Owen Keehnen
Observations, Social Anthropology, Mirth, Mayhem, & Much More	Owen Keehnen loves porn stars a lot. He wrote this tell-all book about porn stars called "Starz" Listen to Owen talk about why he loves gay porn stars so much, and why he decided to make a book about it: www.feastoffools.net Would you like to comment? Sign up for a free account, or sign in (if you're already a member). ******************************************** CHICAGO READER 6/2/06 Oral (and Anal) History Owen Keehnen's been writing "beat-off stories" for two decades, but his latest project is letting gay porn stars tell theirs. By Richard Knight Jr. | Photo by Marty Perez JACK HAWK FANTASIZED about having sex with Queen Elizabeth II when he was a teenager. Andy Dill says the wildest sex he ever had was in Liberace’s bed with the pianist’s groundskeeper. Jacob Scott confides that he’s topped with a large dog on several occasions. Tag Adam admits to having lost his anal virginity to a plastic banana, part of a fake-fruit arrangement still decorating his mother’s dining room. Owen Keehnen reveals these tidbits, and a lot more, in Starz, his collection of interviews with gay porn performers. Keehnen, a Chicagoan who cheerfully describes himself as a pornographer, has written gay erotica for anthologies and “beat-off ” stories for Torso, Mandate, Honcho, and other gay porn magazines for more than ten years. Starz, which came out last fall, is his first book. The idea for the collection came to him during a long stint working at Unabridged Books, the Lakeview bookstore specializing in gay and lesbian material. “Guys would come in and ask about porn stars,” Keehnen recalls. “There were some guidebooks and some specific biographies, but nothing like a book that described these guys or talked to them a little bit. I saw there was a demand there, wrote up a proposal, and shopped it around.” Florida-based Starbooks Press, which specializes in gay-themed books and erotica, made the best offer of the three publishers that liked the proposal. In 2004, with a contract in place—Keehnen didn’t get an advance but is paid a percentage based on sales—he got to work tracking down porn stars. That proved so easy he already has enough material for a sequel, More Starz, set to be released this fall. “Everybody has a Web site, and everybody loves publicity,” Keehnen says. “It wasn’t like getting Garbo to agree to an interview or something.” The 60 profiles in Starz, all accompanied by hard-core erotic photos, begin with physical stats—height, weight, size while erect—and proceed to favorite sexual position and ideal man before getting down to business. Leather-and-bondage aficionado Rik Jammer, for example, wants a man to “mark me with his scent in bed” and answered the fillin- the-blank “I’d give anything to meet _________” with “the founders of our country.” Keehnen says the bizarre shifts— from, say, a tale of being gangbanged in a wheelbarrow for hours to the subject’s zodiac sign—are deliberate: “In Starz I just wanted to show that there is this amazingly surreal reality that exists in all these guys’ lives that we can’t understand but that they’re normal at the same time.” But as you might expect, the emphasis remains on sex, with questions like “Have you ever done anything sexually in a movie that you wouldn’t in your real life?” and “If you were to make a movie called ‘My Orgy,’ who would you want as your costars?” Keehnen, who’s 46, has tried his hand at poetry and nonfiction, but gay erotic writing has been a constant for him for almost 20 years. Born and raised in downstate Quincy, he went to Knox College there, majoring in English, and ended up in Chicago in the mid-80s. He says he wrote his first gay porn stories as exercises in “creative pleasure” for himself but almost immediately thought about publishing them. “I took down the address to Mavety Media in New York,” Keehnen says. “They publish Honcho, Inches, Torso, Mandate, Playguy—so many of those. I sent them my first stories.” They were accepted, and he says he hasn’t had a porno piece rejected since. In the mid-90s Keehnen worked for Penthouse Forum for two years writing a column called “Tell Me the Good Parts,” with descriptions and critiques of sex scenes in mainstream movies. Though it was his highest-paid writing gig to date, he was more than ready to return to his own work. “I’d had enough of heaving breasts to last me for a lifetime,” he says with a laugh. Keehnen, who works days as a massage therapist and coedits a literary supplement for the Windy City Times, also has two novels and two screenplays for indie horror movies on offer. He never uses a pseudonym. “People would see a porn story I wrote in the latest issue of Torso and say, ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe you used your real name.’ But I never understood why it was such an issue. . . . I don’t want to ever sound judgmental about all the sex stuff. Culture has the problem, but I don’t.” So far Starz has been selling fairly well at Unabridged and on the Internet. “The fact that there are 60 guys with hard dicks and their asses up in the air in the pages of the book puts it on that not-ready-for-Borders plateau,” Keehnen says. “But I’m not ashamed of it or any of the erotica I’ve written. The only thing I’d be embarrassed about is bad writing— not dirty writing.” ***************************************** INTERVIEW PUBLISHING IN THE JULY 2006 ISSUE OF INCHES MAGAZINE THE HANGING JUDGE: Hi Owen. Thanks for talking with Inches. OWEN KEEHNEN: Thanks, Judge. I’m just flattered that I measure up. When I got your new book, Starz (STARbooksPress.com), a collection of your interviews with 60 current performers in gay fuckflicks, I knew I wanted to try to turn the tables and interview you. Don’t worry, I won’t ask you your dick size or your most embarrassing sexual moment! But I will ask you how easy or difficult it was to get interviews with the 60 guys you talked with. I’m just thankful my dick size and most embarrassing sexual moment aren’t somehow connected. As to the interviews, it was easier than I thought it would be. For the most part the guys were fairly approachable and up for an interview. Some took a bit more cajoling and detective work. I also noticed that once you talk to someone in the biz you have a certain amount of clout. Luckily, Michael Brandon and Chad Hunt were two of the first guys I interviewed and Matt Sizemore was a complete sweetheart and introduced me to a gaggle of XXX guys at IML [International Mr. Leather, in Chicago, where Owen is based]. With those three interviews under my belt (so to speak) it just sort of snowballed. Trust me, I didn’t intend to do that many interviews. Once I got started I was like a kid in a candy store with a whole lotta lollipops -- and it turned into an addiction. When did you do the interviews? How long did it take you to compile the book? The interviews themselves took about six months or so. Post writing was the time-consuming part—the printing and publishing and all that. Delays! ARG! It sort of made me a bit crazed and wild-eyed --- especially since all that was out of my control. Patience has never been a particular virtue of mine. We all have our pre-conceived notions about pornstars. Did you have to change any of yours after you’d actually talked to the guys you interviewed for Starz? Oh God, yes. I think before Starz I mostly equated the pornstar job with hustler and/or escort only to discover that some are, but most aren’t. I thought most were probably unstable or on drugs—some are, most aren’t. Plus, the stigma has changed radically over the past decade or so. In many circles it’s a badge of honor. These guys are (ahem) bona fide celebrities. They’re businessmen/entrepreneurs. They’re real people. I didn’t think of pornstars as earning money to pay back college loans or to pay child support or to put a down payment on a condo. One was even a moonlighting banker. (I guess all bankers are not like Mr. Drysdale and Mr. Mooney.) The entire experience was very eye opening to me and dispelled a lot of preconceived notions. I am pretty confident it will hit most readers the same way. Of all the things that the stars told you in the course of your interviews, what surprised you the most? Hmmm. By the time I was finished I got to be pretty jaded. Surprise isn’t the right word for this, but I was enthralled every time I heard the stories about when these guys came out to their families as pornstars—that amazed me. It was fascinating to hear about how this business effects them mentally as well -- how it changes the way they are perceived by others, the strains it puts on a relationship, the difficulty it adds in finding a relationship, etc. It also shocked me how many of these guys used to be painfully shy and that this was a means to overcome that and take control of their sexuality. Porn as therapy – who knew? Was there material you chose to leave out of the final book because it was just too sensitive, or too hot to handle? Some of the name-calling. It wasn’t my focus for the book or my intention to go there. In particular there was an absolute rant about a certain director. It was mean and I assume it was said with the intention of being hurtful. Actually, all it really did was make the guy who said it look catty. It was just sorta ugly. Leaving that in appeared to have no positive effect for any of the parties involved. I’m sure that among the current crop of pornstars, there are personal faves that you weren’t able to interview for Starz. Which guys do you regret not being able to talk with? Actually some of them I got for the follow up More Starz—Blake Harper, Colton Ford, Arpad Miklos, Jason Branch, Joe Foster, Tyson Cane, Nick Capra, Blue Blake, Marc Williams, Matt Summers, Brad Benton, Eddie Stone, and Kent Larson to name just a few. Sure there were some regrets—many of those were guys who were virtually impossible to get to because they are so protected by their publicists and agents and whatnot. Also the delicious BelAmi boys presented a challenge because of the language barrier. Are there guys who’ve emerged in the business after you put your book to bed that you wish you’d interviewed? If so, who are they? Oh God, yes, that is why I’m planning on Even More Starz after More Starz. The sequel opportunities are endless. This book took approximately a year to come out and in the XXX world that’s about 8-10 years. It was also weird to see a lot of the guys who were brand-spanking newbies when I interviewed them really come into their own like Nick Piston, Jason Ridge, and Owen Hawk. Of all the pornstars of yesteryear, which ones would you have most liked to talk with? I’ve always had a thing, a very big thing, for Al Parker—his look, his demeanor, his unbridled love of sex, and just the man himself from what I’ve heard. I think talking with Fred Halsted would have been fascinating as well, since he pioneered that entrepreneurial porn star status. I can’t even begin to touch on the many wonderful talents in that world who were lost to HIV. Of the guys still around - I’m working on talking to Peter Berlin. Also, I’d love to talk with that fuck machine of fuck machines, 80s superstar Eric Manchester (as a side