WHACK! Ok, Juelz, I want to assume all our readers know who you are—especially after you made the cover of Penthouse in April of this year! How motherfucking exciting was that? Can you tell us a little about the experience?
Juelz Ventura Penthouse cover… How motherfucking exciting? MOTHERFUCKING exciting! Haha. I was stoked to find out I had gotten the cover of Penthouse! A couple months before the April issue came out my agent, Mark Spiegler, had told me Penthouse had chosen me for one of their magazine spreads. That alone was amazing news. Penthouse shoots so many girls, and each month only a few of them make it into the magazine. It wasn’t until just before the magazine was released that I found out about the cover. One of the people from the Penthouse crew had text me congratulating me on the cover. I received the text while grocery shopping that night and quickly called my agent to ask about it. I didn’t want to let anyone know until it was official, and the following day while on set to film a Penthouse feature our notions were confirmed as one of the crew members handed me my copy. I think I was in shock a little at first. For about a week after that, I’ll admit, I was a little full of myself, HAHA! I was proud of myself though. Its not every day I get recognized for something more than porn. Its definitely something I will never forget.
W! Did being on the cover of such a huge mainstream publication boost your career at all? Or was your career already boosted and that’s how you got to be a Pet in the first place?
JV I think making the cover, making the magazine at all really, helped me a great deal with work. Following the publication I was getting bookings for Penthouse feature films left and right, along with work for several other companies. I’ve also been told by a number of people that the magazine is what first turned them on to me. It definitely helped put my name out there.
W! Going back to your start in the world of adult entertainment, were you highly sexual before you got into the business?
JV I would consider myself closeted prior to diving into the world of XXX. I joke all the time about being the queen of one-night stands, and I was! Before porn, it was very rare that I would sleep with a person more than once. A big part of that was that I was embarrassed by sex. I had a kinky attitude towards it, but there was no way I was going to let people know. I thought it was wrong. So I’d have my fun for one night, and then I’d make for damn sure I was never going to see that person again. Porn was like a release for me. All of a sudden I could be myself and be open about my sexuality. It was amazing.
W! Do you think the stigma against sexuality helped your decision to go into porn, where a high libido is the norm?
JV When I first started in porn, it had nothing to do with my sexuality… It was more a revenge plot. It wasn’t until I took some time off and came back to shooting scenes that I really put some thought into the pros or cons of doing porn. When it all came down to it, I decided there’s no reason to be ashamed of my sexuality. Its amazing how freeing it feels when you realize something like this. All of a sudden I didn’t care what people thought, and I was all about making me happy.
W! I hear rumors you got into porn to spite your ex-husband, who was a major league baseball player? Care to elaborate? That sounds like a hell of a story.
JV The rumors are true. I used to be a very vengeful person, and this is a perfect example of that. I came across videos on my husbands computer of him fucking other girls. This didn’t sit well with me. I was angry, upset, sad, etc. With all those emotions running rapid, I was desperate. I told myself if anyone were to offer me a plane ticket anywhere but here I would take it, and wouldn’t you know… Two days later I received an email from a porn agency in Florida asking if I’d like to fly down to Miami and shoot some scenes. LIGHTBULB! Your husband just got caught taping himself having sex with other bitches… Go have sex with another dude, tape it, and… I’ll go one step further and put it on the internet. That’s exactly what I did, and thus began my porn career.
W! I’ve also heard rumors that you have quite a temper when you’re provoked. Is this true? If so, got any other good stories to tell?
JV I’m Italian and South American, you bet I’ve got a temper! It used to be much worse, but I’ve definitely matured when it comes to those matters. Its not so much that I have a bad temper, its more that I have a low tolerance for ignorance, and I’m easily annoyed. I can handle stupidity, but ignorance is a choice. Stories? I beat a director with my shoe once and broke his camera for calling me a crack whore. I warned him if he said it one more time I was going to shut him up, and I did. Its called respect… If you don’t respect me, don’t expect me to respect you.
W! You’re an in-your-face kind of girl, never taking crap from anyone. Has this gotten you in trouble at all in the industry, or does it help you get the roles you want?
