Actor - Jim Steele

I caught up with Tommy Gunn, veteran performer extraordinaire at the AVNs, and sat down with him for a quick chat.

Jim Steele – Here we go. All right, Tommy, we’re here at the AVNs 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Twenty years ago, you attended your very first AVN. In 2016, you got the Hall of Fame. And in between here and all that, you have accomplished just about everything there is to do. How does it feel after all this time? Do you still get goosebumps walking around these events with everybody knowing who you are and everything that you’ve done?

Tommy Gunn – You know, it’s definitely surreal. After 20 years, I walk around, and people treat me with such great kindness and support. And you know, I’m blown away. It’s wonderful. I hear quite a few people say, “I’ve been watching you since grade school!” And I’m like, “Wow, I guess that’s proof that I’ve been around for so long.” But it’s definitely flattering. It’s a good time.

Jim – You’ve touched a lot of people … literally and figuratively.

Tommy – Yeah, I’ve had multiple couples, and gentlemen, and women say, “My God, thank you for what you do. We love your stuff. And you’ve been such a part of our lives.” It’s fairy tale’ish, to be honest with you.

Jim – Did you ever expect that when you first started?

Tommy – No, not at all. I’m a very humble guy. In fact, sometimes I feel a little too modest and humble and I’m still not used to hearing all that. It’s a very different experience when they say things like that or give me praise. Still, I’m very appreciative of that.

Jim – So, speaking from the level of an industry pro and a veteran performer, what’s the number one piece of advice that you would give somebody who is just now starting out or thinking about starting out in the business?

Tommy – When people have asked me, “What can I do to succeed in this business?” My answer is to, “Show up.” And they’re like, “Well, what do you mean by that?”

But it’s easy, “Show up to work and be cordial and kind to your costars.” You really want to have a good rapport with the people you’re working with, because everyone wants to work with a guy who’s likable … not some egotistical guy who thinks he’s all that or whatever. That’s not a good look.

And then I’ll tack on, “Give a lot of thought to what you’re getting into because there’s repercussions. The sacrifices that you’ll make are huge and you are going to be leveraging a very personal and intimate part of yourself to this industry.” I’ll tell people to be careful with what you’re doing because it’s forever. What they put on film are choices that are going to affect their lives forever.

Jim – When you were starting out, who was one of the people that you really looked up to?

Tommy – Evan Stone was a big influence on me. He has always been so kind and welcoming. He was a really wonderful guy. You know, by the time I got in, he had been in the business quite a while, but he never showed me any kind of jealousy or any kind of weird vibes or anything. He’s just a genuinely nice guy who welcomed me in with open arms and gave me advice. And it might not have been only through spoken advice but was also through his actions and his work ethic. I can’t say enough good things about Evan. We are still very good friends to this day.

Jim – You’re up for a couple of nominations this year. They are in the VR category, and you’ve made a little toe hold there the last few years. Of course, you’re still shooting regular boy/girl scenes, but the VR is neat. How does it feel to know that after being active for so long, that you’re still a real favorite with the fans, and that you’ve still got what it takes?

Tommy – Again, it’s surreal. But it’s fantastic and it’s a great feeling. In a lot of ways, it just confirms my approach and my work ethic and the relationships I’ve had with the people in the business has been right approach. I’m very blessed.

Jim – So you’re what now … 56, going on 57? If a 50-something-year-old-guy came to you and said, “Hey man, what’s your secret? Spill the beans. How do stay looking so good and how do you have all this stamina?”

Tommy – It’s not really a secret. I don’t know if I was blessed with good genetics or what. My mother was half Asian, and my father was Italian, so that could be helpful. But it really has to do with how I conduct myself and leading a life that is health conscious. There are dietary and physical concerns. I try to treat myself like an athlete. Of course, I’ve had some dark times … In fact, in the years before I got into the business, there were some very difficult times. But I managed to get through that, and the adult industry in many ways gave me a target to focus on and work towards. And it gave me an opportunity to excel and be successful, as long as I put in the work and showed up.

Jim – Give me a little taste of what’s on the horizon for you in 2024. What are you looking forward to?

Tommy – I’m working on a few things, like a book and some other projects where I will be able to tell a story and not hold back. I really want to give people the actual point of view, and peel back the layers. I’m going to really expose myself and be vulnerable and just tell everybody, “You may see a particular type of person on the outside, but there’s a lot more facets of my life that my fans and even those in the business might not be aware of.”

So, with that, plus working full time, it’s going to be an interesting year.

Jim – I’m sure it’s going to be a hell of a journey and a story. You’re a fan favorite wherever you go at these shows. And I believe that you always will be because that’s just who you are. But speaking as a regular guy, if there was one word or phrase that people might think of when they see Tommy Gun, what would you hope that would be?

Tommy – I don’t know how to word that, but what I hear nowadays is, “Oh my God, you’re a legend. You’re the G.O.A.T.” They refer to me as the goat, which I didn’t know what that meant originally. I was like, “A Goat … well that’s strange.” But then I found out it meant “The Greatest of All Time” and I was like, “Oh, well that’s a nice thing! Haha.”

Jim – But take all that away. Take away fame, the business, and the industry. Tommy, the regular guy. What would you want or hope I might say about you if you could put one thought into my head.

Tommy – I would just hope that I could be as real as I could be, as authentic as I could be. I would hope to come across as a guy without any pretense. Like I’m just baring my soul and just showing everybody some vulnerability and to … I’d just want to be a real person. That’s it.