Having gotten to know her much better over the past yeat, what with Renee now being a regular contributing author to the site — y’know, in addition to being a wildly popular Pet (January 2023) — we saved our conversation from the 2024 AEE as the final post from that visit. Now, of course, we find ourselves off to the 2025 event. Odds seem good we will find more beautiful, interesting people with whom to speak.
A Renee Olstead Conversation
We’re here with Renee Olstead at AEE, and it’s your very first AEE so let’s start there. How has that experience been?
Renee: It’s been really incredible so far. I feel like there’s so much to see. I’ve had a chance to get out on the expo floor to see a lot of interesting things, see people that I know, kind of learn more about what’s changing in the industry and meet some incredible people.
I’ve been interviewing people as well. I’ve had a chance to sit down with a few of my fellow Pets, which has been great. Penthouse is very much a family, and I’m getting a chance to really get to know some of these amazing women.
Who have you gotten to hang out with so far?
Renee: My first interview was with Leya Tanit from Pineapple Support, which is an organization that’s close to my heart. They help subsidize mental health care and provide free care for people who are within the industry that need support.
Interviewing Pets has been awesome. So far, I started with a series on sex work that you know has been on Penthouse.com. I’ve also had a chance to write an in-print feature, but in my exploration of sex work, I’m talking to performers and talking to the Pets that I’ve had a chance to sit down with already.
It’s just really interesting to clarify what exactly it is that performers need and what they face in the industry. A lot of assumptions are made about people that choose to be an adult entertainer or choose to do nude modeling. People just make a lot of assumptions in general about everyone, but Pineapple has a focus particular to the industry, making sure that people have support when they need it – when they’re dealing with doxing or dealing with unnecessary stigma that sometimes comes along with our work.
It’s a really important cause. I’m glad I got to sit down with Leya here about some of the things that they have in mind for the future. I’m meeting with Pet of the Year Kenna James and Pet of the Year Lacy Lennon later today.
We love to hear it. Let’s dive more about your schooling and what you’re doing with it, because you mentioned Pineapple Support, and I don’t think we went over that too much in your Pet of the Month interview.
Renee Olstead: I did get my Master’s in Clinical Psychology. I’ve had an amazing last few years. Working with Penthouse has been a big part of that, but also just in deciding to exit the entertainment industry in the roles that I did, which was sort of more television-oriented work. I played a teenager for a very, very long time, I think I played a 15 year-old for about ten years.
It has been nice to explore more and more of myself and to just learn about this entire industry. I find it fascinating, and I’ve been such a fan for a long time. I’ve been collecting what I call my “vintage smut” for over a decade. So finally getting a chance to move from a fan and admirer to Cover Girl was a pretty big deal for me.
How much has your collection grown since you joined the industry? Do you think it’s exploded since then or has the growth just been steady?
Renee: I get a lot of crazy ideas, and one crazy idea I had recently was that I wanted to learn about home renovation. So, I got a I got a fixer house, and I decided I wanted to turn it into my vintage smut palace.
I would say that there was an explosion. However, I would say it was explosion with a purpose. I wasn’t just buying things because I was on a crazy tear, but decorating that spot and having a wall full of vintage covers, it’s been fun. But I probably shouldn’t be allowed on eBay anymore.
I think it would be pretty irresponsible at this point.
Sometimes you need a little break.
Renee: My wallet would prefer it. I could spend everything on Etsy and eBay.
Do you just buy artwork and covers, or do you try and look for old merchandise? I think Penthouse has some old puzzles hidden in the abyss somewhere that we get people asking about sometimes.
Renee: [gasps] Oh, I thought were going to say you had access to one. If it went missing, you would know who to suspect. I should be more subtle. No, I have a lot of vintage Penthouse stuff. I have some vintage Penthouse clothing items as well.
It’s not just the girls, it’s also the merch and the idea of the brand. It just adds that extra sexiness. A lot of times too if I get vintage magazines and I really, really love a shot – uh-oh this sounds terrible to say – but sometimes I will take an X-Acto knife and take her out and frame her.
I have a lot of those in my house. And currently, I also have them going around the crown molding of my dining room – all naked lady. So yeah, I find I’m always finding new places to put cute naked ladies.
[laughs] Let’s talk about your hair.
Renee: My hair!
For your Pet of the Month shoot you had black hair.
Renee: I did. I was having a bad girl moment.
Ooh, okay…
Renee: Not say that I’ve gotten any more conservative. [laughs]
But you’re still a fiery redhead now.
Renee: Now I’m a naughty girl. I was a bad girl then. Now, I’m a naughty girl. It’s just that I do enjoy playing around with my hair. And I think a lot of that was from being on TV for so long. When you’re on a television show, you are not allowed to change your hair without permission from the showrunners.
And because of that, I had the same haircut and color for so long and I couldn’t change it. I think, now that I’ve left that side of the industry, I’ve been going a little wild in more ways than one.
For the people that may not know, what was the show?
Renee: I was on a few shows. My first show was on UPN, and that was a very short run that would only make it six episodes. As for my longest running shows, I was on one that went for four years called “Still Standing,” which was the CBS sitcom. And then I was on another show called “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” for another five.
In between when I was filming, I was also on Warner Brothers. I was singing at that time too.
So, you already had an album?
Renee: I did, and I would tour on hiatus. I have always stayed pretty busy. I was under Warner Brothers, and I signed under David Foster and put two albums out and toured the world here and there while on hiatus. You do get a little window to get out and tour an album.
I’m going to look on YouTube and find that 40’s film noir song that you did. That’s awesome.
