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| How long until the Vatican is downloading Christian's work? |
Out of the blue, I heard from a very sweet guy with whom I'd worked on many teen-pop acts back in the day, all of whom would be recognizable to anyone in their early twenties today. Now going by "Christian Mitchell," my old buddy let me know almost immediately that he had just shot his first gay-porn film. It was kind of a shocker, considering he's worked successfully as a marketing executive for two decades and was making his debut at an age when most porn stars are no longer working, let alone just starting out.
"I've spent more than two decades making other people famous, so who could blame me for wanting to do it for myself...or at least for my own, self-created alter ego?"
But his enthusiasm for his new start was as infectious as the diseases for which he and all of his co-stars were tested before the first cavity was drilled, so I thought I would interview him to find out his thoughts on taking it off (and taking it) on camera. Fair warning: Some of your preconceived notions about Chris (who will be getting married not if but when Proposition 8 gets creamed by the Supreme) might be challenged...
Boy Culture: Have you always wanted to do porn?
Christian Mitchell: Ever since I was about eight years old. I snuck a peek at one of my uncle's Playboys and saw these celebrated images of beautiful women in hyper-stylized settings I knew were meant to be titillating. I was fascinated by what it must feel like to be so desirable and glamorized, yet clearly doing something society considered dirty and wrong...at the time.
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| The newcomer |
Fast forward to the 1990's. I saw Falcon's The Abduction. It encapsulated my burgeoning leather fetish but presented it in such a slick and vibrant way. I wanted to be one of the guys in that movie so bad. Back then I weighed 135 lbs. with a 28-inch waist. I knew I was way too skinny to be one of them.
BC: How did you choose your nom-de-porn?
CM: It's actually a variation of what my married name will be.
BC: Who are your favorite porn stars?
CM: Back then: Zak Spears, Trenton Comeaux, Tom Katt, Eric Evans and Robbie Cryston. Currently, I think: Samuel Colt, Landon Conrad, Trenton Ducati, Shay Michaels and Brian Davila, Derek Parker...they all just look so stunning. Actually, Zak today looks better than ever.
"I work out like crazy. If I didn't actually enjoy going to the gym, I'd be in big trouble."
BC: What made you decide to try it now? You look fantastic, but you're not 20; I wonder if your motivations are different from the motivations of youngsters.
CM: I was watching one of those little porn clips an online store makes to show off the toys they sell. I knew I could do a much better and more authentic job than that and decided I better go for it before I got too old. My physique was finally starting to look the way I wanted, too.
Also, my career path the last several years has been utterly porn-adjacent. My work brings me in frequent contact with guys in the adult business, so I knew a lot of people. My job now is such that I could pull off doing porn and not have it necessarily destroy all I've worked for.
I also work out at Gold's Gym in Hollywood, which is notorious for being the gym where all the porn guys go, so maybe some of it rubbed off there.
BC: Another thing you can catch in the gym...porno fever???
CM: I'm gym buddies with Derek Parker(left) and J.R. Bronson (below right) and really liked their work with Hot House, so I bit the bullet one night, snapped some halfway-decent self pics on my phone and went to apply online. It was a total disaster. I tried to do it using my iPad and it kept attaching the wrong photos to submit. I kept getting all these error screens when I tried to fix it. I think I was able to get the minimum number of shots attached and the whole iPad crashes when I hit the send button.
Then I tried to e-mail Hot House to explain and all those emails bounced. I just knew I'd totally blown it. Total nightmare.
It took me three days to get the courage to call Hot House and ask if I could re-apply. The guy I spoke with told me my application had already been reviewed by the production team. At that point I was getting nauseous. But then he said that it received favorable comments and that I should expect a call shortly. At that point, I was really ready to hurl.
BC: How did you find out they wanted you?
CM: Director Christian Owen e-mailed me later that day to tell me about the Club Inferno movie he might possibly want me to be in. He graciously offered to switch around production dates to avoid a work scheduling conflict I had.
Here's the thing...the role I was up for was part of a fisting scene. I told him I had some experience with that but I was by no means a fist pig like a lot of the guys he used before in his other movies. He indicated he was okay with that, so I told him if I was going to do it, I'd better start preparing physically and I'd do my best to be ready in time. I had less than three weeks! So in addition to hitting the gym like a fiend, I also had to get my butt in "fist-friendly" condition.
BC: Were you ready?
CM: When the big day came, I was prepared as much as I humanly could be. The only thing I could do now was bring my A-game and let the director take it from there.
BC: How do they handle STD testing?
CM: I voluntarily brought my recent results with me, along with two forms of photo ID.
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| Three-Way |
BC: So what was your first time like?
CM: This past Saturday, Hot House flew me up to San Francisco to shoot my first scene. The flight was two hours late, so I got picked up at SFO and taken directly to their studio, where everyone was sitting, waiting for me. BOOM! It was GO-time the minute I walked in the door. But I was blown away by how well-equipped, sophisticated and ginormous the studio was. Fully constructed sets, a full-on prop inventory, full-on wardrobe...it was like the gay-porn version of the 20th Century Fox lot. I absolutely loved it.
