Sibling Revelry with Kate Hudson and Oliver Hudson - Revel In It: Jenna Jameson

Episode Date: January 25, 2024

Former porn star Jenna Jameson is an enigma. Seen by millions, but few know the woman behind the headlines.Find out what attracted her to the world of adult entertainment as a teen, and why she wasn't met with much resistance- not even from her own family. And, what happened when that freedom led her to the darkest corners of the industry? Plus, how has porn changed through the years and what does she REALLY think about OnlyFans? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an IHeart podcast. September is a great time to travel, especially because it's my birthday in September, especially internationally. Because in the past, we've stayed in some pretty awesome Airbnbs in Europe. Did we've one in France, we've one in Greece,

we've actually won in Italy a couple of years ago. Anyway, it just made our trip feel extra special. So if you're heading out this month, consider hosting your home on Airbnb. With the co-host feature, you can hire someone local to help manage everything. Find a co-host at Airbnb.ca slash host.

I'm Jorge Ramos. And I'm Paola Ramos. Together we're launching The Moment, a new podcast about what it means to live through a time, as uncertain as this one. We sit down with politicians, artists, and activists to bring you death and analysis from a unique Latino perspective. The Moment is a space for the conversations

we've been having us father and daughter for years. Listen to The Moment with Jorge Ramos and Paola Ramos on the I-Heart Radio app, podcast or wherever you get your podcasts. Introducing IVF Disrupted, the Kind Body Story, a podcast about a company that promised to revolutionize fertility care. It grew like a tech startup. While Kind Body did help women start families, it also left behind a stream of disillusioned

and angry patients. You think you're finally like in the right hands. You're just not. Listen to IVF Disrupted, the Kind Body Story, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Kate Hudson. And my name is Oliver Hudson. We wanted to do something that highlighted our relationship.

And what it's like to be siblings. We are a sibling rivalry. No, no. Sibling rivalry. Don't do that with your mouth. Sibling Revelry That's good

Olly Kate this is a big day For a lot of people We are about to introduce an icon Yes Actually yes And this is one of my Revel in it's because

I've been reveling Yeah well yeah Jenna Jamison For you is almost a huge part of your, I guess, like, manhood? Well, I mean, my life. Now, I'm really intrigued because I'm always sort of intrigued as to how people get into adult film industry and what sort of motivates them.

And Jenna Jameson, I think, didn't she have, didn't she, like, wasn't she the first one to kind of produce and her own videos, right? Yes, I think that she. she actually made a real business out of it versus she's a business woman who said all right well you know you're not going to take you're not just going to take control of me I'm not just for hire like I know what my worth is and I'm going to sort of capitalize on well I'm excited to just learn about her life I'm pretending like I know everything and I and I don't other than that you know I do I do admire and respect her she is of the time really you know was was such a a big name like even you know the sort of crossover because I guess at that time it was VHS wasn't it so when she started it wasn't like you had the sort of internet yeah so there was really a few kind of like household names there were real stars the industry obviously has changed tremendously um all right well I'm excited to let's bring her on to talk to Jenna I met her one time

my bachelor party yeah oh my god we're in Vegas she won't remember she won't remember she won't remember. Yeah, it was in Vegas and she was there and I was like, we just went up to him like, oh my God. Like, it's my bachelor party. I just want to say hello. Yeah, and I probably name dropped you. I definitely name dropped. What's happening? Nice to meet you. Oh, my God, I love you. We were just, I know, I know. We were just doing our little intro on you. And I was saying I actually met you. I had my bachelor party in Vegas and I think you were with your first husband or something and I was like I have to go say hi

and I said hi and all that but of course I name dropped Kate because I read in a magazine and entertainment weekly or something that like oh Kate Hudson's one of my favorites like fan girling oh thank you for saying that I'm so excited to meet you

and talk to you about your life I'm sure it's I mean from on the outside looking in it seems like it would be wild. And so I can't wait. That's a great adjective. We, Oliver and I, we have this thing for our show or we say we revel in it.

And Oliver was like, I really want to bring on Jenna Jameson. And so I'm just excited to get to know a little bit about you. Well, I read your first book. You know, I know a lot. You know what I mean? Yeah, it was a lot. It was a lot. Yeah.

It was a lot. And then even more so, and we'll get into all this, but, you know, there's, you're an icon in the sense, not that you were just an adult film actress, but you knew you're worth in the industry and said, fuck off, basically. You're not just going to use me for what I can do. I'm going to monetize and capitalize on my business sense and I'm going to own my shit, right? And you were one of the first people to do that. They really weren't used to that sort of thing in my industry. And I saw an opening for a woman that had some sort of IQ. and I applied that and it worked.

I was shocked, to be honest. I didn't think I was going to go very far because I had so many parameters and rules and regulations to what I would do on film. And to my surprise, they agreed to it. They gave me what I demanded. And I think it set precedent for a lot of girls in the industry that were the commodity, were the important ones,

and you do what you're comfortable with and everything falls in line thereafter. Also, the adult film industry must be so radically different now than it was 20 years ago. I don't even know what it's like anymore. I sometimes get girls that message me and they're like, well, what would you do in this instance?

And I'm like, it's out of my realm of thinking. I don't even understand everything that they're having to do now. I, it's just a different day and age. Because it must have been a really small community and now sort of globally, it's probably just like, well, I mean, the advent of just the technology, you know, webcams, you know, now porn is watched in little bites, you know what I mean? There's no longer stories and themes and large productions, you know, which was fun, you know what I mean? become a star nowadays, like back in my day, back in the Stone Age, you had to have charisma and acting skills and be competent in interviews. Now there is no place for that.

