The XCritic Interview: Lisa Ann

May 18, 2018
DEMARKO

As eXXXotica Chicago gets ready to dawn upon us, I think few fans understand it’s significance. This will be six months into the year and three-quarters of the voting season will be done for both AVN & XBIZ. There are trophies that are annually awarded to performers who have been gone for an extended period, only to return to a glory they never have seen, even in their “hay-day.” With a woman like Lisa Ann, this is going to be something hard to top, or is it? Lisa has long been a woman of excellence, timeliness, and realism in this industry. Her fans recognize that she is a woman who always puts them first and always acknowledges what they want. Like the owner of a professional sports team, she knows her brand, she ensures that it always is represented the best way it can be and most of all, her brand is envied by both lover and hater alike. Lisa will be the first to tell you, success comes with its share of doubters but what this beauty has never told you, not even me, a man who has long watched from a distance and wondered how she does what she does, the secrets to her success. Her full film was released with a “who is who” of male talent mixed with scenes that are cut from her cloth, done her way, the way she intends. As she spoke of in part one of this interview, her sets are something very different in the adult world. Something different from years past. She has eliminated negativity, gossip and so much else from her creations and their formation, something any industry insider will tell you, has always been apart of this business. Look to Twitter to see just how true that is. This change, this return, it has been inspired so much by her fans. More so than I think they will ever know. When I saw this dazzling beauty and watched her from afar at eXXXotica Denver, I saw a woman looking to give back to her fans, thank them for showing her something she did not see a few years past. That ladies and gentlemen is something you never see, especially from adult entertainment royalty. As we begin a deeper look into her return and growth, one thing is for certain, this is a return that is going to change the business in ways that only Lisa Ann can, and I am not just talking a slew of trophies come 2019. I am talking something much, much deeper.

The One & Only Lisa Ann: @TheRealLisaAnn

Lisa Ann: Don, as we begin the next part of this interview, the one thing I have to say is that if there is anyone that I must thank for my decision to return, it is the amazing fans on the road. Fans who made me feel like this sexual superhero, judgment-free, living the life that I want and that is what I am doing right now.

Don Juan: For the record on what we touched on in part one of the interviews. I absolutely love Suze Randall. Her hubby, the man himself……...

Lisa Ann: (She kindly interrupts me to express her gratitude) …Don, I just have to say that both of them are amazing. They are amazing people. They have been better to me than my parents. So you know, they are just great people.

Don Juan: Isn’t that amazing. Lisa, that is such a cool fucking story. I love it because I have talked to Holly before about things like growing up in that household. I think in instances like that, they are blessings sometimes we do not see until we are older in life. Those words of hers, they ring so true.

Lisa Ann: Yeah, yeah, they sure do Don and I can tell you because I do not have a good relationship with my family. One of the things that I always express to my friends who have parents that are very engaged in their lives, that are supportive of them, I always remind them of that and I do not remind them of that to make them feel guilty. I remind them how special that is to have people that support you because not everybody in this industry has that. Not all parents are cool, and some people just suck, it does not matter if it is your parents, your neighbors, they can just suck. I remind my people about that and I remind Holly about that a lot. Holly is just so talented and just so fucking smart. She is the hardest of workers and it always blows me away what she can accomplish.

Don Juan: You know, I did not know she shot your jacket cover. I have your book right here. I love the fact that you turned the back of the book into this kick-ass spread of all your pictures, mementos and collectibles over the years. It reminds me so much of the inside cover of Rage Against the Machine’s album Evil Empire.

Lisa Ann: That is so funny. I have that album right behind me, literally where I do my podcast because I went to quite a few Rage Against the Machine shows in my hay day.

Don Juan: I love it. I went to their show at the Democratic National Convention. They did this amazing show right outside when Obama was running for office. I was like, oh my God, this is fucking amazing! Ok, enough about me, let’s get back to the fun stuff. Let me make sure that I have my research done correctly. Was 2009 the first time that you ever stepped behind the camera as a director?

Lisa Ann: Yes, yes it did. That was an amazing project that I did with CJ Wright, Bases Loaded.

Don Juan: Awwww, see the question I had for you now, since you have been gone, we have a mutual friend that we share, and I have met more than a few gals that always were inspired by your guidance and wisdom over the years while working with you. I have seen many people who would study your scenes, try to emulate the things that made you the legend you are and duplicate that. The thing that I have always wanted to ask you, is now, in 2018, now that you are stepping back into that role of directing your content, producing your content, what has been your biggest surprise coming back now, opposed to the films that you directed in the past? What has been the biggest shock here in 2018?

