We may have had our dominatrices, but most working NYU students toil away at soul-crushing work study jobs or frustratingly unpaid internships. And then there’s Briana, an NYU senior who is also… an active member of the gay porn workforce? After the jump, an interview with Briana on posing like gay porn stars on MySpace, how the internet has changed the industry, and what her parents think about all of this.

Jessica Roy: How did you get involved in the porn industry?

Briana: It was sophomore year, September to be exact. I couldn’t deal with walking a mile a day to teach kids for three hours at $10/hour (America Reads), so I responded to a Craigslist ad looking for a data entry person. That’s all it said: data entry. I got a call from the business after they had read my resume. They said it looked good, I seemed qualified, etc. Then they said, “You are aware this is a…homosexual…adult…company, right?” And I said sure. Because like, whatever. An adventure, right?

JR: What made you want to work in porn?

B: Nothing. I actually grew up in a super-Christian household and considered (and still do consider) myself an extremely non-sexual person. It just happened. My therapist thinks it’s some Freudian thing…but she’s wrong.

JR: What exactly do you do?

B: I’ve done pretty much everything in the two years I’ve been there. I currently write a pretty successful (NSFW!)  blog, do graphic design (DVD covers, newsletters, etc.) and copy-edit documents like press releases and contracts.

JR: Did any of your friends, or your parents, have a negative reaction to your job choice?

B: NO! My friends just think it’s funny and my parents are incredible. Even though they don’t agree with what I do, they support me and trust that I’ll make the right decisions. My extended family, however, in a wild internet search, discovered what I do and proceeded to blindly label me as a drunk coke addict lesbian who “was running a gay porn ring in New York City.” They refuse to listen to any rational explanation. It actually caused a pretty big rift in my family, which sucks. I’m not ashamed of what I do, however, and could honestly see myself with a career in the industry. It is what it is.

JR: How do you think the internet and the rise of sites like Xtube has impacted your company or the industry as a whole?

B: We’ve adapted pretty fluidly. We have retail and wholesale sites for DVDs, and we recently created a vast network including blogs and VOD/streaming/pay-per-minute sites. In general, the industry has suffered a blow because of free file sharing and the recession, but the great thing about our company is we are all young, smart, creative, and pretty savvy to “the next big thing” in business.

JR: What’s your favorite part of your job?

B: My co-workers are like my family. I’m allowed to work around my school schedule, I can take power naps at work, we sometimes get free company lunches, I get paid exceptionally well, and there’s a Wendy’s right down the street.

JR: Can you tell us any industry secrets that people who don’t work in porn wouldn’t know?

B: The stage names for gay porn actors are SO FUNNY. A lot of the guys we work with are Czech, and their porn name translation is basically as follows: “Okay, so your real name is Ladislav Prstnl. Alright. Ladislav looks kind of like ‘Lars’…and okay, here’s a dictionary. Pick a word.” *porn star picks a word* “Pillow! Okay, great. You’re Lars Pillow.” And most importantly: just because someone works in the industry does not mean that their co-workers are greaseball Larry Flynts. It is a BUSINESS like any other, albeit with slightly more interesting viewing material.

JR: So you occasionally pose as different famous porn stars on MySpace for promotional purposes. Do people ever send you really gross and creepy messages thinking that you’re actually that porn star?

B: I stopped faking MySpaces about a year ago, but back in the day…I surprisingly never got any real creepy comments (the typical “hey ur sooo hot” aside)–the majority of the guys just wanted to talk and be friends.

JR: Would you yourself ever consider acting in straight porn?

B: No comment.

JR: What advice would you have for people looking to work in porn?

B: Don’t be afraid to laugh. At work, we make fun of the titles some people take seriously (e.g. “Piss My Cum Away,” “Ream His Straight Throat (and his ass)”) and the gruesome O-faces some actors have. At the same time, it’s not just an easy job full of sexual pleasure. It is a JOB like any other. Although, girls: mentioning you work in the industry while at a party is a surefire way to get men interested.

Ed. note: Briana is also hiring an assistant to promote her blog and to perform menial office tasks. If you think you can handle it, e-mail her: brianritz@rocketmail.com.