The Adventures of Mr NYC

Robin Byrd Bangs Again!

Damn, never though I'd see this: there's an upcoming HBO documentary about naughty NYC late-night cable TV host Robin Byrd who ran her stripper/adult star-filled show from the late 1970s to the late 1990s.

And it's called, haha, Bang My Box.

Robin was an "Only in New York" type, a former adult star who appeared in Debbie Does Dallas and who, along with Al Goldstein, brought "the sexy" and scandalous to NYC week-after-week in those pre-Internet/social media days. I remember watching Robin regularly during my high school years (and then in repeats for years afterwards) and she was truly a, uh, needed night cap.

I've blogged about Robin over the years, including back in 2009! And I interviewed former Robin Byrd guest, former adult star Hyapatia Lee, back in 2019. And now ... mainstream culture has caught up with Mr NYC, giving us this documentary about this NYC icon (believe it or not, it's produced by Sarah Jessica Parker), and proving, yet again, that Mr NYC is Ahead of His Time.

I'm looking forward to seeing this doc and also feel, quite smugly, that I recognized Robin's cultural significance much earlier than anyone else! 

Postscript: Robin's show ended in April, 1999, just weeks before I graduated from college and two years before 9/11. It felt like, feels like, the end of old NYC and my childhood. Le sigh. 

Funky Town Redux

Over the years I've blogged a lot about how 1970's and '80s NYC was Funky Town. 

And Funky Town was a big, wild place! 

Here are some more examples of that time, that seems so far away and yet is right around (literally) the corner:

Back in those days trade school commercials were all over NYC television, like these for the Albert Merrill School and Apex Tech (that lovely set of tools is yours to keep after you graduate).

Then there's movies. A lot of great movies were shot on the streets of NYC back then -- The Godfather, Taxi Driver, Annie Hall, and Saturday Night Fever, just to name a few. As you might imagine, shooting them on location could be a challenge. Recently I read about the making of the 1974 original movie The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3. You gotta love it -- it's an action movie that stars Walter Matthau and Jerry Stiller! It's a great NYC movie that mostly takes place on the subway movie but it was a tough movie to shoot in the fall of 1973 -- as this article points out. 

Talking about NYC movies of the 1970s, recently I was on the East Side and walked by The Copinette restaurant that has a plaque outside, commenterating its appearance in the 1971 Oscar Best Picture winner The French Connection.

And of course, there's The Sexy. 

Before AIDS closed them down, sex clubs were prominent around town. Here's previous Mr NYC interviewee and former adult film star Hyapatia Lee talking about her visits to Plato's Retreat and The Hellfire Club and the wild, sexy times she had in this town.

And talking about sexy clubs, one night in 1975 a young songwriter named Van McCoy went to the Apple's Apple nightclub and saw people dancing in an interesting way. He therefore decided to write a song called "The Hustle" and it became one of the most famous, beloved, and iconic disco songs of all time:

So there's just some more examples of Funky Town, a place long-gone but that will forever live in Mr NYC's heart. 

Classic Mr NYC

Well, well, well, Mr NYC really is ... well, maybe not exactly prophetic than certainly perspicacious. 

In the early days of this blog I wrote about the early 1950's NYC Mayor Vincent Impelliteri -- perhaps the city's most forgotten 20th century chief executive. Well, a man named George Arzt, a lifelong city government journalist and staffer, actually knew "Impy" back in the day. Arzt is retirning after 60 years working in and around city government and he's given a great exit interivew that you can read here. 

And then here's another interview you can listen two between podcaster/comedian Billy Procida and adult film star Sonia Harcourt -- where they talk about polyamory and  swinging and all sorta of sexy stuff. I interviewed both Billy and Sonia several years ago so it's great to here two previous Mr NYC interviewees talk to each other ... and apparently that's not all they did! 

Enjoy!

Remembering Vanessa Del Rio, NYC's Greatest Adult Star

In the wild heyday of the NYC adult film scene of the 1970s and '80s, no star shone brighter than that of Vanessa Del Rio's. 

She was the Judy Garland, the Barbra Streisand, the Meryl Streep of that time and place -- quite simply, the best. She was famous and iconic in her time and remains so almost 40 years since she quit the business.

