My name is Honey West and I've been reviewing porn websites for the past couple of years, as well as writing a column for a men's magazine called Top Floor. I'm also a huge fan of a male porn star named Derrick Pierce whose website I started in March 2009. With all this lustful activity, I obviously watch a lot of porn and have learned a thing or two about the adult business along the way. I've found it to be a pretty interesting way to spend my time!
Today, the phrase "porn star" means different things to different people. Even some of the "porn stars" don't want to be thought of as stars and instead insist on being called adult performers, doing their hot sexy stuff in front of a camera in the most exciting and professional way they can to please their fans. They also strongly feel that the word "star" should be reserved only for those XXXtra special hotties who have proven themselves over the long haul in the business, not a "flash" who shoots a few scenes, makes some quick $$$, and splits to go back to their little town in Iowa when the business becomes too challenging for their tastes or sexual prowess.
For my money, I tend to agree. Whether it's mainstream entertainment or porn, the shimmering label of "star" should be reserved for only the very few, the top 1% of any profession, who consistently prove what they can do, and then and only then do they have the right to claim the title. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry can't be a porn star. Especially not every Dick! (okay, insert the obligatory sex joke here!)
The other issue that impacts the concept of "porn star" is the explosion of free porn on the Internet. This development totally changes our image and definition of what a porn star is. Some people feel the phrase has devolved into a cheesy self-parody, a joke, and passed into ancient history...a Golden Age long gone. Ladies such as business savvy Vivid Girl Jenna Jameson who made herself into a brand even within mainstream pop culture have become a thing of the past in some regards. There probably will never be another Jenna. Why? When any chick with a webcam and some hot Victoria's Secret lingerie can set up a cam in her bedroom, talk dirty to you and bring her kinky show into your private world what's really left of the porn star mystique?
While free porn and pirated DVD's available everywhere on tube sites is definitely the biggest challenge facing the adult biz today, in my opinion, there will always be the true STARS of adult. This flies in the face of what many people feel and continually express in their doomsday predictions, but I truly don't think the label is dead and never will be. In any area of the entertainment world, there will always be the star performer, the one who stands out from the crowd and commands big money, adulation and fame. Charisma, sexual kinky talent combined with hot sizzling looks aren't commodities that are going out of style any time soon. It's human nature for people to seek out and worship (rightly or wrongly), those super sensual women and men who rock our intimate world.
Even though some performers really do dislike the label, perhaps feeling they don't want the pressure of living up to the star persona or ideal, especially when they are continually stigmatized or rejected by the mainstream Hollywood star machine, I can vouch for the fact that their fans definitely DO see them as porn STARS. They clamor to see their favorites up close and personal at the adult conventions around the country, get their autographs, sign their DVD's and find out more about their sexy off-screen lives.
Twitter, Myspace, fansites, websites, conventions, radio shows, feature dancing and webcams will continue to make porn stardom an obtainable reality for a percentage of these super hot people no matter what is going on with free porn, the economy, or other outside influences. What defines a porn star? For me anyway, it's many of the same qualities that define a mainstream star except doin it all nekkid (and in stilleto heels lol). Sometimes it's as difficult for me to put my finger on just why I like or dislike a performer of porn as it is for me to evaluate so-called mainstream actors. It just is what it is. I either dig 'em or I don't. Star power is star power. Period.
Since I'm a chick, I also hear from a lot of very loyal and sexually adventuresome/ curious female fans who dig the hottest male porn stars out there today. Wow, reading some of their fanmail gets ME hot! You ought to take a look at some of the sexy fantasy stories we have at the Derrick Pierce website if you doubt that women have explosive and freaky fabulous and utterly wild sexual fantasies brewing in their minds! Just like guys who enjoy viewing (and err, other things!), the most beautiful and sexually skilled babes, we women want to get our groove on and see the sexiest dudes on screen too!
While the adult industry is obviously primarily geared to the male fans, we women DO watch porn for many reasons - as a fantasy escape or to explore the darker taboo stuff such as BDSM, spanking, and other hardcore action. It's not all about softcore Harlequin romance lovemaking type sexuality. We want to see the BEST OF THE BEST guys in the business doing the hottest action possible! In other words, we want to see male porn STARS, not the guy next door, unless the guy next door happens to look like my personal fave, Derrick Pierce. I don't know about you, but my neighbor doesn't look like him! (and if your neighbor does look like him, lucky you!)
