Traci Lords: Underneath It All

Last updated

Traci Lords: Underneath It All
Traci Lords Underneath It All.jpg
Front cover of Traci Lords: Underneath It All
Author Traci Lords
LanguageEnglish
Genre Autobiography
Publisher HarperCollins
Publication date
July 8, 2003
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (Hardcover and Paperback)
Pages304
ISBN 9780062217233

Traci Lords: Underneath It All is an autobiography by American actress and singer Traci Lords, first published on July 8, 2003 by HarperCollins. It was reissued as a paperback on June 29, 2004, with an additional chapter and photos. The book primarily details Lords' career in the adult film industry, when she appeared underage in dozens of pornographic films and became one of the most notable pornstars of the 1980s. It also chronicles her childhood, transition to mainstream films and musical career.

Contents

Traci Lords: Underneath It All received positive response from critics and was a commercial success. It debuted at number thirty-one on The New York Times Best Seller list. [1] [2] However, the book met with criticism from adult film industry insiders, some of whom accused Lords of lying.

Summary

Lords was born Nora Louise Kuzma in Steubenville, Ohio. Her parents divorced when she was 7-years-old due to her father's abusive behavior, and she moved with her mother and three sisters to her great-grandmother's house. When she was 10, she was raped by a sixteen-year-old acquaintance. At the age of 12, Kuzma moved with her mother and sisters to Lawndale, California, along with her mother's boyfriend Roger, who was a cocaine dealer. She began attending Redondo Union High School in Redondo Beach, California. At 14, she became pregnant by her high school boyfriend. Searching for a job in order to get money for an abortion, Kuzma was introduced to Roger's friend Lynn for whom she started working as a babysitter. Lynn offered to help her solve her job problems by getting her a fake driver's license ID. Her new ID, with the name of Kristie Elizabeth Nussman, stated she was 22 rather than 15. [3] She ran away from home and ended up on the streets of Hollywood where she landed a job as a nude model. After appearing in a nude centerfold in Penthouse magazine (she was only 15 when the photos were taken), Kuzma became nationally known as Traci Lords. From there she appeared in numerous adult films and magazines until authorities discovered she had been a minor and started an extensive investigation of all her co-workers. [4]

Writing and development

Lords first talked about her plans to write a book during an interview with Ross Shafer on April 18, 1988. Later, in July, it was confirmed that a book entitled Out of the Blue: The Traci Lords Story was in development. [5] However, the project was shelved due to problems with the publishing deal. On November 4, 2000, when Lords was a guest on The Howard Stern Show , she was again asked about the book but said she had no intentions of putting it out at that time. [6]

Release and promotion

Traci Lords: Underneath It All was first released in 2003 by HarperCollins. The paperback version of the book was released on June 29, 2004 with an additional chapter and photos. Lords promoted the book on numerous talk shows such as The Oprah Winfrey Show and Larry King Live . In her interview with Oprah, she explained she was not trying to deny her past: "I found you can run, but you cannot hide." [7]

Critical response

The book received relatively positive reviews from critics. Susan Carpenter, writing in the Los Angeles Times, called the book "a luridly fascinating, if horrifying, tell-all, from her birth in an eastern Ohio steel town to her present-day life as an actress and recording artist who is happily married in L.A." [8] Amanda Tyler of USA Today commented: "Lords' story of personal redemption is so immersed in genuine emotion and beaming with soulful resiliency that the reader will walk away with nothing but respect for her and her remarkable journey." [9] Bill Zwecker, who reviewed the book for Chicago Sun-Times , noted: "'Graphic' is said to be quite the understatement for the memoirs former under-age porn star Traci Lords has penned." [10] John Patterson of The Guardian wrote: "It has porn's typical, irreversible-nosedive trajectory: fake IDs, serious money, major narcotics - the lowest, stickiest rung on stardom's ladder - followed by exposure (of entirely the wrong sort), disgrace, and rehabilitation." [11]

Despite the favorable reviews, the book met with criticism from adult film industry insiders, some of whom accused Lords of lying. Co-workers from that time such as John Leslie, Ron Jeremy, Ginger Lynn and Tom Byron said they never saw her use drugs and insisted she was always fully aware of her actions. [12] One of her co-workers from that time, Christy Canyon, said about Lords' autobiography, "I think her book could have been fabulous, except that she was lying throughout the whole thing." [13]

Lords sister, Rachel Kuzma, wrote Los Angeles Times in response to an article they published about Lords book, where she criticized the fact checking of the publisher of the book, various criticisms of Lords and her truthfulness, the veracity of various statements in the book and that she believed the book was "misleading and self-aggrandizing." [14]

Publication history

RegionRelease dateFormat
United StatesJuly 8, 2003Hardcover [15]
June 29, 2004Paperback [16]
AustraliaSeptember 1, 2003Hardcover [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ginger Lynn</span> American pornographic actress

Ginger Lynn Allen is an American pornographic actress and model who was a premier adult-entertainment star of the 1980s. She also had minor roles in various B movies. Adult Video News ranked her at #7 of the 50 greatest porn stars of all time in 2002. After ending her pornography career, she began using her full name and found work in a variety of B-movies. She had a late-career return to the adult industry and made a brief series of movies. Allen is a member of AVN, NightMoves, XRCO, and Urban X Halls of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jenna Jameson</span> American pornographic actress (born 1974)

