Michelle Lee

[tights_strangler]

Hey everyone

I was thinking of Michelle Lee and her Choke Chamber studio a couple of days ago and wondered if anybody knew of the studio re-emerging under a different name, or has the titular actress and studio vanished forever?
I’m aware this topic has been covered before but I’m pretty sure that was a long time ago and I thought it was worth revisiting.

Thanks

[Nyghtfall]

I think it's safe to conclude they're gone for good. I know they tried a comeback a few years ago but it never went anywhere.

[JIMBO]

The only Michelle Lee I know of was a star on Knotts Landing.

Jimbo

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michele_Lee

[Ric delCampo]

The only Michelle Lee I know of was a star on Knotts Landing.

Jimbo

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michele_Lee

If that is true, and you're not joking, then you sure missed out!

It's hard to find pictures of Michelle Lee from her Choke Chamber days. But I grabbed a few screen shots from a Choke Chamber Movie starring Michelle Lee.

[xj900uk]

That's a different actress.

Michelle Lee of Chokechamber spelt her name with two 'll's not one.

And yes, saldy Chokechamber has now gone for good, I am afraid.
Back in 2018 there was hope as Geno of Dead Skirts was trying to encourage Michelle to restart it along with a third name (who I can never remember but he starred in a few of the movies) but then when Geno died suddenly I honestly believe the last hope of getting the company back up and running went with it.

I spoke to Michelle about this a few years ago, she was adamant that piracy and Asian sites undercutting her own site by reselling her movies cheaper was the main reason she was driven out of business.

[JohnM]

I spoke to Michelle about this a few years ago, she was adamant that piracy and Asian sites undercutting her own site by reselling her movies cheaper was the main reason she was driven out of business.

It did not help that they made a pitch to other producers to host content to sell and despite my wariness, I wanted to help out. Later, found out that they gave non-secure permalinks to content (easily sharable), and asked them to close my store. They did not, nor did I ever get a payout. And about that time, communication stopped and then poof they were gone---a story that has happened a few times over the years. There is one producer (still around today but different owners), that started as a membership photoset only site then disappears with everyones money--big controversy at the time in the community. I have seen lots of bad actors (literally) in this business over the years and usually it has something to do with "owing a bunch of money or services and not wanting to make good". So, they disappear.

JohnM

[xj900uk]

I spoke to Michelle about this a few years ago, she was adamant that piracy and Asian sites undercutting her own site by reselling her movies cheaper was the main reason she was driven out of business.

It did not help that they made a pitch to other producers to host content to sell and despite my wariness, I wanted to help out. Later, found out that they gave non-secure permalinks to content (easily sharable), and asked them to close my store. They did not, nor did I ever get a payout. And about that time, communication stopped and then poof they were gone---a story that has happened a few times over the years. There is one producer (still around today but different owners), that started as a membership photoset only site then disappears with everyones money--big controversy at the time in the community. I have seen lots of bad actors (literally) in this business over the years and usually it has something to do with "owing a bunch of money or services and not wanting to make good". So, they disappear.

JohnM

That's true. They also had a partnership going with Advocate's production company, which was a lot smaller in those days than it is now, and was just starting up.
Sadly that had to end when Chokechamber shut up shop (before Covid), although I spoke to Advocate about it and he seemed genuinely sorry that the arrangement was over and that Michelle had shut things down. He told me though that she had lost a lot of money in the company herself, which was a pity as she put a lot of time and effort in to it, got some genuinenly famous PB models to appear in the productions, and they did some sterling work over the years.
I wrote some screen plays which Michelle brought to life in a very glossy and lavish-looking way, I have nothing bad to say about her, and, like Advocate, was genuinely sorry when she closed her doors.

[tights_strangler]

I spoke to Michelle about this a few years ago, she was adamant that piracy and Asian sites undercutting her own site by reselling her movies cheaper was the main reason she was driven out of business.