Born and raised in Harlem, Vanessa was the quintessential New Yorker -- and a striking contrast to most of the adult performers of her time and after. She was Latina, curvy, tough talking, odd-looking -- and a stunning, gorgeous ball of fire. From 1974 to 1986 she made roughly 80 movies, many of her as the star. And her various co-stars -- both male and female, and including some of the biggest names of the time -- were both the most fortunate of pepole as well as her helpless prey, so insatiable were her performances. She was amazing!

In the decades since she left the business, Vanessa has popped up here and there. She appeared on NYPD Blue and also had an entire Taschen book made about her. She's on social media and appreciates her fans. Now in her 70s, she lives quietly (I believe on Staten Island) and lives a fairly quiet life. But her legacy will never be quiet -- it will rage on forever.

The Saga of the Ansonia: NYC's Most Notorious Building

If a building could be called a Drama Queen, then NYC's most drama-filled building is the Ansonia on West 73rd-74th street and Broadway. 

I've blogged about it a few times over the years -- and, again, did so long before many others, being ahead of my time!

It was built in the 19th-century by a copper heir named W.E.D Stokes who wanted to make it an urban Utopia -- a place where its residents could retreat from city's nuttiness and enter into a world of peace and happiness. It had sound-proof walls so that families could live quietly, and Stokes even had the idea of a roof-top farm (he was well-ahead of his time).

But soon the Ansonia became a den of inequity, with its rich tenants using its sound-proof apartments for parties and affairs. The Continental Baths opened in the basement, becoming a gathering for gay men. And it's also where Plato's Retreat existed for many years, NYC's most famous swingers club.

It's where the 1992 movies Single White Female was set (I've blogged about that too).

But it's not only sex and psychos that made the Ansonia drama filled -- from Day 1 it was a money-pit, Stokes's creation driving him into poverty. And it is the most litigated building in NYC history, with lawsuits flying between tenants and owners for decades. 

The Ansonia is, of course, the inspiration for the fictional Arconia in Only Murders in the Building (although it's not filmed there). 

Yes, the Ansonia is so drama-filled that it's had podcasts and videos made about it (see below). It's quite a saga!

Remembering Sleazy NYC

Currently I'm really into looking at ads and newstories from 19070s NYC. I promise I won't post too many of these but I couldn't resist sharing some ads/news stories from back in the city's sleazy heyday. What a different time, what a different NYC it was! Some much more fun but also, let's face it, kinda gross. Enjoy! Or don't ...

Why NYC is Sexy

Interview: Lisa Cintrice Gets Back In Front of the Camera

In the early 1980s Lisa Cintrice blazed a short, memorable trail in the NYC adult movie business. She worked with Jamie Gillis, Bambi Woods, and other big stars of the time, partied and rocked'n'rolled in nightclubs and swinger clubs, and lived a fun, wild life -- before getting clean, getting out the business, and living a more healthy, normal life.

Lisa's gone on to have a great career as a CPA and great kids. And she was kind enough, in 2021, to give Mr NYC two interviews -- one about her life and career, another about her family's relationship with old school mob guys.

But that's the past. Lisa's living her best life in the present and looking towards the future. And she's still sexy! In fact, she has gotten back in front of the camera for the first time in over 40 years. Recently Lisa did a photoshoot with an erotic model/photographer named Cerise, and I'm honored that this legend of the NYC adult business is giving Mr NYC her first interview about her return to the camera -- and what might come next! 

How did this photoshoot come about and what made you want to do it?

I did it for a couple of reasons. One being that I have been posting a lot of photos from my past, and I wanted more recent photos to post. I am proud of my body. As you know I work out a lot and I wanted to see if I can still be sexy and model at 62. As far as Cerise I saw her on X and found her unique and attractive and after speaking with her and getting to know her I found her to be a good fit for this shoot. I asked her if she was interested, she said yes and we set it all up to shoot in Texas.

What was the theme or idea for the photoshoot, what were you and the photographer hoping to achieve?

I honestly had no idea what we were going to shoot. I wanted it to be sexy sensual and relations. As we went through the process it was clear nudity was not required to achieve that goal. Next photoshoot might be different. I did get a good response from my fans. That does not mean I won't be more provocative later on.

What were some of the poses you did and kinds of pictures you took?

We did a variety of shots trying to convey sexuality and attraction with myself and Cerise and maybe a little mystery. We tried various poses and shared the best ones.

How did it feel doing this kind of adult work after so many years?

I was very nervous and anxious and excited also a little scared considering my age and how long it's been since I did a photo shoot. But once we started it came back pretty quick. Between the photographer and Cerise I was comfortable with it. But I will say it's definitely hard work.

