Confessions of a Video Vixen [Hardcover]

Karrine Steffans (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 28, 2005

Part tell-all, part cautionary tale, this emotionally charged memoir from a former video vixen nicknamed 'Superhead' goes beyond the glamour of celebrity to reveal the inner workings of the hip-hop dancer industry—from the physical and emotional abuse that's rampant in the industry, and which marked her own life—to the excessive use of drugs, sex and bling.

Once the sought-after video girl, this sexy siren has helped multi-platinum artists, such as Jay-Z, R. Kelly and LL Cool J, sell millions of albums with her sensual dancing. In a word, Karrine was H-O-T. So hot that she made as much as $2500 a day in videos and was selected by well-known film director F. Gary Gray to co-star in his film, A Man Apart, starring Vin Diesel. But the film and music video sets, swanky Hollywood and New York restaurants and trysts with the celebrities featured in the pages of People and In Touch magazines only touches the surface of Karrine Steffans' life.

Her journey is filled with physical abuse, rape, drug and alcohol abuse, homelessness and single motherhood—all by the age of 26. By sharing her story, Steffans hopes to shed light on an otherwise romanticised industry and help young women avoid the same pitfalls she encountered. If they're already in danger, she hopes to inspire them to find a way to dig themselves out of what she knows first-hand
to be a cycle of hopelessness and despair.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“An easy, entertaining read... a cautionary tale that contains a timeless message to a new generation of women.” (--South Florida Sun Sentinel)

About the Author

Karrine Steffans is a former hip hop music video feature star who made the transition into film as an actress co-starring opposite action star Vin Diesel and veteran actor Lorenz Tate in the hit film, A Man Apart. She lives in southern California with her son.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Amistad; First Edition edition (June 28, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060842423
• ISBN-13: 978-0060842420
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 0.7 x 9.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (595 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #29,113 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #75 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Ethnic & National > African-American & Black

More About the Author

From meager beginnings on the thirty-mile island of St. Thomas to New York Times best selling author residing in Los Angeles, Karrine Steffans has come a long way. Details of the first twenty-five years of her complicated, yet, thrilling former life and lifestyle are captured in the pages on her memoir, Confessions of a Video Vixen, published by Harper Collins Publishers, making a biography almost obsolete.

Since Confessions debuted on June 28, 2005, Karrine and her enthralling story has been on the lips and minds of most everyone. Among many other media outlets Paula Zahn, Donny Deutsch, Tyra Banks, Bill O'Reilly, Geraldo Rivera, Kathy Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb,and the queen of daytime herself, Oprah Winfrey have sought Karrine and helped propel her into the limelight and even contributed satirical editorial to HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher.
This sudden thrust into the world's eye has prompted publishing giant Hachette Book Group USA(formerly Warner Books) to welcome Karrine into their family, inking two publishing contracts for three additional books, the first being The Vixen Diaries, published September 2007.

On July 13, 2009, Karrine published her third New York Times best seller, entitled The Vixen Manual: How to Find, Seduce & Keep the Man You Want, which made its debut on NBC's The Today Show.

Later that year, Karrine inked her third publishing deal and completed her fourth book, Satisfaction: Erotic Fantasies for the Advanced & Adventurous Couple, published August 10, 2011.

In 2010, The Vixen Manual was optioned by Fox Television Studios and the author inked a production deal with the studio giant. As a result, Steffans has penned a series based on the book and is credited as created and co-executive producer of the scripted television project, still in development.

In 2011, Steffans engaged a slew of author hopefuls to launch the Steffans Publishing's premiere publishing venture -- a series of anthologies, the first to be published June of 2012. Simultaneously, the author began managing musical talent, shaping the careers of young, unsigned musicians with Ampersand Music.

These ventures and more are encompassed under the Karrine & Co.® brand, developed in late 2011.
The author lives in Los Angeles with her husband and teenage son.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

477 of 539 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Look Just a Little Bit Harder Beneath the Surface... July 12, 2005

By Keisha

Format:Hardcover

This book was very straightforward and well-written. Karrine's story is very true-to-life and frightening, but not for the reasons that you might think...

After I read the book, I realized that I've read about "Karrine" before. Her face and individual details of her life may vary from others, but her background is the same as many top porn stars. It's all there: the extreme neglect of her parents, violent beatings, rape, abuse and mental cruelty. All done to her before the age of 16. Jenna Jameson (#1 porn star) has a similar background and biography.

Look a bit deeper at this book (forget about all the glamour and the videos and hip-hop stars for a second). What do we learn here? We learn that if families and friends devalue and abuse young girls and cause them to hate themselves and their own bodies, you can virtually guarantee a future stripper, hooker, or porn star. Why? Because she's been taught all her life that she's stupid, she's unlovable, and she's a waste, except for her mouth and the private part between her legs. It shouldn't surprise anyone that she uses it to get things in life.

Karrine didn't create herself - the people and systems that allow girls to get abused and abandoned (her mother beat her - her Dad wasn't there for her) created her and the other women like her. She doesn't deserve our scorn, she needs counseling, support, and love. There but by the grace of God...who's to say that any of us women wouldn't have been in her shoes given the same circumstances.

