An Interview With Valentine Vanderbilt

By: Karyn Locke

Valentine has been a Kitten here at PlaySims since 1993. She broke out onto the scene with her hot Barely Legal spread. That one photo shoot catapulted her to Adult Entertainment Stardom. She is world renowned, and much respect is given to this 5 time Kitten of the Year Award Recipient. Read to find out what she has to say on some hot topics!

PS: Valentine, I first want to thank you for letting me have this time with you. I know you are extremely busy with your work, and this truly means a lot to me and you your fans.

VV: No problem, Karyn! You know I love sharing my time in any way possible!

PS: Wow! You have quite a career here with the company. You started out as low-girl on the totem pole, and now you’re practically an executive. Any comments on that?

VV: It’s amazing. I would have never guessed that my career would last this long. I never take anything for granted anymore. I truly am blessed.

PS: You started in 1993 as a Barely Legal girl.

VV: (chuckles) Oh yes…my Barely Legal days!

PS: But that truly was your start. Barely Legal girls were pretty much “nobodies” back then. They were on contract for a year, and got the crappy shoots. You were different. Here you were, 18 years old, trying to break onto the scene. You did that shoot with Derrick Mooregood, and you got all this critical acclaim. That shoot broke all the molds. You became Kitten of the Year because of that shoot! Tell me what that was like.

VV: Certainly. It was extremely exciting as you can imagine. But yet, there was a lot of resentment backstage. That year, Missy Waterfall, Pussycat Howard, Lupe Friends, Emma Buchanan, and Kess Hardy were the official Kittens. These girls worked their asses off, and here I was, this NOBODY, coming in and stealing their proverbial show. It did create a lot of tension. I’m not naming names, but there were some arguments, words said, discontent. Thank someone for Derrick and Missy Waterfall. Those two truly got me through my first few years. I’m still close with Missy actually.

PS: That’s great to hear, Missy was a wonderful person who is truly missed here. So you mentioned Derrick, which was perfect because that was the topic of my next question. Derrick Mooregood and Valentine Vanderbilt. Nowadays these two names can only go hand in hand. Talk a little about your relationship with Derrick.

VV: (laughs) Oh yes…my legendary relationship! Well, my Barely Legal spread really defined us. There was so much chemistry between us. It didn’t matter at all that he was 9 ½ years my senior. We just clicked. I was young and naïve at the time, and I fell madly in love with him, and he with me. We did many exclusive shoots together for the better part of five years. After my first shoot we were an item.

PS: And this further propelled the tension in the background with the other Kittens at the time?

VV: Without a doubt! It was no secret that Emma Buchanan and Derrick were dating. They had been off and on for about 2 years before I came into the picture. I think it was a case of she felt more for him than he did for her.

PS: So, things are going great. You got a man who loves you very much. You and Derrick move in together in 1994. You’re young, beautiful, have achieved one of the highest goals in the adult business…then 1997 happens, and everything starts to fall apart.

VV: I was 22. What did I know? My man was my man. Jealousy started to enter into my life. It didn’t just happen to me though…Derrick had his bouts of jealousy as well. In an industry like this, you really have no room for jealousy. I, unfortunately had to learn the hard way. Coco Gotham had become a Kitten in 1995, and she and I hit it off right from the start. We did lots of shoots together. There was that “best friend” chemistry that was so packed with sexual energy it was explosive.

PS: But………

VV: (laughs) 1997. Sales for the magazine were down. It was nuts. So, Derrick has this pictorial with Coco and sales SKYROCKET. They were getting all this attention. It did not help my self esteem. It did not help my relationship. I was starting to question everything in my life. In 1997, Dick Richardson was the other Claw. I had a pictorial with him, that was so-so. Derrick got jealous of that too. It was just crazy. I moved out of our house, and decided to get my act together and find out what I really wanted for ME. I had never been on my own before, and I thought it was a good idea to try it.

PS: Is it true about your “vow?”

