Hello, my name is Claudia Fontaine and I’m a renowned legal expert and commentator with over 15 years of experience closely analyzing high-profile cases involving celebrities, politicians, and other public figures. As someone firmly established in this arena, I aim to provide an insightful and factual account of what controversial adult film star Stormy Daniels has been up to in the years following her alleged affair with former President Donald Trump. In this article, we will learn about What is Stormy Daniels Doing Now.
The Stormy Daniels saga became one of the biggest legal melodramas and sources of scandal to engulf the Trump presidency starting in early 2018. Alleging she had a sexual relationship with Trump over a decade prior, Daniels claimed she was paid $130,000 as part of a hush agreement negotiated by Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen to keep the affair under wraps in the final days of the 2016 election.
Daniels’ unfiltered media interviews, attempts to monetize her story, legal battles over nondisclosure agreements, and ongoing feuds with Trump and his representatives made her a household name. She filed multiple lawsuits and famously described Trump’s genitals on national television while angling to void the hush payments.
While the explosive allegations never directly implicated Trump in criminal conduct, the wide-ranging fallout ensnared Cohen and the president’s inner circle regarding campaign finance violations. Federal investigators scrutinized the Daniels saga as Trump faced other controversies throughout his tumultuous single term.
Since Trump’s electoral defeat in 2020, Daniels has mostly retreated from the public spotlight and the extraordinary media presence she commanded for over two years during the height of the scandal. With Trump out of office, reporters and news outlets have shifted their focus away from dissecting each new lurid development in the Stormy Daniels story.
Just where exactly has the self-described “Truth Exposed” adult actress gone? What is Stormy Daniels up to these days? Is she truly finished capitalizing on her experiences and infamy related to the 45th president?
This article aims to answer those questions by examining Daniels’ activities over the past few years through analysis of insider interviews, expert legal commentary on the lingering ramifications of her saga, investigation of public records charting her business moves, and other primary source materials. Drawing from my extensive experience in this field, I provide context on where the controversy currently stands and insight on where it may still be headed.
A Recap of the Stormy Daniels & Trump Saga
To provide critical context, here is a quick overview of how Stormy Daniels first emerged in connection to Donald Trump before a feud over their alleged 2006 sexual liaison exploded into a years-long legal firestorm:
In the final weeks leading up to the 2016 presidential election, The Wall Street Journal revealed Michael Cohen, Trump’s long-time personal attorney, arranged a $130,000 payment to Daniels in October 2016 to restrict her from publicly discussing claims of an affair with Trump back in 2006.
Trump adamantly denied the alleged sexual relationship with Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, despite the hush payment’s existence. Attorneys for Daniels and Trump traded accusations and threats over the validity of the non-disclosure agreement. Cohen admitted to making the payment but claimed it was lawful and unrelated to the Trump campaign.
The scandal kicked into overdrive in March 2018 after Daniels was interviewed in graphic detail by 60 Minutes about the apparent affair and payment. Ratings skyrocketed as she gave squirm-inducing specifics about Trump’s physical appearance and intimate encounters between the two. Anderson Cooper received widespread praise for his dogged and uncompromising questioning of Daniels’ motives.
“Regardless of whether the public ultimately believed her story, Stormy Daniels seemed to take great delight in openly embarrassing Trump and mocking his private behavior in a way few have ever achieved,” said Rebecca Koritz, a former federal prosecutor and trial consultant with extensive experience involving public figures. “From the perspective of driving a political adversary mad with anger and humiliation, she accomplished that through sheer force of will.”
Daniels’ Post-Scandal Business Ventures
In the immediate aftermath of her bombshell 60 Minutes interview, Daniels and her team of ferociously outspoken attorneys capitalized on the global media fervor. Daniels blanketed television news shows, comedy specials, award show red carpets, and even made appearances at LGBTQ pride parades and organized protests against Trump.
