What makes you the greatest at something? What defines greatness in a model/performer? Is the expectation higher or lower if you are an adult entertainer? You bet your bottom dollar they are higher. To be one of the greats in the world of adult films, you must do what your cohorts do in other branches of entertainment without the ability to put your hands in your pockets when a legendary director is calling your ass down for messing up your lines, or missing a cue. To define what makes a porn star great, you must look to see if that person changed the game. Tanya Tate redefined what a Girl/Girl performer is and can be. I do not think the category MILF would be what it is without this woman of our dreams who hails from Liverpool. You name the place across the globe, Tanya Tate has been there and like her beloved pro wrestling friends, she conquered the world one country and state at a time like the legendary Ric Flair did in the “Territory” days. Like Falir, she is a champion of this industry. A woman whose career can stand up to any others in terms of excellence, greatness and following. A woman who "lives her gimmick" as they say in the wrestling world. This is a performer who spent every year from Comic Con to AVN, glad handing her fans, showing them love and admiration for allowing her to be their dream girl. When I first met this woman, there were other so-called “iconic” veterans in the industry. Women who have since faded into the shadows or went on to hang up their stilettos all while Tanya continued a career that is still giving back to her fans. Never missing a convention date and spending a Friday night driving to the post office, all to send a fan near Canada an autographed DVD in rush hour traffic, all within in the city of angels. That is what you call legendary. That is what you call greatness. That is Tanya Tate.
In part one of our interview, I was lucky enough to sit down with the director, actor and still active publicist as she took one hour away from her beloved son, Ozzie. How honestly blessed I felt to be able to interview someone who has been like a mentor to me. Believing in my pen before anyone even knew who I was. I won’t pretend that my status will ever come close to someone who has won more awards than some starlet's number of total films. What I will say is that Tanya is the humble woman who made me see that there was more to this industry than I had ever known and it is only fitting that I try and show the world a true greatness that they might not know exists in a woman who was always destined for grandeur.
Don Juan: Thank you for that tour of your native land my friend, now we get to talk about the real fun stuff. I hope you know Tanya that you are one of the performers who will still be talked about twenty years from now. You are a director, actor and performer whose creations are unlike anything we had ever seen before and no one will be able to duplicate after. One of the best damn series this industry has ever seen is Brit School Brats. Now, if I am not mistaken, you shot this in England, correct?
Tanya Tate: Yes, the building we shot at, in London, it is actually a place right in the center of London and it is where they actually filmed parts of the film, The King's Speech. I do not know if you are a big movie buff but that was actually a rather big film that won lots of awards.
Any film critic will tell you, Tanya Tate’s films are XXX “cult” classics. A term used a lot in the mainstream world that describes a film that develops a massive following after it’s initial run through theatres. Tanya Tate’s films were productions of a woman who loved acting, loved performing and loved women. She cast her films with stars like herself. Women who are in this industry for more than anything monetary. It was about a true passion. Brit School Brats 1 and 2, Tanya Tate's Babysitting Academy, these are films that every fan should own due to how unique they are to the world of XXX. They consist of the extra things that have made this woman a true first ballot hall of famer.
Don Juan: Oh, I sure did.
Tanya Tate: Oh, OK. So you will know all about some of the beautiful sets like the one with the fireplace? I have more than a few stories about that location we filmed at. I was friends with the owner of that set in London, who has since passed away. That very room had also been used by Spandau Ballet to shoot some of their promo pictures. Yes, that very room that I directed a scene in for Brit School Brats. I think I had told you this before, but in case the fans do not know, I am actually a huge lover of eighties music.
Don Juan: Oh my God! That is so freakin’ cool, I love Spandau Ballet.
Tanya Tate: Oh, I have to tell you something else, I went to a concert with Spandau Ballet and I paid for the VIP package, everything. I had let everyone know that I was going. I was tweeting out that I was going to this concert. I was tweeting the entire time, and I was going about this, that and whatever. We got to the concert, and we got backstage and the band stopped and asked, “Oh my goodness, is that you? Is that Tanya?” Oh yeah….
