You can find explicit, lengthy, detailed videos of nearly any sex act known to man on the internet. Whatever kink, fetish or preference you have, there’s likely a plethora of content featuring consenting adults available to meet your needs. By that measure, it’s common for people’s interests to become increasingly more intense. Perhaps you started off masturbating to Victoria’s Secret catalogues, now you can’t get off without watching 45 minutes of anal intercourse in HD.
Unless, of course, you’re among the nearly one million members of r/JerkOfftoCelebs, a wholesome bunch who prefer to masturbate to non-nude photos of their favorite celebrities. At best, they’re getting a quick look at their boobs or ass from a role in a movie. “To me, it’s because you feel like you know them,” says rolotomassi97, a regular on the subreddit who cites Kate Upton, Barbara Palvin and Margot Robbie as his favorite celebrities to jerk off to. In addition to r/JerkOffToCelebs, he’s also a member of a handful of subreddits with similar themes, like r/CelebNSFW, r/CelebJObuds and r/CelebrityFeet.
The popularity of the celebrities featured on the subreddit waxes and wanes each month. During the last few weeks, Brie Larson and Doja Cat have been included in top-upvoted posts. Scarlett Johansson and Anne Hathaway are perpetual favorites. The most popular post of all time is of Angelina Jolie, with Sydney Sweeney in second place. Alexandra Daddarrio is a frequent feature as well.
Nude or at least vaguely erotic photos and clips of celebrities have been an object of fascination since the dawn of film. For over 20 years, sites like MrSkin.com have catalogued every single nip slip or boob shot of famous people, organizing them meticulously by name and movie. And the fact that it’s not actually porn is only part of the appeal. “Their photo shoots and nude scenes are done with care and professionalism,” explains rolotomassi97. “Even if it’s objectifying the women and only focused on their bodies, it’s still done so in a way that’s artsy.”
Ironically, these “artsy” photos and nude scenes have the same effect as the allegedly non-artsy porn that “objectifies” women just the same — that is, people are still going to masturbate to it, artsy or not. In a sense, though, this celebrity fapping almost feels wholesome and nostalgic, harkening back to an era when we didn’t have all the smut in the world at our fingertips.
Masturbating to celebrities also reflects a somewhat romantic ideal, too. When someone jerks off to a photo of a celebrity they particularly like, it’s because they’re able to place this stranger as the projection of their desires. They don’t know this person at all, but the very nature of celebrity makes them think they do. This points to the same desire for closeness and intimacy that shows up on sites like OnlyFans, where conversation and perceived relationships with performers are currency, not just videos of boning.
“I’ve always said that psychologically, a celebrity is like a friend,” says Mr. Skin himself. “And 100 percent of the time, you would rather see someone you’re attracted to and know nude versus someone you are attracted to and don’t. That’s why the lure of celebrity nudity is so strong.”
For rolotomassi97, this is exactly what makes his celeb jerk-off sessions so rewarding. “I find myself stroking to celebs a lot more [than regular porn],” he tells me. “I guess it’s because I know their personalities, and I can watch them without having to feel turned on by them and can just enjoy their talent. Porn stars are only there to make me cum. There’s nothing more about them I’m interested in.”
Of course, there are many porn stars who do showcase their personality and so-called “realness,” either directly through their work or on social media. But, for whatever reason, rolotomassi97 says he doesn’t care about that, which points to what may be the core of why r/JerkOfftoCelebs is so appealing for some of its members: Though an actress may be showing her breasts or simulating sex, she’s different, in their minds, from the porn stars who do the same, but more explicitly. Perhaps she’s more pure, more morally “good” or simply more unattainable. Or perhaps her non-sexual roles help the viewer think they understand who she is better, despite the fact that she’s acting, and she isn’t the person they see on screen at all.
Whatever the logic, masturbating to celebrities endures. Above all, it seems, it’s just another way to feel close to someone who doesn’t know we exist.
Magdalene Taylor
Magdalene Taylor is a staff writer at MEL. She covers internet culture, sex and the online adult industry. She lives in Brooklyn but is from God's Country, Western Massachusetts.
