Vicky Vette Will Rev Your Engine: The Fleshbot Interview

Vicky Vette is a true original. It's become a cliché to say that someone lives on the edge or takes a ton of chances in their work, but Vicky's track record does all the talking for her. Propelled into the adult world thanks to her victory in 2003's Hustler Beaver Hunt, Vicky was almost 40 when she embarked on this phase of her life and career. In 2006, she very boldly turned her back on the industry and struck out on her own with the website vickyathome.com, where she cut out the middle man between herself and her fans. This autonomous way of delivering content was somewhat of a new frontier eight years ago, and Vicky was at the forefront. Today her site is home to a huge number of women producing content as members of Vicky's "Vette Nation Army" or VNA. We recently sat down with this Norwegian beauty to discuss how she got her start, why she thrives on breaking new ground, and any advice she may have for those looking to follow her path to success.

Tucker Bankshot: When did you first become aware of the adult industry? Obviously you didn’t move into it as a profession until after you had several “mainstream” jobs, but when did you first become aware of it in general?

Vicky Vette: I always was aware of it. I was a nudist and swinger for a long time before getting into adult. I always loved watching the girl girl scenes in the 80's and 90's. Honestly the movies themselves were better back then in my opinion. They had a soft focus, they were sexy and sensual, they had just started shaving and having hairless pussies… the girls were more natural looking… ahhh the memories… lol..

Anyway, I would go to my office job and then experiment sexually at night.  I led a double life for a long time - the conservative office manager & sexual deviant.  I didn't really consider it as a career option until I sent in some amateur pictures to Hustler Beaver Hunt and ended up winning the yearly contest as announced in 2003. I was quickly asked to do other magazines and then a video wasn't a stretch..... and then my porn education was in fast forward. lol. 

TB: You got a later start in the industry than most women. Do you think that prepared you for the amount of adversity and adaptability you need to thrive in the industry? 

VV: Yep, I was 38 when I won the Hustler Beaver Hunt and already 39 by the time the winning photospread in the magazine came out. I am not sure anything completely prepares one for porn.  You think it's going to be one thing... and really isn't. It's very different from real sex.  I thought that being comfortable with sex and group scenes would prepare me more than most but boy... was I wrong.  

My first two days in porn I was asked to do a 2 DP's and then a double vag, which put me in the hospital on day 2. My first agent asked me if I was ok with DP's and I naively said "Sure, I have done that a few times at the swing club." But doing it in porn was completely different. If I had been younger, I might have quit then and there. I think being older, I took a step back... learned from my mistake and from then on did what I wanted on my terms, not because someone told me ''if you don't do it you will be blacklisted and no one will ever hire you again.

TB: As you mentioned earlier, you won the Hustler Beaver Hunt in 2003. What prompted you to enter the competition in the first place?

VV: I just wanted to be a little crazy… I lived in a conservative small Georgia town where people constantly knocked on my door asking me to join their church. It drove me nuts. I was doing a fair bit of actual modeling and topless/nude glamor photography, through my account on ONEMODELPLACE at the time.  I had some hustlers laying around, the beaver hunt contest was my favorite part, and my husband suggested I send a polaroid in for fun. I didn't expect anything... just the thrill of seeing myself in a famous magazine once.  

TB: You left DVD behind way back in 2006, and it’s obviously paid off hugely for you. How big of a risk, personally and professionally, was that for you at the time? 

VV: It was a huge risk.  At the time DVDs were still the massive part of the adult business. Arguably I was at the top of where people thought I should be. Shooting almost every day or whenever I wanted, feature appearances, bookings for top industry fan conventions, Danni.com girl of the month and more offers than I had time to read.  By chance in 2006, I took a few months off to tour Europe which was my first real break in three years. While overseas I started adding reality content to my website and to my pleasure I got more members.

The "LAVATORY OCCUPIED" scenes I shot on planes and restaurant/train station/hotel lobby bathrooms were immensely popular.  I took a look at how the studio movies I had shot were being exploited all over the internet and realized I was in a way competing with myself. People like Naughty America were making boatloads of dough from my scenes and competing with the website videos I was putting out. I shot 3 scenes for Vivid that ended up in over 40 videos. We get 0 royalties from these scenes.

Whether it sells 1000 copies or 10,000 copies, we still got our "day rate" and that's all. We make nothing from internet rights, sales to cable tv, sales to europe and sales to hotel chains. Then they even expect us to go on radio stations and promote those movies for nothing. Porn is not like the real hollywood at all! I took a gamble and learned as I went along…   I started turning down production company shoots and only doing my own site.