Tanya Tate, she is the humblest soul on planet earth, let me tell you. This is a woman who has starred in hundreds of adult films, been cast in mainstream horror flicks and hosts the most epic talk show on Vivid Radio. All of her films are that iconic icing on the cake few adult stars ever get to taste. I had a few great writers inside and outside the industry tell me that Tanya Tate’s films are what erotica should always be. I mean here she is, telling me that she shot an XXX masterpiece on the same set as an academy award-winning film and her voice is brought back down to this soft tone as she speaks with such love and admiration for meeting her favorite band and them having them know who she was. I doubt there is anyone on this planet that does not know Tanya Tate. I have had so many people over the years tell me the stories of meeting the great Tanya Tate and seeing this beautiful model give them the most gracious, timid welcome. It is a kindness that ranges from something deep within her, as that is the only Tanya I have ever known. A woman who always looked for the best and always gives the best no matter who you were or are in her life.
Yes, they were all like wooooooooooo! We all had just a great laugh and a really great time. I have gotten to see them again since then. They actually came and played in Liverpool, and we got tickets and went backstage again to their little party that they had. This time, they stopped me and said that they took pictures at the first concert and now you have to take a look at them now.
Don Juan: That is so freakin’ cool. I love getting to hear these kinds of stories from you. You are such a throwback to the true wonders of the entertainment world. We are now entering an age that is all digital. That has companies charging so much money for fans to enjoy their product. I think as the internet gets closer to regulation it is going to get more expensive to maintain what they have right now. I remember before I got to meet you, from day one saw this woman who worked hard at everything she did and gave one-hundred and ten percent to all her films. You are a person who no matter if you directed the film or you starred in it, you made everything and everyone around you shine. May I ask, is this something that we will get with the “OnlyFans era?” What can the fans expect from your creations now?
Tanya Tate: Well, I think what is special about OnlyFans is that it links into our social media but it also gives us and the fans a voice. I am going to be working on my OnlyFans alongside the other platforms that I already have going as well. I think that there has never been a freedom like there is with OnlyFans. Again, for the performer and the fans, and no matter if you do porn, or you do not, this gives you a place to show who you are. No matter if you want to be sexy or not, or if you want to be more personal with your fans, this gives you a more intimate and personal touch than say Instagram. What I like about this is I get to put up a lot of my day with my fans. Nothing else can give my fans that. I think if you are a model, there are so many benefits and it already uses many things we do not. Uploading pictures, uploading videos. It is very easy to stay connected. I have been discovering a lot of new things about myself since I have been working more on my OnlyFans. I have been very fond of putting up exercise and kitchen videos. There is a mixture of that there and things that are sexual as well. That gives me the ability to give all my fans something that they will be happy with.
I am also using SextPanther. I really like SextPanther as it allows instant messages, calls and video chat to go from the fans directly to my phone. If fans want to chat back and forth like an instantaneous conversation,SextPanther is the better of the two platforms as I see and respond to the message straight away with them pinging on my mobile phone. On OnlyFans I have to work my way down the direct message box and that can sometimes take some extra time depending on how busy it is. On SextPanther, fans can click and their phone will instantly ring my phone. I quickly grab my headphones and go to a quiet private place. SextPanther now enables video calls. Lots of my fans before had to pre book me to video chat on Skype, now they have the option to just click and connect via video. This makes it a really really personal experience. SextPanther, like OnlyFans, allows me to send custom pictures and video, it feels like they are directing their own movie where I play just for them.There is really not any other platform where you can do all that. I was so excited and honoured to be SextPanther's December 2020 model of the month.
This soon to be Hall of Fame starlet has always been my “go-to” when it comes to industry innovation and what is fresh and new. Today’s XXX marketplace is filled with more performers who are directing than ever before. As well as so many starlets learning about the power of OnlyFans and SextPanther. Tanya was the originator of both. She was doing both of these things before any of them took off with fans or ideas for production companies. Tanya’s relationship with her fans and her fellow performers are the stuff legends are made of. Her genuine love to spend time with her fans and have them enter her home in a digital manner is nothing new. I can tell you that a little over half a decade ago, I worked for a magazine, whose name we will not mention, that hired me to test the big stars of the industry in order to see which ones would deliver on their promise with merchandise, delivery, quality. I will not tell you the other performers tested, but they were massive stars like Tanya. None could hold a candle to this woman’s desire and drive. Packages came on time, extras were given for loyalty, and she never broke a promise. I had never shared that with my friend up until this day because as I discovered, this is how Tanya Tate operates in all that she does in life. It is what makes her connection with her fans something so true. For the new fans of the XXX world, getting to discover this legendary starlet with her OnlyFans and SextPanther, it’s something that is changing the industry with some of the magic that made it great to begin with.
