Thursday,
June 14th, 2001
Vivid Video Stars In Latest Details Magazine
Details devotes a long article and fabulous photos to Vivid Video in the latest June issue. I'm the only critical voice the reporter could find.
Director James "Cameron" DiGiorgio - I Am The King Of The Porno World
Director James "Cameron" DiGiorgio says: "It was exactly as Rob said yesterday about our narration of the director's cut. They had it on the loudspeakers at VCA while we were doing it. We bag on all the talent, make fun of them. Mostly Herschel [Savage].
"We don't take it serious. It is the peanuckle of pomposity to sit there and do a director's track on a porno and point out the serious cinematic artistic value of the f---ing thing. Succubus is a serious piece, all drama, but when we do the director's track, it will be funny. We'll make fun of the whole movie. Come on, it's smut.
"I think I'm one of the few directors in this business who has his feet on the ground. As much as you try to make it look like I am always boasting.
"Next week Rob and I shoot a low-end piece for Fat Dog. That's the life of a pornographer. I discussed this the other day with Henri Pachard. Imagine a guy like that who did $400,000 porno films and is now shooting the 18" inch black guy with Bridgett the Midget. That's tough to take. So I don't feel so bad when I go from a medium budget shoot like Sopornos 3 to a low end shoot...
"Ask Gene Ross what happened to his Gino Awards? And I've got a point to make with him. All they did was bash the AVN Awards and now all they do is talk about the awards. Luciano got nominated for this, Samantha Sterlyng should get a nomination for that... The morons at Extreme keep changing their tune all the time. Now they settle with AVN and Rob Black pays every dime and now they mention the AVN Awards in a positive way. Before when they lost and were crybabies, they had to bag the awards."
Jane Hamilton, Paul Fishbein On Talk Of The Nation
Fred writes: Jane Hamilton, Paul Fishbein and the New York Times Frank Rich were on NPR's Talk of the Nation radio program today. I think if you're interested, you can download it on www.npr.org/programs/totn after 3:00 today (click on "latest show").
I must admit I only caught probably cumulatively 15 minutes of the show. I caught a first segment where she was talking about her background, and a second segment where people were talking about whether pornography was good or bad. The show was basically about whether porn was becoming "main stream." She was clearly an advocate for the industry, and she seemed articulate enough. I think she's done this sort of thing before (based on her performance).
The other guests on the show did not seem hostile to pornography, so it was not much of a debate. (Occaisionally, a caller or e-mailer would say gee, porn is bad and I got addicted. Jane responded by saying you can't ban something just because some people find it addictive, citing the example of folks who get addicted to food and become obese.)
Luke F-rd Live Coming Back
Jack writes: When are you coming back with Luke F-rd Live?
Luke says: Jimmy and I are weighing our offers and we'll be back on the air soon.
Cindi Loftus From Xcitement Magazine Interviews Gina Lynn
Cindi Loftus writes: Gina Lynn is a busy girl. After several attempts to contact her, we finally hooked up early on a Saturday morning, and I don't usually do mornings. But talking to her was worth the wait and the missed sleep. She's a sizzling Spanish- Italian star with a hot body and a sexy voice. Sorry you can't "hear" the interview. Just use your imagination…
Xcitement: So you were born in Puerto Rico, raised in New Jersey and now you live in Pennsylvania, correct?
Gina Lynn: Yeah. I bought a house in PA. I'm putting in a pool right now which is why I wasn't here when you tried to call me earlier.
X: What made you decide on Pennsylvania?
G: When I first started dancing, I danced at Al's Cabaret, which is in Pennsylvania as a house dancer. I worked there for 5 years. I made a lot of friends here. I got sick of New Jersey, so I decided to move somewhere different.
X: Well you are going to be on the cover of the July issue, so tell us all how you are going to spend July 4th.
G: I'm so excited to be the July cover. I can't wait to see it! Around the 4th I'll be home. My pool will be done by then. There is so much construction being done to my house, my porch is being enclosed, the whole back yard is getting landscaped. The inside is mostly done. I still have to finish my basement. I'm making it into a game room. Oh back to the question, I am having a party! I am having my friends and my family over.
X: Do you still work at Al's when you are not on the road?
G: No, but I feature there once or twice a year. When I am home, I am on a break! I am on the road three weeks out of every month. I am either doing store signings, making movies out in LA, or in Florida..
X: You made a movie here not too long ago called P.I. Shagwell. One of the guys I work with was in it, Mike Wallerstein, do you know him?
G: I am not sure who he is.
X: He played the club manager. He came in and caught you doing something you weren't supposed to do and his big line was "Get the f--- out of here!".
G: Oh, yeah, I know who he is now!
X: You remember him. Well Mike, that was your fifteen minutes of fame! What's the best and the worst thing about being an adult star?
G: The best thing is doing all the scenes and having all the fans. I love going to signings. It is so exciting. I love all the attention I get. The worse thing is that it takes me away from my home and my pets and my family.
X: I know you have a dog. What kind of pets do you have?
G: An African Grey parrot, and a Blue and Gold Macaw. Right now they are staying at a friend's farm house.
X: They probably wouldn't like the construction noise.
G: They'd be looking out the window and screaming.
X: I know you just re-signed with Pleasure Productions.
G: Yes I just signed up last month for another year. They have been very good to me. They are out of the East Coast. I deal better with East Coast people.
X: I know they are located in New Jersey. Do you film the movies there?
G: No, they don't film in New Jersey. All the directors they use are in L.A. I'm going back soon to finish up my last two movies from my last contract with Pleasure.
X: What movies do you have coming out soon?
G: Inner Vision, Accidental Starlet, House sitter, Strap On Sally 17, and Jail Bait. The last one I am not sure of the exact name, but it is something like jail bait.
X: Who do you really like to work with on movies?
G: (directors) Nic Cramer and Jim Enright. As far as movie stars go, I prefer men, but I do work with some women. I worked with a nice girl named Kaylin out in California. I haven't worked with a whole lot of girls.
X: I heard you in an interview say "I was bi-sexual". Was?
G: I am. It all depends on the girl. At one point, when I was like 22, and experimenting, I got out of a bad marriage and I didn't want to be near any guys, because I was sick of them. All I did was have sex with women. I hung out with my girlfriends, and we just went to bars and then had sex. There are only a few girl/girl experiences that stand out in my mind.
X: I heard that you are going to be doing a promotion with my all time favorite star Ron Jeremy.
G: Yes, we are going to appear in New Jersey to host Miss Planet Surf. They had a huge turnout last year. So this year Ron and I are going to be the MC's for it. It's going to be cool, because I am going back home. People are going to be like, "Oh my God". They probably won't even recognize me, because I don't look anything like I used to.
X: What do you think of Ron?
G: He is very sweet. He's got a great personality.
X: Is there someone out there that you'd really like to work with?
G: I have been working with Travis Knight a lot. He's my favorite male to work with right now. I also worked with Dillian Day, Randy Spears, and Mark Davis.
X: Do you have an unfulfilled fantasy?
G: Yes. I want to have sex on a golf course while it is raining. I have been offered the one in Hilton Head. They were going to clear off the whole golf course for me, but I was on a hectic dance schedule and I didn't have time to go do a photo shoot there. I'll fit it in sometime.
X: Have you ever had sex in a strip club?
G: Yeah, in the P.I. Shagwell movie.
X: What about in real life?
G: Well… in the dressing room with my roadie.
X: Have you had sex outdoors?
G: I had sex outdoors in Aruba in the water on the beach.
X: Was there anybody else around?
G: There was a lot of people around that was what was so freaky about it. I was really young like 20 years old. It was with a guy.
X: So do you have a boyfriend?
G: It's hard to have a relationship in this business. I have a male star I hang out with. We do scenes together. We also have sex off camera. Let's just say that I am never lonely.
X: I checked out both of your websites and they were both very good.
G: Yeah, I have my own, plus there is a lot of stuff about me on the Pleasure Production site.
X: I saw on your sites that you can win a date with Gina Lynn on Ebay!
G: They are trying that out. One of the guys who works for Pleasure Productions is a promoter and he saw a wrestler who put herself on Ebay. They thought putting a date with me on there would be kind of cute.
X: I think it's a great idea. It just needs some more promotion. I'm sure if all your fans knew about it they would be out there bidding. If I won the date with you, where would it take place?
X: What is the funniest thing that ever happened to you while you were working?
G: Well I have fallen off the stage, because of slippery shoes, but I think most dancers have done that. It's funny, because when ever I do, I just end up making more money. The guys are all like, are you okay? Here's some money. But the funniest thing was in a movie called "Sweet Little 18" I was having sex on a fork lift in a warehouse and I lost my balance and fell, one of the camera people caught me. I read a review of it and it said "she is flexible as a ballerina, and then she loses her balance"
X: Is the fall in the movie? G: There is the part where I was losing my balance, but they edited out the fall.
