MISS MAY 2008

JAIME WINTERS

C

She began reading and writing at two years old. By eight she found a passion in writing scary stories and was jotting down ideas just about every day. By 15, she had recorded her first vocal tracks. At 18 she got the itch to act. Now in her mid twenties, she’s a model, a rapper, a song writer, a dancer, an actress, a gonzo journalist and a movie and music critic. Some may know her as Jaime Suicide. Others might know her simply as J-Me. She is Jaime Winters - a multitalented “ghetto goth” fly girl from South Florida.

Jaime, currently one of a number of Suicide Girls featured in Peta2 advertisements, gives PollyStaffle.com her thoughts on being a “Jill of all trades,” stripping and her influences as a rapper. She talks about how she became one of the original Suicide Girls and how becoming one has helped her. She also discusses a bit about the projects she has been a part of as an actress and more in this May edition of Polly’s Pinups.

SUICIDAL DREAM

CCF: Jaime, thanks for speaking with PollyStaffle.com. You must be fairly busy as you are a “Jack of all trades” kind of gal. Of all the different things you are involved in, do you have a passion for all of them or is there a primary focus that sort of drives you creatively?

JW: People are constantly insisting that it’s impossible to focus on multiple avenues of creativity. I strongly disagree. There have been plenty of multitalented artists throughout history — Jean Cocteau was a writer, filmmaker, artist, playwright and then some; Vincent Gallo has directed, starred in and scored his own films, modeled, written essays and has released music; Mark Wahlberg went from underwear modeling and rapping to acting and producing a TV series. So, yes, all of my endeavors are approached with absolute fervor. I have been writing nearly everyday since I was eight years old, I suppose that expression is most important to me.

CCF: Tell me about your rap persona J-Me. Do you remember what first inspired you and how long have you been busting dope rhymes?

JW: Although I’ve traveled the country since age fifteen, I will always be a South Florida girl at heart. Frankly, I’m from the poor areas of Palm Beach County. The two neighborhoods I spent the most time in were 6th Ave South & M Street in Lake Worth and just off of Seacrest in Boynton Beach. I grew up listening to all kinds of music but have always been heavily influenced by gangsta rap, hip-hop, Miami bass, crunk and slow jams. Even when I was all gothic and punk, I’d call myself ghetto goth because I’d listen to Skinny Puppy and Gravediggas. I used to hang out with this boy and he also had diverse taste in music. We lost contact for a long time and I found him one day by chance. He had been rapping a lot at the time and I had been listening to a lot of rap at the time. He kept instigating me to battle him. Eventually I did. We’d start dogging on each other hard and cold. That was about three years ago, I’ve been rapping ever since. Unfortunately we had several falling outs and I don’t think we’ll be friends again anytime soon.

As for my rapper persona, I would say I’m somewhere in between booty and real life, those are my favorite genres. I like story telling but I also like lewd, sleazy, adult content. Hopefully by the end of 2008 I’l have a CD out. Right now I’m rapping with three different producers, with three totally different styles. Lake Worth’s local legend, Ryan Pehr is working on a crunk track, thanks to Goodfellaz Entertainment, one of the labels I’m linked up with. Then there’s Digi Hartatak of Noisecollector Records who has done all the production for my experimental underground stuff posted on Myspace currently. Christian Lantigua aka D-Elite of Analog Death is producing a club track for me right now as well. Also, I’m about to collaborate with R.O.D. and Scott La Rock from the XXX Scumshot Crew. Which brings us back to the dirty stuff I’m trying to find time to work on — Rainbow Party, my sex music project.

CCF: Your style seems to be extremely old school. Who are some of your favorite rappers and what do you think of the current state of rap?

JW: I like new rap. I don’t care what any of the haters say. Sure, some if it is just catchy and nonsensical, but it still sounds good. Right now the south is rising in rap and I love it. Not all of it is stupid, though. If you listen to songs like “Trying To Get Paid” by Paul Wall, the lyrics are truly inspiring. He’s probably one of my top favorite rappers. Some of my other influences are Rick Ross, Plies, Trick Daddy, Lil Wayne, BG, Eminem, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Bother Lynch, Method Man, Kool Keith/Dr. Octagon, Deltron, Cage, Nekro, R.O.D. aka Bukkake Boy, Scarface, Geto Boys, Do Or Die, Twista, Black Sheep, Gucci Crew II, Roxanne Shante, MC Lyte, Shelia E., Suga Free and Tech N9ne. Lately my boyfriend Destro has been a huge source of inspiration for me as well, his songs are so sick. He turned me onto some Bay Area rap, too. Like, Hustlah and Mac Dre; I had listened to Mac Dre before, but not a lot, he’s hella tight! R.I.P.

CCF: Let’s talk about your acting some. From what I understand, you started out doing performance art type stuff.

JW: Back in 1999 until maybe 2003 I acted in six plays and did performance art for four different bands. I was also involved with both a weekly and a monthly burlesque show via the SuicideGirls. In 2007 I did some dancing and performance art for Otto & Nastie’s zombie parties. There was a super hot picture of me all bloody in a bikini in the Miami New Times article plugging one of the shows. Unfrotunatley, the chemistry between Nastie and I wasn’t very conducive, so we aren’t working together anymore.

CCF: At what point did you get involved with film?

