Chatting with Candice
Keisha Grey
Episode Run Time: 01:30:18
Keisha Grey is a highly acclaimed former adult star with more than 1.5 million fans on Instagram. Her meteoric rise to become one of the most sought-after actresses in the industry was not without a few hiccups, though. First, Keisha battled addiction, and her fall from grace led to a short stint at Dunkin Donuts. Nonetheless, her determination to kick out the habit and subsequent journey to sobriety is a story of perseverance, gratitude, and love. Interestingly, Keisha is our most requested guest, and she talks about her exit from mainstream shooting, finding love, and why porn is an art.
[00:03:50] Introducing Keisha Grey
[00:07:45] Learning to say No
[00:09:48] Having standards and setting an excellent example for other girls
[00:10:50] The link between poor sex education and early pornography indulgence
[00:15:00] Keisha's fight against child trafficking
[00:17:20] Keisha's struggle with addiction
[00:20:50] How Keisha balanced a long-term relationship and her onscreen career
[00:24:14] Surviving an overdose and the road to recovery
[00:28:01] Battling a relapse
[00:34:40] Affirmations and gratitude lists
[00:36:30] Handling cyberstalking and personal privacy
[00:41:50] The competitive nature of the adult industry
[00:43:44] Porn as an art
[00:49:48] Keisha's encounter with manipulative agents
[00:51:37] Dissecting the proposed 21 and Over rule
[00:55:50] Using social media to make a difference
[00:59:30] Keisha's transition from mainstream to self-production
[01:01:37] How value impacts on-screen performances
[01:06:25] The difference between fantasy and glorified abuse
[01:08:20] Regulating the industry using a paywall
[01:13:34] Keisha's love story
[01:15:40] Keisha's exist from mainstream shooting
[01:16:40] Losing everything and starting from the bottom
[01:19:13] Working at Dunkin Donuts
[01:21:15] Adult stars dealing with different personalities off-screen
[01:24:40] Battling anxiety issues
[01:26:20] Keisha's goals and ambitions
For the longest time, traditional porn studios have exploited young girls who flock the industry every year searching for opportunities. Young girls, naive of how the industry works, sign shitty contracts, perform outrageous acts, all in the name of perfecting their crafts. While it's okay to try out a couple of stuff early on in your career, you need to understand that the type of content you produce will forever be part of your resume. So, if you settle for mediocre content, you'll always be associated with mediocre content. Unfortunately, girls who stand up against being mistreated or poor pay are often met with frowns of disapproval. The good news is that there are other ways to remain relevant other than mainstream shooting. A good example, and a favorite for most stars, is OnlyFans. It's easy to set up, and you get to enjoy the freedom of producing your own content whichever way you please.
The pressure associated with mainstream shooting can drive even the toughest of souls into depression. The tight schedules, constant traveling, relationship issues, and the recent pandemic are things stars have to bear. Some stars choose to meditate; others try to sleep it off, and sadly, the majority fall into drug and substance abuse. For Keisha, pills and alcohol were her thing, such that she sometimes appeared on set a little tipsy. Like most addicts, Keisha battled denial and only sought professional help only when her agents threatened to drop her if she didn't seek help. Although she has relapsed a couple of times, her journey to sobriety is one of courage, determination, and love.
We live in an age where kids as young as ten have internet access. While this might be a good thing in terms of information access, parents need to filter the content their kids can have access to. This is because there are free stuff everywhere, and since kids are naturally curious, there is a huge chance that they'll one day bump into some adult content. As a parent, you must control the type of content your child consumes and have the dreaded sex talk when the time is right.
Keisha also believes there should be a paywall where people sign up and pay for content when accessing adult sites. The paywall will do wonders in terms of how we consume content and boost industry earnings while providing better tax avenues for the government. It would also be best if regulators introduced the 21 and over rule as part of measures aimed at protecting young girls joining the industry.
Links and Resources
Keisha’s Instagram
Keisha’s Twitter handle