So, I mean, there's something to be said for it. And I love that a lot of girls are capable of doing it without having to, you know, jump through the hoops I jumped through. But I miss the days of they're being polish. Yeah. No, I know. I know. Now you get on Onlyfans and someone can make a million dollars in a month. Bless their hearts. Yeah.

I mean, it's unbelievable. I mean, God bless them. I swear, like, if that was around in my day, I don't even know how my career would have panned out. You know, because when I was working, there was a very small pool of women that were capable. of doing what I was doing. Now it's just so watered down that it pretty much changed all of porn all together. So it's sad in a way for me

because I don't know. I felt like I'm going to turn this into more like the movies, like real movies. And now it's just different. And, you know, it's just the way the world works now. Yeah. Well, let's, can we start from the beginning for, for those who are discovering Jenna Jameson on our, on our podcast. Where, where were you born?

I was born in Las Vegas. Oh, so you're in Vegas. Through and through. Original Sin City girl. That's right. And you're Italian, aren't you? Yes, I am. My real name's Jenna Mazzoli.

Yeah. Oh, you're Mazzol. Mazzoli. And they're like, you're Italian. That is very Italian. Missouli. Mezzoli. Jenna Maria Mazzoli.

And did you, was your upbringing? Was it like a traditional upbringing? Was it, did you have a good relationship with your family? Your parents were your mom and dad together? Well, starting from the beginning, I was raised by my father. My mother passed away when I was two from cancer. And my dad was a fantastic father. he allowed me a lot but also had a lot of rules for me. So I grew up like having worth. And my father was a

police officer. So, you know, I had to, I had to act right. So I was really good in school. I was a cheerleader. I everything that you would expect from someone that looks like me. And then, and then And right around my sophomore year in high school, I started turning into a hot chick. Like I went from like nobody ever looked at me to everybody was like, wow, look at Jenna. She's different now. So I was like, okay, how do I capitalize on that? I guess that's how my mind has always worked. So I thought, wow, I've got to.

these great boobs, and they're brand new. Let's do this. So I started from stripping. So like, like, just like, how old were you when you started stripping? Well, it wasn't legal. I will say that. But I was always 10 years ahead in my brain. So that never even deterred me at all. I just thought about the money and how I would compound upon that. I was like, this is a good jumping off point. Now, that is not a good jumping off point for everybody out there. Like, it's not the same anymore. So I was just able to turn it into something big.

And for a lot of people out there, this is something that would kind of, it could ruin you. easily nowadays, I just knew how to catapult myself out of just being a porn star into being a personality. So you went from stripping and then what was that when, when, like, when were you approached? Wasn't your dad pretty supportive of all this? Well. Maybe I got that wrong. I kind of remember in the book.

I kept my father in the dark because I was kind of the golden. child he was like you know my my daughter she's so smart and she's so pretty and capable and um i remember going and trying out at the crazy horse too here in las vegas and not my dad not knowing and i finally once i got the job and i was like i was making tens of thousand dollars a night and i was in high school, he started looking at me like, Jenna, what's going on? And I finally just sat down and said, dad, okay, this is what I'm doing. And I've always been so level-headed that my dad looked at it, like, listen, if you're going to do this, because he knew he couldn't stop me. If he said, if you're going to do this, I want you to keep your head on straight. You know,

no drugs, no running around, no all hours of the night with different. men. I just want you to handle your business and you go to school. So I was going to school it during the day and stripping at night. It's amazing. So then, okay, so how are you approached? Like, were you approached by someone for adult film? Was it something that you got into random? It's kind of like, I remember being on stage and a girl was watching me. And she wasn't watching me like a normal customer, she was like really looking at me. And after I got off stage, she approached me and said, Jenna, you know, you have something really special. I would love to photograph you. So I was like, well, what kind of photographs? Like, what are we talking about

here? And she was like, yeah, there's, there's a lot of openings for like adult magazines. And I was like, okay, let's go, you know, because I knew that that was another stepping stone towards stardom. That's what I thought in my young head. And so I, I just started doing nudie magazines. And I think my first magazine was Pennhouse. What was your, what was your, as a kid, what was your dream? Like, what did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a ballerina, a showgirl, like my mother. My mother was a Las Vegas showgirl. Oh, wow. Yeah.

But I never got the height. God. Rude. Do you remember your first sort of, now, now, was there ever, well, let me go back a little bit. Was there ever a moment where you felt like, you know, as a woman, you know, I know that for me, I'm trying to empathize or put myself in your shoes of sort of being so outwardly open and with your body and sexual, you know, was there ever a moment? moment where you were like, oh, I don't, I don't like the way this feels or am I, am I going too

far, um, you know, like if I cross over into this, is that like, does it just get crazier and crazier and crazier? Like, did you ever have that? I get what you're saying. Yeah. Um, I think that that would be a normal feeling for most people, but for me, I, I had gone through some pretty terrible situations when I was younger and I always felt like I needed to take that power back my sexuality my body I didn't want anybody else to be exploiting it so I felt by me being the one saying okay I choose to do this I choose to it was under my control so I you know through years of therapy. I realized that I did that in order to take it back from the people that had taken it from me when I was younger. It's interesting because sometimes- It's kind of dark.