note, Bret Wolfe told me he only owns XXX flicks that star Manchester, so we definitely bonded over that!). I would’ve loved an interview with Jeff Stryker for his iconic name value—and also because I wanted to ask him to just give me an entire paragraph of nasty Styker sex-talk—Yeah, suck that big cock. Suck that manmeat. Suck that big fat cock—Now that I am thinking of it, I would love to record that interview for, uhhh, later use. Of the guys you did talk with, which ones would you most want to sit down and have a beer with—and why? Probably Gino Colbert. He’s done it all in the business—starred, directed, production, sales, editing, everything. His background is just incredible—his childhood with his aunt having a burlesque house and his family only resenting his porn career because they thought XXX movies would help bring about the demise of burlesque. The man started working in porn behind the camera in some of the big-budgeted hetero stuff from the 70s. And he has the brains and storytelling ability to explain it all with insight and humor. He has stories galore! There’s a hell of a memoir in that guy! To top it off we both love B-movies from the 70s. I love a good storyteller. Another guy who has stories galore and a great way of telling them is Austin Black. He’d be a blast to hang out with as well. Gino is a real sweetheart. He sent me a rough tape of his new flick, Four Score, this morning, asking for a memorable blurb. I’ll look at it tonight. Of the guys you interview in Starz, which ones would you most like to spend the night with—and why? Hmm. Asking the tough questions now are we? I’ve got to say if you’ve ever seen Parker Williams in action—holy shit. The man is taking sex and fucking to some crazed transcendent place. I imagine his sex partners being carted off the set in wheelbarrows babbling and wearing nothing but a goofy smile. JC Carter is awesome. Michael Lucas is an absolute God! So sexy. Carlo Cox is profoundly sexy as well. Zak Spears and Bobby Blake—need I say more! Nick Piston for the raunch factor. I’ve got to admit Tag Adams seems like he’d be an awful lot of fun. Jason Hawke is so damn cute. Carlos Morales. And I love Owen Hawk—those are my answers I guess --- for now anyway. I guess I can only answer that question in terms of an orgy. The names change a lot—so I guess my orgy room would need a revolving door and probably an occupant capacity warning. I wanted to ask you the question that you ask so often in the book, “If you were to make a film entitled My Orgy, whom would you want as your four co-stars?” But it looks like you just answered that. (On my own list: Lee Ryder, Eric Manchester and Lance from among the great 1980s pornstars, and, from among today’s performers, the hypersexual Marcus Iron, Shane Rollins and today’s boy, the up-and-cumming Remy Delaine, last month’s coverguy. Since this is an orgy, I chose even more for fuck ability than for looks, though they are all devastatingly sexy even on the page.) But who among the stars of Starz do you think would make the best long-term boyfriend? Now that you mentioned it – let me add Shane Rollins to the list as well. Yeah, and the good thing about all those guys is they all bring something different to the orgy – sort of a sexual potluck. Anyway, best long-term boyfriend --- well, during the interview process I got a bit of a crush on Michael Soldier. I practically wrote OK + MS = True Love on my notebook and carved our initials on a tree trunk. The man is so talented and sexy and smart—just delicious! He has an infectious brand of buckshot enthusiasm that I always find attractive. He is passion personified. The man is in love with life and it shows. That is such an attractive quality! Were there any particular sex-pigs among your Starz? Who? Oh Jesus, YES! Prudes be gone! It’s just a matter of choosing the most piggish swine in the sty. Parker Williams I’ve mentioned. JC Carter sucks the best dick on the planet. Brian-Mark, it seems, will do anything—the man lives without limits! Jacob Slater is awfully raunchy. Steve Hurley. Enrico Vega. And of course there’s the God of filthiness himself, Donnie Russo! Whew, that man can make anything sound -- so filthy so of course we did a phone interview! At home I suspect real-life couple Nick Piston and Steve Cannon have the nastiest sex on the planet. Of the guys you talked with, which ones seemed the savviest; which ones were the most articulate? Which ones had the most interesting minds? Who surprised you the most? Of the guys I haven’t yet mentioned, probably Matt Sizemore, Andy Dill and Rik Jammer. All three were intelligent, articulate and had this fantastic ability to be see the philosophical implications of porn—an interesting topic. Rik has this whole amazing theory about sexuality that struck me as downright brilliant. Will Clark has used his status to do so much good and raised tens of thousands of dollars for gay causes. That guy deserves a medal or a plaque or a solid gold phallus or something. Will is thoroughly dedicated to giving back to the community and is using porn as a means to implement his good works. Do you see any of the pornstars you talked with having a future behind the camera, or behind the scenes in the adult industry? Well, since the book has come out I think Michael Brandon and Chris Steele have proven themselves nicely as directors and producers. Dino Phillips, Donnie Russo and Andy Dill have taken charge in that manner as well. Gino Colbert is a good example of blending one into the other. Michael Lucas is a fricking industry at this point and Lucas Entertainment just keeps getting bigger and better. Anthony DeAngelo and Cameron Cruise started their own production company ZyloCo, Inc. which is doing great. Former English major Owen Hawk is starting to write some scripts for porn [and co-operates a fledgling studio—see The Hanging Judge February 2006]. Parker Williams just directed ‘Lube Job’. These guys all see opportunity and they seize it. They all have amazing focus and see this business as a means rather than an end. Blue Blake and Tyson Cane (in More Starz) are also very much that way. Do you think any of the guys that you interviewed for Starz are likely to make a name for themselves in another field? I know Michael Solider is doing a lot of legit stage work, as is Chris Steele. Aaron Tanner and Will Clark have evolved into emcees and event hosts extraordinaire. These guys are smart about using their celebrity status. A lot of these men have a real business sense and some, like Nino Bacci and Jon Galt, were well established in their respective careers prior to getting into XXX. I think (and I told them this) there are several interviewees who need to sit down and write the ultimate insider porn-movie novel/memoir—either as an intellectual opus like Henry Miller’s Tropic of Cancer or something deliciously trashy, like documenting their own climb to the top of Mount Everest to reach The Valley of the Dolls. Their name value alone would help. It helped Aiden Shaw sell his two novels. Are you wannabe porn scribes listening? Let this be fair warning: If you don’t write that book, I’ll eventually get around to doing it!!! In general, did you get a sense of how pornstars get along with their directors and with the studios they have to deal with? Or does it depend on the individual pornstar, director and studio? It seemed to depend on the guy. Of course, who was the director or what was the studio contributed. Some seemed to have better reputations than others. For example, ChiChi LaRue was (and is) pretty unanimously loved and absolutely adored by his stars. Some other things seemed to determine the positive or negative spin on the director/studio/star relationships—like where the guy was in his career, how willing he was to take charge of his career, and if porn was a sideline or his livelihood. Some of the more established porn stars had a bit of bitterness over studios—feeling in some ways as though they had been used up and were no longer hire-able due to overexposure. I think it is a world that can really chew up and spit out a guy if he doesn’t have his head on straight. Those who fared best seemed to be the guys who were friendly and at the same time aggressive about casting and salary and such. On the other end, according to most of the guys, the ones who believe their own PR tend to cause the most problems for the director, for the studio, with their costars and on the set. I can’t recall who said it, but it’s a great quote: “Everyone will work with a diva—once.” The other factor is drugs. This is a business, so studios don’t really tolerate that shit anymore. Crystal also has ruined more than a couple lives as well as careers. In the introduction to Starz, you confess to being an aficionado of all-male adult movies. What for you makes a great gay fuckflick? Who are your favorite directors of man-on-man smut? Judge, I think for me it’s all about that moment of tension before sex—that second when the potential for sex turns into a hypnotic inevitability. When that happens, the atmosphere changes. I think there is a tension that literally crackles and charges the air during certain times. For me that is even more visceral than the sex. Director Joe Gage is the master at capturing and suspending that magical moment. He sees that sex is so much more than kiss-kiss, suck-suck, and fuck-fuck. He consistently records the transcendent place where sex can take us, that sort of doorway out of this world. All that heady stuff aside, I tend to have (Who am I kidding? I DO HAVE) voyeuristic tendencies… What the hell, let’s cut to the chase here: I AM A VOYEUR and watching guys have sex is just hot to me, especially if the men are caught up in having and enjoying the sex and don’t seem overly concerned about whether the camera is on their good side or not or whether their hair is getting mussed. I want the model to be engaged in the action and I want it to look real. I don’t have to tell readers of this column (yet again) that Joe Gage is my favorite director of all-male adult movies of all time. (You can read lots of what I’ve written about the guy, his flicks and his photo shoots at www.joegage.com.) Twenty years ago the spread of the VCR revolutionized the adult business, which shifted from film to video and from movie houses to private bedrooms. Will the current shift to the Internet be as revolutionary? If so, what will it mean for stars like the ones you interviewed? It means Webcam 24/7, it means fan clubs, it means hawking your goods and pushing your name and (oftentimes if you want to go REAL big) it means dancing coast to coast. In 2006 it means pornstars taking their careers into their own hands and marketing themselves with their own Web sites. Because of the nature of the Internet, I think it makes longevity tougher since it always and inevitably seems people are looking for the “new face” or the “new body” or other new and impressive body parts. The Internet is gold waiting to be mined. It is the new open range for pioneers in the skin trade so they need to load up the Conestoga wagon for the cyberspace frontier. If a guy has an entrepreneurial spirit and the raw talent, it is a great springboard into so much