History Main / IWasYoungAndNeededTheMoney

** Joey was once in a porn movie because he was 'young, and needed some money'. He plays a guy who walks in during a sex scene to watch the couple have sex on the photocopier. At least he had a speaking bit, "You know, that's really bad for the paper tray."

* Sylvester Stallone.

* Danny Slavin, who played Leo Corbett in ''PowerRangersLostGalaxy'', only did it because he needed money for law school. Understandably, it took a lot of convincing to get him to return for the 10th anniversary ReunionShow.

* Played with in ''Stark Raving Mad'': an episode focused on Ian's extreme reluctance to discuss what he was doing during a particular year and a half of his life, going so far as making up a cover story about having spent it in a mental institution. After insistent prodding by Henry, he finally snaps and starts closing all his blinds, orders Henry to lock the door, warns him that what he's about to see "will disgust [him]" and produces a tape that he's "deeply ashamed" of and that he only keeps as a "reminder of how far [he] can fall". And when the tape starts playing we see that it's...[[spoiler:a cheesy musical.]]

-->'''Henry''': So wait a minute, you would rather have people think you were in a mental institution than...
-->''[Cut to more [[spoiler:musical]] scenes]''
-->'''Henry'''...I understand.

-->'''Jordan:''' Nice job, Perry. Your son just asked me if ''my'' vagina's ever been on television.
-->'''Perry:''' And, did you tell him not since the 80s when you were trying to make it as an "actress"?

--> I was young and I needed the money
--> I had money, but I needed more money
--> I was filthy rich; all I needed was love!
--> ...and a little more money!

Note this need not be something "racy" (and probably won't be, if the trope is being [[PlayingWith played for comedy]]; just something the performer would rather not have done, but did it anyway and took the paycheck.

* In ''UserFriendly'', this was Greg's justification for once having worked for {{Microsoft}}.

* ''GoodnessGraciousMe'' parodied this trope in a sketch where Bollywood superstar Chunky Lafunga is exposed as having starred in "a hardcore porn film" (using the exact phrase "I was young and needed the money") to justify his actions. We then see a clip from the film in question, the joke being that because this was Indian cinema, the scene is more like saucy ''CarryOn''-style innuendo than actual porn.

!!Examples

* Melanie from [[QueerAsFolk Queer as Folk]] appeared nude in a magazine to get money for college after her parents had cut her off for being gay. They apparently changed their minds after about three weeks, but by then she had already paid that year's tuition and the next.

* Used in the Steve Taylor song "Cash Cow" as a line setting up the following:

<<|StockPhrases|>>
<<|ShowBusiness|>>

* Leo's actor only took up the role of the Red Ranger in ''PowerRangersLostGalaxy'' to pay for college. It took a lot to convince him to return for the 10th anniversary ReunionShow; understandable, seeing how he is now a lawyer.

* Danny Slavin, who played Leo Corbett in ''PowerRangersLostGalaxy'', only did it because he needed money for law school.

* ''GoodnessGraciousMe'' parodied this trope in a sketch where Bollywood superstar Chunky Lafunga is exposed as having starred in "a hardcore porn film" (using the exact phrase "I was young and needed the money) to justify his actions. We then see a clip from the film in question, the joke being that because this was Bollywood cinema, the scene is more like saucy ''CarryOn''-style innuendo than actual porn.

Note that this could not necessarily be "racy", just something the performer preferred not have ever been done, but did it anyway and cashed for it.

* This becomes a scandal for Julia Roberts's character in ''Notting Hill''.

* There's an in-universe example in ''{{Friends}}'' - Joey was once in a porn movie because he was 'young, and needed some money'. He plays a guy who walks in during a sex scene to watch the couple have sex on the photocopier. At least he had a speaking bit, "You know, that's really bad for the paper tray."
** In another, Joey tells his agent that he's frustrated that she hasn't been getting him any good jobs lately. She replies, "Well you're just going to say no again, but ''gay porn?''"

-->'''Ian''': "[[spoiler:The Grinning Americans]]". I was living in Florida. Flat broke. No direction. I saw an ad in the newspaper. They were holding auditions, it was fast money. You get sucked into the life, Henry. Now you know.

