Porn Valley- Layla Jade, www.laylajade.com was a guest of Sport Swami’s today. Jade is currently working on XCon II, www.xxx-con.com.
Swami referred to Jade as one of “British’s own” and we can’t think of a more apt intro than that. Jade described it as a Los Angeles event that allows the fan to come meet their favorite porn star. “It’s fantastic and we’re totally in love with it.” Why X Con Swami asked, assuming that Jade left her KSEX, www.ksexradio.com show to work on the event full time.
Jade noted that she’s going back to her show on KSEX very shortly, althoughSwami thought it was Jaded By Lust which is actually Kendra Jade’s show. “The reason I decided to put it [Layla’s KSEX show] on hold to do X Con is because it’s time we had a convention which was designed by women for women of the industry. We wanted to give them an event where they could come meet their fans in a nice, relaxed, informal environment. And they can do it free of charge.”
Swami said a lot of critics slammed the first event. “Now that you’re doing it a second time what are you going to change?” he wanted to know. Jade said everything is going to be better. “Our slogan is bigger and badder,” she said, noting that no convention it’s first time out went as smoothly as people would have liked it to. Jade felt that, still and all, the event was “awesome” went exceptionally well given the fact that it had four weeks prep time. “We have a lot more time on our hands this time to organize it,” she said. “The main thing is we needed more time in which to do it. Our whole thing we’re not trying to be AVN. We’re not trying to be Erotica L.A. We’re not trying to be Adultcon. Adultcon is a completely diverse and different convention.”
X Con, according to Jade, is a way for industry women to make money. Swami pointed out that X Con was becoming a who’s who of up and coming adult talent and wondered how it was possible to maintain calm in a sea of egos. Jade thought that it helped that none of the women were being charged to come to the event. “And they appreciate. Also it’s a good opportunity for women of the industry to meet each other and make contacts. We haven’t had any problems so far with competition. We give all the ladies an area to sell from which is their own. It’s an exclusive VIP area. We haben’t had that many problems.” It was Jade’s contention that women of the business understand what X Con is supposed to be about. “Which is why the’re coming to it,” Jade says. “There’s no hassle. There’s no booths. There’s no lines. We don’t serve alcohol. I think it’s nice for them just to be able to sit down with their fans and talk to them in a more normal way, rather than over some massive booth.”
Jade got her start over in Britian and spoke of the huge difference between the two markets. “I love the UK market. I’m known as the biggest actress in the UK market because of the amount of work I’ve done. I’ve been in the business nearly six years now and still am only 23.” Jade, noting that the industry is much larger in America aid there are obviously more opportuniies in the states. “I wouldn’t say that it’s more professional, it’s just a lot bigger and there’s a lot more work.” Jade said there’s also a lot more benefits.
Swami, quoting Hannah Harper, said a lot of girls lie about the industry. “That they’re going to get gang raped by eight men on film. Or that they’re going to have to take this 12-inch member up their rear end. And that it’s horrible and brutal.” Swami was curious if Jade got the same comments and questions.
“How much if this is lies that Americans tell the British because they don’t want all of this foreign talent coming in and stealing all the jobs.” Jade said she had no idea because she hasn’t experienced that. Jade said the industry for her has been a positive experience. “It’s a great industry to be involved in,” she said, acknowleding that you do hear horror stories. “But it’s all about how you look after yourself. I have opportunies to go off and do films with 20 guys where they come all over my face and do nothing but. But it’s whether I choose to accept that job. This business works for you as long as you let it work for you. You have to be in control and most of the women in the industry are.”
Jade also pointed out that you have to be doing it also for the right reasons. “I love sex.” Jade said you have to be in control in your career and anyone who has a horror story it’s because they’re not taking care of themselves. Swami was curious if there were a close knit bond among the various British performers. “Or is it a misconception on my part.”
“Yeah I would say it’s a misconception,” said Jade. “Bonds can be made and bonds can be broken.” Jade said she was one of the first performers over here. Jade said at the time she came over to the states, Nici Sterling and Roxanne Hall were performing. “And then it was me for a time. Then all the other English girls came over. They said I paved the way which I did.” Jade said she brought Ashley Long into the U.S. market and was still friends with her. Similarly Angel Long but Jade said they’re no longer friends. “There’s comrades between certain people in the industry but just because we’e all from England doesn’t mean we’re all friends.”
Swami was curious if there was a rivalry between her and Hannah Harper. Jade didn’t want to make comparisons. “We’ve taken our careers in just completely different aspects. She’s a contract girl; I’m an independent performer. I’ve been in the business a lot longer than her and chose to do a lot more movies than she’s actually done. She doesn’t want to be doing 300, 400 movies where for me that’s something I wanted to do- as many movies as possible. We’re both catering to completely different areas of the market.”
