Porn Star Interview: Tuck Johnson

BY VINCENT LAMBERT

Tuck Johnson is sitting on the top deck of the Regal Empress cruise ship taking in a stunning view of the sea. The 26-year-old newcomer is a featured performer on the inaugural Pillage & Plunder Cruise, where he will dance before a live audience and film scenes for the Catalina release Voyager. Settling in for a chat before disembarking to spend the day in Key West, Florida, Johnson looks tanned and comfortable in shorts and a tank top.

How did you end up here as a porn star on a porn cruise?
Well, I came out to L.A. to be an actor and a model.
Where are you from?
I grew up in Thousand Oaks, California, outside L.A. where the clean air is.
And how did you get into movies?
I met this one guy, and we had a business situation where he could use my credit and my car and I could stay at his place for free. I was gonna be an extra, and I thought I could pay my expenses, but I was only getting $40 a day, so I needed money. Extra work doesn’t pay the bills. He was an escort, and he went to Numbers in L.A. And I told him I would go too. And he didn’t know, but I was getting offers and asking for $500. Then I was talking to my sister about getting a job at Paramount as a security guard and getting $13 an hour. And she said, “I babysit the children of someone who works there.” And then it dragged on, getting the application, and then I didn’t get it. The funny thing is I still wonder if I had waited maybe I could have gotten that job instead of doing porn, but it didn’t happen so…I needed money and I looked in Frontiers magazine and I saw Johnny Johnston’s, my agent, ad.
And are you enjoying it?
I don’t mind doing porn, because I try to be very mature, but for my soul it is hard. The sex gets hard.
Are you a religious person?
I’m very spiritual but not religious, if that makes sense. I believe as long as I’m a kind person, it doesn’t matter if I go heaven or not. It doesn’t matter because if God doesn’t want me for being kind, then I don’t want to be there.
So you talked to Johnny Johnston?
I called him up and went down there, and then got pictures and it went from there.
What was the first movie?
Lost Exit. It was directed by Billy Wyatt. I like the end where I mysteriously disappear.
Were you nervous about that first movie?
I was a little nervous at first.
Was it a tough decision to do it or not?
No, because right when I decided to do it, I did it. I had already thought about it.
Did you think about your family?
Well, my parents are divorced. I thought about my mom. She’ll be the last person to know.
Do you identity as gay or straight?
Actually, I’m bi. I don’t like saying that because gay people hate me ’cause I’m part straight and straight people hate me ’cause I’m part gay, but I’m attracted to both. I’m sexually attracted to women, but I want to find love with men. I can get horny with men. I know how to do it. But now with this work, I can get sex, but I’m looking for love. It’s hard with all the stuff about sexually transmitted diseases.
Did you have girlfriends?
I had girlfriends, but that is one of the reasons I like gay people but I hate fags. I put gay people into two categories: the good gay people are the nice people I like hanging out with, and the fags are the ones who only try to use people and are snooty.
And which have you met more of?
I’ve met more faggy people because of this industry. The good gay people are calm and are at their houses. And a lot of gay people, you don’t even know they’re gay because they act normal. They act straight. So, you never know.
Does your family know about your work?
No, not about porn. They think I’m acting and modeling.
Is it hard to keep it a secret?
It is and it isn’t. I’m a good actor.
Tell us about growing up. When did you first discover sex?
I guess I never knew the word “homosexuality.” When I was in fifth grade, there was this blond guy and there was something about him that I was attracted to. The funny thing is, I said something about finding him attractive and all the kids said, “Oh, my God, are you gay?” And then, that was that. The whole subject stopped right there. That was the first thing I remember. It’s hard to remember how I felt. I found him attractive. There were girls I was attracted to too.
When did you first have sex?
When I was 15, there was a girl I was friends with. We talked about sex and just did it.
What about with guys?
I thought about guys, but being gay is hard.
Why?
Because it’s not really a normal thing. You can’t really have friends. You never know if they want to be friends or just want your body. I’d love to be friends with everyone, but if I don’t want to have sex, then they get mad.
What was your first clue that you might like guys?
There was a newsstand that came to Thousand Oaks, and they had gay magazines out in the open. I looked at one and that made me think more about guys. And then I went to a club with a friend in West Hollywood. She didn’t know I liked guys. Then I saw the magazine, and it all came together. I was open to it.
Did you jerk off a lot as a kid?
When I was 20, I’d be in the library jerking off. In the restroom. (Laughs)
Did you watch a lot of porn?
I didn’t do anything gay until I was 23 years old. The first porno, I don’t remember. I did jack off to those magazines with guys when I was 20.
So how did you meet the first guy you were with?
I went to Micky’s or Rage in West Hollywood and a guy came up to me, and I had a friend and we went to his place and had a threeway. That was the first time. He was teaching me to suck dick.
How did you like it?
It was kind of weird. And he told me not to use my teeth. I was mostly scared. Unless I get horny or make myself horny, I still get nervous and shake when I’m with a guy. I don’t always enjoy it. In magazines, handsome guys turn me on, but I get nervous. That’s why I’m looking for love.
Have you had any relationships?
I’ve never had a boyfriend, I guess because I’m looking for the perfect guy.
And what is the perfect guy?
Someone who has a kind heart and is normal. Someone who doesn’t take drugs. I don’t smoke, drink or take drugs. I don’t even drink coffee. I believe health is beauty. I’m very life conscious. Don’t buy me flowers! (Laughs)
Have you had more sex onscreen than off?
Yes. I’m trying to find a guy that I’m in love with and attracted to.
So, how many movies have you done?
About 10, I think.
Any favorites?
Lost Exit. Actually, that is the only one I’ve seen. I like that I mysteriously disappear, because that is the type of person I try to be. I see all the evil in the world, and I try to do something better. I try to be a next-generation person.
Any favorite people you’ve worked with?
I like [director] Jim Steel because he’s been really nice to me.
Do you have a specific type of guy that you like?
I like the pure look, not all the muscle and such.
Are you a top or a bottom?
I prefer being a top because people usually don’t know how to fuck. (Laughs) So I’d rather top.
Do you ever watch your own movies?
I don’t really. I do watch porn, but not me. I do it to see myself better.
Is there anything special you’d like to do onscreen?
I’d like to realistically experience something that happened. I like college jocks. That is the kind of guy I want to fall in love with. And if I could have sex with a straight guy in a football uniform or in his truck, that would turn me on.
How would you define your image?
Very athletic. Very strong. Like that image from Lost Exit—that I am strong, but I am also mysterious.
What do you see for the future? Will you stay in the industry?
My plan is to do this and make as much money as possible. I want to go to school and become a mechanical engineer. And because of how I feel about sex, it’s not really a job I can tell my mom about, so it’s probably not something I can stay with.
Do you ever think about the repercussions of doing porn?
I don’t think I’ll have a problem with that, except if I want to be an actor or a model, which I would love to do—more of a model because I like those kind of people. I’m afraid that some news jerk might tell everyone I was in porn and ruin it. I don’t care if people know, but I don’t want someone telling everyone and hurting me.
How do you feel knowing that people are jerking off to your image?
I don’t really have a problem with it. It’s just a job. I go there and try to do my job better and hopefully get a raise. It doesn’t phase me. I guess the only problem with the porn industry is if I am looking for love and [my potential lover] is not in the porn industry and what he thinks of that. That’s what I really want. I want to fall in love and wake up in the morning and look in his eyes and say, “I love you.”

