LOS ANGELES — Chaturbate broadcasters Lana Del Bae and Melody Kush are back on the airwaves with the Season Two premiere of their "Camming Life" podcast "Sex Tales."
The first episode features reigning XBIZ "Trans Performer of the Year" Casey Kisses, who stunned the XBIZ Awards audience last month when she took to the stage, dropped to one knee and proposed to her girlfriend, Kylie Le Beau.
The inaugural season of "Sex Tales" was a buzzy success, garnering a reported 150,000 views and downloads on the "Camming Life" YouTube channel. Ahead of Season Two's debut, XBIZ spoke exclusively with the exuberant, upbeat Kush and newly crowned XBIZ "Cam Model of the Year" Del Bae about how they've grown as interviewers, their tips and tricks for top-notch podcasting and their favorite moments from Season One.
How would you describe your interview style? Are you super-prepared, easygoing, a bit of both?
DEL BAE: I would say I’m a bit of both, for sure. I like to have all my facts and know interesting tidbits about the person I’m interviewing to show I took the time to do my research on them and their career. When it comes to filming, me and my lovely co-host Mel, of course, have a structure to our interview questions but both of us are very flexible on sidetracking if a fun unexpected story presents itself to us mid-interview.
KUSH: In life, I tend to be someone who is over-prepared for pretty much everything and I think that carries over to the way I mentally prepare for a podcast. Whenever we arrive "on set" it's always chill and easygoing. Lana and I have a [meeting] before each episode to discuss our research, and it's such a fun session! Depending on what type of guest we're interviewing, we sometimes need to adapt our style from one episode to the next. It doesn't really matter how much you prepare, the most successful podcasts are the ones that are more conversational. Overall,I'm a curious person and I love hearing about people's experiences — and let's face it, adult stars have some fucking great stories. I'm always so genuinely excited to hear what they have to say, and I always bring energy and enthusiasm to every show.
Now that Season Two is airing, how would you describe "Sex Tales" for a brand-new listener/viewer?
DEL BAE: A fun, sexy, and heartfelt podcast where you get a behind-the-scenes look at the adult industry and the stars that shape it into what it is.
KUSH: All those questions you've always wanted to ask an adult star? We get you those answers! I'd say it's like watching adult star/cam besties chatting about what life in the adult industry is like, on-and-off-camera. Everything from career origins and crazy things that happen on set, to sex and relationship advice.
How have you both grown as interviewers over the first season?
DEL BAE: I like to think I’m a bit more of a confident interviewer than I was when I first started. I can be a bit of a perfectionist and I would get kind of nervous that I needed to say everything perfectly all the time and, ironically, that made me stumble over my words a bit. I think I’m more confident and comfortable now so I don’t have to overthink it as much and I think — I hope, anyway! — that makes me better.
KUSH: Our first interview was with Tera Patrick. Talk about a legend! I was terrified!! Lucky for us, Tera is such a cool human, her disarming personality immediately made me feel at ease. Every podcast after that got easier and easier. Each guest we have had on the show is so unique and brings something new to the table. I wholeheartedly look forward to every interview and I adore researching our guests who have all had such outstanding careers. The hunger to know more about our guests grows more and more with each guest we interview.
What is some advice you'd offer to newcomers who are getting into podcasting?
DEL BAE: If you are planning to interview guests on your podcast, go watch and listen to other interviews they have done in the past simply so you can understand their energy levels and personality. Some guests answer everything with a one- or two-word answer so you really have to bring them out of their shell, while others will elaborate on every detail! Understanding your guests' pace beforehand will help you better structure the flow of the interview and it will be more enjoyable for listeners/viewers.
KUSH: The most important thing is to have fun! Fun is infectious, and your listener will hear that in your voice. It's important to prepare, but even more important to bounce off your guest and feed your own curiosity by asking developing questions as they reveal more about themselves. The best way to get to know your guest is to listen to other podcasts they've done to get a feel for how they respond. Some people prefer giving short answers, while others are natural-born storytellers, and knowing this can help how you shape the interview overall. It's also very important to respect your guest's privacy. Have a conversation with your guest ahead of time so you don't touch on any topics they may not want to discuss. And, of course, good audio and well-lit video for those doing video.
It seems like the skills for quality podcasting overlap with camming; do you find that to be true?
DEL BAE: Definitely! Being comfortable in front of a camera already is so helpful and being a chatty cam model, oh my gosh, helps 1,000%! I put the 'chat' in Chaturbate, if you know what I mean! And of course, it helps that we already have all the high-tech cameras and microphones so definitely a very easy crossover, for sure.
KUSH: Absolutely! Being able to carry a conversation with pretty much anyone is a skill that I mastered as a cam model. It also helps that cam makes us more comfortable in front of the camera since there is a visual component to "Sex Tales" as well. Not to mention we're tech-savvy and have all the right equipment.
You had a wide range of guests last season, from Peppermint to Buck Angel, Sophie Dee to Dani Daniels and Kira Noir. What were some of your favorite moments from the first season?
DEL BAE: Honestly, I loved all of our guests last season I don’t think I could ever pick a favorite. I definitely did love interviewing Buck Angel; he was so down-to-earth and kind, my heart was so full the whole interview. And Kira Noir, oh my gosh! The sweetest human in the world. I was so happy to finally get to meet them in person at X3 Expo and the XBIZ Awards at the beginning of this year. I think my favorite moments from Season One were when our guests would open up and share silly stories from days on set or sentimental stories and wisdom they had learned over the years. Listening to their real-life stories and not just watching them on screen is what I think "Sex Tales" is all about. Humanizing and destigmatizing sex work.
KUSH: I think the interesting range of guests we had just made every interview so unique and fun. It's really hard to pick out moments! Dani Daniels was an absolute riot; she has such an amazing sense of humor. Did you know she has her own line of BBQ rubs? Other great moments were learning how to squirt with Mary Moody, and Catjira accidentally turning on her Hitachi mid-interview; both of those interviews were like talking to my best friends about cam life. But if I had to choose a favorite interview, I'd probably say Buck Angel. So many fun elements to that podcast; he's really had an interesting career and life journey. It's not often that we have a show that evokes such strong emotion that our guest sheds a tear!
Anything else you'd like to tease about the new season?
DEL BAE: If you liked the first season, oh, baby, just you wait! Season Two is fire! I’m so beyond excited and humbled to be doing another season with my lovely co-host Melody and the incredible Chaturbate and Camming Life crews.
KUSH: I got to interview a performer I've always admired. This upcoming season has some of my favorite interviews to date, you'll just have to tune in to see if you agree with me!
Listen to the "Sex Tales" audio link here and on Apple Podcasts.
Find Lana Del Bae on Chaturbate and Twitter, and Melody Kush on Chaturbate and Twitter.
Follow "Camming Life" on XBIZ.tv, YouTube and Twitter.
