I am looking for the following “types” to cast for my next movie.
Please send me an e-mail at trouble@nofauxxx.com with a headshot, experience in the adult industry, your reason for wanting to be in a Courtney Trouble/NoFauxxx.Com movie project, and your age/date of birth. All cast in full sex roles will be compensated generously – those cast in smaller roles will also be paid except for the “open call audience” listed below.

Requirements: Must be available from 5pm-3am on Friday April 17th. Must be in San Francisco on that day. I cannot pay for travel or come to you. (Wish I could!) MUST BE OVER 18. Must be interested and comfortable with being nude, making out, masturbating, and maybe even having sex on screen. Must bring two forms of ID to the shoot.

People of all genders, races, and sizes encouraged to apply.

Please forward this open call to anyone you think might be interested, or share it on Facebook, your blog, or MySpace if you feel so inclined. Thank you!

Here are the roles I’m looking to fill, most specific first.

Role #1: Short hair, maybe bleach-blond? Slightly feminine or andro. Full sex scene. Bottom or submissive preferred. Full sex scene – must be comfortable with 2 or 3 partners. This person is a dreamer – there’s acting, but no lines.

Role #2: Anybody comfortable with topping. I need 2 or 3 people for this role. Some dialog & acting needed.

Role #3: Feminine, fresh faced, submissive – any age or size. Full sex scene with one person. Hoping for someone who has never been in an adult film before. This character is a very curious creature who is “getting in over her head” in a sense. Must be someone comfortable with acting – but no lines.

Role #4: 2 masked characters – groping/fondling only – no sex.

Role #5: A nurse/doctor type. You will have lines and acting. Full sex scene with one person, if you have your own doctor or nurse costume, even better. I’m hoping for this scene to be kind of twisted, funny, and very explicit – so someone with no inhibitions, a little experience with kink, and an interest in & capable of making a scene that’s both powerfully raunchy and campy/funny. I need a real smart cookie for this one.

GROUP CALL: One scene in this film requires a live audience. Making out, masturbating, and fondling are encouraged – but simple voyeurs are fine as well. This will be an open call on April 17th and is an unpaid role – but it will be fun, and you can do as little or as much as you like during the scene with yourself, your date, or a partner. You will NOT be asked to do anything specific – except watch the stage and engage in whatever activity feels most comfortable to you. You can even wear a mask (circus mask, masquerade-ball mask, animal mask…) – Dress will be San Franciscoesque – think feathers, masquerade-ball style outfits, taffeta, fake fur, etc.) This call goes out to all people and a final list will be chosen before shooting.

I think it’s safe to say that one of Good Vibrations long-standing crushes has been Madison Young. She’s like a Clark Kent of porn stars, masquerading not-so-secretly as a pornstar/bondage model/award-winning director by day and a feminist art gallery owner/performance artist/community leader… well… day. She’s also a musician and writer. Is there anything this sexy smart woman can’t do?

Two years ago our previous GV Magazine Editor Judi B. interviewed Madison Young in “The Porn Star was Bound… And Gagged” check it out to get a recap and hear Madison in her own words about feminism, bondage, porn, and revolutionizing the industry.

Besides her own sites MadisonBound.com and Tied4Sex.com, Madison also stars in a slew of videos here at Good Vibrations, recent ones include Champion (Pink & White Productions) and her own, Perversions of Lesbian Lust. She’s also the director of Lesbian Life: Real Sex San Francisco and numerous others.

Madison just joined the cast of CrashPadSeries.com, the website based on the bestselling dyke film The Crash Pad. She also appears on AVN Award Nominated Website Kink.com appearing on sites such as  UltimateSurrender.com (wrestling) and Hogtied.com. Fans of “The Training of O” will also be pleased to learn that Kink’s site by the same name also features Madison.

Madison Young Photo credit: Kink.com’s Training of O

(Kink.com is one of the few porn companies to be featured in such mainstream publications as The New York Times, 7×7 Magazine, Business Times, SF Guardian, and San Francisco Chronicle to name a few. They’ve developed quite the reputation for doing Bondage and Fetish porn well, and by well we mean both quality production and superb understanding of the nature of BDSM. Did you know that our very own Dr. Carol Queen meets with Kink from time to time and is a huge advocate for the company?)

But here’s another way that you could look at it: sex is risky. That’s why sex educators talk about “safer sex” rather than “safe sex.” It’s all about risk management. I’ll acknowledge that if you want to be 100% safe, then you need to not have sex; the abstinence-only folks are big on this one. By comparison, the only way to be 100% safe from car accidents is to never get in a car. Driving is risky, so we have seat belts, anti-lock brakes, and air bags. Sex is risky, so we have choices about what things to do, negotiation and communication with a partner, and condoms, gloves & dental dams.

Each of us makes different assessments of our risk-tolerance and goes from there. Some people avoid driving during rush hour because they worry about the risk. Others prefer to not drive at night because their vision may not be as good in the dark. Neither of those are problems for me, so I drive when I need to (although I like to avoid rush hour when I can and take public transport). I’m not going to belabor the point by listing all of the ways that people manage their risks around sex. You can do a little research, if you like.

One way that you can manage your risk that I do want to mention, though, is to avoid getting semen inside your body. In terms of relative risk, semen in the rectum is generally riskier than semen in the vagina, which is generally riskier than semen in the mouth. STIs all vary in their modes of transmission, but a big one that people worry about is HIV, of course. An external cumshot, or even getting semen in the mouth, is much less risky for HIV transmission.

So when I see an external ejaculation shot, I see a risk management strategy. Of course, I know that there are lot of other potential reasons for it. It’s become pretty standard in the porn industry, so I’m sure that lots of people do it because that’s just what one does. I know that some people do it because they enjoy it. I know that some people do it because it’s about humiliation. And some people do it because it’s dirty or raunchy and that turns them on.

