Maja Lee Interview
2003-10-03 11:35:19
Maja Lee flew to Los Angeles from Canada Wednesday, October 1. She called me Thursday night.

Luke: "Did you write much about the Sweets bust a year ago in Vancouver?"

Maja: "No, I didn't. I should probably put some old articles on there. I get people searching for that and they come to my site."

Luke: "Are you working with David Aaron Clark?"

Maja: "Yes I am. Banana Cream Pie. It's a gonzo. Don't quote me on that. Well, you will anyway. I will be with Lonnie, the Filipino girl.

"I'm down here until the 23rd."

A porn webmaster summit begins in Vancouver October 24-26.

Maja: "I took a month off work [as a store investigator (prevent theft)] to come down here and have some good sex and to meet some good people. I want to focus on tangible movies to get my name out. This might be the last time I'm coming down here."

Luke: "What are tangible movies?"

Maja: "Internet reality sites, and Internet content is intangible. I can do that in Vancouver, Montreal and elsewhere. In LA, the tangible movies are filmed - the ones on videos and DVDs. That you go to a store and rent.

"I want to get my name on boxcovers. I will be launching www.maja-lee.com."

She breathes out.

Luke: "Are you smoking a cigarette?"

Maja: "Yes I am."

Luke: "What brand?"

Maja: "A regular LA brand. We don't get most of the brands up in Vancouver. But it's my only vice. That and sex."

Luke: "What's your personal sex life like?"

Maja: "Tame."

Luke: "Are you in a relationship?"

Maja: "A committed relationship? I'm just dating at the moment. I just got out of an eight-month relationship."

Luke: "That's a good long one."

Maja: "No, not really. I was in one for over two years."

Luke: "Why didn't you get married?"

Maja: "I was."

Luke: "Was he asian or white?"

Maja: "No. Oh no. Dating asians feels like dating your brother or cousin. He was white."

Luke: "Do you date black guys?"

Maja: "Yeah. There's not many in Vancouver."

Luke: "What are the major differences between LA and Vancouver?"

Maja: "There's a lot more diversity here."

Luke: "Do you like that?"

Maja: "Yeah."

She breathes out her smoke.

Maja: "Except that down here they all seem segregated. Everyone has their own little area whereas in Vancouver, it is more mixed."

Luke: "What do you think would happen if everyone in LA lived together?"

Maja: "I can't even imagine that."

Luke: "Have you noticed segregation in porn?"

Maja: "The major difference is between the webmasters and Internet people, and the tangible porn people. They don't seem to know much about each other. A girl could be a big star on the Internet but never do a hardcore movie in LA.

"Recently, a lot of the tangible porn people have been trying to cross over [to the Internet]. Some successfully, a lot more unsuccessfully (defined in earnings and traffic)."

Luke: "Why is this your last hurrah in LA?"

Maja: "That's not set in stone because I'll be launching my own single girl site. So I will want more of the content to be exclusive. I want people to go there if they like me."

Luke: "How long have you been in the industry?"

Maja: "Since August 2002. I started Vancouverporn.com in January 2003."

Luke: "What else do you do in Vancouver?"

Maja: "I have my regular job. I probably should quit it as I am not a very good webmaster. I tend to slack off after working eight hours. Coming home, I do not want to go on the computer and go into Photoshop and touch things up and make galleries. I have TGP (Thumbnail Gallery Post) sites like www.exoticthumbs.com.

"I work 40 hours a week as a store investigator. I watch people. I use different methods. I'm not a big white guy wearing runners and a baseball cap."

Luke: "Has your job changed your view of human nature?"

Maja: "No. Because I know that everybody has that capability. That draw to get something for free is always there. I'm interested in the psychology of why they do it. I like to talk to them about it."

Luke: "Have you published stuff on vancouverporn.com that's gotten you into trouble?"

Maja: "No, not yet. That's one thing I need to change. It's tough because Vancouver is so small. If you post about something that happened on a shoot, they know where it came from."

Luke: "I heard about a lot of girls being abused by the Sweets."

Maja laughs: "Oh God, I knew you were going to bring that up. I hear stuff too. I've never worked with them. I'm not glad to see them busted. I think they were busted and charged for the wrong thing."

Luke: "What kind of STD testing do you have up there?"

Maja: "The work is mainly condom-only, particularly for the reality sites. You need an Elisa test every month and an STD test for hepatitis, gonorrhea, chlamydia..."