It's dark, but it's- Yeah, but it's interesting because sometimes when people go through the things that you might have gone through, they spiral into a place and feel less empowered where you used it almost your sexuality to empower you in a sense. Right. And also, you know, with writing my book, I was able to explain because, you know, throughout my whole career, I've had a lot of feminists that are like, you know, you're adding to this. You're feeding the beast. And I was able to explain that this is, a way of empowering myself. And I think that that put things into perspective for a lot of women out there that

have gone through the same thing and they see a different avenue than just saying, okay, I'm going to find God and shut everything down and not be myself. I embraced who I was and I hit the gas pedal. Yeah. September always feels like the start of something new, whether it's back to school, new projects, or just a fresh season. It's the perfect time to start dreaming about your next adventure. I love that feeling of possibility, thinking about where to go next, what kind of place will stay in, and how to make it feel like home. I'm already imagining the kind of Airbnb that would make the trip unforgettable,

somewhere with charm character and a little local flavor. If you're planning to be away this September, why not consider hosting your home on Airbnb while you're gone? Your home could be the highlight of someone else's trip, a cozy place to land, a space that helps them feel like a local. And with Airbnb's co-host feature, you can hire a local co-host to help with everything from managing bookings to making sure your home is guest ready. Find a co-host at Airbnb.ca slash host. I'm Jorge Ramos. And I'm Paola Ramos. Together we're launching The Moment

a new podcast about what it means to live through a time as uncertain as this one. We sit down with politicians. I would be the first immigrant mayor in generations but 40% of New Yorkers were born outside of this country. Artists and activists, I mean, do you ever feel

demoralized? I might personally lose hope. This individual might lose the faith. But there's an institution that doesn't lose faith. And that's what I believe in. To bring you death an analysis from a unique Latino perspective. There's not a single day that Paola and I don't call or text each other, sharing news and thoughts about what's happening in the country.

This new podcast will be a way to make that ongoing intergenerational conversation public. Listen to The Moment with Jorge Ramos and Paola Ramos as part of the MyCultura podcast network on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I started trying to get pregnant about four years ago now. We're getting a little bit older, and it just kind of felt like the window could be closing. Bloomberg and IHeart Podcasts present. IVF disrupted, the Kind Body Story, a podcast about a company that promised to revolutionize fertility care.

Introducing Kind Body, a new generation of women's health and fertility care. backed by millions in venture capital and private equity, it grew like a tech startup. While Kind Body did help women start families, it also left behind a stream of disillusioned and angry patients. You think you're finally like with the right people in the right hands, and then to find out again that you're just not. Don't be fooled. By what? All the bright and shiny. Listen to IVF disrupted, the Kind Body story, starting September 19 on the IHeart Radio,

app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's funny when you talk about, when people talk about sexuality and especially the adult film industry and the sex industry, it can be very complicated because obviously there's a lot of women in the sex industry that they've either been forced in there or, by circumstance. It's very dark, dark circumstances. So it does become kind of that that, especially more challenging now.

Yeah, it's, it's, but there are also, there is also room for women who in really enjoy the process of being a part of, you know, an adult film or, or dancing. So it's, it's, I think that's, that's why it's always so, polarizing. It really is because I think from an outsider's perspective, you automatically look at women in my industry as victims. Like something had to have happened in order for a woman to do this. And on some level, everything we do is because of what's happened to us, right? So I knew that I was

going to be hit with, you know, you're a victim. You've been traumatized. And, this is your coping mechanism. And when I wrote my book, it was so important to me to show how I was able to heal by taking it back, by controlling everything, because I am a control freak. So I was in control of who was hired, who I worked with, the producers, the companies I was contracted with. All that I had a hand in absolutely everything. So I thought by showing that and, you know, talking about it in my book, that it would give kind of a guide to girls that it's not wrong to do these things.

You just have to stay true to who you are and what you're comfortable with. So when people come to me and say, oh, you know, this is, it's so sad what you went through and what happened. It's so important for me to let people know that these are my choices and I'm comfortable with it. And as long as I'm comfortable with it, that's all that matters. What were your parameters? What were your, what were, what did it? What was the kind of, you know, like if you were doing a contract, I, I, my big thing was that I had a list of, very few people I would work with for a very huge amount of my career I only worked with my

partners and um which was about two or three that I went from relationship to a relationship as young girl so um and I would only have a certain amount of people on set it would be just the cameraman, the sound guy, and that's it. So it felt more intimate and less, I don't know. I just, I don't, contrary to popular belief, I am a very introverted person, so it took everything I had to do what I did. So I kept closed sets, I okayed all the scripts. A lot of the scripts I wrote.

I just I wanted everything to feel very personal and that helped me to be able to do it and come across like I was actually enjoying it because to me there was nothing worse than watching a movie and you can just tell that she's somewhere else and you know

I was going to ask you that actually why do you think you became such a massive star and an icon in this industry. Why do you think you did? What's the special sauce, so to speak? Yeah, I think, well, I think that I, it was a lot of timing. The, the industry was ready for someone like me. But I also was, um, really myself.

I, when I worked, you could tell I was enjoying what I was doing. and there was just a connection. You know, I've grown and I've, you know, grown into a woman and changed. I'm a mother, all those kind of things. And now I look back at it like it's a different person. But at that time, I really put forth who I was. And people connected to that.