* From {{Scrubs}}, "My Best Friend's Baby's Baby":
--->'''Jordan:''' Nice job, Perry. Your son just asked me if ''my'' vagina's ever been on television.
--->'''Perry:''' And, did you tell him not since the 80s when you were trying to make it as an "actress"?
* Apparently Wilson, from ''{{House}}'', was in a porno back in college. He swears that [[HurricaneOfExcuses it wasn't a porno when they were shooting it, and he was doing it as a favor to a friend that he had]] ''no idea'' would become an ''actual director'', [[HurricaneOfExcuses and said friend added some scenes in afterwards so he could release it as a porno...]]
** The fact that Wilson is entirely absent from all the sex scenes does lend credence to his story. House just wanted to see him squirm.

* Ray from {{Achewood}} paid major hush money to cover up his past as... a hip-hop dancer.

* In RealLife, this is how JackieChan justifies having once appeared in a porn flick (if ''{{Cracked}}'' is to be believed, which it may not be).
** And, legendarily, MarilynMonroe (although it was just nude pictures).
** And Sylvester Stallone.
** And Simon Rex.
** [[RunningGag And Chow Yun-Fat]].

* {{Vanessa L Williams}}'s ''{{Penthouse}}'' photoshoot was explained as such. She still lost her Miss America crown over it, however.
* Leo's actor from ''PowerRangersLostGalaxy'' only did it because he needed money for law school.

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* In ''UserFriendly'', this was Greg's justification for once having worked for {{Microsoft}}.
* Ray from {{Achewood}} paid major hush money to cover up his past as... a hip-hop dancer.

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* In the first Halloween episode of ''SouthPark'', Cartman relays that his mom told him that she was on the cover of ''Crackwhore'' magazine because she was young and needed the money. The boys respond by pointing out that the photos were taken the previous month. Granted, Cartman's mom doesn't seem to have any source of income beyond whoring herself.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
* Used in the Steve Taylor song "Cash Cow" as a line setting up the following:
--> I was young and I needed the money
--> I had money, but I needed more money
--> I was filthy rich; all I needed was love!
--> ...and a little more money!
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film]]
* This becomes a scandal for Julia Roberts's character in ''Notting Hill''.
[[/folder]]

* Ed Kavalee was talking about an old film project of his, ''Meat Pie'', about a teenager who has sex with a meat grinder and gets a penis transplant. Kavalee's comment was, "After seeing it, people look at me differently. They ask things like, 'Were you in some kind of trouble? You could have asked me for money!'"
* In RealLife, this is how JackieChan justifies having once appeared in a porn flick (if ''{{Cracked}}'' is to be believed, which it may not be).
** And, legendarily, MarilynMonroe (although it was just nude pictures).
** And Sylvester Stallone.
** And Simon Rex.
** [[RunningGag And Chow Yun-Fat]].
* In the first Halloween episode of ''SouthPark'', Cartman relays that his mom told him that she was on the cover of ''Crackwhore'' magazine because she was young and needed the money. The boys respond by pointing out that the photos were taken the previous month. Granted, Cartman's mom doesn't seem to have any source of income beyond whoring herself.
* When DaveBarry ran for President (long story), this was a common answer on the Q&A forum.

* Used in the Steve Taylor song "Cash Cow" as a line setting up the following:
--> I was young and I needed the money
--> I had money, but I needed more money
--> I was filthy rich; all I needed was love!
--> ...and a little more money!
* Maya Angelou used to "dance" "professionally".

* This becomes a scandal for Julia Roberts's character in ''Notting Hill''.
* {{Vanessa L Williams}}'s ''{{Penthouse}}'' photoshoot was explained as such. She still lost her Miss America crown over it, however.

* Ray from {{Achewood}} paid major hush money to cover up his past as... a hip-hop dancer.

** [[OverlyLongGag And]] Zoidberg
*** EVEN ZOIDBERG???
**** Of course! [[IfYouKnowWhatIMean How else did you think he got the medical degree?]]