For me, over the years doing work in the porn business as well as standup comedy, there was this sweet spot in the Venn diagram where the two entertainment fields would collide. I ended up procuring talent and networking performers from one side to the other. (Helping standup comics to host the AVN awards shows, for example, or hooking up porn stars with mainstream productions.)
One of my favorite things was to bring adult stars to The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. (Porn people, in turn, seemed rather impressed with my access.) I had friends that worked there, so I had pretty great access. It all started because my good friend Jim Norton was kind enough to bring me backstage and introduce me to their wonderful staff. Whenever a celebrity mentioned how much they love porn, my Tonight Show contacts would notify me to fetch some porn DVDs for the stars. At times, I’d get to meet them, and most importantly receive fantastic access to the green room. I got to see what the public don’t see, and how show business actually works behind those closed green doors. For me, it was Show Business 101, and I am ever grateful to Jim Norton and my friends at the show.
I met so many funny, talented, accomplished performers, out-of-this-world beauties, and powerful people. I saw Senator Obama the first time he showed up as a guest. At the time, he was still an obscure politician from Chicago, and I attended this particular taping mainly to see Maggie Gyllenhaal (I heard she’s got a great ass) and also to meet Home Alone 2 star (and future U.S. President) Trump.
My coworker Lissa had asked me to get an autographed photo of the Jonas Brothers for her young daughter. So, I got permission to visit the Tonight Show then waited behind the green door for the Jonas Brothers’ PR lady. She saw me, took the autograph and walked into the green room. Returning a few minutes later, she tried to hand me the autograph, and that’s when Donald Trump walked by and grabbed the picture away from me.
Trump: “What’s this?”
PR lady (pointing at me): “Oh, hi, Mr. Trump. He’s here to get an autograph from the Jonas Brothers for his co-worker’s daughter.”
Trump: “Oh, you’re a very nice person.”
He gave me the picture followed by a quick handshake. Which was shocking, because I’ve heard he doesn’t like to shake hands. That’s probably how he got infected by Covid-2009… lol.
Ultimately, after Jay Leno had to forfeit The Tonight Show to Jimmy Fallon, my access to the show biz juggernaut ended. That seven-year stretch was one of my favorite periods of my life. When Porn Valley and Hollywood collided, launching me to the stars!