X: Was it embarrassing or were you scared?
G: It was funny. I was kind of embarrassed, but then I just started laughing.
X: Are you Pleasure Productions only contract girl?
G: No. They just signed Celeste Crawford. I can't wait to meet her. She is the total opposite of me. She is 5'10, Jamaican, Hawaiian and German. So she is different looking. It's good though. I need another girl to hang out with when I work for Pleasure. Vivid and Wicked, they always have 7 or 8 girls. I do like to be the center of attention, but I also wanted someone to hang out with when we are traveling.
X: If there are two of you, you'll have someone to share a room with, someone to go out with.
G: For a little while there, Pleasure had Sunset Thomas, but that was at the end of her contract. We had fun doing private shows, or little girl/girl things.
If you'd like to find out more about Gina and her new movies, visit her sites GinaLynn.com & PleasureVIP.com Fan Club- Po Box 2652 West Lawn, PA 19609
Houston On Rodeo Drive?
XXX writes: I think saw Houston walking down Rodeo Dr. yesterday wearing pants and a sparkly pink bikini top.
Luke's Porn Valley Tour Segment Airs On National Enquirer's Uncovered
My segment aired at 12:30 AM Thursday morning on Channel 9 in Los Angeles. The show "Uncovered," formerly "National Enquirer Television" airs on about 120 stations around America.
Putative Marc writes Luke: "Instant review of your Uncovered segment. Great job with correspondent Randy Kagan. His reformed shul taught him well. pretty quick piece, but l-keford comes off way better in a comedic light than the brooding context of so-called "serious" documentaries. Who was the apparent jewish mother escorting her daughter to the casting call?"
Luke says: That was Nancy Vee's mom. Here's the scoop on the segment:
Host Jack Maxwell: "Have you ever sat back after a movie and said, 'Geez, I wonder where they made that? What goes on behind the scenes? And how did that guy reach all the way around... Uncovered's Randy Kagan takes us on a tour of porn landmarks."
Randy narrates: "There's a special tour in Los Angeles that you won't find on a star map or in the Chamber of Commerce "Things To Do In LA" brochure. It's a subversive journey into the seedy underworld of the porno industry. We're at one of the first porno theaters in the country with Luke F-rd. He's the all knowing porn guru."
Luke: "The Pussycat connotes pornography, sleaze, scandal, mob."
Randy: "Our first stop, the old Pussycat Theater [on Santa Monica Blvd just east of Fairfax Bl]. They changed the name from the Pussycat Theater to the Tomkat. You can probably figure out why."
Luke: "The Pussycat is the most famous pornographic movie theater chain and dotted throughout Los Angeles, the United States and it did over a billion dollars a year business [overall porno market has done this much business since 1972]."
Randy: The next stop on our tour was the John Holmes home. Him and his package were the inspiration for the movie "Boogie Nights."
Luke: "As he was relieving himself, someone spotted his talent. John Holmes became best known as Johnny Wadd. He was a huge porn star through the late 1970s when his drug habit put a crimp into his performing. He started hanging out with a drug gang that rented a home at 8763 Wonderland Ave. He eventually died of HIV in 1988."
Randy: "Now we head over to a porn casting agency in Hollywood. It was easy to tell by the silicone ratio and the camera hungry chicks, we were in the right place. It's [Robert Lombard's] Creative Management who decides who's in and who's out. Some of these girls even brought their moms for good luck."
Nancy Vee's mom: "I don't interfere as long as she's safe."
Robert Lombard: "Personality, acting ability, natural breasts of course, because that's very popular these days..."
T.J. Hart: "I really don't know too much about porn except that it is not as good money as you guys think."
Nancy Vee's mom: "I don't condone what she does. Let her do her thing. Life is too damn short."
Randy waves the large microphone in Hart's face.
Randy: "This should not make you too uncomfortable, I'd imagine."
Hart: "That makes me very uncomfortable."
Randy: "You should be used to that sort of thing. It's big and hairy. Come on, relax.
"Going on this porno tour has been the greatest field trip of my life. I learned where to put the microphone on a porno actress. But what does the future hold for porn?"
Luke: "Well, I see it steadily growing, rising, getting bigger, stronger, harder."
Host Jack Maxwell: "Randy Kagan, ladies and gentlemen. Proving once again that it is possible to have a job where it is possible to get paid to hang out with porn stars."
Luke reflects: Watching the segment, I realized how I tend to speak in a boring monotone. My cohost James DiGiorgio was right.
Stables Entertainment PR man Leo Buck writes: Hey There Mr. Ford-- I caught your report on last night's "National Enquirer TV Show" and just wanted to drop you a quick line to Congratulations--you really looked great! Making all the cooler was the additional appearance of T.J. Hart (--who incidentally, was the star of "Goosed Again!"--the immediate predecessor to the bisexual video you were on hand for last month.)
I also wanted to send you an additional "Thank You"--if you get to see a copy of the latest "Video X-citement"magazine, they feature an article about HIV & AIDS in the adult entertainment industry, in which I am interviewed! The writer, Cindi Lostus, tells me that it was seeing my name in your column that gave her the idea to contact me--very cool!
What's Up With Persia?
Porn star Sinnamon writes on BigDoggie.net: Persia has been out of the business for quite sometime now. She is currently married, living in Texas, and working as a web designer for a major company.
I'm the only person girl in the porno biz that can boast double-fisting the usually dominate Miss Brittany Andrews.
Lakerfan writes on BigDoggie.net: I saw Persia some years ago here in LA. A good experience overall!
Mila Shegol Calls Dennis Hof A Lying Pimp
Mila Shegol writes: Dear Luke I'm writing you to inform you of the gossip that recently was posted. Let Me tell you the truth about this whole thing especially about this Dennis Hoff. Mr. Hoff is a Big Liar, everything he said about me, The Marriage situation is A BIG LIE. I'm not married and if I would get married it would not be from the whole in the wall he calls Legitimate Corporation its nothing more than a big scam to con people to his SICK place of what he calls business. Mr. Hoff is a big con artist and he's doing everything to make a few $ he will go to any extent to do this. I'm in Los Angeles trying to better my life and all he Dennis Hoff wants to do is get me to work there. Moon lie Bunnuranch so he can use me like everyone's. All that stuff about a millionaire is not true and he just feels bad that he lost me and cant make more $ because I made him the most $ he ever saw in his life and wanted very little in return my percentage to be nice to him because i was foolish to think he was my friend.
XXX Writes: Judging by that Russian accent in Milas latest posting, Im guessing that was the writings of Mila's Mom.
Skoonj writes: I am confused about Mila. Denis Hof says she's married (to a jockey!). Mila (or her mom) says she's not. Why would Mr. Hof lie about something that is not only easy to check, but would be responded to quickly if it were a lie?
Tobzilla writes: Ruby@MBR 5/17- I traveled from the Bay Area, through the hellish traffic around Oakland and north to I-80, to Carson City. My objective was simple, anal sex with the busty adult-film star Ruby. I arrived at the Ranch around 10:00pm and it was full of beautiful women, and surprisingly empty of customers. I got the full introduction, but moved straight to the bar for an over-priced bottle of water. After a bit of small-talk with other women, Ruby came over and asked if I wanted a tour. I immediately said yes please. I was pleasantly surprised that she is a very, very personable lady, and I felt at once at ease in talking to her. Over the course of the party we talked about everything from Star Trek, to High-Times, to George W.'s re-election (joking that it would be based on the "legalize it" platform). We negotiated a reasonable deal, and after she paid the cashier, we began a fabulous party that lasted for over an hour.
I have to say that this was one of the most righteous experiences I have ever had. Not only is Ruby a beautiful women who embodies all that is sexual, she is also a very cool person to hang out with. I felt very relaxed and was able to enjoy both the physical aspects and the person to person interaction of the party: lots of laughing and joking, with a big hug at the end. Two gigantic thumbs up, and one big boner as well. While I don't speak from much actual field research, I think it is reasonable to say that nothing compares to Ruby. She is matchless.
Tera Patrick Doesn't Want To Do Movies Anymore?
Hector Barron writes: Hi Luke, I'm risking alot by coming out and telling you this but I thought it would be a good scoop for you. I've enjoyed reading your column for a long time and you should be the one to break the news. I've been in the biz for a few years. Samantha at Digital doesn't want this to come out but Tera thinks she's too good to have sex on camera anymore and doesn't want to do movies. She just wants to do the Terashow. It's bad news for Digital because they've got a big headed actress on their hands now. Well, good luck and I hope you make some waves with this news. Check around and you'll find this to be true. Digital Playground sucks anyway.