Don Juan: I think that you are the perfect person to speak on this modern day phenomenon known as OnlyFans. I would just love to hear more, I know all the other performers will as well.
Tanya Tate: Well, this is something for everyone. This is something for amateurs and professionals. People who are looking to have fun and people who are looking for something more personal. This is what it is all about, the model, she can charge whatever price she thinks fits her brand. I am assuming that there is not going to be a seventy dollar sign up fee for any of the girls OnlyFans. Again, to be serious and honest, it is about what the girl wants to charge. It is about what her fans are going to pay to experience her brand. I think something else very important is being able to adjust all those things and make something that fits. When you are a performer, it is all about what you get, but it is also about what you give back. It is about making money and spending money. I know when I began, it was very difficult to connect all those things. Now that I am a mom, I am able to do something different for my fans. Now, my time is even more valuable. An hour goes a long way when that is all the time you have in between a nap. I have discovered that ten minutes in the bathroom goes a lot further if you know what I mean.
We share another great laugh. You may think that this is a pitch, or that this is Tanya Tate the performer. Honestly, I do not think there is a difference. This is a woman who has always owned who she is. Tanya’s pride in what she does, who she is, it is what makes her an ambassador for what living the lifestyle of sex, sexuality, and acceptance is within the adult community. She is a damn good mother. She is an amazing neighbor. She is a hardworking publicist. She is a woman that enjoys the ten minutes of fun in the bathroom with her fans. I have seen this first hand at the many conventions this legend has never missed. I remember meeting her in an elevator as she was heading for dinner after a long day on the conventions floor, and she was having a video date with a fan. All while we were crammed in this elevator, all looking to eat like some hungry savages. She was still spending time with her fans. Making each second count. I have NEVER seen that dedication before, or sense. Even though her favorite professional wrestlers are Sheamus, Big E, Natalya, I refer to her as our industry's Ric Flair because she lives the brand. She is Tanya Tate and no matter where you see her, that is who you are going to meet and enjoy your time with her, no matter how you get to spend it. That is because Tanya loves who she is and what she does. That ladies and gentleman, that is as rare as it gets in this modern world.
Don Juan: You are the person who I see has every little tool to make that happen. You are always in tune with the latest gadgets and fun stuff my friend.
Tanya Tate: Oh, I have needed to be. Spending those ten minutes in the bathroom with my fans, it is made so much easier with these little white clip things. It makes the videos on the iPhone even better. I also just got another ring light and a few other gadgets to make more for my fans. I think the benefit of OnlyFans and SextPanther is that it makes you a better performer and creator. I think that any model will learn a lot about something like having enough light to create something for the fans by doing things yourself. It is not that expensive either to get yourself going with these little additions that help in all the little ways. All the pictures that my fans have seen with my new content and my new platforms. They have all been made with all these things I talk about. All those pictures you comment on, this is how I created them. I think that all of those things, everything that you and the fans get out of it, that is what OnlyFans and SextPanther is all about. Not every performer has owning their own website as an option for them. This gives them something very similar.
Don Juan: You are a starlet who has seen it all Tanya, have you ever seen anything that compares to what OnlyFans and SextPanther is to the modern industry?
Tanya Tate: Oh, I remember when there was Streamate back in the day. When Streamate came out, it’s take-off was just astronomical. Things were very different back then. The payout was not what it is now. I think in those days that they would get two-thirds of what a performer made. Back then, that was all that you could really do. That was what was available, so you had to take it. I think at a minimum, a performer should be getting half and that is something else that makes this platform so different. There are a lot of other companies out there that can make claims of offering even bigger percentages but not everyone that is out there can pay it. I have seen some places state that they offer up to seventy percent of the money that is made to the performer. I think it is very important to make sure that you look at the actual breakdown. That is so important because that can be so misleading. Now SextPanther makes this an even better alternative enabling one on one video chat and the fans can be happy knowing the percentage paid to the girl is much more favorable.
Don Juan: As always Tanya, you are this massive wealth of knowledge to this business.
