I was a new girl once back in 1998 and barely 18 years old and I could have cared less about the industry in any form, past or present. I was there to get a check plain and simple. The sex was ok and I loved being fucked in front of a camera, but I was so naive that I didn't know the magnitude of porn or the reach it had. I remember walking into my first convention dreading it...I couldn't imagine why I would need to go or want to go.
As I was walking through the parking lot this goofy looking guy with big ears and a lisp came up to me and introduced himself and said he had been wanting to shoot me for a while. I was like "ok, call Jim South" and thought nothing of it. I was walking with Rob and
Dee my managers at the time and
Dee turns to me and says "Do you know who that is?" of course I had no idea other than he had handed me a card which I stuffed in my purse without any regard. "That's Buck Adams" she says. "Ok, who the fuck is Buck Adams?" Well today he is known as Amber Lynn's brother the drunk lol but back in the day he was a work horse and then directed some pretty quality feature films. Anyway, as we were in line to get into the building another guy says "you're Mariah right?" and we shake hands..."I'm PT and I really wanted to work with you" ok again, who the fuck is THIS guy?" Rob tells me "that's Paul Thomas from Vivid their biggest feature director" I was totally clueless. I didn't give a fuck about who was who and was not impressed by anyone unless they were writing me a check, period.
This is the way it went for the next 2 years that I was in the industry. I could have cared less about who the people were that came before me or paved the way for me being able to make a great living. I was regardless of the sacrifices others made because I was selfish to my core. If it didn't directly involve me, it meant nothing. By the time I was about to turn 21 I hated the business and everything about it. I shot one last movie which turned out to be Will Ryder's first movie ever lol and then I left until I started my site 4 years later.
To anyone reading this who is new in this business or not, listen to someone who started shooting porn 9 days after her 18th birthday and has now done over 600 scenes and more than 65 magazines. I was banking more than $20,000 a month when I first started and doing 2 scenes a day sometimes but I had not a dime of it left or anything but some out dated clothing to show for it. If you list up you might just learn something from me here.
Honor this business if you plan to make any money in it. By honoring it I mean paying it homage. Learn about who Jim South is and learn more about John Holmes than he had a huge dick. Find out who Tracy Lords is and why she is a legend for only shooting 14 films. Linda Lovelace and Marylin Chambers are names you should know and know why you should know them.
Aunt Peg and Seka and Barbara Dare who was the first ever contract girl. And Ginger Lynn who was the Jenna Jameson of porn before Jenna came along.
If we don't know our history we are not fulfilling our potential. Your fans are older and even if you're 18 years old and making your $20k a month doesn't mean it will stay that way. You'll become the 20 year old who shot too many movies too fast. You'll be burnt out and hate the business because you didn't do anything more than show up, get fucked and get paid then spend it at the mall or on some loser boyfriend.
John Leslie will always be remembered for his artistic way of creating sex on camera and capturing emotion that a viewer could feel. He will be missed.
ok my lecture is over. But you can ask Vicky Vette or Nikki Nova or any of the other girls who have been in this business for any amount of time if I'm wrong here and not just preaching down on the young girls.