Luke says: I checked with Digital Playground and they say: One, they don't suck. Two, Tera plans to keep doing adult movies.
Adella@DigitalPlayground.com writes: My dear, darling Luke – I have just booked a bondage act [Ashley Renee] to appear with you on Tera Show on 9/11 – I think the girl is hot hot hot — like super sizzle. Tera and her could just have their way with you so come prepared!
As for Janine — we have projects in the works – I will let you know when it’s time for press releases to be sent – we have timing strategies in play here. We NEVER disclose what we have in the can until we are ready to push the release... Can’t give those competitors any edge! Company policy.
Tera Patrick says: "This whole [porn] thing has gotten out of hand. I only wanted to make some money. I didn't foresee myself becoming a porn star. But since I'm now taking the adult industry by storm, I want to stay on top as long as I can and hopefully leave a legacy."
XXX: "Tera's using her brain and her body to set higher standards for the sex industry."
John says: "Hector Barron is a film major from a little town in Texas. Shane hired him to shoot Shane's World. He was her cameraman and editor. Now he's running Shane's World. Shane's taking him to court over it. She hasn't been with the series since Shane's World 18."
Jennie writes: "Hey Luke, Jennie from Shane's World here. I just wanted to clear something up about that posting from "Hector Barron". Since we've been in the industry we've never bashed or spread rumors about anyone, and we're not about to start. Whoever posted that message, obviously wanted to see friction between our companies. If you would like to verify this posting, please call me at the office."
MikeSouth.com writes: " Exactly what did Jennie clear up? Everything Hector said is documented fact...Shane sold out. The series dropped the name shanes world in favor of SW. No Shane wants back in and has said she is suing to get back in...this has been published in AVN even."
Mimi Miyagi writes: The sensational news has been inquired by several mainstream and adult industry associates as to the whereabouts of Adult Film Star "Mimi Miyagi" the past 6 months. Thereby as of June 6, 2001 Mimi Miyagi is officially announcing the dissolution of a marriage. Please read the attached OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE furthermore in details to rectify the enigmatic histories. Plus related topics to the continuance for furthering development for Mimi Miyagi Inc. and Metro Home Video's movie production Fantasiany Series. Alongst the collaboration with her new New York Business Advisor, Publicist, Agent to further accomplish a culminating stage to evolve adult films and mainstream television appearances.
Mimi Miyagi's journey from bright young child prodigy to porn star is an interesting one. She was born second of four children to immigrant parents in 1973. She spent most of her childhood moving from place to place while her parents' looked for jobs to feed and house their family. During harder times, she slept on a bunk bed in the kitchen and often went to school without lunch. These hard times were, not without their life's lessons. As Mimi points out, "Living the way we did, it's given me enormous ambition and determination to never be in that position again". Mimi's mother prized education above others, and would make sure her children did well in school regardless of the situation they were in. "That's why I graduated high school in a year and a half," says Mimi, "she was always on my case. I figured, the sooner I got it over with, the sooner I'd have her off my back. If I came home with an A-, I would get punished, imagine living that way."
Touring most of her childhood in a gymnastics team, being a concert pianist playing big venues most of her youth. Her family constantly pushing her to be an extreme perfectionist was what made her to be strong today. Then at 14, her dreams of an Olympic gymnast was torn away due to her parents decision to move to Guam because they simply couldn't afford to live in California anymore. Therefore, Mimi decided to take control and hope to fulfill her dreams as a performance artist still not knowing in what field. However, Mimi knew someday she would be in an environment to be free to express her emotionally. "One day I will be able to be a free bird, no more confinements".
At 15, she graduated high school in a year and a half hoping to get a head start on life. For 3 years, she worked three jobs to save enough money to go to college. She returned to LA just before her 18th birthday with little over $1000 to her name. At that time, she naively thought that the money would be sufficient to tide her over for a few months. Within a month, she'd run out of money and was sleeping on friends' couches and getting desperate. She looked for jobs with little success.
Finally, she came across an ad for nude modeling and answered it. She was barely 2 weeks past her 18th birthday the day of her first nude shoot. It was the beginning of her rise in the adult industry. Her journey was not without its challenges. When Mimi first started out in the industry, people told her repeatedly that there just wasn't a market for Asian adult stars, but she refused to give up. She struggled and continued looking for someone who would believe in her enough to give her a break.
That man finally appeared, Mark Carrier from Leisure Time Entertainment. He took her into his company, paid for her breast implants, improved her looks to compete in the American dominated porn star business, and set her up to play key roles in numerous movie contracts. In the next two years, she would do over 200 XXX movies and be the most recognized Asian adult star around. With television stations chasing her down to document her story. Including E! Online, Fox Files, HBO, The Learning Channel the list goes on.
Despite her fame, the money wasn't rolling in as she thought it would. This was because as an actress, model, and dancer, she wasn't receiving any residuals for her work (a common practice in the industry). She realized that if she wanted to make money in this business, she had to take control of her career.
Her first step was to climb the ladder from writer to become the publisher of "Oriental Dolls", the #1 nude Asian magazine. Her next step was to diversify and hire a Webmaster to set up a website for her. To get the pictures online. This proved to be a mistake as she ended up being cheated of $5000, and her domain name registered to this man. It took 3 months of legal battles before her former Webmaster turned the domain name over to her.
With that behind her, Mimi swore to never let someone else handle her website. Taking things into her own hands once more, she went to Barnes & Noble, picked up 2 books on HTML and web publishing, and 4 days and countless pots of coffee later, her very own self coded website was born. Membership for her website started low at around 500 hundred members. Within the first year of operation, her subscription base grew 2,000%. She has diversified into, licensing software for pay per view streaming videos, movie production, talent scouting, and magazine publishing, as well as still finding the time to devote her days as a mother. Unlike most porn stars whose fame last 15 minutes before they're consumed by drugs and the trappings of "stardom," Mimi has kept focus on becoming the career oriented pornstar by proving to all "The Mimi Network": miminet.com" and producing her highly successful all-Asian "Fantasiany Series" for Metro Video, working as Publisher for "Oriental Dolls MagazineAsian Hotties". She still manages to wear her many hats as porn star, webmistress, mother, movie producer, director, publisher, CEO of her web entertainment & software company, entrepreneur and mentor to the various girls who look to her for guidance today.
Mimi's served seven years as a publisher to Oriental Dolls. Since the owner George Mavety died recently last month of a hear attack, Mimi has been put in place to have more control over the magazine in coinciding with Mimi's Live Events with Pornstars and the Fantasiany girls.
Luke Gets Mail
Chaim Amalek writes Luke: Now don't you let this get to your goyishe head, but the interviews you ran in the last couple of days (with the viciously anti-Amalekite, anti-semitic and anti-intellectual Hoff and that TJ-person) were pretty interesting. More interesting than the back half of the New Republic typically ever is. Too bad this stuff only appears on a web site that few men of importance ever read.
I saw a great segment on ABC teevee news last night with peter jennings (the high school dropout with the distinguished voice). To demonstrate the "diversity" of views in the mideast, they centered the segment on a couple of new york yentas (accents give it away), likely from he upper west side, lecturing the Israelis on the need to more fully give in to the Palestinians. Then, to show full diversity, they interviewed a Palestinian critical of Arafat. Except that he was not critical of Arafat for not being sufficiently far into the peace camp, but for not being sufficiently militant. Jennings closed the piece noting the broad "diversity" of opinion that was to be found on both sides.
Gilles writes Luke: Well....you're forming a nice couple you and Logan on those pictures.You should seriously think about it!
RPBurke writes about the Howard Stern Show on E!: Not that the E! Show is worth watching; it's the same thing every night, another cum sucking porno slut portrayed as a socially acceptable regular person.
Kenny writes: I was just wondering when porn actresses get old, are fetish videos the last step to obscurity or are those flicks a significant niche in the porn market and pay them as much money as regular porn flicks. (Personally I like them, especially the one's with Actresses that seem to be Jewish or Italian, i.e. Ariana. Alexandra Silk, Jenna Fine and so on.)
Luke says: Fetish videos are a significant niche, not just a last stop out of the industry.
Joe 'Bama says: Finally, just out of curiousity, what percentage of porn performers are good in bed? Based on anecdotal experience, I mean...also fully aware that the movie-making process often gets in the way of having a good experience...from what I've read other porners say. Brandy?
