Checking In with Porn Star/Podcaster Kate Kennedy

Kate Has A Killer New Podcast

Porn star/comedian Kate Kennedy has an excellent and hilarious new podcast out that is really unlike anything else out there. In The Kennedy Assassination, Kennedy gives a platform to the trolls who comment on her porno everywhere on the Internet. Here's what Kennedy had to say about this really interesting new creative venture of hers.

Hello,Kate! How are you doing? How are things with you?
"I’m hanging in there! That’s the only answer I can give to “how are you” lately 😂 I’ve been really busy throughout the last few months; between launching the podcast, keeping up with my content, and the million other projects I’m constantly undertaking, it feels like I never have a free minute! I’m in the middle of a big shift in my career as I step back from performing to focus on my content and comedy and that’s both scary and exciting. I’m also returning to working behind the scenes in production, which is how I initially started in the industry, and I feel really lucky to be able to take what I’ve learned the last few years as a performer back behind the camera. I definitely haven’t been slacking off (too) much during quarantine!"

Congrats on the launch of your new podcast The Kennedy Assassination! What made you decide to create this?
"I’ve been wanting to put together a podcast for the last year but I struggled with what kind of show I wanted to do. I (still am) a huge podcast slut, so I’d guested on a lot of different kinds of shows and I wanted to create something unique that could incorporate porn and comedy equally without too much focus on one over the other. I went through probably 5 different concepts for a show before I settled on this one. To be completely honest, I first conceptualized TKA as more of a portfolio project; as I move further into the realm of mainstream comedy, podcasting, etc., I wanted to create something that would really show I had the chops to put out engaging and original content. I had the idea that I could create a show like this, where I engage with an objectively difficult demographic, and be able to hand it to someone and demonstrate that I could not only get good stuff out of any kind of person, but also that I can produce, edit, and distribute a project start to finish. TKA is a one girl operation - I do everything from booking guests to editing to graphics to marketing. It’s been a really fun challenge and I’ve learned so much through doing it."

You talk to trolls on this. What made you decide to give them this kind of attention?
"I really love absurdist comedy, like “I can’t believe this is coming out of this person’s mouth right now” type of thing, but I like there to be an underlying message about a real issue; in this case, criticism and how we deal with that on social media. How do we take criticism, what constitutes valid criticism, how do we experience criticism differently across gender lines? Those are all real questions that I think we should be talking about!
I’m super open about being an obsessive comment reader; since the beginning of my career and especially when I started sitting for more interviews, I’ve always poured over the comments section. Whether it’s Pornhub or YouTube, I started noticing that I was consistently getting feedback that was just… bizarre. For a while, a bunch of people were convinced I was a sociopath. People have commented that my eyelid is lazy and my skull is shaped weird and like… okay, sure, I’ll give you the eyelid thing, but how weird is that to comment on a video of me getting nailed in the ass? I thought that was so funny and I wanted to dig into the mindset of a person who would do that.
As a performer in any industry, people are going to say thing about you that you might not like, and not everybody is going to like you. I think it’s important we be transparent about what that looks like, because if you really dig into the reasons why a total stranger dislikes you… they’re almost always ridiculous and hilarious. The term “troll” literally refers to a monster that lives under a bridge, something ugly that you shouldn’t want to engage with. I find the language we use with women when we talk about trolls really infantilizing - like this is something I should be scared of. If you want to be successful as a public figure, your self esteem cannot come from the opinions of strangers on the internet, you have to be able to take it with a grain of salt and the understanding that it really is all pretty absurd."

Your standup is a whole lot of fun to watch. What do you love most about being on stage performing?
"Thank you so much! The answer is everything. I like literally every aspect of it. It’s my favorite thing in the entire world I’ve ever done. The first time I ever performed I remember getting off stage and just feeling like this balloon inflating in my chest. It was the single best high I’ve ever felt; I called my mom crying like “this is it, this is what I want to do, I don’t care, I will wait tables for 40 years just to do this every night.” It’s been over a year now and I’m still basically a fetus by comedy standards, but I’ve gone through times where it felt insurmountably difficult to be funny at all, been incredibly frustrated, nearly given up, but then suddenly I figure out how a certain joke works and it’s like that doubt never happened. I always come back. It really is like a drug. Making people laugh is the most amazing feeling, and writing this insanely technical material, where you're agonizing over the right words, the right order, the tone, where the pauses go is so much fun. It feels like a puzzle you won’t ever solve completely and that appeals to me on every level of who I am. No matter how good you get, you can always get better. There’ll never been enough jokes, and I think that’s really beautiful."