Reprinted from Manshots magazine (2000)

Porn Star Interview: Will Clark

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Porn Star Interview: Thomas Lloyd

BY VINCENT LAMBERT

Lean and lanky Thomas Lloyd arrives at the French Market restaurant in West Hollywood fresh from his workout. Wearing a tank top, shorts and a baseball cap, the 32-year-old screen stud orders coffee and lights up the first of many cigarettes. Settling all six feet and three inches of himself into a chair at an outdoor table, the star of such films as Redwood, Fallen Angel II, Dirty Hairy and Animus begins talking about his Topeka, Kansas, roots, and what led him to Los Angeles and the business of making porn. It is September 20, 1999.

You’ve had quite a year. How did you get involved in the industry?
Well, it’s a long story, but it was a total accident is what it boils down to. When I was 30 years old, I was still living in Kansas City and I went through a midlife crisis.
At 30?
At 30! I spent the entire day in bed on my 30th birthday with the covers drawn up over me and the shades closed. I was Mr. Doom and Gloom because I was trapped in Kansas, and I really wanted to work on my music and get it out there to the public. But I wasn’t able to do that in Kansas.
What did you do in the years leading up to 30?
I went to college for three years in Topeka and spent my senior year at university in France. After that, I returned to Kansas and went into postgraduate studies for secondary education. But during my student teaching, I was repressed. I had just come to terms with my homosexuality at the age of 26. When I came out, I came out! I was tired of being in the closet.
Had you dated women?
Yes. I had known since the age of three that I was attracted to men, but I was an only child. I was adopted. We lived in the country, distant from other people. I was a strange kid. I didn’t have a whole lot of friends. So I didn’t know that other people didn’t feel this way.
How strange?
I was just weird. I’ve always been independently minded, always doing very strange things. I was like a mad scientist because I was always into science fiction. I loved Star Trek. I’d be off by myself, in my own little world, even when I was with other people. I spent most of my time in the school library.
But you knew that you had these feelings for men?
Yes, but I aped everyone else. I started dating women, like everyone else. I pushed those feelings aside. But I didn’t really think in a sexual manner. I mean, I remember my dick getting hard, but I didn’t associate that with anything sexual. I had no idea! I was 17 before I ever masturbated. And my cousin showed me how. We jacked off a bit together, just ourselves, side by side. But I thought he was really hot. That was when I realized that I was very different.
What do you remember about your discovery?
Oh gosh, there was so much at once. I was totally intrigued with it. I’m sure my mother wondered why there were fingerprints in her can of Crisco because that was my favorite lubricant. (laughs)
What happened when you were 26 that made you come bursting out of the closet?
Well, I had been struggling with these issues for a while. I went through a highly destructive phase, doing all sorts of drugs and losing the will to live because I was not being me. I started having more and more thoughts of guys, and I didn’t know how to express it because I didn’t really know any other gay people. I’m sure they were there, but I hadn’t perfected the gaydar. I remember that I picked up a copy of the local newspaper—it was a very liberal town, even for Kansas—and there were personals for men seeking men. I would read those ads every week and stash it under my sofa, and I’d have to get really drunk before I would dare read through it.
One night, it was just before Christmas, the neighbor girl from upstairs came down. She was cute, and she stripped and wanted to do it. I had been sexually abstinent for about four years at that point. I was trying to kill my sexual urge for men by killing my sexual urge entirely. I even reduced the masturbation a lot. I was trying to make myself asexual. So, I tried to do the nasty with her and it just wasn’t working and she repulsed me. I couldn’t even get hard. So I sent her out, had a couple of drinks, pulled out the personals and dialed a number right then. I left a message on the voicemail; the guy called me back within 20 minutes and said to come over. I did, had a dick in my mouth and said, “Yes, this is what I’ve been missing!”
Were you scared to do it?
Yes, I was petrified. I knew no one. All I knew was what I heard in the press, you know, about the Jeffrey Dahmers, who will take you in and run you through a band saw and eat you for lunch! But the guy I met was nice. He was not exactly the most beautiful man in the world, but at that point in time, to me he was an Adonis. He was a guy who had a dick, and he fulfilled this fantasy I had been carrying around for God knows how long. Once I figured it out, I went through about one week of saying, “I’m bisexual.” Then, I said, “Forget this. I’m not bisexual, I’m gay.” I promptly told my friends, and they were, like, “Who cares?”
Did you tell your family at that point?
