Traci Lords: Underneath It All (Traci Lords)

I will admit, I had a mild obsession with Traci Lords about 21 years ago, which was about 3 years after the news broke that she was underage when she made almost all of her porn movies. Naturally, Traci became (in)famous shortly thereafter and took advantage of her notoriety to launch a somewhat successful career in mainstream movies and TV. She was even allowed to take a stab at a singing career (not so successfully). Even though she never made the Hollywood A-List, Traci has arguably had the most successful mainstream career of any former porn queen, so more power to her. I do scoff at the way she makes herself out to have been a "victim" of the porn industry, like the way she does in this book, though. Traci was paid only a straight fee for her magazing appearances and the films she made while she was underage, but after she turned 18, she and a "boyfriend' formed her own company in which she was entitled to a share of the profits her movies made as well as the rights to them. It's... Read more

Traci Lords refers to her porno past as an "obstacle" she had to overcome and claims to have done it with TV roles, minor movie roles, music, etc. But while it may have prevented her from getting a few roles, her porno fame ALLOWED her to get roles and, on balance, worked in her favor. I know people who only saw "Cry-baby," because that "porno girl was in it." Same with her music -- "check out the CD by that porno queen." She parlayed her porno queen status as the ultimate proof that sex sells while pretending porno was an obstacle to her success, a total self-delusion. If not for porno, she would never have gotten the breaks and notoriety she did. But she can't face that fact and claims to "loathe" porno, her springboard. The reader is left with the impression she's trying to take more credit than she deserves for her later mainstream work. She also deflects blame for her sins as the VICTIM of a cloudy rape and fuzzy molestation, but it seems like self-serving exaggeration. ... Read more

If you're familiar with the name, it's almost hard to NOT be interested in Traci Lords. Not only was she making porno at age 15, but she became the top porn star of her day - the Jenna Jameson of the early '80s. Really, what was that all about? Although UNDERNEATH IT ALL may provide a few clues, it really does not provide the answers you're probably looking for. Stretching from Traci's childhood in Ohio to the near present, after achieving some degree of mainstream success, UNDERNEATH IT ALL covers all the relevant time periods. But you cannot help but think that an awful lot is not really being said. I mean, c'mon, no one is reading this book to learn about Traci's work on Melrose Place. What we want to know, in plain terms, is exactly how does a girl so young fall into, inadvertently or not, the life she got herself into. And in this, the book is really lacking. Traci, according to what she says in the book, thought she was being booked for some legitimate modeling. A... Read more

If you are a fan of Traci Lords please get that book now It rocks!!!! You are going to love it You are going to admire her Written easy and simply to be read from anyone AAAAA++++++

I think--if I met Traci Lords--I would like and admire her.. Unfortunately, I don't get to meet her in her autobiography. Her story should be compelling (but told by herself, isn't); she deserves credit for her talent, her guts, her success (but not for this book). It was almost halfway through the book before I heard her memorable, honest, human voice: "What would my tombstone say? Here lies a cocksucker?" And then that voice went away. I wasn't obsessed with knowing every detail of every adult film she starred in as an underage teen. (Although I was hoping for an occassional rise.) I became more obsessed--and more disappointed when it was left unexplored--to learn how she could overcome addiction, how she could steel herself to a unhappy past which NO ONE would allow her to forget, how her important therapy worked, how success could seed in her life, how important relationships would continue to fail. . .I wanted to know something about the insides of this valiant, recovered woman... Read more

I fall into the John Waters movie category of a Traci Lords fan. I had heard about her pornographic past but never paid attention to her until I heard she was in a John Waters film. I have followed Mr Waters' career from the early days. Although pregnant with many a cliche, her story is quite a fascinating one. I don't think that some of the other reviewers have actually read the book when they accuse her of not admitting that she liked & chose to do the porno films. She admitted that she was acting out by being a 'sexual terrorist' which exorcised her personal demons. She does not portray herself as a victim. It is very clear that she voluntarily pursued her various projects. Reading the book is very soothing and relaxing, like listening to a good friend. I found the part about her music fascinating (since I am a musician as well and listen to her CD 1000 Fires.) I bought both the hardback version and the paperback version when I found out it had a new chapter & new photos. This is ... Read more