CALIFORNIA CANDIDATE ENJOYS POLITICS -- AND PORN
Date: Tuesday, September 30, 2003
Edition: Palm Beach Section: LOCAL Page: 1B
Byline: HOWARD GOODMAN COMMENTARY
Mary Carey, a part-time resident of South Florida who is running for governor of California, is behind in the polls. Still, she sees her campaign so far as a success.
"I've shown that just because I have blonde hair ... and do porn, doesn't mean I am not smart," she said.
She has shown a definite genius for publicity. One of the 132 people on the ballot in Tuesday's election to replace California Gov. Gray Davis, should he be voted out of office, Carey is inevitably singled out for mention as the field's 23-year-old porn star.
While not the only film actor in the running, she is the only candidate whose credits include Double D Dolls 3, Hot Showers 6, Sweatin' It 7 and Decadent Divas 18.
As if that makes the election out there weird, or something.
I reached her by cell phone Monday as she was being driven on the New Jersey Turnpike after a morning appearance on the Howard Stern radio show ("I love Howard. He's awesome.") She was en route -- she said between bites of "greasy food" from a burger joint -- to an adult-film convention in Atlantic City.
"I always knew I wanted to be famous, the center of attention," she said, living up to her image as a woman who uses two Web sites, sells photos and videos and appears at strip clubs to show every detail of her 36DD-24-36 form.
Deciding to run for governor was "just for fun," Carey said, "but now I really love it -- meeting people, getting my ideas out there."
As some pundit noted, she's got a platform more detailed than frontrunner Arnold Schwarzenegger's. She'd legalize gay marriage (to increase tourism, so that California's economy would more resemble Florida's). She'd tax breast implants (she insists her own are real). She'd get handguns off the street through a Porn-for-Pistols program.
If elected, she writes, she'll set up pay-per-view Web cams in the governor's mansion, a money-raiser that will let Californians "get to see their government in action -- literally!"
She has a very informal way of speaking, as if she doesn't realize you've joined her in mid-sentence or mid-thought.
"I have no control of my temper," she told me, out of the blue. "I get mad so easily, especially at people who don't speak English. I can't stand when you go to the store and people can't speak to you in English."
OK, so she's not courting the ethnic vote.
Her real name is Mary Ellen Cook. She grew up in Fort Lauderdale, moving here from Ohio at age 7. She went to Pine Crest School, where, she says, she won a prize for ballet. She says she's still close with her high school girlfriends, who have gone on to law school and public relations.
"They're all in business, they're very successful, and there's me -- a porn star," she said, laughing. "I'm having fun."
Hey, I've always said one should love one's job.
"Men do go nuts over me," she said. "I love it. I have big power over men, I think. It's really strange. I've had power over men since I was 16. And I've just used it to my advantage."
I guess this makes pornography a form of feminism.
She's taken courses at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. According to her Web site bio, she had a stint on the college dance team, then discovered she enjoyed stripping. Which led to a desire to make movies.
For a couple of years she's been splitting her time between Los Angeles and Palm Beach County. She owns a home here, but plans on selling it soon and moving to L.A. full time.
The latest polls indicate a likely victory for Schwarzenegger. She is taking this in stride.
"If I lose, I'll cry, but then I'll be happy," she said. "It's been a learning experience."
She is already planning a post-election life that does not include gubernatorial duties.
"I'm coming to Florida in a few weeks. I can hardly wait," she said. "I'll be playing T's Lounge in West Palm Beach."
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