“I really was one of the true frontiers women of this business who stood up and fought for our First Amendment rights so we would be able to do what we are doing today.”–Seka
In the 1980’s Adult Movie Industry, you had one name that if you admitted that you did in fact, watch Adult movies in the confines of your own home, or in a local Adult Movie Theater, you know you had at the top of your list of favorite female stars, Seka. She was the platinum blonde bombshell who was ahead of her time in her industry. It’s an industry if you like it or not, is a multi-million dollar business today, with numbers continuing to rise.
Well, in any industry, you must have those founding pioneers that set things in motion. In mainstream movies you had the John and Lionel Barrymore’s who took film from silent reels to an audio/video mix, thus creating an industry for modern day stars to make a very nice living. In boxing, you had fighters such as Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis and Henry Armstrong, to name just a few, that moved their industry forward so fighters such as Oscar De La Hoya and Mike Tyson could make the many millions they have.
In the Adult Movie industry, you had Linda Lovelace whose film “Deep Throat” www.xxxdeepthroat.com brought Adult Movies to the forefront that would go on to have “The Devil In Miss Jones” come out in the early 70’s and take it to another level. With the VHS tape coming out and taking adult movies now into the bedrooms, living rooms or just about anywhere that you could place a VCR in the 1980’s, you were no doubt watching Seka. She enabled future Adult Movie stars today such as Jenna Jameson to make the large paychecks she does.
Whether you like the Adult movie industry or you don’t, it cannot be denied that Seka was and is a Pioneer of that genre of movies. If you are open-minded, then you will agree that she deserves that respect, and if not, then you are also entitled to your opinions.
In talking with Seka, there is a lot more than meets the eye here… Years ago, she was labeled unfairly as “Difficult” to work with. Well, if you define difficult as wanting to get paid for the efforts you put in and in her case, not just on the screen, but everything associated with the promotion of a film, then yes, she is “Difficult.” But in reality, who doesn’t want to be compensated for the fruits of their efforts?
So let’s be honest here, “Difficult” is word that has been used over the last several years really more to use someone, then to fairly pay them for the work put in and when they refuse that utter nonsense, they are labeled as “Difficult.” This interviewer found the complete opposite in all my dealings with her. In fact, she was so accommodating; it made the interview flow and allowed us to bring you exclusive pictures from her private collection of copyrighted photos.
In this very revealing interview, you will read Seka’s thoughts on a myriad of items in the Adult Movie industry, but not to stop there, she is also a huge boxing fan who worked off the ropes, stuck out her jab, and threw her uppercut when she answered the boxing questions thrown at her. She pulls no punches on anything that was asked of her and for a lady that doesn’t do too many interviews; she seemed to really enjoy this one. So without further ado…
Ladies and Gentlemen, RSR brings the One and Only Seka…
BB: Since your departure from the adult movie industry about 16 years ago, what have you been up to?
I have been working on my website, Seka.com, which I try to keep it as up to date as I can for the fans who I really appreciate. Lately I have been doing a lot of personal appearances such as “Chiller Theater” for Sci-Fi Shows, Comic Book Shows and Toy Shows. I did a recent comic book show (personal appearance) with Lou Gossett, JR., Adam West (played the original Batman), and Julie Newmar (played the original Catwoman) at the Detroit Comic Con.
For years in Chicago, before I moved out West, I was the host of a Radio Talk Show called “Let’s Talk Sex” for WLUP (97.9 FM). We were on 10:00 PM – 2:00 AM every Saturday night. Obviously that is not primetime meaning Drive Time for folks who listen to the radio on their way to work in the morning. Most people are out Saturday night and not listening to their radios. Well, I am proud to say, we beat Danny Bonaduce who was on five days a week, during drive time.
I did the radio show for about three years. We talked about anything and everything about sex and I think it helped a lot of people out there. We are working with a gentleman in London to redo a documentary that was done about me a couple of years back called “Desperately Seeking Seka” also a reality (maybe a round table type of thing) television show. Finally, in the fall, we are going to come out with a line of bookends from the two characters I played in “Careful He May Be Watching.” Sure, you can put books in between them, but it would be so much more fun to say, to have my movies there. (Laughs) So as you can see, I have a lot on my plate and really love it!
BB: How did you first get into Adult Movies?
I had seven Adult Book Stores in Virginia and Maryland that I owned. In the back of the stores at that time, you had the movies and you would have to loop the movies. So I would have to fix the movies when they broke and of course, I ended up watching a lot of movies. Well, I saw these ladies doing Adult Films back then and felt that was a nasty representation of women. I thought to myself that I can do it and do it better than that. That is how I came into the industry.
BB: You came into the Adult Movie industry in the late 1970’s, but became one of the defining ladies of your genre of the industry from your body of work during in the 1980’s. Looking back, what do you feel put you ahead of the others ladies that were on the scene?
For one thing, there weren’t any other platinum blondes at that time. Also, I was basically the transition girl from film to VHS, so when it reached everyone’s home, with people not having to go out, feeling naughty or guilty about watching an Adult Movie at a theater or Adult Book Store, they could now rent it or buy it to take home and enjoy in the privacy of that setting.