I told them a year and a half later. At my 10-year high school reunion, I took my boyfriend. And since my father is a doctor in the community and most of my former classmates are his patients, I knew that word was going to get back to him. So I figured I would tell him ahead of time and get it out in the open. It did not go well. Mom burst into tears, and Dad turned white as a sheet and stormed out. But my boyfriend and I were the hit of the prom.
Have your parents come around since then?
Not really. But we never talk about it. It’s not a subject I bring up and they don’t touch it.
Do they know about your work in porn?
No, they don’t have a clue. If they did, they would probably hire an assassin and kill me. And I’m not kidding.
Does that make you uncomfortable? Do you wish they knew?
Well, they’ve never accept me in anything I’ve ever done. And I deal with that. I don’t like the fact that I have to hide things.
What was your first experience with watching porn?
The only porn I have ever watched, before I ever participated, was a straight porno when I was 18 at the Princess Cinema in Topeka, Kansas. I was very drunk with some high school buddies, and it was the most foul and disgusting thing I had seen in my life. I walked into this theater that smelled of...you know, and there were a bunch of old men tossing off, watching these horrible women with sagging body parts on the screen. It was just foul and repulsive. Before I ever got into the industry, I thought porn was dirty and disgusting.
Did you think it was something you might want to do?
Oh, no. Never in my life did I ever even consider the notion of doing porn or even nude photography.
So what happened?
I just surprised myself. I always liked to be a show-off, but up to that point, my showing off had been limited to more cerebral things. I never considered myself physically appealing. When I look in the mirror to this day, I still see the geeky, lanky, 17-year-old kid with the horrible skin condition staring back.
Did your decision to do porn have anything to do with you self-esteem?
Yeah, and this is not an insult, but I’ve found that a lot of models have low self-esteem, unnecessarily. They probably felt like I did. They grew up in a situation where they felt different and people treated them like second-class citizens. It’s something that carries over, and we all find ways of dealing with it. And being a show-off is one way of dealing with it.
So how did you ultimately get out of Kansas and into porn?
I was a French translator for Exxon. I hated my job. I wanted to work on my music and get away from the corporate side. So I sold everything, bought a plane ticket to San Francisco, packed up my musical equipment and went.
Why San Francisco?
Because I’d never really been to California. I thought it was an artsy-fartsy musical community, plus I was tired of being in the closet. I wanted to be someplace where I could totally be me.
And that led to modeling?
Yes, while looking for a job, I saw an ad in the paper that said “Models Wanted.” I had done some fashion modeling back in Kansas, so I answered this ad and it turned out to be nude modeling for the Internet. I’d never done anything like that before, but my new philosophy was to try new things, I said, “Sure, I’ll audition.” And I stripped and they said, “Looks good.”
Have you always been in shape?
No, it’s always been a struggle. I was a very fat child. Late teens, I got lanky and scrawny but not very much in shape. I never hit the gym until my late twenties. I looked pretty good, I guess. We went to the photo shoot, which was in the Redwood Forest, north of San Francisco. And it turned out that we were doing promotional stills for the Internet for the video Redwood, which Titan Media was shooting at the time. While I was up there, Bruce Cam from Titan Media saw me and asked if I’d like to do a scene in the movie.
What did you think?
I didn’t know what to say. I was so embarrassed. I thought, “Do I really want to have sex, in front of a bunch of people, on camera, and then have the universe see me having sex?” Then I thought, “This could be cool,” because I was really getting off on doing the nude poses.
Were you comfortable being naked?
I started off being shy, but I got into it. I surprised myself. I never knew I was an exhibitionist. It brought out the monster in me! (laughs)
Did you enjoy the attention?
I loved the attention because I had never really gotten a lot of attention before.
How long did it take you to decide to do the scene?
About five minutes. I’m impulsive at times.
Did you shoot the scene right then and there?
The following day. Shot it in a greenhouse with the entire cast and crew standing around outside. And I was so nervous.
Who was your scene partner?
It was Austin Woods. I think he was a newcomer too.
Were you comfortable with what you had to do in the scene?
Not at first. They explained what I had to do, which was to go into the greenhouse and pounce on the guy.
And you were the top?
Yes, I am exclusively a top—in real life and film. I was very nervous at first, then that exhibitionist in me came out.
How long did the scene take to do?
Oh my gosh, all day. About five or six hours. But it got really warm in that greenhouse.
Any problem with your cum shot?
Never. That is never a problem. If and when I get aroused, I never have trouble. It’s all a matter of chemistry with your partner. I’d rather get to know my scene partners beforehand, but I usually meet them two minutes before I have some part of them in my mouth!