The fact is, we never know what someone else’s motivation is for anything unless we ask them, which is something very few people have done when it comes to porn. It’s much easier to make a sweeping statement about why people do things and how they experience them. My observation is that much of the time, when anyone makes a statement about another person without asking that person, then there’s a good chance that they’re actually telling you something about themselves.

So when you see something in porn or in someone else’s sexual decision making that’s different from what you might do, I invite you to think about why they might be making those choices. As part of that, try to find out as much as you can about the person and their situation. And if you notice a pattern in what you come up with, ask yourself what that says about you before you project that onto someone else.

Have you ever been so excited about something you almost didn’t know where to begin?

I guess I have to start by saying that I am something of a Zombie/Campy Horror film fanatic. From obscure independent gore fests to the classic pantheon of terror elites (i.e. The Exorcist, Night of the Living Dead, Suspiria) good and bad horror alike has always held a special place in my heart. And unlike any other horror sub-genre (torture flicks like “Hostel” or “Saw” hold little appeal for me), I’ll swoon over anything remotely resembling zombies. Whether you’re talking about the overtly racist, Voodoo-induced zombie flicks of the 1930’s (i.e. King of the Zombies), the Classics (original Dawn of the Dead), or even horror pretending to be about zombies (I’m looking at you 28 Days/Weeks Later, rabies doesn’t equal zombies), I’m something of an undead aficionado. So imagine how my little black heart began to skip a beat when I heard that Jenna Jameson was starring in a non-porn, and it’s all about my very favorite thing.

It’s safe to say that I had some pretty high hopes for this feature. From the trailer alone I knew that this film would have something special that most other zombie flicks fail to incorporate, zombie boobs. Now there are a lot of breasts in zombie films generally, but they usually belong to a living girl in her late teens who has only seconds to live after her bra comes off. This film promised actual stripping zombies, which has just the right amount of how the hell are they going to work this out? to send my brain reeling for weeks before the premiere. So I bought my tickets online as soon as they were available for opening night at only theatre in San Francisco where Zombie Strippers would be playing during its limited theatrical release. I had no idea whether this film would fall into the funny on purpose, or so bad it’s funny category, and at that point I didn’t care. The film clearly had entertainment gold written all over it, but I admit I didn’t have much faith that this cinema gem was going to have anything to offer above the obvious Jenna/Boobies/Blood guilty pleasure equation. It seemed a good foray for Jenna, after all it isn’t inconceivable for a porn star to act like a stripper, and considering the ample amount of T&A in most (if not all) gore films, strippers/sex workers/teenage sluts have always had an important place in the history of horror, but that’s a whole different essay. Basically, the role of a stripper character in a film like this serves the purpose of someone who is embodies both toughness and vulnerability on a physical and emotional level at the same time, they dance hard and live hard—but are always craving acceptance while constantly fighting inner demons on a rollercoaster journey towards discovering their true selves. And just so we are clear I’m talking about the role of a stripper in a horror film, not all real strippers are symbolic of this line of thought, and if it sounds pseudo-cliché it’s because it is.

But other than the glory of zombie boobs I was really excited to see what kind of stamp writer/director Jay Lee would give to his take on the classic zombie flick. These are the basic components that exist in all horror and zombie films that will be the most heavily debated by nerds like me. And while this is all probably part of a much longer dissertation about zombie films in general, here is a short summary of what you need to know: you have your basic, early Romero-style zombie as the standard model– slow moving/awkward motor skills, little to no familial recognition (that ain’t your mom no more sonny boy), unquenchable thirst for brains, not a great learner. Since Romero all other directors (including later Romero) will have their cinematic versions of zombies compared to this original set of traits, which will also include the film’s zombie origins with the most common causes being- alien and/or meteor, secret government program, radiation leak/spill, or lone crazed scientist run amok, although once in a while you’ll still find a witch/warlock/voodoo connection.

Without giving anything away that wasn’t openly addressed in the trailer, the zombie gene (we’ve gone the secret government program route here) reacts differently in men and women. It works on the X chromosome (someone passed 11th grade biology), which means it will be “more pure” in biological women than men. In this case “more pure” equates to turning pretty good strippers into super-powered MEGA strippers who can work that pole with ungodly might which simultaneously terrifies and over joys the male customers (who come back in droves for more zombie boobies, might I add). But the socio-political tone doesn’t stop there, it seems these strippers who lovingly work and live in Sartre, Nebraska (God love a literary pun) happen to be going through their own individual existential crisis, and while I’m sure most strippers don’t read Nietzsche between sets, perhaps they should, look what it did for Jenna Jameson.

But in order to fully appreciate the scope of a film like this, you need a little zombie film refresher course. The zombie film has always been rife with political subplots; after all, what is a zombie? A zombie is us, only not the us we know. They look like someone you love but inside they are empty, void of emotion, and trying to kill you. There is hardly a more terrifying prospect then your child or lover or priest suddenly turning around and trying to rip your head off. This golden nugget of terror has allowed the zombie film genre to tell us something while entertaining our blood lust with lots of red colored corn syrup and fake intestines. With Romero the zombies have symbolized the homeless epidemic, racism, AIDS, the inequality between the haves and have-nots, you get the idea. Most other zombie films follow suit one way or another and usually behind that gory exterior and bevy of beautiful naked girls, the director is trying to teach you something about humanity. In the past few years, a new crop of directors have taken the political zombie and examined its comedic elements, you get films like Shaun Of The Dead and Fido, which are wonderfully funny and act as an excellent satire of mechanized modern living while exploring the same political themes found in earlier zombie flicks, except for one important missing item, the girls. Funny zombie movies tend to take the sex out of the equation, focusing on the blood and guts, witty one-liners, and political subplots that usually boil down to issues of class. While these films are fantastic and I highly recommend them, they are missing the perfect opportunity to make a funny, witty, political zombie thriller that actually deals with sex and gender as its main subplot.