You know, I think that because I had so many rules, you really got who I was with the movies that I put out it was me for sure because I okayed the scripts I was like I'm not saying that so yeah and did you enjoy being like an object of fantasy

for like a random person walking down they see you and they're like oh she is my fantasy like without the person out without any connection because it is of like you look it's just a it becomes sort of like a the connection obviously is something that you don't know but right yeah I mean was that something you actually enjoy the surface

level I really liked it because I was always such an ugly duckling growing up I was very awkward and I was like the smart girl so it was nice to be like wanted like people look at me like wow. But I always felt very disconnected from that. So for me, it was, I just loved that I was going into an industry that women were looked at for the surface. And I was going to change that. I wanted people to look at this, to look at my movies, read my literature, all those things. And I wanted them to be like, wow, there's so much more to this girl. So I, I, I, I, know a lot of women in the industry obviously and they always have so much more to offer and they're not given that you know any chance to show that beyond their body yeah what was your

so you went you did the magazines but do you remember like when it transitioned into on screen like what was that what was that moment vividly um I remember a few magazines had come out and um i was contacted fairly quickly like within days of my magazines coming out by randy west oh yeah up-and-comers dating myself here but no i remember it was the up-and-comers series up-and-comers look at you oh yeah oliver oliver's aunt it was the up-and-comer series yeah i know it was great i didn't realize that time like how important that was going to be it was bad i love that you know it oh of course that guy was such a weird looking dude too like ollie ollie not very secretly probably knows all of your work so test with you allie the thing about randy west was he had the weirdest dick too

it was like it was a weird he was always so tan he looked like he lived on venice beach in the It was total like 75. Yeah. It was 75. Yeah. I definitely had to disconnect on some level. No, I know. Well, I already knew the question when I asked it because honestly, and this is me being a fan, like, it's so obvious why you became a star, just even from that first scene.

Because it's funny you say that how disconnected you were, but you were so not, as perception goes, of what. but everyone is watching. You know, you can't help but look at that scene and be like, holy shit. Like, who is that person? You know? Yeah. You know, a lot of people say that to me, and I'm still pretty disconnected from that because I don't feel my own star quality.

I just kind of do what feels natural. And it worked out for me. It definitely worked out for me. But I remember going into those scenes. yeah how was that like just scared yeah yeah like I was just like okay Jenna turn it on yeah turn it on and um I I I'm so I can't even imagine don't watch it okay I just can't even imagine what that must feel like like well it's such an iconic scene talk about jumping off a it's an iconic scene so like I'm so fascinated it's like

Like, especially being your first one with this weird dude who's all orange and tan, you know, with a cheesy little mustache. She just said, yeah. Yeah. I was like, I got to prove something right now. I'm going to show people what I'm going to. That's what I'm saying in this weird little room. And I think that I don't know how much I could say, but the scene became so iconic because there were multiple finishes. Uh-huh.

Oh. So, and nobody had really seen that before. Right. And I was pretty shocked, to be honest. I was like, oh, you know? But, you know, I knew after those few scenes, because I had done a girl, girl, what we call girl, girl, and then did, you know, a boy girl with him. And after that boy girl, I was like, I think I found my niche.

Like, I think I might be good at this. And because at first it was the only reason why I did it was obviously. like the money was insane what he paid me and I was like okay this isn't going to be that big of a deal it's kind of like a one-time thing and then I realized hey this this could be big I could I could like catapult myself through this because the minute I did that movie I was approached to become a contract girl with wicked pictures and vivid video So I was like, oh, my gosh, I could become a really big star in this industry. And then from that, I could, you know, write it into mainstream.

Because in my day, everything was dependent on your mainstream merge. So I knew that I had it in me to host something or be in movie. I never thought I was that great of an actress, but I was like, you know, let me, let me try. So from there, I ended up getting scouted by the E-Channel and hosting a show called Wild On for that. Right. And then you were on, it was Stern. Yeah, Stern. And he did private parts.

That was so much fun. Yeah. Howard was pivotal. Yeah. He's like my idol. I fucking love him so much. I still listen to him every day. So many people don't.

really realize what kind of a man he is because on camera he's wild yeah but he really he's just such an angel he's so lovely remember first meeting him and being on his show and him taking me aside afterwards and saying you have you have it and I'm going to help you and I so wasn't used to anybody helping me that when he said that I was just like you know wow like I now dedicated to this person and I was on a show I don't even know how many times after that and then put me in his movie and yeah and then after the scene after the up-and-comers like Randy West's scene when when that was all done was there a feeling of I can fucking do this or was there any like drop in depression of sort of like holy fuck what did I just do oh no there there was no

there was no going back you were like yeah she just said it you lit the fuse yeah she just Yeah, all I could think of was I'm going to dominate this industry. Yeah, I was just about to ask that. Like, did you have this motivation of like, holy shit? Wait a minute. I'm not just this one scene wonder. I can fucking take over this industry. Yeah.

It was essentially what you did. I remember the dialogue in my brain. I hated the fact that it was so male ruled. It was ruled by men. and I wanted to change that. I was like, let me at this. And I'll start small and I will, and, you know, look it. I ended up owning my own company and having my own contract girls and changing things

for girls, you know, the first movies I did in comparison to the movies I produced with other women as my contract girls, it's night and day. And how much? felt like I was able to do what I set out to do. And that was to, you know, give some sort of validity. September always feels like the start of something new, whether it's back to school, new projects, or just a fresh season. It's the perfect time to start dreaming about your next adventure.