After doing that first scene, did you plan to do other films?
I thought it was a onetime deal. But Titan called me back four months later to shoot Fallen Angel II. I was given a copy of Fallen Angel I to get an idea what it was like, and when I saw Steve Cannon, I was just drooling. I was praying I’d get a scene with him! But I didn’t.
Did the leather content turn you off?
No. I keep getting cast as this leather-daddy type, I guess because of my size, but honestly, I’m pretty vanilla. I love wearing leather because it looks good. But—I hate to disappoint the leather fans—it’s not really me. I’m just not that rough. But I agreed to do it, and I had fun. Damon Page was my partner. He’s a beautiful man, and we had a ball. Bruce Cam directed again.
Were you also working on your music at the time?
When I shot Redwood, I had just gotten a job as an accounts manager for a large food company. But soon after, I became the Webmaster for the company that was doing the CD-ROM for Redwood. I ended up producing and developing the CD-ROM for Redwood, and I composed the soundtrack.
So how did you end up in Los Angeles?
Well, I really didn’t like San Francisco. I like warm weather. So I thought I had a job in Los Angeles, so I moved here. The job fell through, but I made other connections and got some Web design projects. I started freelancing, and now I have my own Internet design company.
And that led to L.A. porn connections?
Yes, then I started going to porn events in L.A. I guess Will Clark’s first Bad Boys Pool Party was my big launching point. Nobody knew who I was until then.
What made you attend that event?
When I moved out here, I was contacted by Jamoo and he interviewed me for his book Superstars #2. We got to be friends, and he brought me to the pool party. I started meeting people. I’ve never solicited any studio for work. I want to be the one that somebody really wants for a film.
So who came calling?
Greenwood Cooper, for their first hard-core film. Then Can-Am, I did their Web site. Then Chi Chi LaRue used me in The Final Link. Then All Worlds used me for Animus. Studio 2000 contacted me for Czech Point. I haven’t done a whole lot of videos. I’ve only done 11 in two years, which isn’t a lot. I’d much rather do a very few quality videos as opposed to a ton of mediocre videos. That’s not what it’s about for me. Even today, every time I do a video or a photo shoot, I fully expect it to be my last. I treat it that way because I don’t want to get a big head. I want people to know that I am not a porn “star.” I’m just a guy who does videos, and I do it for fun.
So you don’t consider this a career?
No, and I never will. The day I stop bringing a little joy, a little pleasure, a little excitement to somebody’s life, that’s the day I hang up my cockring forever. ’Cause that’s the only reason I do it—to bring something, to touch somebody’s life, to bring a little excitement that they can’t experience. I had 27 years of not being able to experience a lot of things that I only had vague fantasies about.
Do you have a favorite film that you’ve been in?
Animus.
What was it like being directed by Wash West?
Wash is incredible. He’s a sweetheart to work with. He has this vision. As a model, it can be annoying because he knows what he wants. He wants these really awesome shots. It’s worth the time and trouble. But it makes for long shoots.
How does his technique differ from other directors?
He takes a lot of time. He gives some direction but enough free reign to do what turns you on.
How comfortable do you feel with the acting aspect of the films?
I had done some acting way back in high school, and I enjoy it. But I was not as prepared for Animus as I should have been because I didn’t have as much notice. I had one day’s notice.
How long did it take to film?
Five days, which is long. I was in a lot of scenes, a lot of night scenes. I’m not exactly a night person, and my eyes look red in some scenes.
Is there a favorite scene that you’ve done?
The one with Tommy Lords in Animus, because he was new and fresh and innocent. But I’ve loved everyone I’ve been with. No bad experiences, other than getting my face slammed against that wire fence in Fallen Angel II. I had fence prints on my face for weeks!
What has been your experience with the fans?
Mostly good. I’ve had some strange requests. The thing I find most annoying is that people assume I’m an escort, which is not the case. I don’t see it as a bad thing, but I am not one. I like to get personal with my fans, but not that personal.
Do you watch your own movies?
Always, but just once. Only for criticism. To see how I look. I do not turn myself on! My type is anybody but me.
Do you enjoy knowing that you’re getting other guys off?
Yeah, that is hot. I’m hoping to fulfill a fantasy. I know what it’s like to need fantasies, and I think it’s the coolest thing to fulfill someone’s fantasy.
What’s ahead for Thomas Lloyd?
You know, I kind of play it by ear. I would like to think and hope that eventually my music career will take off. I am releasing a CD of music that I wrote for The Final Link soundtrack.
How would you define your image?
Thomas Lloyd is just the boy next door. I am just the boy next door. I’m not stunningly gorgeous. I’m just me.