What do you love most about your porn career as a whole? What has being a porn star taught you the most about people?
"Porn has been an incredible experience for me. I talk about this a lot, but I think the way the labor system is structured in Hollywood and creative industries is fundamentally so flawed. It’s almost impossible to pursue a career like standup, writing, etc., if you don’t have a trust fund, and that sucks, because it precludes so many people from even trying. Comedy is a full time job, it requires hours and hours of work every week, constant late nights at the club, the ability to pick up and leave town at the drop of a hat if you book a road gig. I can’t imagine how you could possibly do that while working a traditional 9 to 5.
Porn was my trust fund. When I first moved to L.A. and started performing, I only needed to work 3 days a month to pay all my bills. 3 days! That’s crazy! Even though at the time I wasn’t sure what exactly I wanted to do yet, I knew that I wanted to write and do something creative. Porn gave me 3 great years where I had all the time and resources I needed to figure out what I wanted to do. That’s an amazing and rare opportunity and I will always be profoundly grateful for it.
Sex work can be whatever you want it to be. I admire the hell out of performers who go all in and make a career in this industry. But I think it’s also important to acknowledge that many people do sex work to get where they want to go. I know so many sex workers that used their earnings to pay school tuition, or took advantage of the job’s flexibility to tour with their band or create their art. For me it was always a bridge to get where I was going, but I don’t think that makes my experience in the industry any less valid.
Porn taught me a lot about people, but I think the biggest lesson what that most people don’t really care that you did it. We focus so much on the stigma of adult work and while that’s a very real thing, I think sometimes it gets blown out of proportion. There’s this huge myth that once you’ve done porn, you can never do anything else, and that couldn’t be further from the truth in my experience. Like, you probably can’t teach kindergarten, but other than that? I’ve never felt like anyone looked down on me for doing sex work. If anything, it’s been one of my biggest advantages in pursuing my other careers. If you show up and do the work, nobody gives a fuck that they can see your tits on the internet."

Why do you think that these porn viewers need to state their objections to anything/anyone online?
"It’s really interesting. I’m someone who always tries to look for the best in people, or at least tries to figure out why they are the way they are. I think there’s obviously a deep undercurrent of misogyny running through a lot of these guys that leave mean comments, but I also think when it comes down to it, a lot of them are lonely. Lonely people have a tendency to interact with the world antagonistically; hurt people like to hurt people. I don’t think these are necessarily bad people, but I think they often feel left behind or out of place in the world. And it’s easier to unleash that anger from behind a computer screen than in real life. It’s an outlet for them, and I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily a healthy one, but I do think it speaks to a greater need in our society to address and validate men as emotional beings, and to create space for them to be vulnerable."

I hope that everyone that you love has stayed safe and healthy through the current pandemic. How do you think that it will change porn in the long run?
"I’m very lucky and happy to say that they have! I really have no idea what the next year will bring to the adult industry. I think we'll continue to see a push towards creator driven content, which has advantages and disadvantages. It’s great to work for yourself, it lowers the barrier of entry significantly, and puts performers in the drivers seat of their careers, which are all good things. On the flip side, a lot of people in my life were/are employed behind the scenes are directors, PAs, makeup artists, etc., and I’m concerned about the future of those jobs. I hope we can strike a balance somehow.
I’m hopeful that we’ll begin to see a sort of renaissance in themes and aesthetics as we allow performers to call the shots; less stepbrother porn, more performers having sex with the people they like in the way that they want to. There’s so much creativity and talent in the industry and I think by letting performers really explore and experiment, we’re going to see some very cool content coming out. I know for me personally, this year has been one long exercise in figuring out what kinds of content I can create, whether it’s videos, photos, podcasts, whatever. I’ve learned so much about shooting and editing the last few months and taking the opportunity to sharpen my technical skills has been a game changer. I’ve also started to shrug off the idea that there’s a kind of content I’m supposed to be making, and instead focusing on making the kind of stuff I want to see. My Onlyfans has “normal” porn, but I also dance around in my underwear, tell jokes, paint, read stories, perform skits. It’s so powerful for your brand to display your talents and interests and I hope to see more of that from other performers as well!"

What gives you hope during these very unique times that we are living through?
"I’ve always been a “roll with the punches” kind of gal. When things go wrong, my natural instinct is to look for opportunities to create, build, or learn, and that’s been a lifesaving trait this year! I throw myself into work and don’t dwell on what might have been, I think you have to. I’ve really tried to view this year a chance to step back and figure out what I wanted, career wise, in my personal life, and more, and to start setting things in motion to make those happen. Staying busy is so important. I’m a firm believer that storms always pass, you just have to weather them. I know that someday things will go back to “normal” but also, my life has never been normal! My whole world is chaotic and unpredictable and I wouldn’t have it any other way."

So what else is coming up for you? What should your fans be on the lookout for?
"I plan to continue producing my podcast, The Kennedy Assassination, which you can find on Apple Podcasts, Spotfiy, or wherever else you listen to podcasts. I produce regular content for my Onlyfans account, which you can find at TheOGKennedy.com. I have some exciting features in the works for that, as I use Onlyfans for both my adult and premium comedy content - I love blending the two. Some of the upcoming projects I’m working on that will be available there include a mini special written specifically for Onlyfans, as well as my own episode of Drunk History - the show was just canceled and I’m so sad about it I decided to make my own!
The second I’m allowed back on stage, that’s where you’ll find me. I recently joined a regular show at the Comedy Store here in L.A. and when we reopen, you’ll be able to see me there performing every Monday night. I absolutely cannot wait for that."

Is there anything that you would like to say to your fans here at Fleshbot?
"Just thank you so much for continuing to support me as I move into new and different directions in my career! Stay safe, stay positive, and remember that there is always, always good in the world. Sometimes you just have to look a little harder for it."

All of the images and video here appear courtesy of Hard X. Check out Kennedy in Hard X's "Anal Cuties 12" and be sure to listen to The Kennedy Assassination! Click on the audio player below to listen to the latest episode!