Brandy replies: Generally speaking, porn stars don't have sex; they perform. That's what makes them good in bed when they are good in bed. More times than not, I'm more concerned about my partner's has a good experience than I am about my own experience. Most people who have had sex with me, heck, even if I only gave a blowjob, will tell you I was great. ;)
Rumdar writes Luke: If I were you Luke I would go Puerto Rican. I was in The Apple the evening of the big parade and saw many of these Hispanic hotties shaking their tasty hind quarters around the city. Huba! Huba! We are talking "muy caliente". My friend, please give up your quest for the perfect, neurotic, overeducated Jewish woman and start thinking simple. The Puerto Rican gals I saw were young, fun loving and seemingly uncomplicated. I believe to them hovel Ford is going to seem like the Taj Mahal. First of all she won't have to share it with her 9 brothers and sisters and Uncle Jorge isn't going to creep into the room at night to diddle her coochie. You will be doing that. Give it a thought.
Kris Lauren (thefirm@sprint.ca) writes: Hey Luke , My names Kris Lauren and I am a Canadian Pornogrpher working out of Vancouver, B.C. I am preparing for a shoot this summer and I am getting sick of using local talent as they are often first timers and hard to direct when it comes to productions that requires acting, I am curious if you knew how I could go about getting hold of some industry girls and boys from L.A.
Max writes: Luke, I read a line at Gene Ross' site a couple of days ago about Celeste coming back into the adult business, albeit only doing girl/girl scenes. I know Celeste has had her detractors and was never a favorite of the critics, but I personally found many of her performances totally spellbinding. She possessed a rare and captivating blend of stunning beauty combined with total raunchiness.
Does Pornography Run In The Genes?
Porn star T.J. Hart tells Luke: "I have a good relationship with the brother doing gay porn. Because he's not from the parents I was raised with. He's from my biological father."
There's a nature vs nurture discussion to be had right here. What is your take?
Fred writes: L-- I think you're on to something.
Didn't Ruby (your favorite ho) say that her brother was getting into porn, and in fact, was able to perform while his sister was video taping?
Aren't Buck Adams and Amber Lynn brother and sister? Aren't there other siblings in porn?
I think you should do a scholarly paper and get it published at the next World Pornography Conference (if there is one). Alternatively, you could get it published in the Journal of Irreproducible Results.
Sir, there could be a Nobel prize in this for you.
KnobRyder To Sign Felecia Fox As Contract Girl?
I hear Knob Ryder Entertainment asked Felecia Fox to be their new contract girl.
Felicia Fox writes: Luke, c'mon. No, Knob Ryder has NOT asked me to sign a contract with them...I've spoken with them over the phone, briefly, and I'm planning to stop in and say hello in two weeks when I'm in LA again. Taylor is very nice. But there have been NO discussions about any contracts -- I've never even worked for them. (I DID just wrap up a boy/girl/girl scene with Evan Stone and Ava Vincent for Red Ezra and New Sensations on Saturday, though.)
Pat Riley writes on RAME: Felicia has long black hair in ringlets, marginal face, tongue pin, medium/large tits, clit ring, and a hairy pussy. Understand that this is from BJ Adventures of Dr Fellatio #34 and all descriptions derived from this source should be considered tentative due to the poor camerawork, lack of makeup, and bad lighting inherent in an all-BJ tape.
Tyce Bune's a blonde guy in his thirties with a reasonable build and a faggy little tattoo on his belly. The first volume was pretty good as long as you're more interested in the interview than the sex. Some scenes didn't have cum shots and all scenes are done by Tyce. More a younger version of Ed than a Vince or Max "here, take this, bitch" raincoater type. You'll probably hate it.
Celebrity Porn Journalism
Journalist writes Luke: We were talking with a fellow journalist about the fact that celebrity profiles in magazines or TV and getting bland especially because of the control of the stars PR over the resulting piece. You get 20 minutes for an some questions are banned, the PR team is often breathing down your neck and at the end, the story often sucks. We were wondering: maybe the best opportunity for doing celebrity profiles would be in the porn industry: it seems many people are more spontaneous, that there are less PR barriers and that actually people have incredible lives. Imagine a magazine like "biography" all about porn professionals. It would full of amazing stories. Do some porn stars actually have agents who handle the press access?
Then, according to your experience in profiling people in industry, do you find them available for in depth interviews, eager to open up or reluctant? Given what you told me about the culture of lying in the industry, how difficult is it to get what the mainstream media call "human interest" piece?
Luke replies: I do think that the best opportunity for celebrity profiles are in porn... About half of the porn industry won't talk to reporters but many in the remaining half are open and candid. It should not be difficult at all to get a "human interest" porn piece. A few porn stars have PR agents but the agents are generally nice and cooperative, even to an ogre like me.
Most of the bigger name porn stars got into the biz to get publicity. They particularly want it to promote their stripping careers. So most welcome interviews, particularly if you promise not to reveal their real names, etc...
Quasarman Fires A Drunken Brooke Lane From His Set
From QuasarmanRants.com: Inari [Vachs] saved the day in what could have been a hugely expensive crisis caused by a childish, drunken mutant and she has my eternal gratitude. It is my hope that one day girls like Brooke will get it through their obstinate, narcissistic f---ing skulls that they are not special and they are not celebrities. They are fornicating with strangers on a movie set in front of other strangers so that still more strangers at home in front of their VCR’s can drop a load and go to bed. In the real world if you show up 5 hours late for work clutching a bottle of Thunderbird you’re almost certain to get passed over for a promotion.
I relayed this story to Ron Jeremy who has never said an unkind word about another human being in his life. At first he wasn’t sure if he knew her but after a moment he blurted out, "Brook Lane?…from Florida? My god, she’s such an asshole!!!". Apparently Ronnie had tried to set her up with a gig being in a Kid Rock video which she flaked on or some other such transgression. Ronnie then launched into a monologue about Tera Patrick admitting to having intercourse with him on her show last night. I listened with interest at first but then wandered off. He may still be talking now for all I know.
Satyric writes Luke: I see that Quaserman also called Brooke Lane among other things a "whore" on his site. Does this mean that to him Inari Vachs is not special in any way, is a non-celebrity whore, who's only purpose is to screw strangers so other strangers can get off, but to her credit does these whorish things soberly,punctually and with a better attitude as opposed to Ms.Lane?
Quasarman responds: Satyric may think his comments regarding my recent web posting resonate with sardonic irony (which they do) but the truth is that he is exactly right. To her credit Inari does do these whorish things soberly, punctually and with a better attitude than most which makes her very valuable in this business.
Director James DiGiorgio writes: Lukey, lotsa commotion with this Brook Lane girl. In her defense, I shot her in Sopornos3 this past weekend (sandwiched between Rod Fontana's Booty Camp, and Quasarman's latest three-and-a-half star epic) and I gotta say she was just fine. She was out on the boat with us all day, yeah, she imbibed a bit of the grape along with others, but that was it. Tell Q and Fontana I'm thinkin of putting on a Learning Tree class in "The Care, Handling, and Feeding of Porn Sluts." Maybe they oughta enroll.
Luke Runs Into His Bashert And Self Destructs By Writing About It On His Web Site
Bashert - the opposite sex marriage mate God destins you for.
So I've got writing and directing credits for WHAT WOMEN WANT at the IMDB.com... Go rate my movie.
So the reporter for the Jewish magazine emails my Hero for comment and Hero expresses incredulity over an article on Luke. But no official comment. And the reporter asks me, what's up with that 1998 charge of stalking? What was that about? And I say it was a vicious baseless charge.
Wednesday afternoon, I'm walking across Pico next to La Cienega Blvd and this car drives up La Cienega and moves into Pico, turning right... If it had been me, I would've zoomed right through. But this is a female driver and she waits for me to cross... And I look at her and see she's young and cute and familiar... And I stare and I see, holy hell, it is "Shanna."
I had Friday night dinner with her and my friends XXX from the XXX Minyan about three months ago... And we had nice conversation but I figured she wouldn't go out with me so I did not inquire after her with mutual friends... She was the most religious member of her Conservative Judaism youth group. She teaches kindergarten at a posh Orthodox Jewish day school... And I've seen her several times since, including at a Saturday night concert at XXX's house where we talked...and we've crossed the street on Pico and Beverly Dr and waved at each other...
And then Shabbos morning, as everyone was praying, I preyed with my eyes across the women's section of the shul and there she was. She's cute and just my type, with sensible short brown hair and a bourgeois manner. But I don't think she'd ever go out with me if she knew about l-keford.com. After all, it could cost her her job at the posh day school... But I think she's my bashert (the mate God destined one for). So today we waved at each and smiled...
And I walked home with a spring in my step and irrational hope in my heart.
I ate a dinner of raisin bread toast with cream cheese and some cottage cheese for protein. But instead of spending my meal time like usual - glued to the internet, reading TNR.com, I live in fidelity to the moment of an hour before, when I unexpectedly crossed paths with my bashert. I munch alone - nothing but Beethoven's Third Symphony washing over me as I experience the intense dangerous emotions that I find it difficult to allow myself to experience when I am in the presence of someone who can cause such emotion.