Enter Zombie Strippers. Finally someone decided to use naked girls as more than window dressing in a zombie film and realized that those naked girls are the perfect socio-political exploration of the zombie theme not only in the micro-realm of zombie films, but in the larger scope of women’s roles in the history of horror. While certain horror female stereotypes still apply, i.e.- the slut vs. the virgin, stripper cat fights, etc., we’re also talking about a film where zombie strippers become more popular than living ones, where female sex workers have real power (sexual and otherwise), and where sexuality and gender are not only acknowledged but put in the forefront of a horror film. Catch this fun film on DVD or in a local theatre if you can, and get ready to experience a whole new kind of zombie flick. Can Zombie Strippers really change the world? I’m not sure, but I can tell you it is one hell of a funny, sexy, zombie bloodbath, and there is a scene featuring Jenna Jameson and some billiard balls that just might change your life.

Midori is a woman of many trades. She is an accomplished author, Japanese Rope Bondage expert, lecturer, humanitarian, sex-positive educator, as well as an artist (and few more other talents, I’m sure). Whether you’ve read her books, taken any of her classes, heard her speak at events or conferences, or participated in any of her amazing weekend intensives, you know Midori is an energetic force to be reckoned with. As if someone with a resume this long doesn’t have enough on her plate, Midori is also an avid fundraiser, especially for Aids LifeCycle. On April 25th at the Citadel in San Francisco, Midori will be throwing her annual Bang 4 The Buck Women’s Party and we were lucky enough to find time to sit down with Midori and get the scoop on this incredible event. At the end of the interview keep reading to find out how YOU and a friend can win FREE Tickets to the party of the year.

Q. What is the Bang 4 The Buck party and how did you first decide to start it?

A. I came up with the idea for the Bang 4 The Buck women’s party in 2004. Kelly B and I are both dedicated roadies for the AIDS LifeCycle event. AIDS LifeCycle is this amazing, crazy 7 day bicycle ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles to raise critically needed funds for HIV services. About 3,000 riders and 500 roadies participate. Roadies do all sorts of support work, such as setting up the campsites, food service, safety, rest stops, etc. As roadies we don’t have to fundraise but I’m compelled to. I’ve had enough with my friends getting sick. While it’s not like the earlier days of all the funerals, every week, it’s still bad. More and more younger people are getting infected. It’s increasing among people of color. Yet the funding seems to be fading, people are getting apathetic, the government just wants to preach abstinence and send funding to warfare, not health.

Sometimes I feel like we’re trying to dredge a tsunami with garden buckets, but it really does make a difference. What AIDS LifeCycle does is make education, prevention, counseling, testing, housing, medicine, etc possible. That’s less suffering in the world.

Usually those of us who do AIDS LifeCycle ask our friends for donations. To tell you the truth I’m horrible at that. I just feel bad about it. I know that times are tough for many of my friends, and I get really shy about asking. (If you’re reading this and you do want to sponsor me, just drop by my sponsorship page at http://www.aidslifecycle.org/8081 where you’ll see a goofy photo of me!) So I wondered what I might be able to do… That was about the time when there weren’t any really good women’s parties around. I also noticed that at many women’s parties there really aren’t any good flirting. People come with their regular dates, chat with their friends, play and then leave. That’s not so much fun for singles, new people or those of us shy people. I remember how hard it was when I was first going to women’s bars or parties to just connect.

So I figured the time was ripe to create a different sort of party! An exciting party where all women felt welcome, where along sex and kink were equally enjoyed, where those who just wanted to take a peek in on the wild side could do so safely, and meet new people. Bang 4 The Buckwas conceived . But I couldn’t do it myself. So I enlisted the talented Miss Indigo Blue, a saucy burlesque teacher and performer and Lydia McLane, a sexy go-getter, both from Seattle. Kelly B, an amazing project manager by trade, lend her logistical organization. Lee has joined us later, providing us with her problem solving skills. Then I turned to my organizational and corporate friends in the sex supplybiz. They all stepped up! They’re all giving us goodies for the HUGE raffle table and many are providing other help as well as sponsoring the ridefinancially. Good Vibrations, The Pleasure Chest, ID Lube, Babeland, SocialKink, Stormy Leather, Syren, Stockroom, Twisted Monk, Desire and International Ms. Leather Weekend became part of the Bang family.

Every year we do one Bang 4 The Buck party in Seattle and San Francisco. The Seattle party is at the Sex Positive Community Center, who have provided the most amazing organizational help. They’re a remarkable group. In San Francisco, the Citadel welcomes us with open arms. They’ve been an important supporter of the Bang cause all along.

That’s how Bang 4 The Buck came to be!

Q. How long have you been involved with raising funds for Aids LifeCycle?

A. Kelly’s been involved with fundraising for SF AIDS Foundation in various forms since 1994, including California AIDS Ride and all of AIDS LifeCycle. I’ve been involved since 2003 but I’ve been doing grass roots HIV and safer sex education since 1994 starting with the San Francisco Sex Information services.

Q. What advice do you have for someone who has never been to a Women’s sex and play party before?

A. First of all, the first half of the event isn’t a sex party or play party. So if a gal isn’t feeling comfortable going to a sex party there’s still plenty of fun for her. The Strip-O-Rama is just a totally exciting event and we love having tons of women in the audience cheering and screaming. Each year the crowd’s grown. This year we’re expecting 250 to 300 women to show up!