I love that feeling of possibility, thinking about where to go next, what kind of place will stay in, and how to make it feel. like home. I'm already imagining the kind of Airbnb that would make the trip unforgettable, somewhere with charm, character, and a little local flavor. If you're planning to be away this September, why not consider hosting your home on Airbnb while you're gone? Your home could be the highlight of someone else's trip, a cozy place to land, a space that helps them feel like a local. And with Airbnb's co-host feature, you can hire a local co-host to help with everything from managing bookings to making sure your home is guest ready. Find a co-host at Airbnb.ca slash

host. I'm Jorge Ramos. And I'm Paola Ramos. Together we're launching The Moment, a new podcast about what it means to live through a time as uncertain as this one. We sit down with politicians. I would be the first immigrant mayor in generations, but 40% of New Yorkers were born outside of this country. Artists and activists, I mean, do you ever feel demoralized? I might personally lose hope. This individual might lose the faith, but there's an institution that doesn't lose faith. And that's what I believe in.

To bring you death and analysis from a unique Latino perspective. There's not a single day that Paola and I don't call or text each other, sharing news and thoughts about what's happening in the country. This new podcast will be a way to make that ongoing intergenerational conversation public. Listen to The Moment with Jorge Ramos and Paola Ramos. as part of the My Cultura Podcast Network on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I started trying to get pregnant about four years ago now.

We're getting a little bit older, and it just kind of felt like the window could be closing. Bloomberg and IHeart Podcasts present. IVF Disrupted, the Kind Body Story, a podcast about a company that promised to revolutionize fertility care. Introducing Kind Body, a new generation of women's health and fertility care. Backed by millions in venture capital and private equity, it grew like a tech startup. While Kind Body did help women start families, it also left behind a stream of disillusioned and angry patients. You think you're finally like with the right people in the right hands, and then to find out again that you're just not.

Don't be fooled. By what? All the bright and shiny. Listen to IVF Disrupted, the Kind Body Story, starting September 19 on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And how much did the patriarchy of this industry sort of push against you trying to be what you became? Big. Big, big, big. And how did you face that?

What did you do? You just kept punching, basically. Listen, I'm a pretty formidable person. Yeah. And I remember having meetings with, you know, big time, big time people and just steamrolling, you know, because I understood the back end of it. Right. Nice. Yeah.

So I just, I knew what I had to do. I held true to my beliefs and I conquered it. And then once I had started, like the mainstream started knocking, then I had all the power. Right. Then I was like, okay, for me to do a movie, it's this much money. And it was unheard of in my business. Then were you the pioneer of sort of owning your, having your own contract girls and, you know, being separate from sort of the bigger conglomerates? Absolutely.

Well, here's the thing is there were companies, obviously. obviously that had contract girls prior to me coming on the scene, but it just was a different dynamic. I made demands that were unheard of. I remember writing contracts and putting things in just to test the waters, just to see, well, they agree to this. And they did. And that kind of set the stage for all the girls that came after me. Was there anyone that you looked up to, like when you started in the industry that you were like, oh, I like the way she's handled her career in adult film? Or was there no one that had that at the time? No.

No. I mean, I really was flying blind. I mean, there were contract girls that were absolutely stunning. I remember, you know, seeing people like Janine and a few of the vivid girls and just thinking, they're just. incredible. These women are incredible and I love their power and how they come across. But nobody was negotiating contracts the way I knew I could because I had a business mind and nobody expected it. Like I took them by surprise. So I realized pretty early on that I had the looks. I was able to be a contract girl caliber looks wise, but they just didn't know what was underneath,

which was a pretty shrewd business mind. So when did it start to kind of, when did you start to look at your career and go, it might be time to hang them up, hang it up, like put it aside. Was it, you know, and also as a second part to that question, I mean, obviously looks and physicality and body image and all of those things. You know, did you feel the pressure to have to maintain that, keep that up? And, you know, what has the aging process been like throughout? A longer podcast. Okay.

For your first question, I, listen, I just kind of, I'm a gut person. I just kind of knew what I needed to do. And I never second-guessed myself. But when it came to looks and all of that, there was incredible pressure, obviously. It's kind of just like the modeling world. You have to stay in, well, especially as a contract girl. You have to stay in shape.

And I just, it always, luckily enough, came pretty natural to me, because I was young and active and all those kind of things. So, and I didn't work often. I mean, in my contracts, I think at the, I would work four times a year. So it wasn't a huge amount of work. Right. Most of my work was just being on the road promoting all the stuff that I was doing. So I just, I feel that I was incredibly blessed.

Like, all the timing was very right for me. And I don't know if it could ever be emulated because it was the right time. I was the right girl. I made the right decisions. And it worked out. Thank God. You know, and I think, I think an interesting part of this whole thing is that a lot of people ask me, like, how did you transition out, like he said. I spent a long time proving myself to be worth more than just being a beautiful

body. I was able to gain traction in the mainstream world when it came to, you know, being able to use my brain. So thank God I saw that in the beginning that I had to establish that and people could count on me. I was smart and I showed up. I was never late. And I handled business. And now that, you know, life has happened. Children have happened. Relationships have happened. Now I'm kind of, it's come full circle now and I'm like back and it feels good I don't know life is just funny

Well you had some health stuff I mean you had really serious health stuff I want to wrap up this part of your life because I want to get into that I'm so fascinated by what the fuck happened you know crazy but first of all do you

once you left and hung up the cleats so to speak was there anything that you missed as or anything that you sort of, you know, longed for in the industry? And it came to form? Yeah. Or once you hung them up, you're like, oh, I'm done. This is it.

No. I was so ready. Good. And, you know, my dad always told me if you get an inkling that something, like, it's just not sitting right, get out. Yeah. Don't let it play out. And I felt like my career.

had kind of run its course, and it's important to go out when you're on top. Yeah. Don't let things wind down. So I think it's kind of a famous moment when I went up on the Avian Awards and said, I will never spread my legs in this industry. And I meant it. Yeah. I was done.