Shooting the scene was very hard, physical work. It's much more grueling and repetitive than meets the eye. You're put into awkwardly contortive—but photogenic—positions and asked to stay that way for literally hours. My shoot lasted about nine hours. I can honestly say I gave it everything I had. Christian seemed pleased, but I never was able to see how I was doing since I had my legs up in the air the whole damn time.
BC: Any issues performing, or are you a total show-off?
CM: Before we shot actual video, the studio has a still photographer take all the "glamour" photos of you and with your scene partner for use on the Web site, DVD box art, publicity photos and marketing/sales material. I was hoping I'd get to work with Joe Orso, whom I thought always made the Hot House men look so stunning in photos. I got my wish. But that just made my insecurity worse. Long story short: Joe made it so that even standing there butt-naked, I'd never felt more comfortable in front of a camera.
BC: So will you always be a bottom on screen? What are you in real life?
CM: I am a pushy bottom. But my motto is "do unto others," so I'm not opposed to topping a top so they understand the way I want to be topped.
BC: Was it different from your expectations?
CM: I've had a lot of experience in TV and film production. The Hot House set-up could have easily been for a commercial or music video. It's not done in cheap hotel rooms with Handycams. Everyone I've come in contact with so far has been incredibly nice and totally professional. It's the complete antithesis of mainstream Hollywood. Christian and Hot House treated me like a prince. It was just fantastic. The scene is very, very intense, though!
BC: Are there humorous moments, or is it always really serious?
CM: These men get the job done, but they have loads of fun doing it. It was a surprisingly comfortable environment, probably because everyone has to be comfortable with themselves in order to do it. Sure, tense moments do arise, but overall my shoot went smoothly. When it was time for me to get myself all clean inside so we could start the shoot, we were all joking about it. I was so excited I was even moaning and groaning when the cameras weren't rolling. They were like, "Uhhh, Christian, hold still while we take the still photos."
As a director, Christian Owen is very particular in what he wants, but never in a demanding way. But he also knows how to roll with the flow and be flexible when necessary.
"The only screaming on the set actually came came from me, mostly when it was time for Josh to push his hand deeper in."
BC: So Josh was your first co-star?
CM: The director chose Josh West [right] to be my first scene partner. He told me he chose him because he was good with first-timers, skilled at guiding me through and because he has a very big heart. How totally awesome is that? Oh, also because it was a fisting scene and Josh has small hands. I felt humbled and blessed.
BC: What's the movie about?
CM: It is a medical themed movie for Hot House's Club Inferno brand. I play a Marine out on leave who requires immediate assistance with a little medical problem.
BC: What turns you on in porn?
CM: Fetish-oriened movies. Anything authentic where hot, piggy, masculine men do nasty, creatively kinky things to each other.
BC: What are your limits?
CM: I've dodged a lot of buullets over the years, STD-wise, and now I have a fiancé to protect. Safe sex always. Fortunately, a lot of the kinkier stuff is actually some of the safest. I love bondage and getting tied up. I love roleplay. I'm a gear queer, so the gear must stay on durng sex. I love toys.
Scat has never been my thing. I also have no desire for twinks...especially those who appear to be underage.
BC: So you're anti-barebacking?
CM: I know guys who are passionate about it, and that's great for them. I have myself and the love of my life to protect, so I don't participate in it. It must have a glove or a condom on it, and all toys are new or properly cleaned.
BC: Would you say your private sex life is like a porno anyway?
CM: I am a nasty little piggy and so is my fiancé. I have yet to watch a porn move that matches our private sex life. I hope to one day be in a movie that actually does. Example: On our second date, my fiancé and I took turns mummifying each other in Saran wrap and giving each other oral. Good luck finding that on a DVD at Pleasure Chest.
BC: Some readers (even those who love porn) tend to be dismissive of it as a choice. Were you worried about any negative reactions, like, once you do porn you can't go back?
CM: Go back to what? Live forward! Over the years, I've learned to never look back, live life with no regrets and always count your blessings. Just three weeks ago, I was offered the chance to do something I've always wanted, but never thought I'd be lucky enough, to do. If I turned it down, I knew I'd be kicking myself later.
BC: There've been so many deaths and suicides in the gay-porn world. What would you say to a friend who pointed that out while trying to discourage you from working in the business?
CM: I did print modeling in magazines like Drummer and Bound & Gagged back in the day. I kind of got an early taste of what it was like. I purposely waited until I was mature and wise enough to know how to handle and avoid the issues that often come along with being in this line of work.
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| Sager/Mycles: R.I.P. |
But I personally knew Rob Sager/Brett Mycles. He was an amazing guy and losing him was tragic for me. The situation needs to be addressed. I'm not sure how, but it shouldn't be ignored.
BC: You've worked with so many celebrities...are you at all worried you'll be embarrassed if they find out?
CM: I told Carmen Electra and she thought it was awesome.
BC: What's been the most positive aspect so far?
CM: Getting to work with some of the nicest, most creative and most talented men I've ever met. And the fact that I get to show off my butt.
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