nowadays. The doorway to virtual stardom and celebrity is WIDE open. Because there are so many sexy and adept porn performers today, in so many mainstream and indie fuckflicks and on so many Web sites, will we ever again see a pornstar of the magnitude of a Casey Donovan, Al Parker or Jeff Stryker? A few guys that you interview in Starz say, in effect, they don’t make pornstars the way they used to. Do you agree? Well, in general I think the attention span in today’s society is shorter and it’s a lot tougher to sustain interest – period. Also there are so many more amateur flicks and low budget and overseas ventures and such coming out that it is all becoming much more specialized and categorized. Leather, bears, fetish, barebacking, bodybuilder, wrestling, vanilla, bondage, spanking, straight college guys --- not to mention ethnicity porn – it’s just so diverse. That’s good -- but as any salesperson will tell you – diversity makes marketing tougher. No single product (star) can be pushed and sold to all those markets. In the golden era of porn (such a strange phrase to use) you had a few studios putting out a more homogenous product. Those production companies would groom, invest in, and promote certain stars. Now anyone can be a star. I won’t say the achievement of that superstar status is impossible – there are some approaching that true iconic status – but it’s so different. It’s more akin to having stars or big names in certain sectors. Today even the press that would celebrate and promote these superstars is much more divided. Because of the growing number of niche porn studios and Web sites, are the mainstream porn studios in trouble? A few of the performers that you interview hint at as much. I think the mainstream XXX studios really need to know and study and celebrate their market. Raging Stallion is very smart that way, Zeus is very smart that way, Falcon and Channel One are smart that way, Bel Ami, Hot House, Latino Fan Club, and Treasure Island Media are all smart that way – and there are others as well. I think the studios need to discover what their audience wants and what they can provide that people can’t necessarily get off the Internet. You gotta have a gimmick! It’s certainly no time for a studio to go into this blindly or uninformed – the competition is just too tough – they’ll lose their shirts and pants (in a bad way) and be eaten alive. In my dealings with pornstars in interviews or on the set, I’ve usually been pleasantly surprised by how relatively human, friendly and even stable most of them are. Does this square with your experience? Ditto. There are divas and assholes—hello, we’re dealing with people, with men, with sexy men, with oftentimes sexy gay men! It goes with the territory. I think too a lot of them have an outer defensiveness because they are so frequently judged because of what they do. If you can get beyond that the results are amazing. In your introduction to Starz, you refer to some diva behavior—like the last-minute withdrawal of material for what seemed like petty reasons. Would you care to elaborate here? Would you care to name names? Would you care to hint at names? I’m not going to name names, but I will give bank account passwords and social security numbers. Kidding. Yeah, I kind of don’t want to go there. One—let’s just call him JB—after all was done “changed his mind” and wanted nothing to do with the project or me (huh?) and just did it in this completely spineless manner. Another “star”— let’s call him Tina—went ballistic because the questionnaire at the intro to the interviews asks dick size among other things. I thought it was a pertinent bit of info. I mean if it was on an application for working at a department store then you can bitch, but if you’re a pornstar—come on. There were a couple more goofy scenarios, but those two stand out primarily because they were such personal attacks. Are there any interviews that you would like to do over? That’s an easy answer. All of them! Judge, this is a hellish process and a not so subtle form of torture on a man with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Remember, this book took time to be set and printed and a year to publish and every time some new movie came out or some new line of questioning came to mind I would agonize and kick myself. Looking back, it’s clear that compiling these pieces was a learning process, but of course I wanted it to be perfect from the start. It’s all that maddening mind-fuck turf of hindsight being 20/20. One specific I recall. In the interview with DC Chandler we talk a bit about horror movies and how he would like to break into that world. So my line of questioning was along the lines of “Would you like to be a villain or victim?” and “How would you like to be killed?” And when I ask the second question you can hear a hesitance in his response where he was probably thinking, “Who the fuck is this psycho and does he know where I live?” UGH! I was completely oblivious to how that might sound at the time. DC, if you are reading this, I am not a psycho—at least not a dangerous one. I’m a horror film fan like yourself who was just trying to ask “the hard questions”. In your interview with Sean Storm, he talks in the abstract about barebacking flicks. Since then, he’s appeared in a few. A similar thing happens with Brad McGuire. Would you like to do these interviews over? What would you ask these guys now? Barebacking had really just “exploded” as a sub-XXX genre along with the amateur and guerilla films. That’s another thing that makes this book, completed one year ago, a sort of time capsule. I inadvertently captured that entire barebacking phenomenon at a crucial point in its emergence and development. It will be interesting to see where that goes from here. As more pornstars who’ve worked with major studios moonlight in barebacking flicks, will there be more pressure on those studios to accept them back into the fold? In many instances yes. It’s such a complicated issue. The XXX world is above all a business and barebacking films are doing gangbuster business. Some studios have rubber-clad stances regarding condoms; others don’t. Even with the studios that don’t show barebacking, we’re starting to see “all cum guzzling” and “gangbang” and “fisting frenzy” galore. Porn is always seeking the taboo. It’s a rebel industry by its very nature, so it only seems logical that it would exploit and explore forbidden realms in fresh and taboo ways. Barebacking is what we constantly are being told not to do sexually—so in some ways it makes sense that it’s where porn has been going. It also brings up the complicated issue as to whether pornstars see themselves (or are seen) as fantasy figures or role models. If they are fantasy figures, then barebacking is merely a matter of personal preference; if they are role models, then barebacking starts to tread dangerous ground. If you take an anti-bb stance, it brings into play the entire argument of freedom of expression and sanctioning sexuality among consenting adults. Where you draw the line? It’s a very complex issue. I tried to maintain an impartial stance in the book. And I think you succeed. In Starz your interviews focus pretty tightly on the guys’ porn careers and on sex, and the results are telling. You get a range of answers from different guys to similar questions. This lets the reader compare stars and, collectively, it tells a lot about the industry and about gay sexuality today. Yet I wondered: were you ever desperate to break out into other areas with particular models? Do you ask a similar range of questions in More Starz? I used STARZ as sort of a testing ground, whether I meant to or not. I want reader feedback. I knew what I was interested in and how I wanted to humanize the guys, but I want these books to be a collaborative effort with a healthy dose of reader input as well. So if you have any ideas – please, contact me. Let me know what you want to see and hear about in future editions. I am completely open to suggestions. In regards to STARZ specifically, sometimes the doorway opened to other lines of questioning and in some cases that doorway between on-camera and off-camera life remained firmly closed and padlocked. I found that in many cases the guys adopted a completely different porn persona that was quite different from the off-camera self. Talking about the difference between the star and the man was fascinating ground to explore. Oftentimes it was a matter of intensity level or aggressiveness or the expression of something long repressed, and sometimes it was a polar extreme. Interesting stuff. Are you working on any projects now that might be of interest to our readers? I’m an egotist so of course I feel everything I do will be of interest to your readers—just kidding. I’m finishing up touches on More Starz—lotsa great guys in that one as well. Actually a couple Web sites too may be of interest. One is about SEX and all that good juicy stuff and it is www.savagelust.com. And while I am shamelessly plugging things, I also have a HORROR film Web site at www.racksandrazors.com. Sort of tying in with the latter, I am finishing up work on a horror novel called Mel and am getting involved in the production end and scripting of some independent horror flicks. DC Chandler, call me and we’ll discuss your big decapitation scene! Any last words for Inches readers out there? Something too I hope readers get out of the book are some sex tips. These guys seemed like real experts who are in the (uhhh) very trenches of sexuality. I wanted some pointers. There was a wealth of knowledge and experience there, so I also asked these guys their ways of seducing a guy, driving a man crazy in bed, etc. My line of questioning can get a little pervy at times, but hey, it goes with the territory and I had a purpose. Thanks for the tips, you guys. I haven’t had any complaints yet! Good luck with the book, Owen! And thanks again for talking with Inches. Are you kidding? It was absolutely my pleasure, though I’ve got to admit I was a bit nervous about an interview with someone named Judge. ************************************************* Also check out the JULY issue of TORSO for a special STARZ photo essay page! ************************************************* HORROR ASYLUM INTERVIEW Owen Keehnen Interview conducted by Phil Davies Brown December 23rd, 2005 With Christmas just around the corner and glitter and tinsel everywhere, I thought it only fitting that we should talk to a real life fairy. Owen Keehnen writes for the excellent horror site www.racksandrazors.com which has some seriously great reviews and interviews, amongst other stuff for you to discover. Openly gay Owen's popularity has seen him make the transition into other areas of the industry, like so many others before him, and he will soon be gracing silver screens everywhere. Read on for a hilarious interview with one of the most honest, confident and funniest men I have ever had the pleasure to meet. Tell me about www.racksandrazors.com How did the site come to be and who are the main parties involved? It’s a labour of love. Actor/playwright Brian Kirst and I are big horror whores and when we would see each other we’d chat about this and