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May 27, 2020

Jacky St. James, a SFW OnlyFans and COVID-19

Jacky St. James is an award-winning writer, director and producer known for creating high-end, scripted erotic content ranging from romantic comedies to edgier all-sex releases. All of her work is great, but some of her key titles represent the best of what the adult industry has had to offer at particular points in its production history.

Interestingly, St. James is currently working in a new realm within the adult industry – premium content sharing via OnlyFans. She shares pictures, clips and stories about her successes and debacles as a woman in adult entertainment, as well as arranging Skype and Zoom conversations with fans. And it’s worth noting that this new OnlyFans endeavor is due, at least in part, to the ongoing COVID-related industry wide production hold.

You see, St. James is not currently able to work in her conventional writer/director/producer capacity, though she’d like to. She’s in favor of — for herself — getting back to work.

“I know that a lot of people assume that if you are in favor of getting back to work you don’t care about the health and well-being of others, but that is 100 percent not the case with me,” St. James explained to YNOT. “I don’t want anyone to be harmed by [COVID-19], but the harm extends far beyond the elderly and those with compromised immune systems fearing for their health. This is a much more complex issue than that, and I wish people would not see it as black and white.”

“Sadly, we live in a very all-or-nothing world now, and it seems that nobody looks to the gray areas or analyzes every aspect anymore. Opinions are basically click-bait now,” she continued. “I prefer rational thinking and doing what is best for the greater good — whatever that may be.”

St. James spoke to YNOT about the impact COVID-19 has had on her work, as well as the wider adult industry community (as she has observed it) in the following powerful interview.

YNOT: Work wise, what were you doing moving into the pandemic? In, say, February of 2020, could you have anticipated where we are today? 

Jacky St. James: Moving into the pandemic, I was getting ready for my March productions and was in a pretty good financial place. This is why I decided it would be a good time to upgrade my kitchen. The day before California’s stay-at-home orders, I demoed my entire kitchen. Yep — I went into the pandemic with no kitchen and since then have gotten used to doing dishes in the bathtub.

As much as I laugh about it, the financial aspect of the pandemic has been incredibly fear-invoking. You’re supposed to save for a rainy day, which I did, but that rainy day wasn’t supposed to last an entire summer. As of right now, I am not sure when I’ll ever be able to prepare for rainy days again because I’ll be spending at least the next year or so getting right on all the bills I’ve had to leave unpaid due to the pandemic.

Where it is concerning is knowing that if something unexpected happens to me or my family or my pets, I won’t have money to pay for it. That is insanely alarming and that, singlehandedly, is why I need to get back to work asap.

On a personal level, how you yourself have been weathering the pandemic? 

Financial fears aside, I am completely fine. I’m a homebody, so this has been like “just another day.” I have been as busy as ever (I’m not somebody who has EVER uttered the words, “I’m bored”). Let’s be honest: There is always something people can be doing, even if it’s grouting their bathroom, which is something I’ve done during the pandemic.

What about working moving forward? Performers and models seem to have options online, but what options for work or support do directors and other crew have at this moment?

Government aid for my business didn’t happen. They discriminate against the adult industry, so I don’t have any small business funds. I did finally — after two months — get unemployment, but it’s not enough to pay all the bills. I am thankful for it, and I’m also thankful for my accountant, who always urged me to payroll myself through my business, which helped me to qualify for [unemployment].

Directors and crew have limited options, and the industry seems to be rallying behind the performers and less around the crew and directors. I’m very lucky though because Mile High and Bellesa have gotten creative and offered me some work-from-home opportunities. Most people behind the camera have been furloughed, and a lot of the crew are just trying to get by on their new normal.

The Free Speech Coalition offered some financial help. It wasn’t enough to even pay your electric bill, but it was the gesture that meant a lot. Knowing that some organizations do care about their people means a lot.