This is not to say that Karrine always made the right decisions. She abandoned her son with her abusive husband, and she got hooked on alcohol and designer drugs. She used people, and she allowed herself to be used repeatedly. Women who are devalued tend to develop a "warped" irrational way of thinking.

From reading this book, you kind of understand that Karrine will never really get out of the game. She's too far engulfed in it. Behavioral science has already proven that there are only three things that spur you to change your life dramatically in a short period of time: a near death experience, extreme illness, or a deep religious experience. (For example, Vanity, a sex kitten from the 1980's and Prince protegee' did not change her ways until her drug habit nearly caused her death and she lost her kidneys - now she is a married born-again Christian). Barring any of that, I expect that Karrine will continue her sexpot ways. After all, it's gotten her this far.

All that being said - this is a cautionary tale. It is OUR caution that we should protect, love, and nurture our young girls. Otherwise, we can expect to churn out many more Karrine's in the world.

And another thing - this book points out that it takes two to tango. Sure, it was wrong for Karrine to put herself out there in such a scandalous manner. But it's also equally as sick and demented for men to "trade" and prey on damaged and defective young ladies.

144 of 160 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating yet sad July 6, 2005

By BookRemarks

Format:Hardcover

Although this is a tell-all book, something that some of the readers may find appalling, there are important lessons to be learned from Confessions of a Video Vixen. I believe that there will be a few aspects of Karrine's story that are relatable: many women have low self-esteem, many seek to be loved and feel valuable. Unfortunately, based on the writer's childhood and family environment, she wasn't provided with a stable and loving upbringing. She sought acceptance through sexual relationships and she has no self-respect, both of which contributed to her downfall.

Because of her unfortunate foundations, it is sad and fascinating to see the path she traveled that led her to experience so many unfulfilling and sometimes dangerous sexual relationships with men in the entertainment and sports industries. I believe that Hollywood paints such a false and misleading picture of success - the more money you earn, the more material things you acquire, and the more you associate with the so-called in-crowd, the more valuable you are. Unfortunately, this is far from the truth and the book serves as a good wake-up call.

Although Ms. Steffans went through much pain and heartache, maybe her story can be a harsh reminder that self-esteem cannot be based on the acceptance of others - people can let you down - and your true value isn't based on the false security of materialism, things come and go.

This book should be read by young women who believe that being a video ho is something to be proud of. This book will show you the downside of the industry that isn't often publicized -- and if some young lady's life can be altered - perhaps Karrine's story is worth telling, even if everyone doesn't agree with how she's telling it.

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't kill the messenger ... January 6, 2006

By stevey wundar

Format:Hardcover

I read this book at a bookstore in about 2 hours two months ago & it was an engaging page turner.

Like most, I was just a bit curious after getting just tidbits of her personal story during various media promotions.

Readers will interpret this book one of two ways ... A) Take all of her sordid tales for what they're worth with moments of awe, compassion and skepticism while ultimately gaining a broader appreciation for the "real world" out there OR B) Angrily criticize her every move and judgment as she discloses chilling, deeply personal acts that don't always paint her in any better light than the beaus she bedded.

I for one fell in category A.

I don't by any means approve of much of the lifestyle she lived as an adult, but it's really not for me to judge.

I will admit just reading through names of her patnaz and lots of unflattering intimate deatils of cats like Usher, Diddy, Ice T, Shaq, Brandy's brother (yes, Brandy's lil bro), Dr. Dre, Xzibit, DMX, Ja Rule, Merlin Santana and Kool G. Rap ... (the list goes on) makes for that "driving by an accident and trying not to look, but ultimately giving in" effect. Juicy, juicy details are what I've been discussing with family and friends ever since.

But don't get it twisted and miss the big picture. This really is a cautionary tale more than trashy (bad) romance novel in scope.

Ms. Steffans was raped as a teen, physically abused by her mother and had an absent father for most of her young life. That background couldn't be different from my cushy, sweet as pie childhood by comparison AND BECAUSE of this I think it's important to try to relate to her experiences humbly without casting judgment over the decisions she made in adulthood.

A lack of rushing to judgment doesn't mean you co-sign as I see it.

If Wilt Chamberlain, Dennis Rodman and countless other high profile celebrities can write books like this -- and be praised -- I don't see how soooo many can react so angrily to Ms. Steffans, especially when she speaks the truth.

Again, a lot of the decisions she made in the book were appalling by my standards.

But this is a good read if for no other reason than getting people to understand society's own ills when it comes to how it breaks down, degrades and even destroys women (in effect creating the "Gold Diggers" Kanye raps about).

That's the truly shocking discovery to me.

She might've gained financially by name-dropping so many high profile stars who are living just as foul and don't deserve pity.

But, again, having read this book, I can honestly say Ms. Steffans' name-dropping just gives her story the kind of bite to make people see the true-life ills of our society as is.

Like most rappers, you can't hate on her for painting a picture of what's before her eyes.