Juli Ashton - Not Your Typical Porn Star

I feel the urge to start this off by saying that Juli Ashton is "not your typical porn star". That however, is probably one of the most over used phrases in this industry so I will just give you the facts and let you be the judge.

Born October 5, 1968 in Colorado Springs, Colorado Juli had what would be (by most people's standards) a typical childhood. Raised in a two parent household with her three siblings. She graduated high school and went on to Colorado State University where she followed in both her parents footsteps and got her teaching credentials in History and Spanish and her degree in Spanish. She then went on to teach Junior High Spanish.

Now most of you are probably going "how did this woman end up an adult film star"? Well I personally find it amusing that you can trace that back to her decision to get married in May of 1990 while she was still in college. The newly wed couple (like most) was having trouble making ends meet so Juli started waitressing at a local topless bar. Where she swore she would "never in a million years" get up on that stage.

Once she started teaching full time she quit her waitressing job and thought that chapter of her life was behind her. However, after one year of teaching Juli realized that this wasn't what she wanted to do with her life. Her and her husband then packed everything up and moved to Florida where Juli returned to the familiar environment of waitressing in a strip club while she figured out what she wanted to do next. This time around Juli noticed how much more money the dancers were making then she was so after some serious soul searching she made the decision to start dancing. It was while dancing that Juli started to get more interested in the adult video industry (we have her husband to thank for introducing her to them). By the time Shayla LaVeaux and Alexis DeVell arrived as features at her club she had a list of questions for them. Juli spent a lot of time with her fellow Colorado natives and by the time they left she had their managers card and an invitation to come to Southern California. Even with all this it was almost a year later (late 1994) before she made the move to California and into adult videos (her first movie was a girl/girl scene in Cameron Grant's Dinner Party)

I first met Juli at the Consumer Electronics Show in January of 1995. She was promoting her upcoming movie New Wave Hookers 4 from VCA Pictures which had her and Chasey Lain on the box cover. I will admit that I didn't have very high hopes for Juli after this meeting. She was very beautiful and sweet so I was expecting nothing more than your average couples sex scenes from her. Juli, it turned out, was going to "specialize" in anal sex and three-ways. Something that now may be common place but in 1995 this was unheard of for a companies contract performer. She also started to host a little show for Playboy TV called "Night Calls".

In 1996 Juli made two more big decisions in that she separated from her husband of 6 years (they were eventually divorced) and she bought her first home. By 1997 Juli had firmly established herself as a member of the adult industry and decided to start her own production company called AshtonView Promotions. In an interesting move though these movies were released through Wicked Pictures not VCA Pictures even though Juli was still VCA's contract performer. Everything progressed normally from there (though people will note her number of movies per year steadily declined) until 2000 when Juli stopped showing up at industry events. She continued to appear on Night Calls (and still does) for the next three years but was rarely (if ever) seen around the adult industry. So I was very surprised when Wicked Pictures put out their autograph list for the 2003 Adult Entertainment Expo and the lovely Miss Ashton was on it. Unfortunately she was only there one day so new photographs are limited.

Well it has been three years since I last saw you, so what have you been up to?

Juli Ashton - Yep it has been three years. I have been doing Playboy stuff mostly. Just signed another one year contract for Night Calls so that is a happy thing and I just started doing Playboy Radio on XM satellite radio live 4 days a week. You can call in and chat. It is a call in show and is really exciting because we are making history in that this is the first radio broadcast with no FCC regulations. So we have no censorship or language barriers so it makes for some interesting radio and it is fun.

2003 is finally going to see the first Ashton View DVD. Why has it taken so long?

Juli Ashton - I hope so. It was hard for me to decide my adult future. I hit that wall on how much do I want to be "Juli Ashton" how much do I want to have this production company. So the company just kind of sat for a while until I got my head back together. Now I am back and ready to rock and roll. So here they come.

As far as I know there is only one currently scheduled for release, Basically Becca. Are you scheduling the rest for this year, next year? 

Juli Ashton - Basically Becca will be released soon and then after that we will start the "Essentially" releases in the second or third quarter.

Are you going to start with yours or someone else's? 

Juli Ashton - I don't know I haven't decided. Do you think we should save Essentially Juli for last, you know save the best for last or come out with a bang? What do you think?

I think you should come out with a bang. 

Juli Ashton - Okay Essentially Juli is first then.

Are you going to be making any more movies?

Juli Ashton - I don't think that I will be performing any time soon but now that I am back I may ramp up my production company again and do a few movies.

Since you have been gone what do you think of the direction the industry is going in? Titles are becoming a little more hard edged. When you first started out you doing a DP in your first movie was unusual now it is common place.

Juli Ashton - Yeah I know. I think was why I got out when I did and started thinking about what I really wanted to do because...I don't like the volume. I don't like the content. To me it is not about sex anymore. The industry has lost the goal of turning on the viewer and getting the viewer off. Now it is push the envelope and shock the viewer. It is not what I want out of my porn. 