VV: Yea, yea, yea. My “vow” to never work with Coco again. This was true. And I hardly worked with Derrick too. Coco and I had had some words, if you want to know the truth, and our friendship was over. We only spoke if we were doing a group spread and even then it was “hi” “bye” “pass me the vibrator for my next shot.” Very cold. Very impersonal. She and Derrick actually started dating, but that didn’t last very long.

PS: You also had another vow. You were going to leave the company after 1998. What happened with that?

VV: I dated too, Dick and Auggie MacKay. I also dated lots of women, no Kittens though. I really needed to find myself. It was all an uphill climb, ya know. 1998, I was 23 years old, and thought, maybe I should go back to school. I always wanted to be a teacher, so I thought about getting my degree. Well, to my surprise, I won Kitten of the Year 1998! I couldn’t believe it! That was the first time any one girl had won TWICE! That was it for me…I knew I wanted to continue with what I was doing!

PS: 1999, Kitten of the Year. 2000, Kitten of the Year. 2001, Kitten of the Year. Look at all your accomplishments! It’s absolutely astounding! Now, 2002, the Kitten of the Year award went to newcomer Chloe Robbins, but 2002 was also a major turning point for you personally.

VV: Karyn, I don’t know what happened, but I got my perspective. After years of soul searching, I let things go. Derrick was celebrating his 35th birthday, and Maxine wanted me to “reunite” with him as a birthday surprise. She said, “C’Mon, V, how great would it be to reunite the Original PlaySims Lovers?” I really didn’t see it like that, but when Maxine Knight-Steele asks you to do something, you usually don’t say no! We did it, and it was absolutely amazing! I think I fell in love with Derrick all over again. We soon got back together after that. I took him to our old favorite restaurant over in the French quarter, and we talked and talked and talked. He came back to my room at the Mansion that night and we laid in bed together, naked, and talking. I can’t explain how wonderful it was. In Feb. 2003, he surprised me with a proposal! We haven’t set a date yet, but it will probably be sometime late 03, early 04!

PS: And the wedding…

VV: Coco’s wedding. She married Jake Knight in August. Surprisingly she asked me to be a bridesmaid when I thought for sure I would be the only kitten not invited! So we were kinda on speaking terms to prepare for everything. Then, while we were taking pictures in front of the church, we were talking, and she looked so beautiful! I pulled back her hair and told her how sorry I was for everything. She apologized too, we started hugging and crying and then…we kissed! It was so perfect! We’ve been very close ever since.

PS: And the hair thing? That shocked everyone!

VV: It even shocked me! I don’t know why I chopped it all off. I had not had short hair like that since my Barely Legal days! I just thought it symbolized a new start. I’m letting it grow back, though! Maybe not as long as 1999, but long enough!

PS: How will managing the PlaySims Club effect your work? This is a great step in your career. How are you dealing with the success? What can we expect from Valentine Vanderbilt?

VV: Managing the club is a tremendous responsibility, and like you said, is a giant step for me. The PlaySims Club suffered a fire a few years back. It was completely leveled. Now it’s re-opened and Maxine has asked me to be in charge. I book appearances, write paychecks, organize, plan, oversee….it’s a lot. It’s going to take up a lot of my time. I have one more pictorial left, and the exclusive Mooregood/Vanderbilt wedding pictorial, and I’m done as a Kitten. This will be my last year in the Kitten of the Year race. I guess you can say I’ll be retiring! My time will be spent focusing on the club, and I’ll probably be featured with you in the “Staff” section! (laughs) The good news is, I will still be doing Spreads of the Month, and possibly a Fetish shot here or there, so I won’t stop modeling entirely. Hey, if Lady Carman Monticello can do it in her 70’s, why can’t I?

PS: That’s great to hear! Any thoughts on what you’re going to name the Club?

VV: Don’t start, Karyn, we’re working on that! (laughs)

PS: Okay, okay! Well, it’s really been a pleasure, Valentine. Thank you for your time, and we wish you all the luck and success in your upcoming endeavors!

VV: Your welcome, Karyn, and thank you! Ya know, you really gotta come down to the club….maybe model a little…..

PS: (laughing) Thanks for the invite, Valentine, but I think I’ll leave the danicing up to you and the other professionals!