While out in L.A. Rocco Giovanni took some time to talk to
www.gayinterviews.com and gave a great interview included his current
undead experience. Read more below (taken from GayStarInterviews.com) …

Rocco Giovanni is full of talent and ready to explode in a big way. Being in the business for less than a year, he is already making substantial waves and catching the eyes of some of the biggest names in the industry. Behind the exotic good looks and devilish grin there is a very talented and goal oriented guy with a lot to offer. Rocco was kind enough to grant me this interview the night before flying to L.A. for a shoot.

MATT: Hey Rocco! How are you?

ROCCO: I’m good. How are you?

MATT: I’m good. Thanks for calling.

ROCCO: No problem.

MATT: How was your class tonight?

ROCCO: Intense. I let them have it because I’m going to be gone for a while.

MATT: What kind of class was it?

ROCCO: It’s called Strike, but it’s kick-boxing based. It’s pretty rough.

MATT: You practice martial arts, don’t you?

ROCCO: Yep. Kravnaga is my main focus, which isn’t really a martial art. It’s the Israeli defense force’s hand-to-hand combat. So, it’s pretty much how to kill with your hands and get out of there, obviously. They developed it around 1920 and it’s still evolving into what it is, and now the NSA and FBI are trained with it.

MATT: You started just this year in porn, didn’t you?

ROCCO: Yes and no. I had done two videos with BG East in 2002. They weren’t anything major and I looked completely different. So, last year was the first major, major release that I did with Raging Stallion.

MATT: That was Ink Stain?

ROCCO: Yeah.

MATT: What has the last year been like for you?

ROCCO: It’s been different. People around here, in Ohio, once they found out treated me a little differently. But it really hasn’t affected me personally yet so far as the way that I treat everybody or anything like that. I thought the reviews were kind of funny when I read them, but other than that I got a lot more offers from photographers around here to model for them – legit modeling. Obviously working with Justin Monroe helped a lot with that. And, actually working with him… those are the pictures I sent to Raging Stallion and that’s how they picked me up.

MATT: You modeled for a number of years before you went into porn full time.

ROCCO: Yeah, the big one, like I said, was with Justin Monroe who released a book last year. It won a bunch of awards. He found me on Myspace then asked me to come out because he wanted to shoot someone with a lot of tattoos. I worked with him and got a six page spread in a German magazine, and I’m staying part of the week while I’m out there [Los Angeles]. He’s become a really good friend.

MATT: You really do have quite a few tattoos. Is it a tattoo obsession?

ROCCO: Ha! Well, they say the body is a temple. Why would I want a normal church when I could have a cathedral which is decorated. That’s kind of my spin on that. It started with just a normal teenage angsty psychosis that evolved. When I was eighteen I was able to get tattooed and I did. Now eleven years later and there’s forty-six of them.

MATT: Do you have any plans on quitting?

ROCCO: No, but I have a couple of appointments lined up.

MATT: I guess the analogy would be that even Michelangelo had a chance to paint the Sistine Chapel.

ROCCO: Exactly. I asked my tattoo artist what’s going to happen when I stop. She goes, “you’ll turn to drinking.” Eventually I’ll stop. There are places I don’t want tattooed, like I don’t want my neck tattooed, I don’t want my face tattooed. So, I’ll stop eventually. Until that point, there’s still appointments that have to be.

MATT: Something that is really interesting to me is your fight against cystic fibrosis.

ROCCO: I’m glad you brought that up. My best friend, who is an Emmy Award winning choreographer and who lives in Ohio, has four children. Two of them are living with cystic fibrosis, and I, over 2007, got to spend every weekend with them, so I really got to learn what it is that she as a parent has to go through, but also her kids. It really, really just hit a chord with me. The charities that I choose a lot of times has to resonate with them. And here was this woman who is an amazing choreographer, and amazing dance teacher, and her children have this condition which is fatal. It’s inevitable fatal. The medium age right now is thirty-five. When her first child was diagnosed with it the medium age was twelve. So, you know, you could potentially die at twelve. But, they’re living their lives. The son is an all-star athlete and he’s actually phenomenal. The daughter is also extremely athletic, an all-star athlete as well as an incredible ballet dancer and she’s only seven. To see that and just how much sacrifice goes into it from the parent’s standpoint and the children’s standpoint…. in Ohio the weather is really jacked up. There are days if you have any breathing condition they will tell you not to go outside because it will effect you with the ozone and everything. It really struck me. I realized there are a lot of other things I could probably worry about or I could donate my time and money to, but that one is not something anyone chooses. You can’t make the wrong choice and all of the sudden have cystic fibrosis. You can’t smoke and get cystic fibrosis, you can’t play out in the sun and get cystic fibrosis. It just happens. I learned that now they test for it prenatally because it’s genetic. Since Bill Clinton did the genome map they found the genes which facilitate developing cystic fibrosis. And the amount of people who give their children up for adoption after they find out that their child has cystic fibrosis… the sad thing about that is that the child probably won’t live past the age of three because in that setting they’re not going to get the care that is necessary. So, that’s really why I took that up and why it means so much to me. I actually donate 10% of every film, even though I’ve only done one, to cystic fibrosis research.