Jenna Jameson Does Damage Control
Jenna Jameson writes: "Hi Luke...I just got home from my two day shoot for Vivid. About the Gene Ross' article, UGH! I had to do damage control this morning. I talked at length with him, I was pretty upset about alll the things that were said by... I consider him a friend, and I think he took my joke a little seriously, when I was being sarcastic. And plus, it was relayed to him from different people so it probably came to him looking like a demand, not the joke that I meant it to be. We used to always joke around about giving me a cover, because his publication gave me SO many. I just can't catch a break..."
Luke says: Here are some snippets from Jenna's Diary on ClubJenna.com:
13-JUN-01: Hi all! I'm back home, and the shoot went so incredibly well... everyone was surprised. Normally when you think of te Vivid girls, you think "untouchable". The first scene I was in was with Taylor Hayes, Brianna, and Raylene. These are some of the hottest chicks I have ever seen, and surprisingly, some of the nastiest! We f---ed for two hours! All I wanted afterwards was a nap :) The next day I was supposed to have a scene with Cassidey. She decided to not show up... FLAKE! So I got the honor of working with the beautiful Dasha. That was one of the hottest scenes I've ever done, she squirted all over the place! Pretty cool! All in all it was an incredibly fun shoot, the crew was happy and really supportive and great to be around. Vivid welcomed me into their camp with open arms....and I thank them. Love ya, Jenna
11-JUN-01: I'm up getting into makeup for the shoot. I didn't sleep well, nervous i guess. I put up another post tonight and let you know how the day went. Wish me luck!! JJ
10-JUN-01: Well, this is the last day before the big Vivid movie. You'll be glad to know, the whole movie is based around me.... So it's not that I'm only in a few scenes and thats it... It's all me! Yeah!!!!So, I fly to LA tonight at around 9:30, and my call time tomorrow is 8 in the morning. So I made sure that I was coming in made up so I could get the press over with early, before I start filming. I will make sure I take a lot of pix, so you guys get the first look at the new Vivid Jenna!
09-JUN-01: I have had no luck shooting this weekend...Emma went out and drank a bit too much and couldn't shoot me today!
Jenna's temporary and departed PR gal Ashley Kennedy, the former AVN journalist writes: Listen, y’all; Jenna was on the verge of tears today, and that makes me feel like s---. Jenna has enough stress already, trying recover from her Wicked drama, move on as an empowered woman, and make her own promising company flourish. And it will. Lemme boil this down for you: MEA CULPA. My fault. A misunderstanding, lack of communication and her incessantly hectic schedule added up to some disappointing results for all parties concerned. Is this a valid reason to personally tear Jenna Jameson apart? I don’t think so. Did I overstep my boundaries, due to insufficient information regarding their expectations of me? Most likely. My sincere apology was just that, sincere.
Now does our misunderstanding justify her being blackballed or snubbed anywhere in this industry? No. Is everybody jumping on the “tear Jenna apart bandwagon?” Looks that way. Sad. This is a business, folks. And Jenna has some amazing product coming out in the very near future. I've ssen it. And honestly, as someone who is not benefitting in the least by this, I still encourage all of you to enjoy her artistic vision, and support her business endeavors. In LA terms…. This is hot product. You’ll profit. You’re fools if you don’t stock or review it because of industry politics and gossip. She has put her heart into her new production company. If this industry needs anything, it’s more internal emotional support. When Elsye got nailed, who helped her? Not enough of us. When Rob Black spoke out in indignation, it was used for website traffic, and then used against him. Anyone holding Max Hardcore’s hand since he parted ways from Legend? Hope so. Are we a house divided? Yep. Like a non-retro-fitted building on a fault line. I feel disillusioned with this whole industry.
Look: I’m not a mean or vindictive person. And although I’ve only met Jenna once, I’m fairly confident that she is not a heartless monster out to screw everybody, but rather, a feeling, caring human being, trying to organize a fledgling business. And that breeds some confusion. If we were actually FRIENDS, this never would have happened, because we would have personally been speaking to each other through it all. But it was business, and it didn’t go down that way.
And you know what? When y’all started playing the “Name This Pretentious Whore” game, it bothered me somewhere not too far down inside. Jenna’s not a whore. She is an erotic artist. If I thought she was a whore, I wouldn’t have agreed to work for her company. And when it didn’t come together, guess what? I did the very thing I abhor in others. I covered my own ass FIRST. I didn’t want to burn my bridges with LFP. Granted, I was honest, however, it begs the question: why aren’t we all covering each other’s asses? And what kind of reflection is this on LA? On the industry? Jenna lives in Scottsdale. Why? I’m on the verge of going home to New Orleans. Why? Because we can’t “make it” in LA? LOL. No. It’s because the majority of people here are totally focused on their own agendas, too often at others’ expenses. I don’t want to wallow in that trap. Where’s the heart in that? And if you’re not following the path of the heart, then where the f--- are you going?
Ease up on Jenna, y’all… and each other. Peace.
Psychic Porn Stars
AstrologyAdult@yahoo.co.nz writes: Luke, I enjoy your "Whatever happened to" section. I noticed that some ex-porn stars like Erica Boyer have gotten into things like palm reading. I am curious to know if you know of any others, either retired or still in the biz who are really into palm reading, mentalists, psychics, ESP, or especially astrology. I am doing a magazine story and would like to interview any porn stars who are into this.
Luke says: The psychic world is particularly popular with porners who long for spirituality but don't want the shackles of organized religion. Gene Ross reads tarot cards.
Last Thursday, I stopped by to see Robert Lombard for the first time, accompanied by a crew from the TV show Uncovered.
Walking in the door, I saw a familiar face - T.J. Hart. We talked for a few minutes.
The next day, I got this cheery email from Lombard:
"Robert Lombard of Creative Image writes: GOOD MORNING LUKE :-]] Thank you for you're courtesy and professionalism yesterday during the casting session. WE all love these girls...sometimes things get communicated incorrectly..so I just want to set the record straight... *Casting was for a NEW company out of Las Vegas they're first of 10 HARDCORE productions. The girls will be paid $1200 and the guys $800. Condom ONLY. NO "A". * Nancy Vee was in multiple roles of the EMMANUELLE 2000 R rated series for Cinemax, but is was for Click Productions. *Nancy wrong again... :-]]]GOD love her.."The Voyeur" is another R rated series for MRG Entertainment/Mainline Releasing not Playboy. Got to be careful here...don't want a nasty letter from Playboy. I was glad to see you got to spend a few minutes with Lauren Montgomery. This is one classy and above ALL smart women! TJ Hart personable and bubbly as always!. Tina Tyler straight to the point no bull s--- women. Proud to know her. It was a shame you missed the lovely Dru Berrymore and Ava Vincent. THANKS again for stopping by. PS..didn't realize I looked that old in the pictures...time for some botox :-]] and make sure you report to Mr.Bowman I am living UP to my code of ethics."
And later on Friday, June 7, I talked with Hart who was not as cheery. She's painfully vulnerably honest.
Luke: "How was the casting session?"
Hart: "It wasn't as good as it appeared. Very depressing. They promise you so many scenes and whatever, then with who? They said they'd hire you with the person you want to work with and then they call you and say, 'Oh, you only have one scene' and it is with somebody who isn't on your list. Ahh, why am I here?"
Luke: "I met you on June 29, 1998, at PAW (Protecting Adult Welfare). You were with gay porn star Ryan Idol."
Hart: "I was in the business two months then. Yeah, I met those guys way before I was in adult. From Denver, because I worked as a bartender at a gay bar."
Luke: "How come you know so much more about the gay side of the industry than the straight side?"
Hart: "My younger brother goes gay [porn] videos. He's been at it longer than I have. And he's stayed HIV negative. When he came back into the business, I made him go get tested and he's ok.
"He didn't want me around the porn scene... Chi Chi LaRue met me while I was bartending in Colorado. He said I'd be wonderful in porn. It was right before the CES [in Las Vegas in early January, 1998]. This all-gay company had me come out and sign for them and they wanted a girl in their booth to get the guys in.
"I said I'd do my first movie but only with that guy over there - who turned out to be Marc Davis."
Luke: "You did a lot of bisexual videos?"
Hart: "I've only done four but the ones I've done turned out really well - won best movie two years in a row. I only do one a year. Though I've decided not to do them anymore. People have too many preconceived notions. They think they're not tested. They're tested like everyone else."
Luke: "Most gay porn performers are not tested for HIV."