I was finished. And it was so shocking to people that I was at the pinnacle of my career. Yeah. And I loved that idea of, like, being a superstar and saying, I'm done. Mm-hmm. And moving on. Did you, when you did your last scene, did you know it was your last scene? Yes.

You did. I did. Wow. And, I mean, it was like it every day for me. Yeah. It was like, let me get this done. Let me show them what they're going to miss. And I just walked off set and I was just like, ha, peace.

I'm done. You know, and I don't know. I love being like the master of my own destiny. I just, you know, I do what I say and I say what I do. So one more question. I'm going to get to the back half of your life so far. The heart, what's the story of the heartbreaker tattoo? I got like, how did that happen?

What's the heartbreaker tattoo? On her tush. It's like the most iconic tattoo in porn. Oh. It's on your tushy. On her right cheek. It's on the butt. Yeah.

And it's like it's, you know, it's again, an iconic tattoo. It is. It is. And when I got it, I didn't think it would be iconic. I had no clue because I was very young when I got it. Shouldn't have been getting a tattoo. But leave that up to me. my dad

all my life said to me Jenna you're you're going to be a heartbreaker and I never really understood what that meant I was just like oh it's like my little moniker

and I got it when I was in my teens and it was just kind of what I was known for was being a little heartbreaker and I don't think it was about breaking boys hearts it was more like i just kind of went against the grain all my life i was like i i just did what i wanted and um it broke hearts yeah amazing um well let's

get into what what's been happening yeah now in your life i mean you know when you when you when you decided to retire from adult films, then would you take a break? I mean, did you, what did you start to do? Right. It's kind of a hard transition because once you're known for that, it's really hard to like be known for anything else. And I don't think you really can. And I realize that now because I'll forever be Jenna Jameson. And I, I, I, I, really just wanted to have a normal life as normal as I could. So I decided I was going to have like get married and have children and try to live a very easy mom lifestyle. And were you able to accomplish that?

I mean, is that, is that, yeah. So that's kind of, I mean, I'm not successful with men. well you don't need to be anymore you found the love of your life right oh yeah my picker is really broken when it comes to men i mean i should have done that from the beginning yeah but um yeah i i got married and realized okay wait that's not a good idea divorced then got with tito or teas who, I mean, he's special and he's the father of my twins and my boys are absolutely amazing. They're just fantastic kids and they're big boys now. And horribly, that relationship didn't work out.

And then, you know, my life is like, it's like a book. Or a couple of them. Right? I need to get right. I think it's time for another book, I think. Yeah, I just like, once that happened, it, it, I was like, well, maybe, maybe I am gay. Because that's always been in the back of my mind. Like, am I just with men because I want children?

That was like my main. driving force was I wanted my babies. I wanted to be a mother. I've always been really maternal. So once that fell apart, I was like, I mean, I've got to start looking inside and, am I gay? So I dated a few girls and I was like, oh, okay, this is awesome. I love this. And then that maternal thing came knocking again. And I'm like, well, maybe Tito just wasn't the right guy for me. And ended up, you know, with my daughter's father. And it was a beautiful experience. I got a taste of so many different things, culture-wise.

He's Israeli. So in order to have a Jewish baby, the mom has to be Jewish. It's maternal, which is beautiful. So I converted. So that was like a year-long study because I converted Orthodox. Wow. So if you convert. So you were practicing Orthodox?

Absolutely. You have to practice for a year. before they will even consider you to convert. So I had to live the full lifestyle. Wow. It was not easy. That is difficult. But I accomplished it.

And my baby was born little Jewish princess. And because I think really it didn't come down to the religion that was important to me for her. It was more citizenship in Israel. Because if you're born Jewish, you automatically get citizenship in Israel. So her father, his whole family lives there, and I wanted her to have that choice. So that's really where it kind of stemmed is I wanted my child to have every opportunity. So, yeah, it was a really enlightening experience. Yeah, amazing though.

Educational. I mean, whatever happens happens, but even going through that, you've done something. something that most people have never done or experienced, you know. In more ways than one. September always feels like the start of something new, whether it's back to school, new projects, or just a fresh season. It's the perfect time to start dreaming about your next adventure. I love that feeling of possibility, thinking about where to go next, what kind of place

will stay in, and how to make it feel like home. I'm already imagining the kind of Airbnb that would make the trip unforgettable, somewhere with charm, character, and a little local flavor. If you're planning to be away this September, why not consider hosting your home on Airbnb while you're gone? Your home could be the highlight of someone else's trip, a cozy place to land, a space that helps them feel like a local. And with Airbnb's co-host feature, you can hire a local co-host to help with everything from managing bookings to making sure your home is guest ready. Find a co-host at Airbnb.ca slash host. I'm Jorge Ramos. And I'm Paola Ramos.

Together we're launching The Moment, a new podcast about what it means to live through a time, as uncertain as this one. We sit down with politicians. I would be the first immigrant mayor in generations, but 40% of New Yorkers were born outside of this country. Artists and activists, I mean, do you ever feel demoralized? I might personally lose hope.

This individual might live. lose the faith. But there's an institution that doesn't lose faith. And that's what I believe in. To bring you depth and analysis from a unique Latino perspective. There's not a single day that Paola and I don't call or text each other sharing news and thoughts about what's happening in the country. This new podcast will be a way to make that ongoing intergenerational conversation public. Listen to The Moment with Jorge Ramos and Paola Ramos as part of the MyCultura podcast Network on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I started trying to get pregnant about four years ago now.

