Remembering Lorissa McComas on the 6th anniversary of her passing.

It's been almost a year since the last time that a new post was made on this blog and I can't help but feel a strong sense of guilt for it. On the one hand, given the many advancements and setbacks that have occurred behind the scenes in attempting to gain some justice for the departed angel who's image adorns our hearts and memories. On the other, there is the growing sense that nothing is happening that must be running through the minds of many who have come and gone here. At this juncture, all I can share with regard to the ongoing case is that the wheels are still turning, albeit slowly and with a great deal of work left to be done. Nevertheless, as this date marks the 6th anniversary of the tragic death of Lorissa McComas, it is fitting that something be shared to sate the curiosity of those whose lives she touched during her time with us.

There is a passage the bible that routinely rings in my mind whenever contemplating Lorissa's life, John 7:24, "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." The context of the quote is a rebuke of the Jewish authorities who sought to kill Jesus for appearing to blaspheme God by healing on the Sabbath and making open declarations of being the messiah. While this analogy is not meant to compare Lorissa with the only begotten Son of God, nor should it be treated as an endorsement of the adult entertainment industry, there is an underlying theme of failing to see the truth because of an obsession with outward pretense and appearance which is echoed throughout the dismissive reactions that I've often encountered about her story as being just another loose-living soul meeting an untimely end, often by people who have probably fed into said industry monetarily while in secret.

But how does one "judge righteously", one might ask? It all begins with asking that very question, for within it lay the necessary curiosity to cut past the veil of the obvious and see things on a deeper level. This curiosity follows by a studious review of the nature of any profession that involves public performance and the arts, be it of a classical, modern, or even risque category. All entail a desire to create, a drive to leave a monument of accomplishment, but this is not the end itself, but rather the means. The actual end is the validation and approval of an audience, which even the most unconventional and eccentric of artists will admit is the greatest reward of their work. As we all share and partake of a common human nature, so too does an entertainer seek after a confirmation of this shared humanity by way of a standing ovation and a handful of devoted fans who consider themselves blessed that an accomplished artist signed their name to a piece of merchandise addressed to them.

A little known fact about Lorissa is that early in her modeling career with Playboy she worked exclusively in special catalogs. This was largely the case because she was not comfortable doing full nudity at the time, and anyone who ever happened upon her debut appearance in the 1991 September/October Book of Lingerie will note that the images contained within and adorning the cover were just a small measure more suggestive than what is usually found in Maxim magazine. Another little known fact is that this was Lorissa's favorite style of modeling, and she had actually procured an opportunity to do a photo-shoot for Maxim in the early 2000s that was sadly canceled due to a facial injury inflicted by a covetous fellow model, actress and former friend who's name I shall withhold at this juncture, though the guilty part definitely knows who she is.

Likewise, it was the more artsy and innovative photo shoots that her talents procured for her that were her true passion, such as her depiction of Shawna Diaz on the cover art for the special edition of the fantasy/horror comic series Exposure and her work with fantasy artist Tony Mauro on his When Darkness Falls calendar. Her film work had mirrored this tendency as while she was still doing a fair bit of adult oriented material with Jim Wynorski and other B-movie directors, there was a bit more of an effort to break into a realm outside of softcore, as seen in her significant roles in Hard As Nails, Crash Point Zero and Slaughter Studios. Towards the end of her career it was her desire to use her self-financed business LMP to explore a more refined and intricate style of art within her modeling and acting pursuits.

Alas, the downside to any degree of fame, be it the ubiquitous variety enjoyed by the A-list crowd or the more localized and personal pedigree that Lorissa was cut from, is attracting parasites. Naturally some are more deserving of this title than others when it comes to her supposed "friends", but this label would fit anyone who took any degree of advantage of Lorissa's graciousness while failing to recognize that they were interacting with a human being, not a party favor. This was the real truth that lay beneath the pretense of a woman caught up in a supposed Hollywood cliche, a woman who was naive and forgiving to a fault, who's love and friendship was returned with varying degrees of vindictive hatred.

The truth is, genuine love is a rarity in this world, and when it is given, it is usually done so in so gratuitous a fashion that the recipient often doesn't realize what he or she has received. At some point in 1993 it came to Lorissa in the form of a phone call from a new fan looking to purchase some of her work. He was drawn to the glowing exterior that attracted every other onlooker, but underneath that light he saw an even greater one beneath that few would probably think to seek out in anyone. That first gesture led to 16 years of friendship, and towards the end, much more. During the good times, he was content to be called a fan, but conducted himself with a degree of loyalty to her that could pass for family.

As the Eskimo proverb states, "You never really know your friends from your enemies until the ice breaks", and when all the money was gone (stolen), her career at a standstill, and her bombshell appearance faded, that same fan still saw the same person that he fell in love with in the early 1990s and proved his salt in a way that few have or ever will. The few months that they had together before the ravenous predator of a federal government that this country suffers under tore their lives apart were marked by a mixture of hope and hardship, as Lorissa worked to beat a nasty addiction to Oxy Contin and regain her life, but in that short time, they experienced a love that is rarely found, and even more rarely kept.

It is my hope that at some point in the near future that a breakthrough is had and that the guilty parties that caused this benevolent woman's downfall are brought to justice. Justice will not bring her back, (I continue to cleave to the hope that at the end of all things she will be brought back, fully justified by the faith in Christ that I have reason to believe that she carried, obviously ebbing and flowing, throughout her life.) but her and David are entitled to it. I thus, on this sad of anniversaries, renew my vow to fight in any way that I can for that justice, and I hope that anyone reading this with any pull with the powers that be will consider these words.

Rest In Peace Lorissa