Reprinted from Manshots magazine (1999)

Porn Star Interview: Scott Matthews

BY VINCENT LAMBERT

Scott Matthews enjoys being a porn star, and he’s the first person to admit it. This Southern stud—who was born in Mobile, Alabama, grew up in Atlanta and attended college in North Carolina—has taken the business by storm in the past year with his wholesome good looks and mouthwatering endowment. At age 29, he has made ten films (including Night Riders, Iron Will and Another Man’s Hand), but he never actually planned on getting into the porn industry. Matthews originally came to New York City to pursue a career in musical theater. So how did he end up making a living off the nine-inch wonder that resides in his trousers? We met up with him recently and posed that and many other questions. He showed up for lunch on a broiling August day dressed in a tank top and denim shorts, but it wasn’t the bulge in his pants that impressed us, it was his sparkling aqua-blue eyes.

Are those your real eyes?
Yes, they are (laughs). People always think that they’re contacts but they’re real.
I’ve never seen eyes that color before.
Oh, thanks. They all mine.
So how did you get started in the porn industry?
I was always interested in porn. I have a huge collection of it. I think most porn stars do. And people had always told me I was very well-endowed. A friend of mine knew a director in New Jersey named Robert Prion, and I went to one of his parties. He offered me a film, and we came up with a name for me. That was my first agreed-upon movie (Shameless). At the same time, my friend also introduced me to Michael Lucas, and we shot that movie (Homebodies) first. At the same time, I was e-mailing Alec Powers and Chris Rock, and I sent them pictures over the Internet. They sent them to the agent Peter Scott, and he wanted to represent me. So from that, I made a couple of trips to L.A. and met Chi Chi LaRue and a lot of other people, including the Falcon people and that’s how I got that film (Iron Will).
Now, you were 28 or 29 years old. Was this something you consciously decided to do?
No, it just happened. I think I look younger than I am. I don’t think I would have been ready for it when I was younger. I came from a very conservative, religious household in Georgia. Mentally, I don’t think I could have handled it sooner.
Does your family know you are in the industry?
No, they don’t know. I don’t think it’s very important. They have their own lives, and they are not in an area where they might be subjected to it. It’s no big deal.
Do they know you’re gay?
Oh, yeah.
What was it like doing that first movie?
Before the movies, I had done some dancing in a small club in New York to get rid of my self-consciousness. It was easy money, too. That made me more comfortable being naked in front of people. So it wasn’t that hard for me to get naked and get hard the first time on a movie set.
When did you first know you were so well-endowed?
My first lover, actually. I was 20. It was when I first came out. I had lived a very sheltered life before. We started having sex together and he told me. And I was, like, “Oh, really?” Where I grew up we didn’t really have gym class where you could compare. But I eventually found out.
How did you first discover jerking off?
The movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High! There’s a scene where Phoebe Cates is getting out of the pool and Judge Reinhold is jerking off in the bathroom. And that is what prompted me to learn about it. I did what I thought he was doing, and it happened.
What is the hottest scene you’ve done and with whom?
The movie I did for Paul Barresi (Marine Father, Navy Son). I have a scene with Alex Wilcox, and he’s straight. He only has gay sex on film. I play a sailor and he’s a Marine. And we were in a little bathroom and I bottomed for him. It was a really hot scene. We did everything. I think it’s the whole idea of him being straight that turned me on so much.
How do you feel about topping versus bottoming?
I want to be as good as a bottom as I am as a top. I think my top abilities are still better because I’m not that experienced as a bottom. But I think I do very well. In real life, I don’t really have a preference. If I am dating someone, he has to be versatile or I get bored!
Have you ever had a problem fucking a guy because of your dick size?
Oh, yeah. There have been a couple of guys in the industry who are bottoms who had trouble taking it. But they get used to it and are fine. One young guy just couldn’t take it. We had to work around it.
Are there any sexual fantasies that you have lived out on film?
I am still waiting for some to come true. I’m still pretty new to the industry.
Are there any porn stars you’d like to work with?
I’ve always wanted to work with Tom Katt. I’ve wanted to top him in a scene so bad. I like topping big muscular men. I have a thing for South American guys, Brazilians, bodybuilder types. I did a scene with Eric Evans in Gino Colbert’s new movie, Porn Fiction. He’s a big, hairy boy, and it was hot.
Have you always been attracted to that?
Yeah, but it’s not necessarily the best thing for me long-term or relationship-wise.
Are you in a relationship now?
Yeah, I’m currently involved with someone I care about immensely. It’s been about three or four months. Not that long, but for me, that’s good (laughs). I’m very happy. We have a lot in common and enjoy spending a lot of time together.
Would you say you’re an exhibitionist?
It depends. I keep my porn life and my real life totally separate. Scott is an exhibitionist when he is working, on the set or at a publicity event. He likes being looked at, but in real life, when I’m at the gym, I’m very private. I don’t walk around naked. I don’t shower there. Being Scott Matthews is like an acting role for me.
What is your ultimate fantasy scene?
Well, I’ve always had a daddy fantasy. I’m the son, of course. But I wind up fucking the daddy in the end. Kind of like a Zak Spears daddy type—very muscular and hairy. I’ve always wanted to top a top.
Your image is so wholesome and boy-next-door. Have you ever gotten into anything kinky, like fisting?
Well, I love giving it. I’ve fisted, not on video but in real life. I have fisted about three guys. It’s hot. One time I went to this little private party in New York, and I had fisted this friend of mine before. And there was this younger guy—really hot, great face, nice body, cute—and my hand went in and then I was doing double-fisting action. I hit his bladder and he peed all over himself! I thought it was really hot.
Anything else?
Well, I used to go to sex clubs. I loved to go to sex clubs and have anonymous sex. I’m a big voyeur. Sometimes, I like watching sex more than I like doing it. I love to watch, then get involved. People don’t always pay attention to me until they see my dick. Once they see my dick, they’re all over me.
When you meet a guy, is dick size important to you?
I’m not a size queen. As long as it works. I’m a face guy. I like gorgeous, handsome men. He doesn’t have to have a muscular body. It can be toned, proportioned. I’m attracted to someone for their face and personality.
Do you ever watch your own movies?
Once. After I get the movie, I’ll watch it once to see what it’s like. But I would never jerk off to myself. That’s gross (laughs).
What do you see for the future?
I want to take this as far as I can take it. I want to have a prolonged career. I just want to see how long I can do it. And that means not being overexposed.
Ever get any strange requests from your fans?
I sold a pair of socks to somebody in Sweden once (laughs). I wore them for the whole day and to the gym, so they were nice and smelly and I put them in a bag and sent them to Sweden.
How much did he pay?
I think it was $30, including postage! It was fun.
Just how big is your dick?
Oh, it’s 9 x 8. Nine inches long, and eight inches around. For real. I have measured it. I’m known for my thickness more than my length.
Your fans know a lot about you. What don’t they know?
That I’m very insecure sometimes and don’t always consider myself attractive. But I’m trying to change that.
What would you like your fans to know about you?
That I’m a really down-to-earth person, and if they ever see me on the street, come up and say hello because I’m not a very stuck-up person. I’m very shy, but if they want to say hello, I’m very friendly. I don’t consider myself a major porn star or anything!