After 10pm the sex and play party starts. Here’s what you can expect. Many people will be playing and sexing with the date that they brought with them. If you’re looking for people to play with or get it on with, flirt with them and then ask if they’re interested. No one’s going to just grab you and do things without your consent. Most people like to dress up in something special, whether it’s sexy wear, sultry wear, a strap-on or just your sexy naked self. If you’re in a monogamous relationship it’s fun to make out and shag with your partner in this sexy environment. There’s no expectations to participate with others. Of course, if you’ve always wanted to invite someone else to play with, with no strings attached, this is the event! If you’d like help in approaching a hottie, ask an Ambassador.

These are people who are there to help you get to know the space, and they can also do introductions for you. Ambassadors are also there to help you with any questions on etiquette or making the most of the evening. If you experience any problems, we have Play Space Monitors to help address them. Like any playground of pleasure, after you’re done with an area please clean up. There are safer sex supplies available, so please do use them.

My advice:

- Do wear something that makes you feel sexy and attractive.
- Be ok to say “Than you, no. It’s my first party so I’m just enjoying watching”
- Do bring your own favorite sex toy if you’d like to get off solo or maybe share with a new friend. Don’t forget an extension cord if you’ve got a plug-in toy.
- If you find someone hot, say hi. If you don’t ask, you won’t get any action.
- If someone says no, it’s ok, it’s not a personal rejection.
- Don’t take photos in the party
- Do smile a lot. It makes you approachable.
- Do keep chatter down to a whisper in the play area
- Do ask questions with the Ambassadors, Hostess and Monitors
There is a really helpful FAQ section at the party web site:
http://www.Bang4TheBuck.org

Q. What is a Party Ambassador and what do they do?

A. The Party Ambassador is a volunteer who is there to answer any your questions about the party. They can give you a mini tour, tell you where you can find things, give you info about the raffles and special event features. They can also introduce you to new friends or help break the ice for that hottie you spotted.

Also if there’s any problems at the party, let the Ambassador or other volunteer know. Maybe the toilet paper’s out, you need help with a spill or someone’s not being nice. Just let us know!

Q.. This is an alcohol free event, why did you decide to go that route?

A. Cleaner carpets?
LOL.

It’s actually a function of venue as well as common sense. To have the sort of party I want to, where adults can have exciting consensual sex and the strip competition can take it all off, I needed a sex club. Local regulations make these places alcohol free. I also
think that one misses out on a lot of sensual and sexual pleasures if their system’s numbed or depressed as alcohol does. What people choose to do before or after the party is their own business. During the party, however, I want to make sure to provide a safe and welcoming place.

Q. What is your favorite part about throwing this party?

A. The off-the-hook energy of thrill and joy! All the cheering for the Strip-O-Rama alone is enough to blow the roof off the building. It’s really exciting!

Q. I know you host these parties in both San Francisco and Seattle, any plans to expand it to other cities?

A. Not at this time. It’s a lot of work for the whole the Bang Crew. Since 100% of the profits goes to AIDS LifeCycle, two events a year is about our limit in terms of energy, time and personal resources.

Q. Do you have any other projects, parties, or fun news you’d like to share with our readers?

A. Having just said that it would be hard to extend myself further for philanthropic work, I just added another party. But this one is great for everyone! I decided to throw a special birthday party on May 2nd at Beach Blanket Babylon. Beach Blanket Babylon is the longest running theater show in San Francisco with song, dance, tons of zany outfits and a sharp wit for social satire. For one night only it’s my party and all the proceeds will go to, yes, you guessed it, AIDS LifeCycle. You can only get tickets for this via my site:
http://www.PlanetMidori.com/bbb I really hope all of you can join me!

If anyone has any questions about the parties or stuff I do, they can
just drop me an e mail at: ask@planetmidori.com

***

The GV Weekly and Midori will be giving away 2 PAIRS (that’s 4 tickets) to 2 lucky ladies to get into the Bang 4 The Buck Party on April 25th. To win the tickets email submissions@goodvibes.com with “I want to Bang 4 the Buck” in the subject. Be sure to include your name, email address, and a few brief lines about why YOU should win the tickets in the text by 4/22/08. Since this is a Women Only party, you need to be a woman and over 18 to win. Good Luck!

The GV Weekly recently sat down with acclaimed writer, editor, director, and all-around Sexpert Tristan Taormino to find out what new projects are in the works, her favorite sex toys, and how she’s changing the face of porn.

GV: You recently began a new series, Vivid Ed. Tell us how that came about and what you’d like it to become.

TT: When I first returned to the world of adult video, I was focused on making gonzo that would appeal to couples and women, so I was pitching my Chemistry series. I had meetings with several studios, and when I sat down with Vivid, CEO Steven Hirsch was really interested in a sex education line. It’s what I am known for, so it seemed like a natural fit. I really wanted to expand what the genre has done thus far, so I came up with an overall concept behind Vivid-Ed. First, I wanted to show explicit techniques. I’ve seen some videos where there are long shots of people having sex accompanied by voiceovers, but it all felt very vague to me. I wanted to get right in there and show people specifics because in my experience as a sex educator, people want specifics when it comes to sex!! Next, I thought a lot about how I could make a series that was both educational and sexy, and I realized that the best way to do it was to basically do two versions. So, that’s one of the major hooks of the series: people can watch the scenes with or without instruction. In a scene with instruction, the pacing is slower than a “traditional” sex scene, plus there are these cool pop-up graphics with tips as well as the voiceovers. In the same scene without instruction, it’s edited in a totally different way, we include footage that we didn’t show in the instructional, the pacing is faster, and it’s more like a hot sex scene that focuses on one particular thing — whatever the topic of that video is. I also thought it was important to stay on topic. Too many sex ed videos out there have intercourse even when that’s not the subject. So, for example, in the Vivid-Ed cunnilingus video, it’s all pussy eating, all the time. There isn’t even a male cum shot unless you watch the scene without instruction. It may not sound revolutionary, but in the world of mainstream adult video, it absolutely is. Old school male reviewers still complain in reviews that each scene doesn’t end with a cum shot, but that’s not what it’s about! Vivid has really given me a tremendous amount of freedom to challenge convention and do things my way.

