Lex Steele is one of the most recognizable names in porn. He has won the coveted AVN Award for Best Male Performer on three separate occasions - the maximum number of wins allowed in this category for a given performer. Known for his massive 11 inch cock, Lex has made a name for himself with his performances in front of the camera as well as behind the camera. It hit me very close to home.

"I came out of Syracuse University in 1993. By early 1994 I was a licensed broker and was in the World Trade Center 2 for 4-1/2 years as a stockbroker. I worked in that building and had I still been a broker, I would have been in that building at the time. I would have been at my desk or in transit under that building. I know people in that building who died, there are places I used to have lunch in every day that are not there any more. It affected me in a very personal way. My best friend recently lost his job to layoffs following that event. This is a crazy world we live in, but all of these things we've been talking about, porn and the racism in this business pale in comparison to the bigger issues in the world. I have no complaints compared to what these people have to deal with. I am blessed in so many ways.

This is just a job for me. In my personal life, I would rather be with just one girl . . . I work on having solid relationships away from the camera. But it's tough because of what we do. This is sex for pay. It's not your moralistic type of a job but it pays well.

[if he would quit the business for the right woman] No. I've been to every continent on the face of the earth in the last two years. I make six figures a year. You can't beat that . . . Only thing bad about it is that there is an inherent health risk for being involved in this business. That's the only thing that plays on your mind. The fact that you are rolling the dice every time you step up to the plate.

I represent the hardcore. My main companies are Anabolic and Diabolic. It's the hardest hardcore out there. It's the best sex available. They only use the top guys so every scene is guaranteed to be rocket hard. The girls have to rise to the level of the male performer so everything is hot.

I'm not the biggest, I'm just the best.

[if being a porn star affects his relationships with women off-camera] Very much so. You know a lot of women who recognize me from my films want to be with me. But my thing is, "Hey, I do porno. Why do these women who aren't involved in the business want to have sex with me? Why do they want to knowingly risk their lives?" I'm not attracted to those women.

I went to Syracuse University. I graduated in 1993. From '93 until '98 I was a Wall Street stockbroker. With one of the firms I worked for, my office was located on the 36th floor of the World Trade Center. If I hadn't gotten into porn and stayed in high finance I would have been in those towers on September 11th. In 1997 I started doing some regular mainstream modeling. Some folks suggested I get involved with adult modeling so by March of 1998 I was in Los Angeles working in adult film. I completely gave up finance because I said to myself, "Damn, I've always wanted to do porno, and I can always fall back onto corporate America". I went out to L.A. with enough money to sustain myself for three months and the plan that, if I made it, great, if not, I'd return to the Wall [Wall Street]. Things worked out!

In no way would I recommend this job to my best friend, let alone my children. Every day in this business you must decide to risk your life. When I came into this business in 1998, five women were infected with HIV from one guy. It was a scary time. I would positively forbid my daughter from working in this industry. There is a measure of self-respect a sex performer gives away every single time he or she is on camera. I wouldn't want anyone so close to me to give away anything so important and valuable. When I have kids I will instruct them that their bodies are temples, and I don't want anyone walking up into and defiling their temples.

[on the health risks of a porn star] The worst part is the risk to your life. Let's be frank. Everyone is PCR-DNA tested every 30 days. But you are still rolling the dice on a regular basis. How do I know that on any given day my test will come back a "license to thrill" or a death certificate? But AIDS isn't the only problem in the business. Most of the action is shot bareback [without condoms] and STDs are rampant. I've been in this business four years; if I don't know what herpes looks like, I don't know what the back of my hand looks like. I don't have it, but, man, there have been several situations where I have looked at a girl, said, "I don't know what THAT is," and refused to do a scene. I was in Budapest [Hungary] doing a scene on a golf course. The director and producer have this girl, and her ass looks like it was on fire! I wasn't going there for anything! I told them get another girl or put me on a plane back to the States. I keep a watchful eye over my body. Because of my job I have to consistently monitor my body.

(When asked has he ever been involved off screen with any of the women in the business?) I've had three girlfriends in this business. I was involved with Monique who everyone knows. I was also involved with Cinnabunz. My girlfriend now is this beautiful blonde right here, Blazer. We're nominated for a scene with Mr. Marcus for West Side. The bottom line is that there shouldn't be a color line in a business where everyone is paid to perform sex on film. It's not about getting on a soapbox, but that's my feeling.