CADENCE ST JOHN — “I never had a problem with exposing myself!”

WHACK! MAGAZINE Hello there, Cadence St. John! I have a lot of things I want to ask you about yourself, but first, let’s give all our WHACK!-y readers a little in the way of introduction: who are you and what do you do?

W! So you’ve been a model for a long time and porn model for a shorter time. How did you make the transition between the two?

CSJ It was quite a smooth transition. I started modeling and always did nudes, I never had a problem with exposing myself. Nudity and sex are subjects everyone is familiar with and I never felt like hiding it. So, I had been modeling for Alt sites such as Super Cult, Deviant Nation and remotely for Burning Angel as well as regular glamour work. I finally met Joanna Angel at a party on one of my trips to LA and always wanted to do a shoot with her, so we did it.

W! How did you decide to start modeling in the first place?

CSJ I had always been a worker from digging foundations, cab driving, security, waitressing… But in 2001, I got hit by a car. It shattered my left leg, fractured my right, and broke both knees, along with my left shoulder. I was crippled for a year and disabled for a few years after. Because of my chronic pain I was not able to hold any of the jobs I had before. I’m also not one to be taken care of; I like being independent and like to be self sufficient. So, I had to find a way to not depend on others. A friend of mine suggested modeling and I went for it. I have been doing it ever since.

W! Have you found the two industries more similar or different?

CSJ Beauty is a commodity in both for sure. There is a bit more professionalism in modeling because they have a call time and set hours and it’s done. With porn there’s more messing around, you never know how long it’s going to take. But they are both fun.

W! Have you only done girl-girl scenes so far? Any plans to do the men-folk, too?

CSJ I have actually done a few boy /girl scenes for Burning Angel and my own site. I’m just very, very picky in porn and out of porn. Gotta be able to sleep with myself at night!

W! You seem like you’ve got a very good — if perhaps a bit degenerate — head on your shoulders. You’ve got an alt look and a punk-ass mindset, and this look on your face that makes me think you really like stirring up trouble. Is this true?

CSJ It depends on what you mean by trouble. I have a very strange sense of humor and a bit of a sadistic streak. I tend to stay away from people who are trouble or drama. I just don’t have time for it. I don’t need anymore attention than I already get and have caused enough trouble in my past for many lifetimes. Not that I don’t digress on occasion! laughing

W! What are some fetishes you are into?

CSJ I tend to like to dom and humiliate, do whipping and punishment in the jobs I do.

W! What are you NOT into?

CSJ Feet!! I hate feet!!

W! So you’ve admitted to being a bookworm and philosophy nut, which puts you right smack dab in the middle of the WHACK! demographic (or so we like to think). How do nerdy pursuits like that go along with modeling and porn?

CSJ Hmmm, I don’t think they do. How can you live without questioning everything and wanting to know everything? I know, I’ll never know everything, but I’m going to try. Porn and modeling are just careers and jobs, not life. You have to have other things in your life to keep yourself grounded. I need my books to just get away from it all, at the end of the day and have always been on the hunt for knowledge. I actually wanted to go into library sciences for a long time.

W! What are you reading right now?

CSJ I’m reading The Call of the Wild by Jack London for about the 20th time. I read it every once in a while because I always had an affinity for Buck!

W! What’s the last book you read that really got your brain going?

CSJ There’s a compilation book full of essays by Carl Jung that I read often, called Jung on Evil. It’s just different psychological perspective on the subject of evil. I’ve read it every year or so.

W! Was that book the same as last book that really turned you on physically?

CSJ I don’t really read physically arousing books, I like to live my fantasies. I always read books that make me think. Anything is possible in life and I like to drift on ideas.

W! Speaking of philosophy, your website proclaims loudly that it is an anti-racist website. What does that entail, aside from the absence of racism?

CSJ Not telling racist jokes, avoiding stereo types, knowing that skin color or ethnicity doesn’t make a person less valuable as a human being. You also do not condone others being racist.

