn Monroe in this film. Nonetheless, Barsa claims he may negotiate a sale with a buyer in Denver Colorado.



Even though there are clear and significant differences in facial structure, and body mass and form between Marilyn Monroe and the woman in the film, coupled with the fact that Marilyn Monroe had already been discovered in 1945, someone is still actually considering buying this film? SERIOUSLY?



Thankfully, after Barsa conducted a press conference announcing the sale of the film, media outlets around the world sought an opposing perspective. I was honored to have been contacted by the Associated Press, Reuters, and ABCNews.com to express my views on whether or not it was Marilyn in the film. This issue received press coverage around the world.



I'd like to express sincere gratitude to Joshua Greene of the Milton H. Green Archives, Chuck Murphy of One West Publishing (management company for Andre de Dienes images) and Margaret Miller of the Richard C. Miller estate for allowing me to use photos of Norma Jeane/Marilyn Monroe in comparing her likeness to the woman in the pornographic film.



With these side-by-side comparisons, it's very clear that it's not Norma Jeane in the film. The comparisons were shared with the AP, Reuters and ABCNews.com, and have now been shown around the world.



To view my interview with Reuters, as published via the Huffington Post UK, click here.



Also interviewed for this topic by ABCNews.com was Michelle Morgan, author of Marilyn Monroe: Private and Undisclosed, and Lois Banner PhD, author of MM Personal.



Very recently, Authentic Brands Group, the corporation that purchased Marilyn Monroe's licensing rights in January of this year, came out swinging, threatening legal action. According to Nancy Carlson of Authentic Brands Group, "A sale of the film would invite legal action for perpetrating a fraud on the public, violating the Monroe estate's exclusive rights to her image and other claims of intellectual property infringement."



Was this fraud from the onset? Without question, it isn't Norma Jeane in the pornographic film. According to Barsa, he sold this same film in 1997, albeit a 16mm version, to a private collector for $1.2 million. Whoever that private collector is...they might want to think about asking for their money back. "No widow's peak, no Marilyn."



Was it a mere coincidence that Mikel Barsa auctioned the film a mere two days after the 49th anniversary of the death of Marilyn Monroe? Not likely.



So, this issue has been put to rest, for now anyway. As a friend of mine on Facebook says, "...at least for another five years," until someone else tries to sell it again, claiming it's Norma Jeane before being discovered.