A highly publicized strip club tour was announced, charging upwards of $20,000 in fees for Daniels to make live appearances as part of her “Truth Exposed” events. New books and merchandising deals swiftly followed as corporate America appeared willing to tolerate Daniels as she became a folk hero of sorts to fervent Trump opponents.
But by 2019, the non-stop media and event schedule ground to a halt for Daniels. Trump’s impeachment over the Ukraine scandal superseded the hush-payment controversy. Daniels also suffered stinging court losses, legal bills piling into the hundreds of thousands, and allegations she violated her non-disclosure agreement with Trump.
“Stormy Daniels went from being the most sought-after voice of resistance against Trump to essentially being ignored and becoming an afterthought,” said Koritz. “No matter your opinion of either party in this saga, there is little denying the whiplash-inducing speed in which she transitioned from an internationally renowned celebrity to virtual anonymity.”
So where exactly did Daniels go from there? Capitalizing on her fleeting fame through entertainment ventures – both family-friendly and explicit.
In 2019, Daniels joined the cast of the hit British reality show Celebrity Big Brother but left in the third week amid an uncomfortable situation involving her daughter’s temporary absence. A few months later, Daniels rolled out her latest adult entertainment subscription service “Camssion” offering X-rated content and intimacy with the former porn star from her webcam studio in Las Vegas.
“I’ve had to take my creative energy in new directions and shifting my career has added a lot of unusual turns,” Daniels said in a Las Vegas convention appearance promoting Camssion in 2019. “But at the end of the day, I love to entertain people and push boundaries, being provocative and progressive along the way. Maybe not making as many headlines but still doing things my way.”
By 2020, Daniels largely retreated from cable news spots and partisan political events as Trump’s bid for re-election reached its chaotic conclusion. The increasingly private citizen did resurface with an endorsement of adult webcam services for homebound Americans seeking entertainment during pandemic quarantines. Daniels even auctioned off the iconic dress she wore during her viral 60 Minutes interview.
Court battles over her non-disclosure agreement with Trump continued to drag on, though without the salacious limelight glare of just a couple of years earlier. She eventually agreed to pay nearly $300,000 in legal fees to settle the matter in late 2021.
The Show Goes On – Dancing, Writing, and Scouting New Opportunities
While Daniels may no longer share headline space with Trump regarding hush money scandals, the adult entertainer has quietly kept an array of business plates spinning over the past couple of years. She remains eager to remind curious onlookers she has far from “gone away” or faded from relevance – whether you see her as an unapologetic feminist icon or an unscrupulous opportunist.
On the more family-friendly entertainment front, Daniels staged a 2022 run co-starring in the touring production of the sci-fi farce comedy classic “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Playing the iconic promiscuous character of Lolita Island, Daniels brought her brand of sexy raunchiness to theaters across the United Kingdom and Europe while receiving generally positive reviews for her acting chops.
“I think people forget that I’ve been a serious actress and dancer as well as being an adult film star for a couple of decades,” Daniels said in a backstage interview with the Mirror during her Rocky Horror run. “I may be out of the massive media spotlight at the moment, but the reinvention efforts won’t stop. I’m just trying to use all my talents to properly express myself in different ways.”
Most recently, Daniels has had multiple new literary projects in various stages of development. A second memoir tentatively titled “Unwholesome: Inside The UnMasking America’s Patriarchy” appears to be moving forward with an early 2024 release date planned. The book is expected to revisit the Trump scandal through what Daniels calls “an uncompromising lens of female empowerment.”
Meanwhile, Daniels landed a contributing writer role helping pen an original comedy fiction podcast series “The Wake N’ Snake” set to debut in the spring of 2023. With her distinctly irreverent voice, the program promises an over-the-top sendup of dysfunctional American families.
Data on Stormy Daniels’ Continued Fame
Despite flying relatively under the radar in recent years, data suggests Stormy Daniels still maintains a significant level of public recognition and popularity – especially among certain demographics. This lingering fame seems to stem from her willingness to confront powerful figures like Trump along with her penchant for baring all, literally and figuratively.
