Colin Snow
In 1988, a sex tape featuring Rob Lowe and two women, one of whom was 16 years old at the time, was leaked to the press. Lowe, who was 24, allegedly picked up the two women at a nightclub in Atlanta and took them back to his hotel room, where they had sex and filmed the encounter. The actor maintained that he did not know the girl was underage and settled a lawsuit with her family out of court. Despite facing a media firestorm, Lowe was not charged with a crime, and his career eventually recovered.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Age of Rob Lowe at the time | 24 |
| Age of the girl | 16 |
| Year of the incident | 1988 |
| Age of consent in Georgia at the time | 14 |
| Age of consent in the UK | 16 |
| Name of the girl | Lena Jan Parsons (known as Jan) |
| Name of the 23-year-old friend | Tara Seburt |
| Rob Lowe's claim | He didn't know the girl was underage |
| Outcome | Settled a lawsuit with the girl's family and was not charged with a crime |
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What You'll Learn
Rob Lowe's 1988 sex tape scandal
In 1988, Rob Lowe was involved in a sex tape scandal, which stunted his career for many years. On July 17, 1988, Lowe, then 24, allegedly picked up 16-year-old Lena Jan Parsons (known as Jan) and her 23-year-old friend, Tara Seburt, from an Atlanta nightclub. He then reportedly took them back to the Atlanta Hilton and, with their cooperation, taped the ensuing sexual encounter.
At the time, the age of consent in Georgia was 14, and Lowe maintained that he did not know Parsons was underage. He settled a lawsuit with her family and was not charged with a crime. However, the media firestorm surrounding the incident had a significant impact on his career.
Despite the scandal, Lowe has credited the incident with positively changing his life trajectory. He has since spoken openly about his sobriety, crediting actress Demi Moore with helping him get sober and inspiring him to seek treatment.
Lowe's 1988 sex tape was one of the first celebrity sex tapes to be leaked, and it continues to be a notable event in his career, with his son, John Owen Lowe, revealing that he first learned about the tape from a classmate when he was in his early teens.
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Rob Lowe's response to the allegations
Rob Lowe has faced allegations regarding a 1988 sex tape scandal. The tape featured a 16-year-old girl, identified as Lena Jan Parsons, and her 23-year-old friend, Tara Seburt. At the time, Lowe was 24 years old.
Lowe has addressed the allegations, maintaining that he was unaware that Parsons was underage. He settled a lawsuit with her family and was not criminally charged. In the years since, Lowe has reflected on the incident, crediting it with positively changing his life's trajectory and inspiring him to get sober. He has acknowledged that the tape was a mistake and that fame and substance abuse played a role in his actions.
During his live show, "Stories I Only Tell My Friends: LIVE!", Lowe opened up about the impact of the scandal, stating:
> It's not a great recipe for success to give an 18-year-old male fame, money, drugs and expect there not to be something that goes wrong.
He also acknowledged the seriousness of his actions, noting that it was a "serious, literal life-and-death issue". Lowe has since found inspiration in the sobriety of his "St. Elmo's Fire" co-star Demi Moore, and has shared his appreciation for rehab, stating that it provided him with answers about life that he didn't have before.
While the sex tape scandal generated significant media attention and impacted Lowe's career, he has since found success in television, appearing in shows such as "The West Wing," "Parks and Recreation," and "9-1-1: Lone Star."
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The age of consent in Georgia
In 1988, Rob Lowe, then 24 years old, was involved in a sex tape scandal with 16-year-old Lena Jan Parsons and her 23-year-old friend, Tara Seburt. Lowe was not charged with a crime, but he settled a lawsuit with Parsons' family. At the time, the age of consent in Georgia was 14, and it was raised to 16 in 1995.
Georgia has a limited age differential statute, or a Romeo and Juliet Law, which applies when a female is at least 14 years old but not yet 16, and engages in sexual intercourse with another person 18 or younger. This is considered a misdemeanor, and the age gap must be no more than four years for this statute to apply.
