This Golden Age of Porn Has a Depressing Downside

Don’t pretend you don’t know who Jesse Jane is. If you weren’t illegally downloading her scenes on Kazaa or buying her award-winning 2005 porn flick, Pirates, then you’re not… me.

Depending on who you ask, we’ve been living in the golden age of porn since the invention of porn. In 2018, porn consumers are as golden as we’ve ever been: ultra high-def, virtual reality, sex toys that look like honest-to-god disembodied genitalia. But for those making porn, the golden age ended with the rise of the internet and the decline of DVD sales.

At 38 years old, legendary adult actress Jane sits on the MILF side of the porn spectrum. She lives a quiet life with her family in Oklahoma. But even though she’s been officially retired since 2007, the world can’t forget Jesse Jane, and she can’t forget the life she left behind. We sat down with Jane to get an update on the state of the porn (still pretty great), cam girls (less great), and Jane’s lifelike new sex toy (really, really great).

GQ: When did you first break into the industry?

Jesse Jane: Fifteen fucking years ago. It was big, it was glamorous, it was crazy. I remember coming into it like, What the fuck did I sign myself into?

What’s different about filming porn now versus filming porn then?

There’s such a fucking difference. I got into porn right at the perfect time, when porn stars mattered. Porn stars back then, they were big, glamorous. You walked into a room, you turned heads. Everybody knew who you were because they actually had to buy your product or DVDs, everything. Porn was so naughty, but everybody watched it. Now, no one makes money like they did back then even with toy deals and appearances. Now all these cam girls say, “Yeah, I’m a porn star.” But they’re not.

Why’s that?

They do stuff like triple anal or gang bangs or shove baseballs in their asses. It’s totally different now. We never did that before. It’s become more about the shock value, instead of something sexy. The internet killed the business, and now the only people that get noticed are the people who go for shock value. So, three dicks in your ass or a baseball bat.

Ouch.

I mean, in my head, because I’m such a technical person, I’m like, “Why would you get off on a baseball bat?” I don’t get it. I’m trying to see the sensuality of it, I don’t get it. You know?

What kind of porn do you watch?

Really?

Yes.

Cool.

It’s kind of cool. But the thing is, I can’t get off to my friends. I can’t sit there and watch my friends getting some on camera.

I get that. I don’t even like seeing my friends shirtless. What’s one piece of advice for hopeful porn stars?

A lot of girls that try to get in are looking for extra money. They think, “I can get this money and nobody’s gonna know.” If you come into this industry hoping nobody’s gonna know, don’t do it. Somebody’s friend or coworker or cousin or who fucking knows—somebody’s gonna see the scene you did and tell somebody who knows you, or your family… and you’re fucked. Oh, also: If you’re getting into the industry and you’re a girl and you don’t like girls, please don’t do a girl-girl scene.

And how about for the girls who want people to find out and want to do boy-girl or girl-girl? .

Do all the free interviews, podcasts—whatever—because that’s how you’re gonna brand yourself and get your name out there. Especially if you’re new. Don’t listen to an agent bullying you ’cause they want a bigger cut—bullying you into a different scene that you’re not comfortable actually doing.

Speaking of branding, let’s talk about your new sex toy.

It’s crazy, right? They’ve made it so realistic. I was shooting the videos for it yesterday and they were laughing at me ’cause I couldn’t stop finger-fucking into it. What the fuck? I’m a girl. I’m not even a dude, so if I’m impressed as a girl, people will be impressed.

Was it, like… fun to make?

Getting your body parts molded is a very interesting process, to say the least. First you meet a complete stranger and say “Hi, nice to meet you,” and then get naked and spread your legs to get your vagina molded. So they make this solution: It’s like a gooey putty that then hardens as it molds into your body parts. They did my vagina first, and then they did my butt. You bend over doggy and they just pour it in you and you sit there for 30 min. Last is your mouth: You slightly open your mouth and you can’t move or breathe thru it, you have to breathe through your nose.

So, what’s next for you? Would you ever do porn again?

The adult industry is just not the same anymore. Don’t get me wrong—I still love porn—but the internet is slowly killing the industry, making it all about shock. I’m known for being crazy in my scenes, but I’m just not about what objects I can shove inside me, or how many dicks I can fit in my ass at the same time. I would work on a project-by-project basis, and if it was something sexy or something with my friends, I would absolutely love to. I miss it! I always had fun performing on camera. It’s great sex with great people and it always turned me on that people watched me.