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starting September 19 on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. So what happened with the health issues? Because I remember seeing something about it on one of those magazines. Yeah, I mean, I've read it on it too. We're nine months in the fucking hospital. No one knows what's going on. You're like, I'm out of here. Well, how did you end up in the hospital?

hospital in the first place. Okay. So it all started like I just started collapsing. And I had no idea why, like just lost all mobility and was collapsing in the shower. And finally, I was alone and I had to call an ambulance because I couldn't get up and went to the hospital and they ran literally hundreds of tests, spinal taps, cat scans, MRIs, all the things. And they couldn't put their finger on it. And they kept diagnosing me with something different. And I don't know if you, I'm sure you understand that like when they give you a diagnosis that is kind of a death sentence, it kind of, it messes you up. Like I, it, my, I checked out when they initially diagnosed me with Guillain Barre and that is a death sentence.

and it was incredibly frightening. And I lived with that diagnosis for about a month and a half in the hospital. And they were giving me all these treatments, IVIG, all these different infusions and everything. And my cell count wasn't getting better. So they were like, well, maybe that's not the problem. And I'm like, wait, there's a possibility of me not having it. it. And thank God, I didn't have that. So they started running another battery of tests and came to a few conclusions. I had very elevated white blood cell counts, a lot of just

odd things in my blood. And so I just continued with physical therapy in the hospital and just trying to put my finger on what was happening. Finally, after months, they said, well, we can't figure out what is happening, what's going on with you. So they thought that it could be something called conversion syndrome, where it's kind of a mental issue, where your brain converts like problematic thinking. into physical symptoms. And I was like, okay, so how do we cure this?

Is there a cure for this? And they said, no, this is just the way it is. And you have to like have therapy and do all these different things. And that's when I kind of said to myself, I need to take the reins back. I don't tell everybody I don't think people should not listen to their doctors but sometimes you just really have to trust your gut and I just didn't feel like things were happening correctly so I broke myself out of the hospital in a wheelchair and put myself in a taxi and I went home and I started at home physical therapy eating

right, getting my mental health back. And slowly but surely, I've come back to life. Is this before Jesse? Yes. Okay. So what was your support system at the time? I had no support system at the time. You were solo. Because when I came home from the hospital, my ex left. So I came home to an empty home. Oh my gosh. So that wasn't easy mentally. But I'm, obviously a pretty strong girl. And I just knew that I had two choices, to live or to die. And I wanted to live. So I put my mind to it. And during that journey back to good mental health, I met Jesse and we just became friends and, um, I mean, don't get me wrong. I was like, I want to bag this chick.

Right. I just love everything that she. What did you guys meet? Well, she is pretty famous on TikTok. So at the time I was alone and I was watching a lot of TikTok. And I was just like, I really like her viewpoint on things. Like, she pulls no punches. And I'm kind of like that.

I just say it like it is. And I'm like, wow, we would be a good team. So I just started, like, leaving comments, you know, like, hey. And sooner or later, she noticed and was like, who's, because my moniker is Jenna can't lose on social media. And she was like, who's this Jenna can't lose? And she went to my site and was like, oh, that's Jenna Jameson. So, yeah, so that's how it all started. And at the time, I was like headstrong into holistic treatments because I had kind of sworn off hospitals and doctors.

And my best friend here in Las Vegas owns a wellness company. And he was like, you know what, let's try the holistic approach. and see if your body responds. And I started doing hyperbaric treatments and NED treatments, which is like an infusion of vitamins and everything. It pushes toxins out. It's gnarly. It's good though.

I did it for anxiety. Yeah. It's amazing. And I started seeing myself come back to life because they were doing these brain scans. and my first brain scan, my brain was like black. And I'm like, am I going to do a brain scan? Am I truly dead inside? So after every treatment, you can see my brain sparking and coming back to life, like reds and greens and blues.

And I think being able to see the process happening. yeah it gave me yeah it makes it real right it's like you see it and you're like oh it makes it a much more much more real i'm so glad we we should start wrapping this up but i'm so glad that you were able to get your especially just your mental health you know in a better place because it's so important and to people out there that that kind of push their needs aside and ignore it it manifests. It's so important to take care of your brain and feel comfortable because you'll end up sick. So yeah.

And are you back? I mean, are you fully healthy or, you know, I am. I'm on my feet. I'm walking unaided, which I never thought it was going to happen again. You know, I was with a walker for a long time. Are you able to work out? Yeah. It's so funny.

funny but it's for a long time I had such numb spots and now I can feel everything my I remember things and that's a part of the mental health issue is that I'm the kind of person that if I am struggling I black out on major instances in my life so um everything has come into full color for me again. And I feel like I have it in me. And it's just exciting to be back. Yay. And what's the plan? What's the future? Well, I have, yeah, I, that's, I mean, I have one, but what, for me, I really want to ask you, like, you know, what is one thing, like, in your life, your career? And it's, again, all of that, like, preconceived notion of how people see you and what they want from you and the kinds of questions that you get, including the questions we're asking you. But what is the one

thing you wish people would ask you? Like, is there anything that you wish you would get more of? Or that someone would know about you that they don't. Well, you know, I've always been such an open book. I think that's a good thing and a bad thing. But I, for me, it really is the connection, the female connection that I'm able to kind of make a difference to other women that are going through so many things. I like for them to be able to look at me as, you know, a cautionary tale. Like, this is what could happen and this is what could happen. So I am an open book. And I just want to show everybody out there that no matter how hard it gets, there's always a way back.

