Back in July of 2018, 10 months after being chased out of New England by a territorial Tom Brady, and five months after inking one of the most lucrative contracts in NFL history ($137.5 million over five years), 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo took a lady out on a date. Photos of the L.A. tryst inevitably made their way to the gossip rag TMZ, where they were accompanied by the strident headline: “Jimmy Garoppolo TAKES HUGE PORN STAR…On Bev Hills Date.”
Yes, Jimmy G, the bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and very rich NFL star quarterback, had the audacity to take an adult actress, Kiara Mia, on a date in paparazzi-infested Beverly Hills. And wouldn’t you know, he was pilloried in the press for it.
Fox News host Britt McHenry, who apparently treats adult actresses the same way she does tow lot employees, tweeted, “Jimmy Garoppolo is the franchise quarterback of a prominent NFL team. He should have more values and class than parading a porn star in LA. Slam me for saying that, but guarantee someone in his camp said the same thing.” Fox Sports’ Jason Whitlock took it a step further, claiming that the rendezvous may signal a deeper problem: “He’s got a freaky side, a real freaky side. Again, it’s going to be like: is he distracted? Does he have some kind of addiction issue? Is he Tiger Woods?” And ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith took it upon himself to nickname the 26-year-old “Porn Star Jimmy.”
Following the deluge of criticism, Garoppolo called the episode a “learning experience” about how “life is different now” in the public spotlight.
Kiara Mia, for her part, has nothing but praise for Garoppolo, whom she calls a “true gentleman.”
“Jimmy values a woman with respect and honor—not judging or criticizing a woman without getting to know her heart and authenticity,” she tells The Daily Beast. “Very few athletes have the heart of a lion as he does. Not only athletes but also every man should value and respect a woman no matter what her career choice is.”
While pro athletes have pursued adult actresses for decades, it’s usually done in the shadows—or in the DMs, as we’ve seen time and time again. In this way, it mirrors society’s hypocritical attitude toward porn: 98 percent of men and 73 percent of women have reportedly watched it, yet many still treat its stars like second-class citizens, and God forbid you take one out on a public date, especially if you’re a beloved celebrity.
“It’s sad that they feel the need to have to hide their engagement with us from the world, as if we are dirty or less of a person,” says adult actress Elena Koshka—an opinion shared by fellow adult star Alana Evans. “It was nice to see a man of his caliber date a woman in the industry so publicly. For many of us, we are often the secret lover,” she adds. “It was nice to see a man not afraid of stepping out with such a recognizable star. But I’m not surprised. Kiara is absolutely stunning and any man is lucky to have her on their arm.”
Porn star Tasha Reign can speak to the measures some pro athletes take when it comes to courting those in the adult world.
“I recall years ago going out with DeMarco Murray on the [Dallas] Cowboys. For some reason his publicist was there too, which I found odd,” she says.
Having begun her career in Hollywood, acting in films like White Chicks and on shows like Boy Meets World, Maitland Ward, who recently took home 3 AVN Awards—or porn’s equivalent of the Oscars—has had a foot in both worlds.
“In the past, porn stars were celebrities’ dirty secrets. They’ve always dated them but never in public. Always hidden away,” Ward explains. “His cool is that this date seems so authentic and genuine. He wanted to take out a girl he likes. And she is treated with the respect and care she deserves. Sex work doesn’t change those standards. I’m not sure he should be praised for doing the classy, right thing, but you can’t deny he has made a bold statement. His braveness where others have cowered should at least be commended.”
Or perhaps the vitriol comes down to good old-fashioned jealousy, according to adult actress Sydney Leathers. “I think anyone who criticizes someone for dating a porn star is secretly sad they don’t have enough game to do it themselves,” she says.
TMZ caught up with Kiara Mia back in December to ask her (again) about the date seen ‘round the world. After complimenting her athletic paramour, she issued a bold prediction: Garoppolo would take the San Francisco 49ers all the way to the Super Bowl.
“Everything I touch turns to gold!” she exclaimed.
