Nat Turnher: 'I Take the Good With the Bad'

This interview with Nat Turnher ran in the November issue of AVN magazine as part of a cover story on African American men working in the adult industry. Click here to see the whole issue online. Home State: New York | Age: 40 | Started in 2002 | Twitter: @NatTurnher What inspired you to pursue a career in adult film? Well. I’ve been through a few non-positive things in my lifetime. I’ve spent time in jail, which made me contemplate what I really wanted to do with my life. I wanted to do something legit. Getting into adult really wasn’t an idea that I had but then I ran into Justin Slayer. We talked and he thought I could do well in the industry. The next thing I knew I was flying out to California. It was cool because it gave me the opportunity to get into something without worrying about any criminal aspects. What are the most challenging aspects of your job? I face the same challenges now after 14 years in the business. I still get butterflies before a scene—pre-game jitters, you know? I worry about how my body will react, how I’ll perform with the girl, etc. What is the most rewarding part of your job? In the early part of my career it was the girls, of course, and visiting countries around the world. But now it’s about getting the paycheck to pay the bills and to feed my son. Yeah, it’s certainly a job with extra benefits [the girls], but it’s a good way to earn a living and that makes me feel good about myself. Who are your biggest influences? I’d have to say Justin Slayer for obvious reasons. He gave me my start and I’m very thankful for that. And then I’d met Ice La Fox in the business, who is my nine-year-old son’s mom. What is the most common misconception about adult? That we’re not “normal” everyday people because of what we do as performers. It gets very frustrating to be asked all of the time about how I live and if I do stuff like normal people? I’m constantly battling the “taboo” of adult. I fight for that every day. What do you think of the way IR product (black male/white female) is marketed? Well, let me give you an example. I did a scene with a young lady and it was cool. Then I was on set again with her and she refused to work with me and said she doesn’t do black guys. She made a complete about face. The producers totally accepted what went on. I mean, they only cared about her. This is an example of how the movie was just about starring her and the black dude is just a prop. Producers need to respect the black performer more like they should. We need to be recognized for more awards and be featured in more ads. Whenever there’s a big show you see billboards with just white women. Where are the black performers on those billboards? What barriers, if any, have you encountered working in the adult industry? There have always been doors that are closed to me just for being black, but in this industry there have also been many that have been opened for the same reason. I take the good with the bad. I admit that sometimes I feel cursed about the decision, mainly because of relationship problems that come up because of what I do, but at the end of the day, I’m at peace.