Do you think you'll do this kind of thing again in the future?

I will absolutely do this again I am already thinking about the next shoot because of the positive response I got from my fans with this shoot. Who knows it might even be more salacious depending on the vibe.

Anything else you want to tell us about this photoshoot?

My time in the industry was short and I wanted fresh pics. I am also launching a website to promote my tax business and also my porn star wedding officiating by a porn star business. Of course I will sell autographed photos and have an interactive blog. So I plan on doing fresh shoots a few times a year. I want people to know what I look like now instead of only seeing pics of me at 18.

Thanks Lisa, all the best in the future! And Lisa was kind enough to send us some of the photos which you can see here:

Classic Mr NYC

Five years ago, on New Year's Eve 2019, I did a big interview with former adult film start, and current Native American activist, Hyapatia Lee. She talked freely about her amazing life and career, including about the times she visited NYC and appeared on the Robin Byrd Show.

Well, Hyapatia also has a great YouTube channel and, in her most recent post, she talks more about her time in NYC, her visits to Robin's show, and her experiences in the business. Enjoy! Love you Hyapatia!

And, again, Mr NYC is ahead of his time!

Remembering Terri Hall, NYC's Most Exotic Multi-hyphenate

In showbusiness there are lots of people called "multihyphenates" i.e. people who practice more than one craft. Examples: writer-director, director-producer, actor-wrestling star, actress-lifestyle entrepreneur, etc. 

I consider myself a bit of a multiphenate too but the late Terri Hall might be NYC's most exotic and interesting one.

Born in 1953 and originally from upstate New York, Terri came to NYC in high school to train as a ballerina. She had some success, dancing for companies such as American Ballet Theatre (like me) and, overseas, the Monte Carlo City Ballet and Stuttgart Ballet Company. She must have been a really good dancer because those were (and are) some of the top ballet companies in the world. But her ballet career was short -- it appears that drugs and mental illness might have contributed to that -- and by the age of 21 she was doing adult films.

But even in that notorious business, Terri had some success. For the next ten years she made many such films, including some "golden age classics" like The Opening of Misty Beethoven and The Story of Joanna. She worked with many of the top directors and performers of this time like the legendary (and legendarily well-endowed) John Holmes. 

Eventually Terri left the adult biz but didn't disapear from performing right away: she worked as a model for famous photographers, including for the even more notorious  and controversial Robert Mapplethorpe. The work she did for him and others was so noteworthy that it was even displayed at the Whitney Museum! 

Sadly Terri didn't live long -- eventually she left NYC, wound up in Pennsylvania, had various health problems, and apparently died in 2007. She would have only been 53/54 years old -- gone too soon. 

And yet she left her mark.

Even though Terri Hall wasn't some great beauty, her allure was undeniable. She just had that "thing." And how many us can say that we danced with top ballet companies, starred in some classic adult films with famous stars, and modeled for NYC's most famous photographer? That's an amazing legacy -- and an amazing multihyphenate one: a ballerina-adult star-photographer model. 

Only in NYC!

Classic Mr NYC

In 2018 I did a short review of the classic late 1970s adult film Debbie Does Dallas which, despite its title, was actually filmed in Brooklyn. It starred a woman named Bambi Woods who was catapulted to adult stardom by the film.

And in 2021 I interviewed the former adult star Lisa Cintrice who starred in Debbie Does Dallas 2 and had a scene in a bathtub with Ms Woods. After this, Bambi Woods vanished from the public eye, and in the forty-plus years since no one has been able to find her -- there have been rumors that she died in 1986, others that she moved and continues to live as a housewife in Iowa.

Either way, back in 1979, Bambi Woods was very much a star and she gave this short interview about the movie that had made her infamous. It's a moment in time when the adult films business in NYC was at the vanguard of popular culture -- a moment that, in retrospect, passed quickly.

Classic Mr NYC

A few years ago Mr NYC interviewed two people who were involved in the 1980s NYC adult film scene -- Barbara Nitke, an on-set photographer, and Lynn Paula Russel (a.k.a. Paula Meadows), an English actress who appeared in several films before returning to England and starting a successful career as an artist.