that and Brinke Stevens and Stephanie Beaton and such. I mean incessantly and obsessively! Well, the idea actually happened as a flowering of that dark fixation. Then we got hooked up (via Felissa Rose of all folks) with horror actor supreme Greg Russell Tiderington who in addition to acting is also a horror fan and website designer and hallelujah – racks and razors was born! Speaking of Greg, I am so jealous, he’s currently starring in ‘Dust to Dust’ with Debbie Rochon (my idol!), Lynn Lowry, Jeff Dylan Graham, Felissa Rose, and Heidi Martinuzzi!!! Are you a big fan of the horror genre? Oh yeah, with a vengeance. I am a huge fan. Though truthfully I have some boundaries, for example vampires and zombies have never done it for me. Not sure why. I also deeply love casts that include ‘Special Guest Star’ and ____________ as Mrs. Watkins or __________ as The Mayor. That sort of shit. Give me Emma Samms or Karen Black or Michael Moriarty or Lorenzo Lamas or Dee Wallace Stone or Michael Nouri or the amazing Priscilla Barnes!! ‘The Devil’s Rejects’ was awesome on that “70s stars” aspect alone. I completely get off on that, that spells a certain rental for this horror fan. Which is your favourite sub-genre? Hmmm. For this one I would have to say I LOVE a good creepy haunted house. It’s all about atmosphere with me I guess. Give me The Changeling, give me The Haunting (the original), and give me The Innocents (with Deborah Kerr). You are now breaking into films, was this your intention all along or have you stumbled into it for the fun of it? It happened, and now that it did I am so happy. Maybe my subconscious was working, but it was right on target. In retrospect I would say - intentional yes, conscious no…. If that makes any sense? I believe you are currently working on a movie in Chicago with Chris Kahler called Bat Bites in which you play the demon. How did the project come about and is this your first role? Oh it’s fun. Being the demon is always the best. The project is exciting too because Chris is so into it that it’s infectious. Enthusiasm is everything! It’s not my first movie. My first was actually a bit role in ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ – that’s how far back I go!!! Anyway ‘Bat Bites’ is awesome!!! Very inventive and fun!! I also just filmed a closing credit sequence with Chris for Phil Herman’s ‘Always Midnight’ where I play a crazed newscaster discounting the reality of vampires. Chris is amazing, as a director, an editor, and an artist, what he did with that raw footage we shot is nothing short of genius. I also have a movie within a movie segment in ‘Bat Bites’ called ‘Don’t Play With the Toys’ in which I have a (gasp!) nude scene and am ravaged by dildos while bathing --- and hey, for the inquiring minds out there – those dildos weren’t all mine! I hear you also have a cameo in Lucien Eisenach’s latest movie, Sea Creatures from Outer Space. How did that come to fruition? Lucien is such a nice guy! Thank God he made it through hurricane Katrina okay. I am breaking new ground in the miniscularity of cameo appearances with this movie. I am having my picture appear as Colonel Spudic in ‘The Sea Creatures From Outer Space’ – a doctored picture as a military man with shoulders back and chin up and in front of a flag no less. It is so not me! My friends are deeply amused at the irony. You also have roles in at least three other movies coming up; tell me a little about each of those? Not to discount my work, but at 45 the roles come sorta easy. It’s the upside of being older. I think younger actors often get disenchanted by the time they reach my age. Pardon the digression. Upcoming projects --- first off I have a part in ‘The Small Assassin’, which is based on the Ray Bradbury story of the same name – very cool – very Omen-ish – about a child who may or may not be evil. I play David’s Uncle. It was fun – nice big budget & period clothes (it’s the early 1950s). I also did a newscaster bit about the appearance automatons in Evet Socrates’ movie ‘Astrolux’. I also just did a filming of Samuel Beckett’s inspired ‘Eleutheria’ for experimental filmmaker James Fotopoulos that looks very trippy and am lined up to work with him next on an Ionesco project. I also have a film named ‘Forest’ completed in which I play a homeless man living in the forest (hence the title) who sends out his daughter to steal from campers in the woods. I believe you are also finishing up a horror novel about a murderous schizophrenic called MEL. That sounds very interesting. What prompted you to write that? Therapy!!! Seriously, I think it began as therapy for me as a longtime retail worker. If the public only knew! When you can’t express you either explode or find a different means of venting. This was my different means and Phil, it was fucking scary how easy it was to lapse into that psychotic voice! In many disturbing ways Mel is my significant other. Is writing your true passion? Yeah -- that and roller coasters -- both give me a thrill. With writing, I just love creating a world. Time evaporates and I go somewhere else when I sit down to write. Maybe it’s just a need for control the entire universe, but it has always felt right. Since I was a kid it’s always been my favored best means of expression. Writing screenplays is next on the agenda. My first script is well into the development stage. Do you have any other aspirations within the horror industry? Yeah, you know I want it all. In addition to screen writing I think I want fame behind and before the cameras. I figure who more than a true horror connoisseur deserves it, you know? I want to be someone that people at a horror convention would stand in line to meet. Being in horror flix for me is simple -- I want to be sacred or scary as shit and flat and immortal. Where do you see yourself in five years time? Hopefully above ground and still engaged in life. I think boredom is the greatest human tragedy. I’d like to have a couple published books under my belt and still be involved in the horror world. As a gay man, are you pleased with the more relaxed attitude to gay cinema lately, such as the success of David DeCoteau films and Jason Paul Collum’s new projects as well as movies such as HellBent, which are receiving strong word of mouth? I guess. Actually I have some mixed feelings. Not to step on toes -- I love that “the boys” are getting recognized only I think horror is horror – and breaking it down into gay horror has some fears inherent in it – for me anyway. Call it sour grapes, but primarily I fear that it will be an endless array of beautiful boys getting butchered. I understand it -- the T & A show is part of our “culture” -- only it is kind of depressing seeing homosexuality reduced to that… much as I assume women hate seeing the gorgeous bimbos being butchered as the sole contribution of the heterosexual horror genre. Why do you feel gay people and in particular yourself, identify so strongly with horror movies? Oh a lot of times because going at the “socially privileged” and “callously popular crowd” (frequently the maniac’s targeted mincemeat) with a machete are right where I am and have been emotionally. I think it is a vicarious means of crazed expression with those who are repressed. Carrie-Syndrome. Vicarious revenge, maybe yeah. Have you found that many people working in the industry are gay? Yup! Once again without sounding like too much of a psychotic I think we relate somewhat (as do many others) to that outsider rage that slashers embody. Have you ever encountered any homophobia within the industry? I think as a whole, horror is very accepting. I think horror lovers tend to see themselves as “freaks”, meaning those socially labeled as freaks, and therefore are pretty inclusive. Also lovers of horror are a bit more careful about whom they piss off (hehe). You can be sure if you make fun of little Billy --- he may one day grow up to fuck up your prom night. What else can we expect to see from you in the near future? Well, if you are looking over my shoulder you are probably going to see a lengthy list of New Year’s resolutions. I am a freak about those and a big goal setter in general. Other than that I am going to remain determined, leave it up to the fates, and above all enjoy the ride. Thanks for your time Owen. Are you kidding? Phil, I could chat about me forever. It’s one subject I never grow tired of. Now if only everyone else felt the same way. "Thank you ever so much for taking part in this interview Owen. And we wish you the very best of luck in the future." DODGING THE PAPARAZZI IS NEVER A SIMPLE TASK. HERE I AM AVOIDING PHOTOGRAPHERS AFTER DASHING FROM A POWER LUNCH AT THE JET SET RESTAURANT, GAY CHICAGO MAGAZINE February 9, 2006 Gay Chicago readers, Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and some of us are alone (me), and because of this, I have found a book that can keep you warm on a Chicago winter night, STARZ by local author Owen Keehnen. Owen has found the best in the gay porn world, and took the time to sit down and talk. Gay Chicago: How many books have you written? I’ve written lots of books, but this is the first one I’ve had published. gc: How did the project "STARZ" get started? I worked for a long time at Unabridged Bookstore and quite frequently guys would come in and ask for books about gay porn stars. There were some bios and guides and such, but nothing as a sort of window into the lives of these men. So my capitalism-friendly brain starting thinking, hmmm. Who better than me for this smutty task? After minimal delay I wrote up a proposal – pitched it a few places, was met with lotsa interest, and - A STARZ was Born. gc: How many porn stars did you interview for the making of this book? OK: 60 stars ended up in the finished STARZ. I started off wanting to interview 25 guys and my Obsessive Compulsive tendencies took the wheel. Seriously, before I knew it I’d done STARZ and the sequel, cleverly titled MORE STARZ. gc: Did anyone not want to be interviewed? And dish who is it and why? OK: Oh yeah – a lot were non-stories – “No thanks” “Not interested” – that sort of thing. Now those individuals are in the throes of regret of course. I’m kidding. The most insane tale was someone (lets call him DW) who aborted the interview after being asked his dick size in the standard questionnaire. I mean -- I’m interviewing porn stars. It seemed a pertinent thing to ask. If I was interviewing the guy for a job at The Pottery Barn then I could see throwing a hissy fit -- but if you’re a XXX star? Come on! DW, I’ve seen your ass and it ain’t that tight. gc: What surprised you the most when writing this book? Hmmm – either sex with a dog or fantasizing about sex with Queen Elizabeth II. The first made me gasp, but hey I’d read The Happy Hooker so it wasn’t a completely foreign concept to me. The latter I find to be the most mind boggling. I mean that seems to go beyond the realm of kinky. QE II? The mind reels and the stomach turns. I think Jason may have been pulling my leg. gc: Did any of the porn stars send you a care package of their work? Ok: No ,boo! They all just assumed I was a big voyeur who’d seen much of their work already -- and in most cases they were right. gc: Some of