YNOT — Shauna Sand learned this year that she now has something in common with pop-legend Jimi Hendrix; both have sex tapes on sale through adult studio Vivid Entertainment. After briefly stating that she would fight the release of the tape, Ms. Sand later decided to change course and throw her support behind Vivid and the sex tape; the movie Shauna Sand Exposed is available at Vivid.com, as is a trailer for the tape that shows Ms. Sand and her boyfriend engaged in various forms of adult play.The former wife of actor Lorenzo Lamas, Ms. Sand is also an actress who has appeared in shows like Charmed, Air America and Renegade. She was chosen Playmate of the Month in May 1996. Ms. Sand agreed to this interview with YNOT.com, and we asked her about her thoughts on everything from acting to dealing with the spotlight of celebrity.

YNOT: You were active in theater and dance from a young age; do you remember what factors motivated you to pursue performance arts so early in your life, and do you credit anyone in particular for being especially motivational or supportive as you pursued these crafts?

Sand: I started ice-skating and ballet at age 5. I love the creativity and the challenge of dance and ice-skating. My mother motivated me and supported me. I trained intensively and I had a natural grace that was absolutely beautiful. I was extremely shy and quite afraid of being judged, so performing and competing was a big challenge for me.

YNOT: Compare stage performance to acting for film or television. Which is more rewarding and why?

Sand: I prefer film and television to stage. I don’t like being in front of a large audience. And in TV and film if you make a mistake you can retake the shot.

YNOT: Once you get the attention of the celebrity machine – I don’t know what else to call it, the tabloids, paparazzi, etc. – how does that change your life?

Sand: It changes in the fact that you get followed all the time by paparazzi. It’s bothersome when you want to rest with your family on vacation in Miami, for example, and they are just sitting staring at you. I take it as a compliment though, the whole paparazzi thing.

YNOT: You studied International Business Administration in Paris; how did attending college in France affect you, and were there are professors that you found particularly inspiring during that time of your life?

Sand: I loved studying in France. I learned to speak French as well, which has helped me to work in France on TV shows, which I love. I adore French people and France.

YNOT: What did you like best and least about living in France?

Sand: I loved most the culture and the French boys. I’ve been married to two and my last boyfriend was French. I don’t like cold weather.

YNOT: You were Playmate of the Month in May of 1996, which is about a couple of years before the Internet was on most people’s radar. Conventional wisdom says Playboy was hit pretty hard by the last decade’s emergence of the Internet, and it’s not alone – all kinds of traditional print publications are fighting for their survival right now, and some have even folded. What do you think Playboy needs to do in order to still be around and thriving in ten years? Have they done enough to leverage the Internet to their advantage?

Sand: The internet is crazy. You can follow my daily activities on the Net. Playboy’s choice of girls in the last seven years isn’t that great. If they still want to be around they need to get sexier girls.

YNOT: It seems to me that most celebrity gossip services thrive on talking about battles between celebrities, and in fact I believe they actively try to spark conflicts where none existed prior. Knowing that, does it make it hard for those people who are in the spotlight to trust their friends and even some of their family members, knowing that these forces will be probing them, looking for dirt, encouraging hurtful comments?

Sand: Absolutely. I don’t feel that I can trust anyone and it’s affecting my life, especially relationships. There is so much betrayal and dishonesty, it’s disheartening.

YNOT: A lot of women model or perform for adult entertainment companies, whether that be large companies like Hustler or small, independent websites they own themselves. Many of these women are also mothers who are trying to make a living. What advice do you have for women who have to juggle parenting with adult modeling?

Sand: Keep your priorities in line. Think positive in life. Have fun with what you’re doing. Don’t let outside influences make you feel that you are doing something wrong, because you are not.

YNOT: Tell me what went through your mind when you first discovered that Vivid, probably the largest adult film studio in the world, was interested in marketing the sex tape that you had made with your boyfriend?

Sand: I was shocked at first. I felt ill.

YNOT: Have you met with Steve Hirsch, and if so, what’s your impression of him?

Sand: Yes I have. He is amazing. He is a great business man. Very smart, I feel that I can trust him, and he is very aggressive. He doesn’t take no for an answer. On a personal note he is cute too.

YNOT: Since the sex tape is now out there, have you given any consideration to working with Vivid or another adult company on adult films? Either way, what are your plans for the near future?

Sand: I’m not sure. I will wait and see what the future brings. You never know. Every day is a new surprise.