What do you think of titles like Fashionistas that have a strong S/M theme to them?

Juli Ashton - I am a complete libertarian in the sense that do what you want to do. If that what gets your rocks off then there you have it. It just doesn't turn me on. I like bondage. I like S/M. That is a hard question. There is a fine line between responsibility for what we are doing, what we are teaching people and "oh but it is art and we can do whatever we want".

I am not sure Cream Pie #5 is art.

Juli Ashton - No, it might be hard pressed to call that art. I think that all responsibility has disappeared from the industry and I think that is a shame.

What exactly is Juli Ashton Adventures?

Juli Ashton - Oh yes. We are still in the process of a DVD travel series for adults. I love traveling and I love sex. So it is just a where to go and what to do travel series for adults.

Sort of like a "Wild On..." for adults?

Juli Ashton - Exactly.

While doing research for this interview I came across a web site that listed what they claimed to be your real name. Does it bother you that somebody does things like that?

Juli Ashton - You know, it is funny. Having two names has really caused a lot more problems then if I would have just started with my real name. Everyone says you have to have a stage name but if somebody wants to find you. If somebody wants to stalk you they are going to. Whether they know my real name or not. So it doesn't bother me. I don't know why it doesn't bother me but it doesn't. I am proud of my names. Both of them.

Do you think the adult industry lobbying effort is having an impact?

Juli Ashton - I think that it is a valiant effort but it is almost like moving the beach one grain of sand at a time. Just the wall we are up against is so frightening and were are just living in a time of change and something is going to happen. Something is going to have to break. We are getting more and more wild and accepting in our society. Even television is a hot as porn was for a while. Yet also still have the legislation and that side trying to push us back down. Yes, think it has helped but it is such a big effort that I don't know if we have seen the results of that effort yet.

Why are you back and are you staying?

Juli Ashton - Why am I back? In my heart I don't think I ever left. I am back because I want to still promote Juli Ashton, I want to promote my XM Radio. There are just a lot of things I am doing that I want the fans to know that I am doing. That I haven't disappeared that I didn't drop off the planet. I was just out rehabilitating myself and my brain. So now I am better and that is why I am back. Yeah I am here to stay. I knew when I got into this business that this is where I belonged and that as dysfunctional as they may be they are still my family. But aren't they all. So it is good to be back and I am staying.

Have you finished renovating your house?

Juli Ashton - I am very close. I have carpet left and then I will be all done.

Your Doc Johnson toy line. Is it still out?

Juli Ashton - Still out and really excited about the new one that is scheduled to be released which is the variable speed pocket rocket. Finally.

Are we going to see a Juli Ashton action figure?

Juli Ashton - Hell no. They are ugly as hell. They don't look like them. I don't know but what the point is. Oh gosh...I lied. I forgot I licensed my name to Playboy for that so they have the option to do that if they so choose.

Still single?

Juli Ashton - Still fucking single. I am not happy about it but yes I am still single. I obsess about it sometimes.

Why are you still single?

Juli Ashton - I think I set myself up. I look for men that won't commit. That are unavailable so I think that it is my own commitment issues.

Where do the guys need to go to apply?

Juli Ashton - Hahaha...I don't know that is the other part. I don't know where to meet men. It is weird if somebody immediately falls into that "oh my god you are Juli Ashton" that is too weird. I can't date someone that falls all over me but if they don't know then how do I tell them about my past.

It is not about the past it is about the present.

Juli Ashton - That is true but life isn't...but relationships as a porn star are not an easy thing. And you always hear the "can you stop being a porn star".   

What does 2003 have in store for Juli Ashton?

Juli Ashton - Just really focusing on radio. That is what I want the most. There are some ideas we are pushing around for some Ashton View videos but that just is not as interesting to me right now. The production schedule and shooting is not glamorous. It is very hard work and I am just a slacker.

Riiiiiiight.

Describe yourself in 5 words but not your physical appearance, you as a person.

Juli Ashton - Trusting, Loving, Faithful, Courageous, Silly

Thank you very much for your time.

What is your favorite word?

Juli Ashton - Fabulous.

What is your least favorite word?

Juli Ashton - Hate

What turns you on?

Juli Ashton - A smile. Someone that laughs very easily.

What turns you off?

Juli Ashton - Pushy people.

What sound or noise do you love?

Juli Ashton - Ummmmmm. That and the ocean.

What sound or noise do you hate?

Juli Ashton - Screaming/yelling.

What is your favorite curse word?

Juli Ashton - Fuck.

What profession would you like to attempt other than your own?

Juli Ashton - I always wanted to be like a serious artist.

What type of artist?

Juli Ashton - Pottery or jewelry. Something creative but with a physical outlet.

What profession would you not like to participate in?

Juli Ashton - Doctor.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

Juli Ashton - Nice job Juli.