the porn stars have toys , did you get sent any free stuff? Ok: No toys I’m afraid, but I got several Christmas Cards and an aquatic paperweight with little plastic fish inside – though I don’t think that’s the kind of toy you mean. gc: Was anyone just a pain in the ass to deal with? The truth! Ok: Are you kidding? Dealing with 60 gorgeous gay men at once is never a pain in the ass! I’m being facetious. Sure, there were a few “Call Her Miss Ross” and “I need to be featured on the cover!” moments, but I was mostly pleasantly surprised at how nice and down to earth as these guys were. Honestly, most were very professional and cooperative. If they got on my nerves too much I just didn’t include their interview. Ah, the sweet justice of editing! gc: Why do you think most of the guys went into porn? Ok: Pardon the pun – but that was very revealing. That question alone provided a lot of surprises and smashed a few of my preconceived notions. Some guys went into it to pay back college debts, some went into it to pay child support, some are exhibitionists, some wanted to be famous, some got into it to embrace their sexuality, some got into it to prove to themselves they were attractive after years of feeling less-than, some got into it to overcome shyness (!) – there were a variety of answers. You see that phenomenon again and again on various issues. It really brought home the whole basic premise of the STARZ that there is no such thing as a typical porn star and it really helped to humanize these men. gc: Do you have a favorite porn star? Ok: Of the past -- I love Al Parker. A lot of my favorites are guys from the golden age and so many of them are gone. Of the currents – Michael Solider. I am smitten. After the interview I practically carved our initials in a tree. I adored him and he is absolutely boyfriend material. Smart, funny, sexy, and he radiates a wonderful enthusiasm and complete love of life. That’s such an attractive quality, especially in a mostly cynical world. His answer about taking pride in his work was what won me. I just heard from him last week. Sigh! He’s doing a horror movie now called ‘Gay B&B of Horror’. Favorite porn star sex wise – for today I’ll say Parker Williams. He’s a dynamo to see in action – seriously – I imagine his costars hauled away in a wheelbarrow after a scene with starry eyes and a goofy grin. My favorites in the book change all the time -- Tag Adams, Rob Romoni, Jason Ridge, Shane Rollins, Nick Piston, Zak Spears, DC Chandler, JC Carter, Michael Brandon, Eric Evans, Steve Cannon, Matt Sizemore, Michael Lucas, Brad McGuire, Chad Hunt, Owen Hawk, Rik Jammer… My orgy room needs a revolving door, and an occupancy limit. gc: Is there any of the porn stars that you wanted to interview but just could not get in touch with? Ok: Oh sure I’d love to have “done” Stryker. No dice. Some of the guys from the past have just disappeared too. That was kind of disappointing; following leads and having it lead nowhere. I really wanted to talk with Eric Manchester. I had a crush on him years ago. Maybe next time? I also wanted to get a visa into that whole Bel Ami world, but there is a language barrier and a certain difficulty connecting with them. I am so curious about how those guys are treated in Eastern Europe vs. how porn stars are treated here. I think that would be interesting to compare and contrast. Another intriguing difference I find with them is that they always seem to be having fun doing their sex scenes, which you often don’t see a lot in contemporary porn. Frequently everything is so somber, like sex is this uber-serious business that must be approached in a certain manner. Break a sweat, but for God’s sake don’t break a smile. gc: After "STARZ" what is next for Owen Keehnen? OK: MORE STARZ of course. That’s coming out later this year. I am also finishing a horror novel called MEL. What fantastic therapy! It’s scary how easy it was for me to lapse into the voice of a schizophrenic serial killer. I am working a great deal on a horror movie website called www.racksandrazors.com and that has allowed me to network in the independent horror film world. I’m currently writing a screenplay for production this spring called ‘She Lives’ and have another screenplay for a short in a horror anthology piece lined up after that. I’ve also been dabbling a bit before the cameras I just finished a role as a victim in ‘The Chubby Killer’ for a production company out of Portland (Oregon) where I am beaten up before being suffocated in a cake. Also just did a piece as a newscaster in the vampire opus ‘Always Midnight’. This April I’ll be playing a hungry zombie (aren’t they always) for an independent movie. Fun stuff. QUEER CLICK INTERVIEW Queerying Owen Keehnen STARBOOKS PRESS is pleased to announce the release of STARZ by journalist Owen Keehnen. If you've ever wanted to get between the covers with a star of gay XXX movies this book is for you!!! This fully illustrated compendium contains 60 exclusive interviews with some of the hottest names in the gay porn industry . In this delicious collection you'll find behind the scenes gossip, learn tricks of the trade, sexual techniques, keys of seduction, likes & dislikes, how to navigate a relationship through the XXX world, and a whole lot more. Learn who lost his virginity to a plastic banana, who is a moonlighting banker, who dreams of a career in horror films, and who fantasizes about sex with Queen Elizabeth II! It's crazy and enlightening and loads of fun. Discover that there is no such thing as a "typical" porn star. Join Doc. Feel as he interviews Owen Keehnen in an exclusive QC interview. 1. Owen, thank you for joining QueerClick for an interview. Your new book STARZ has recently been released through StarBooks Press. Please tell our readers all about your book beyond the press release. Hey Doc. Thank you. I'm honored to be here and thanks for your interest and support. STARZ is a book of interviews with 60 stars in the gay adult film industry. I spelled it with a Z to show that these were stars but with a difference. In the book I have a basic questionnaire for each of the studs and then proceed with a Q & A format to chat with the guys a bit and hopefully get a feel for the man behind the façade. I wanted to show the flesh and blood guys behind the fantasy figure. As objects of desire so much is projected onto them from the filmmaker and especially the viewer. I wanted to show what they were like as people. I fancied myself a sort of like a smutty armchair sociologist/psychologist – that's me all right! It was interesting to see how each differed or resembled their porn persona. 2. Can you explain why you feel your book would peak the interest of the GLBT community and do you think the Heterosexual community would find it interesting as well? Well, I thought the folks interested in gay porn would gobble it up. That came as no real surprise to me. What did shock me was when I brought a copy of STARZ with me to work and my straight female coworkers went nuts. They were ooo-ing and ahh-ing the shots of the guys and some of the raunchier answers. Those women got so into it they broke the spine of the book! From that experience I discovered that demographic found it interesting as well. Who knew? So if you are looking for a great bachelorette party gift? Look no further than STARZ. 3. What inspired you to delve into the world of the gay porn industry? Well I was working as a clerk at a gay bookstore here in Chicago and guys would frequently come in and ask for something about porn stars. There were some bios and guidebooks – but no overall view of the men in the industry. Basically it was seeing there was a demand but no product. And I figured I was just voyeur enough to tackle the job. So I put together a rough outline of STARZ and shopped it around to a few publishers and was met with great interest. And from there – A STARZ was born! 4. Owen normally porn stars are not considered the most intelligent and highly skilled individuals in our society, which very well may be an injustice. You spent countless hours and quality time with these stars for your book. Can you give our readers a new insight to their world? Oh I would disagree. One of my objectives with this book was to shatter the myths we all carry about these men. Some of the guys were a few sandwiches short of a picnic -- but others, most in fact, were quite intelligent and articulate. They are as diverse as any other group – like students or nurses or lawyers or whatever – they are all over the map. Discovering and presenting that variance was one of the joys of doing the book. It was so interesting some got into porn to pay back college loans or to pay child support or to overcome shyness or because they wanted fame or to buy a condo. I walked away from the book with the realization that there is no such thing as a typical porn star. 5. Owen, you have been a journalist within the GLBT community for sometime. You have interviewed many people, wrote wonderful articles and columns and even jumped behind the camera as an actor. Tell us all about Owen Keehnen. Now that's a tough question. For those who care I'm an Aries and in that capacity I basically am on the go until I collapse. It's very tough for me to relax but I try and have fun along the way. I love the ocean, horror movies, working out, reading, water sports (no, not that kind!), and roller coasters. I'm told I'm lots of fun to be around with a wicked, twisted, and silly sense of humor. I am very project oriented and am a huge list maker --- obsessive compulsive. I am currently getting a lot of satisfaction from writing, acting, and working as a massage therapist. It feels like I just wrote my profile for a dating service. 6. How receptive were the porn stars, directors and producers to you jumping into their world and doing a tell all? Most were great. I am pretty open and disarming and most people are happy to talk about themselves once you go beyond the veneer or fear of being judged. These guys would have none of that holier than thou crap – and I don't blame them. Of course some were more willing to talk about themselves than others. I had some guys decline -- most simple said not interested and I was fine with that. No big deal. However, I did take issue with two of the guys who declined and then started calling me names. It was insane and extremely disconcerting. I mean, what the hell – I'm a nice guy – so piss off. 7. Was there a specific focus of this book or was it a broad avenue to cover the industry? Oh I wanted all ages and ethnicities and to show polished studio stars as well as some of the harder edged boys. I wanted the newbie's represented like Owen Hawk, Jason Ridge, and Nick Piston (all three who have so winningly come into their own since our chats). I also wanted to include STARZ of the past like Gino Colbert, Donnie Russo, and Lou Cass. Those guys have perspective on it and also experience from a different era of porn. It's all about variety and hopefully that comes through. 8. What are your thoughts on the government's censorship and restrictions over the last few years within the porn industry and adult site industry? I think the government has enough problems to focus on without policing pleasure between consenting adults. I can't respect too much of what the Bush administration stands for anyway. 