Apparently, some tube sites are helping performers, but from what I know, that doesn’t include the crew. It seems like many performers are faring better than the crew right now. Fortunately, some performers have been really awesome and allowed me to interview them on my OnlyFans. Damon Dice and Reagan Foxx actually gave money to my crew to help. I will never forget the performers that have stepped up and done nice things during this pandemic. You learn a lot about people’s character during times like these.

Speaking of your OnlyFans, has this been financially helpful at all during these times?

You know, it’s been okay. I don’t get naked or sell sex, which is what most porn fans want, so a lot of my subscribers are people who have been fans since I started and literally are just doing everything they can to help me financially.

Is it helpful? Absolutely — every dollar counts — but is it paying all my bills? Not even close.

Given your fairly mainstream persona, which you’ve obviously spent years building up, do you feel you are in a unique position to have access to this particular revenue stream that other directors may not have?

A few years ago, I stepped away from the limelight and distanced myself from social media and fans. Fans are so important to success, and I think I lost touch with that a few years ago. I was really wanting my privacy again and time to just decompress when I could.

But now, I don’t think I’ll ever take any of that for granted. The fans have been donating money when they can and really being the emotional support to get me through the stresses of the financial strains. Fans are the greatest. They really, really are. And knowing that you’ve made a difference in people’s lives — there’s no price you can put on that. I will now always be as active as I can be in the porn community with regards to fans.

The FSC-mandated, industry-wide production hold is currently still in place, as is shelter-in-place in LA county, but many people in the Los Angeles-area, California and across the country have resumed shooting. What are your thoughts regarding this?

If I’m being honest, I really get annoyed by a lot of grandstanding happening in our industry and the judgment passed on people who are shooting. Why? Because, while there are a lot of people who can survive on their OnlyFans and donations, there are even more that cannot. People are in positions where they need to survive. I don’t hold a lot of stock in someone’s opinion about this particular issue who is making $20,000 or more a month from their OnlyFans and simultaneously criticizing performers or crew that literally have nothing for trying to work on the DL.

There isn’t a lot of consideration for those who have nothing, and I think it’s so easy to take the “high road” when you don’t have to worry about where your rent check is coming from.

I have crew members with children. I have people that literally make $20,000 a year, which is basically poverty level in Los Angeles, that cannot afford months with no income. I don’t think we should judge people that need to work. I think we need to look at the bigger issue of why they need to work and maybe make changes in the future. Most everyone I work with would work tomorrow if we could, regardless of state mandates. A lot of people are sniffing out opportunities in other states. And yes, I know of a few studios shooting and I get it. Some companies will not survive the pandemic — both in and outside of porn.

Of course, a lot of people rush to judgment on those secretly working , as if those people don’t care if other people die. That’s just not the case. It comes down to risk verses reward and the greater good. There are a lot of people that believe that economic destruction, both on the personal and national level, will have far more detrimental effects. Only time will tell whether they are right or not.

For me? I want everyone to be safe, but I also want everyone to be able to make an income and I think there are ways of doing that.

Moving into the summer months as we are, what are your thoughts going forward? What impact will this have in the industry? On consumers? On you?

The performers surviving on their OnlyFans will be fine. Crews will likely be traveling to other states to work — and that’s something I am considering, as well. A lot of people will be crippled by this, and there will be people who will not recover from this ever. I know that there has been an overwhelming amount of people reaching out due to mental health concerns over loss of income and financial future.

Consumption of porn actually may increase during this time because there are no new tube videos to be illegally uploaded. Now it forces consumers to pay for OnlyFans and watch solos and scenes happening there. I hope the trend of paying for porn continues!

For me? This is the first time in a decade I have contemplated changing careers. I have submitted my resume to corporate jobs and am open to the possibility of absolutely anything right now. I have to survive and, if I can’t have a steady income until the end of the year (or later), I need to figure something out. Let’s not forget there is talk of more quarantining and stay at home orders during the winter. So, this might not even be close to being over yet.

 
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