Hart: "The ones for Stable Entertainment all get tested. The ones who work for the companies I do it [bisexual videos] for all get tested. And they're condoms only. And the last movie I did, I was only with a guy and the guy wasn't with any other guys. He comes in because he doesn't want his friends to see his straight side. So he'll come in and do a straight scene in a gay movie.
"The last [bisexual] movie I did was with Chloe and Tina Tyler. I did two guys but the two guys didn't f--- each other. It's not what they [Hart's critics] think because they just don't watch them.
"I've done about 100 adult movies."
Luke: "When I saw you February 26, 1999, you were hanging out with your new boyfriend Frank from Hungary."
Hart: "That ended very not nicely. I lived with him for almost a year in Hungary [in 1999]. He came over here. Hungarian men are controlling. And it is very easy to control a woman when she's over there and doesn't know anybody. But when she comes here and says, 'Well, I am going to go get my nails done.'
"It ended the day I got carjacked. He did the, 'Oh, you shouldn't have been alone.' It was 10:30 in the morning. I was on my way to my nail lady and I was at the gas station and s--- happens. He got all mad. I said, 'You're in America and you've got to understand that I am an American girl. I can do stuff for myself.'"
Luke: "What do you mean you were carjacked?"
Hart: "I got hit over the head and they tried to drag me out of my car. I started hitting the guy and I got my arm stuck in the door and the car took off. And dragged me halfway through the parking lot and ran over me and took my car.
"They put me on a drug I was allergic to... They put me on 'Sextra,' which is a muscle relaxer. They thought I broke my tailbone. I had a semi-concussion on my head. I had a really big lump. And my shoulder was all bloody because I got dragged on the cement. They put me on Sextra and Vicodan and we found out about six days later that I was allergic to Vicodan. I was on a set and my body went into reaction to it. I can't even take aspirin. We found all this out... And that was a bad month. April of 1999."
Luke: "Did you have to stay in the hospital?"
Hart: "Oh no, I didn't even want to go. But my State Farm Insurance guy came out and picked me up and made me go to the hospital because the police were freaked out. The guy got my book with everybody's number in it. So afterwards they worried about a stalker. And my modeling pictures were in there."
Luke: "Was it gangbangers?"
Hart: "It was two hispanics. One of the guys followed my car out. It was his buddy. That car they stole earlier. He was down by Taft High School and he jackknifed around a telephone pole and lost his leg. That's how they knew how to find the other guy who stole my car. The guy who stole my car got ten years [in prison] and the other guy got five years. It was more of a violent thing toward me. The other girl didn't fight. I had an older brother."
Luke: "Did you have an affair with actor Corey Feldman?"
Hart: "Not an affair. We hung out. He wasn't married. I did catering for his Christmas party."
Luke: "At the CES, you wore a big rock [ring]?"
Hart: "That's my grandmother's. That's my security. I wear it as a security blanket. Some people have a little pebble they rub. I rub the back of the ring. Because I'm afraid of crowds.
"Two months after I got my car back, I was rear-ended and went through the windshield. And Dr. Lawrence Copeland had to rebuild my chin. It fractured. That was not a good year for me. I'm not generally accident prone. Every ten years, you have a bad year. In 1988, my fiance was killed by a drunk driver and my grandfather died when I was taking care of him..."
Luke: "So what keeps you in this industry?"
Hart: "It was the sex. But this last week, I've been having really bad luck. Because I don't have sex in my personal life. I don't know how to go out and find it. I have a fear of crowds. And the only place you can really find somebody is at bars which I'm starting to do more often. I am starting to get out a little bit. I love watching movies. I like ordering pizza and watching TV at home. It's hard to do that when you can't find anybody.
"It's hard to date once you've done this business. I tried dating chiropractor for a bit and we'd mess around but he wouldn't have sex with me because he was afraid of the AIDS thing. I looked at him and said, 'Wait. Aren't you the guy who just picked up a girl two weeks ago at a bar? And you slept with her. Did she have an HIV test? Did you use condoms. We're tested...'
"Yeah, chlamydia and stuff like that might be higher here [in porn] but not AIDS."
Luke: "You have college degrees - a triple major. Did you have a happy childhood?"
Hart: "Yes I did. I was on the US Olympic swim team. I was structured. This might be my little rebellion against being structured my whole life. My parents were very strict. They're very religious people. Sex was not something ever talked about. You procreate and that's it. And that's great for them. I taught Sunday School for five years at a Methodist church. I loved working with kids more than anything. I liked my church because we taught all different aspects of religion. We were Methodists but we went into Judaism and the other stuff. And my mother's side is all Jewish. Her parents are Jewish and I guess that makes me Jewish. Well, it doesn't make me Jewish at all because I was adopted.
"No, my parents don't know [about T.J.'s porn work]. My mom's dying right now. Let her go in peace. My siblings know. My little sister refuses to talk to me. She went to Stanford and then she got her Masters at Cal Arts and my older brother... They're both engineers. They're both brains. I was never really like them because they were very brilliant. They're very smart and very book educated and I was never like that. I was more the free spirit black sheep.
"I have a good relationship with the brother doing gay porn. Because he's not from the parents I was raised with. He's from my biological father."
Luke: "So what do you see yourself doing in five years?"
Hart: "I'd love to get a little cabin in Colorado and run an antique shop. Or, I'd love to go back and work with children. But it'd be easy to get found out and fired. I'll probably just hide in some small town. I want to adopt some kids and raise them and hope they don't choose this path. But if they do, I'll be supportive. The important thing is to get them educated in something they can get a job in. I have a severe learning disability so that pretty much makes it impossible for me to do too much with the writing thing. I'm severely dyslexic."
Luke: "How did you get all those degrees if you were dyslexic?"
Hart: "In college they help you with learning centers and stuff like that. For tests, I got to go to special places where people would speak the tests and give you four different answers and then I could go, 'Oh, it's this answer.' When you have to fill in the dot thingy, it looks like ants running all over the page. The University of Colorado helped me the best. I started out at the University of Nebrasks where I got a full ride swimming scholarship. The coach and I didn't see eye to eye. He got fired later. By that time, I had already quit. They took me off of everything. I didn't even have to take SATs to get into the school. Because of my swimming thing. But once I quit swimming, they said, 'We don't want you here if you're not swimming for us.' They took me out of all the learning centers and there was no way possible I could pass college without having help.
"The coach would hold me after practice and make me feel very uncomfortable when we were alone. And I told my parents and he went back and told my parents, 'Oh no, this is what is wrong with her.' He tried to tell my parents that I was bolemic. Lord knows that would be the last thing I'd ever be. Then he and I got in a fight and then my parents got in a fight with me. I've always been a rebellious person.
"I've never practiced hard or worked out hard and I've always done well. In high school I had the same problem. My coach slapped me across the face. I was two seconds off Olympic time. I was one of those people who said, 'If I'm winning, who cares?' And they go, 'My God, you could've made Olympic time.' And I'd say, 'I'll make Olympic time. This is just a meet. We're having fun.' He got so mad. I did frustrate him because he saw my natural ability and I wanted to have fun."
Luke: "You frustrate a lot of people because you have a good upbringing and college degrees and yet you're doing porno."
Hart: "There's nothing I can do with the college degrees unless I get a Masters. And I've applied to Pepperdine and UCLA to get my Masters. I've asked about learning centers. I do want to get a Masters. I hope that if I do that, they can overlook porn if I'm working with kids.
"The first time I had sex was when I was 18. The first time I really had sex I was in college. It was a guy I totally liked. He was 18 but he was afraid to bring me home. It made me upset. I found out later why. It was because his parents were extremely overweight.
"And I thought it was because of me. Yeah okay, I have no neck. I have big shoulders. My hair is really short because with swimming, you have to be that way. I'm not the best looking. In high school, guys barked at me. But you're with me, so you shouldn't be that embarassed."
Luke incredulous: "Guys barked at you in high school?"
Hart: "Oh God, I was a total dog. My parents had to pay somebody to go to the prom with me. I had a blind date to Senior prom. I'm trying to get Lauren and some friends to go back with me to where I grew up and just hang out and see if anyone recognizes me. I'm dying to go back. Cindy Crawford was in my high school. So there were people really beautiful like her and there was me. I could bench 165 pounds.
"I haven't worked out since 1988. But If I work out, I get muscular. I have that type of muscle fiber."
Luke: "How would you characterize your experience in the adult industry?"
Hart: "Good and bad. I'm not going to say anything bad about anything. I did it to myself. But it's stopped me from having a normal relationship now. They do use you and spit you out. It was great but it is hard to accept that you are not the new young girl anymore. Everybody's been nice."
Luke: "Have you been recognized?"