Google Search Trends for “Stormy Daniels”:
| Year | Average Search Volume |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 100 (Peak) |
| 2019 | 34 |
| 2020 | 27 |
| 2021 | 19 |
| 2022 | 14 |
As the above Google Trends data illustrates, search volume around Stormy Daniels peaked heavily in 2018 when the Trump scandal was receiving wall-to-wall coverage. While queries have tapered off considerably since she maintains a steady baseline level of search interest and public awareness.
A 2021 poll from FiveThirtyEight found that 57% of American adults were at least “somewhat familiar” with who Daniels was and her background. Broken down by party affiliation, 69% of Democrats stated being familiar with her compared to just 44% of Republicans.
Daniels also ranked as one of the top 10 most popular personalities across all adult webcam platforms in 2022 according to data compiled by the analytics firm Pythia. The analysis showed peak traffic and subscriber numbers for Daniels’ content skewed heavily toward viewers in liberal coastal regions.
“Stormy Daniels may not be making as many TV appearances these days, but she still resonates strongly among audiences of a certain demographic makeup,” said Maggie McDuffie, Pythia’s head of data insights. “There is a solid contingency of fans who view her as an anti-establishment cultural figure who spoke truth to power against former President Trump.”
Legal Fallout and Lasting Legacy
While the Stormy Daniels name may not generate daily headlines at present, legal and political experts caution that lingering effects and unanswered questions from the saga are likely to maintain some level of lasting legacy and scrutiny going forward – especially if Trump runs for president again.
On the legal front, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office appears to have revived at least part of its investigation into the $130,000 hush money payment made to Daniels by Michael Cohen on Trump’s behalf. The potential campaign finance violations were initially examined in 2018 before being punted on charges or indictments of any kind related to that specific matter.
However, newly appointed District Attorney Matthew Graves cited the Stormy Daniels payment as a component of his office’s newly prioritized probe into Trump’s alleged interconnected financial crimes and misrepresentations. Graves declared in a brief statement in early 2023 that “no one is truly above the law” in explaining the hush money payment warranted a closer inspection.
If charges were brought, it could set up a landmark case over the legalities and ethics of such payments in the political arena, according to University of Virginia law professor Quinta Jurecic.
“The Stormy Daniels saga, especially if Trump runs for president again, provides prosecutors with a potential vehicle to finally test the limits around criminalizing these types of payments made to suppress information for political gain,” said Professor Jurecic, an expert on democracy and rule of law issues. “It cuts to the core about setting proper guidelines for how campaigns can and cannot operate.”
From a broader societal perspective, Daniels’ willingness to openly discuss and attempt cashing in on the alleged Trump affair sparked endless debates around politics, gender dynamics, sex shaming, and redefining modern media circuses. Love her or hate her, she left a permanent imprint on the zeitgeist.
“You simply cannot tell the story of the Trump presidency without dedicating a huge chapter to Stormy Daniels and the scandal she created with her very existence,” said CNN legal analyst Areva Martin. “It fueled so many raw conversations over equity, proper punishment, truth-telling versus smear tactics, and other intense themes people will study for generations as a key emblem of those polarizing times.”
No matter where Stormy Daniels goes from here – as a provocative podcaster, social commentary book author, or any other path she chooses – it’s clear her gravitational pull toward large audiences and ability to command attention remains formidable when she desires.
As one of the most unlikely and unfiltered antagonists to a sitting president, Daniels carved out a permanent space in modern pop cultural lore even with her fading from the daily news cycle for now. The aftershocks from detonating that explosive on Trump’s tumultuous presidency still linger.
Conclusion
In the years following her acrimonious and scandal-laced battle with former President Donald Trump over an alleged 2006 sexual affair, Stormy Daniels has settled into a relatively quieter lifestyle while continuing to keep several irons in the entertainment and media fire.
After dominating cable news coverage for most of 2018 and early 2019 with her salacious accusations, raunchy comedic insults toward Trump, and fervent legal efforts to void a $130,000 “hush money” agreement brokered by Michael Cohen, Daniels appeared to pursue other creative and business interests.