Tanya Tate: Well, I still use my other sites but my OnlyFans and SextPanther is what I push because of all those factors and money is a very important thing and how much of that goes to me is what my fans want also.
Don Juan: My friend, I have always seen you grow your brand every single year and it is always something very innovative with you. I told my girl this the other day. We are in this pandemic and using this time wisely, to build her brand, to experiment with what is possible, that is always something good that I hope more people are doing. It is great to see you making this time something great for you.
Tanya Tate: Well, I am one of the many users who are a part of OnlyFans and SextPanther. I like to be able to share this information with the girls. I want them to be able to sign-up for this as well, if it fits what they are looking to do with their fans. I do also tell them that there is more to what is possible than your OnlyFans and SextPanther. There are many things out there that can help your brand to get bigger. Another factor that you should really think about is how easy are you making it for your fans to find you? Getting me on there is very simple to remember. What fan can not remember OnlyFans.com/TanyaTate or SextPanther.com/TanyaTate. I also have a one-page site which lists what you can do on each platform so the fans can decide which might suit them best, TextTanyaTate.com. Picking out a good username is something I see a lot of the models making things harder for their fans because of their username. You have to be able to make the fans' job of searching for you as easy as possible. SextPanther does make it easier, as you can search on the site for your favorite model's name.
We touched on this a bit in our first part of Tanya’s interview. She is a publicist as well in the adult film world and a damn good one at that. What I have always found to be one of Tanya’s greatest traits, it has to be that she is always thinking about those little things that not even producers or webmasters ponder. She is a thinker, a businesswoman who always has those thoughts that make not only her brand better but her clients as well. Star Factory PR is a company that reflects so much of what this industry really is. It is something I wish the critics of our beloved business would see. How she has made some of the greatest starlets in the world’s platforms and brands better, it begins with a logic that I have grown to cherish being an industry writer and I know that I am not the only one. She always delivers. She always puts you in a position to win. Her clients are hosting award shows, winning trophies as performers of the year and yes, so much of that has to do with her company. She is a thinking woman who almost sees what is on the horizon before the stock market does. That is the wonder of Tanya Tate's business sense. I kid you not.
I do not think that many people in the business know that if a fan does not know who you are, a factor like being able to find you by your hair color, if a performer is a blond or a brunette, there are many sites that already do not make it easy at all for fans to discover you.
Don Juan: Ease is always the best of things when it comes to the fans. I hear that from them every day in some shape or form. I think the fact that you have gone with OnlyFans and SextPanther as your choice of a platform says so much. I have respected that about you from day one woman. I hope that things are going well for you with that company. Now, as we go into a question I have been dying to ask you about your fans. I have a bit of a confession to tell you. Years ago, I worked for this company that tested to see what performers truly give back to their fans when it comes to their merchandise, their products, their fun stuff like your autographed DVDs, posters, action figures, etc. After we tested many big starlets like you, I found out that not only did you meet every time frame you communicated with your product, you actually went above and beyond. That is what separates you from every other superstars in this business. You went that extra mile, not knowing you were sending things to a magazine that was testing out who is the best in the business. I came to discover that day that you have a work ethic and love for your fans like no other my friend and I mean that. That dedication to your following, where does that come from, what does that mean to you?
Tanya Tate: I always say that without your fans you are not anything. Your fans are there for you and it is something that is an appreciation for your work but is also an appreciation for you. Your fans can be very giving if you, yourself are very giving. I think that my appreciation for them goes back to the days that I was starting in the industry, and I was working these conventions for the first time. When I attended my first AVN and I met my fans for the first time, I saw how important it was to be there. When meeting them, I loved hearing their stories of how far they traveled to see me and that is when I knew I had to be a person of their word. My fans were supporting me and I made it a promise to be a performer who when she said that she was going to be there, I was going to be there. When there is any occasion that I can not come through, or I am not going to be there, I am going to let them know. I am not just going to spring it upon them. I can not do that that to them.