Luke: "Have you ever been physically abused on a set?"

Maja: "No, I haven't, other than not being happy with my makeup, which happens often. It's hard to do an asian girl's makeup because our eyes and skin tones are different. If you're not familiar with an asian eye, and what looks good and what doesn't look good, it's not going to work."

Luke: "Do most makeup artists get it wrong who aren't asian?"

Maja: "Yes. So most of the time, I request to do my own makeup. I've given enough people chances."

Luke: "Do other asian girls complain about this?"

Maja: "There aren't a lot of other asian girls up in Vancouver anymore."

Luke: "Did you run them out of town?"

Maja laughs: "Katrina Cole is from Vancouver. She comes to LA periodically to do films. She also escorts."

Luke: "Do you escort?"

Maja: "No, I'm not nice enough."

Luke: "How many of your coworkers know you're a porn star?"

Maja: "All of them."

Luke: "And how do they treat you?"

Maja: "Not like a star. As just the same dorky Maja.

"If I could turn back time, I would've been an adult webmaster six years ago, because now I'd be retired.

"Porn has helped me get over my shyness because I have to deal with different people. I find that a lot of people are interested in what I do and want to learn more about it."

Maja Lee Interviewed by Fred Buccolini

Courtesy of Fetishbucks

Canadian Asian porn queen Maja Lee flew into L.A. on October 1st, 2003, and I caught up with her on October 4th in the Hancock Park area of Los Angeles. While DUC can do these interviews in his sleep, I actually caught my hand shaking from nerves during the interview. Why? Well, Maja broke my cherry. I was scared. She's my first porn chick interview. Any previous stereotypes of the bubble head porn star were thrown out the door with this interview. Maja was smart, attentive and funny. And let me throw in damn cute and charismatic. She's a keeper.

SetGo: "How old are you?"

Maja Lee: "Oh my God! I don't want to answer that."

SetGo: "And you grew up in Canada?"

Maja Lee: "Yeah. I did. Vancouver BC."

SetGo: "Any sisters? Brothers?"

Maja Lee: "No. Only child."

SetGo: "How's your relationship with your parents?"

Maja Lee: "Pretty good. They live in Vancouver as well."

SetGo: "Do they know what you do?"

Maja Lee: "No! Of course not. They're old school."

SetGo: "What were you like in high school?"

Maja Lee: "I was really shy and I was always picked on. I was the outcast. You know, the one who would like skip school and smoke with the other kids in the alley. "

SetGo: "Were you involved in the theater arts department? Acting?"

Maja Lee: "Yeah. I was in drama throughout high school and after high school I was in drama troupe."

SetGo: "So acting was something that you wanted to do?"

Maja Lee: "Not for my future. Not at the time. I wasn't thinking that. It was just something fun that I was involved in. That got me out...and, you know, I got to make some friends there."

SetGo: "Did you have a boyfriend in high school?"

Maja Lee: "Umm...yeah. Only two. I didn't really date much in high school. I was really shy."

SetGo: "When was the first time you had sex?"

Maja Lee: "Fifteen."

SetGo: "Fifteen? Was that consensual?"

Maja Lee: (Laughing) "Always!"

SetGo: "Was it a good experience or a bad experience?"

Maja Lee: "Umm, it was bad simply because it was painful. Because we didn't know what we were doing at the time."

SetGo: "Did you have sex with that same person after that?"

Maja Lee: (Laughing) "No! I think like that traumatized me. So I didn't have sex for a year."

SetGo: "What are you goals for the next six months?"

Maja Lee: (Pensive) "Get Maja-Lee.com live. Continue to to produce content for that and my two other sites. Try a lot harder to generate traffic. Improve as a webmaster. I'm starting a new project up in Vancouver...which should be kind of big...it's a new reality site. I can't tell you anymore details because I'm sworn to secrecy. And try to enjoy life."

SetGo: "How many features--while you're in Los Angeles--do you plan on working on?"

Maja Lee: "I'm aiming on about six to eight."

SetGo: "When was the first time you saw a pornographic film?"

Maja Lee: "I think I was sixteen."

SetGo: "Do you remember what it was?"

Maja Lee: "No. But my good friends had acquired this porno tape. They brought it over because I wanted to see it. And I had the basement suite. So naturally they came over there to put it on. Umm...and I thought it was gross."

SetGo: "Do you remember what you saw on the screen?"