GV: How do you think having top tier adult stars featured in sexual education videos will impact the future of sex ed?

TT: It’s interesting you think that they are “top tier,” because I think I’ve managed to cast a good variety of people, but I don’t think of them as top tier, since they are not “big names” by any means. It’s fascinating to me that three of the women I have cast in my sex eds—Adrianna Nicole, Lindsey Meadows, and Roxy DeVille—were nominated for the AVN Unsung Starlet Award this year. They truly are three of the best performers out there, but they rarely “get” the boxcover or top billing in a movie and they are generally underappreciated. I decided to use adult performers because I think as people who have sex day in and day out with lots of different people, they have a lot to teach us. And since my process as a director is focused on collaboration, I look for people who have knowledge, experience and insight to bring to the table. I’ve also used some real-life couples (like Kelly and Richard Kline) as well as performers who are known more on the internet (Princess Donna, Ariel X, Sarah Blake).

GV: You also released the third edition of Chemistry, your reality porn series, and we hear a 4th installment is on the way. Tell us about that project.

TT: Chemistry Volume 4 is subtitled “The Orgy Edition,” because it just never seemed that anyone in the cast could have sex with anyone else without everyone joining in. It stars Penny Flame, Adrianna Nicole, Sinnamon Love, Evan Stone, Tyler Knight, and Johnny Sins. It was a completely wild time — hot tub sex, non-stop vibrator use, threesomes, foursomes, moresomes. At one point, Evan Stone appears out of nowhere in a full tiger suit, and we get some Furry/Human sex. Tantra teachers Mark Michaels and Patricia Johnson (authors of The Essence of Tantric Sexuality) make a special appearance where they give an impromptu Tantra workshop to the castmates, with some surprising reactions and an amazing discussion afterward. Someone does something on camera that they’ve never done before. Someone cries in the confessional. Someone fucks so much that by Day 2 her pussy is so sore, she declares that it’s closed for business; luckily, her ass was ready to pick up the slack. One guy asks one woman to do some face smothering with him, so she sits on his face and goes to town. What can I say? Good times.

GV: What is your favorite thing about porn?

TT: I think that good porn—what constitutes “good” is totally subjective, of course—can inspire passion, arousal, and fantasy in people. It can help us get in touch with our sexuality, it can jump-start our libidos, and it can remind us why sex is fun in a very clear way!

GV: You are definitely known as a major anal sex fan and supporter, how did that come about?

TT: Well the first time I experienced anal pleasure was really fun and positive and made me want to try it again. And again. And again. Each time I did it, I liked it more. For me, anal play gives me a much deeper, more intense, all-over orgasm than any other kind of stimulation.

GV: What is your favorite sex toy?

TT: That is such a tough question! I really love all the NJoy stainless steel toys, especially the butt plugs. I just think they are not only stunningly beautiful, but also designed to hit just the right spots. I just finished my 8th Annual Sexy Gift Guide for the Village Voice, so I have been checking out a lot of the new toys on the market. I love the new wooden dildos by Nob Essence; again, they are works of art and tools for pleasure. I am into the Tuyo vibrator right now. I feel like it’s an improvement on the “it” toy of last year, the Cone. The Tuyo looks sexier and I can put it right between my legs for hands-free masturbation. My favorite Vixen dildo was recently discontinued, so I am on the hunt for a new one I love. It might be Woody. And the Texas Two-Strap Harness still can’t be beat!

GV: You’ve created several DVD series, authored and edited Erotica and Sex Ed books, have a column in the Village Voice, lectured, inspired the design of a butt plug, and the list could go on and on. What new projects are on the horizon?

TT: I just finished my new book, Opening Up: Creating and Sustaining Open Relationships, which is all about nonmonogamy. It will be out from Cleis Press this coming Spring, and I am really, really proud of it. I co-produce a sex event called Dark Odyssey (http://darkodyssey.com) which happens twice a year. Our winter event is March 21-23 in Washington, DC and we have lots of stuff to do between now and then. I am currently editing my next Vivid Ed title, The Expert Guide to the G-spot, which comes out in April. I am also editing Chemistry, Volume 4, which is due in stores in May. I am in pre-production for several new movies for Vivid and Vivid-Ed which I will shoot in February. I am really looking forward to doing more sex ed videos, I have a list a mile long! I am especially excited to do The Expert Guide to Anal Pleasure for Men, it’s on the list!

GV: What would you like to see next from the porn industry?

TT: Wow, that’s a tough question. I would like to see mandatory testing changed from every thirty days to every fifteen days. It’s not a solution, but I think it will decrease the rates of STDs. I would like to see more women in positions of power behind the scenes. We have more than we’ve ever had, but we still need more. I want to see the industry acknowledge the female porn consumer *for real*. I mean, companies produce “couples friendly porn,” but if you ask 9 out of 10 people in the industry, they will tell you women don’t really like, love, rent, buy, or watch porn. We do, and I am sick of people saying we don’t.

Full of salty songs, the seductive shimmy, and a slew of notable double entendres, this sexy stage gem caused quite a stir when it premiered on Broadway in 1926, and was subsequently closed down by the police; West herself was convicted of obscenity. SEX paved the brassy entertainer’s way to Hollywood, where she became one of the funniest, and most notorious, film icons of the 20th century.

With SEX, Mae West had jumped squarely into the era’s heated debate over gender roles, thoroughly scandalizing proponents of “proper” womanly behavior with her depictions not only of prostitute Margy LaMont but also of society lady Clara. Considered as one of the most influential icons of our century, Mae West was an exemplary entertainer challenging society’s view of gender, sexuality, and women in power.