MATT: I’ll be honest. I don’t know a lot about cystic fibrosis. I know that it’s a respiratory disorder.

ROCCO: Partially, partially. It not only effects the lungs but it also effects the pancreas. They don’t produce the enzymes necessary to digest food so they don’t take in the amount of nutrients necessary for them to sustain living. At the age of seven her daughter has to consume upwards of 4,000 calories A DAY in order to survive, and every time they eat they have to take enzymes that assist them in digesting their food. The average male requires 2,000 to 2,500 calories a day to sustain everyday life, imagine this little girl, seven years old, having to eat 4,000 calories a day. On top of that, because it’s a respiratory condition – it does affect the lungs – they have to go through breathing treatments two to three times a day, so for approximately an hour a day they have to sit with a mask on and a protective vest which rattles their lungs to stop the mucus in their lungs… it hardens.

MATT: I commend you for doing this. I wish more people had that attitude and would contribute, whether is be cystic fibrosis, AIDS research, cancer research. I think health research and medical development could go a lot further.

ROCCO: I agree, but not everyone’s at that place in their life.

MATT: You were a psychology and sociology major in college. Why didn’t you pursue a career in one of those fields?

ROCCO: Yeah. I was a dancer first, so growing up I danced. It’s hard to make a career as a dancer, although, I was a boy and a classical dancer, which meant I would have had a job, I also new it wouldn’t last that long. And low and behold I turned eighteen and got injured which stopped that career. I originally just wanted to major in psychology but then I had to take sociology and I really liked how they went hand-in-hand. I was kind of an outcast anyway, so it was interesting to see the psychology of the sociology, if that makes any sense – looking at groups of people and why they act the way they do; cliques, even outcasts. If you look at a typical high school you have the jocks and you have the nerds and you have this, that and the other. So that’s what interested me in that. I didn’t stay in school for it because I didn’t want to stay in school for sixteen years before I would have a career. And then I went into fitness, which is what I do now, which, kind of combines all of those because I am able to use my skills in martial arts, anatomy, all of those, as well as psychology and sociology of individuals who are A: healthy, or B: unhealthy and are motivated to become healthy – why are they doing that, eating disorders and things of that nature. Working in fitness, that really tied it all together. Modeling and porn, that’s just something I’ve always wanted to do, even when I was young. I know that sounds weird. I am thankful that I got into it later as apposed to some eighteen year olds do, and they’re like, “oh, yay,” and they make bad decisions, I think are bad decisions, as apposed to waiting until they are almost thirty;I’m twenty-nine; where I can say I’ve already been through this, this and this. I can make a decision and I can say “no.” I can turn things down because I’ve learned that skill.

MATT: I’m glad you brought that up because you did start in porn later in life. I guess your age and wisdom, without making you sound old, because you’re not, has allowed you to make better decisions as to who you choose to work with or associate with.

ROCCO: Absolutely. That’s an industry where there’s a lot of stuff that goes on the is not necessarily positive. I am old enough to not succumb to any of that pressure. I see it, it’s around me. I choose not to do it, and because I’m older I get respect for that. People are like, “oh, OK, that’s cool, we dig that. Good for you. I wish I could do the same thing.” So, maybe I can be an inspiration to them. Who knows? But I definitely am glad I waited as long as I did. I didn’t really choose to wait. I tried, don’t get me wrong. I’ve received a lot of rejection for this, that or the other, especially because from ‘98 to about 2005 all you saw were cookie-cutter guys. I was never that. That’s why I got rejected. Everyone was muscly, blond and tan. I was like Gia… do you remember the model, Gia from the late seventies and early eighties? At the time all of the supermodels were like Cheryl Tiegs and Christie Brinkley. They were all blond and she had dark hair and dark eyes. She broke a mold. Not that I’m breaking a mold, but there are other molds I can be in.