Maja Lee: "It was just regular boy-girl vaginal sex."

SetGo: "Are the AVN awards important to you?"

Maja Lee: "To what I do?"

SetGo: "Would you like to win an AVN award for something like best actress? Or do you find them important?"

Maja Lee: (Pensive) "Personally. Yes. In the big scope of things: No."

SetGo: "Do you plan on having children?"

Maja Lee: "No."

SetGo: "Have you ever been married?"

Maja Lee: "Yes."

SetGo: "What was that relationship like and how did your work in the porn business affect that relationship?"

Maja Lee: "I wasn't in the porn business. And it was a horrible relationship. It was not a good relationship. It was something that shouldn't have happened."

SetGo: "How does the porn business affect your relationships in general?"

Maja Lee: (Pensive) "It hasn't been an issue...with my last boyfriend. But we had to break-up because there were other issues that I couldn't deal with."

SetGo: "Is jealousy a factor in this business in keeping a boyfriend?"

Maja Lee: "I think everybody has jealousy in them; it's how you deal with it that really matters."

SetGo: "Do you think being in this business is a hindrance to a long term relationship?"

Maja Lee: (Pensive) "Personally, I'd like to say no. But I know that's not the case for everybody. Umm...but I know that whoever is interested in having a relationship with me... umm...wouldn't have the jealousy problems because they know what I do. And I'm not a jealous person by nature."

SetGo: "Ok. This is word association time. I'm going to say a word and you say the first thing that comes into your mind. I'm going to say: Golden Age."

Maja Lee: "Cinema."

SetGo: "Ron Jeremy."

Maja Lee: "Porn."

SetGo: "Daddy."

Maja Lee: "Stick."

SetGo: "John Ashcroft."

Maja Lee: "Who is that?"

SetGo: "He's the Attorney General of the United States. You were aware that the Department of Justice is going after pornographers?" (Extreme Associates indicted on Aug 8, 2003).

Maja Lee: "Yes. I was. But I didn't know who that (John Ashcroft) was."

SetGo: "How many times have you been to Los Angeles?"

Maja Lee: "This is my fifth time here."

SetGo: "Do you find any differences between Canadians and Los Angelenos?"

Maja Lee: "With the people? No. Except that dealing with the tangible porn people...they tend to...not plan ahead."

SetGo: "Too impulsive?"

Maja Lee: "Yeah."

SetGo: "Do you think pornography in the long run is important?"

Maja Lee: "Well...yes. Because it allows people to live their fantasies and see their fantasies being lived out.

SetGo: "Does pornography exploit women?"

Maja Lee: "No. Because we are all in this consensually."

SetGo: "Have you discovered a sense of family in the business?"

Maja Lee: "In Vancouver I have. Yes. It's more of a scene there. Where people know who everyone is and there's not as much hatred or bad mouthing as there is down here."

SetGo: "So you think there is some jealousy...pettiness in the San Fernando Valley porn business?"

Maja Lee: "I don't know too much about the business side of things here in L.A. But I read all of the gossip boards and see what goes on."

SetGo: "So your experience in L.A. has been a positive one?"

Maja Lee: "Yeah. It's been very positive."

SetGo: "During a sex scene in front of the camera have you ever had the sense that you were outside of your body?"

Maja Lee: "Like an out of body experience?"

SetGo: "Well, let's say if you weren't really into the scene and you wanted to be somewhere else."

Maja Lee: "In L.A. no. I haven't."

SetGo: "Have you viewed the completed product of all of your features?"

Maja Lee: "No. I have not. I actually don't really like looking at myself on video."

SetGo: "Do you have any complaints about boxcover presentation?"

Maja Lee: "About my own?"

SetGo: "Yes."

Maja Lee: (Smiling) "Yeah. But I don't have to name the titles. (Laughing out loud) No, I mean, there's been more than once where they...I feel they picked a less than flattering picture. But I'm not the one doing the picking and choosing."

SetGo: "What do you spend your porn money on? Do you save it or spend it quickly?"

Maja Lee: "I save almost all of it."

SetGo: "Do you live for the moment?"

Maja Lee: "I try to."

SetGo: "What lessons have you learned in your time in the business?"

Maja Lee: "Lessons? Or things I've learned?"

SetGo: "Things that you have learned that you could pass on to girls coming into the business. Like beware of...or don't do...."