Women and men both loved me back then. Finally, it didn’t hurt the fact that I worked a lot with the late John Holmes.
BB: With so many distributors today taking just clips of your films and repackaging them into another movie making it look like you have a brand new movie out, while advertising your name as the star, when really you did the scene or scenes from a previous movie, do you get any royalties from these tapes?
No, I don’t get a dime from them. Back then, I didn’t know any better and signed my rights away. Most of my generation in the Adult Movies back then, did the same thing as me. We really didn’t know how lucrative the industry would become all these years later. Most of the actors I knew back then did not get paid what they were worth. That is why I demanded the money I did for my work and that is another reason I was labeled “Difficult.”
BB: In today’s Adult Movies there seems to be very little if any storyline or scenery other than a room with a bed or couch in it. In your day, you had some great storylines and lots of scenery. The industry thrived with that format, but today, they have all but gotten away from it. Why do you feel that is?
To me, it’s gone to instant gratification by throwing sex in the viewers face. To me, it’s violent and just not erotic for the most part anymore. There is no foreplay or story, just people going right at each other. People just walk in a room and are naked and just start having sex. I liked when you set up a scene, saw the lady or man come in the door, had some dialogue, and then went into a scene. It was set up.
BB: With what you just said, do you feel companies are just slapping anything to together for the cheapest amount they can and in turn, they make an even bigger profit?
Yes, I do. Again, I think it goes back to their mentality that we don’t have to see you take your clothes off or someone knock on the door. Today, I feel they think it’s sex and lets just get to it.
BB: With you being like the elder spokesperson for your genre of film, do you get asked by Producers or Directors to be an adviser on a film?
Yes, I have been asked, but they want you to do it for nothing. I always ask them how much are you going to pay me? Their response is really that they don’t have a budget. Which my reply is then, “Are you going to make money off of this film?” Finally, they say, “Yes we are,” and then I always reply, “|Well so am I!”
BB: Today there seems to be very little individuality amongst the ladies who all have blonde hair, breast Implants, and the same look basically with the same chemistry on screen. In fact, it seems that if you asked a dozen people who admitted that they did watch adult films; they could not name three of the ladies today outside of maybe Jenna Jameson. However, in your day, the first thing a group of people would say is Seka, Vanessa Del Rio, and Marilyn Chambers without blinking an eye.
As someone that did in fact, create her own niche, why do you think this is?
It’s like “Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory” except today, it’s the blonde boob factory. They cut them out, and then throw them out there for a couple of years and if they make it, then they are lucky. I would lay you 10-1 that the girls in the industry today, you will have no clue who they are in 25 years from now.
We (ladies) really did have a different look back then that kept us apart.
BB: In the 1970s through the 1980s, you had actual grand premieres where mainstream stars came out to watch a Adult Movie on the screen. It broke the common folk amongst the celebrity power brokers as well. I am sure that you don’t see them for the most part with the addition of the VCR and now the DVD, which can allow you to watch a movie in the privacy of your own home. However, do you think premieres are something they should get back to promote a new movie or star on the scene?
I think they should bring them back if they actually did movies like we did in our days with a tangible script and a storyline opposed to what we are seeing today.
BB: Do you feel as many do in your industry that “Deep Throat” starring Linda Lovelace hands down, busted the door open for the Adult Movie industry to make the huge sums of money it has up until this day?
Yes, I think it took the industry further at that particular point.
BB: Do you think it gets too much credit?
No, I don’t. Then came “The Devil In Miss Jones,” which really was a great storyline that had Georgina Spelvin in it. Here is a woman who speaks seven different languages fluently. She actually was a script reader who helped the other actors on the set. She was approached by someone in the industry who told her she should do this and she did.
BB: In the 1980s, you appeared before the Meese Commission that was headed by then US Attorney General, Edwin Meese. Explain why you did that and how you feel your appearance helped future actors and actresses that came along after you did.
I really was one of the true frontiers women of this business who stood up and fought for our First Amendment rights so we would be able to do what we are doing today. That is what the entire thing was about when I appeared before then Attorney General Edwin Meese. We were not treated very nicely, but I didn’t back down either. Some people today in the business do not give us the proper respect for what we did back then that has allowed them to do their thing today.
BB: Politicians have been criticized by their constituents over the years for going after the Adult Movie industry when they felt there were so many more important issues that the US was facing then an adult watching a pornographic movie in the confines of his or her own home. What is your take on this?
They do it because it grabs the headlines and it’s like fluff filler for them. They know that it will grab peoples attention which what they should be concentrating on issues like Homeland Security.
What chaps my ass is Priests who go after little boys or little girls that just get transferred to another Parrish. But if you are some everyday Joe, then you go away for a long time. It’s disgusting and Politicians should go after the Church for allowing that and anyone doing this need to be put away for life. But they want to go after consenting adults of age, who want to watch an Adult Movie in their own homes.
BB: Talk about your company Lilyjake LTD.
Yes, this is my company and I named it after my two cats. Lily has passed away now and Jake is a female cat that I saved from the mean cold streets of Chicago. She is my kid!
BB: Do performers in the adult industry belong to the Screen Actors Guild? If so, do they pay into a retirement?