The Aurora Theatre Company in Berkeley, California has ambitiously resurrected this almost forgotten production with rave reviews and more than a couple raised eyebrows. The GV Weekly spoke with Delia MacDougall, the lead actress taking on the incomparable Mae West, to see what she thought of the saucy Miss West, the play, and if Mae’s words can still shock an audience after all this time.

Keep reading after the interview for show info as well as a special ticket offer just for GV weekly readers!

GV: So tell us what Mae West’s Sex is all about?

Delia: Sex is the story of a red-light district prostitute who wants to nab a “heavy Sugar Daddy” and be draped in diamonds and furs. Through a strange course of events she ends up engaged to the son of a millionaire who she actually cares for but she can’t seem to escape her past.

GV: Why do you think this play is still relevant in today’s culture?

Delia: This 1926 play can seem quaint and dated to our modern day audiences, but the truth is that sex workers are still stigmatized and criminalized. For all the progress our culture has made in terms of sexual liberation this is still an area in which very little progress has been made.

GV: What is your favorite part about this production?

Delia: In the middle of the story the characters end up in a cafe in Trinidad where the British fleet is being entertained, there is singing and dancing- just a wild good time. There are a lot of great singers in the show and piano man and composer, Billy Philidelphia is really wonderful to hear.

GV: What kind of messages are you hoping this play will send to your audience?

Delia: It’s a real good time show, without a heavy message, but the production does celebrate Mae West as a writer who brought the taboo subject into the open, a woman who is frank and unapologetic about her enjoyment of sex, but who handles the subject with great pleasure and humor.

GV: How do you feel stepping into the legendary shoes of Mae West?

Delia: I think of my performance as a tribute rather than an impersonation. It’s a really wonderful persona to take on: sexy, powerful and playful.

GV: How have you prepared for this role, or does this sort of character come somewhat naturally to you?

Delia: I watched all her movies, read many of her biographies and listened to her music, etc. The hardest part is getting my voice placed into her nasal register. The fun part is playing a character who talks to every man like she’s just about to give them the greatest sexual pleasure they have every known.

GV: Mae West originally wrote the play under a pen name. Being an actress, do you also have different personas for different sides of your personality?

Delia: The best part of being an actress is taking on different personalities from show to show. In my real life I’m a pretty straightforward person and I try to avoid pretense.

GV: Do you have any other upcoming sex positive projects coming up in the future after this?

Delia: My next character will be a woman who was viciously raped as a child and ends up becoming a sadistic torturer, so…no, I would not say that it is very sex positive.
***

Delia MacDougall (Margy LaMont) appeared most recently in King Lear at the California Shakespeare Theater, her fifth season with the company. SEX is Delia’s second show for Aurora, having appeared in Joy Carlin’s production of The Old Neighborhood. She has also worked at Berkeley Repertory Theater, ACT, The Alley (Houston), The Intiman (Seattle), La Mama E.T.C. (NYC), Pittsburgh Public, San Diego Repertory, The Magic, Marin Theatre Company, among others. Delia is an actor, director and company member of Word for Word, and an actor and Director for Campo Santo. Special thanks to my Mother, Joan MacDougall, for introducing me to the films of Mae West.

Now playing through December 23

Showtimes: Wed through Sat at 8pm; Sun at 2 & 7pm

Aurora Theatre Company, 2081 Addison Street in Berkeley (just 1/2 block from the Downtown Berkeley BART station) Call 510.843.4822 for tickets

General admission: $40.00 – $42.00 per ticket
Students: half price with a valid I.D. – contact the Aurora Box Office for the discount

Friends of Good Vibrations receive $10 off tickets to Friday and Sunday evening performances – subject to availability and certain restrictions. Call the Aurora Box Office at 510-843-4822 and mention code: “GOOD VIBES” for the deal!

Working at a company like Good Vibrations can be pretty revolutionary in even more than the expected ways. From the sensitivity of fellow co-workers, to discussing sex toys/practices in the office, and being able to peruse more than a few “Not Safe For Work” websites in a day’s work, it is understandable how this atmosphere can change a person’s state of mind. Being surrounded by people who are trained and excited to be culturally sensitive to co-workers and customers for 8 hours a day can almost make you forget that outside those doors, the world may not feel the same way.

Before I started here, I had my fair share of odd jobs doing everything from selling candy in a mall to constructing 7 ft tall centerpieces out of styrofoam—and I have to say, sex-positivity wasn’t always at the forefront of my mind. I knew growing up in South Florida to keep certain thoughts and opinions to myself for the most part and accepted that sometimes keeping your mouth shut at work can result in better day to day office relationships with those around you. I knew, for instance, not to bring up gay marriage in front of 2 co-workers from a former job who didn’t even believe in dinosaurs. I had my outside-of-work friends and when I went to my job, I was “Work Allison”, that abbreviated, conditioned version of myself that was only an inkling of what I was at home among family and friends. When I moved to New York and later San Francisco, that version of myself got a little more color, a little more room to grow, but my work self and home self still remained somewhat separate.

It literally took me getting a job in the sex industry to figure out how many people out there were really ok with sex. I went to work everyday as Allison, regular Allison who could voice opinions and talk about politics and sexuality and pornography, all in the quest to make my company even better, even stronger. But as months went by and I spent five or six days a week surrounded by this group of powerful professionals who were all open and accepting of other people’s preferences and lifestyles, I began to notice myself becoming more sensitive to other people’s lack thereof. Years ago I could have politely sat through a dinner party despite the occasional insensitive remark. I would smile and slowly chew my salad, go home and probably not even give it a second thought. Recently when a sexually insensitive conversation took place I had to excuse myself to the bathroom and spend five minutes pulling myself together so I could get through the rest of the night without bursting into tears at the table. Had the insulting remarks come from someone not related to my partner, there would have been a serious exchange of words. For a while, I wasn’t even sure why I was so upset, after all, this wasn’t the first time I had to sit through a conversation about why bisexuality was “disgusting”. I just kept thinking about this bubble I lived in at work and how unacceptable this conversation would be anywhere else in my life. It isn’t like I had forgotten homophobia exists, or gender stereotyping, or gross misunderstandings about the human body and what it is capable of, it simply turned out that being surrounded by sex-positive people all day made dealing with those misinformed folks even harder.