9. Recently it appears the porn industry is abuzz about Chi Chi LaRue's choice to stop directing straight productions exclusively for Vivid Entertainment Group effective immediately due to Vivid changing its condom-only policy. What are your thoughts on this matter? It's a hot issue that has the adult video world up in arms. Somewhat harkening back to the above answer I am extremely cautious about policing or dictating the bounds of desire – on the other hand – I can understand the need for responsibility in the XXX world and the need for it's personalities to be more than merely fantasy figures. I think a lot of these guys are role models – at least sexually. That brings into play the entire discussion of responsibility and what that entails – is a public announcement enough or do we teach by example? I don't know if there is any right answer – just personal choice. 10. Owen, you interviewed many porn stars, did any stick out in your mind as favorites and if so why? Michael Solider. I am smitten. I adored him and he is absolutely boyfriend material. Smart, funny, sexy, and best of all he radiates a wonderful enthusiasm and love of life. That's such a wonderfully attractive quality, especially in a mostly cynical world. His answer about taking pride in his work no matter what that entailed was what won me. I just heard from him last week. Sigh! He's doing a horror movie now called 'Gay B&B of Horror'. Favorite porn star sex wise – for today I'll say Parker Williams. He's a dynamo to see in action – seriously – I imagine his costars as blissfully incoherent after filming a scene with him. My favorites in the book change all the time -- Tag Adams, Rob Romoni, Jason Ridge, Shane Rollins, Nick Piston, Zak Spears, DC Chandler, JC Carter, Michael Brandon, Eric Evans, Steve Cannon, Matt Sizemore, Michael Lucas, Brad McGuire, Chad Hunt, Owen Hawk, Rik Jammer… My orgy room needs a revolving door, and an occupancy limit. In the sequel MORE STARZ I had so many others that just knocked me off my feet (so to speak). Yowsah! I was very lucky to get paid for this. 11. Switching gears a little, what is your take on Brokeback Mountain and Ang Lee? Transamerica and Duncan Tucker? Do you see GLBT movies becoming more mainstream? Oh yeah – 'Capote' too -- and countless other films. Yes, grab your children and head for the hills -- there are homosexuals at the multiplex. And it is so nice because we are finally marketable as more than just the serial killer, the comic relief, or the sad friend with AIDS. Money is the bottom line in Hollywood and in that sense we have arrived. Gay movies can appeal to a wide audience. Hallelujah! It's about time. 12. In the teaser for your book it mentions that someone dreams of being in horror films. Now you and I are both major horror film buffs so I am sure this doubled your interest in this porn star. Tell me more. That was the mega-sexy D.C. Chandler - yum. He's such a sweetie. Looking back it's funny -- I'm sure he thought I was an absolute psycho because as soon as he mentioned that he liked horror I asked him "How would you like to be killed?" My question took him aback. As soon as I said it there was this subtle intake of air and a brief pause. I hope he knew I was asking that in reference to his previous statement. If he doesn't he does now – I am not a psycho D.C! 13. Let's talk horror movie for a moment. You write racksandrazors.com and I have always believed that the word "horror" is way too generalized. I think "horror" has so many sub-branches. It's hard to fit movies like Amityville, The Exorcist, Frankenstein , Poltergeist, Lon Chaney's numerous movies, Vincent Price's classics and Freddy Krueger into the same genre would you agree? See, I like putting it all in the same category and the sort of huge horror chaos that it creates. It is all so very different, but that's what makes it great. There are many facets to horror. The key is not to limit the word. When I hear it I think -- do I feel like getting creeped out, grossed out, truly terrified, overcome with atmosphere, or bombarded by cheesiness -- and to what degree? It can be so much. The genre is diverse, but what I love it for is the intent. In my opinion they're all legitimate approaches to elicit the same response. 14. I heard your boundaries with "horror" are vampires and zombies. Mine are satanic possessions such as The Exorcist and The Exorcism Of Emily Rose. I just don't get into the whole innocent being possessed thing. Why are your boundaries vampires and zombies? I said that? I am always shocked by the shit I've said in interviews. Hmm. In regards to that comment I just think in a lot of ways vampires and zombies have been (pardon the pun) done to death and mining that mythology seems sort of pumping a dry well. In many ways they seem too "known" to be frightening to me. I should just shut up – I just finished making a vampire and a zombie movie. Yikes – gag me now! In regards to the whole innocent possessed by Satan thing I can definitely relate to that. I was raised uber-Catholic. I mean, my first career goal was to be Pope. How twisted is that?! Anyway, as a kid I knew I was gay and felt in a lot of ways like I was possessed by the devil or at least netherworld urges (at least from the waist down). It's easier to say what I love -- my favorite horror sub-genre is the haunted house – I am a sucker for atmosphere. 15. What projects are you currently working on? Right now I am putting together an erotic anthology of deliciously smutty tales called SAVAGE LUST – so anyone wanting work to be considered for submission send your original raunchy fiction to keehneno@aol.com --- I am also finishing up a screenplay for a horror film called SHE LIVES that is going into production this spring and working on a new horror screenplay called JACKER 3. I am finishing up MEL my horror novel and am outlining my next novel now. I just finished making a movie called 'The Chubby Killer' where I am beaten up and smothered in a cake, in 'To Walk The Night' I'm killed by dildos in the movie within a movie, and I recently finished another horror flick 'Always Midnight' where I play a TV announcer discounting the belief that the undead are taking over the world. (Better them than conservatives! Or are they the same?) On the non-fright front I am set for a tiny role in a film adaptation of the Ionesco play 'The Hard Boiled Egg' as a cop of all things! And then of course MORE STARZ is due this summer for release in late autumn. 16. Do you have other career or personal aspirations that you could tell us about? You seem to have the Midas touch with everything you try. Thanks Doc --- that's the first time I have ever been accused of having the Midas Touch! I like the sound of it! It's more akin to the workaholic touch born from a new lease on life. My aspirations are simple – and I got this from Sam Tyson in the STARZ book actually – I really just want to use myself up. In this life I want to express all my talents and share my interests and hopefully have a blast doing it. Thanks for putting that so eloquently Sam -- so far so good. 17. So Owen, sit on Doc. Feel's couch and tell me all about MEL. You are working on a book based around a schizophrenic murderer named MEL. How did this idea come about? Is this a dark side to Owen Keehnen? It's funny – my nickname for years was Dr. Darkside. Let me tell you Doc, MEL was so easy to write it was frightening. I mean the voice of a schizophrenic serial killer just poured from me, which is too disturbing to even consider on one level – so I won't go there. MEL initially came about as necessary therapy after LONG days of vacuous retail cheeriness. Those who have worked retail or waited tables know what I am talking about. The pressure to always be nice and compliant will make your head or heart explode eventually if you don't discover a vent. At the time I started MEL I was giving up my love affair with drugs and alcohol, which had been my de-combustive outlet for years. MEL kept me sane – well that may be a bit presumptuous and I have friends who would take me to task for calling myself sane. Let's just say MEL kept me sober. 18. Does Owen Keehnen have inspirations in his life both personally and professionally? The love and support of my guy Carl, sobriety, Flannery O'Connor, Jimmy Carter, Nelson Mandela, Helen Keller, and Angelina Jolie – who is just too fabulous not to be inspiring. Actually though it is anyone who is striving to be more and working to expand the prison of their comfort zone. I guess I have to say my biggest inspiration is life itself. 19. Owen, is there anything not covered in this interview that you would like our readers to know? I feel naked – as though your audience knows too much about me already – but that's okay because I have an exhibitionist streak that is getting off on this. Doc, I guess what I want to say is that I thank God or whatever higher power grants us second and third and fourth chances at life…I feel so fortunate and grateful to have made it through some very rough times – but it helps give you a perspective on life. 20. What makes Owen Keehnen click? Talking about myself…in fact I'm sporting a…just kidding. I think the tension between men who are attracted to one another is so inspiring. Not sex, but knowing that sex could happen and that it would be great because that electricity is just so tangible and there. Eating butt does it for me too. I love to give pleasure. Owen, QueerClick and I thank you for your interview and wish you the best success in your endeavors. (Image sources: JetSetMen.com & Raging Stallion Studios) Posted by queerclick at March 4, 2006 12:36 PM Posted to: Art & Literature , Doc. Feel , Eye Candy , Famous Faces , Porn Stars , Queerying NIGHTSPOTS Interview: Owen Keehnen by Andrew Davis 2006-02-22 Images for this article: (click on the thumbnail to see fullsize) In Starz ( $24.95; STARbooks Press ) , Owen Keehnen presents a compilation of no-holds-barred interviews with some of the gay porn industry’s top stars, resulting in some very intimate discussions. Keehnen recently talked with Nightspots about everything from his own preferences to putting a new spin on “doggy style.” Nightspots: Why did you compile this book? Owen Keehnen: I used to work at Unabridged Books and people would come in looking for something along these lines. So I [ looked at the book ] as filling a niche. The demand was out there; it was just a matter of having the product available. NS: So how did you decide which actors to interview? OK: It was a learning process-and a networking one. Getting the guys was actually easy. Two of the first guys I talked with were Michael Brandon and Chad Hunt. Then, at IML, I hung out with Matt Sizemore and he introduced me to tons of people. I actually had few problems with the guys. I didn’t intend on interviewing that many people. It was sort of a manifestation of my obsessive-compulsive disorder that I talked to 60 people. [ Laughs. ] And there will be another book; More Starz is coming out next year and I’ll be talking with 60 more. NS: Would you classify yourself as a