No, we don’t have anything like SAG and they don’t want us to form a Union. All these years later, there is nothing and nobody pays into a retirement fund.
BB: That brings up another question. If the Adult Movie Industry doesn’t want to do it, why don’t the actors get a Union going?
A lot of them don’t have their stuff together to start a union or even help their selves doing something good. I do think they should start a Union.
BB: Because of the content of your movies, have you ever had any issues with a stalker or a fan that took what was on the screen to be the real you?
Yes, I had one person who actually came up to me at an autograph signing and kind of poked me. I asked him what are you doing? He said you’re not Seka, you died when you were blown up in “Prisoner of Paradise.” I thought I was going to wet my pants! Another time I had a stalker who wrote me all the time with 10-12 page letters that started out very nice and then, got very ugly. We finally got the guy arrested for stalking.
BB: I want to throw some names out at you from your days in the industry and get your thoughts on them.
John Holmes
I loved him and always will. He was very professional with me at all times and contrary to what others have said, I had no problems.
Vanessa Del Rio
I love her. Even though I worked with her one time, we both enjoyed it a lot.
John Leslie
He was a good performer, but personally, I don’t think he was that much of a professional. He was very well liked by people viewing the movies. At times, he could be difficult, but I think it was he cared about how he was presented which he always stood up for.
Marilyn Chambers
Another one I love. I never worked with her, but we are friends today and talk quit often.
Peter North
I only worked with him once and it was for photo stills, which were not hardcore. So I don’t know how far North to North goes… (Laughs)
Lisa De Leeuw
I loved her to and, sadly, she died of AIDS. They said it was not from sexual activity, but possibly drug usage. I did know the folks she hung around with and it’s possible. She was absolutely one of the funniest women I have ever known both on screen and off.
BB: You dated late comedian Sam Kinison who passed away in 1992. Share your thoughts about Sam.
I loved him even though we fought like cats and dogs. I met him at one of his shows and we hit it off immediately. We dated on and off for about three years. People always thought he was on even off stage, but he was actually a very intelligent human being. He was actually a Pastor and you didn’t dare get into an argument with him especially about theology.
It was sad when he was killed by a drunk driver because he was finally clean and sober for a couple of months.
BB: If you had to pick one Adult Movie you were the most proud of, which one would you pick and why?
“Careful He May Be Watching.” It was one of the very first times a woman in the industry tried to do this. I wrote it, produced it, and raised the money for it. It won Film of the Year (1988 from AVN).
BB: In my research for this interview, you have been brutally honest to say, “I was not a good actress for mainstream movies and I never claimed to be.” However, I am sure that mainstream Producers and Directors still came after you because you had such a name in your genre of movies. Did that happen?
Sure they did, but they wanted to sleep with me off the screen to be in their movies. I was like, “I get paid to do this now on the screen, why I am going to do it with you for free?” (Laughs)
BB: In your day, what type of precautions did they take to stop the spread of STD’s? Do you know if today’s industry is just as precautious?
You have to remember that in my day, we only had a handful of actors and actresses that we worked with. We did testing. Today, I think they do, but they work with so many different partners, that I would be worried.
BB: In 1997, Director Paul Thomas Anderson directed the movie “Boogie Nights” that was a portrayal of the Adult Movie Industry during your time in it. What do you think of the movie and did he capture the essence of your era in the business?
First off, I don’t remember ever dressing that poorly, but I guess we must have… How could we have looked so bad and to this day remain so popular? I thought they did an okay job with it for the most part, considering Hollywood did it.
BB: Burt Reynolds career was revived by this movie when he portrayed the character of Jack Horner who was an Adult Movie director. This role garnered Reynolds great reviews and an actual Oscar Nomination. What did you think of his portrayal and could you see in it, that he might have actually gotten with some directors of Adult Films to help his interpretation of the role?
I thought that Burt was pretty much on the mark. Not only did he look very much the part, but his portrayal was as close as anyone else could have gotten.
BB: In 2002, Swedish filmmakers Christian Hallman and Magnus Paulsson filmed the documentary “Desperately Seeking Seka.” From the reviews I have read, it seems to have become a cult film with a large following. Since you were actually in it today, what do you think of it?
I thought they did a very nice job and they were both very sweet. We had them in my home, cooking for them and shooting the interviews I did in it. They sold their US rights to a company who came to me to promote it. But they wanted to offer me a lousy deal, so when I asked for a percentage of the action, they said “we can’t do that.” It was a bad move on their part because had I promoted it, they would have sold a lot more copies.
BB: What is one thing about you that you can share with the RSR Readers that up until our interview today, hardly anyone knew.
That I am really a nice person and not the Bitch, which everyone seems to proclaim I am. (Laughs)
BB: Finally before we get into the boxing which I know you have you really been sparring to get ready for it, I would like you to share your words of wisdom from a business standpoint to any young man or woman who is of the legal age who wants to get into the Adult Movie Industry.
Go to school, then go on to college and forget the business because it’s not what it once was. Not everybody can be a Seka or a Jenna Jameson. But if you are still going to do it, then own everything that you do and control everything you do!