Lisa Ann: You know, I am pretty detail oriented. I know what to expect before we get going on anything. Leadership is not a problem for me. What I want to say, is that there were things on set that I was noticing before and it made me not like the business and there are things that I really want to get away from. Two of the things that are important to me, one: no gossip. No negative conversations, no saying anything with ill will towards anybody. There is no spending time on set talking about other people in the business, because, that does not bring sexual energy into the room. I want an energy to fill the room that is an escape for us so that we in return can create a fantasy that the fans also get an escape from reality with. When I look at the magic of the best scenes that I have done. It was always the environment, it was always little things like my favorite music playing while I am editing my pictures. I realized that I have always loved shooting pictures because during those times everyone is quiet. I think that is the way it is because the industry tends to gossip so much. I think that is where I fell into my realm. So now, it is a no gossip set from start to finish. The second thing is phones. When I first got into the business we did not have phones. We may have had a pager, you know what I mean. I wanted things to be, when we were on set, we are fully engaged in our day's work. This is something that does not just apply to movies. This is something that applies to everything you did for a living. There was a time in our lives where we went somewhere, and we committed ourselves to that place that was giving us our paycheck and we waited until we got home to get back into our “world” and where con consistently getting phone calls or checking e-mails. So, we lived two different lives.

I am trying to create that again with my talent on set. Right when we start doing photos, I simply want everyone to turn their phones off and I do not want anyone to turn their phone back on until the day is done. What I have found, is that when someone picks up their phone after photos, while the crew is switching the lighting and they get into a phone call that might lead to a little argument. Maybe it is their agent, maybe it is their wife and they take it outside. That always makes me think to myself, “oh, I have to have sex with this person in ten minutes.” Now that person’s blood pressure is raised, now that person is very annoyed, and I do not want that to come off on camera. So, by me controlling the environment, it was funny, because when I worked with Marcus Dupree, I turned to him and said, “now I am going to turn my phone off.” He said, “what are we going to do between pictures and video?” I told him, “we are going to get to know each other.” That is exactly what we did Don. We stayed on the set, close to each other just talking and really learning about the other person. It was that connection included with us doing pictures, to us doing our scene, that was an amazing fucking scene. Because truthfully, you must look at this is somewhat of a “date.” It is getting prepared just like you are going on a date. Don, the very first thing I do in the morning of a shoot is soak in the tub. The I do a little work on my computer, then I go upstairs, and I take a shower. I shave to the point where it is beyond precise. There are things so specific about what I do strictly for that day and that shoot. It is all about how I moisturize, my perfume.

You are honestly still going to see a guy, even though it is one set. Even if the scene was set up. It does not matter. You are still engaging sexually. So, I think this might be the missing link for a lot of the talent. I have been asking girls, so what do you do after photos? A lot of the girls were saying, oh, I walk around the house, I take the pictures for my only fans. I will then talk to these girls and saying, well, are you connecting with your male talent? There are a lot of answers I have gotten but most rear toward, “fuck the guy” or this or that and I tell them. I think this is affecting your scene. I think you not wanting to put yourself aside. He is still a man and you must cater to his ego a little bit. You still want to be turned on right? You still want to have good sex. Normally, whenever you go on a great date, you end up having great sex because the date was so good. So looking at the “date” and that is part of the importance when it comes to me directing, it is all about having a drama-free set and people can stay in a positive mindset and just feel good. It is then that is when things start to become connected between photos and video and you get to discover this entertainment between two people, where you get to bond a little bit and that is what leads to a special connection in this business Don that can last for many years if you want it to. It all starts there.

Don Juan: I love it. That is Lisa Ann summed up to a T! A big capital T! The truth is, that is the thing that is going to get this industry back in the groove. I have faith in you darling. I wish you so much luck with this new venture and your return. Because honestly Lisa, we need ya darlin’! We need you now more than ever!

Lisa Ann: You know Don, I must tell you I have had the time of my life inspiring others. I don’t think there is anything that I have done, that has me lying in bed at night and has me in tears by just the difference I know that I have made in just the past two months by just talking on the phone with girls by letting them call me when they have had a difficult day on set. I have found that it is that ability to make time for each other than matters so much Don.

It reminds me of showing Brett Rossi all my podcast equipment, she went and ordered a bunch of her own equipment right away. She started her own podcast, she is just incredibly inspired by this, she sends me a thank you text every two days. You know, I am teaching girls how to use every asset available to them in the industry. I have been teaching them ways to not be so glued to their social media and they can have a mental health day, where they can set up all of their tweets the night before, there is nothing wrong with this, everyone needs a day off and these girls and guys are not taking any time off, because they are so committed to their fans and they are so committed to social media, they just simply do not know when to say when. I have been training these girls and I do it two ways, Don.

First, I will do it on Skype and I have two computers set-up, one will face me on skype and the other will face them out of sight, showing them how to use the software. For weeks afterword I get texts of girls telling me, “Oh my God, I just had the greatest day with my friends and I did not have to look at my phone once and I just feel so much better and I am like, “Ahhhhhhhh!” This is everything to me. It just feels so good to be inspiring others.

