NBC 'Today' Panel Agrees: 'Shame on People' Who Object to Porn Star Reading to Kids

November 16th, 2011 4:43 PM

Updated : Video added after the jump.

During a panel discussion on Wednesday's NBC Today, all of the pundits agreed that it was perfectly acceptable for a school in California to let former porn star Sasha Grey read to a classroom of first graders. Advertising executive Donny Deutsch went so far as to admonish critics: "Shame on people, she's volunteering for underprivileged kids." [Audio available here]

NBC medical correspondent Nancy Snyderman also praised Grey's volunteerism and added that the whole controversy was just "craziness." Attorney Star Jones concluded: "Anytime somebody wants to go into a school and help out a child, we need to let them."

Here is a transcript of the November 16 exchange:

9:12AM ET

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Ex-porn star reads to elementary school students. Sasha Grey, she's now known for her role in Entourage actually, was recently chosen by an outside talent coordinator to read to a classroom of children. Do any of you have a problem with that, given her past?

DONNY DEUTSCH: Not at all. Not at all. They're first graders, she's volunteering her time. It's not against the law. Shame on – she's volunteering her time. Now maybe if it was high school kids and they were aware who she is. Shame on people, she's volunteering for underprivileged kids.

GUTHRIE: But they have no idea.

NANCY SYNDERMAN: She's a porn star who's literate. She can read.

DEUTSCH: But, I mean, do we have a problem with that?

STAR JONES: But to be honest with you, unless the parent told the kid...

GUTHRIE: They would have no idea.

JONES: ...one, what porn is and, two, who porn stars are.

DEUTSCH: They don't know what porn is in first grade, I mean, come on.

SNYDERMAN: You know what? She's volunteering her time, she's reading to kids.

JONES: Absolutely.

SNYDERMAN: I mean, what – this is craziness.

GUTHRIE: You don't see the controversy, okay.

JONES: You know, and anytime somebody wants to go into a school and help out a child, we need to let them.

SNYDERMAN: I agree with you.

DEUTSCH: This is the good side of what people do.