W! You’ve mentioned in interviews that you find America to be “an up-tight nation.” What do you find most obnoxiously up-tight about America?

CSJ No, I love this country. I may not appreciate the government however; capitalism, the way-too-close relationship between church and state, health care, social security. The list goes on, but there’s nowhere I’d rather live. Everything comes with pros and cons; it’s what you’re willing to deal with. I don’t think I would have the same opportunities or freedoms in any other country. I am a little jealous of Canada’s health care!

W! Should anyone ever be up-tight about anything?

CSJ I think it depends on what you value as a person. I’m up-tight about racism, how women devalue themselves, and my work, but I’ve always been a little up-tight and I’m a perfectionist. Now, whether I should let some things go because it might make my life easier, that’s another story.

W! So we were introduced through our beautiful and brainy spokes-star, Lexi Love. How do you know Lexi?

CSJ I met her at a few adult functions and I find her to be an open and inspiring person. Both of us have been though quite a few life-altering events and come through it pretty strong.

W! She told me that you have a very interesting story to tell, but I don’t know exactly which one she’s talking about. Any clues?

CSJ I think it has to with the way I got into porn. My story is a wee different from the “how did you get into porn” story.

W! You are very positive about sex and its good side, and seem to be a person who does porn because its fun rather than as a solid career choice. What do you think, as a member of the industry, of the push from Cal-OSHA about condoms? Do you think this is necessary or good?

CSJ The thing I have against this is the fact that some people don’t want to use condoms. Getting tested and having safe sex practices is better than using condoms alone. We create a fantasy and frankly, in these fantasies people don’t stop and put a condom on. My point is that we get tested and we don’t perform with anyone without negative tests. I think people should have the right to choose what they do with their bodies and lives. I think there is more of a risk with people outside the industry than in it.

W! Is it just another scare tactic that our culture takes to make people afraid of sex?

CSJ I think there are ulterior motives to these scare tactics but not to make people afraid of sex. Rather to put the porn industry in a bad light. People have to remember that we are not forced to do it, we like doing it and it is our choice. If people don’t like it, then they don’t have to view it. Just let people do what they want whether you agree with it or not.

W! Do you think that “alt” porn and modeling will ever cross over and become more accepted by mainstream interests? Can tattooed and not-tattooed people ever just get along?

CSJ This has always been an issue! There are a lot of people who aren’t used to girls with tattoos. They prefer the Jenna Jamesons and Jesse Janes and I have no problem with it. Many companies have made millions off girls like this; it’s just easier to market and sell. Porn is about making money and if you have something that is easily sold then, that’s what they do. It is getting better and I’m sure this generation will grow to direct and use what they like. There are many successful tattooed girls — Juelz Ventura, Mason Moore, who work all of the time. “Alt,” however, is still not as acceptable. We all get along, there’s no not getting along on my side, it’s just preference.

W! So you’re a huge music geek, on top of your booky-philosophical bent. What kind of music do you listen to on your iPod?

CSJ Misfits, Danzig, The Dwarves, The Specials, The Clash, Guns ‘n’ Roses, Motley Crue, The Pretenders, Depeche Mode, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, The Smiths, The Cure, Roy Orbison, Nina Simone, to name a few.

W! In your car in traffic?

CSJ Pretty much the same, I might put on the Ludacris station on my Pandora! laughing

W! Ok, ok, enough with the questions. Got any big projects releasing soon? Movies? Gallery exhibits? Magazines? Signings?

CSJ I always have stuff coming out on my site http://oitomboy.com and I’ll be signing at Exxxotica LA for Burning Angel at the end of the month. I also am in Dave Naz’s new book Butt Babes that just came out. It’s a fitting title, considering I got that ass! laughing

W! Thanks so much for your time, Cadence! It’s been rad!

—Interview conducted by the loony and lascivious Miss Lagsalot.