HBO Covers Jill Kelly Productions Shoot
2003-04-08 21:59:49
I had to strain to see any evidence of Jill Kelly's recent accident (drunk, she smashed her hand through a glass door after locking herself out of her house, and she almost lost her arm). Given the hysterical gossip on the internet, I expected to see it hanging on by a thread.
Well, she has both arms. They work fine. I saw her directing with them. It was only once, late in the day, that I saw a scar on the inside of one arm. And no threads.
I think it's terrible that porners gossip so much. With much of the world aligned against us as some kind of axis of evil, shouldn't we porners unite rather than engage in petty and mean-spirited small talk? I want to be the glue that holds this industry together.
I want to be Your Moral Leader.
HBO had a crew of about ten people on the Sherman Oaks set. They brought their own food. JKP sets are always lavishly catered.
Jill was a take-charge director, telling one cameraman to change to an F4, whatever that means. She told another cameraman to be more quiet. She told the actors what she wanted from their scenes. She asked for more verbal expression. She asked for parts of scenes to be repeated. I've never seen a director so engaged.
HBO covered much of the action but stepped aside when asked to by the talent.
I saw Cynara Fox and Jenna Haze huddle just before their scene. I think they had to call AIM to get the latest results from Cynara's tests.
Cynara asked HBO to move away so they could resolve things privately. After a cell phone conversation with Sharon Mitchell at AIM, everything was resolved, I believe, and the scene moved ahead at 4:30PM Tuesday as I was leaving.
Cynara Fox did three scenes today. We had a long talk. She showed me a panel of drug tests she's taken every month for the past seven months. She's tested completely negative for every illegal drug.
Fox has a medical condition that could trick some people into thinking she has a drug problem, but according to the tests I saw, that is clearly not the case. She's been the subject of nasty gossip. She had a financial crisis last year. She had a horrible experience with agent Jim South who told porners not to use her. But she's much happier now she's signed with JKP and she feels that JKP is her family.
AVN journalist Mark Kernes arrived on set about 2PM and as is his habit, he proceeded to denounce me to cast and crew. That I hate the industry. That I shouldn't be allowed on set. That nobody should talk to me.
Mark set off a panic. I felt like a ton of bricks came down on me.
I left.
I called Jill Kelly at 10:30 PM. She was still on set, still directing. The work of a pornographer is never done.
......................................
I arrived on the JKP set at 11AM. I walk several flights of stairs to the top where Cynara Fox is taking on Shane Collins and Erik Masterson. There's no doubt that Jill Kelly is directing this shoot and everyone follows her orders.
There's a big sign in the room hailing "Justin's Bar Mitzah" with a big picture of a 13-year old boy.
Skye Blue walks in. She has her own shooting stage.
Jill Kelly's lawyer David wanders around. He wonders out loud who is Cynara Fox.
Alexis Vogel, the daughter of photographer Ron Vogel, has been nominated for an Emmy as the makeup artist on American Idol.
Alexis is now on tour with the sexy latin singer Shakira.
The first scene wraps at 1:10PM.
I chat with Erik and Shane over lunch. Erik says his wife Wendy Divine lost ten pounds while dancing on the road for three weeks. When she came back, she sold a script to porn director Jim Steele (Vivid and co).
Erik: "For guys, it's hard to start out in this industry. You have to struggle to establish yourself while a new girl gets shot every day. Three years later, the situation reverses itself."
Shane's been married to Chennin Blanc for 13 years, together 18-years. Shane and Chennin, Erik and Wendy, have been in the industry five years. Then features were the thing and gonzo was small. The situation has now reversed itself.
Shane says he can do two gonzo scenes in less time than doing one sex scene with dialogue in a feature.
Luke: "How did you and your wife get into the porn industry?"
Shane: "We were swingers. A friend of ours knew Vince Voyeur and introduced us.
"My wife was the contract girl without a contract. She worked for Vivid and Pleasure. Tiffany Shanahan picked us up for Vivid for a couple of years and we worked every month. Wendy has been teaching Chennin about dancing on the road.
"This business is my family. They treat me better than anybody has ever treated me."
DUC to Erik: "Do you feel like this business is your family?"
Erik: "I feel that certain people are my family. As jobs go, you get treated better [in porn]. You meet a better quality of people than you'll ever meet, even if you work at Target."
Shane: "There's no bullsh-- to it. You can't hide it. You're on set performing the most vulnerable thing. There's nothing to hide."
