Oprah | Studio23 | Aug. 24, 2004

On Oprah last night: Traci Lords

In an episode focusing on the bondage and molestation of women (the second part dealt with cult communities that espouse polygamy and child brides), Oprah interviewed former porn queen Traci Lords. Growing up in a household with three male cousins renting the room next door, it was inevitable that I would hear the name of the most famous porn star of that era in snippets of conversation, that were hushed immediately when underage ears when in the vicinity.

Lords has come out with an autobiography entitled Underneath It All, chronicling her abusive childhood, her foray into nude photography at fourteen which the blessing (pimping) of her mother’s boyfriend, her running away and beginning in the porn business at 15. During her interview she also spoke about hitting rock bottom, being questioned by the FBI, and eventually picking up the shards of her life, seriously taking up acting and landing guest roles in various TV series and movies.

I first encountered Traci Lords as a series regular in Profiler. She played Sharon Lesher, the homicidal accomplice of serial killer Jack, archnemesis of the main character, profiler Sam Waters, played by Ally Walker. I was drawn to that steely look, and the sheer nakedness with which she portrayed the troubled Sharon. Apparently, she had a lot of life experience on which to base that characterization.

I admire that Oprah puts topics such as abuse on the forefront on her show without appearing crass or exploitative. There is always a great degree of taste and compassion when it comes to the exploration of sensitive topics such as these on the show.

Meanwhile, I was also glad that Lords was able to come across as a very intelligent person; and a recovery from the depths of abuse that she went through was optimistically portrayed as being possible, and necessary. Traci Lords is doing something positive by serving as a role model. The best part of her interview was when she explained why she didn’t change her name, stating that she wanted to face up to her past and not make excuses about it. This woman rocks.