Hart: "I went to China with my parents for a month. They were doing volunteer work relocating houses from the Yangtzee River. And one day we took off and visited a pottery shop. And there were a whole bunch of German tourists who wanted to take pictures of me. And one of them goes, 'T.J.' And I go, 'Shhh.' And so I took pictures and my mom said, 'That's kind of weird. In Germany there are tons of blonde girls.' Sex is the last thing my parents would think I would try to make a living off."
Luke: "Haven't they noticed your breast job?"
Hart: "No. I wore sweat shirts and overalls. I could never tell my parents I got a breast job. The clothes I wear at home are totally different than the ones I wear here. I can hide my breasts. I used to wear pushup bras and those little liquid things, so how do they know if I do show a little? That dress you saw me, I definitely don't wear home. I have all these business suits that we wear to church. And they don't know about my brother, the gay porn star."
Luke: "How much contact do you have with your birth mother?"
Hart: "She calls me quite a bit. But I have two other half brothers by her. It's a lot of negative energy. I love her and I thank God she gave me up for adoption. She did the right thing. She gave me a better life even though I am in porn now. When I was little, I saw the whole world with my parents. My parents gave me every opportunity. I'm the one who ruined it. They gave me every opportunity and I held myself back."
Luke: "You've got to jump into therapy."
Hart: "I already have. There's no reason to blame my parents for what I did. My real last name is well known. And some company called me up, wanting to use my real last name and interview my parents. And I go, 'That's not right. I'll deny everything.' Because my parents didn't choose what I did. My parents didn't choose to drag their name through the mud. I did. I don't want to hurt them that way."
Luke: "Why would a company in this industry want to do that to you?"
Hart: "This company has stirred up a lot of s--- with me. I'm one of those people who, to a fault, are honest about things. And I get myself in a lot of trouble that way. A lot of people dislike me because I don't believe there should be any lies. This is a very personal business and it should be an open business. We should talk about everything with each other. I know a lot of people go, 'Oh my God. She crossed over [to gay porn]. She does both.' I don't think there should be a problem with it as everyone is tested.' These people don't realize how many bisexual guys there are on our [straight] side. And it pisses me off.
"When I go out with someone, people always think that I'm doing him up the butt with a strap-on. If a person really wants something like that, I will do it for the person. But it is not something I need to do to somebody to have a relationship. But now, the people who hang around me are guilty by association.
"The straight side of the industry seems more catty than the gay side. When people in the gay side of the industry have a problem with each other, they'll sit there and fight it out and get it over with."
Luke: "Ok, thank you. This gives me plenty to work with."
Hart: "Try to be positive. I don't work as it is. I've been in the business three years. I wasn't one of the lucky girls who got an opportunity for a contract. I would love to do that so I could go try this dancing thing if I could get over my fear of crowds. I want to try it. Have Southern Comfort and I will be fine. Do you have a kid?"
Luke: "No, but there are kids playing outside now."
Hart: "Is it fun to have them around?"
Luke: "It is good and bad."
Hart: "The noise is bad.
Luke: "They're rambunctious boys. They're playing outside my door blissfully unaware of what I write on."
Hart: "Ahh, how cool. That's good. Blissfully unaware is positive and unfortunately most of our children today aren't that way. I can't have kids."
Luke: "In a few hours, I will clean off and go to synagogue. The Sabbath is the highlight of my week."
Hart: "Letting in Joseph? I remember you open a door. I remember some of the Sabbath Day..."
Luke: "Oh, the song L'cha Dodi, welcoming the Sabbath queen. My family had Jewish friends and they tried to get us back going that way. I went to synagogue a lot. I was never Bat Mitvahed. I learned a lot. I had two best friends who were Bat Mitvahed. I had wine for the first time with them.
"I remember last year someone wrote something vicious to Gene Ross that I was pregnant with Alec Metro's child. I can't have children so that was a very mean thing to put. And I know who did it. Gene Ross didn't believe me so he called Tina Tyler who confirmed it. That was a mess last year. I was very upset about that. Kids are the one thing I want to have more than anything in this world."
Robert Lombard of Creative Image wants to CLEAR UP the lovable TJ HART'S minor depression..If she is asked again about the casting session..I AM SURE...smiles would appear...She has been booked for TWO scenes. The boy/girl scene is with a Male performer of her choice. JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE is on the same page and above ALL HAPPY! :-]]]] and the latest information is always posted and updated. I need HAPPY talent! Thanks for being in my life TJ ;-]]
T.J. Hart replies: Robert thank you so much for making my day happy. And yes it did turn out GREAT! It is good to know someone on the other side of the lense, cares how you feel, and knows if you are going to do it I want to be the best scene I can do for them. Thanks for putting a smile on my face this month.
Tim writes Luke: Nice to see more press on the beautiful TJ Hart. I met her a year ago in LA, and she impressed me with her open personality. As for her problem meeting people outside the business...it's to be expected. Porn is not a "normal" occupation. Most men, many of whom would admit to watching porn, would not handle their girlfriend participating in it. Having someone you love engaging in sex with strangers for money does not lend itself to a long term relationship. While titillating on the surface, it's easy to see the difficulty in maintaining trust if your partner is a porn star. For all people in porn (or any occupation), you weigh the pro's and con's of the life you've chosen, and live with the result. For Miss Hart, who has obviously succeeded in this business, the downside to her choice is estrangement from some of her family, and having to hide things from her parents. This cannot be easy on her.
Joe from Alabama writes: Hi Luke.... Would have never imagined I had something in common with a porn star..but after reading your interview with TJ Hart, it turns out I do-- neither of us has sex in our personal lives. :( If TJ would like to change that, let me know the next time she visits Nashville (like she'd willingly go to Alabama!)
So sad about Linda Thoren. Never seen her work, but a beautiful girl. Hope she gets over her depression.
Thought of you while reading an article from a 1986 British Penthouse. Article is about a trucker who smuggles porn from other European countries into England. Think about this quote: "Every country I go to, it's all legal and in the open, and people aren't half as hung up on it as they are over here (England). And what's more, though they may be pretty sharp businessmen who produce this stuff and handle it in the Common Market, they aren't crooks. In England they all are, because it's been *made* a crooked business. This means the average punter (in American, Joe Sixpack) still gets ripped off and it seems to me that the people who make the laws are perfectly happy about that. They just don't care if people get ripped off, because they hate people who enjoy sex so much they think they deserve it."
How much of the "crookedness" that's in the porn business is because American society has "made it that way?" Does that also account for the envelope-pushing of the last five years or so (emphasis on anal, facial, Max Hardcore's success as a few examples)?
Finally, just out of curiousity, what percentage of porn performers are good in bed? Based on anecdotal experience, I mean...also fully aware that the movie-making process often gets in the way of having a good experience...from what I've read other porners say. Brandy?
Luke says: The average porn girl is more skilled in bed than the average civilian.
Putative Marc Reviews Tomb Raider
Putative Marc writes: what a piece of irredeemable crap. not like "showgirls" where it's funny bad ... this one is just plain awful. publicity for the entire video game-based flick focuses on angelina jolie voight's breasts: will they bounce up and down when she runs? can the areolas be visible when she's perspiring? how much nipple can be detected when her naked back is to the camera? answers: yes (as a matter of fact, they are most buoyant during the *penultimate* scene in the movie which has shown up on most teevee shows--perhaps the first time in hollywood history the end of a film has been used as a promo clip) sort of and ... none. that's about all. luke, your shame-inducing work in the porn industry has just gotten a notch more respectable, if only by default.
Sergio writes: Is Putative Marc aware that Angelina used FAKE boobs on the Tomb Raider movie, just like Sigourney Weaver in Galaxy Quest?
Dennis Hof's Moonlight Bunny Ranch
I've been in the same room with Bunny Ranch owner Dennis Hof on many occasions but I've always felt too intimidated to talk to him.
Tuesday morning I got a call from the Ranch and spoke with Hof for the first time.
The Moonlight Bunny Ranch has been condom mandatory for all sex, vaginal or oral, for 17 years. "We have a 17 year history of virtually no sexually transmitted diseases. There have been over 50 girls trying to get into the system with HIV and they're working other places. We don't see anything.
"I just met with the public health people and Nevada will be the first state to eradicate syphillis. Is it because of us totally? No. But it is partially because of us and our exemplary record. We've never seen any HIVs."
Luke: "Do they use condoms for oral as well?"
Dennis: "Yes but they know how to do it. Half the time the customer is saying, 'Hey, aren't we going to use a condom?' And the girl says, 'It's already on.' They put them on with their mouth. And the guy doesn't even know it. They know how to put the lubricant inside. They get baggy condoms so they can slide up and down on them. They know all the tricks. I've tried it with these girls. And I hate condoms. But they can make it work."
Luke: "Have you been sued much?"
Dennis: "Not once. We don't have those problems."