During those first conventions, I would talk with my fans and I would hear the same story a lot. They would ask me, “what happened to this girl? Or what happened to that girl?” I had more than a few times that I would tell them, “I do not know, but I am here.” I met some amazing fans this way, but it stuck with me as well. Over the years, I have been privileged to sign at many conventions. Comic-Con, Exxxotica, AVN and like I said. I was in a mainstream film the other year called Evil Bong 777 and I got to even sign at their booth and I met many fans from all walks of entertainment. I do not care who you are, when you have a fan screaming when they can not believe that they are getting to finally meet you, you can not let them down, you just can’t. When you build that relationship with your fans, they appreciate the things that you do even more. I particularly love when I get to talk to a fan, tell them about my experiences and then have them buy a film and then I see them the next year at the same convention, and now they want to buy my Fleshlight because they saw how much went into making that. I really love that chance to get to know my fans and have them get to know me.
Don Juan: You know, I love getting to chat with your fans on your page and yes at conventions. They have told me how much they enjoy talking about their love for these products, and they are not embarrassed. I think more male fans should buy a Fleshlight but it is a hard subject for many males to talk about and it should not be.
Tanya Tate: Yes, I know. I do enjoy getting to tell them about the process of how everything works and how it was made. I love all the products that have ever been made of me and how real they make these Fleshlights, which is molded from my actual body parts. It is so real and so amazing. I like talking about that with my fans. It is fun. I even have my own signature sleeve, Royal, I like to feel you can slide into my velvet lips. There is nothing more enjoyable than meeting those fans who have all my DVDs. It is really so nice to hear that from people. I do not care who you are, it makes you feel special. That is why I always want them to feel special. I remember all the faces that I associate with many things and many trips. I think about the fans I will see and I will say, “hey, you are the person I will always see in Chicago.” It is something very nice and that is why I believe in being that person who is doing what she is saying.
Don Juan: Now, I have to ask this being that you are now at a different stage of your career, how are the fans you have had such a long connection with, still able to keep purchasing from your brand?
Tanya Tate: Well, a lot of my fans forget that one of my favorite things to still do is create a custom video for them. I have been very fond of doing this since I was a director for big production companies. My OnlyFans and SextPanther have allowed me to be able to answer more questions about making customs than just by email. Sometimes it gets a little hard to keep up with the volume of emails that I receive. Getting to talk with my fans and have the relationship I do with them allows me to help them make something that I think is even better than the things I used to make with big production companies. I can help them to interpret what they want in their fantasy. I think that I can do better now because whenever I would shoot with big companies in the past, you never knew when my work was going to be coming out. With what I am doing now with my OnlyFans and SextPanther, I am able to get my fans what they want to see faster than I have ever been able to. It opened up many new doors and relationships with my fans. Many of my fans who have been taking part in buying customs directly from me, I am able to give them something extra and I find myself doing that more and more. It means a lot to me to be able to give that fan an extra bit of content for being so loyal to me over the years.
You would not believe me if I told you. Well, I hope after reading these two articles of the legendary Tanya Tate that you have a deeper insight into how much she loves her fans. We literally sat and spoke about being fans ourselves and it is not just this industry and the other girls that we are fans of. We spoke about how being a fan is not a bad thing and never will be. I shit you not, Tanya and I talked for ten minutes straight about fans and how much they matter to porn, and she spoke about not even being able to do what she does without the fans. It is here where I had to be the fan that I was and ask her about the films that she has taken part in and what were her favorites. If you ever get lucky enough to call Tanya Tate your friend like I have, what you will learn is that what made this legendary beauty so memorable, no matter who she was paired with, the screen would sizzle just like a frying pan over an open flame. Tanya begins to tell me stories of working with other performers and no matter how the day was going, how many hours they were on set, that she always made sure that if they came into a scene not loving women, they damn sure did after. I have only heard one other person tell me that in this business, and she too is an icon of sexuality like Tanya. Now, I have to do what I always dreamed of, ask one of my favorite performers, one of my industry idols, and a woman who has become a great teacher to me, what she remembers most and what she thinks is her best work out of the hundreds of hours of film she has taken part in over the past decade.
Don Juan: You know, men do not often get to share the same types of conversation about sex toys as women do. Many of my girlfriends and not just women in the industry, they talk about their toys, their bedside drawer, and they do it with fun and joy among one another. I wish men would talk about this more. Your Fleshlight is the key example. Having a sex toy is a great thing. It is something safe, it is something that is designed for pleasure and expression. Before we talk about what your best scenes and films are, I would love to hear what you think about this subject. I commend you for being the woman who is not just selling a product. I commend you for being there for your fans with subjects and emotions that come with what you do, what you create.
