DIANA: You are, Linda Lovelace, in addition to being probably one of the most beautiful creatures I've ever seen, the newest sex superstar in New York. No, more than that, you've become a kind of cult heroine. How do you react to being such a turn-on, to being on top so fast?

LINDA: I think it's fantastic. I haven't really felt being a superstar that much, but it's catching up to me. It's funny. When we first did the movie I never expected anything like this.

DIANA: But you like it? The adulation, being recognized on the street?

LINDA: Oh, yeah!

DIANA: Have you ever made a film before, or what's your experience up to Deep Throat?

LINDA: No, I'd just come up to New York, just to see what I could do. I'm from a small town in Texas--no, really! I thought I could work here as a topless dancer or something. Then we (including J.R., her ever-present boyfriend manager) met Jerry Gerard at a party and J.R. told him that I gave the best head in the world and I could be screwed in the throat.

DIANA: And this changed his life, right?

LINDA: Yeah! Well, one time he was driving across the Brooklyn Bridge, I think it was, and this idea just came to him about the plot for Deep Throat. He just fantasized the whole thing around me.

DIANA: Deep Throat is then, actually, the true story of Linda Lovelace? There's no break between the screen and real life, so to speak?

LINDA: Right! It's me and that's what I can do, and how I really am.

DIANA: Were you pleased with the film, then? Do you feel the real Linda came out?

LINDA: Yeah, but at first I was embarrassed. I didn't think I had done well. But as it progressed, I guess the more I got into it, the better it came out.

DIANA: Meaning the acting or the sexual performing?

LINDA: Oh, definitely the acting! The sexual performance was great. That was just me, natural. But I'd never acted before, and I couldn't enjoy myself with that the way I could with the sex, from the very beginning.

DIANA: I think that's what made the film a success, the fact that you were so obviously having a ball, obviously getting off.

LINDA: Yeah, I really liked that! And I'm very satisfied, from that aspect.

DIANA: Could you always give such great, complete head, or did you have to learn?

LINDA: Well, J.R. taught me the whole thing. Oh yeah, it really took time. You have to learn how to breathe. Otherwise, normally when something goes in your throat you gag. So it's like an involuntary muscle you have to learn to control.

DIANA: And who taught him?

LINDA: Some girl in Japan, when he was in the Marine Corps there. That was her specialty, you know?

DIANA: And now it's yours. What did you do, train yourself not to choke, hypnotize yourself or what?

LINDA: Well, J.R. got my head together on that, so it wouldn't bother me. The first few times I did it, like, I would really gag. But I learned to completely relax myself, and it got... really nice!

DIANA: Yeah, but how do you breathe? Through your nose?

LINDA: Oh, no. As he's coming out of me, I take a breath. A guy has to work in and out of me so that I can breathe, kind of gulp air to keep going.

DIANA: Has anyone been too large for you?

LINDA: No, really and truly! (laughs)

DIANA: Like, in the movie, no matter how large the guy was, you never appeared to have any trouble breathing. It looked absolutely natural.

LINDA: Oh, it was natural. I didn't have any trouble at all! The guy has to kind of co-operate. He has to know how to move in and out, in and out, and when he comes out I take a breath. I work on short breaths. The longest he could stay in there would be 30 to 45 seconds, I think, but as long as he keeps moving...

DIANA: How long does it take to bring him off, on the average?

LINDA: Uh, everybody's different. From 30 seconds to 30 minutes, even. Sometimes around cameras guys are nervous, but I can always get to him!

DIANA: Do you really like it as much as you seem to?

LINDA: Yeah, I like it! I always did. It's a whole good trip for me. Nobody can believe I always come when I can feel somebody's in my throat, but I do, every time!

DIANA: Amazing. How do you like the taste of sperm?

LINDA: I love it! If I could have a favorite drink, it would be a sperm cocktail, no kidding.

DIANA: By a quirk of fortune, they wrote up the recipe for one only last week in Screw. Do you like going down on women, too?

LINDA: Yeah! Everything! I like parties, I like people expressing themselves sexually any way they want.

DIANA: But your specialty is so male-oriented. You can really get off on a woman?

LINDA: Why not? In Roman times women were always together, it was a natural thing. It's only in the times we're in now that it's become unacceptable, it's not the common thing. And I really do find a lot of pleasure there.

DIANA: Mmmm. Do you have a position preference with guys? Is it necessary for him to place himself a certain way?

LINDA: The best position for getting it in the throat is if I lay on the bed and have my neck hanging back over the side and the guy leans over me, standing up, and works with me like that.

DIANA: That's the most comfortable for you, and he can penetrate the furthest?

LINDA: Yeah! But the photographer couldn't shoot that for Deep Throat, that's a very bad camera angle.

DIANA: Well, that's about all he missed. He couldn't have gotten much closer on those rear shots without getting the lens right into you. How long did it take to shoot the party scene, where you and your girlfriend are balling six or seven guys?

LINDA: Oh, just a few hours, as I remember. The whole movie only took two weeks.

DIANA: Are you into orgies or group sex or whatever the current term is?

LINDA: Oh, yeah! I like it any way it comes. It's always good!

DIANA: Do you have any sexual fantasies you'd like to see done on the screen, maybe somebody special you'd like to go down on or something?

LINDA: No, uh, all my fantasies seem to get fulfilled! No, I don't have any idols, either, I guess. There's no one special person I want to blow, no. (dazzling smile of contentment.)

DIANA: Well, then, is there anything you wouldn't do on-screen? Like, would you give head to an animal, maybe a nice 200-pound St. Bernard?

LINDA: Oh, I don't know. I can't answer that now. Nothing's come up that I couldn't take. I'd have to wait to answer that.

DIANA: Do you consider yourself a sexual revolutionary? Do you think you'll be advancing the cause of sexual liberality by making raunchy old porn attractive to "straight" people, as you seem to have done?

LINDA: Yes, I hope so. Sex is such a beautiful thing that it should be enjoyed by everyone. You should be able to choose any partner you want.

DIANA: How about your technique? Did you know that even at this moment they're having consciousness-raising sessions where everyone goes out and sees Deep Throat and then analyzes the Lovelace larynx trick?

LINDA: Well, that's good. If it will get someone to enjoy herself more sexually...

DIANA: Maybe you should patent your style?

LINDA: No, the thing is I had a fantastic teacher! And that’s why they can't learn to do what I know--to really get screwed in the throat--and that's fine with me! I think there will always be very few people who can do that.

DIANA: Right. I'll agree with you there. What about your future as a superstar and sex object to the masses? Are you in another film?

LINDA: Well, we start shooting in November with the same company, but this time it will be a bigger, longer feature. I think it should be distributed sometime in February.

DIANA: Do you want to become a Great Big Star?

LINDA: Oh, I don't know. We have to see how things go. As long as this keeps going along and everybody's happy, then fine. 'Cause I'm happy now, and very contented. I enjoy it all!