Luke: "How often do you have to bounce a girl for being a flake?"
Dennis: "We do it very discretely. We try to wait until it is time for them to leave and then not invite them back. Unless it is something blatant - a drug issue or stealing. We usually try to not disturb the house. No matter how much of an ass a girl is, she has friends and it upsets the friends [to boot her]..."
Luke: "What percentage of the girls had never done this before until they came to you?"
Dennis: "About 60%. That's one of the neat things about our place. About 60% of the girls have never been in the business before so they don't have the bad attitudes or the preconceived notions and they don't get into that stuff that the guys are tricks and all that type of s---. We don't allow that. A guy is not a trick, he's a client. He's a customer. A girl is not a whore. She's a working girl. Don't use that vernacular in our place. We tell them one time. The second time, they're gone."
Luke: "Do you think of your girls as normal typical women?"
Dennis: "Absolutely typical. Even more typical than in the porn industry. Just a young cross section of America. Now we do have girls who've made a lot of money who are older. Treasure Chest did real well. We had a 51-year old gal who hooked up with a multi-millionaire. In fact, Al Goldstein and Ronny [Jeremy] met her in LA and she was blowing them. And they said, 'With the way you suck cock, you should go work at the Bunny Ranch.' They introduced her to me and she came up here and went to work. And made a whole lot of money. A 51-year old little blonde. Then hooked up with a multi-millionaire customer and they're still together.
"Luke, I'm running off to an appointment but let's have some fun with this Mila thing. Any way we can get more fun out of it... I'm seriously thinking about doing an ad in AVN - 'Want to marry a multimillionaire? Come be a hooker at the Bunny Ranch.'"
laurien@cyberweb1.comwrites Luke: After seventeen years of silence in this business I am compelled to write the following regarding the amount of time people in this industry dedicate to nailing Paul Fishbein to the proverbial cross. I didn't realize he was the next messiah. If all of you donated as much time to your film projects as you do crying over whether or not you are nominated there would be more than one winner for each category and maybe even new categories created. Everyone who shoots anything thinks they deserve an award. How do you satisfy everyone in such an ego driven industry? Lets expose Paul, he f---ed this porn star, he f---ed that one. I'm not saying he has but are you trying to tell me that if you were in his shoes that you wouldn't? Get real. Your own "Christ Like" behavior would keep you in line? Hey, if you owned the magazine and were responsible to keep it floating, you wouldn't give perks to people who spend tens of thousands of dollars on advertising? Do you know of any other Industry that's not involved in some type of so called corruption? Government? Politics? Attorney's? Utilities? Need I go on?
I've been in this business nearly 18 years now. I've shot for nearly every men's magazine on the news stand, designed boxes and shot photography for close to 2,000 movies and have produced close to 100 video's if not more. Nobody in this business knows who I am. I have never advertised in the AVN, never won an award and get zero publicity. Yet, my business couldn't be better. Positive proof that the evil Paul Fishbein is not the source of your demise, maybe it's you. So get off your jilted asses and direct your attention to making better product. Hell who knows? You just might start doing well enough that you don't care what Paul is up to or you just might get an award for it.
I had just finished reading all the Gene Ross info on Paul and was compelled to email you. I don't like to get involved in anything in this business. In the middle of it all, I had to stop and ask myself why Paul is even bothering to respond to all this bull s---. I couldn't help but wonder how he has time to run his magazine with all the corruption he's involved in. He must either be the second coming or superman! Not that I'm religious or anything but all I could envision was the last supper with Paul at the head of the table. We have all the characters involved including Jude (Gene Ross). All these x-employees [of AVN] sound as if they are Saints? Who would have thought that the pornography business could attract so many people with such high standards? No wonder priest enrollment is at an all time low.
Former AVN managing editor Ken Wood writes: Luke, I thought this was very interesting indeed and I have two minor observations to make in response...
laurien@cyberweb1.com writes Luke: "After seventeen years of silence in this business..."
That's funny, seeing how Paul Fishbein started AVN exactly seventeen years ago back in Philadelphia.
"...In the middle of it all, I had to stop and ask myself why Paul is even bothering to respond to all this bull s---."
Very cute, except for one thing...Paul Fishbein actually hasn't responded to anything openly, so how would this "laurien@cyberweb1.net" be aware of Fish "bothering to respond" at all?
By the way Paul, you're an atrocious writer and everybody in editorial always thought so. My point being, stop writing on your own behalf if you can't cover your tracks.
I am jealous of The Fish in one regard though: The weather in Marina Del Rey is f---in' awesome right now. Peace out.
XXX says: AVN was started in August of 1992 (almost 19 years, not 17) and the first issue was Feb '83 for the record.
MikeSouth.com writes: Luke you can tell Ken Wood to extract his head from his ass. He should know that Laurien is the Photographer who has shot many Penthouse layouts as well as layouts for many other magazines. I believe the guy married Taylor Wayne but I don't know that they are still married or not, I presume they are.
Ken Wood replies: Dear Mike South, Next time I see you, maybe at Erotica LA, I'll buy you a drink. It's easy to get riled up in this business over meaningless bulls---, and I'm no exception.
But Mike, check out what you wrote and check out what Laurien wrote...
Mike South: "Luke you can tell Ken Wood to extract his head from his ass. He should know that Laurien is the Photographer who has shot many Penthouse layouts as well as layouts for many other magazines."
Laurien: "Nobody in this business knows who I am."
One more thing. Why should I be aware of people who shoot for Penthouse or any other magazine? The rag I used to write for was called Adult VIDEO News, not Photographer's Monthly.
By the way, I always gave you good reviews.
One final note on all this Laurien business. He may have intended to pull some of the heat off of Paul Fishbein, but in reality he turned it up a few degrees. Look at what Gene Ross pointed out and it definitely makes sense. Confirmation from a successful industry insider that advertising in AVN is all-but useless.
Laurien: "I have never advertised in the AVN, never won an award and get zero publicity. Yet, my business couldn't be better."
Let me run that by all you advertisers once again, just in case you have jizz blocking your ears...
"I have never advertised in the AVN, never won an award and get zero publicity. Yet, my business couldn't be better."
Thank you Laurien. Photogs and writers make strange bedfellows.
MikeSouth.com replies: hey tell Ken nobody, myself included, is immune from rectal cranial inversion. I know Laurien because I met him once briefly in New York City and because as a photographer I pay close attention to the work of those more successful than myself so that i might get better. I suppose theres no real reason to think Ken should know who he is except for the fact that I'm 3000 miles away and I know who he is... maybe I expect too much...regardless I didn't mean for Ken to take it personal and it doesn't much appear that he did.
On the flip side my opinions about Paul Fishbein haven't changed, Paul has always been straight up with me and I with him, I have written things I am sure he took issue with but regardless of opinions that has never been a deterrent to a professional relationship. I consider Paul a stand up guy. I don't think the AVN awards are fixed (Lord knows Xplor didn't buy mine, and I damn sure didn't). Paul is a high profile guy making him a big target but in the grand scheme of porn ethics I think Paul's are top notch.
Ken, I hope I EARNED those good reviews
Gene Ross writes: By his own admission "laurien" is pretty much saying that AVN is corrupt, that we should accept it and move on because it's a part of every day life; not to mention the fact that it's a pointless entity. Laurien pretty much backs that contention by admitting he didn't need it to further his own career or "business". There you go, in plain black and white. People should stop and realize how many advertising dollars they're wasting each month- under the misguided notion they're going to be selling more tapes- and that they'd be better served financially by investing in energy mutuals.
For what you give and theoretically what little you get back in return, it's really a foolish business proposition all the way down the line. [For the favored few, the way it really goes is this- forget the gloss of the reviews, the stories, etc. the reality is AVN serves as the intermediary which marshals deals then gets a piece if the action for doing so. In essence, your advertising buys you into the inner circle. If, as a video company you're on the dole, you don't squawk. Stands to reason. You're now part of this amazing welfare system. If you're not, you should look into it and demand to get a piece of the so-called $10 billion action that's out there.] Otherwise, advertising? Fuhgeddaboudit.
I'll quote an AVN statistic that comes back to strangle them. They'll tell you that the magazine goes out to thousands and thousands of video stores. I believe 20,000 was a figure most often quoted. Ask yourself how many pieces of a title are you moving. 2,000? 2,500? 3,000? Then ask yourself, are ALL those video stores taking your product? Hell no. Have your numbers increased significantly over the years? Hell, no. Are video stores doomed to be non-existent? Hell, yes [technology-technology]. (From Gene Ross)
Mark Kernes writes QuasarmanRants.com: Gene Ross isn't a person you can count on for accurate information about what goes on/went on at AVN. Can YOU spell "vendetta"?