KEN SUMMERS.
We undress this popular porn star to discuss life on and off the screen.
It was the ultimate Christmas flick, Love Actually, that made me think about the porn industry as being something other than what we see onscreen. The fact that these naked people were essentially just actors who have an everyday life outside of that moment was baffling to me. Recent explorations of porn such as James Franco’s dark and moody King Cobra led me to an entirely different interpretation of pornography, highlighting that the industry was much deeper than the sugar coated fantasy most of us see it as.
Ken Summers has been part of the porn industry for just a few years, but he’s already amassed quite an impressive trajectory of x-rated films. Their success can be measured by his Instagram, where he already has 31k followers. In order to gain more clarity about the life of a porn star, we sat down with the Summers to talk his life on and off the screen, from relationships to unattainable expectations.
How did you get into the porn industry? I got in porn just few years ago, but everything started a long time ago. My first encounter with porn was in Rhode Island, I met a porn actor named Ricky Roman from Cockyboys. We had a small conversation in 2011 while walking the runway for a benefit. Ricky told me what I needed to do and where to apply, but I was anxious and didn’t do it at that moment.
A few years later I was on vacation in Panama, Black Friday shopping. Someone came up to me and asked if I wanted to do porn. At the moment, I didn’t respond. I took his business card and left. A few years later, I called him and told him I was interested in start a career in porn. He told me I would receive a call when they have a production (scene). It happened! They called me to set, but I was no longer living in Costa Rica and had relocated to Hamburg. My contact was very excited that I was in Europe and put me in contact with a company in Barcelona. I contacted the company and that was the beginning of Ken Summers.
Set the scene of your average day on set? After preparing myself for the scene and getting my hair and makeup done, we start photos. Photos begin with some glamour shots; cute poses, nothing sexual. After glamour shots, erect penis and sex photos. The sex photos develop the flow of scene.
After the scene is finished, the cast and crew always go for lunch or dinner together. The set always feels like being with family. I love and enjoy every moment on the set
Do you make awkward small-talk with your co-star beforehand? No awkward conversation, but always informative. I always attempt to get to know my scene partner better and know what he likes to develop an amazing scene.
Does being a porn star affect your real-life relationships? Yes, and no. In some cases, people just run from us because they are scared that we can’t differentiate between sex and love, or our relationships from work. But others ask you about it and are interested in becoming a porn star. Being a porn star definitely makes it easier to meet people. Some of these people remain in your life and others do not.
Do you consider it to be a fulfilling career? Yes, it depends on your purpose in life. If you want to have it as a hobby or a film career. If you want it as a career, it means you have to be prepared to work hard. The result is a fulfilling experience that involves lots of travel, new cultural experiences, and meeting lots of people.
What makes a “good” porn experience? Communication and ‘flavour’. I want my followers to enjoy my work as much as I do. In an age of Grindr, Hornet etc, do you think porn has lost it’s relevancy at all? I think it’s the opposite way around. Since the emergence of dating applications, young boys have lost their ability to interact and flirt with others. Porn is needed more then ever; it is like a roadmap for young gay boys in the dating scene.
Does porn blur the lines between reality and fantasy? Even before porn, the question referred first to the difference between expectation versus reality in terms of participating in a sexual act. As for porn, it was mostly always based on creating a fantasy indeed. Yet, we now see a change with “onlyfans” content, where the audience can actually view porn stars in their everyday sex life, raw, unedited footage with no scenarios.
Do you see yourself being in porn for the foreseeable future? Yes!