Rielle Hunter-John Edwards Sex Tape Worth $5 Million, Says Vivid CEO

By: Edecio Martinez
Topics: Daily Blotter

Rielle Hunter and former Sen. John Edwards (AP)

NEW YORK (CBS) How much would the world's largest producer of pornographic videos pay to see Rielle Hunter and John Edwards get it on?

PICTURES: Rielle Hunter

CRIMESIDER spoke with Vivid Entertainment's CEO Steven Hirsch, and asked how much the notorious Edwards-Hunter sex tape is worth. The answer? A whole lot.

"There has been a tremendous amount of interest in him," Hirsch told CRIMESIDER. "We would be ready to pay $5 million."

Knowledge of the sex tape surfaced when former Edwards loyalist, Andrew Young, revealed its existence in his recent book, "The Politician." Young reportedly found the footage on an unmarked tape.

Since then, dirty details of the tape have surfaced via The Daily Beast, based on accounts from multiple people who claim to have seen it. According to The Daily Beast, a medical source who has seen the tape confirmed that Hunter appeared to be four or five months pregnant in the video. Other sources claim Edwards was "graphically performing for the camera," which Hunter was holding, says The Daily Beast.

Do these details change the value of the tape?

"There has been enough talk about it that it's pretty much sold," Hirsch explained to CRIMESIDER. "We would have to take a look at the tape."

Hunter has sued Young for invasion of privacy, seeking the return of the videotape. Hunter's appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show Thursday was her first televised interview since the former North Carolina senator first admitted two years ago that he had an affair with her. In the show, Hunter admitted that the tape exists.

Edwards hired Hunter to work as a campaign videographer in 2006 as he plotted his second run for president. The former North Carolina senator's political action committee paid her video production firm more than $100,000. Federal investigators have been looking into Edwards' campaign finances, with former aide Andrew Young saying a grand jury questioned him for hours about the large sums of money that changed hands during the period that he helped cover up the affair.

In January, Edwards said he and Hunter have a 2-year-old daughter, after initially denying it. He and his wife, Elizabeth Edwards, are now separated.

"The whole sex tape thing is interesting," Hirsch told CRIMESIDER. "I wish them the best."

MEDIA
PICTURES: Rielle Hunter
WATCH: Rielle Hunter Speaks

MORE ON CRIMESIDER
March 17, 2010 - Rielle Hunter Photoshoot, GQ Responds: She Knew What She Was Doing
March 16, 2010 - Rielle Hunter-John Edwards Sex Tape: Dirty Details on Daily Beast
March 15, 2010 - Rielle Hunter to GQ: "I Could not Emasculate" John Edwards
March 15, 2010 - Rielle Hunter Pictures in GQ are "Repulsive," Says John Edwards' Lover
March 4, 2010 - Enquirer: John Edwards Indictment Imminent...Proof that Things Can Always Get Worse
February 11, 2010 - John Edwards Aide Andrew Young: Elizabeth Edwards Wants to Sue Me For Destroying Her Marriage
February 8, 2010 - John Edwards Sex Tape: Judge Orders Security to Take Video from Former Aide Andrew Young
January 29, 2010 - John Edwards' Mistress Rielle Hunter: I Want My Sex Tape Back!
January 25, 2010 - John Edwards Sex Tape? The Headline You Knew Was Coming
January 21, 2010 - John Edwards Latest News: Love Child, Yes; Stolen Dirty Diapers and Fake DNA, We'll See
September 21, 2009 - John Edwards Faces Grand Jury and Former Aide Over Love Affair Lies

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by Carol065 May 3, 2010 8:34 AM EDT: Rielle said she destroyed(her definition of destroyed is sketchy IMO) the tape but she left it at Andrew's house. Who does that? Point is she wanted it found. Pretty sure she has another copy in her library.; Reply to this comment


by jasperlily May 2, 2010 4:32 PM EDT: Interesting - I guess - to read that it's worth $5M to some stoop. I wouldn't give a plugged nickel for the thing. Strange, the value some people place on stuff that's nothing to brag about.; Reply to this comment


by responsibility1 May 2, 2010 3:02 PM EDT: You are also very unattractive and if anyone gives money for this I would say what a waste of time and space. I never was a fan of Edwards I thought him and Kerry would fail miserably. I am a democrat that would have supported the party by voting for Kerry but when he choose Edward's you knew that train was not going to make it to the station. he needed to pick Richardson, Liberman someone with substance and viability to have on the ticket.; Reply to this comment


by responsibility1 May 2, 2010 2:49 PM EDT: These two need to slither away to bottom feeder land. I choose not to watch the interview this hag gave. but I heard people stating she was not sorry, blah, blah. kind of like Angelina and Brad happy couples do not stray? The very least you owes apologies and to ask for forgiveness to the children involved you narcissitic duo. I hope your daughter is proud.; Reply to this comment


by sumurphy0300 May 2, 2010 12:26 PM EDT: As a nation, we all gasped as the crimes committed Charles Manson unfolded. So not that these two (Hunter and Edwards) amount to a pile of beans in my life, but as with the transgressions committed by Tiger Wood where one took place two months before his first child was born, or the Appalachian hike John Sanford took and the obvious failure to put someone in charge in his absence, our opinions of these events does serve as a sort of a general reflections in the state of our time and the value of the day. So 'yes', social actions mattered, not some much how it impacts our lives directly, but to the extend of the social standards as it shifts, or allowing it to shift without registering some feedbacks.
Therefore, I am glad to add my two bits: To bring an innocent life to the world under these circumstances; what a legacy to saddle a Life with. Edwards and Hunter tops the list of selfishness and one of the worst circumstance to parent a child that they have no reason to have beyond the throb between their legs.; Reply to this comment


by gruven13777 May 1, 2010 8:20 PM EDT: 5 million? Maybe like $50K if they're lucky. The number of people who would actually pay money to see John Edwards have sex would be a tiny number (the sickest of the sick).; Reply to this comment


by Farver4girls May 1, 2010 7:50 PM EDT: I don't know why the public is making such a fuss about them. Johnny and Rielle met, fell in love and had a baby. Johnny was married to Elizabeth at the time. So what! I'm sorry for Elizabeth, but many wives have lost their husbands to other women. I would admire Elizabeth more if she picked up the pieces and moved on with her own life.; Reply to this comment


by j_d_green May 1, 2010 6:24 PM EDT: Vivid says that a tape of a crap Politician/Lawyer is worth $5M?!

What would it be worth if it were an attractive Hollywood actress?; Reply to this comment


by DawnBroderick40 May 1, 2010 1:23 PM EDT: Ewwwwwww, I wouldn't pay five dollars to watch them, or anyone else for that matter. Why pay for chopped steak when you can have your own filet mignon at home free of charge? She is revolting looking and he's not much either with that dorky hairdo.; Reply to this comment


by josephp5 May 1, 2010 12:43 PM EDT: Rielle Hunter may not be a very appealing character. But Andrew Young is even more repulsive!

He claims that she "abandoned" that sex tape, so therefore he's not going to give it back. Well, that's just stealing! He has no right to keep it simply because she left it at his house when she was staying there.

And it merely shows his nastiness to be making comments about the completely irrelevant matter of Hunter's possible plastic surgery.

I believe Andrew Young is exactly like Rielle Hunter: an evil scam artist, playing up his former relationship with John Edwards to enrich himself.

John Edwards sure could pick his friends.; Reply to this comment