Justin Magnum Interview

I meet Grant Michaels brother Justin, 29, on the Cherry Boxxx set Wednesday March 30, 2005.

They grew up in Rhodesia. Grant moved here in 1997. Justin in 1999. They worked construction and competed in body building before moving into porn.

Justin has done about 150 scenes and Grant about 75.

Duke: "When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?"

Justin: "Firstly, a motorcyle professional. But we really didn't have the tracks and my parents didn't want me to race. So then [from age 14 on], Mr. Universe. I worked out about three hours a day. Grant was winning all the conquests. I wanted to be like him. We did well over there and came over here and won a few titles, but it was all steroids over here. Drug abuse. Politics. And no future. A dead-end sport. I wasn't enjoying it any more. Grueling workouts and no fruits. I realized it was a loser sport like my dad had said.

"Started desert racing with motorcycles and got back into Motorcross at 27. Now I race amateur Motorcross. That's my passion. When I'm not racing, I ride bicycles long distance (about 300 miles a week) to stay in shape and do this to support my hobbies. I do lightweights once a week."

Grant entered porn first. "He was dating Kim Chambers. Sweet girl. She got him in. She introduced us to all the right people. We went to AVN 2004 and bumped into Rick Davis, who I knew from Golds Gym eight years ago. He was probably the first person we met after we got off the plane. We went straight to Golds Gym [in North Hollywood] and met Rick. We became friends. I didn't even know he was in the business. He was training people.

"Rick Davis is the one who hooked me up [in porn]. I've probably done 80 scenes for Rick Davis and Cherry Boxxx. Every single week for over a year."

Duke: "Have you dated anyone in the industry?"

Justin: "Nah. They're good for fun.

"I should be careful what I say.

"Fun to date, but not in a relationship sense. I have a girlfriend out of the business. She's a mainstream model. She doesn't like what I do but I don't really talk about it. I keep it separate."

Duke: "What do you love and hate about the industry?"

Justin: "I love 99% of it. I don't like disorganized companies who take forever to shoot. I enjoy most of my scenes but when you've got to be on a set for eight hours, and then you suddenly have to perform in the seventh hour, it's difficult. I like working for gonzo companies. You make almost the same money. It's a small crew and it's fast and efficient. Like Cherry Boxxx."

Duke: "How has working in this industry changed you?"

Justin: "It's changed me in that I can separate my emotions from sex. It's like sport-f---ing, where I enjoy it, but it is physical, and I completely separate it mentally and emotionally. My girlfriend [of nine months] gives me my normal mainstream life -- holding hands, candle-lit dinners. It gives me the intimacy and this gives me all my sexual fantasies. Like any man, I like variety. And that's the thing I like about this business the most. Blondes, brunettes, Asians, different shapes and sizes. Three or four times a week. But I love my girlfriend. I have intimacy with her and I have sex at work. It's weird but it works. I've never been happier."

Duke: "Your girlfriend must be amazing. Not many women could tolerate you working in this industry."

Justin: "I downplay it. She doesn't go on the Internet and she doesn't watch TV. She has two kids who keep her busy. I can't keep her in the dark. I say, 'I've got a photoshoot today.' She pictures nude shoots with Spice Channel. She downplays it in her mind and I downplay it too. I never talk about work in detail otherwise she would freak out. She thinks I work once a week whereas I work three-to-four times a week.

"I'm also a personal trainer. I've got three high-end clients. So I pump up the training more.

"It's a great question. I don't know if she will be able to deal with it for a long period of time. Me and Grant want to open our own internet company. It should be up in the next six-to-eight weeks. It's porn gonzo. It's comedy. There are some really original ideas. We'll be using the best-looking girls. Brand new girls who haven't been seen before. Funny stuff.

"Hopefully I can move away from being the talent and be the talent occasionally. I've got to move away from being the talent. I don't want to be a talent lifer. I just don't know if I can have a wife and kids and a future in my 40s if I'm still doing this.

"I like to stay away from the nasty stuff. It messes with my head. The gangbangs. I don't really like doing boy-boy-girl. I like simple boy-girl."

Duke: "How much would they have to pay you to do boy-boy?"

Justin: "They pay me about six to do boy-boy-girl. I've only done it about six times."

Duke: "Just boy-boy, no girl?"

Justin laughs: "I wouldn't do it. If I could do it, it would haunt me. It would be like MacBeth killing the king. I wouldn't be able to sleep after that."