So, what's the bottom line on this porn star debate? Is the idea here to stay? Or is it gone and forgotten in a wave of freebie tube clips with unknown amateurs shooting scenes using a tripod at their local Motel 6? I say: NO! The porn star not only as a concept but as a reality will survive, thrive and continue to be a part of the adult scene. However, it will only be the survival of the fittest. The best will rise to the occasion (umm, I think there's a porn joke in there somewhere!), and when these supercharged sex machines step in front of a camera to blow our minds, get us hot, stimulate our lust, or amp up our wishful fantasies, a new PORN STAR will be born. And that will happen whether they accept the title or not! Ultimately, the power rests with us. The fans will decide in the cummming years ahead who is or isn't a porn STAR.
Here's the best ways to find Honey West! :
Twitter: twitter.com/honeywestbooks
Honey West's Pop Shots column appears monthly in Top Floor Magazine: topfloormagonline.com
Porn Reviews at: xxxpwnage.com
And be sure to check out the site of a genuine porn star: www.derrickpiercexxxstar.com
I like this post a lot, Honey! I agree with just about everything you said about "porn stardom." I definitely never thought of myself as anything close to a "porn star," especially since I only ever performed in amateur (though some captivating performers of the type of which you speak seem to me to have come from/be in the amateur field too). I also like what you said about certain performers being "stars" whether they aspire to it or think of themselves that way or not, and I agree also that that phenomenon is similar to the way it is in other fields of entertainment.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
Hello, Honey,
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the Grip, and thank you for sharing your thoughts on the topic of porn stardom! I also agree - certain individuals broadcast a sort of luminous sexuality that isn't even necessarily correlated with their physical attractiveness.
Good luck in your cyber-endeavors!
Best,
Lisabet
Hi Honey (what's next- "I'm home, what's for dinner?")
ReplyDeleteThis was a very interesting post and you've covered a lot of ground. I've recently been discovering David Foster Wallace and he wrote a very lengthy essay on this subject called "Big Red Son", which is in a book called "Consider the Lobster". He made an interesting point I was discussing with Emerald. He said many fans of hard core porn stars don't actually like porn. They're watching for a certain moment when the stars "Fuck Me I'm a Nasty Girl" veneer falls and for a moment there is this revelation of the real and vulnerable person underneath. Just for a electric instant, and this is an event unique to the genre. I think in the future there will not be porn stars, for the same reason there will never be a phenomena like the Beatles and Beatlemania. The industry is changing in such a direction with its consumers that irrelevant of talent such a thing will no longer be possible, only small stars and small groups of fans as we see in the music industry today. That's my prediction, we'll see. Emerald is the future, but a big name say, Jasmin St Claire or maybe Derrick Pierce - maybe not so much. There should always be stars, but life is unfair.
Garce
Hi Honey,
ReplyDeleteForgive me for being late to comment. I'm behind with a lot of things this week.
I agree that we need iconic images within every genre as a standard of achievement and accomplishment. I'm teaching a module on writing murder mysteries next month and will be discussing 'stars' from within the genre that include Agatha Christie, Poe and Mickey Spillane: the stars of that particular genre.
I also agree that it's impossible to define what makes a star in any genre. Part of it is, obviously, the exposure. But there's always more than that.
Thanks for an interesting and thought-provoking post.
Best,
Ash
Thanks for all the great feedback!
ReplyDeleteI agree that stars also come from the amateur ranks, a lot of fans prefer amateur which is certainly impacting the whole star concept.
It's also true that fans want to see their favorite performers in real situations. Director Tristan Taormino's "Chemistry" reality porn series is part of that trend, where you can see five pornstars having sex the way they like it, cinema verite style. I think what people are tired of is the "same old same old" and amateur porn has created the need for more authenticity. I personally love vintage porn from the 50's and earlier where you don't see everything, the tease is always hot! It's an interesting debate and there's a lot of changes ahead in the adult industry.
Great post. I think one of the basic things that we should know know is that we must always make sure that you are safe in every transactions you wanted to indulge with.
ReplyDelete