MATT: As far as your background, you are half Chinese.

ROCCO: I am. Chinese and Scotch-Irish.

MATT: Is there something that you take away from both cultures that you feel makes you who you are?

ROCCO: I would say that because I am a halfbreed Chinese person… I know I shouldn’t say “halfbreed.” I know people are going to get offended.

MATT: Nah, the Cher fans will love it.

ROCCO: The genes that I took, you know, you think of an Asian person and they can cook and do math and martial arts and they can play the violin, you know, all of the stereotypes. I didn’t get the math gene, but I got the other three. I am a martial artist. I’ve actually studied upwards of five martial arts, and if you put a weapon in my hand I instinctively know how to use it. It’s the weirdest thing. I can cook and I’m very musical. I can’t play the violin, but I’m very musical and I think it helps with my dancing. From the Scotch-Irish side I got a bad temper and I was raised Catholic. I didn’t take the drinking gene because I can’t drink to save my life. Two drinks and I feel like I’m drunk. Heritage wise, when people ask me to identify myself I say that I’m Chinese. I don’t say that I’m white. I don’t say that I’m Scotch-Irish; because the culture is very rich. I don’t have a good relationship with my dad, but I have a good relationship with my heritage and the history of Taiwan, which is where my dad is from. His father left Taiwan in 1949 when Chiang Kai-shek…during all of that. I took it upon myself to research that and learn about the history and religions of Chinese and Taiwan. Things like Chinese New Year and why you would wear red but you don’t write in red ink, stuff like that.

MATT: You are an avid reader. Is there a particular genre of books that you are drawn to?

ROCCO: Typically… right now is the exception. I’m getting ready for the Bruce LaBruce film (a zombie/horror/porn movie), so right now I’m reading four books about zombies, so my dreams are really interesting right now, haha. Typically, and any given time I’ll read a piece of fiction, I’ll read a book on some sort of spirituality. I’m very into religious studies and spirituality. I’ll usually read a biography and a book that is based in fitness. I could be about eating disorders or any number of things that are based in the fitness industry; food, nutrition, anything like that. Those are the four kinds of books that I will read. The fiction usually tends towards horror because I like that. And then the biographies are typically about women, strong women. I recently read a biography about Eva Peron, I read a biography about Neferatari and Neferatiti, and every time there’s a biography about Madonna I read one. It’s the same story. I don’t know why I keep reading it over and over again, but I do. Very few about men. I did read one about Chiang Kai-shek, but then I turned around and read one about Chairman Mao’s wife and the Communist regime in China. So, very strong women. They usually turn out political.

MATT: What is it about Madonna that fascinates you? Is it the strong female presence?

ROCCO: Personally, it’s because she doesn’t apologize. She’s not afraid to do what she wants and really doesn’t care if anyone accepts it or not. Then what’s funny is that several years later she may do something that people thought was a flop, but people will look back and say, “oh, that makes sense,” or all of the sudden the music sounds like that two years later but it just didn’t work out when she did it. She struggled… especially this day and age when you can go on American Idol and get a record deal. I mean, she was nobody, and she started out as a dancer as well, which I can relate too, and a contemporary and classical dancer, which I REALLY can relate too. She was raised Catholic, I was raised Catholic. So there are a lot of parallels that I can definitely see there. She’s influenced by a lot of stuff, as am I and it just happens to be that a lot of times they’ll parallel each other; like she’s influenced by Asian culture, I’m influenced by Asian culture. She reads about religion and sites religion as being a driving force for her, whether it’s Catholicism or Hinduism or Judaism. And I get the same thing because I’m fascinated by world religion. She doesn’t like to get stuck in any one place and neither do I.

MATT: You mentioned the upcoming movie with Bruce LaBruce. How much about that movie can you tell me?

ROCCO: Well, there’s a website (www.lazombie.com). I think I can give you a lot of it. It’s about zombies and it’s a very extreme portrayal of zombies. Francois Sagat, who is the star of the film, is an alien zombie who goes through several different iconic scenes. Like, I get to be a surfer who dies and through the miracles of zombie sex comes back to life. So, I get to be a zombie for a minute. My chest is all open and I get to be gory, which I feel so horrible for whoever is doing the makeup because they’re going to have to figure out what to do with all these tattoos. There are some really big names in it. Matthew Rush is in it. Wolf Hudson is in it. Erik Rhodes is in it.