Both ladies worked, in their very different capacities, with a big adult star of the time named Siobhan Hunter. A gorgeous young woman with long brunette hair, she was a mysterious, alluring, and absolutely gorgeous creature of 1980s NYC adult cinema. She appeared in several films from 1984 until the early 1990s, working with all the big names of the era (men and women), and developed a huge fanbase.

And then ... she vanished.

The rumor is that she went to medical school in Mexico and became a pediatrician, living a quiet life far from her days -- in mind, body, and spirit --  from her time as a big NYC adult star. 

Recently there was a short bio of her Siobhan posted to Youtube. You can watch it below and also read my interviews with Barbara and Lynn here.  

If you're out there Siobhan, Mr NYC would love to interview you!

What's the Sexiest of All the Salted Cured Meats?

Love is in the air.

Travis and Taylor were amorous on the football field after last night's Super Bowl.

And in a couple of days it'll be Valentine's Day, where couples everywhere will celebrate their passion.

So this being NYC -- the sexiest city in the world with the best deli -- it's a good time to re-appreciate the fact that Seinfeld determined that pastrami is the most sensual, the most erotic, of all the salted cured meats.

I think corned beef runs a close second. 

But, really, bacon and -- hahaha -- sausage, should be considered the sexiest salted cured meats because they can be incorporated into breakfasts that can be served in bed. 

Please feel free let me know your thoughts in the comments! 

Sex and Not the City

As COVID wanes, and the Sex and the City sequel series gets ready to air, one hopes that New Yorkers are feeling frisky again.

But have you ever wondered -- and I never did until I read this article -- if having sex in NYC or any big city is somehow different than doing the deed in a more rural, less urban environment?

And I'm not talking about shtupping in public -- like in a back alley somewhere vs. out in some field in the countryside -- I'm talking about, as this lady relates, the difference between living and making love in an apartment or house with the sounds and lights of the city permeating through the walls and windows vs. the utter tranquility, isolation, and dead quiet of the country.

While the physical act remains the same, the mileau, the mindset, the emotional and psychological interaction is different. In NYC, all sex is almost by definition nervous sex but "in the trees" it's more calm, more subdued. 

Is it better? Is it worse? What do you think?

Horny minds want to know!

The Upper West Side: Sexy, Scary ... Suburban?

Yours truly has not yet seen the popular new show Only Murders in the Building that involves Steve Martin and Martin Short solving murders in an Upper West Side building with, of all people, Selena Gomez. But the show is a big hit and it's apparently created some interest in the popular neighborhood not seen since the days of You've Got Mail twenty-odd years ago. 

What's happened to the Upper West Sideis indicative of what's happened to NYC in general over the last fifty-something years: from hellscape to playground, from wild to, well, kinda boring.

This years marks the 50th anniversary of Panic in Needle Park, the movie Al Pacino made just before The Godfather. The brutal story about heroin addicts hanging out in Verdi Square on West 72nd street made the Upper West Side look like a village of the damned. This was on the heels of 1968's Rosemary's Baby where the Devil literally took over the body of a young housewife living in the Dakota, just down the block. A few years later came Taxi Driver, with Robert De Niro's crazed Travis Bickle turning into a horrific vigilanty -- and living and hanging out mostly on the Upper West Side. Then, in 1989, Pacino returned to the neighborhood in Sea of Love where he pursued a serial killer, Even the city's "hoity toity" lived in the squalor -- in 1990's Metropolitan the young Tom Townsend lived in the 'hood in genteel poverty -- in great contrast to his Upper East Side debutante friends.  

But forget the movies -- reality was just as scary and sexy. John Lennon was killed in front of the Dakota in 1980. The swinger's club Plato's Retreat was going full blast. I grew up in the area and remember the Upper West Side as a decaying but nonetheless fun neighborhood -- and it felt like a neighborhood, a community, a place unto its own.

This article from Town & Country nails the evolution of the Upper West Side, how it's gone from a place of wildness, a sexy and scary place, into a not terribly interesting suburb. Lots of chain stores, lots of high-end boutiques, lots of expensive restaurants, lots of new glass buildings. Now it's safe. It's "family friendy." It's dull. Don't get me wrong -- it's lovely, and a great place to live. But the Upper West Side of yore is, well, yored. All we have are the memories. 

Interview: Lisa Cintrice on Her Adventures in Early ‘80s NYC

Forty years ago, New York City was a very different place. Dirty, dangerous, crazy, and too much fun for anyone’s good, this city was a cauldron of depravity, culture, and craziness. You didn’t live in NYC back then, you survived it – and no one survived it or had more fun in it than Lisa Cintrice.

