CYBERSPACE—Gay erotica outlet Cybersocket conducted an exclusive interview with the men of NakedSword’s third annual Mx. Pineapple pageant, a live gay porn drag competition. Max Konnor, Liam Riley, Calvin Banks and last year’s winner Dakota Payne spoke about the nuances of gay porn and drag, and the need to address mental health in the industry.
Presented by Falcon|NakedSword, the live version of Mx. Pineapple is set to take place on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at Heart in West Hollywood. The show will feature a superstar lineup of porn stars transforming into their drag alter egos, competing for the crown, and raising money for Pineapple Support, a free service that offers therapy to sex workers and those working in the online adult industry.
Falcon exclusive Max Konnor returns as a pageant judge and told Cybersocket why participating is close to his heart. “This is a very important cause to me. Mental health support is needed for every person in general, I believe, but especially in this industry. Being an adult model is not easy. Being in the public eye in any profession is not easy. Pile that with mental battles that some carry with them into this industry, Pineapple Support is extremely needed and important.”
He also related drag performing to his own work in the industry. “I honestly love the creativeness of drag," he said. "It’s very much in the realm of where I come from. Playing a character, with so many pieces of self and using that craft to make people feel good and pull them from the craziness of this world and even for an hour or so, replace it with an entertaining, feel-good time.”
For Konnor’s full interview, click here.
Award-winning porn personality Calvin Banks competes alongside five other porn stars this year. Banks participated in the first annual Mx. Pineapple Pageant and earned the title of second runner-up. He told Cybersocket the inspiration for his drag name, Va’Chyna Banks. “I’ve actually had a few drag names over the years—Delores Clitorus, Paris Perfect and Wonderbread, to name a few. I came up with Va’Chyna Banks while working in a sex toy warehouse. One of the beautiful (and massive) toys was named Va’Chyna. It was too good to resist.”
He goes on to talk about why support for mental health is so important, commenting, “I think very often the mental health of performers is overlooked, a result of us being looked at as objects rather than people. Bringing awareness to and having resources available for those who need them is unquestionably important. I’ve lost multiple friends in this industry, and I will do whatever I can to not lose anymore.”
For Banks' full interview, click here.
Porn twink personality Liam Riley also competes this year. With a dance, cheerleading and drag background, the pageant is the perfect event for him, he told Cybersocket. “There’s probably nothing I feel more passionately about than performing. All I’ve ever known is being a performer or some sort of entertainer. From dancing in my grandparents’ dining room as a child to being a competitive cheerleader growing up, going into adult films and social media, to now being a drag entertainer. I’m learning my craft and slowly perfecting it. I feel like everything has led me to this very moment.”
He goes on to tell Cybersocket about the origin of his porn name: “Bambi is something that is short, sexy, to the point. Almost fawn-like. My favorite artists embody this entity of another persona, for example Nicole Ritchie on a season of The Simple Life roleplays a desperate housewife named Bambi. My biggest idol, Ariana Grande, for a long time has used the deer emoji on social media and hints at ‘Bambi’—soft, supple, love.”
For Riley’s full interview, click here.
Past Mx. Pineapple winner and Next Door Studios exclusive Dakota Payne talks about doing drag for over a decade and his relationship with his drag alter ego, Gemini Dai. “I started doing drag right out of college," he recalls. "It was a fun way to continue performing in a bar setting, while I simultaneously did shows and was a bartender. I'd say that Dakota and Gemini are extreme expressions of my gender, sexuality and desire to entertain.”
This year, Dakota returns as a judge and tells Cybersocket what he (or she) will be looking for: “I want to see passion on that stage. Someone who comes alive and shows that they love what they do.”
For Payne’s full interview, click here.
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For tickets to Mx. Pineapple, click here.
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