It’s been almost a full year since the last Twilight movie came out, and it’s had a huge impact on the way we think about sex, love, and relationships – especially since Robert Pattinson, the movie’s leading man, said “hell do porn” at the time of its release.
The actress Kristen Stewart, who plays Pattinson’s love interest Bella in the Twilight and Snow White movies, is currently dating the movie’s antagonist, actor Christoph Waltz. So it would be fair to say that, in a way, the “hell do porn” comment helped start a trend.
Deeper Meaning
Although they’re fictional, Twilight and its leading man have become quite the culture icon since the release of the first movie in 2011. The former is now considered a feminist classic, and has inspired countless cosplays and memes. For better or worse, many of us came to identify as Bella when faced with the difficulties of modern-day love.
As for Pattinson, the 27-year-old actor gained worldwide fame for his role as Cedric in the Harry Potter films. Then came Twilight, which made him a superstar in the first place, and turned him into a meme himself.
MatchingMates
Twilight is famous for its “bromance,” which stands for “bromance is real,” and it’s no secret that some of its main characters, in particular Edward and Jacob, enjoy a close bond. The two take a significant role in the development of Bella, and it’s clear that Edward sees Jacob as a son he never had.
By the end of the first movie, it’s established that Edward is not only a protective father figure but also a “soul mate” for Jacob, who is visually identified by a matching set of twin tails.
Whether or not you believe in “vampires vs. werewolves,” the symbolism of two men matching sets of tails is pretty clear. Then again, maybe it’s not…
Despite their best efforts, Edward and Jacob can never seem to get it right. First, Edward betrays Jacob by turning Bella into a vampire. Then, Jacob gets jealous and decides to murder Bella’s soul mate, Edward. In the end, Jacob and Edward both die, and Bella ends up with their son, William. (Spoiler Alert!)
While the idea of finding your “soul mate” is a beautiful one, it’s not exactly practical. According to a 2012 study from the U.S. Census Bureau, about 79 million American adults have never been married. Of those, 24.9 million – or about a third – are currently single. And for whatever reason, they’re not interested in changing that situation…
Is this just a fad? Or is there more to the “hell do porn” comment than meets the eye?
Porn Is Back, And It’s Evolving
Whether or not you buy into the “bromance” theory, it’s undeniable that porn has become a major part of popular culture. In fact, it’s now considered “sexy” to be a part of the #metoo movement, and many big-name brands have found a way to cash in on this trend. (Insert your own joke about how money can’t buy you happiness here.)
In 2017, adult entertainment giant PornHub was valued at nearly $12 billion. But this wasn’t a case of overnight riches; it took the company a few years to build up a large enough audience to be attractive to venture capitalists. (Side note: Having a female CEO hasn’t hurt.)
As for the type of porn fans consume, in 2011, 50.2 million American adults reported watching porn. That number is now up to 59.2 million, according to the recently published “American Sexual Health Survey.” (It should be pointed out that these numbers only account for adults age 18 or over; children sometimes engage in online sexual activity, which could result in them being exposed to inappropriate material at a very early age. Ideally, parents should be responsible for monitoring their children’s internet activity, but that’s a difficult task when you’re juggling day-to-day life as a working adult. A more ideal solution would be for there to be more adult literacy classes and access to librarians, so parents can educate themselves on the dangers of online pornography and the internet in general. For the purposes of this article, we will use the word “pornography” to refer to any sex-related material, including pornographic videos, adult books, and online articles.)
‘Hell Do Porn’ Video Surfaces
Just a few days after the Twilight premiere in 2011, a short clip of the “hell do porn” comment began circulating around the internet. At the time, the video was said to be recorded during the MTV Movie Awards, but there was no way of knowing for sure since the cameras were apparently rolling the entire time. And as it turned out, the clip wasn’t recorded at all. (The show’s producers later denied that it was a performance, and the comment was quickly removed from the awards show’s website.)
There have been some instances of the “hell do porn” comment popping up in pop culture, but this is probably the best example. In 2014, a fan edit of the award-winning “Hell Do Porn” music video was posted to YouTube with the caption: “If you didn’t see the movie yet, you should probably leave now.” In other words, if you haven’t seen Twilight, you don’t need to watch this video, but at the very least, it’s a good idea to know what the “hell do porn” statement means.
Waltz Apologizes For ‘Hell Do Porn’ Comment
The man behind the meme, actor Christoph Waltz, initially denied that he had said “hell do porn.” Then he apologized, but only halfheartedly, saying: “In the wrong place at the wrong time, with the wrong words…I used a phrase that was apparently misinterpreted, which I didn’t even intend to be malicious.”
In a later interview with Entertainment Tonight, Waltz said he didn’t even know what the phrase meant, and apologized again, this time more sincerely. He said that, at the time, he had meant to call out the excesses of the American porn industry, and that he was genuinely sorry for the comment. “I didn’t want to cause any trouble or hurt feelings. I was surprised by the reaction,” he said. “Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut.”
Why Do ‘Hell Do Porn’ And ‘Kanye West’ Keep Racking Up The Memes?
Even now, six years after the original “hell do porn” comment was made, the phrase continues to be one of the most popular topics on social media platforms such as Twitter. Why? There are probably a number of reasons, but here are a few.
First, it’s always fun to meme the rich and famous. For someone like Waltz, who has been in the public eye for years, this must be old hat by now. Yet, here he is, being interviewed about memes, and what they mean.
Second, the phrase is incredibly easy to parody. All you need is a computer and an hour or two of spare time. It only takes a few minutes to see why this is important. In 2019 alone, there have been at least 88 popular “Kanye West” memes, ranging from simple retorts to more elaborate lampshade and hot pink dress memes. (Not to mention that the rapper has an entire album, The Life of Pablo, devoted to his opinions of Donald Trump, Brexit, and – of course – Kanye West. So it would make sense that the phrase “hell do porn” would become a popular retort to “Kanye West”-related statements. Especially since, in many cases, the “Kanye West” memes are the best part of the joke. )
Third, the “hell do porn” comment was said in reference to a scene from the movie, where Edward is revealed to have a hidden camera in his bedroom.
For those unfamiliar, in the scene, Bella lies on her bed while wearing only a pair of underwear and a furry brown jacket. One hand is placed under her sweater, and she is slowly removing her clothes layer by layer, as her webcam is focused directly on her breast. (Needless to say, this is quite a controversial scene, which many people found disturbing. It is also probably one of the most iconic scenes from the Twilight series.)