A few weeks ago, we spotlighted stars whose porn careers have stretched back two decades or more. The longest active tenure among those was that of Nina Hartley, who commenced her porn career in 1984. Believe it or not, the interviewee in this post started her adult career a full year before that! She’s Shanna McCullough, and while she is no longer active as an on-camera performer, her decades of experience have lent her a unique insight into the industry’s biggest changes over the years.

• How has porn evolved in your eyes in the past 20 years?

Porn has gone though many changes since I started back in January of 1983, in the last year of the film age. The adult business has always been the gauge for the next big trend, as we saw with the explosion of VHS in the 80’s. With the invention of the internet, porn as usual has led the way. In the past 20 years, porn went from a video store staple to being accessible on everyone’s electronic device of choice. This is both good and bad, in my opinion. Adult content is now easier to find, available to all, and has become more “mainstream”, which helps lessen its stigma. There seems to be something for every fetish and fantasy, and the percentage of female watchers has increased. On the other side, because much of the content is more reality based, there are less big-budget scripted movies being produced. Many people don’t watch a full length movie anymore and just jump from scene to scene. I think the sex has become nastier in many ways, and with such a huge amount of content available, the days of a big porn star are over. Porn performers are more accessible than ever, and to me that means they become less of a mystery and fascination to a fan. Since just about anyone can start their own porn career, it’s also harder for most to make a good living doing it, especially given how much free product there is to find. I guess I am old school – I figure that the more taboo something is makes it more special and exciting!

• Give your prediction of what porn will be like in 20 years.

The advent of VR (virtual reality) is in my opinion the next big thing in adult. As this continues to grow, I can imagine that there will eventually be custom VR fantasies – maybe with your own AI device added to make the experience even more real. It’s the ultimate in safe sex too! It would be pretty cool to be playing a World of Warcraft type of online game, where you could be having virtual sex with other players, dressed as their fantasy selves. Sex with a mermaid, an Orc or a warrior? Sign me up! Just as long as people still get out and interact in person of course.

• Shout out your favorite movie that you starred in – old or new

This is by far the hardest question I get asked! After a career that spanned 18 years, I have so many favorites…I’ll have to list some of my top ones. Seduce and Destroy (Klimaxxx Productions) – me as a female James Bond!…Pornogothic (Wicked Pictures)…a great vampire pic….My Bare Lady (Moonlight) – the musical!…The Gift (Femme Productions – Candida Royalle) – romance at its best…The Quick and the Hard (Adam & Eve)- a fun western…Insatiable 2 (Caballero)– me and Marilyn Chambers…Careful He May Be Watching (Video-X-Pix) – sex with Seka!…and who could forget White Bun Busters (VCA – Dark Brothers) – fans still sing me the theme song:)

• What’s a porn movie or scene you remember watching in or around 1997 (the year Adult Empire was founded)?

This would actually be one of my own – Starbangers 10 (Zane Productions). It was my first gangbang and I was so excited to see how it turned out – I loved doing it and I was super happy with the final product. I helped put it all together too, so it was a big deal for me on both ends – pun intended!

• How have your own porn-watching habits changed since 1997?

Just as the world has changed, so have I.  I also find myself just looking online for the kinds of scenes or performers I want to get off to – my latest obsession is with Vixen.com and their gorgeous natural girls. I am really impressed with the quality and style of this studio, and of course I have the hots for Kendra Sunderland.

• What’s the first thing that pops into your head when you think back to 1997?

1997 turned out to be one of my best years in the adult business – after 15 years I was busier than ever! I won my 2^nd AVN award (of 4) for Best Supporting Actress for Bobby Sox (Vivid), I was inducted into the “Legends of Erotica” in Las Vegas at the same time, and I was on the cover of AVN again (my second solo cover) for Seduce and Destroy. The adult business was very good to me – and still is!

Browse Shanna McCullough movies here.