LOS ANGELES — Transgender star Wendy Williams — Hot Wendy to her fans — was working gay clubs as a drag queen 10 years ago when a friend suggested that she create a website to capitalize on what was an underserved, but growing, transsexual market.
Wendy was hesitant. She wasn’t sure if going full-monty online was such a good idea … until the fans spoke up.
“I didn't want to do it,” she admits, “so we started it as a free site for me to pretty much just show off. I’d do photo sets, but wouldn’t go nude. But, soon, guys on AOL and Yahoo were asking to see more.”
In 2002, Wendy finally did her first nude pictorial for pioneering adult transgender site Shemale Yum. She used the earnings to finance a trip to Florida where, with the help of a fan-turned-webmaster, she officially launched HotWendyWilliams.com. The paysite struggled with webmaster issues, but provided Wendy with a burgeoning fan base.
She says, “It all just fell in my lap. But, I’ve never regretted anything that I’ve done so I guess it was meant to be.”
Fate found Wendy once again a year later when her then-boyfriend — an adult performer named Bulldog — recommended her to Joanna Jet, a T-girl star and director who was looking to replace a last-minute cancellation on the set of her movie “Jet Set 3.” The scene, Wendy’s first, proved to be a harrowing experience.
“Joanna said it was the hardest scene to direct,” she laughs. “We got through the pictures OK, but Bulldog wanted to show off and fuck me really hard during the scene. We began to argue. Joanna got frustrated, which made me so nervous I couldn’t cum. She had to leave the room so I could lay back and get ready to pop, which took almost an hour. To Joanna’s credit, she never rushed me.”
Today, Wendy is one of the biggest stars in the transgender genre, winning top performing honors from all the major award shows, including the XBIZ prize for Transsexual Performer of the Year 2010. She’s teamed up with adult novelty leader Doc Johnson to introduce a line of sex toys that includes the very first life-size mold of a T-girl ass and balls.
“I’m excited that we didn’t just place my image on products you can find in any catalogue,” she says. “This is a long-term relationship. We’re putting out quality items that fans and buyers will want. This genre is so huge; it’s crazy that toy companies haven’t made more products for our fans in the past.”
Wendy is hopeful that as the transgender market continues to flourish among mainstream consumers, transsexual entertainment will emerge as its own legitimate genre.
She says, “Transsexual porn was very taboo when I started, but people have now seen how big the genre is with fans and it’s slowly becoming just another niche. You’re also seeing a lot more T-girls used for promotional purposes with mainstream companies. For so long, we have been pegged in with the ‘gay’ side of the industry. But, men who are into transsexual women do not consider themselves gay. As consumers, they purchase ‘straight’ porn — that makes us a specialty niche.”
Wendy is also an active force in promoting and mentoring new transsexual talent, offering PR services and good old-fashioned advice. She says, “When I started in the business, I emailed a T-girl who was pretty big into her career to ask for guidance. She didn’t want to help. I later met Meghan Chavalier, a legend in our industry, and she did so much for me. I swore that, if my career got to the point where I could do the same, I would — and to this day I have.”
Wendy’s generous spirit is no surprise to those who know her. For Wendy, being an adult star is not just about creating fantasy; it’s about family and friends, both in and out of the industry.
“January will officially mark my 10th anniversary in the adult industry,” she notes. “The best part has been the people I’ve met and places I’ve been, and it only seems to get better with the years. And, I’m lucky. I’m in my mid-thirties. There’s still plenty left in me.”
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