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Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste

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Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste
Directed bySarah Gibson
Written byMarissa Díaz
Produced bySarah Gibson & Marissa Díaz
StarringFrank Fu
Yves Gore
Production
company
Distributed byNetflix
Release date
  • 5 November 2022 (2022-November-05)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste is a 2022 Netflix documentary directed by Sarah Gibson, which explores the rise and controversies surrounding the sexual wellness company OneTaste.[1][2] The company, known for promoting a practice "Orgasmic Meditation" (OM), has faced legal disputes and public scrutiny.[3][4] The documentary has been the cause of much controversy, with a lawsuit from individuals who say it used stolen footage of them, as well as a suit from OneTaste, which says it uses false evidence.[5][6][7]

Background

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OneTaste was founded by Nicole Daedone in the early 2000s, with the goal of promoting Orgasmic Meditation, a practice in which one participant stimulates another's clitoris for 15 minutes while engaging in mindfulness.[8][9][10][3][11] The company marketed OM as a method for improving sexual well-being and emotional healing.[12]

In 2018, a Bloomberg Businessweek article raised concerns about the company’s business practices, including allegations of financial exploitation and manipulation, which became central to the controversies surrounding OneTaste and featured in the documentary.[13][4][14]

Plot

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The documentary traces the growth of OneTaste, highlighting the initial appeal of Orgasmic Meditation among individuals seeking emotional and sexual fulfillment.[15] The film paints a picture of a wellness startup, exploration of sexuality, and people suffering from loneliness and disconnection feeling loved, connected, and belonging. The film takes a quick turn, showing the alleged dark side of OneTaste, with allegations from former participants who claim they were manipulated and pressured into sexual acts to benefit the company financially.[14][16]

The film also discusses an FBI investigation, which was prompted by the 2018 Bloomberg Businessweek article.[17][9][13] A central part of the narrative is the story of Ayries Blanck, whose experiences are documented through journals allegedly written by her sister, Autymn Blanck. These journals describe alleged coercion and abuse by OneTaste staff.[18]

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The production of Orgasm Inc has faced legal challenges. OneTaste claims that much of the footage used in the film was stolen by a former employee, leading to a lawsuit from 14 individuals who were concerned about appearing in the film sued Netflix in an attempt to block release of the film.[19][20][21] A petition signed by close to 500 people pleading Netflix not use the stolen footage which the individuals never signed over consent to Netflix to use.[5][22][10][23] The judge denied the motion and Netflix did not comment on the petition.[4][24]

Controversies

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The documentary has been the subject of significant controversy. OneTaste has filed a lawsuit against Netflix, claiming that the company paid $25,000 to Autymn Blanck for false journals used in the film.[18] Some supporters of the documentary argue that it accurately reflects their own experiences with OneTaste, while others have raised concerns about the authenticity of the materials used, particularly the journals and footage. A petition was started and signed by over 500 individuals who were in the stolen footage, in a plea to Netflix to not air the film and to respect that they do not consent to Netflix using footage of themselves. A group of petitioners created a short video, "Hey Netflix", through which a handful of the petitioners came forward with a public demand for Netflix to not use the stolen footage and exploit their image.[25] Netflix proceeded to air the film without comment.[4]

The film also features alleged journals written by Ayries Blanck, which describe abuse and coercion at the hands of her former partner and condoned by OneTaste staff. Legal counsel representing OneTaste has raised questions about the authenticity of the journals, suggesting that they reference a book on cult deprogramming not published until five years after the journals were allegedly written.[18][7]

There is also an unclear link between the FBI and the film, as a woman in the film is shown making a call and writing on her notebook the name of the FBI Special Agent Elliot McGinnis, the lead case agent in a single-charge conspiracy case against Nicole Daedone and Rachel Cherwitz, both former executives at OneTaste.[6][26][27]

The controversy surrounding the use of stolen footage and the authenticity of the journals remains unresolved.