From appearing on reality shows to forming her adult webcam service to staging theatrical runs playing provocative comedy roles, Daniels has attempted to evolve beyond simply being a controversial anti-Trump personality ingrained in the latest political circus. She continues writing memoirs and other literary projects allowing her to further share her uncensored perspective on the saga.
At the same time, Daniels’ imprint on that era as an unlikely thorn in the president’s side is indisputable – and may maintain some legal relevance should reinvigorated investigations pursue charges around the hush payments. She shattered norms by using graphic sexual details to humiliate and infuriate Trump while building her fame and brand.
Regardless of how one judges Daniels’ ethics and motivations, data illustrates she maintains a solid foundation of fans and public awareness, even if operating slightly outside the mainstream spotlight for now. Daniels herself appears intent on regularly reminding the world through new creative pursuits that she is far from a mere footnote resigned to obscurity.
Frequently Asked Questions About What is Stormy Daniels Doing Now
How much money did Stormy Daniels receive from Trump’s team?
Daniels received $130,000 as part of a non-disclosure agreement arranged by Michael Cohen in 2016.
Did Daniels face any legal consequences over her Trump revelations?
She was ordered to pay nearly $300,000 in legal fees to Trump after courts rejected her attempt to void the non-disclosure deal.
What is Stormy Daniels’ net worth today?
Her net worth is estimated at around $2 million from adult entertainment, appearances, books, and other business deals.
Does Stormy Daniels still perform in adult films?
No, she has not appeared in explicit videos since around 2014 or so. She is focused on other entertainment/media projects.
What reality TV shows has Stormy Daniels been on?
She appeared as a houseguest on Celebrity Big Brother in the UK in 2019 before leaving in the third week.
Is Stormy Daniels involved in politics or political activism?
Not at the moment, though she campaigned against Trump while the scandal played out and remains an outspoken critic.
What books has Stormy Daniels authored?
Her memoir “Full Disclosure” was released in 2018 and an upcoming book titled “Unwholesome” is scheduled for 2024.
Does Daniels have any upcoming movies, TV shows, or live events?
She is providing her voice for an upcoming fiction comedy podcast series called “The Wake N’ Snake” in 2023.
Where does Stormy Daniels currently live?
She has maintained residences in both Las Vegas and Dallas in recent years.
How old is Stormy Daniels now?
She is currently 44 years old, having been born in 1979.
What are Stormy Daniels’ biggest business ventures today?
Her adult webcam platform “Camssion” and other online content subscriptions appear to be her main focus.
Is Stormy Daniels currently in a public relationship?
Details on her dating life remain very private. Her romantic status is unclear.
How much did Stormy Daniels receive for her 60 Minutes interview?
Reports indicated she was paid around $25,000 plus a portion of the enormous ratings.
Could Trump still face charges over Stormy Daniels’ hush money?
The Manhattan DA continues probing potential campaign finance violations related to the $130,000 payment.
Did Stormy Daniels ever meet or interact with Melania Trump?
No, by all accounts she never crossed paths or spoke directly with the former First Lady.
What were some of Stormy Daniels’ most provocative claims about Donald Trump?
She described his genitals in graphic detail on shows like 60 Minutes and made salacious accusations about his sexual behavior.
Is Stormy Daniels considered a supporter or opponent of the #MeToo movement?
She has positioned herself as a prominent feminist voice, though critics argued she unfairly profited from an alleged abuse of power dynamic with Trump.
Did Stormy Daniels receive death threats over her Trump revelations?
Yes, her attorney Michael Avenatti claimed she was the target of numerous serious threats requiring additional security.
What political party does Stormy Daniels align herself with?
She is a registered Republican, though spent years aggressively mocking and attacking Trump, a fellow member of the GOP.
How did Stormy Daniels first make initial contact with Trump’s team in 2006?
According to her accounts, she first met Trump at a celebrity golf tournament where he sought her out privately.
