Some guys think I'm a racist because I never did a scene with a black or Asian guy ... I just laugh. - Tera Patrick

I was really interested in being a model when I was a little girl. I loved all the pictures of Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield. I loved watching old movies -- I was really into Bettie Page, she was a big role model to me. I've always looked up to models like Elaine Irwin and Stephanie Seymour. I've always loved modeling.

When I run into couples who recognize me, it’s usually the women who are the most friendly. Once, at a Greek restaurant in New York City, a huge family was seated at a table nearby. Late in the evening, the grandmother stood up and said, ‘Tera, I love you! I watch you all night long!’ Her daughter almost had a heart attack out of embarrassment. The grandma replied, ‘Honey, I may be old, but I’m not dead yet!’

It's true, that's how your mind works. I can tell you that honestly, because I own an agency and I talk to girls all day and all night about what they want to do, and they are like, "I want to go into mainstream" and I tell them, "You are at the wrong agency; you are not going to get into mainstream through porn -- it's just not how it works." I think girls like Jenna Jameson and I have crossed over and made it, but mainstream is still kind of shaky once you've been in adult. After doing those magazines I started doing movies and it wasn't a big leap, like you said." do not play a gain what I am doing.