Reprinted from All-Man magazine (1999)

Porn Star Interview: Billy Herrington

BY VINCENT LAMBERT

It is July 21, 1999—a steamy summer in New York City, and musclebound screen stud Billy Herrington is appropriately dressed. He saunters into a West Village restaurant dressed in a skintight, white ribbed T-shirt, denim short-shorts and work boots. Looking younger than his 30 years, he sports a scruffy goatee and an earing in his left ear. Herrington is still beaming from a sold-out dancing appearance at a Manhattan nightspot a few days earlier. He settles in, orders a turkey burger and begins tracing the path that led him to become Colt’s Man of the Year and porn’s hottest new kid on the block.

Let’s start at the beginning. Where are you from?
I’m from Long Island, but I moved to New York when I was 24 years old.
Tell us about your family background.
I have one sister, who lives in Saudi Arabia. My family is very cool, very loose.
What was your childhood like out on Long Island?
Like anybody’s childhood out on Long Island—very closeted, very suburban. I came to the city with my family a few times—Radio City Music Hall, that kind of thing—but I remember being very intimidated by the city, especially when I first moved here. I was a very small fish in a very big sea. That was the first thing that struck me about New York City—that I really had to push and hustle just to be somebody.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Certainly not a Colt model or a porn star (laughs). That’s for sure. Honestly, I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. I have a lot of interests. My modeling career was basically a hobby, but it started to generate a lot of income. Growing up I had a lot of interests, ranging from computer programming to international business.
Were you always athletic?
I was into karate for my whole life. My father was a sensei, which is a karate teacher. He taught a very traditional form of martial arts. He learned in Okinawa, went to Vietnam and brought it back and opened a karate school. I was always very skinny and slender, sort of a tough guy. I was my height now, which is six feet, but I weighed about 175, which is average. But right now I weigh 240, which is a big difference.
How did you first experience sex?
How every other American male did—I dated a few girls, fooled around in the backseat of the school bus and got my education that way, through dirty magazines and stuff.
How old were you?
About 14 or 15.
What was your initial exposure to porn? Did you see magazines and movies?
Sure. Of course I did.
What did you think?
I thought they were absolutely fantastic. There you are, a 15-year-old kid, and your testosterone level and hormones are going off the wall.
Did you ever think, “This is something I could do”?
Absolutely not. At 15, I had no concept or idea of who I was or where I was going or what I would do.
What was your sexual orientation at that time? When watching porn as a kid, were you attracted to the men or the women?
I think I was aware of my heterosexuality before I was aware of my bisexuality, only because it was more acceptable in my surroundings growing up. You see, I’m not entirely gay and I’m not entirely straight. I consider myself to be truly bisexual. I have a girlfriend at the moment and I have a boyfriend. They both live with me in my house, and they get along fantastically.
How does that work?
It just does. Why ask why? My boyfriend’s entirely gay; my girlfriend’s entirely straight. They both have something in common. Well, two things: a) They’re best friends, and, b) me. So, it works. There is no room for jealousy or possessiveness.
Do you three ever get together?
We do, but they’re both focusing on me and I have to keep everyone happy. It’s doubly damned or doubly blessed (laughs).
So how did you get involved in the porn industry?
I went to Jones Beach with a friend of mine and we took some photos. She sent them to Playgirl magazine, unbeknownst to me, and I won a contest called Real Men of the Month. I had just started bodybuilding. I was 24 at the time, just before I moved to New York City. And I got a check for $500, which was pretty exciting to me.
Were those pictures nudes?
Absolutely nude. And she forged my name for the model release. I guess it was a good boost for my self-esteem. I won that contest, and then Jim French from Colt saw those photos and got in touch with a friend of mine, but we never hooked up. Then about two years later, a friend of mine introduced me to Jim French and we did a calendar. Then from that, we did another and I ended up doing all the calendars for 1999.
When was that?
The tail end of ’98. All this is extremely new. After high school, I really had no focus. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, so the turn of events with the photos was interesting. It was all really gradual. I did The Ricki Lake Show. I was on The Dating Game, which I won! The audience reaction to me was very welcoming. Winning the Playgirl contest, meeting Jim French and getting the results I got were all great for my self-esteem.
What kind of response did you get after appearing in Playgirl?
I got a pretty good response, believe it or not. It wasn’t like producers were knocking down my door, but a lot of my friends had seen it.
What did your family think? Did they freak out?
Absolutely not. I have a very cool family who almost have a European philosophy. Now, I don’t run home with every porno magazine and video and go, “Look, Mom!” They know what I do and that’s fine. They don’t need to know the gory details.
They know about your movies?
Yeah, absolutely, but I don’t think they’re aware of just how famous I am. But that’s fine with me. I don’t think there’s any need for it. They know enough.
How did you feel about doing those first pictures for Colt?
Very proud. I felt that being a Colt model and being photographed by Jim French was a great honor.
Let’s talk about working with Jim French. What is he like?
Fantastic. He is just simply the best. That’s all I can say. How does a magician pull off a trick? I have no idea. I asked him once how he got to be so good and he told me he made every single mistake possible.
Why do you think you were so popular with Jim French?
The reason Jim French used me so much was because he felt that I had a chameleon-like ability to change—I can shave and be Johnny USA Muscleboy, and then I can also grow in some facial hair and be hairy and be in his hairy-chest calendar. So it worked for me to have that flexibility, as opposed to just being typecast as a muscleboy or leather guy.
Who was the first director you worked with in film?