Now when I hear someone spouting untruths about transsexuals I want to shake them and rattle off fact after fact proving them wrong, inventing allegories and analogies in my head that could perhaps help them to understand why they shouldn’t judge. Or when a group of people casually infer that participating in anal sex makes someone gay, even when it is occurring between a man and a woman, I just want to get on my soapbox and tell them, “NO NO! That isn’t what being gay means, you’ve got it all wrong!” In the past, depending on if I were in a fighting mood or not, I could say something witty and perhaps make the person feel bad for a minute then excuse myself from the conversation. Now I want to use my hours and hours of SESA training and shout it from the mountain tops. I guess it is a good thing I edit an online magazine.

What I’m getting at is that being sex-positive can be a struggle. For some people it takes time to learn how to accept people or practices you might personally not understand or want to participate in. For some people it is hard enough learning to accept their own sexuality even when they respect others. For me, the struggle is finding a balance between surrounding myself with positive, like-minded individuals and not letting those who haven’t learned it yet get me down. It is good to have a fire inside you, a fire that fuels your desire to right wrongs and create harmonious relationships, to learn and grow and share what you’ve learned. Sometimes I see my job as being a sexual superhero, someone who puts positive energy back into the world and spreads sex-positivity to the masses. But really, I’m just a person trying to find some happiness and do what I can to help create the world I want to live in—the world where sex-positivity is the norm and the bubble is big enough to fit us all.

“This is the key to the crash pad and I want to give it to you. You’re guaranteed a panty dropping good time with anyone you bring to the crash pad…..Now that you have the key…go ahead and stick it in…” Thus begins the uber-popular, indy-produced, all-girl, all-queer The Crash Pad.

The Crash Pad, produced in 2005, was the first offering from SF-based production company Pink & White Productions, and went on to win the World’s First Feminist Porn Awards’ Hottest Dyke Sex scene. Since then, Pink &White has released Superfreak, winner of the 2007 Feminist Porn Awards for Hottest Dyke Sex Scene and In Search of the Wild Kingdom, winner of the 2007 Feminist Porn Awards in the Hottest Trans Sex Scene category.

It’s been quite a year for Pink & White! But wait, there’s more!….coming soon to a computer screen near you, get ready for more Crash Pad encounters with the new Crash Pad Series; serial episodes that will be available to anyone with a computer and a few bucks. Launching in July, www.crashpadseries.com is a pay-per-view site which features all new scenarios that take place at the Crash Pad.

I recently sat down with web developer, model and actor Shawn to talk to her about this exciting new venture into the world of on-demand queer porn….

JB: So, how did the idea of a pay-site with new and different Crash Pad episodes come about?

S: After several incredibly successful DVD productions, Pink and White Productions was interested in expanding its market presences while simultaneously increasing control over content and accessibility to the content. With increased portable technologies and interactivity, web-based content has become the way to go.

However, due to the over-saturation of the adult market, starting any new enterprise is very difficult. You always need an “in” and edge to create the kind of pull that will not only sustain your product but lift it above the masses. Shine’s movies (The Crash Pad, Superfreak, and In Search of the Wild Kingdom) have received international acclaim, toured through the major film festival circuits, and have been highly awarded. Her work most definitely rises above the rest and it’s that reputation and quality that we are bringing to the world wide web with the CrashPadSeries.com. On top of the quality which we have become known for, we are taking our site to the next level of web technology by utilizing web 2.0 features such as online networking, and profile/community building software which will be highly integrated into our all new content.

What really distinguishes us from other sites that are using this technology is our full integration—members will essentially be a part of the on-going plot that fuels the drama (and sex) of the site. It’s like myspace meets LWord meets Melrose Place, and instead of just reading about the dramatic sex lives of your friends, you get to watch too!

JB: Are there any sites similar to The Crash Pad Series, I mean in terms of starring players as well as the target audience?

S: Short answer: No. Despite that fact that there are several sites that utilize community-building interactive features, I know of none that are plot-driven, queer-centric, and feature the flavor of sex and people that we feature. The closest sites that come to mind on the queer centric front: nofauxxx.com and redhandedporn.com, but there are no other plot-based sites I can name off the top of my head.

JB: What will members get to see?

S: Members can expect all the hardcore, queer, critically-acclaimed action that you see in The Crash Pad, but keep in mind this is all NEW content. We will be featuring two video scenes and two photo sets a month with some returning characters (Dylan Ryan, Jiz Lee and Shawn) and many, many more new ones. Of course you will see the signature sweaty, dirty, hardcore queer sex, filled with fisting, loads of squirting, passionate kissing mixed with some rough and tumble S/M, face-slapping fun, but we also will be featuring the lighter side of things with some tickle fights and playful, fun encounters. We are all about diversity, which I think is what makes the sex we feature so fantastic. Sex is at times silly, hot, passionate, dirty, playful, dangerous, and fun…so we try to make room for all types of sex. Oh yeah, more group sex too, at least that’s what I am pushing for

JB: Can members write in with suggestions of what they want to see?

S: For Sure! I think that’s one of the big draws of our site. It is all about interactivity and community building. Aside from a members’ forum that allows members to discuss the latest scenes and drama, you can also build your own personal profile, send other members messages and you can rest assured that members will have a direct impact on the lives, drama and sex our characters will be having.

