"Interviewing gay porn stars is often like eavesdropping on porn star therapy sessions," revealed Owen Keehnen, author of four books of interviews with gay adult film stars, including the recently released Rising Starz. "My interviews aren't all "What was it liked to get boned by so-and-so over a rain barrel? Sure, I ask a lot of that stuff, but I also want to know how it affects their lives, how it affects dating, and their relationships with their families," said Keehnen, 50, a licensed massage therapist for Spacio Spa in Lincoln Park. "I think I try to get into their heads a bit more than some of the other interviews you see online, and I think the guys find it refreshing as well."
Windy City Times turned the rain barrel around on Keehnen, in a manner of speaking, and queried him on the gay-for-pay phenom, getting turned on during interviews and the one question he never asks a gay porn star.
Windy City Times: Do you ever get physically turned on while interviewing a porn star?
Owen Keehnen: Oh, yeah. Usually, it's something that suddenly makes them infinitely real [ that turns me on. ] I also love a smart porn star. Conner Habib got to me by uttering the magic words 'I used to teach English at two universities and now I do porn.' Marcus Ram was another dream come true—a great guy. Tony Buff is simply one of the hottest and most charismatic guys ever to do porn. Cover guy Logan McCree is one of the most sexual beings I've ever met. I was really happy because each of these interviews reveal the man [ behind the image. ] The humanization of the icon was my objective. I hope it's half as much fun to read as it was to research.
WCT: Do people assume you are addicted to porn, Owen?
Owen Keehnen: Oh, I'm sure people assume it. They'll think what they think. "Addicted" may be a bit strong. I have a good appetite for it, I'll put it that way. On some levels I'm a big voyeur, and yet on other levels I'm a big old participant. [ Laughs ] As for being the author of the Starz books, I am not all that embarrassed by it. If I was, I wouldn't use my real name. Yeah, I see it as hot, but I also see porn as a huge part of gay history. Whether we care to recognize it or not—porn has been a huge factor in our identity. The influence is undeniable. Porn stars were, and are, icons. I love chronicling LGBTQ history, and as far as interviews go, these guys definitely have a story to tell.
WCT: What is the one thing you've learned about the typical gay adult film star that might surprise people?
Owen Keehnen: The first thing you learn about the typical porn star is that there is no such thing as a typical porn star. Their reasons for getting into it vary, what they get out of it varies, and how it affects their life varies. There are some similarities—but no concrete universal truths. I've learned so many things [ from the interviews ] —the amount of time it takes to film a scene; the predominance of fake or forced cum shots; how positions that look great on film are almost unbearable to hold for any length of time, and these guys are often holding them for hours. It's the editing that [ really ] makes a scene. Most of the guys don't even consider making porn as having sex because of the stop-and-go nature of it.
WCT: What is the strangest thing that has ever occurred during a Q&A with a gay adult film star?
Owen Keehnen: I've sat down with a couple guys who were so tweaked out of their minds that I was speechless. Then, they were paranoid the next time I talked to them. Then, they didn't want to be in the book, and then the next day they begged to be in it, and then changed their mind again. Ugh! That's happened at least once with every book. There are some drugs, but these are also for the most part young, beautiful guys, so there's bound to be some of that. It is also very much the exception rather than the rule. Those guys don't last long. Porn companies are too much of a business anymore. Drugs are bad business. They won't tolerate much of that shit.
WCT: How did you come up with idea for writing the Starz series?
Owen Keehnen: When I was working at Unabridged Books, I had several people ask me for books about porn stars. There were a couple bios—the Joey Stefano book and The Casey Donovan book—but nothing that sort of talked more about current guys doing gay adult films. So, I thought, well, I'd done interviews for years—mainly with LGBTQ literary and political folks—so I figured why not? I wrote a proposal that night and pitched it to two publishers and both said yes right away. I went with StarBooks.
WCT: What separates Rising Starz from all the other Q&A's you've done?
Owen Keehnen: With this volume, I wanted to focus more on guys who were newbies and just getting into the "jizz biz," hence the title Rising Starz. Of course, when you use an adjective like "rising" to describe gay porn stars, it can be pretty inclusive.
WCT: What is the one question you would never ask a gay porn star?
Owen Keehnen: For the first Starz book, I asked about dick size and had two guys get furious with me. I didn't think it was offensive. I mean, come on— you make porn—isn't it sort of a matter of public record? Still, that experience sort of freaked me out, and now I never ask that question. Sometimes it's offered, but I never ask.
WCT: Talk about the whole gay-for-pay phenomenon. Do you believe these performers are generally really straight?
Owen Keehnen: From what the guys tell me, a lot of gay porn stars despise working with gay-for-pay guys. Who wants to "service the straight guy" and try to have sex with someone who doesn't want to have sex with you? There's a fantasy element to it for a lot of people, but the act itself is usually not quite so sexy. I know gay porn pays a lot better for guys than straight porn. That said, if a guy is really straight and is okay with having gay sex and can be enthusiastic about it—that's great. However, if they can't be professional and spend their time making sure everyone knows they're straight and are only having sex for the money, and can only be turned on if you can give them straight porn to watch between takes, then I sort of think of that as being a shitty lay. I mean come on—you're paid to have sex for the camera, so do it and shut up or step aside for someone who will be genuinely happy ( if not thrilled ) to have sex with these guys.
WCT: If a guy was considering entering the business, what advice would you give them, based on what you've learned though your interviews, Owen?
Owen Keehnen: Start working out seriously. Do a lot of cardio—typically you are going to want to be lean. It films much better. When you think you look fantastic hire a good, professional photographer to take photos. Don't send something off your phone, for God's sake. Approach it like you would a job. Sure, there are different qualifications, but if you expect to be treated professionally then you have to act professionally within the guidelines of the adult movie business. Bottom line— it is a business and you are a product, treat it as such and make sure you package and promote the best version of yourself that you can. Also, it helps for people to have rules from the start for themselves. I will do this but not that. I will do water sports but I won't do scat, or I will have anal, but always with a condom. Make those rules for yourself and stick to them. Just because it's porn, it doesn't mean you have to hand over your integrity.
WCT: You recently published a horror title, Doorway Unto Darkness. How are the topics of porn and horror similar for you as a writer?
Owen Keehnen: For me, they're very different. For me, the fiction and non-fiction process is night and day, left brain and right brain. Fiction is all creative, and the Starz books are more clerical. 'Doorway Unto Darkness' entailed getting the concept, evolving it, deepening it, tweaking the language, rewriting, etc. With non-fiction, I approach it very left brain. Who shall I ask for an interview? Are these questions good for this particular guy? Am I accurate in transcribing? Who gets photo credit? It's very much a matter of organization. The biggest similarity between the books is that both came out in April.
WCT: How has the gay adult film industry changed and evolved since you published the first volume in the series, Starz? What do you see as the future for this industry?
Owen Keehnen: Oh, it's become an even bigger business, and now it is a big business that is under siege on several fronts. A lot fewer films are being made, so it is much more competitive, both between the guys, as well as between companies. As a way of a screen test, the guys are coming from online sites much more often—and that's where a lot of them are making a name for themselves and a lot know how to market themselves. They are much more entrepreneurial than the previous generation of gay adult film stars. As for the future of the industry, I have no idea what it will hold. DVD can be a tough sell right now, but I imagine this whole 3-D craze could be a shot in the arm and make porn very interesting.
