A fluffer is a person employed to keep a porn performer's penis erect on the set.[1] After setting up the desired angle, the director asks the actors to hold position and calls for the fluffer to "fluff" the actors for the shot. These duties are considered part of the makeup department. While fluffing does not necessarily involve touching the actors, it could entail sexual acts such as fellatio or non-penetrative sex.[2]
According to some pornographic actors, including Aurora Snow,[3] James Deen[4] and Keiran Lee,[5] fluffers are no longer needed, saying that the role might have existed in the past, but disappeared due to medical advancements, such as Viagra and implants, and with advancements in prosthetics.[6] Hunter Skott, who has worked as a fluffer, contended in an interview that they "are only used for a gangbang or bukkake, not for regular [porn] movies".[2]
Predating the pornographic usage, which came into use in the 1970s,[7][8] fluffer has been used by the real estate industry to refer to a person that stages homes[9] and as a term for a maid or housekeeper who fluffs pillows, or in general cleans and prepares work equipment.[10]