It did not help that they made a pitch to other producers to host content to sell and despite my wariness, I wanted to help out. Later, found out that they gave non-secure permalinks to content (easily sharable), and asked them to close my store. They did not, nor did I ever get a payout. And about that time, communication stopped and then poof they were gone---a story that has happened a few times over the years. There is one producer (still around today but different owners), that started as a membership photoset only site then disappears with everyones money--big controversy at the time in the community. I have seen lots of bad actors (literally) in this business over the years and usually it has something to do with "owing a bunch of money or services and not wanting to make good". So, they disappear.

JohnM

That's true. They also had a partnership going with Advocate's production company, which was a lot smaller in those days than it is now, and was just starting up.
Sadly that had to end when Chokechamber shut up shop (before Covid), although I spoke to Advocate about it and he seemed genuinely sorry that the arrangement was over and that Michelle had shut things down. He told me though that she had lost a lot of money in the company herself, which was a pity as she put a lot of time and effort in to it, got some genuinenly famous PB models to appear in the productions, and they did some sterling work over the years.
I wrote some screen plays which Michelle brought to life in a very glossy and lavish-looking way, I have nothing bad to say about her, and, like Advocate, was genuinely sorry when she closed her doors.

That’s the vibe I got from her looking back at some of her posts to Blue, fans and potential customers.
Always (I can only assume) eager to reply when possible, polite, humble and seemingly coming from a good place and seemingly had good rapport with most.
If she did indeed fleece people out of their hard earned cash or not make good on an arranged deal, then it’s probably a good idea that she’s no longer around in this particular theatre, although she did seem to genuinely hold the customer’s interests up there with her own.
There’s always more than one side to a story and her most fervent critics have no doubt more than one skeleton stowed when it comes to their own personal success.

Thanks for the input anyway, and just a little response shows that, love her or hate her, she left something behind that’s missed, even if it’s the competition.
I wonder how many other studios would be missed in such a way.

[JIMBO]

Michelle Lee of Chokechamber spelt her name with two 'll's not one.

My bad.

Jimbo

[JohnM]

Thanks for the input anyway, and just a little response shows that, love her or hate her, she left something behind that’s missed, even if it’s the competition.
I wonder how many other studios would be missed in such a way.

To be clear, Michelle was nice. I talked to her many times. My assumption was it was a partner thing. I am guessing, some bad business happened behind the scenes and for Michelle, it was best to just move on and cut the losses.

JohnM

[tights_strangler]

Thanks for the input anyway, and just a little response shows that, love her or hate her, she left something behind that’s missed, even if it’s the competition.
I wonder how many other studios would be missed in such a way.

To be clear, Michelle was nice. I talked to her many times. My assumption was it was a partner thing. I am guessing, some bad business happened behind the scenes and for Michelle, it was best to just move on and cut the losses.

JohnM

I think if anyone has any authority when it comes to both staying the course and overcoming commercial and creative conflict over the past couple of decades it’s you, and I wonder how many times it’s come that close to you doing the same?
I just feel grateful that I purchased her content when I did, and it wasn’t easy at the time in the UK.

Did she not do some mainstream acting after leaving the fetish game. I thought I remember a colleague of hers being interviewed and saying something of the sort?

[JohnM]

I think if anyone has any authority when it comes to both staying the course and overcoming commercial and creative conflict over the past couple of decades it’s you, and I wonder how many times it’s come that close to you doing the same?
I just feel grateful that I purchased her content when I did, and it wasn’t easy at the time in the UK.

Did she not do some mainstream acting after leaving the fetish game. I thought I remember a colleague of hers being interviewed and saying something of the sort?

I mean, 27 years doing this, there have been times when I looked into other careers. But, ya know, you get older, and starting over was a consideration. I am not sure "entry level" accountant would keep the lights on. :-). But, I would never disappear---I have lots of commitments and would always feel the need to honor them. I mean, to me it is anxiety evoking to not. Lots of folks keep accounts with me and buy direct. I have customers with years old accounts with like $2 sitting there that I would stress out about making sure they either got it back or, um, found a $2 video. :-)

Anyhow, I did a quick search and really found nothing about her. If she did other work, it might have been under a different name. I am pretty good and sleuthing out models and came up with zero. Which, honestly, for her is great. It is very hard to remove oneself from an online presence. Kudoes to any model who has effectively done that.

JohnM

[speak376]

its so sad because it was really a great site.