A great beauty from Long Island and Queens, Lisa endured a rough childhood and made it to NYC, falling quickly into the adult film and club scene. She lived in the heart of Funky Town, a sexy and wild Bohemia, a time and place that has become mythic – although, as she makes clear, it came at a price.

Eventually, Lisa moved away and changed her life.

Lisa was kind enough to answer some questions about her life in early 1980s NYC, and she has some wild stories! She tells us about her early life, a memorable stunt she pulled off in Times Square, a unique record she holds, why she eventually left NYC – and also gives us the best advice about what all of us should do to get a great workout.

Briefly, tell us about your life. Who is Lisa Cintrice?

So Lisa Cintrice was an 18-year old adult actress who worked on 9 adult films and got a lot of publicity from how I got out of the army. I led a sheltered life as Lisa Vanasco and I ended up living the high life in NYC as a young adult actress known as Lisa Cintrice.

In 1981, still a very young woman, you enlisted in the Army but then, before shipping off, managed to get out of it in a way that literally made headlines - and got you TV. It’s a great “Only in New York” story. Even though I’m sure you’ve told it many times, please do share it here if you don’t mind.

So when I was 16 my dad went to federal prison and I got pregnant and married a man that was 26. I was very sheltered and naive. He became abusive very quickly so I left when I was 17.

At that point I had no direction in my life so I joined the army. I had 10 months before I shipped out. My husband's sister knew what happened, actually, she saw him punch me and pulled him off me. 

She asked if she could photograph me to send to her friend who worked with Oui magazine. I ended up getting a layout in Oui, and Peter Wolf took me under his wing and I ended up doing an adult film.

I went to my recruiter to tell him I was doing porn and wanted out of the army. I was told I had to go and I was also told not to link the army to my porn career.

Well, once I told Peter what the army said, he came up with an idea to get me out. Peter Wolf and Richard Milner did a press release where I was going to strip out of an army uniform in front of the army recruiting station in Times Square so that’s what I did.

I also was in every newspaper and magazine in NYC. I was going to be discharged but then I went on the Tom Snyder show. After Tom Snyder the army said if I stopped doing talk shows I would get a general discharge that turned honorable so I got out.

Truly, “Only in New York!” What was early 1980s NYC like for you? Did you find it scary, exciting, both?

I grew up in Queens and Levittown so the city was fascinating to me. I went to the city to shoot the Oui layout and literally never went home.

I ended up moving in with Tiffany Clark, Fred Lincoln, and Jean Silver. It was one big party to me intertwined with filming adult films. I honestly don't know how I survived.

Keep in mind I had just turned 18. Clubbing, coke, dancing at the Melody Burlesque, hanging out at Bernard’s which was across the street. Partied at Studio 54 and other clubs I don’t even remember. I had no fear. I would walk all over the city at all hours of the night not even thinking maybe it wasn't safe to be out alone at 3 AM.

I would end up in gossip columns because I was always taking my clothes off in clubs. Also spent a lot of time at Plato’s Retreat and the Hellfire Club which was an on-premise S&M club.

Those were the days!

Sounds like fun! I’m curious about two movies you made at that time: Mascara, about as NYC as any movie gets (it even has scenes on the subway), and Debbie Does Dallas 2 (a sequel to one of the most famous adult films ever). What are your memories of making those films?

I don’t remember much about Mascara. I remember I worked with Ken Yontz. He was Seka’s ex. I remember Lee Carroll and Tiffany Clark were in it. I haven't watched that one.

However, I do remember Debbie Does Dallas 2. I actually watched one scene and I will get to that.

So Bambi Woods clearly was only doing the film ‘cuz she needed money so it was obvious she didn't want to be there. I did a scene with her in a bath tub and Jean Silver and I bathed her with penis shaped glycerine soap so just imagine what we did with that soap LOL! I got the vibe that Bambi hated every minute of it.

I also had a scene with Ron Jeremy where I was supposed to give him a blow job. I told him I was going to deep throat him and he said not to do that because it was not possible and my teeth my hurt him.

Well, telling me I can’t do something is a sure way for me to do it. So I did it and that blowjob ended up in the book Only the Best by Jim Holliday which rates the best scenes in adult film. I was number 4 of the 5 best blowjobs. Number 5 was Marilyn Chambers and Ron Jeremy.

