HOOK: E-zine By, For, and About Men in the Sex Industry

Brandon Lee: Of course. They really don’t care. I have a pretty good family.

HOOK: Have they ever seen any of your videos?

BL: No, absolutely not.

HOOK: Do you keep your personal life secretive on purpose? How do you decide what to share and what not to share with people about your work?

BL: Yeah, I try to keep it pretty quiet. I like to keep ‘em guessing. They just know I do something secretive. They don’t pry too much. If someone comes up and asks me questions, I’ll answer that. As far as sending out a press release or an autobiography, that is not something I would do. I would guess a biography has been written about me. There was a biography about me in this book called Porn Studies, “The Resurrection of Brandon Lee: The Making of a Gay Asian-American Porn Star.” It was awfully flattering. Now and then I have to press ‘Deflate.’ That happens a lot in porn, I think. I just remind myself I am just a regular person.

HOOK: What is the weirdest thing someone said to you about your career?

BL: Where did you learn how to speak English. In the school systems, I think. I get some pretty racist stereotypes.

BL: In the Porn Studies chapter, it says I left my parents’ Chinese food delivery store to pursue a career in the industry, which is false. It is very very false that I was discovered delivering Thai food and the director asked to see my egg roll.

HOOK: And it is not true?

BL: Not in the least.

HOOK: So what is the true story?

BL: I was 17 and at a club where the walls were like Teflon, where nothing can stick to them. They were so greased up because Chi Chi [LaRue] was filming there. I was cruising. I was out on the prowl at the peak of my sexuality.

BL: I was just hanging out. She was filing there and I told her I am not supposed to be there right now. I told her I would call her when I turned 18. And when I turned 18, I did call her.

HOOK: What made you all her instead of something else?

BL: I always had an interest in doing it. I have seen some bad porn, and I thought I could may be make a good one that people would like. I guess people have.

HOOK: Which brings me back to what facilitates your choices in what you tell people?

BL: If someone asks me questions, I try and be quick and witty enough to answer. I’ll tell anything. Sometimes I tell a little too much.

HOOK: When you were doing porn, did you also begin escorting? A lot of men in the business escort on the side to support themselves (since porn doesn’t generate a lot of money), so do you think escorting is looked down on in the porn world? I know of a few guys doing porn that don’t escort – do they get treated any differently?

BL: I did not escort. I worked in a bookstore for a brief moment, and then from there, when I left the industry, I moved to Florida and worked in a hotel and assistant to the GM. Then, I left that and went back to California. I started thinking maybe it’s time to explore my full capacity, so I enlisted in the Navy.

HOOK: Did they ask about your history?

BL: It’s the new navy now. They could care less about your personal life. They just want to get the job done. It was a lot of work: a lot of emotional trials, physical trials; being degraded on a consistent basis; having to answer up to shitheads. It’s stuff like that. It was pretty bad. It was something I am glad I did. I was in there for three years.

HOOK: Did they know you were gay?

BL: Yeah. (Laughs) There were times when they were like What the fuck? I played it up. I always kept ‘em guessing. They thought I was in love with my lab partner, but she was actually my fag hag.

HOOK: What about sex in the Navy?

BL: Some of the best ever, I have to say. I was stationed on a marine base. There was a lot of action there. Every man was helping each other out.

HOOK: After the Navy, you returned to porn?

BL: Immediately. I was in San Diego at the time. Going through my old address book, [I thought], “Why don’t I send Chi Chi a little email?” She asked me to come in and work the site—and at that moment—she said, “I want to sign you on the company and be an exclusive.”

HOOK: Is this a full-time gig for you know?

BL: Pretty much because a lot of the in front of the camera stuff I do, and I do a lot of scoring on a bunch of films.

HOOK: You’re a musician as well?

