The Angel with Torn Wings – An Interview with Joanna Angel

By Troy Michael (Originally published in Genesis Magazine)

It’s good to be an angel, Joanna Angel that is. The writer, producer, model, and adult film actress, is founder and owner of BurningAngel.com, an independent punk-porn site that merges rock and porn. Her directorial debut, Joanna’s Angels, garnered five AVN Award nominations in 2006. The nominations included Best Sex Comedy and Best Screenplay.

For her achievements in the adult industry, Angel was awarded with an impressive contract through VCA Pictures. The production deal will have Angel producing and starring in five films solely for VCA Pictures and appear in an additional 10 scenes with other directors. She will also be doing extensive work with Hustler including store appearances and magazine lay outs.

It is easy to see why Angel has been dubbed as “queen of alt-porn” by some with her steady rise into the adult film business. Now it has come time for Joanna Angel to step up to the plate with Genesis Magazine.

Well congratulations on an amazing entry into the adult film industry. Do you feel you are partially responsible for the new punk rock porn that is going on?

Joanna Angel: Thank you very much. And yeah I do. It's weird. I was just kind of doing my thing and then a year later I was like.... Holy Shit! What have I started?!

What’s the negative side of going from a web only adult site with Burningangel.com to being in California directing and being in front of the camera?

I don't think there is anything negative about it at all. Except since I live in New York, I have to fly back and forth and that is very tiring. But, I mean, it's a lot easier to hide behind a computer screen all day, but every once in a while it's healthy for me to get out of my chair and actually physically be somewhere. Doing anything out of your routine is always weird and uncomfortable at first. It's important and necessary to experience new things to grow up and reach your full potential

How is the Joanna’s Angels series coming?

It is ridiculous with the script and plot. Everyone had a lot of lines and they all did a great job. I was the only one to fuck up my lines and have to do re takes. It is a lot of fun. We are doing Joanna’s Angels part two then we will do a third one and retire the series for something new.

When you directed Joanna’s Angels you had a bit of an unusual problem, can you tell me about it?

There was a guy… Mark Kramer….he worked at VCA and was supposed to be managing me when I was working on Joanna's Angels. He had a crush on me, but when they (feelings) weren't shared, rather than dealing with this issue on a personal level, he totally abused his power. This was my first major project, so it really sucked to hear things like ‘I should have never hired you; you have no idea what the hell you’re doing. After this you better stick to your little internet bullshit because you clearly don’t know what the fuck you’re doing.’ If I really sucked as a director, and there was just no hope for me… then I wouldn’t have minded the criticism. But I knew he was just unleashing anger on me that had nothing to do with my skills as a director.

When you started Burningangel.com did you have aspirations of working in the adult film industry?

I didn't have any aspirations at all. I made everything up as I went along.

How well received amongst the porn fans is the tattooed piercing generation?

I think people are starting to come forth and be honest about liking tattooed girls and being sick of all the granola porn out there. Of course, some people fear change and are really weirded out by what we're doing.

With the internet, you can see more things then you can in films. Where do you draw the line on what you will or won’t do in films?

When my body physically won't allow me to do something, that's where I have to draw the line. I can't get fisted because I'm too tight- maybe one day - like after I have a baby.

What do you think qualifies a girl to be legitimate porn “star?”

Well, when you are sitting at the Thanksgiving table and everyone is acting really weird and because they don't know how to tell you that they were spammed with a picture of your asshole the other day at work.

Speaking of Mom and Dad, what do your parents think about you evolving from a website company to directing and having sex on film?

They don’t love it, but their happy that I’m happy. They try not to talk about the performance aspect. My Dad makes fun of me, saying I am a big movie star. One time I went with him to his company picnic and the guys he worked with said ‘your daughter looks familiar.’ And he told them I was probably spammed in their email box this morning.

Does he watch your films too?

Oh no, it’s not like that. He does read about me on AVN all the time though. I will call him and apologize for not calling for a week and he will say something like ‘I read on AVN that Repenetrator is causing a lot of controversy, those people need to lighten up.’

It’s cool though, I want my parents part of my life now, It’s not like when you are in your teens and don’t want anything to do with your parents. We are both happy with each other and they support what I am doing.

Outside of the family and your father’s work, do you ever see old friends or anyone you went to school with?

I’ve talked to people I used to know or I went to college with and their life is so incredibly boring. I’ll ask them what did they do today and they had diner with their girlfriend or went to the office. And I am like… that’s interesting. I got fucked on camera today by two guys.

With everything you do, how do you find the time to escape everyone pulling you every which way wanting something?

This sounds kind of funny, but the only place I can go away and not think is on set when I am doing a scene. It’s the only place I can do nothing except have sex. I don’t have to think of any deadlines, office work or anything. It is so freeing to be in front of the camera that way. Plus getting fucked everyday isn’t so bad either.

Rumor has it you are dating a porn star - go figure. So I guess you’re getting fucked at home too. Who are you dating?

I am dating James Deen. We met on the set of Kill Girl Kill 3. Well, actually I met him for a minute last year during the AVN convention. We were both doing an interview for Fleshbot.com. I was after his interview, so I was waiting for him to get done. I saw this guy (Deen) and I thought he was so cute. He was telling the reporter about a scene he was doing and he was being so graphic I was getting turned on just thinking about him doing those things. So he walks away and I am like ‘Oh My God, I am love with that guy.’ About six months later we were doing Kill Girl Kill 3 and Eon (director Eon McKai) asked me who I wanted for my sex scene, James Deen or Kurt Lockwood and that was a no brainer.

Was the scene everything you expected?

No not at all. Actually it wasn’t my best scene because it was my first scene in front of the camera that wasn’t Burning Angel. So I didn’t know all the terminology like “open up for the camera” how to properly “arch your back.” But working with James was great.

That is like a twisted romantic porn story. How is it dating a fellow porn actor?

This is the most normal relationship I have ever had. The relationship isn’t based on sex now because you get to know each other on so many levels. I will see him and ask him (in angelic pixie voice) ‘honey, how’d your gang bang go today?’ or ask him what girls he worked with and stuff. It is really funny if you think about it. But it is a great relationship. There are no trust issues like in a regular relationship.

Since he does go off to work and fuck other girls, do you ever get jealous?

No not really, not of him fucking other girls. I mean I fuck other guys. But I do know he likes working with other girls. Like some girls give better head then me and that makes me a little jealous. I know I’m not the best porn star and I have stuff to work on.

Now that you have gone from Burningangel.com, to being in front of the camera and directing porn, what is next step for Joanna Angel?

I want to do porn for the rest of my life writing and directing. Some girls just do it for college and get out, which is fine, but there is so much to do in this business it is a career and you can advance.