JB: How does it feel to be breaking new ground when it comes to queer porn on the internet?

S: Exhausting, exciting, scary and inspiring. I quit my full-time job to do this and right now thing are really taking off. Aside from the launch of the CrashPadSeries.com, we are also doing a national tour of our third film, In Search of the Wild Kingdom, which took “Best Trans Sex Scene” at the Feminist Porn Awards this year. People of all genders and sexualities have been so supportive (and turned on by our work), it’s phenomenal. One of my favorite moments this year was at Gay Pride when this very cute gay boy walked up to me and said, “I jerk off to your videos, I usually only watch boy-on-boy but your stuff is hot!” I said “Me Too!”

JB: Where do you see the site in 5 years? How about queer porn in general?

S: On vacation? Ha! Probably doing what I always do, working too much, but it’s hard not too when you have jobs like mine. Ideally, I see Pink & White becoming one of the power houses of the industry like Wicked, Vivid, Evil Empire, Falcon, etc….and creating a Neo-Porn Valley, which of course would be in the Bay Area—it’s already starting with most of the gay boy stuff.

JB: Is there anything you’d like to say to GV Weekly readers that we haven’t covered yet?

S: If I could say two words to people who ask “How can I support sex-positivity and the empowerment of one’s sexual identity?” I would say “Buy porn!”

Find out what turns you on, support it, love it, jerk off to it, throw parties around it. If we don’t start actively supporting an industry that openly celebrates various aspects of our sexuality, it will only be a matter of time before it is taken away from us.

Particularly at this time; there is a very strong and covert movement happening that is trying to suppress and essentially destroy representations of sexuality that fall outside the reproductive, marriage-only model. The life line of the adult industry is slowly getting choked. Increasing pressure is being put on the credit card industry and processors to control and sterilize the online industry by declining to serve more and more adult businesses. This has also been happening in the realm of insurance providers.

People need to stand up and proudly support adult institutions and let the credit card and other industries know that the adult field is a necessary and legitimate business.

Who knew that buying porn was so revolutionary?

***

It’s actually not true that video killed the radio star, because Sirius Radio has become quite a phenomenon, with its 200 channels and superstars such as Howard Stern. In fact, our friend Diana Cage hosts a show on Sirius’ Out Q, the gay channel. On her show, “Diana gets down and dirty with talk about relationships, gender politics and all things personal. Diana blasts stereotypes with an irreverent and smart look at GLBT lives and culture.”

GV Staffer Jo-El is now working with Diana Cage as a guest “sexpert.” Jo-El has been sex educating the masses since 2001, traveling all over north California, Jo-El’s passion lies in the sex positivity that Good Vibrations promotes. Whether it is working with youth, med students or post-menopausal women, nothing is more satisfying than getting accurate sex information out there. (source)

Recently, Jo-El and I sat down via cyberspace and talked about spreading sex positivity via satellite….

Hey Jo-El, how did you get involved with Diana Cage’s Sirius radio show?

I met Diana a couple of years ago in the subcultural world of San Francisco queer “celebrities” via my drag king alter-ego, Rusty Hips. I knew she moved to NY last year, but wasn’t aware it was because of her Sirius radio show. I divulged to my co-worker, Coyote (GV’s toy buyer), that I secretly wanted to do a radio talk show when we were brainstorming marketing ideas. That’s when Coyote told me that Diana was doing her show on Sirius, and suggested I get in touch with her to get in on it. So I did.

What’s your role on the show?

I am the guest “sexpert” every other Friday from 11:15-midnightish Eastern time. Diana knows me and the many hats I wear…one as a performer, which is great for radio…the other as a sex educator, which is great for content. I have been working as a sex educator for almost 6 years…teaching workshops, training all in-coming sex educator sales associates for Good Vibes, and directing the off-site sex education programs of the Center for Sex and Culture. I’ve been ready to take it to the next level for a while now. Diana’s show is a great opportunity to do so.

What kind of questions do people call in with?

You name it! The call-ins have been pretty random. I think what has surprised me most about the show, both listening and when I’m a guest, is how many heterosexual callers are listening to the Out Q Gay Radio station! Yay for the straight but not narrow, right??

Has there ever been a topic brought up that stumped you?

Stumped…not really. The only time I had to really put on my sex educator thinking cap on was in reference to someone inquiring about anal fisting. In my many years teaching about sexuality, I have never had anyone inquire about anal fisting—can you believe it??! Luckily, I know the physiology and anatomy of all-things anal related, in addition to vaginal fisting techniques, so I did pretty good.

What’s the most common kind of question people have about sex? Are there “themes” that pop up regularly?

I’ve been doing the show for only a couple of months every other week, so I haven’t noticed a “theme” yet. Diana always prompts me with questions at the beginning of the show, and those seem to revolve around sex toys and vaginal fisting…so far. Female ejaculation has come up a couple of times, too.

What’s the most unusual question you’ve ever had?

“Unusual,” huh?? Now I’m stumped. So far, I haven’t really gotten a caller with an unusual question. Working as a sex educator, however, I’ve pretty much heard it all…”Can you use shit as lube?”, “Can you get pregnant from having anal sex?”, “Does having anal sex mean that you’re gay??” I love these types of questions the best…they are usually preceded with “I have a really dumb question…” I truly believe that there is no such thing as a dumb question in regards to human sexuality. The truth is that most people have been given misinformation or complete lack of information about sex. Diana’s show is great because it gives us as educators the ability to reach people all over the world, really, and give them accurate, sex-positive information that is so needed.

***

Make sure to check out Jo-El and Diana Cage on Sirius Channel 109 Out Q! You’ll be amazed at what you can learn from the radio waves (all while keeping both hands free)!