Porn Valley- I got up close and virtual with Vaniity on Sunday morning. Truth of the matter is, photos and vids don’t do her justice. Vaniity was shooting the latest in a series of interactive vids from Goodfellas Productions [distributed by Devil’s Film] and she was in the makeup chair when I asked her about the rumor involving her and pro wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin.

She’s having a good laugh saying this Internet story got totally blown out of proportion.

“I met him walking on the street- I said hi, bye- he said he was a fan and that was it,” she recalls. “It got blown out of proportion. This guy pulls me over and said hey, I know who you are. I said who are you? Steve Austin. Okay, good bye. That was it. I was on my bike and he was in his car. I pulled my bike over- I really didn’t know who he was. This was close to where I live on Ventura.”

Vaniity says this happens often enough.

“I guess I draw attention somehow,” she laughs again. Another time Vaniity did this movie for Defiance and I was going to cover the shoot except the word went out that major drama was expected and it wouldn’t be good to have press on the set. Despite someone’s fears of an all out catfight erupting, Vaniity remembered that shoot as going very well.

“It was a nice, relaxed shoot,” she recalls. “I did two scenes. We all hung out. The girls were really nice and it was made easy for me. It was nice and relaxing. Even my boyfriend was interviewed for the movie and he talked about the relationship.”

Vaniity can’t even remember being on a shoot where there’d be drama.

“I can’t remember any kind of weirdness in any kind of way,” she states. Vaniity also celebrates ten years in the business next year.

“Belive it or not- I don’t believe it either,” she chuckles.

I remember years ago there being another Vanity [who worked pretty much for the then Video Exclusives] in the business and the present Vaniity who now spells her name with two i’s says this is news to her. This Vaniity, though, takes her name from the entertainer who used to be with Prince.

“I was a huge fan of hers and there’s a resemblance- but I remember one day in Sunnyvale, California, I was feeling really down. It was one of those moments at that point in time where I’m wondering where is my life going. I went into this mall and I ran into her. I went up to her. I was, hey, I know who you are. She said she was going to church. She became a preacher. We wound up becoming friends. So I started going to church with her every Sunday. Afterwards we’d go and have breakfast at a diner close by. She said she wasn’t using the name Vanity any more. But I wound up getting hurt when she said I was going to hell.”

“And this is because I’m transsexual,” says Vaniity. “She wanted me to come to church as a boy. She wanted to baptize me. I said I’m into God and very spiritual but I don’t know if I want to get baptized. I just talked to her recently for my documentary which is on hold. It’s basically about my life but I have it on hold.”

Vaniity says some guy from 60 Minutes was directing it but she wanted to take over the creative aspects of the project and wanted to do it her way.

Vaniity didn’t want to get into porn originally and was an administrative assistant for a hardware company. She was living in San Jose at the time.

“I said I’d never do that- it’s beneath me. My girlfriend Brandi was doing it. She asked me to come to LA to introduce me to Mike Rubenstein of Devil’s Film. I was I don’t know. She showed them a picture of me and they really wanted to see me. I then met a guy who convinced me to leave my job. I did and moved in with him. He was abusive with me so I took off and went to Brandi’s house. That’s when she said you’ve got to go to LA. That was that. I said I’m going to come here, ask for a contract; they’re not going to give it to me. I’m going to ask for this much money; they’re not going to give it to me. And Devil’s Film did as I asked. Brandi and I were the first transsexuals ever to have a contract. It was for a year. After that I worked for a few years more but not with a contract- but constant.”

Her impressions of Rubenstein was that he was a fabulous guy, cool and down-to-earth.

Vaniity’s life before porn would probably have been one of climbing the corporate ladder.

“I could do that whole thing but realized my personality is too big for that kind of business,” she laughs. “I was like a show. Even the president of the company would come down to talk to me. It was one of those things that I could have continued but knew I wouldn’t be happy. I wanted to do more. I didn’t necessarily wish for this either, but I always liked the entertainment business. Growing up I’d do little talent shows and as a teenager I danced. I took jazz, hip-hop and street dance. I’d go around doing routines.”

Her first sexual experience was with a female. She was 13. They were friends and it was a matter of experimentation, she says. In school she was a good kid.

“But I wished that things were different,” she adds. “I was bi-lingual. I came here [from Mexico] when I was 7 years-old and I had to deal with trying to learn English. And I guess I was more feminine than most boys. I knew I was going to grow up to be a girl but it was sort of pushed back into my subconscious. At the age of 16 I’m very independent and didn’t want to rely on my mom. From then on I started doing what felt comfortable for me and dressing up. Guys liked me. Women thought I was a girl and it went pretty smooth.”

Now she’s engaged.

“But I’ve known him for five years [they often work together],” she said. “We’re very happy. We’re very much in love. We met through mutual friends. We would talk on the phone and e-mail then we ran into each other at a show. From there on we’ve been together. It was love at first sight.”

Vaniity will continue in the business and has a website, www.vaniity.com. One of the reasons for her changing the spelling of her name was the fact that Playboy told her she could be sued for using the name Vanity because there was a certain resemblance.

“They could say I was pretending to be her,” she laughs, realizing the irony.

Vaniity’s also about ready to direct her own line.

“Which I’ve never done and that’s unbelievable after ten years,” she notes. “But I think I wasn’t ready. This business takes awhile to get used to and feel comfortable with. And I didn’t want to jump into something I didn’t feel comfortable with. But now I’m feeling more in control.” According to Vaniity, she’ll start that movie this year but for now is in the middle of moving.

“I’ve got this fabulous place in the Hollywood Hills,” she laughs. “I’m among all the other stars! It’ll be great to shoot there. It has a great view and beautiful scenery. I’m excited. In a few weeks we can start looking for other performers. I’ve never done a scene with another transsexual so that’s what I’m probably going to do for my first film release.”