Maja Lee: "Oh my goodness. (Laughs) Always be on time and be professional. Make sure you communicate with the director on what to bring and what make-up to bring. How you want your make-up done or how they want your make-up done. To agree on a price before the shoot. To not sign the model release until after you get paid. And if you're feeling unsure about a situation make sure you have a way out."

SetGo: "Do you think the porno business is addicting for the end-user?"

Maja Lee: "See, I don't see myself as a big consumer of porn but it's obviously selling. I do give it a lot of thought because I have my websites, so I really have to put myself in their shoes on what they want to see. (Ponders a moment) Umm. Yes. It is. You know because I can see that by recurring billing."

SetGo: "Why are you in this business?"

Maja Lee: "Oh my God! So many different reasons. I've wanted to be in it for years and I never thought I could be. Umm...I had my boob-job in June 2002. And prior to that I didn't think that I was pretty enough or good looking enough to be accepted in it."

SetGo: "Is there a thrill you get? An exhibitionistic thrill?"

Maja Lee: "Yeah! I mean my best sexual experience prior to me doing porn was when there was a third party watching. That was such a huge thrill. So I really enjoy that aspect. With the camera guys and other people watching. And the fact that that moment is captured. It's allowed me to really explore my sexuality. I've never been with a girl before this."

SetGo: "Why do you think it's easier for a (heterosexual) woman to have sex with another (heterosexual) woman in front of the camera as opposed to a hetero male who would never have sex with another male?"

Maja Lee: "Is it easier? I guess there are more girls who are willing to do just girl-girl than boy-girl. I think that's the stigma of what other people will think of them. Did I answer the question?"

SetGo: "Sort of."

Maja Lee: "Ok. Yeah. I think the girls are just scared of what other people will think if they found out."

SetGo: "Do you think that all women are essentially bisexual?"

Maja Lee: (Ponders) "Bi-curious. Yeah."

SetGo: "And this gives them an avenue to explore?"

Maja Lee: "Oh yeah! Totally."

SetGo: "How many movies would you like to do before you walk away?"

Maja Lee: "Well I plan on having my own single-girl site: maja-lee.com. I will always be producing content for that. So my fans can always see me there. But, I guess, 30 to 40 (features)."

SetGo: "Do you think porn girls are underpaid?"

Maja Lee: "In relation to the big picture of what the distributors make and the companies and producers?"

SetGo: "Right." Maja Lee: "Yes."

SetGo: "Should porn girls receive residuals for every tape sold?"

Maja Lee: "That would be nice."

SetGo: "Would you like to see more story driven porn?"

Maja Lee: "Yes. Because it seems like gonzo has taken over. Gonzo and Amateurs. I enjoy storylines. The porn I've watched and rented I've always gone for the big budget story-driven features."

SetGo: "Do you find America to be a puritanical society?"

Maja Lee: "I have not been to enough states in America."

SetGo: "But based on your experience on the Internet (gossip boards) and people denigrating certain porn stars...do you find it hypocritical that they consume it in one hand and sort of criticize it in the other?"

Maja Lee: "I really haven't seen porn stars being put down very much."

SetGo: "On the Internet?" Maja Lee: "No. Not on the Internet. And I don't watch TV or mainstream media."

SetGo: "What was your favorite X-rated film from the Golden Age?"

Maja Lee: "The only one I've seen is a 3-D flick. I think it was called Disco Dolls. And it was screened in Vancouver at the last standing 35 mm porn theater."

SetGo: "Was that with John Holmes and Bill Margold?"

Maja Lee: "Yes. It was quite funny. But John had a really small part."

SetGo: "Do you have any kinky fantasies that you have not been able to act out with a partner in private?"

Maja Lee: "Yes. See, I change all the time. So the fantasies that I have now weren't the same fantasies I had a year ago. The fantasies I had a year ago totally different than the fantasies I had two years ago. Yes. There are a couple of fantasies I haven't done. Yet most of them I have."

SetGo: "Do you want to say what they are?"

Maja Lee: "Uh...no." (Laughs)

SetGo: "Ok. Do you believe that some fantasies should remain fantasies?"

Maja Lee: "Yeah. Of course. Fantasies that hurt other people or involve children or animals or non-consensual sex."

SetGo: "If the porn business became illegal would you still pursue it as a business?"

Maja Lee: "Of course. I feel like old school, underground, you know--mail order tapes."

SetGo: Wow! I'm done. Thank you so much."

Maja Lee: "Awesome!"