JV I think that goes both ways. In this industry it’s so easy to be taken advantage of, and that’s just not something I choose to allow. It’s helped me in a lot of ways, but at the same time it can definitely be a hindrance. This is high school on a whole ‘nother level. There’s always going to be someone who’s going to talk shit, and it seems most of the time the shit talkers are the ones people choose to believe. For every person who finds a little success, there are ten people who are going to try and drag them down. My method these days is to step back and let the people talk. Standing up and fighting back 9 times out of 10 has gotten me in trouble.
W! You took a hiatus a few years ago right after starting, but now you’re back and bigger than ever. Did you have bad experiences with porn in the beginning?
JV I wouldn’t say I had a bad experience with porn per se, I had several bad experiences with agents… And at some point I just had enough. There were so many factors that played into this, but it just wasn’t worth it. I wasn’t happy, I wasn’t having fun, and I was done. I will never do anything I don’t enjoy doing. Its pointless and miserable. I also had a lot going on in my personal life, and it was best I took a step back, spent some time with my family, and worked on ME. There’s a lot to the stories, and someday maybe I’ll divulge all the info, but for now I’m content with letting people know I’m better because of it now.
W! Have you learned anything valuable from being in this industry, about yourself or the world or, like, anything else?
JV I’ve learned so much from being in the industry. Its given me an entirely different lookout on life and on the world and the people in it. Its amazing to me how closed minded people can be. If there’s one thing I’ll take from this experience it’s that I don’t have to be ashamed of who I am. Nobody should be. If something makes you happy, go for it. Be you, do what you do, and don’t ever let anyone tell you it’s wrong. I’m not a bad person, and people may not approve of the choices I’m making, but I’m alright. I’m happy, I’m healthy… That’s what matters.
W! I was told by a little birdie, who happens to be an adorable journalist you may know personally, that I should ask you about what you think of interracial scenes… So, what’s your deal with interracial scenes?
JV Don’t get me started! Haha. I love doing interracial scenes, I loooove the brothas. I guess this isn’t the case for everyone, but whatever, everyone has their preferences. It’s the girls who refuse to do IR scenes because someone else is telling them not to because it’s bad for their career that irk me. I fuck black men and I fuck white men in the industry… Just because I do IR scenes doesn’t mean companies aren’t going to hire me for other scenes. If you refuse to do IR scenes because you’re afraid you’re going to lose work, consider the fact that if you do IR scenes you have the opportunity to work with that many more guys and do that many more scenes. You’re expanding your workability… Duh! I could go on and on with this subject, but I’m having to type this on my blackberry and my fingers hurt. HAHA, sowwy.
W! You’re a heavily tattooed lady but you don’t tend to go for the punk rock aesthetic of some porn companies — you’re more mainstream. Tell us about your tattoos! When did you get your first one and how did you decide you wanted more?
JV I’m a jack of all trades in a sense when it comes to my look. I can have a mainstream look, but at the same time I can be porny. It all works. The only thing I’ve truly removed myself from is that little girl role, which I’m not complaining about. I’m 23 years old… I don’t really want to be seen as a teeny-bopper, I’m grown! I got my first tattoo when I was 16 using a fake ID… It was the tribal on the small of my back. I’ve always loved tattoos, I think they’re amazing. The work that goes into them, and the time, its nuts… And it’s an art form. My tattoos are just one form of my self expression. Each of my tattoos had a story or some meaning behind it. I’ve never just walked into a place, picked out a picture, and said I want that. That’s not how I roll. In fact several of my tattoos have been designed by me, also drawn specifically for me. My sleeve is actually my porn story/journey. The good, the bad, the ugly… Past, present, future… And hope. Its all there. Some people don’t like the tattoos and have made this apparent on the web, and to those people I say screw you. There are how many other porn girls out there who aren’t heavily tattooed? Go watch one of them. My fans like my tattoos, and even if they don’t care for them much, they’ve found other things about me they like. Stop dwelling on the negatives people! There’s more to me than just the one element.
I’m pretty fucking rad, and if you take the time to get to know me, you’d probably love me. 😛
—Interview conducted by Miss Lagsalot.
I know now why I don’t see that much of her.