Release and reception

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The documentary was released on Netflix in 2022 and received mixed reviews. Critics praised the documentary for its in-depth exploration of OneTaste’s alleged manipulative practices but criticized the film for its use of disputed materials.[28] Reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb reflected a division in opinion, with some viewers supporting the documentary’s portrayal of events and others questioning its accuracy and ethical implications.[29][30][31][32]

References

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  1. ^ "Netflix".
  2. ^ Netflix (2022-10-28). Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste | Official Trailer | Netflix. Retrieved 2025-01-18 – via YouTube.
  3. ^ a b "Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste: Netflix doco looks at the 'slow-sex' movement that became a cult". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  4. ^ a b c d TV, Molli Mitchell Senior; Reporter, Film (2022-11-08). "What happened to OneTaste? Inside female orgasm company". Newsweek. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  5. ^ a b Stelloh, Tim (November 2, 2022). "Lawsuit asks Netflix to release documentary 'Orgasm Inc.' without 'misappropriated' sexually explicit material"". NBC News. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Parlato, Frank (2024-07-01). "Did Netflix Film an FBI Agent Investigating OneTaste? DOJ Denies It, But Evidence Suggests Otherwise". Frank Report. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  7. ^ a b Kalmbacher, Colin (2022-11-03). "'Salacious' Netflix Documentary Features 'Private Sexually Explicit Materials' an Ex-Employee 'Unlawfully Obtained,' Lawsuit Claims". Law & Crime. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  8. ^ "OneTaste promised 15-minute orgasms. Then everything went wrong". The Independent. 2022-11-14. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  9. ^ a b "FBI Is Probing OneTaste, a Sexuality Wellness Company". Archived from the original on 2018-11-13. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  10. ^ a b "'It went from utopia to a hell hole': The bizarre story behind Netflix's Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste".
  11. ^ Moore, Kasey (2022-10-24). "Netflix Sets 'Orgasm Inc.: The Story of OneTaste' Documentary". What's on Netflix. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  12. ^ "For Nicole Daedone, the Female Orgasm Was The Ultimate Tool of Control". Jezebel. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  13. ^ a b "FBI Is Probing OneTaste, a Sexuality Wellness Company". Bloomberg.com. 2018-11-13. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  14. ^ a b "'Orgasm Inc' OneTaste Netflix Documentary Review: Stream It or Skip It?". 2022-11-07. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  15. ^ Naftulin, Julia. "Former members of an 'orgasm cult' say leaders encouraged them to have sex to settle arguments and heal from trauma". Business Insider. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  16. ^ "Trailer Watch: "Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste" Exposes Sexual Abuse and Manipulation". womenandhollywood.com. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  17. ^ "The Dark Side of the Orgasmic Meditation Company". Bloomberg.com. 2018-06-18. Retrieved 2024-07-04.
  18. ^ a b c Devadas, Anju (2022-11-07). "Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste (2022) Netflix Documentary Explained - What Happened to Ayries Blanck at OneTaste?". High On Films. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  19. ^ Dillon, Nancy (2022-11-03). "Orgasm 'Students' Sue Netflix to Block Release of OneTaste Documentary". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  20. ^ Dickson, Ej (2023-11-21). "A Silicon Valley 'Orgasm Cult' Has Been Sued for Sex Trafficking". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  21. ^ "Former OneTaste Staffer Says Netflix Lawsuit Is an Attempt to Silence Victims". The Daily Beast. 2022-11-03. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  22. ^ "Lawsuit asks Netflix to release documentary 'Orgasm Inc.' without 'misappropriated' sexually explicit material". NBC News. 2022-11-03. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  23. ^ "What the Makers of Orgasm Inc. Want You To Know About the Controversial Company". Netflix Tudum. Archived from the original on 2024-07-29. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  24. ^ "Orgasm Inc's imminent release on Netflix has former OneTaste participants bracing for its debut". Business Insider. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  25. ^ Hey Netflix I am not for sale. 2022-10-28. Retrieved 2024-07-05 – via YouTube.
  26. ^ "Here Comes 'Orgasm Inc.,' a New Doc About the Company That Promised a 15-Minute Climax". Netflix Tudum. Archived from the original on 2022-11-13. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  27. ^ "They Promised Orgasms. They Delivered a Sex Cult, Feds Say". The Daily Beast. 2023-06-06. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  28. ^ "Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste Movie Review | Common Sense Media". www.commonsensemedia.org. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  29. ^ "Orgasm Inc.: The Story of OneTaste | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  30. ^ "Orgasm Inc.: The Story of OneTaste - Movie Reviews | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  31. ^ Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste (2022) - User reviews - IMDb. Retrieved 2025-01-18 – via www.imdb.com.
  32. ^ Gibson, Sarah; Klevin, Sloane (2022-11-05), Orgasm Inc.: The Story of OneTaste (Documentary, Crime), Frank Fu, Yves Gore, Good Thing Going, retrieved 2025-01-18
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