Now that is a very cool record to have! What made you move out of NYC?

I left NYC to tour with one of my movies and I was doing a lot of coke back then. I had a moment of clarity and chose to not go back to NY because I felt like it was too easy to score coke in NYC. I cut all contact with everybody I knew. I got sober, went to college, got married. I have grown kids, and I reconnected with my old crew a few months ago.

Was is hard leaving the city and the business?

It was hard at first because I didn't have job skills and I didn't want to call my family till I got my shit together which I did. Got sober, went to college, got married, had kids, and life is good.

It was difficult because of the publicity about the army and porn. The only time in my life that I was fired was from a bartending job where someone saw me in Debbie Does Dallas 2. I kept that part of my life private until recently when I finally felt ok to talk about it.

Do you ever visit the city and, if so, what do you think of NYC today? Do you miss anything about it? 

My dad died in 2016 but even though my dad moved to Los Angeles he kept a place in NY so I would go back every so often and see friends and family. I miss New York food the most.

You have a great Twitter account where you mostly chronicle your physical fitness regime. As someone who needs to get in shape, how do you get and stay motivated to exercise regularly – and what do you think makes for a great workout?

I have been lifting weights since I was 19 and I am 58 now. I posted my workouts to keep me accountable and, if it motivates someone, that's even better.

One thing about working out is the adrenaline you feel when your done training. I am addicted to how good I feel after. That feeling motivates me. I plan my workouts a week in advance so I don’t even have to figure out what I am going to do, it’s all on a list  I have good and bad days at the gym. Some days I am stronger than others.

You know you had a good workout when you feel energized. What I tell friends who want to be active is do it for 90 days and stick to the goals you choose. After 90 days it will become like brushing your teeth it will be habit. Think of it this way: there are 24 hours in a day so anyone can spare even 30 minutes to take a daily walk. Start slow and do what you like.

I love running, my husband swims, some friends bike. Do what you like so you look forward to working out. I need to follow this advice!

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about Lisa Cintrice?

I am finally at a place where can embrace my past and my future. I outed myself to most of my friends that had no idea. I have no regrets. I lived an interesting life, and if no one likes it then, oh well, life goes on.

Back in 1981 there were only about 200 people who did adult films. Now it’s really evolved where anybody can be a webcam girl. I am glad it’s getting to be more accepted. 

Lisa, you will always be accepted! Congratulations on surving so much so well, having so much fun, and creating a great life for yourself. You are truly an inspiration.

Thanks so much for talking to Mr NYC!

Melanie Safka: Astoria, Woodstock, & "Boogie Nights"

Astoria-native Melanie Safka is one of those under-the-radar singer-songwriters whose name you don't readily remember but whose songs you know -- especially her 1972 hit "Brand New Key."

Yet three years before that big success, Melanie played Woodstock, one of only three female solo acts to perform (the others were Janie Joplin and Joan Baez -- great company). 

Melanie didn't die young like Joplin or have quite as colorful a life as Baez -- she just wrote and performed great songs, and continues to do so to this day. 

"Brand New Key" appeared in a VERY MEMORABLE NSFW scene in the 1997 movie Boogie Nights -- and the song is even sexier than the scene, truly, the the most sexy song of all time. 

Amorous NYC

As New York City emerges from its long pandemic night of the soul, people are returning to the city streets and going to parties, congregating en masse, doing that which is usually normal but, for much of the last year, became abnormal.

And, uh, they're doing so in interesting ways.

If this story it to be believed, apparently New Yorkers are engaging in hardcore post-COVID PDA i.e. they're making out in public here, there, and everywhere, hither and thither as it 'twere. Oh yes, wherever you go, East Side, West Side, people are suckin' face on the sidewalks of New York!

But that's quaint compared to what's going on behind closed doors.

Apparently, orgies have returned -- particularly in Brooklyn and in other hip and trendy parts of NYC. The young and not-so-young are gettin' busy, reveling in each other's body parts and in a freedom that, for more than a year, was denied them. Oh yes, masks are not the only things being discarded! With presumably everyone vaccinated, people are have ditched social distancing with a vengeance.

Sounds like fun. And exhausting. 

But NYC has always been an amorous town, a place where freaks can freely get their freak-on.

