Voyeurs Vid Vivid at Virgin

I'm ripping off the Virgin Megastore for about $80 in merchandise when-small criminal world-I notice that Savanna Samson is doing a book signing downstairs. Savanna's probably more of an outlaw type, and still underrated as New York City's only genuine porn star. Jenna Jameson somehow continues to get the Times Square billboard. Actually, both porn goddesses are currently facing stiff competition from that huge image of Kimora Lee Simmons posing nude in a Baby Phat display.

"It's an adorable picture," says the affable Savanna. "Just look at her with those shoes on, and nothing else. And, you know, Jenna's billboard has my name on it, so that's always fun to see."

Savanna's not particularly competitive or petty. She lacks many of the worst attributes of her fellow porn stars, including a preference for living in Los Angeles. It's a pretty quick walk from her home to the Virgin Megastore-although she'll still probably change out of her amazing outfit before heading back out to the streets.

She's back to buxom by the next night, though, as ReganBooks hosts a proper launch party for How To Have a XXX Sex Life. The book is a collection of tips and fantasies from the almost-mainstream beauties of Vivid Video, and might be the most aspirational book ever published. It's certainly needed in these dire times where cynics still question the truthfulness of letters to Penthouse.

There are plenty of Vivid condoms and Vivid herbal stimulants on display at Lot 61, while the video monitor shows inoffensive B-roll footage of assorted Vivid gals in tight clothing. It's all just pleasant socializing until Savanna shows up and gets cameras flashing. This is officially a media event, but it's not just the photographers who've bothered to bring cameras this time.

I've seen this kind of thing happen a lot. As far as I can tell, though, Savanna bucks adult-actress convention by actually keeping her clothes on while the photographers gather around. It's possible that daddy actually gave her sufficient attention as a child.

Savanna's so intelligent that I'm not even despairing at her upcoming remake of the 70s classic The Devil in Miss Jones. She'd just been given the role when I spoke to her last Christmas, and the film still hasn't been released. That's the span of a Kubrick project in porn years. "It's just so good," she explains, "that they're putting a lot of time in the editing. It'll probably be out by the end of the year. Wait until you see the beginning and the end, with me in Hell. I knew the whole thing wouldn't work if I couldn't pull off the role, but I did a pretty good job. I'm doing more Stella acting now, really imagining how the character would feel."

Yes, that's Stella as in Adler, and do not mock. The original character of Miss Jones is only rivaled by Al Goldstein as a great tragic figure of porn. I'm not too thrilled with Vivid investing in an expensive hell setting instead of the original's cold sterility, but that's just me being a purist. Besides, there's no way the remake can be as bad as Thunderbirds or The Manchurian Candidate.

Savanna's got remake fever, too. Her screen name has always been far more generic than her talents, and now she's daring to reclaim her modified moniker from her more notorious-and stupid, and dead-Vivid Girl predecessor.

"I haven't seen a script yet," she says, "but the first movie I'll be doing next week is a remake of Savannah Superstar. We're doing it because the Vivid book lists Savannah Superstar as one of my movies. I threw a fit, because I don't want to be confused with the original Savannah. I still get mail with photos of me to sign, and there'll be a picture of her in the same package. We don't even look anything alike! So, I asked if we could redo the film. I hope I don't end up the same way as Savannah, you know. This new version is going to show me in an amazing light-but still messy."

Savanna's also negotiating hosting a radio show ("kind of like Howard Stern, or maybe Dr. Ruth"), and is set for further exposure from Timothy Greenfield-Sanders' upcoming photo book of adult stars. "He was given money by HBO to shoot a documentary about taking these pictures. It's a coffee-table book, with one side being the star in regular clothes and no make-up, and the opposite page is in the same pose and completely nude. He's got actresses, gay porn stars and actors like Lexington Steele. There are also essays from John Malkovich and other famous people. He told me most of them were thrilled to be asked to write about pornography. People don't get many chances to express their thoughts about us."

"I'm always working to increase my brand," Savanna adds, getting ready for an ABC interview and a call to Mancow's radio show. Her mainstream exposure is reciprocated with some appreciation for the occasional non-porn sex scene, too: "Did you see Troy? There's one part that made me realize you don't really need to see the actual action to get turned on. It's the scene where Brad Pitt takes the girl, and he just kind of gets on top of her, and you just know what's happening. It's so amazing. Kind of made it hard to watch the rest of the movie." o