Jenna Marie Massoli, known professionally as Jenna Jameson, is an American businesswoman, writer, television personality and former pornographic film actress. She has been named the world's most famous adult entertainment performer and "The Queen of Porn".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Traci Lords</span> American actress (born 1968)

Nora Louise Kuzma, known professionally as Traci Lords, is an American actress, singer, and former pornographic actress. She entered the adult film industry using a fake birth certificate to conceal that she was two years under the legal age of 18. Lords starred in adult films and was one of the most sought-after actresses in that industry during her career. When the FBI acted on an anonymous tip that Lords was a minor during her time in the industry, and that pornographers were distributing and selling these illegal images and videotapes, the resulting fallout led to prosecution of those responsible for creating and distributing the tapes, but the prosecutions fell through when it was revealed she was using a real federal passport as her proof of age along with a fake birth certificate and fake California drivers license. In addition, all of her adult films, and the September 1984 edition of Penthouse were banned as child pornography. Her last adult movie was filmed two days after her 18th birthday, by her own company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jill Kelly (actress)</span> American retired pornographic actress (born 1971)

Jill Kelly is an American pornographic actress, director and producer. Kelly is an AVN Hall of Fame inductee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashley Blue</span> American pornographic actress

Oriana Small, known professionally as Ashley Blue, is an American pornographic actress. She is a member of the AVN Hall of Fame, has hosted her own Vivid Radio show and written for Hustler magazine. In 2011, she published a memoir of her career in the adult entertainment industry, titled Girlvert: A Porno Memoir.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebecca Lord</span> French pornographic actress

Rebecca Lord is a French pornographic actress, director, and producer who has been active since 1993. Soon after her first experience in the porn industry, she moved U.S., where she achieved popularity, appearing in over 200 porn movies. She is the owner of Rebecca Lord Productions. In 2013, Rebecca Lord was inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Frey</span> American writer

James Christopher Frey is an American writer and businessman. His first two books, A Million Little Pieces (2003) and My Friend Leonard (2005), were bestsellers marketed as memoirs. Large parts of the stories were later found to be exaggerated or fabricated, sparking a media controversy. His 2008 novel Bright Shiny Morning was also a bestseller.

Traci, I Love You is a 1987 pornographic film directed by Jean Charles and starring Traci Lords, Marilyn Jess, Gabriel Pontello and Alban Ceray. It was Lords' final adult film in the industry. It was produced in Cannes, France, two days after her 18th birthday. As her only film produced after she turned 18, it is the only one legally available in the United States, due to child pornography laws.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacquelyn Mitchard</span> American journalist and author

Jacquelyn Mitchard is an American journalist and author. She is the author of the best-selling novel The Deep End of the Ocean, which was the first selection for Oprah's Book Club, on September 17, 1996. Other books by Mitchard include The Breakdown Lane, Twelve Times Blessed, Christmas, Present, A Theory of Relativity, The Most Wanted, Cage of Stars, No Time to Wave Goodbye, Second Nature - A Love Story, and Still Summer.

Shannon Eaves, known professionally as Nikki Charm, is an American pornographic film actor. She is a member of the Adult Video News Hall of Fame and the XRCO Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexandra Quinn</span> Canadian former pornographic actress

Alexandra Quinn is a Canadian former pornographic actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron Jeremy</span> American pornographic actor (born 1953)

Ronald Jeremy Hyatt is an American former pornographic actor.

<i>1000 Fires</i> 1995 studio album by Traci Lords

1000 Fires is the debut studio album by American singer and actress Traci Lords, released on February 28, 1995, by Radioactive Records. The album remains her only full-length music release to date. Lords started working on the album in April 1994, and collaborated with producers Juno Reactor, Mike Edwards and Babble. Executive produced by Gary Kurfirst, 1000 Fires is predominantly influenced by electronic music with elements of techno, trance and trip hop. Lyrically, it mostly focuses on dark themes, referring to Lords's past in the porn industry, revealing her rape experience on the song "Father's Field" or dealing with thoughts of suicide on "Fallen Angel".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim South</span> American pornography recruiter and agent

James Marvin Souter, Jr., known professionally as Jim South, was an American recruiter and agent in the pornography industry.