porn aficionado? OK: [ Pauses. ] Yeah, I am. I think I have a natural voyeuristic tendency and [ porn ] fulfills that. NS: So you’re living vicariously, in a sense? OK: Ah... another haunting question. [ Laughs. ] In a way, I am. I think that these men have really embraced their sexuality in a completely fearless way. As a gay man, that’s potentially a really healthy attitude. NS: In general, what was it like talking with these guys? OK: It was fun. At first, they would be guarded. However, you’d gradually see the real person emerge from behind the facade-and that was fascinating to me. Stereotypes were dissolved. NS: Now, you don’t have to mention any names-but was there anyone who gave you more attitude than anyone else? OK: Oh my God, yes!!! [ Laughs. ] Some maintained that guarded persona and there were a couple who changed their minds afterwards and didn’t want to be involved with the book. There were also a couple others who were, let’s just say, moody. I think it’s much more the exception than the rule, but I think that drugs are a definite factor in that world sometimes. NS: Did you get an idea of how prevalent drugs are in the porn industry? OK: You know what? I think the prevalence is much less than it used to be, primarily because porn is such a big business. It’s such a huge production and there’s too much money riding on it. NS: Was the most jaw-dropping moment when Jacob Scott said that he’d had sex with a dog? OK: Yes, it was. But there are times that I wonder how much they were playing me for a gullible interviewer. I have no way of verifying that. However, it was equally shocking for me when Jason Hawk said he fantasized about Queen Elizabeth. support your local independent bookstore! BAY AREA REPORTER April 13th 2006 Karrnal Knowledge Starz in his eyes Author Owen Keehnen interviews male porn 'Starz' by Gregg Shapiro Starz author Owen Keehnen. Print this Page Send to a Friend In the introduction to his book Starz (Star Books Press, $24.95), a collection of interviews with 60 gay male porn stars, writer Owen Keehnen admits to being a voyeur. Putting that talent to good use, Keehnen set about the task of interviewing an array of gay adult-film stars. Some of the interviews are as revealing as the films in which these men can be seen doing the most interesting and erotic things. I spoke with Keehnen shortly after the publication of the book. Gregg Shapiro: What was the first gay porn movie you ever saw? Owen Keehnen: Probably one of the older movies by Joe Gage. L.A. Tool & Die pops into mind, or it might have been Kansas City Trucking Company. Who was the first gay porn star you were attracted to? Probably the first porn star that I idolized whose name I remember was Al Parker. I loved Al Parker, in so many ways. He had a way of making the sex look like it was both really hot and really fun. I think it's a good combination that gets lost today. The sex doesn't look very fun a lot of the time. Some of the interview subjects revealed their birth years, and they range in age from mid-20s (1980) to late 40s (1957). Was it your goal to have this range represented? As someone in my mid-40s, I felt it was necessary! It was important to show, along with the diversity of porn stars, that youth isn't necessarily a criterion to be a sex symbol. You asked the actors about their zodiac signs and whether they fit that mold. How much credence do you put in the zodiac? I think the zodiac made a good interview question. Not so much because of what I believe, but because it's interesting to see what a person picks out about a zodiac sign as pertinent to them. It's usually a good indication of what a person sees about himself. What sign are you? I'm Aries. So, yes, I'm childish and visually-oriented! You also asked them whether they'd ever been stalked. I asked that because these men are known in a certain capacity, for having sex. It allows the viewer to put a lot of things onto their personality. A lot of them were stalked. They had some weird stories. Another recurring question was about their underwear preference. Underwear preference seemed like a fluffy, no pun intended, question. A number of the actors referred to the good relationships that they have with their mothers. Did that surprise you? Yes. What floored me, a lot of the time, were the stories these men told about coming out to their families as porn stars. Which is, personally, so unfathomable! It kind of amazed me how accepting a lot of the parents were. It's like PFLAG to the nth degree. You wouldn't expect that. It wasn't that isolated. Some interviews, like some penises, are longer than others, such as Michael Brandon's and Matt Sizemore's. Why? Sometimes, it was time constraints. Sometimes they were just a lot more forthcoming. Some people, because of fear of being judged or being less verbally inclined, were a lot terser. Some people would just talk a lot! Actually, Matt Sizemore really helped me out with this. At IML [International Mr. Leather] a couple of years ago, he was the first interview I did. He was a doll. He took me around and introduced me to tons of people. And he is very verbose! Donnie Russo is quoted as saying, 'There are no porn stars today.' Would you agree with him? I think the Internet has a lot to do with it, the diversity of the community has a lot to do with it. Today, you have leather videos, different ethnic videos, and the European stuff. There is so much variety. You have stars in each sector. Before, there were much fewer studios. You had a much more homogenous product. Certain porn stars were marketed much more broadly than they are today. As we emerge as a community, there's less of a typically gay thing. I think our fantasy figures are more diverse than what they were. There are a lot more options. The gay porn industry has suffered many losses over the years. Are there any porn stars of the past you wish you'd had the opportunity to interview? I would have really loved to have talked to Al Parker. Or Fred Halstead. He was interesting because he was one of the first ones to incorporate himself and go for it. He ended up directing and doing other things. I would have loved to have talked to Joey Stefano. He captured a certain period of gay erotic film. I would have liked to talk to many of them, to have something enduring of them other than their films; something that was them and not just their sexual self. That's what I wanted to do with this book, to show that these guys are more than just sex stars; they're people. Is there another book of porn star interviews forthcoming? Yes. The second book is due from me in July, and it's scheduled to be published in November. That's More Starz, for lack of a better name. Would you ever consider appearing in a gay porn film? I think I was always a little too shy. And I didn't want to ruin my chances for political office! I actually worked on sound. It was weird because it totally changed my view of it. I thought it was much more of a hot sex free-for-all, and it isn't. It's an industry. It's a business. ----------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- XTRA WEST INTERVIEW (Vancouver, BC) February 16th, 2006 NOT ALL DILDOS AND DAFFODILS By Chris DeVito Owen, you're a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist and interviewer for... I did about two hundred interviews with gay and lesbian authors and celebs for an array of LesBiGay papers nationwide – from Chicago to Anchorage and San Jose to Albuquerque. It was fun and a great learning experience -- but also grueling – I still have nightmares about transcribing those damn mini-tapes. You were a former monthly columnist for Penthouse Forum magazine; what kind of a column did you write and what was that like? My column was called TELL ME THE GOOD PARTS, which I did for 2 years in the mid 90s. I would excerpt the hottest sex scenes in contemporary books and talk about what made them so damn uber-juicy. It was in the midst of the whole “Pornography & Erotica: Is There a Difference” brouhaha. I think my column was created to supposedly blur the lines and legitimize the “naughty bits”. Personally I consider erotica and pornography to be identical only the pornography label comes from a more judgmental place. Oftentimes it says more about the person than about the material. Now, is Penthouse still publishing? Oh yes, even without my masthead they have somehow carried on. Are you gay or bisexual? You talk about these hot studs but you also worked for Penthouse...Hmm... I’m gay, a big homo. It was quite surreal to have that job at Penthouse Forum. However, being gay also meant I was able to be objective. In most cases I could cast a cold critical eye on those heterosexual sexcerpts. It’s interesting though – a well-written sex scene often transcends sexual preference. Now, the letters in Penthouse Forum; are they real? What's the company line and what's the truth? I have no idea about that...I’m not being coy or circumventing your question, I was just removed from that whole hot n’ heavy confessional aspect of the magazine. I had my own separate column from all that – just like The Happy Hooker herself, Xaviera Hollander. You know one Penthouse letter to the editor was almost word-for-word from the first gangbang scene from a pulp novel called The Lusty Librarian. Coincidence? Oh come on – everyone has a lusty librarian tale! It’s practically a right of passage, especially in the States. Once they take off those glasses every one of them is a tigress seeking sexual prey! Penthouse Magazine or publisher Bob Guiccione also published Viva, an erotic magazine for women. Did you ever do anything with it? Do you remember that magazine? Any thoughts or war stories about it? Nothing there I’m afraid, either that or I’ve erected a trauma based mental block. Vanity Fair did a story on Bob Guccione and they reported that one of Viva's erotic columns was written by someone who may or may not have been a convicted rapist writing as a woman. Know anything about that? No, I hadn’t heard that. You live in Chicago but wrote a book about Starz in the L.A. porn business; how did the book come about? I used to work in a Lesbigay oriented bookstore, Unabridged to those in the know. Anyway - various customers would come in frequently and ask for something about gay porn stars. At that time there were some bios and guides and things but nothing as a sort of window or compendium on the lives of these men. So my little capitalist-friendly brain started to churn and I thought - Hmmm. After minimal delay I wrote up a proposal – pitched it a few places, was met with lotsa interest and - A STARZ was Born. Starz; why did you spell the name with a 'z'? Because I couldn’t spell it with a triple X! Seriously, I thought it was sort of fun and cheesy and the variant spelling also conveyed the fact that these guys are stars, but with a decided difference. Any opinion on the Adam Directory of Gay Adult Video and DVD; I hear they've just released their 2006 version. I love it; the Adam Directory is a great resource for current starz, current flicks, studio info, and lots of other data. If you love gay porn it’s your Bible – no wait - that would be my book! Both are great resources though humility prevents me from