JKP contract girl Jenna Haze, 5'3" and 90-pounds, has not done a man on film in nine months because of her relationship with cameraman Matt, a spiky-haired handsome young man who's long been a favorite of porn stars. I wonder when these two will marry. They appear deeply in love.
After Cynara finishes her scene, she takes off her wig to reveal bright pink hair. She sits in the kitchen with me and eats a donut and some fruit. She says she's a perfectionist. She describes her performance in today's first scene as horrible. She feels she let everyone down. She wants to do much better next time.
Cynara first watched porn at age 12 - Debbie Does Dallas. Jenna Haze was 14 when she first watched Shane's World, which inspired her to enter porn.
Jenna has gone five days without weed and she's jumpy and talkative. We chat while she's in make-up.
Luke: "If Matt asks you to marry him, you won't do any more scenes with guys?"
Jenna: "I haven't done any anyway. I won't go back to it."
Jenna assures Cynara there's time before they do the next scene.
Jenna: "I'm not even close to being ready to do my next scene. They can kiss my ass. I won a f---ing award so they can f---ing kiss my ass."
Luke: "Which one?"
Jenna: "I won Starlet of the Year at AVN. And I won Best Masturbation Scene also."
Someone else: "She was nominated for best girl-girl scene."
Jenna: "Yes, but I lost to Jenna Jameson, which was kinda a given."
Luke: "Did you choose your name because of Jenna Jameson?"
Jenna: "No. My real name is Jennifer. I worked at Marie Calendars waitressing and there were three other Jennifers there so I had to be Jenna. I was talking to all my friends about porn because I was into it. 'If you did porn, what would your porn name be?' And I said, 'Jenna Haze.'
"My ex-fiance's last name was Hayes. My favorite song at the time was Purple Haze by Jimmy Hendrix. I'm an extremely big stoner also. Extremely big. Probably the reason I have an attitude problem right now is that I haven't smoked pot in five days."
Luke: "Why haven't you smoked any?"
Jenna: "I haven't bought any. I have ADD. I'm extremely hyperactive. It makes it hard for me to concentrate on anything."
Luke: "They don't bring it on set for you?"
Jenna: "No."
Luke: "When you won the Best New Starlet award, did you thank your parents?"
Jenna laughs: "Hell no. I went up there and cried. If anyone knew what I went through to get that award. All the drama that entire week. I had a competitor come up to me and was very rude and said, 'May the best girl f---ing win.' I didn't really care if I won or not. I just thanked my favorite directors - Jules Jordan and Patrick Collins and Jill Kelly and Devon Davis.
"It was three days of signing before you get to go to the awards. I was there the entire time of every day. I did not leave. A lot of girls did. They went and got drinks. I don't believe in drinking on the job. I love my fans. Signing is my favorite part of my job."
Jenna hates mascara and she hates having her eyelashes done.
Jenna: "We had dinners and parties every night. It was so stressful. I had to give out awards too."
Luke: "Did your parents come?"
Jenna: "NO! My parents know what I do but they don't approve. We just don't talk about it."
An hour after my interview with Cynara, I sense a rising level of tension on set. Mark Kernes from Adult Video News has been trashing me, creating hysteria in Cynara and others.
Mark starts ranting against me in front of cast and crew and HBO. I catch his last few words on tape.
Mark: "This man hates the industry. You've probably heard this before. I don't know why you let him on sets anymore."
Skye Blue yells at Mark and everyone to be quiet because Jill Kelly is shooting upstairs and the sound carries.
One of the JKP girls says "f--- you" to Shyla Stylez who skipped out on her contract and her marriage to the owner of JKP.
I chat with Cindy Crawford who gave an on-screen BJ to Dylan Day's father, Papa Wadd aka Big Daddy.
Cindy: "I did the father and son in the same movie."
Luke: "Did you do the Holy Ghost too?"What's It Like To Be Constantly Abused?
2003-04-16 09:39:26
Kimmy Kim writes Luke: "Perhaps if you didn't set yourself up to be disliked and 'abused' as you call it, you wouldn't have such nervous issues when going to an industry event in the very industry you've chosen to work in, not once, but twice. Might not be a bad day to think about it.
"I don't think you're bad, just a good bit misguided. It's really kind of sad, you could have done so much better in this industry without compromising yourself or your beliefs I'd bet."
......................................
Tuesday, April 8, 2003, was a typical day for me.
I show up on a set at the invitation of the publicist.
AVN senior editor Mark Kernes comes by. I begin to sense a rising level of tension on set. Mark has been trashing me, creating hysteria. Mark starts ranting against me in front of cast and crew.
I catch his last few words on tape.