<i>Not of This Earth</i> (1988 film) 1988 film by Jim Wynorski

Not of This Earth is a 1988 American science fiction horror comedy film, directed by Jim Wynorski and starring Traci Lords in her first mainstream role after her departure from the adult film industry. It is a remake of Roger Corman's 1957 film of the same name, written by Charles B. Griffith and Mark Hanna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pornographic film actor</span> Person who performs in pornography

A pornographic film actor or actress, pornographic performer, adult entertainer, or porn star is a person who performs sex acts on video that is usually characterized as a pornographic movie. Such videos tend to be made in a number of distinct pornographic subgenres and attempt to present a sexual fantasy; the actors selected for a particular role are primarily selected on their ability to create or fit that fantasy. Pornographic videos are characterized as either softcore, which does not contain depictions of sexual penetration or extreme fetishism, and hardcore, which can contain depictions of penetration or extreme fetishism, or both. The genres and sexual intensity of videos is mainly determined by demand. Depending on the genre of the film, the on-screen appearance, age, and physical features of the actors and their ability to create the sexual mood of the video is of critical importance. Most actors specialize in certain genres, such as straight, bisexual, gay, lesbian, bondage, strap-on, anal, double penetration, semen swallowing, teenage, orgy, age roleplay, fauxcest, interracial or MILFs and more.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter North (actor)</span> Canadian pornographic actor

Alden Joseph Brown, known professionally as Peter North, is a Canadian retired pornographic actor, director and producer. He has 2,155 credits as an actor and 77 as a director.

Caballero Home Video is an American independent pornographic film studio, based in Canoga Park, California founded by Noel C. Bloom. It was previously known as Caballero Control Corporation. The company was founded in 1974, making it one of the oldest U.S. porn studios still in existence. Caballero was one of the largest studios during the Golden Age of Porn, and produced several of the best-selling and most critically acclaimed pornographic films of the 1980s and early 1990s. Its dominance of the adult video market saw it called the "General Motors of Porn". Its films starred some of the most successful and best known performers of the period, such as Marilyn Chambers, Seka, Amber Lynn, Stacey Donovan, Ginger Lynn, John Holmes, Joey Silvera, Traci Lords, Nina Hartley, Ron Jeremy and Christy Canyon. Previous company Presidents include Al Bloom. Throughout the 1980s it was awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages due to its films being illegally pirated. It also acquired the U.S. rights to rival studio Cal Vista's entire catalogue of more than 150 films. Caballero is a contributor to the Free Speech Coalition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Control (Traci Lords song)</span> 1994 single by Traci Lords

"Control" is a song recorded by American actress and singer Traci Lords, from her debut studio album, 1000 Fires (1995). It was released as the lead single from the album by Radioactive Records on December 20, 1994. The song was written by Lords, Wonder Schneider and Ben Watkins. Produced by Juno Reactor, "Control" is a techno song with ambiguous lyrics about a dominant female who nurses a broken heart of her lover. Lords later stated she initially wrote the song about a drug addiction.

X-Rated Ambition: The Traci Lords Story is a 2003 British documentary film directed by Simon Kerslake. It follows American actress Traci Lords' career in the adult film industry when she, at the age of only 15, became one of the biggest pornstars. The documentary features interviews with many of her co-workers from that time including porn agent Jim South, photographer Suze Randall and pornstars Tom Byron, Ginger Lynn, Peter North, Ron Jeremy, Amber Lynn and Nina Hartley.

References

  1. ↑ Rich, Frank (July 27, 2003). "Finally, Porn Does Prime Time". The New York Times . Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Hardcover Nonfiction Bestsellers". The New York Times . August 31, 2003. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Traci Lords: Underneath It All". HarperCollins . April 30, 2013. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  4. ↑ Lords, Traci (June 29, 2004). Traci Lords: Underneath It All: Traci Lords: 9780060508210. ISBN   0060508213. At 14, Nora Kuzma ran away from home and ended up on the dirty streets of Hollywood. She fell in with a fast crowd, and her dreams of modelling soon landed her a spectacular centrefold in Penthouse Magazine, where at 15 she became internationally known as TRACI LORDS.
  5. ↑ Weinberg, Marc (July 1988). "The Return of Traci Lords". Orange Coast Magazine . 14 (7): 192–195. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  6. ↑ Stern, Howard (November 4, 2000). The Howard Stern Show . Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  7. ↑ Winfrey, Oprah (October 9, 2003). "A Porn Star Gone Straight: The Traci Lords Story". Oprah.com . Harpo Productions. Archived from the original on June 12, 2004. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  8. ↑ Carpenter, Susan (July 17, 2003). "A past she finds hard to shake". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  9. ↑ Tyler, Amanda (August 6, 2003). "Lords' life story makes for poignant reading". USA Today . Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  10. ↑ Zwecker, Bill (April 23, 2003). "Traci Lords' porn past feeds tell-all frenzy". Chicago Sun-Times . Archived from the original on April 17, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  11. ↑ Patterson, John (February 7, 2003). "An American obsession". The Guardian . Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  12. ↑ Kerslake, Simon (Director) (2003). X-Rated Ambition: The Traci Lords Story (documentary). Channel 5.
  13. ↑ Ross, Gene (September 25, 2003). "Christy Canyon: I Bent Over and Something Made Its Way Down There". AdultFYI. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Contesting Lords". Los Angeles Times. 10 August 2003. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  15. ↑ Lords, Traci (July 8, 2003). Traci Lords: Underneath It All Hardcover. ISBN   0060508205.
  16. ↑ Lords, Traci (June 29, 2004). Traci Lords: Underneath It All Paperback. ISBN   0060508213.
  17. ↑ Laurence, Charles (August 25, 2003). "Bitter sweet Lords". The Sun-Herald . Retrieved July 12, 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.