Swami than went into Steve Banan territory noting some differences between the two parties which prompted Banan to slam Jade on the Internet calling her an illegal alien. Swami claims he even got some dire threats along the way. “What the hell happened?”
“That had nothing to do with me,” said Jade who claims the whole issue involved Banan and KSEX. “Unfortunately he [Banan] decided to try and drag me into it. I’m still here as a performer. I’m not going anywhere. I’m not here as an illegal alien. I’m not being deported. If somebody has a problem with somebody else, it’s unfair to drag innocent parties in. I was an unfortunate perspon that got dragged into it. But there are certain people in the business who are going to prove thermselves to who they are. Eventually we all laugh at those people.”
Swami claimed there are tabloid stories linking Jade, romantically, to a couple of British fighters. Jade said as far as she’s concerned all publicity is good publicity. “If people want to make claims that I’m dating them that’s fine. Bring it on. That’s more exposure for my name.”
Swami also asked Jade to address the question about the future, re: having a family, etc. “I would never have a family while being a performer,” she stated. “I wouldn’t go there. I wouldn’t have children while I’m still on camera. At the same time I have no desire to have children, anyway.” Other than that, Jade said she loves her career and is still performing. “I’m producing and directing my own stuff.” Besides running XCon, Jade says she’s also going to feature dance soon and is running her website. Other than that, Jade said she really doesn’t have a set plan. “I once had a plan that I would retire at 25 and ride off into the sunset and have a family and children.” But it sounded she was having second thoughts even about that. “I’m going to be around for a long time,” she said. Jade says she authors the content on her site which includes the diary, e-mails and erotic stories. “I do my forum, I do everything,” she adds. “The actual design of the website is down by a company and the general maintenance as far as loading new content on a weekly basis is done by a webmaster.”
Swami wondered what was easier being on camera or off. Jade said the business has never been difficult for her. “I’ve been very lucky. I’ve never had issues with it.” Jade also noted that there was a big difference between directing and performing. “Directing means you have more control over the material. I know what I want to see. I know what I’ve experienced in this industry. It’s nice for me to be able to relay that back over. But I still love performing as well. I’m even actually appearing in one of my own movies. That’s fantastic because I get to choose exactly what it is I’m going to do.”
Jade was asked what the industry might do in order to become more fan-friendly with the conventions posibly expanding geographic territories. “Is there going to be an XCon coming to New England?” he asked as a forinstance. “Or is this strictly going to be a west coast thing?” jade said for now it would have to remain west coast because of the location. “It takes place in a porn studio,” she said. “It’s the world’s largest porn studio. I don’t think they necessarily have one of those on the east coast. Right now XCon is going to stay right where it is. But, at the same time, all the people from the east coast are welcome to fulfill their fantasies and come to XCon.”
Swami touched on the HIV crisis and asked Jade how it affected her. Jade said the only way to change things is to make it condom-only. “That’s the only way we can make sure that we stay completely safe,” she said. “If we don’t do that, this isn’t the last we’ve seen of it. It’s down to he performers. It’s down to the fans and it’s down to the companies to make that decision. And no one seems to be able to make that decision.”
Jade said she knows Darren James, thinks he’s a great guy and had worked with Jessica Dee. “It’s very unfortunate,” she said. “But at the same time we know we’re taking a risk when we get into this industry. We know that we’re taking a chance every time we perform in front of the camera. It just depends on how you take care of yourself and what you do. There’s certain higher risk activities I won’t engage in,” Jade went on to say. “That’s one of the main ways that I know I’ll remain safe.”
Asked if it was possible to have a porn stars guild, Jade said with women coming in and out of the business all the time you don’t get many long term performers. “It’s impossible,” she said. “You’re never going to have a situation to rally around. The amount of traffic of new performers coming into the business- people who are quick to make some money and then get out- it’s completely phenomenal. No, I don’t think it’s going to happen. We have a very independent, strong, stubborn-minded people.”
Jade said she would never want to have Sharon Mitchell’s job. “I’m completely behind AIM,” she said. “With AIM Healthcare we’d be screwed. They do a lot of fantstic work for the industry and I’m a big supporter. I think AIM is awesome and I think we need to appreciate them as much as possible as an industry. I wouldn’t change a thing. They handled the HIV crisis. In my opinion they kept us all safe. We got it all down very quickly and a minimum of people got sick because of it. I wouldn’ change it for one minute.
Jade was asked if she got pressure from people close to her during the crisis. Jade said her family’s over in England, anyway. “They were pretty cool about it,” she observed. “They were just make sure that you’re safe. You’re going to do what you want to do and you’re going to make the right decision.” For her part, Jade said she was thinking about finding three or four select guys that she could work comfortably with. “If people want to hire me I’ll work without a condom but only with those specific people. That’s one of the best ways that we can keep safe in the business is by keeping our numbers down. If I have to go out of town and do a shoot with people I don’t know, then it’s going to be condom-only.”