Former University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow has been fired by the regents due to his involvement in producing and appearing in pornographic videos with his wife, Carmen Wilson. The regents voted unanimously during a closed meeting to terminate Gow's position, citing specific conduct that caused "significant reputational harm" to the university. Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman and regents President Karen Walsh condemned Gow's actions, with Rothman calling them “abhorrent” and Walsh expressing her disgust. However, no details of the allegations were provided by either of them.

In a phone interview with The Associated Press, Gow defended his actions, claiming that he and his wife never mentioned their affiliation with UW-La Crosse or his role at the university in any of the videos. He argued that the firing violated his free speech rights, stating, "My wife and I live in a country where we have a First Amendment. We're dealing with consensual adult sexuality. The regents are overreacting. They're certainly not adhering to their own commitment to free speech or the First Amendment." Gow also expressed disappointment that the regents did not inform him of the policy he violated and that he was not given a hearing to present his case. He mentioned that he is considering legal action.

Gow had intended to retire as chancellor in the spring of 2024 and transition into a role teaching communication courses. However, Rothman announced his plans to file a complaint with UW-L's interim chancellor, Betsy Morgan, seeking a review of Gow's tenure. Rothman criticized Gow for failing to serve as a role model for students, faculty, and the community, and argued that the First Amendment does not grant unlimited freedom to university leaders. He emphasized that Gow served at the pleasure of the regents and was not entitled to a specific process.

This is not the first time Gow faced criticism for his involvement with the adult industry. In 2018, he received backlash for inviting porn actor Nina Hartley to speak at UW-La Crosse and paying her $5,000 from student fees. Then UW system president Ray Cross reprimanded him, and the regents denied him a raise that year. Gow defended his actions at the time, citing the system's free speech policies.

Gow and his wife run a YouTube channel called "Sexy Healthy Cooking," where they cook meals with porn actors. They have also authored two e-books, "Monogamy with Benefits: How Porn Enriches Our Relationship" and "Married with Benefits - Our Real-Life Adult Industry Adventures," using pseudonyms. Their biographies on Amazon include links to their videos on X, a social media platform, and a pornographic website.

The president of the University of Wisconsin system, Jay Rothman, has fired the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Dr. Joe Gow, after discovering his secret life as a porn star alongside his wife, Carmen Wilson. Gow and Wilson promote their explicit content on their X account under the username @SexyHappyCouple, engaging in fully explicit scenes. They have also written two books about their activities using pseudonyms and have a YouTube channel where they cook vegan meals with well-known sex performers, using their real names.

Rothman described Gow's actions as "abhorrent," and another top official expressed alarm and disgust over his behavior. Rothman wasted no time in recommending Gow's termination to the UW Board of Regents, who voted unanimously to fire him. Although Gow has tenure, he was placed on paid administrative leave, and an outside law firm has been engaged to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the matter.

UW System Regent President Karen Walsh issued a statement condemning Gow's behavior, stating that he showed a reckless disregard for his role as chancellor and that his actions were inconsistent with his position. Gow had been the chancellor of the La Crosse campus since 2007 and faced previous criticism in 2018 when he invited adult actress Nina Hartley to speak on campus for a fee of $5,000.

In their books, Gow and Wilson vaguely described their conventional lives, mentioning their involvement in charitable and civic activities while also expressing their enjoyment of their unconventional sexual lifestyle. They acknowledged that their careers and personal lives would be negatively impacted if their activities were made public.

The details of how top education officials learned about Gow's involvement in the adult industry remain unclear. However, the swift action taken by the regents suggests that they were determined to distance themselves from his behavior. Gow, on the other hand, asserted that his activities were protected by the First Amendment and that he did not utilize any university resources or work time for his adult industry endeavors.