These condoms are ready for their close-up

Chi Chi Larue, gay icon and porn director extraordinaire, has been one of the more vocal proponents in the adult industry of promoting condom use in adult films, and as part of a new partnership announced earlier this month Larue and her production house, Channel 1 Releasing, will be getting all their condoms for film shoots at Southie's own Global Protection Corp., maker of One condoms. Larue said she was impressed by One's trademark round foil packaging and eye-catching images, particularly the gay-themed images of the company's Pride Mix, which purports to be the only condom line marketed to the gay community.

"I think they look really good, and they'll look good in a retail store, not even a porn store, but a gayish retail store. ... It's very gifty looking, and I'm hoping how nice they are and how nice they look will entice men to actually use them," said Larue.

The partnership with Global Protection is a first for Larue, who said in the past she used to buy condoms for her films in bulk at retail.

"When I do a movie I go into Target and buy 20 boxes of condoms, and they look at me like I'm insane," said Larue. In addition to using the One condoms in her company's films, Larue will also give away condoms from One's Pride Mix at promotional events.

Jared Fennelly, marketing manager for Global Protection, said that the company reached out to Larue after seeing a safe sex public service announcement that Channel 1 had made promoting condom use.

"We realized that she was definitely an ally we wanted to work with, and Channel 1 in general is very supportive, very pro-condom," said Fennelly.

For those hoping to try out the condoms they see in Larue's next films, the Pride Mix is not available at retail outlets. Fennelly said the gay-themed condoms are one of the company's top sellers, but most of them are sold to health organizations doing safer sex outreach to gay men. Global Protection also sells the Pride Mix on its website and gives them away at Pride events throughout the year.