This story about a woman named Eve Adams who lived more than 100 years ago and published lesbian literature and hosted a lesbian salon called Eve's Hangout was a wonderful, intriguing piece of NYC erotic history that, until now, I'd never known about. She was a real trailblazer, fully a century ahead of her time, someone who would be celebrated today. Sadly Eve Adam's life ended quite tragically in the Holocaust (long story), but she was and remains an inspiration.

This town ... we like our sexiness ... and our sexy people -- then, now, and forever.

Interview: Lynn Paula Russell, Legendary Artist and Performer - Sex, Learning, and Videotape

As an artist and performer whose main subject is erotica, it was perhaps inevitable that Lynn Paula Russell would move into adult films. She became not only an artist of lust but also its subject matter – the creator, muse, and work rolled up into one. A gorgeous, sexy, voracious woman, Lynn performed in several features during the twilight days of the NYC Golden Age of adult films.

Taking the nom de plume Paula Meadows, Lynn’s beauty and acting talent made her a stand-out in films like Fashion Fantasies, Oddest Couple, New York Vice, Young Nympho and others. Her scenes with partners like Nina Hartley, Joey Silvera, Siobhan Hunter, Tom Byron, and others burned up the screen.

In the last part of our interview, Lynn tells us about her time in the 1980s NYC adult business, as well as her memories of some of its most notable characters like the notorious Al Goldstein. She also tells us why she left the business and what she’s learned about herself – and life – since.

In the 1980s, you had a career in the adult film business and made some movies in NYC. What led you to make adult films and what are your memories of the adult film scene in NYC back then? Do you have any favorite movies that you did?

After that ‘burst-out’ I described earlier, when I started modelling, I had a strong presentiment that this was part of a bigger issue … but not only for me. You have to remember the general hypocrisy surrounding sex that still prevailed back in 70s London, despite all the attempts to shift it. In erotica, women were the focus of attention as objects of arousal, but they did not have a voice of their own. Now the wave of change was upon us, driving us on inexorably, and looking back I can see that I was responding to this cultural surge, as well as to my own inner imperatives. There was an irrepressible desire to explore further and my career took off in a new direction. Erotica was MY subject and I needed to follow it through, wherever it led, and express it all in my art.

The adult film scene in the early 80s in the USA was just at the point where it was moving away from the so called ‘Golden Age’ when films such as The Devil in Miss Jones were seriously attempting to explore interesting erotic themes, and a professional actress like Georgina Spelvin brought a degree of reality to what she did, and genuine enthusiasm. One felt that she had consciously chosen to do it, rather than just drifted into it through exploitation. In the 80s there still were a few directors who were able to express their ideas in X rated films, but now they were aware that the industry was beginning to demand a formulaic approach. Having to stick to a formula makes it very difficult for directors to be creative. But the team I worked for were still trying. I was very lucky.

You worked with directors like Henri Pachard and some of the biggest adult stars at the time -- Danielle Martin, Joey Silvera, Siobhan Hunter, Tom Byron, even the legendary Nina Hartley! What are your memories of working with them? Was it a fun time or just work?

We were like a sort of porn repertory company. The same people turned up in different films and we became like a family, because of course we had shared intimate moments together on film. Henri Pachard was a very humorous character and had an infectious twinkle in his eye. Yes, he did make the work fun. It was he who explained to me that he always chose themes that sprang directly from an erotic situation, rather than trying to fit sex scenes around a complicated sort of plot.

Viewers will always fast forward the scenes that consist of just acting – usually bad acting – to get to the sexy bits. So, he constructed scenarios around ladies of the night and the hidden side of society. But speaking of bad acting – this wasn’t always the case in these films. I feel sure that Joey Silvera could have made his name in Hollywood movies. He was a very talented actor. Danielle had a delightful personality but seemed very young and vulnerable to me. She always brought her diminutive chihuahua with her at all times.

You mention Nina Hartley. I admired her a lot. She had deliberately chosen to make erotic films, as I had, and also spoke out enthusiastically where a pro-porn voice was needed. I too used to be interviewed on TV when I arrived home after my adventures in the US and sometimes had to hold my own with a disapproving feminist or member of a church group. Nina since devoted herself wholeheartedly to this work, but she was at the very beginning of her film career when I knew her. She took everything in her stride, and clearly enjoyed herself. We got along splendidly and became friends. I was intrigued when she told me about her ‘menage a trois.’ Having a husband and a wife seemed a very satisfactory arrangement if one happened to be bisexual, although marriage to one person can be complicated enough! I have kept in touch with her ever since.