Well, Jim French directed me in The Big One, which was a Colt J/O video. After that, I did work for Ron Sexton and a company called Can-Am under the name Billy Marcus. They were wrestling videos. Then came Chi Chi LaRue. After I became Colt Man of the Year, she pursued me. I guess she realized the marketing potential and knew I could sell a lot of movies. She was the first one to direct me in a full scene.
It’s kind of unusual for a Colt model to do a gay film, isn’t it?
Yes, because most of the Colt models are straight, and also Jim French tends to be very possessive of his models. I think a good example is Jake Tanner, who was a great Colt model but as soon as he did videos, Jim French refused to do anything with him after that. Personally, I reached the pinnacle with Colt. I was Colt Man of the Year. Where am I gonna go from there? I could keep on working for Jim French and do a layout every couple of months. But I feel it was in my best interests to make a lateral move. Now, I do videos and I receive residuals. I can ask for a certain fee and receive it.
What was it like doing those first J/O scenes? Were you nervous?
Absolutely not. I felt very comfortable. Ron Sexton is the consummate professional.
What was your first scene with another guy?
That was with David Pierre in Billy Herrington’s Body Shop for All Worlds.
Now, had you had sex with guys off camera before?
Yes, about three years earlier.
How was doing that first scene different from the wrestling videos?
Well, it was more nerve-racking. It was my first full scene on video, and we performed it on the very first day of shooting. I guess Chi Chi wanted to know whether I had it in me, and apparently I did.
Is there a certain style of directing that you are most comfortable with? For example, how does Chi Chi’s style compare to other directors?
She’s more vocal—to put it nicely. Chi Chi is good at getting the results she desires.
Do you have a specific physical type that you’re attracted to?
Well, I honestly believe that beauty comes in all shapes, sizes and forms. That’s probably one of the reasons why I’m bisexual. For somebody to say, “I only like dark men”—come on, if Brad Pitt walked in here right now, and if someone’s not attracted to him, come on. Gimme a break. For me, I’m very open-minded. I try not to typecast people. There are certain things I find attractive, and most of those things have nothing to do with physical beauty.
Like what?
Well, intellect for one. I love to sit in front of somebody who has something to say. Confidence is another. I also love people who are in control. I like when people have established themselves, have a focus and a goal.
What was your next film? Tales From the Foxhole?
Yes, that starred Lane Fuller and was directed by Dirk Yates for All Worlds. I played a drill instructor. It’s a very hot movie. My cum shot is probably one of the hottest cum shots you’ll ever see. It’s incredible. It even left Chi Chi speechless, which is rare (laughs). I guess it could be attributed to the first time I ever tried Viagra.
Is Viagra prevalent in the industry these days? Does everyone use it now?
I believe so. I think it’s wonderful. It’s a wonderful way to improve your performance.
Is it true that you are getting your tattoos removed?
Absolutely. I got them before I got into bodybuilding. I was a different person. I probably got my tattoos when I was 18. I have four, and they are all gonna go eventually. I don’t want them anymore. We all make mistakes.
Where do you want to take your career?
Well, I certainly don’t want to be an old, burned-out porn star. What I plan on doing is making a few movies, making a few fans and then making a lateral move into some other business career. Maybe I want to get behind the camera someday.
Let’s talk about your dance tour. You are performing in clubs around the country, right?
Yes. My booking agent is David Forest. He is absolutely fantastic at what he does. I’ve gone all over the country, and it’s really weird because I guess because of Colt, I draw an older crowd and because of the films, I draw newer people. I get such a different crowd that greets me at every club.
How do your fans respond to you in person?
They’re great. I like to get onstage and have a good time while I’m out there. I feel very free. I let the DJs set the tone. They choose the music and I go with it. I’m very spontaneous and feed off the crowd’s reaction. I like for the audience to be involved. I like to strip down to as little as I possibly can according to the zoning laws of the state I’m in. I like to pull people up onstage with me.
How would you define your image?
Hunky top guy, kinda cocky and aggressive.
Would you ever bottom?
Never—in real life or the movies.
What would you say are the pitfalls of the porn industry?
Drugs, AIDS, STDs. But one of the things I find very disturbing is the back-stabbing that goes on, the little nitpicking. I think we should all come together and realize that we’d be stronger as a whole, as opposed to being so aggressively against each other. I see the competition. I’m one of the biggest names in the industry right now, but I think it has to do with the fact that I’m one of the most liked. I’m friends with everybody. I don’t play that industry bullshit. If there is something on my mind, I’ll let you know.
Who would you like to work with?
I’d like to put together a mega-mega movie with me and some of the top stars in the industry. Like me and Jeff Stryker, or me and Ryan Idol or all three of us together. A movie that would blow the shit out of everybody’s minds.
And who would direct it?
It goes without saying—probably Chi Chi.
Are you under contract to any particular studio?
I am under contract to nobody. My only loyalty is to myself. I feel that a lot of people give loyalty to companies and lose themselves. I think you have to be loyal to yourself. That’s what makes you a star and that’s what attracts people to you.
What’s the biggest difference between having sex on-screen and off-screen?
Emotion.
Which is better?
Emotion.
Ever watch your own movies?
No. I already know what I look like (laughs).
How does it feel to know guys are at home watching you and jerking off?
I believe that is the ultimate compliment. It does strike a narcissistic chord in me and helps my self-esteem. It’s one thing for somebody to say you are beautiful, but it’s another for somebody to jerk off and bring themselves to an orgasm. That’s the proof in the pudding, so to speak. It’s great that I can fulfill someone’s fantasy. Why not? Why the hell not? I had no plans on being a priest anyway (laughs). I see no sin in it.

