COURTNEY TROUBLE — “I end up falling in love with just about everyone I shoot!”

WHACK! MAGAZINE I’m super excited to introduce you to any WHACK! readers who aren’t yet familiar with your work. Can you tell us a bit about yourself for the uninitiated?

COURTNEY TROUBLE I’m a queer, “bisexual” alt performer, porn star, and also at the head of the Queer Porn movement as a site director and film-maker. I’ve got 3 AVN noms and 2 Feminist Porn Awards under my belt! Queer porn, being porn, the focuses on fluid sexuality, sex-positivity, and the diversity of desire — the word “queer” not meaning homosexual males, but sexually fluid men and women alike!

W! Hm, that’s an interesting topic. You are often called the originator of the term “queer porn.” Where did that term come from? How is it related to what people tend to think of as “queer,” which is homosexual men?

CT In 2002, I started a tiny porn site called NoFauxxx.com, inspired by my belief that alt porn wasn’t alt enough. So I thought I’d just go ahead and start my own movement where the porn stars could be just their crazy, sexy selves — and to seek out people you might not see in regular porn — or people who were largely marginalized by mainstream porn — including the tattooed punks you see in alt porn — and let them play with themselves and each other in a light-hearted, authentic manner.

The word “queer” got thrown around because it wasn’t straight, it wasn’t lesbian, it wasn’t gay, it wasn’t bisexual, it wasn’t “tranny porn” or “BBW porn”— it was everything, and “queer” is such a great umbrella term for everything outside the box.

W! Or inside the box, as the case may sometimes be.

CT Yes! I will say that there is plenty of “girl on girl” action — but it’s even better than the mainstream “real lesbian” porn they’re making now — my girl/girl is HARD-FUCKING-CORE and very, very real as to how women fuck each other whether they identify as lesbians or not.

W! So how do you identify, personally? As queer? As bisexual? As a lesbian?

CT I personally identify as a queer femme. To break that down even more, you can say that I am a highly glamorous girly girl and I like to fuck just about everything.

Whether it’s relationships or just sex, gender doesn’t really come into play — if I like you, I like you for how hot, slutty, smart, and creative you are. And that’s also kind of the whole philosophy around “queer porn” and what I do with porn.

W! So fluidity is key in your life and your porn! I love it! It does often seem that the mainstream porn industry is almost as homophobic as the Midwest, which is a strange thing. Did you ever try to get involved with mainstream porn before starting NoFauxxx?

CT Oh I don’t think the Midwest is half as homophobic as the mainstream porn industry! What I don’t like about the mainstream porn industry is that these companies just have to niche everything to the extent that you loose authenticity, regardless of whether it’s about someone’s sexual preference, race, size, boob size, parental status, et cetera.   I never tried to get involved in mainstream porn before starting NoFauxxx — although I’ve definitely gotten into it now that I’m older and smarter!  I would be interested in being the weirdo on set demanding authenticity and creative freedom. I think people like Nica Noelle, Tristan Taormino, and Belladonna would love what I did for them!

W! So authenticity is where it’s at in queer porn! It’s interesting that it’s such a low priority for many. Why do you think that tends to get lost in mainstream porn? Is it just because everyone wants to sell a safe and easy product, or something deeper?

CT Yeah, a safe and easy product for sure — but if you look at it from a show business perspective, Hollywood films don’t ever feel “real,” either. You can liken me to a starving-artist independent documentary film-maker. I’m not doing it for the money, so my work gets to be super fun, edgy, hardcore, and authentic — cause I don’t worry about losing sales. And at the end of the day I do sell films and I do have people buying memberships to my websites because I don’t give a fuck.

W! Do you think a lot of your viewers are in it particularly for the authenticity they find? Or for the hot sexy queers? Or both?

CT Oh, I don’t know what they’re looking for — I try not to guess, it would effect how I shoot! I like the idea that with every film and every scene, I’m getting the chance to surprise the viewer and offer up a new fetish, a deeper level of their sexual prowess and interests.

W! So who are some of your favorite performers to work with?

CT Oh,yay! I love this question. It’s a long list. I often become friends with performers before I shoot them, so I end up falling in love with just about everyone I shoot!  Lorelei Lee, Dylan Ryan, April Flores, Jiz Lee, Nina Hartley, Kelly Shibari, Kimberly Kane, Madison Young, Wolf Hudson are a few well-known folks I love working with. And then to pimp out my favorite “Queer Porn Stars” — Judy Minx from Paris, FTM stars Billy Castro and James Darling, kink babes Juliette March, Dia Zerva, Mickey Mod, Syd Blakovich… The list goes on and on.

W! Have you performed with any of these people?

CT Yes! I’ve performed with April Flores quite a few times, and also Kimberly Kane, Jiz Lee, Madison Young, Nina Hartley, Kelly Shibari, Judy Minx…

I was actually in a filmed gangbang where Nina Hartley and Jiz Lee fucked me while April Flores and a few other folks nailed my mouth with cocks, blindfolded me, and tortured my tits!  (That’s in my upcoming film LIVE SEX SHOW, indie release, May 2011.)

W! Woah, that sounds intense! I can’t wait to see it! What are some other titles of yours that people can see now, and where can they find them?

CT Ok, my favorite things that I’ve performed in:

– my own sites NoFauxxx.Com and QueerPorn.TV because I always push myself a little harder and get to do exactly what I want, since I’m performing and directing.

Roulette Toronto, a gorgeous scene of me topping the fuck out of tiny Parisian porn star Judy Minx.