The industry thought for a while ''oh... she's retired''.  Luckily, my fan base stuck with me and with social networking through MySpace, yahoo, Facebook and now Twitter.. it's bigger than ever. Was it a risk? You bet but 8 years later (is it really 8!) we just won Best Solo Girl Website 2014 from AVN & Best Performer Website 2014 from XBIZ. Membership has never been higher and I have had time to build a website network.  In the last 8 years we have seen a shift from DVDs to the internet. I am lucky to still be here but it was a lot of hard work... with more on the way.  In hindsight my career is now still going strong.  At the rate I was going in the traditional ''pay for play'' market, I would likely have been "shot out" and/or had just a few producers wanting me.  

TB: You seem to like breaking new ground and heading into uncharted waters. Why do you think you thrive in risk taking?

VV: You never feel more alive than when you are close to death! Have you ever tried skydiving? lol… The internet is constantly changing. For years we used Myspace... yes Myspace to build a fan base. All of sudden it was gone and Twitter exploded.  Surfers also steal in such massive quantities and frankly the industry itself is giving away so much free porn that if you don't try new things... you can wake up one day and your business model is dead.

I bet there were owners of video stores (blockbuster?) who thought they were set for life with packed stores day in day out only to wake up one day and be out of business with people downloading online instead.  It's not so much ahead of the curve as trying to make sure you don't get caught off guard by changes.  My business model has been built around live interaction so I have tried to make sure I have both hands in that arena.  Without risk, you are left behind.

TB: Do you personally select your VNA Girls or do you have women approach you wanting to be a part of the army?

VV: Both.  We are asked almost every week by girls to do websites.  There are only so many hours in the day so we are being very selective who we take on. Girls that are not prepared to live shows, post on member's forums and shoot exclusive content should really not have websites.  Having a website is a serious business. I don't want people who are not going to put their heart and soul into it and only do it half-assed. 

TB: You’ve actually won more awards and gotten more recognition as a solo performer than you did when you were making films. Do you think of yourself as a game changer in that regard, maybe letting other performers know that they’re not beholden to the adult film industry to make money?

VV: I would like to think that girls can look at me and say ''if that old woman Vicky Vette keeps getting nominated and winning stuff... so can I!!"'.  Ít's flattering to say the least.  Girls more than ever need to take charge and NOT be beholden to the adult industry. There are fewer and fewer companies that will hire them.  Why not pick up a camera and shoot for yourself.  You can at minimum put it up on a clips store to make a few extra dollars.  As the saying goes ''content is king''.  It's not wise to shoot 300-400 scenes that will stay on the internet making money for OTHER people day in and day out for the rest of your life... without having some of your own too.

TB: Do you find it easier to connect with your fans via your website, or through perhaps something with a far bigger audience like Twitter?

VV: Both.  Twitter is great for the first time connection & for fans to keep abreast of you day in and day out. However twitter is just that. You can't really get to know me (or for that matter anyone) by following and getting a few tweets. My website is always where I have said its where ''fans become friends''.  That is the truth.  We chat through webcams regularly (where I can also see members), have long chats on our members forum, have private messaging and member get togethers.  Twitter is a bigger audience. My website and network are the true fans/friends. 

TB: What in particular prompted you to start your own exclusive line of toys? Was it a natural extension of what you were already doing or do you feel it grew out of a dissatisfaction with the products already available to the general public at the time?

VV: It was really a natural extension.  I didn't expect to make a million bucks from it but I did want to make sure my image and name was still in adult stores around the world (since I wasn't doing studio movies anymore). That was much more important to me.  I wrote to Doc Johnson in 2008.  They knew I was internet only - but I explained I would one day have a massive presence- to my surprise and gratitude... they gambled that I would actually stay in business.  I was asked one question ''you aren't going to retire any time soon are you?"  6 years later we have a nice selection of adult toys on the market with more on the way. Doc Johnson is amazing.

TB: Is there anyone you haven’t worked with yet that you’re dying to work with, or anyone you’d love to recruit into your army?

VV: I can't tell you or I would have to kill you. LOL. It's top secret. We have a couple of BIG changes coming up that will raise some eyebrows.

TB: Do you have any advice for anyone seeking to follow your path to success? Any obstacles you could help them overcome or pitfalls you might want to see them avoid?

VV: Try and avoid all my mistakes. LOL.  The biggest thing I tell girls is to do what YOU think is right, not what someone else tells you what is right. Trust your gut and instinct. If something feels wrong - it is. Take it slow. Don't do a DP your first scene.... there's plenty of time to get freaky.

TB: Is there anything else you’d like your fans to know, or perhaps anyone thats discovering you for the first time?

VV: ... that I really really appreciate them supporting independent porn and PAYING for it.  I can't stop fans from stealing porn on the internet from tube sites but for our industry to survive you have to support the girls that get you off.  Join a site or two from time to time. Follow me on twitter too.. http://www.twitter.com/vickyvette