Reprinted from Manshots magazine (1999)

Movie Review: Prague Buddies

BY VINCENT LAMBERT

Director: William Higgins.
Cast: Pavel Korsakov, Mylan Forman, Jirka Kalvoda, Vilem (Bill) Zeman, Zdenek Romany, Karel Pisek, Michael Holub, Martin Pravda, Janusz Dickovsky, Pavel Dubcek and Tomas (Tommy) Novatny.

Acclaimed director William Higgins is back with his first feature in more than a decade. And Prague Buddies finds one of gay porn’s best-selling auteurs leaving behind the sunny glare of Los Angeles beaches and California boys for the brooding, atmospheric environs of the Czech Republic. The opening credits reveal that the action takes place at an “abandoned collective farm,” not far from Prague. It is in this crumbling old building that an underground athletic fraternity meets to initiate new members and have hot sex. When these sporty lads aren’t hard at play (we see them fencing, lifting weights, pole-vaulting and tossing a football), they’re busy soaping each other up in the shower.

Following an arty, black-and-white opening sequence that depicts half-naked studs passing an Olympic torch, Higgins plunges right into steamy manplay tinged with a European flavor. The scenes unfold at a languid pace, and Higgins takes time to build eroticism, often using candles and torches for soft romantic lighting. And he has certainly assembled a fine cast of smooth and gorgeous men to photograph. Who cares if they all have unpronounceable names? You’ll find more uncut meat here than in a sausage factory. Cover model Pavel Korsakov bears a striking resemblance to Derek Cameron, and he gives him a run for his money as hottest bottom. Beefy Mylan Forman is so lovingly photographed that viewers will want to lick every square inch of his luscious, lightly haired chest.

A scene near the end reveals that two of these guys really are too good to be true; besides being jocks, they’re also altar boys and are nice enough to take their hunky priest out for drinks after mass. As the young studs do Gatorade shots and the good father lights up a cigarette, we are told that the story will resume in Prague Buddies 2 (Verboten Liebe). A return visit is definitely in order. (Paladin Video)

Reprinted from Adult Video News magazine (1999)

Event: Gay Erotic Video Awards 1998

STORY AND PHOTOS BY VINCENT LAMBERT

The seventh-annual Gay Erotic Video Awards were held tonight at the Palace in Hollywood. The big winners included Three Brothers (Best Screenplay and Best Director for Gino Colbert and Sam Slam, Best Actor for Vince Rockland, Best Cum Shot for Paul Morgan, in addition to Best Oral Sex and Best Group Scene) and Falcon’s French Connections 1 and 2 (Best Video). Mike Branson took Best Top, and Brennan Foster won Best Bottom. Branson and Tom Chase got Best Erotic Scene for California Kings. Will Clark was given the Leo Ford Humanitarian Award, and John Travis was the Hall of Fame recipient. Among the presenters and guests: Alex Carrington; Doug Jeffries; Sam Crockett; Kyle Brandon; Alex Stone; Jackson Phillips; Joey Hart; Kurt Young; David Thompson; Grant Wood; Derek Cameron; Bo Garrett; Hawk McCallister; Steve Rambo; Derek Bishop; Dave Nelson; Drew Andrews; Chris Green; Andrew Lenox; Dino Phillips; Jim Steel; Mickey Skee; Geoffrey Karen Dior; Andrew Rosen; Mike Donner; Thor Stephans; Jerry Douglas; J.C. Adams; and others. Also seen (pictured above, from top): Ken Ryker; designer Thierry Mugler and Ken Ryker; Austin and Sam Dixon; Cole Tucker; Will Clark; Eric Evans; Jack Simmons (right) and friend; Steve O’Donnell; director Jerry Douglas and writer Preston Richie.