calling STARZ a Bible. I actually did a few reviews for The Adam Directory several years ago. Which Starz' interview do you think deserves extra attention and why? All of them of course! I think some of the guys come across more clearly and with a greater vibrancy than others. Some are very guarded so the things they reveal are less personal. Others told everything. I like to think of all 60 guys as a composite. There is no such thing as a typical porn star, but together they all form a sort of essence behind the business if that makes any sense. It’s sort of a mosaic. That entire preface aside, Rik Jammer has some seriously interesting theories about sexuality and transcendence and the primal erotic being, which are brilliant. Which Star were you hot for and what was it like interviewing him? Michael Soldier. I was a goofball interviewing him, seriously – everything but writing our initials inside a little heart on my notebook after we chatted. He turned me on physically and more importantly mentally. Smart guy. He’s my constant crush – there are so many others who I just adored – today my list would be (and it changes day to day - hour to hour) JC Carter, Rob Romoni, Shane Rollins, Jason Hawke, Eric Evans, Carlo Cox, Michael Lucas, Michael Brandon, Bret Wolfe, Carlos Morales. I know – I’m a tramp! My orgy room needs a revolving door and an occupant limit! Which of your Starz personifies sex and why? Gosh, all of them. Okay – I’ll do my short list for today once more -- Donnie Russo, Bobby Blake, Zak Spears, Enrico Vega, Nick Piston, Parker Williams… All those guys somehow channel pure Eros or something. Periodically you can almost see the world and specifics disappear and the sex just emerges from “elsewhere”. These guys have no awareness of the camera. It isn’t about a show and camera consciousness or the paycheck or the costar – it’s about the sex. That focus is what makes a scene especially charged. So, uh, did you get any [obscene smirk] "special author privileges"? Spill, man! Wipe that obscene smirk off your face! If only! No, I didn’t want some tawdry scandal to come back and haunt me after I won the Pulitzer. Seriously, this was a fun but professional endeavor…I wanted this project to open cultural windows on the men behind the porn star persona and beyond the stigma. I wanted them to be real. Sure we talked sex, that goes with the territory – but it was all very on the (ahem) up and up. Rest assured, no bodily fluids were spilled in the writing of this book. What's your favourite gay porn movie? I love the old Joe Gage stuff. LOVE IT! The sexual tension is palpable in ‘Kansas City Trucking’, ‘El Paso Wrecking’, and ‘LA Tool and Die’. Gage is really able to capture and sustain that delicious moment of sexual potential before the action occurs which is much more amazing to see on film than simply two guys going at it. Those three films compose an amazing trilogy that in my opinion has never been matched. I am so happy to see Gage back and active as a director…and he still has that touch. Your introduction really captures the essence of watching porn on your VCR. When did you start watching porn and have your viewing habits changed over the years? Not to show my age – but I started in theatres! I was always drawn to any good ole arena of raunch and the XXX theatres of the time sure provided that. VCRs and (in a certain sense) the emergence of HIV sort of combined to change the dynamics of those porn palaces. Technologically speaking my viewing habits have evolved into DVD, but the tried and true “watch and whack” recipe is pretty much the same. Owen, as a professional with lots of experience in the field, is there a proper way to watch a gay porn movie so you get the most out of it? What is it? Now there’s a loaded question. I would say with your pants around your ankles, remote in hand (one hand anyway), and sporting a wide grin. Far be it from me to dictate rules regarding pleasure much less the steps and process of self-pleasuring. Once you have the TV on and the prints wiped off the DVD I think there’s pretty much no right or wrong way. Something I will say - personally speaking of course – is I’ve always found porn best appreciated as a solitary endeavor. Once you add a boyfriend or partner du jour to the mix egos get involved. It’s disconcerting to wonder, “Am I paying too much attention to the screen?” “Is this supposed to enhance my sex with him or is it an alternative?” As you may have surmised I tend to over analyze situations so putting another person in the room can easily taint the experience for me. You wrote about your Starz, "In most cases my mission was successful and a real awareness of the person behind the facade was captured." Was there a particular answer that humanized one of your Starz? What was it? It varied from guy to guy. The top one was probably to just directly ask how their porn persona differed from who they were off-camera. Oftentimes the XXX man was an intensified aspect their core personality, sometimes it was simply their pure sexual selves, sometimes the aggressiveness involved was an about face from their usual shy self. Go figure - lots of the guys were quite shy. Other questions that helped reveal the person behind the penis was asking how or why they got into the business -- some did it to pay back college loans, some to pay child support, some wanted to be famous, some did it to overcome shyness, some did it to embrace their attractiveness after feeling less-than much of their lives, some did it to take their lover on a nice vacation, or to put a down payment on a condo. That was all quite fascinating and something one doesn’t typically consider when one thinks of porn star. It’s a matter of finding the correct angle to catch a glimpse of the person behind the façade. Who is the most famous person you've interviewed or met who is not a porn star? Lotsa folks – Tracey Ullmann, RuPaul, Oprah, Tab Hunter, Patti LaBelle, Sandra Bernhard, Gladys Knight, Clive Barker, Christina Crawford, Elvira, Anne Rice. But probably the most daunting for me was Andy Warhol. I mean, the man was disconcerting anyway – but I was completely awestruck because I worshipped the whole Factory era and phenomenon. On a different note I currently have a horror website www.racksandrazors.com and that has allowed me to connect with the whole independent horror film world. It’s such a cool universe and full of select roster of celebrities that I drool over periodically. Did an excised porn star really get angry at you for asking him about the size of his penis? Why? Oh that was so insane! I mean - I’m interviewing porn stars. It seemed a pertinent thing to put in a questionnaire. If I was interviewing the guy for a job at The Pottery Barn or WalMart then I could see throwing a hissy fit -- but if you’re a XXX star? Come on! The most established of your Starz is... Zak Spears? I don’t know if he’s the most established – but woof! What more can I say about the man? Zak is so damn sexy and yet simultaneously so adorably humble. He’s a complete God but he doesn’t realize it. His innocence in regards to that fact makes him even hotter – a true Teddy Bear with the best voice. The newest new comer of your Starz is...Michael Soldier? As I alluded to earlier (or actually blatantly said), Michael is my crush. Seriously, I adored him and he is absolutely boyfriend material. Smart, funny, sexy – and he radiates a wonderful enthusiasm and love of life. That’s such an attractive quality, especially in this sometimes-cynical world. I just heard from him last week. Sigh! He’s doing a horror movie now called ‘Gay B&B of Horror’. Which Starz' answer to a question surprised you the most? Hmmm – there were several things. The two things that haunt me were sex with a dog and fantasizing about sex with Queen Elizabeth II. Actually I find the latter to be the most mind boggling. I mean that seems to go beyond the realm of kinky. Perhaps Jason was pulling my leg. Steve O'Donnell surprised me. "If you like porn," he says, "buy it. Or it won't be around much longer. I promise." Any thoughts on that? Well, the entire DVD industry (porn and on-porn) is up in arms about the whole pirating of materials issue. Every movie nowadays is preceded by the “If you copy this you’ll go straight to the fiery bowels of hell” announcement. It’s a very real revenue problem that a lot of studios share. And trust me when you hit them in the wallets they scream - loudly! However, I also think that porn itself will survive – but maybe it will thrive in a different form. The Internet has probably hurt the XXX industry more than the pirating of tapes. If anything the effect on the industry is we may see fewer DVD releases, more amateur work, fewer polished productions, and fewer studios. What was Tag Adams like to interview? I had no idea he was Chet Roberts, Billy from Billy's Tale. He was sweet and funny, cute as a butt-on. He lost his virginity to a plastic banana! It cracked me up when he said that the banana is still there in the entryway of his mother’s house and he sees it whenever he goes home. Oh the uses of plastic fruit! Tag returned to XXX with a new attitude (hence the new name) and with a greater attitude of enjoyment than he had the first time around. I noticed a lot of the Starz didn't want to mention their age. Did you consider dropping the birth date question entirely? No because even if they didn’t mention the year they would usually mention the date and sign and that provided a wonderful segue into asking how they were a typical Aries or Scorpio or Leo or whatever. Asking about horoscopes is a bit 70s of me – but it is also a wonderful Rorschach Test for folks. It’s fascinating to see what traits they select as indicative of themselves. People have a much easier time defining themselves if they are choosing from a list and most folks know the reputed tendencies of their sign. You've written your own erotica; what story did you write that got you the hottest? Oh my Gosh…I’ve done things for Inches, Mandate, Playguy, and a few anthologies here and there, and lots more. Actually I wrote a story called THE LAYOVER about a HOT three-way and “first gay experience” at a bus station tearoom. Some of my erotica is on the site www.savagelust.com and some of it you’ll just have to sleuth out. Is there anything about Starz that you'd like to add? Just that I hope people approach this book with a sense of fun. The feedback has mostly been that’s compulsive reading. I’ll take that! I wanted to show these men are more than celluloid fantasies. They are real people with lives and dreams and careers and families. Hopefully in doing that it would end a bit of the judgment that goes in regarding “that sort of guy”. There is no “that sort of guy”. I also wanted the men themselves to share some insights about the business, their expertise about sexuality – give us some tips on how to drive a man wild, secrets of seduction, etc. Hopefully the anecdotes and the insights and all the info combined to make this book worthwhile. It’s very heartwarming and encouraging to already have a contract for MORE STARZ as well. More Self-Indulgence! Even More Pix & Stuff Massage Flannery -- Petraits Racks and Razors Italy Blog