JW: In early 2006 I decided to pursue acting in film. About a year prior I sent in a video audition for Jermey Kasten’s remake of H.G. Lewis’ “Wizard Of Gore.” Anyone who knows me knows I love H.G. Lewis and so I just had to find a way to audition for the part. First of all, I was lucky to have even heard about it. I mean, people can whine about Suicide Girls all they want, but the truth is, I wouldn’t have even heard of that casting call if it weren’t for SG, furthermore, I wouldn’t have had the guts to fully pursue acting, which hasn’t been going that bad for me since. So, to back track, I auditioned and waited. I heard the production was put on hold for a while. Then, a few months later, I recieved an email requesting me to be a featured extra, which ended up meaning I was granted face time, but no lines. I flew to Los Angeles in March 2006 to be in “Wizard Of Gore” and The Dwarves “FEFU” music video. Since I was full of fresh confidence in my acting abilities, I answered an ad the week before I filmed in L.A., and acted in Michael King’s comdey/action/quasipolitical short, “Democracy Whiskey Sexy.”

I laid low for a little while, until the end of the year, December 2006, when I was invited to fly to Tucson, Ariz. to shoot my first lead role for a Terry M. West film called “Hell’s Furies.” It was very exciting. I flew back a second time in March 2007 to finish the film. Everyone was so great to work with. Terry West, the director, was just a very calm, capable person. I swear to God, the world could be on fire and Terry would be the only rock solid individual trying to put the fire out, making sure everyone is accounted for. Rochelle Craft, my co-star, is just so funny, bright and kind. I miss her. I could name everyone individually, but that’s what credits are for. Right now the film is finally back in post production and will hopefully be available soon on DVD.

CCF: Cool. I’ll be looking for it. Is performance art and horror movies your thing or what other kind of stuff do you hope to get involved with?

JW: I’m thinking comedy. My friends Christian Lantigua and Dan Legge are just hilarious. They needed me to be a bitch in a funny music video for their Analog Death song “Blanket,” which is from the perspective of one of Michael Jackson’s sons, Blanket. Just earlier this week I auditioned for the role of a comedic actress for some local filmmakers posting weekly shorts on YouTube and other sites. I’m not 100% sure, but I may also be an anchor on CrazyShit.com starting the middle of May. Check my SG Myspace to find out what’s going on.

CCF: You mentioned the Suicide Girls. You were actually one of the original members. Tell me about how that all came about and what it’s been like modeling for them?

JW: Honestly, I answered an ad. I had never taken naked pictures before. I was so nervous. Missy and Sean were really fun, though. I felt totally comfortable shooting with them. Back then I had no clue how to get more involved with the site. I’ve always had a hard time interacting with strangers. SuicideGirls has really helped me overcome my social anxiety. I’m glad I stuck with it because I’ve had a lot of opportunities presented to me as a writer, actor and model because of my exposure via SG. If you had told me five years ago that SG was going to pop like it has, I don’t think I would have believed it. It’s awesome.

CCF: One of the things about the Suicide Girls is they pride themselves on redefining beauty. Since it took off, tons of copycats have popped up and there’s a whole movement with this claim their pinups are real women modeling as themselves instead of buying into any social norms. What’s your take on the whole movement and is this type of pornography really that much different than the “Barbie clone” variety? A devil’s advocate would argue, no and say its essentially the same as all of the girls are skinny, young and many of them are just clones of each other with the same hair dye, the same “Bettie bangs,” etc.?

JW: I don’t think that’s entirely true. I mean, young people are just trying to find themselves so they experiment with different styles and stuff until they figure out what they like. There are so many different types of girls on the site. It’s inaccurate to say they all look the same. In reality, people share interests and that’s what brings people in to comradeship. Is that so wrong? I used to be very judgmental, and then I realized I was being a hypocrite because I hate it when people judge me.

CCF: You were a stripper for some time and from what I’ve read didn’t like that scene at all. If you could, sum up your overall view of the profession and what it was that lead you to writting your zine, which you hope to one day get published as a book, “Stripped in Pornland.”

JW: Stripping is fine as long as you don’t make it a lifestyle, either as a stripper or client. Every stripper stereotype is true. I don’t care what anyone says. I’ve seen it all right in front of me. I’ll tell you one thing, it’s awful when you’re the only girl that doesn’t do cocaine or prostitute themselves. However, none of that is exactly what inspired me to write “Stripped.” Basically, I was writing articles for sex industry magazines when I lived in Portland, Ore. and they rejected some of my material because it was too offensive. I decided to compile what I had and kept the theme of obvious blunt truths and thus “Stripped” was manifest.

CCF: Some people claim stripping, posing nude or being in porn is empowering to the women and strictly entertainment that’s not hurting anyone. Others say it is degrading to the women and it has negative ramifications toward society. Do you see truth in both sides and if so at what point does “empowering” and “entertaining” enter the realm of “harmful exploitation”?

JW: In my article “The Absurdity Of Dancing” I said it best: “There is nothing inherently empowering about dancing. Anyone that disagrees is either lying or they’re retarded.”

CCF: (LOL)

JW: At the same time I don’t think there is any such thing as “negative ramifications toward society.” I mean, not too long ago we were hanging people in the streets in the name of justice. People are animals. If they wanna strip or pay strippers, let ‘em. It’s better than cheating, right? As for porn stars, I think they really enjoy what they do. Perhaps to them it’s only “harmful exploitation” when there’s an HIV or Herpes outbreak.

CCF: And to end this all on a lighter note, who of the “Breakin’” crew had the best moves - Turbo, Ozone or Special K?

JW: Damn. Tough call. I think I like Turbo’s style the best.

CCF: All right. Well, thanks Jaime.

- CCF, May 2008