CrashPadSeries, where I recently got to dominate and fuck Maxine Holloway (if you haven’t noticed, I’ve got a boner for pretty girls).

W! Who doesn’t have a boner for pretty girls? Hello!

CT Also:

Artcore directed by Carlos Batts, a threesome with April Flores and Kelly Shibari — this movie is awesome. April is one of my best friends and Carlos is one of my favorite film-makers.

Ok, and a small list of some of my favorite things I have made:

NoFauxxx.com – My baby and the original queer porn site! Almost 9 years old and getting stronger every month — features porn stars like Lorelei Lee, Kimberly Kane, Madison Young, etc. as well as sweet amateurs. The perfect blend of kink, alt porn, and authentic portrayals of queers — all in one

QueerPorn.TV – My new website launched in November with really hardcore exclusive content and a whole slew of video interviews. We also do live-streaming sex events like sex-ed classes, play parties, live hardcore shoots, all free

QueerPornTube.com – just what it sounds like, a free tube site for queer, alt, sex-positive porn. Kindof like the cool Xtube.

W! Oh man, people are going to want to check that out! Free queer porn uploads? Yes please!

CT Yeah, QueerPornTube is awesome. It’s totally free and there’s some really nasty sexy stuff up there already even though it’s rather new. I really wanted to use the tube structure for some good — by offering up a place for anyone to upload their own homemade porno!

And my films, I’ll pimp out Roulette Toronto again because it’s totally amazing. Also, Bordello, Billy Castro Does the Mission, and Seven Minutes in Heaven: Coming Out! which was nominated for Best Professional Amatuer film, AVN 2011!

Those pages have trailers and free photos, and you can buy all my films from courtneytrouble.com.

W! I have a feeling a few of us… I mean… Them… The readers… Will! Ahem. So what kind of porn, if left to your own devices, would you watch all the time? The stuff you make?

CT Hm. I would watch the stuff I make, yes. I also really get boners for the films that Eon Mckai, Kimberly Kane, Carlos Batts, and Dave Naz make. f course I also love Belladonna’s films, and Tristan Taormino’s sex-ed films because they are just so dirty and smart!

W! Tristan Taormino is amazing.

CT Yes! She is actually interviewing me for her documentary about female rape fantasies this month.

W! How interesting. Such a hush-hush topic that needs exploding. So what kinds of things do you like to do in private? Sexually and un-sexually?

CT My private sex life is sweet, lusty, and highly entertaining. Me and my boyfriend like to play really rough — we touch on fantasies of daddy/girl, sleep sex, rape, and force. And then we cuddle for hours.

W! It’s really amazing how different sex can be from real life, and how hot that is. Do you think queer porn is more able to explore these differences?

CT I do! I think that I’m allowed to play with touchy subjects because my porn gets looked at from an artistic, intellectual point of view from academics and sexy/science types. Because it’s not cookie-cutter, I do get to show things like fisting, rough sex, consensual force/rape play, et cetera because queer porn as a whole is culturally significant. I mean, I win Feminist Porn Awards—people see more than just the sex, so the sex gets to be playful, intricate, and sometimes a little rougher than the rest!

W! You’re a cuddler, then? Do you dig cuddle parties?

CT I’m a cuddler if I’m in love. I feel a little weird getting cozy with strangers or co-stars unless we’ve been lovers or best friends off screen. I would feel a little strange in a cuddle puddle! However, I will say that cuddling is really my favorite form of “Aftercare.” So after a really rough sexual experience or BDSM play, if we can spoon for a few minutes, the heart rate goes back to normal!

W! Makes sense! I’m interested in your art comment… I’ve noticed that your films are very strongly artistic both visually and musically. Your trailers, particularly, use really strong music.

CT Yes!

W! What kind of music do you like? What turns you on?

CT Lately all I want to listen to when I’m fucking or making out is Led Zeppelin. It’s like sex in a speaker!

I like having good music in my porn — sometimes it’s all the way through and sometimes it’s just used as interludes. There’s some pretty horrid porn soundtracks out there, and if I can put in some really awesome, indie, beautiful music in a film, I will. Luckily I’ve dipped my feet into the underground music scene more than once, and have tons and tons of friends in amazing bands.

My first film, No Fauxxx Roulette, and my third film, Speakeasy, competed with each other in the “Best Soundtrack” category at the AVN Awards in 2010.

W! It’s really heartening that AVN has recognized your work. Do you think that queer porn will ever really infiltrate, or at least influence, mainstream porn?

CT I am very honored and thankful for my 3 AVN nominations. I think it’s really fucking rad. It also makes me want to meet whatever little fairy works for AVN and follows my work!  I don’’ know if queer porn will ever truly change the mainstream landscape — and I’m not sure that’s the direction I’m headed. If I had to change anything about my casting ethics or on-set ethics, I wouldn’t be into it.

However, I do think that the internet and digital video technology has made it insanely easy for people to make their own porn — and that will change the mainstream landscape and already has. I think in general, homemade or DIY porn is probably more popular than the big guys these days. If the Industry At Large wants to keep up at all, they are going to have to look to people like me to see why people prefer authentic, artistic, lo-fi porn.

W! I think you’re right, and it’s changing the way we think of and want to see porn. Well, anyway, Courtney, I think we’ve got enough here to make people’s heads explode, or maybe their something elses. Thanks so much, I know you’re a super busy superstar!

CT Yeah, no kidding! Thanks so much for giving me so much attention!

Interview conducted by… you guessed it! WHACK! staph degenerate and editor-in-chief, Miss Lagsalot.