BL: I am Asian. I do have to live up to that stereotype. I have scored four films—all porn. The first was Chain of Command for Unzipped Video and then simultaneously, I was working on my own film Wicked. Then I was handed Service for Ken (Unzipped) and then scored Little Brother’s Big Secret for All Worlds.

HOOK: What’s your goal with your music?

BL: To be recognized as the Danny Elfman of the adult industry—somewhat like Sharon Kane.

HOOK: How did porn change the way you see yourself?

BL: I take myself a little less seriously now. When you are kinda seeing yourself in compromising positions…on the other hand, when it comes to being out in public, I take myself more seriously. People just automatically think that because I am of a certain profession, they are obligated to catch or cop a feel. Sorry, doesn’t work like that. Sometimes, it is good and sometimes, it is bad.

HOOK: When you are doing porn, how do many people perceive escorting?

BL: A lot of people do escort and I don’t condemn it. It’s probably only here [in the US] do we look down on that the same. In Europe, it is just a given. It is part of everyday life. I really think that a lot of the people in the industry don’t condemn it.

HOOK: Admittedly, it is rare to find Asian-American pornstars in the US. Do you feel intimidated or angry at the lack of diversity in porn? Or do you feel there is a lack of diversity?

BL: Not at all. I really don’t think there is a lack of diversity with Rascal, Channel One, Unzipped striving for diversity. It is a good thing: everyone for everyone. Sex is sex.

HOOK: Do you feel doing the porn work is similar to the 9-to-5 gig?

BL: Frankly, I find that the work I do in the adult industry is more relaxed and I highly enjoy it. I greatly enjoy the people I work with. I missed working with Chi Chi for quite a while. She is extremely intelligent.

HOOK: The one comment I have seen time and time again is about your 10-inch springroll. Do comments like that bug you? Or do you kinda dig it?

BL: I dig it. Let me press that deflate button on my head. Thank you.

HOOK: What is your audience like? Have you met them? Do they introduce themselves to you?

BL: Some have been very nice and very cordial and some of have been very scary. The ones that are respectful understand I am just a normal human being and of a certain profession and approach me just like anyone out at a club. And there are those think of me as a piece of meat…and it comes with the territory. I usually say thanks and if they continue, I smile and eventually say, “You know what? Go away.” I hate being bitchy, but sometimes you just have to. For example, I wanted to go to the Volcano Party (Rob Remier and I). He and I went together and I was approached by this one person who slipped me a key and said, “Come on up.” So I gave it to Rob and throughout the weekend, this guy kept coming up to me and said, “Why aren’t you coming up? Why aren’t you coming up?” I finally had to come up with a lie and say, “I am committed to someone.” But I try and feel the person out. As far as divulging my real name, I don’t feel comfortable doing that unless I am gonna engage in a little sexual activity .But usually, I keep things pretty private. As far as asking what I do in my free time, I got my degree in Advanced Avionics..and so on.

HOOK: What about dating?

BL: Dating has been weird. For example, I have been seeing someone for a short time, say three weeks, which constitutes a year, right? And we had a conversation last night and he was like, “Why can’t you work in Wal-mart.?” Wal-mart is not my thing. And the one [guy] prior to that was the same way. He said to me, “I just wish I could date someone normal.” I am very upfront about who I am in respect to relationships. Usually I meet guys out at the bars and there have been those who knew who I was. Once they overcame their starstuck-ness, it was cool. A lot of people have expected me to give up my career for them, and that is where it just doesn’t work.

HOOK: Do you find a lot of men who are working in the industry?

BL: As far as dating within the industry. I know people who do and those who don’t, and those who have given up their career for another person. I wish them all the best. It has worked for Jeremy Jordan and Jason Hawke [both being in the industry]. It just depends on people’s chemistry.

HOOK: Finally, since every gay guy and his brother are trying to push their way into porn, do you have 3 tips that might help people work smarter in the business (escorting or porn)?

BL: Don’t expect overnight success. Don’t eat carbs. The prima donna thing is not cute: retain your humility.