I do a lot of reading and my first year retired, I was committed to reading a book a week. Some weeks I went over and now I can not stop reading. I have learned so much from the power of habit and mindset. How to create a moment and make it special. How to detract a mindset and put yourself in another place, especially when it is something negative and you take it to this great big beautiful place. Taking these little things, I have learned by taking a break in life and inspiring other and seeing what it can do for them, it just shows me another amazing side of this business. The talent these days Don, they are hungrier than they have ever been for this knowledge. To know that the success can really stay or come back with this type of effort or page turn in a person’s career, it is now like, first come first serve when it comes to this knowledge down and that is something I am so proud of. I say, whoever wants my number and wants to reach out and needs help with something, bring it to me. Whatever I can do to help, I am there. I think maybe I can give them a story of something that happened to me and then they do not feel so bad that something happened to them. It is always stories of equal embarrassment that show that we have experienced the same things and that can be soothing to any performer, in any line of work. They just need to connect to someone that they can relate to and I am someone that can be relatable. Maybe it is something where they do not have that many friends outside of the business. Even though I am inside the business, the girl’s kind of see me as a neutral, do you know what I am saying? They know that I understand but they see that I am also not going to gossip. So you will hear so many times in this interview Don, that is so important to me, because when these girls have passed away, people talk about it and I see people talking about what they think may have happened, who they speculate is to blame or what may even be the furthest things from a fact or truth. I will stop them in their tracks and say listen, the “here say” is none of our business. The only thing that we should be saying in this situation, is what can we do from preventing this from happening with others? How can we be better?

If you have a girl that is in the make-up chair and a bunch of people are out there talking about something that is very dismal and this girl is not in the best of moods today, this will simply get into her spirit and people just don’t realize how much it affects other people’s spirits the way that it does. Because honestly Don, some people are comfortable talking about negative things. It has been very forthcoming having these great conversations with the girls and then suddenly, we are not talking about the business, we are talking about other stuff that does not even matter and I mean that in terms of it being that “here say” that is so negative and so damaging. Brett, she was actually housing one of her horses at the stables my girlfriend was, and I set them up on a date to go horseback riding. Now they have become good friends. I am starting to try and start a network of beautiful women outside of the industry that can engage with my friends inside of the business and they build those relationships because that strikes a great balance between the two.

Don Juan: My God, that is the truth beyond words. You are the perfect interview, my friend. I hope you know that. I know you do. (We both laugh) But honestly, this is something the women of the business have needed for a long time. I think it is your true calling to give back again in this way Lisa. I really do. You lead me to this next question, it is almost as if we have ESP and our minds are connected.

Lisa Ann: Oh, my goodness Don, Sirius has taught me how to be so much better with my speaking.

Don Juan: You have always been amazing sweetheart. I really mean that you always have. The things I wanted to ask you. This the truth, I had a guy many years ago, a professor who told me when I was getting into this business. He said, “you can either make money in the business, or you can make friends.” He says you can not have both. I am not a bull shitter, I will say first and foremost, there have always been people who have been intimidated by your character and your strength and your conviction. You know that. What I have always wanted to ask you, was what has been your secret all these years to keep yourself happy? To Staying sane in a world that does cast a cold shoulder to those of extreme success compared to so many other worlds of entertainment.

Lisa Ann: I got answers, right off the bat. First and foremost, the gym. I have been one of those fortunate people who loves the gym, as a matter of fact, I drove there this morning at 5 AM because I like to workout before an interview, so that I am awake, and I have already done my thing you know? So, the gym is one. I have found it a wonderful place for my mental health. I found that the healthier I felt the more that I was able to bounce off all the negative vibes and criticism that was cast on me that day or night before. You can deflect negative energy when you feel strong. It also gives you confidence another crucial tool to combat negativity.

The second thing: I was so lucky when I first got into the business, I met Ian Daniels. Do you remember Ian Daniels?

Don Juan: Oh, indeed I do.

Lisa Ann: Ian Daniels gave me this talk. He told me that I needed to make friends outside of the business. He also suggested that I did not live in the valley. He lived up in Huntington Beach and I ended up moving there. It is such a beautiful city. He tells me, “you do not move from Pennsylvania to the valley.” He says, if you do not live in the valley, you will only drive up there for work, you won’t stay and party with people, because you will have this long drive home and you will build friendships that are not in the business. So, he introduced me to his neighbors, who to this day are still my best friends. These two people, a couple, who are simply lovely. They have been my everything, Don……………………...

To Be Continued: Do not miss part 3. One week from Today. This journey of Lisa’s climaxes with love, loss, new direction and what you will get here in 2018. Do not miss this one. It is one of the most raw and beautiful conversations I have ever been a part of. This is a story for fan and industry personnel alike in every which way you can go.