You ask whether it was all fun – well, to begin with it was, probably mainly because I was enjoying exploring all my fantasies, but on my third visit, having to switch on the lust, regardless of how you felt, became onerous sometimes. Whenever something becomes repetitive, it begins to lose its spontaneity.

Is it true that you did an interview with the infamous Al Goldstein on his long-running show Midnight Blue? Tell us about that experience! 

Yes, that’s quite right, I did appear on Midnight Blue. I had met Al on one of his visits to London, in 1981. At that time, I knew nothing of his ‘infamous’ reputation and had never heard of Screw. The fact is, we really hit it off and became very good friends over the years. Later on I came to realize how abrasive and unpleasant he could be when rubbed up the wrong way, especially when haranguing certain people in his editorials, but from my perspective I always found him warm and affectionate – unbelievable though that may seem! I always joked with him that I would never let that secret out because it might destroy his reputation.

When you agreed to appear on Midnight Blue you took your life in your hands because you knew that Al was going to do his best to embarrass you by springing something on you out of the blue! He did not disappoint. I found myself reluctantly having to re-enact a scene from a video I made in London. When I looked at the tape afterwards I can see my hands shaking. But never mind – by Al’s standards I got off extremely lightly. However, it’s not something I would care to watch now. It seems a very distant memory, as if it happened in another lifetime. I look back on those years and am grateful for them, but would not care to revisit any of it. It was part of a journey that released creativity and brought new understanding. This would not be everyone’s way!

Al did not have a peaceful death, from what can be gathered, and I think he paid a heavy price for all the venom he directed at people. The fallout had to come, sooner or later, but it made me sad.

What eventually led you to leave adult films? Did you decide to dedicate yourself totally to your art? 

It was during my final stay in NYC that I woke up and realized with a start that I had strayed from my original plan. I had only ever intended to dip my toe in the water, and now here I was neglecting my art work. Sexuality was beginning to lose its power and it occurred to me that the drive was never intended to be used this way. Women can do damage to themselves by forcing their bodies to perform. I had to return home and reflect.

Further thoughts.

Going back over the 80s has certainly brought it all back. Perhaps I have left out some of the darker side of the experience in adult films. [AIDS] ... was beginning to be a fear, and I didn't mention drugs. I never touched drugs myself, but I was aware that some of the actors did. One of the girls I worked with said it was the only way she could get through the day. And as for exploitation of women, the only person I ever met from the porn industry who complained bitterly was a man – Harry Reems of Deep Throat fame. He had retired from the business when I met him but was still deeply disturbed by the way he had been treated.

… One shouldn't give a sugar coated impression, but I think when you enter any business with a positive attitude, it tends to reflect back what you put into it. I may have been rather naive when I set out on my adventure, but experience has now shown me things that have widened my perspective considerably. Having allowed myself to explore all that sexual freedom, I now know the dangers that really exist. Going against one's natural instincts for too long and completely separating sex from love does not lead to fulfilment but makes erotic activity meaningless and empty – this is what I found. But people must discover this for themselves. Porn can be extremely liberating for viewers to watch, when it is needed. I don't want people who see my films to think that I felt negative about it, because I certainly didn't. These were only the conclusions I came to much later on when I reflected on all the things I had done.

Debates and controversies around sexual harassment and sex worker rights are much in the news these days. As a woman who has had a successful career in male-dominated fields, I'm sure you've dealt with and had thoughts about these subjects. Would you care to share them with us?

In the last forty years or so relations between men and women have become extremely strained and there is a sort of war going on. I think this is a great shame. Strangely enough, I never resented the exploitation and rather blamed myself for going along with it. There were times when I wonder why I hadn’t simply said ‘No’. I wasn’t a Hollywood actress whose career depended on not offending the important guys. Or maybe I was just lucky – I wasn’t badly treated and worked with directors who treated me with some respect. I know there are many others who have quite different stories and my heart goes out to them. The developments we’ve seen lately were inevitable. If the power struggle can settle to a new equilibrium between men and women that will be wonderful, but it will take time for real understanding to grow. All the hate and resentment needs to be let out first before this can happen.

The youngsters today will find a new way.

Thank you Lynn for talking to Mr NYC. You’ve had an amazing life and we can’t wait to hear more from you some day. Best of luck!

You can visit Lynn Paul Russell’s website and an exhibition of her work at:

www.lynnpaularussell.org

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