Tanya Tate: I believe in being there for my fans. I think that you never know if that person you are speaking to may have been bullied, shamed, or may not have any love for themselves or another. When someone buys my products and they reach out, they look to express themselves, and if I am not there, that to me is a disappointment. I just can not be like that with people, I just can’t. I have my honesty about me, in all that I do and I want that to be what people see within me always. I am a person that is happy and I do want them to have a happy day as well.
Don Juan: My goodness woman. I thought I had known a lot about the great Tanya Tate, and I am finding out that I know nothing, my friend. Bless you, for being that person. It is people like you that take not just the business but the world and its people to great places within themselves and with others. It is here, speaking about these kinds of great things that I must ask Tanya Tate, what is her greatest achievement?
Tanya Tate: Oh my goodness, that is such a difficult question. One of the obvious things we just talked about was the honor of having my FleshLight made. That meant a lot to me.
Don Juan: You know, there is so much content out there in the world today. You are a woman who has created some of the greatest films and scenes of all time. What do you consider to be some of your greatest film and scene work that you will never forget as long as you live?
Tanya Tate: Oh, there are so many. Some that come to mind right away is Brit School Brats. That was a really hot number. Lets, see. The Lesbian Family Affair series. There was a scene in Lesbian Family Affair 3 with Julia Ann and this really beautiful young woman Sydney Cole. It was this scene where we came in from playing tennis and Julia and I get to have our way with Sydney Cole. I will never forget those strawberries. In that same film, there was a scene with Phoenix Marie and Rachel James too. I really loved this scene because I was playing this strong MILF who was coming back from Comic-Con. I think you know how much I love Cosplay and Comic-Con, and we all had a really great time making that scene. Phoenix Marie and I got to have our way with her. It was fun.
I think that some of my best work has been playing that strong MILF. Just like I mentioned, I love getting to work with other strong MILF performers. Phoenix Marie and Julia Ann, I found that when I work with people I really love and admire, I find that they tend to have similar thoughts about me and what we are going to be doing. They are all as beautiful as they are professional. They are just lovely people and I always find that those scenes, no matter how my day was going, things always turned out amazing with them. Phoenix and Julia, I don’t think fans know just how strong and smart these women are. I just have many, many good thoughts and memories pop up when I think about our work together.
Don Juan: I know just what films you speak of, and they are amazing films. Tanya, thank you so much for your time, thank you so much for allowing me to be the person that brings this side of your persona to show the fans of XCritic. I mean this, you are a marvel. Anything in closing you want to tell the fans.
Tanya Tate: Well, I really want them to know that I hope that I get to spend as much time as possible with them on my OnlyFans and SextPanther. I have some surprises coming up that they can only see there. I want to tell them thank you for their support and sticking by me through my pregnancy and becoming a mother just as much as they did throughout my career.
...and there you go. The one and only Tanya Tate. I kid you not, I kept this woman on the phone for so long that an hour seemed like ten minutes but that is what happens when you get to speak with a legend. Tanya takes you to a world based in reality and it stems from her passion for everything she does. I do not think that there will ever be anyone like Tanya Tate in this business. A woman who met starlets like Jillian Janson, ladies who are now her clients, that she was able to shape who they are from working with them and becoming a friend and confidant after casting them in a film. This modern-day icon is the definition of professionalism. That woman who brought more to her scenes than was required. The woman who is not afraid of sex and did more than turn it into a way to make money. I do not think that there would be a modern industry without Tanya Tate. No matter if it was Girlfriends Films, Sweetheart Video, when this woman came to take part in a company's project, she left changing that studio forever. The proof is in her film work. I implore you, go see for yourself. As Tanya now helps to usher in this new industry of adult by letting us into her life, one that is so rich with the things that truly matter in the world in 2020, I see that Tanya's adventure is still going. She has so much more to tell. One thing is for sure, this woman will go down as one of the greatest of all time.
Now, first things first, make sure to follow Tanya Tate across Social Media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TanyaTate
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tanyatate/
Find All Her Links: https://www.texttanyatate.com/
Special thanks to Rebekah and Filly Films and of course, the amazing Tanya Tate and Alex and everyone who has ever been with Star Factory PR for all their help creating the wonderful insights into the XXX world that they do and helping to shape The XCritic Interview what it is today.