To convict a defendant for statutory rape in Georgia, a prosecutor must prove that the accused and the victim engaged in sexual intercourse via penetration. Ejaculation is not necessary, only that the victim was under the legal age of consent at the time of the act. An exception to Georgia's statutory rape law is if the two people are married, in which case Georgia will not prosecute.
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Rob Lowe's career after the scandal
In 1988, Rob Lowe was involved in a sex scandal after a videotape of him having sex with a 16-year-old girl and her 22 or 23-year-old friend was leaked to the press. Lowe was 24 at the time. The sex tape was one of the first celebrity sex tapes and caused a media firestorm.
Despite the scandal, Lowe's career rebounded, and he went on to host Saturday Night Live twice, mocking his own behavior. He also continued to act, taking supporting roles in comedy films such as Wayne's World (1992), Tommy Boy (1995), and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999).
In 1999, Lowe's career saw a resurgence when he ventured back into television, making his breakthrough as Sam Seaborn on the NBC political drama The West Wing. For his role in the series, which ran from 1999 to 2003 (and again in 2006), Lowe received nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards.
Lowe continued to act in the 2010s, starring in the situation comedy Parks and Recreation from 2010 to 2015 and appearing in a guest run on the show Brothers & Sisters from 2006 to 2010. In 2013, he filmed Stir of Echoes: The Homecoming, the sequel to the 1999 Kevin Bacon thriller Stir of Echoes.
In 2014, Lowe became a commercial spokesman for DirecTV, and in 2015, he voiced Simba in The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar and its subsequent series The Lion Guard. In December 2015, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In 2016, Lowe launched a fragrance product line called 18 Amber Wood, and in 2017, he appeared in a KFC campaign as astronaut Colonel Sanders. That same year, he began a reality series with his two sons, The Lowe Files, investigating common urban myths and legends.
In 2018, Atkins Nutritionals announced Lowe as a new brand spokesperson, and it was also announced that he would star in an ITV series, Wild Bill, about an American policeman who moves to Britain.
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Rob Lowe's son's reaction to the scandal
Rob Lowe's son, Matthew, has appeared alongside his father in a reality TV series called "The Lowe Files". The show, which premiered in 2017, featured Matthew and his brother, Jon Owen, embarking on road trips and investigating urban myths and legends.
While there is no specific information on how Rob Lowe's sons reacted to the scandal, it is clear that it had a significant impact on their father's life and career. Rob Lowe has since credited the scandal with helping him turn his life around, saying that it led him to get sober, which in turn helped him to meet his wife. He has been married for over 29 years and has said that he doesn't think "any of that happens without going through that scandal".
The scandal, which broke in 1988, involved a leaked sex tape of Rob Lowe with two women, one of whom was 16 years old at the time. The tape was recorded in Georgia, where the age of consent was 14 at the time (it was raised to 16 in 1995). While the sexual activity was legal, the age to be involved in such a recording was 18. The scandal caused a media frenzy and led to intense backlash and moral outrage against Lowe, with many questioning his character and professional integrity.
Despite the scandal, Rob Lowe has been able to rebuild his image and resume his successful career as an actor, producer, and director. He has received critical acclaim for his work and is also known for his philanthropic efforts and involvement in various charitable causes.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Rob Lowe was involved in a sex tape scandal in 1988, where he videotaped himself having sex with a 16-year-old girl.
No, Rob Lowe settled a lawsuit with the girl's family and was not charged with a crime. He maintained that he did not know the girl was underage.
The sex tape scandal stymied Rob Lowe's career for many years. However, he has since credited the incident as "the best thing that ever happened to me", as it led him to get sober and turn his life around.
The media firestorm surrounding the scandal was intense, and many people were critical of Rob Lowe's actions. However, the age of consent in Georgia, where the act took place, was 14 at the time, so some people argued that it was legal and consensual.