Yay. Jenna. So great. Thank you for sharing with us. Well, I've always loved you, but now I think I'm in love with you. Don't tell Jesse. And I won't tell your wife. Don't tell my wife.

Although she's in love with you too. Oh, well, I adore both of you. Thank you so much for having me. This is a blast. This is the kind of thing that that fills me up, like to know that there are people that care and I appreciate you. Well, you're such a force and I was so excited to talk to you, you know, because of just what you've been through, what you've accomplished, you know, people might look at the industry that you were in and think, oh, it's just that. But you were a true pioneer, you know, you were a businesswoman and you were able, again, like I said, to know,

know your worth and capitalize on that in an industry that is just sort of dominated by men. So it's very cool. It's very cool. But I love you both. All right. Bye, my, my, my, my, my, my, ma, my, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma. She's like the greatest. I really, that was so. What a woman. What a woman. Well, no, but it's, it is, you know, I really, I just. to think, you know, let's just use this I mean,

it's just so male. This is so male. No, it's not because of course, yes, but she's so smart and cool and articulate. But what I want to say is, what I want to say is, is like, I love interviewing her because I think people,

there's so many people out in the world that just don't even under, like give it a chance because they just, look so down on the industry, on the sex industry and adult filmmaking. But like when I think the most important thing is to just get to the heart of who somebody is. Well, you said it really well. You said, look, obviously, especially nowadays where pornography, the content, there's so much of it and everyone's looking for new, new, new that these girls are definitely exploited. There's

absolutely no doubt about it. Yeah, it's really sad and dark. It was a different time back then. Yeah. I you had much more of the choice, although I'm sure there was some dark shit going on as well. A lot of them. You know, but you said that, but at the same time, Jenna sort of knew, you know, what she was doing. She seemed to be fully in control, you know. Yeah, or this is my choice. Right. And as control as she could be. I mean, clearly she even said, like, you know, the cautionary tale, but then look what can happen. Then look what can happen. Like, I think that, you know, I think there's, there's owning your choices, but also just, just really getting to understand. like what someone went through in order to end up in that position you know that you didn't have to come from the most fucked up family to be an adult film star that she had a cop as a dad and yeah she was in you know a smart student and she just was like I'm gonna dance like I you know so it didn't come from a place of her book you should honestly read it it's kind of great interesting I really and she's so kind and sweet and I want to make a movie called Jenna

I mean, I think it's time. Her whole upbringing. The way she started, dancing and the thing. Her story is fucking incredible. Yeah, all of the, so there's a lot of adult film star stories who are incredible. I mean, Tracy Lord's story is unbelievable. No, I know. And also another iconic adult film star, but a very, like, more tragic story.

But I... Right. I don't think you get bigger than Jenna Jameson. You just don't. Like, we just interviewed, you know, like the Marlon Brando of porn or like Merrill Street of porn. What about Ron Jeremy, though? He's in jail. Oh.

Actually, they took him out of jail because he's got complete. He was found not fit to stand trial. Oh. Because he was going to go to, I mean, he was like, raping in bathrooms, all fucking crazy. I mean, he was nuts. You should see a picture of that guy. It looks insane. But he's got dementia.

He's got Alzheimer's got everything. And now he's just going to die in. someone home. He's not... Yeah. Well... Whatever. He had a huge schlong. Oh, a big beefsteak. What have I gotten myself

into? This is great. Listen, I... The Randy West stuff too is amazing. I feel like I'm just... I mean, I knew it all. I knew what she was going to say. I didn't want to... I can't even... I was going to say, so your first scene was Randy West up in Combers. I didn't want to say it.

But I knew it. Oh, such a... Scott. I, listen, I love you, Oliver. I'm reveling in it. I'm reveling in it as we should on these revelments. But I, I will say, Ollie, you were really sweet and you really did. Like, I, you know, it was really, it was really amazing to get to know how, how strong she was in the industry.

Yeah. And, like, how, I mean, talk about, talk about a challenging thing to be able to do. Yeah. In that. She's so, she's just tough. Tough as nails. Anyway, that was fun. Beat that revel in it next week.

Who are you bringing it? I don't know. Probably someone who's like, you know, we'll meditate with. It's like, McElbarishnikov. Then next week, the Dalai Lama. That's not a bad idea to do McHalberishnikov. That should be one of your rebels in it. I would love to do that.

I would love to do him as a rebel in it. That's a great idea. Oh, all right. I love you. I'm Jorge Ramos. And I'm Paola Ramos. Together we're launching The Moment, a new podcast about what it means to live through a time as uncertain as this one. We sit down with politicians, artists, and activists to bring you death and analysis from a unique Latino perspective.

The moment is a space for the conversations we've been having us, father and daughter, for years. Listen to The Moment with Jorge Ramos and Paolo. on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Introducing IVF disrupted, the Kind Body story, a podcast about a company that promised to revolutionize fertility care. It grew like a tech startup. While Kind Body did help women start families, it also left behind a stream of disillusioned and angry patients. You think you're finally like in the right hands. You're just not. Listen to IvyF Disrupted, Kind Body Story on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

I just normally do straight stand-up, but this is a bit different. What do you get when a true crime producer walks into a comedy club? Answer, a new podcast called Wisecrack, where a comedian finds himself at the center of a chilling true crime story. Does anyone know what show they've come to see? It's a story. It's about the scariest night of my life. This is Wisecrack. Available now. Listen to Wisecrack on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast.