(Image Source: ABC News/James Deen)

BY LAUREN ZIMA

James Deen -- no, not the one you’re thinking of -- is the subject of a special on ABC’s Nightline -- because of his following of young women. ABC reports teenage girls are flocking to 25-year-old porn star Deen’s doings.

“The young fans tell us they’re drawn to Deen because he’s different -- a porn star who holds hands with his leading ladies.”
DEEN: “They’re sexual enough that it is something they desire, they crave, they want.”

But -- news on the Nightline piece is becoming less about Deen’s package, and more about ABC’s video package. Salon.com says the piece is propaganda targeting parents.

“ … [it’s the] finest piece of parental scaremongering that I’ve seen in some time. … reporter Cecilia Vega announces that the adult business ‘has now targeted and reached a new demographic: teenage girls.’
… It’s not like teenage girls would ever happen across this X-rated material because they want to watch porn — there must be some cute ‘boy next door’ tricking them into it.”

The controversy surrounding the story doesn’t stop there -- Amanda Hess, lifestyle editor at Good magazine, says Nightline ripped off her work. She wrote a piece on Deen in November. After seeing Nightline’s story, she Tweeted at the show and reporter Cecilia Vega ...

“Hey @Nightline @ceciliavegaABC I liked your James Deen story better when I wrote it.”

MediaBistro sides with Hess.

“ … Hess … has a right to be upset. … Nightline on Thursday completely ripped off her November 2011 profile of rising male porn star James Deen … the ABC News report by Cecilia Vega seems to be the TV equivalent of the Web’s rampant and often egregious lack of proper hat tipping …”

A writer for The Washington Post points out similarities between the pieces -- but gets Nightline side of things, too.

“‘Nightline’ has this take: ‘Anyone that spends five minutes with James Deen would come up with these same observations.’ … Says … Deen: ‘People copy people. . . . At the end of the day, who cares? … Be happy and have fun.’”