Mark: "This man hates the industry. You've probably heard this before. I don't know why you let him on sets anymore."
Skye Blue yells at Mark and everyone to be quiet because Jill Kelly is shooting upstairs and the sound carries.
Cynara insists that I tape her final words to me: "I want people to know that I remember what I said during my interview and if it comes out wrong, I will be on the net explaining what I said. Because I was under the influence that it was somebody else. I didn't really know because HBO is here and a lot of people are here and I didn't know anyone else is here and if there's any gossip about me on the net, then that's it. This s--- needs to stop. We're all people and we need to be respected and not talked s--- on unless it is something that someone needs helps with. I really hope that my words will be used as I spoke them and not mixed around and not certain parts left out and certain parts put in. And if they are, I'm not going to be very happy."
Luke: "Give me your email address and I will email you the interview before it goes up on setgo.com. I've worked with your publicist for years."
Cynara: "If I would have known, no offense, I would never have done that. Never."
Wesley Emerson phones me Wednesday morning, 4/9.
Wesley: "I have a question. When you interview people, why don't you introduce yourself instead of blindsiding them and saying, 'Hi, I'd just like to ask you a few questions.'"
Luke: "I do."
Wesley: "No you don't. You didn't introduce yourself to Cynara Fox."
Luke: "You're wrong. I did."
Wesley: "Do you have that on tape?"
Luke: "I don't know if I have that introduction on tape..."
Wesley: "Well, you should from now on. If you say anything nasty about her or twist her words, I will come after you. I promise I will. I've helped her out too much for people like you to go f--- with her. I love you dearly but I'm tired of people like you f---ing with people. I'm so tired of the gossip. I feel like I'm dealing with Hedda Hopper. It appalls me. She's giving you the benefit of the doubt. I want some respect taken.
"You caught her in the middle of falling asleep for a nap. She had no idea who you were. It just hurts when she finds out who you are. I'm counting on you not to go on any of your normal dark places."
Many people in the industry hate me for many different reasons. Mark Kernes hates me out of righteousness. He righteously believes in the industry and in his work supporting it and he sees me as a threat to the industry and to free speech in America.
Porn is Mark's family and he feels I threaten the wellbeing of his family.
Most porners don't believe in the industry's righteousness. They don't do porn to make a better world. They do porn to get laid, have fun and make an easy buck.
Kernes believes porn and free expression and personal liberty make the world a better place. He has a free expression, Nina Hartley, sex-positive mission. He has a religious fervor for the fight against censorship. Kernes has hated me with a passion since early 1997. He wrote to the newsgroup rec.arts.movies.erotica in June of 1997 that I was a threat to free speech in America. Kernes is a whole new genre of hatred.
XXX: "He's trying to limit your free speech because you are a threat to free speech? He tries to tell everyone not to talk to you, not to invite you on set... If he were such a passionate defender of free speech, you'd think he'd take a principled stand that while he doesn't like what you write, he defends your right to practice your craft. But no. He wants you rid of."
Other journalists hate me for personal reasons. Some journalists hate me because I'm competition. Other journalists (Jeremy Stone aka Tim Connelly of Adam Film World) hate me for printing their real name (and that Tim found out from l-keford.com that his wife Christy Canyon was divorcing him). Some journalists hate me (Bryn Pryor aka Mark Logan) because they believe I'm a shoddy journalist and a disgrace to the craft.
What's interesting these days is how often publicists come to my defense, telling off those who create hysteria on sets against me. It's interesting how often publicists appreciate what I do and set up their clients to interview with me.
XXX Porner: "That these porners would get knocked for such a loop by you is so indicative of their own fragile state of being and what they are and their own guilt about what they're doing.
"When these things happening, it's been going on for years, how do you feel?"
Luke: "I wish I could claim it was just water off a duck's back. But my stomach tightens up. I feel under pressure. It makes me less likely to go to an event if I realize I will likely have to receive this thrashing. It adds to the price of going to anything industry-related. It gets you down. You get tired of it."
XXX: "Do you ever ask him to sit down, have a cup of coffee, and try to work things out?"
Luke: "There's no working things out with Kernes and Connelly and some of my other critics. They passionately hate me and always will. Other people, yeah, I can sit down and work things out. I've talked things through with Paul Fishbein and Gene Ross etc and we've made our separate peace. I try to reduce the temperature of disputes. It's in my interest to have relations with people in the industry.
"I don't have enough emotional investment to hate anyone in this industry."
XXX: "I never detected that from you. I never detected the animus having reciprocity. It was always one way."