MATT: From what I have read and heard it sounds amazing. Is this going to be a hardcore porn?

ROCCO: An art film. I would say an art film. With all of his movies they are like that. They blur a line. I would say like Andy Warhol but darker and more perverted. So, yes and no. Some people will look at it as hardcore porn. Some people will look at it as an art film. It’s going to blur a line, especially since a lot of the interaction is with someone who is supposed to be dead. It’s not something you would necessarily see in the back room of your local video store.

MATT: Well there’s no sex like sex with the un-dead.

ROCCO: I guess not. It’s like they say, when does CPR become necrophilia?

MATT: What is something that something that people would be surprised to know about you?

ROCCO: What is something that…. uh, I don’t know. I used to be a Prince impersonator. I love Prince as much as Madonna actually. I was a little tall, actually.

MATT: How tall are you?

ROCCO: 5′ 10″ and he’s only 5′ 4″. And I had to wear heels, so I was even taller. I did it in the bar as part of a drag show. About once a month I would go in and do Prince. I even traveled with it a little bit, I mean around Ohio. Actually it’s funny, Chi Chi LaRue came to the bar that I worked at for their anniversary and her and I had a conversation for about two hours. She grew up in St. Paul and she was in that whole First Avenue when Prince was just making it big. She was in a scene of Purple Rain that got cut. So, it was quite interesting. Her and I sat and talked all about Prince. She remembers it too. The next year she came back and there’s a picture of her and I and the drag queen who was the host that I gave her the next year and a CD of a huge one hour mega mix of Prince music. I Twittered her not long ago and was like, “do you remember me?”, and she was like, “yeah, first time I met you was in Ohio.” So, it was kind of funny.

MATT: To have just done one movie with Raging Stallion and then to be cast in this Bruce LaBruce movie along side these other big names, you must be doing something right.

ROCCO: I’m really like a nobody. My first thing was with Ricky Sinz who has won every award imaginable, Raging Stallion man of the year, and I’m a nobody. The only way I got the role in the Bruce LaBruce movie is because he Twittered about it and I responded to him and that’s how that all took off. I can’t say that I’m playing my cards right, but there is something out there that is playing my cards for me and putting me where other people would really like to be.

MATT: To be in Ohio and to have only done one movie, that is significant.

ROCCO: I’m thankful. I’m really thankful. I’m grateful.

MATT: I think there is a lot to come for you.

ROCCO: I hope so, but if not, I love my day job. I love what I do. I love fitness and I love seeing people change, I love helping. And would still probably be doing it if I were to obtain porn star status. I would definitely work in fitness.

MATT: I heard some dogs barking in the background. Are those your dogs?

ROCCO: No, I hate dogs. They’re my neighbors.

MATT: I definitely won’t put that in the interview.

ROCCO: I was scared of dogs as a little kid and I think it turned into hatred as I got older. I don’t try to run them down in the street, but I still try to avoid them as much as possible. You can even put this in the interview. I don’t care.

MATT: I just don’t want people coming up to you on the street saying, “you’re that damn dog hater.”

ROCCO: Oh, I know. Someone will come up to me and throw paint on me or something. I didn’t say I skinned them. I just said I don’t like them.

MATT: If it’s a phobia, then it’s a phobia.

ROCCO: Right, I think that’s where it comes from. But now I’m bigger than most of them. They’re so needy. At least with a kid, after they are a certain age they go off and do their own thing. Dogs never do that. Cat’s go off and do their own thing. I’ve had snakes, they’re like the best pet ever. You feed them like once every other month. But dogs; they’re so needy, they bark, they smell. They’re man’s best friend… well, diamonds are a girls best friend and those are cooler and worth more. Everyone’s envious of you if you have diamonds. No one is envious of you if you have a stray dog.

MATT: Thank you so much for the interview.

ROCCO: Yeah, we’ll Twitter the hell out of it. People are going to be like, “dammit!”

MATT: Yeah, it’s going to be like Twitter spam.

ROCCO: Exactly. They’ll seal with it.

MATT: I know you have to pack for your trip to L.A. in the morning so I won’t hold you up any more. Thanks again.

ROCCO: Thanks Matt. Good night.