Renee: Coincidentally, we were talking about that last night. … Something else that’s interesting about some of my music is that when I shot music videos, like the one I did for “Sleepwalk,” I storyboarded the whole concept. I went on eBay and bought the duvets and all of the things that were in the room. I dressed the hotel room myself.
I’d put it on the site. You’d probably be embarrassed, but I absolutely would.
Renee: Please, you have my consent. And it is on record. But yeah, I really enjoy that creative aspect. I also edited that music video which in retrospect, looking at where I am now, kind of makes a lot of sense. I do a great deal of content creation now, and I take it really seriously.
When I’m shooting a video or releasing photos that I’ve shot myself, I want the people that get them to love it. I want every shot to be great. I don’t want there to be a ton of dead space. I want to create the fantasy that it feels like … God, it really seems to have such a handle on me, doesn’t it?
Even with all of my collections, it just feels like you’re entering another world.
It’s rare for a person to be able to art direct themselves. Because when we look at ourselves, we’re backwards. We’re in a mirror. We don’t know what we look like. Everyone else knows what we look like. So, to be able to take that, you know and art direct…
Renee: Thank you. Thank you.
Speaking of art direction, you have redone some of your favorite Penthouse covers.
Renee: Yes! And I still have one more that I need to edit, but I’ve been busy. That one specifically was a dominatrix on the cover. And then there were two maids. I shot myself as the maid – or technically I had a photographer – but I wanted to shoot as the maid and as the Dom, then put it all together with Photoshop to recreate that cover. That one hasn’t come out yet, but I have had a chance to recreate a couple of my favorite covers. Seeing as I am such a fan, it can be great when you get a chance to step into that fantasy world. I am super detail oriented. Granted, sometimes I go a little nuts on making sure the hair is perfect, but as long as I nail a couple of the reference shots, then I can kind of expand from that and shoot a bit more to include.
It’s like a set, honestly. It has been really fun. I still pinch myself. Penthouse is a brand that was … just such a high goal, something just so iconic. It’s crazy to wake up and know that I’m part of that legacy now.
You’re not only part of the Pet legacy, you’re also part of the contributor legacy. You are now in print with Penthouse in more ways than one. [laughs]
Renee: It’s truly a dream come true. I mean, it sounds like I’m, I’m pandering to your affections right now but…
[laughs] It’s ok. We’ll take it.
Renee: Okay. My experience with Penthouse has been absolutely incredible. When I did my test meeting – I don’t know if this happens often – but I might be one of the only Pets to come with a full storyboarded concept for what my dream shoot would look like. I had a Pinterest board. I had a vision board as well, that I pitched. The team was nice enough to really help me bring that to fruition and make that a reality.
From that moment, I just feel like my experience with Penthouse has been one where make such a point of really bringing who the model is into the shoot. They even do this while also allowing me to contribute to the site and talk about the things that are important to me – specifically in my sex work series where I talk about, you know, “Hey, what it what it really is like to be an adult creator?” and “Here are the things that we deal with here,” the things that we’re dealing with that may not be as common as someone might guess if they’re not in the industry.
There’s so much to appreciate, and I’ve been very well cared for. I feel like I’m really part of something, part of a family. And I don’t mean that in a trite, cheesy way, but it’s been incredible. I’ve worked for a few different adult outlets, and it’s something that I have found very unique to Penthouse.
Wow, thank you so much for saying that! So, what’s in the future for you? When is the book coming out?
Renee: Writing would be something that I want to continue to develop. I’ve been finding my voice, I think, and exploring the topics I feel really connected to. How that turns into a book we shall see.
I also have the option of making an album. That’s in the mix too. … Being a movie star. …
I’m going to keep shooting. What else am I doing? … I guess the big thing that I will reveal is I’m hoping to start my Ph.D. applications this year. So that’s something that I’ve wanted to do for a while.
We’ll see. We’ll see where I get in. But school is expensive, so I doubt I will be putting my clothes on any time soon.
… Got to pay for it somehow.
Renee: I know. Those books ain’t cheap.
Better than loans. What’s a Ph.D. cost?
Renee: I think it’s in the six figures annually for sure. … I need to do a little bit more research. At this point. I’ve requested information packets from a few different places. Specifically, if I go the sexuality route, there’s only a couple of schools that offer that program. Otherwise, I could go social work or psychology.
I know I don’t want to do Psy.D. I definitely want to do Ph.D., but these are all things that are kind of up in the air right now, so we’ll see what makes the most sense.
Initials after your name are fun.
Renee: Yeah, well I like reading. I like learning. Specifically, if it’s related to a topic that I really connect with, I am a voracious reader. I think my record was … There was one quarter during my Master’s, I think I read 15 books on top of the reading that I had to do normally for school.
If you look at my childhood photos, I have a book in my hand every photo, or most of them. … Although my interest in sexuality came later. At that point I wanted to be either a paleontologist or a surgeon. I had a thing for bones. Bones were my thing.
What was your favorite book as a kid?
Renee: My favorite book as a kid… in Kindergarten, I was really into Chronicles of Narnia and that was like the first series that I completed.
It’s amazing that you have a favorite book in kindergarten. [laughs]
Renee: It’s why I worked so much, honestly, when it comes to the industry, I don’t think I was a particularly talented actress, but as a kid I had very strong memorization skills and because of that I could read a script. I could learn it and, do what people told me to do. And especially when you look a little younger than your age, you work pretty consistently.
Do you have a favorite book as an adult, or are there too many to name?
Renee Olstead: There are too many to name. I tend to lean towards non-fiction.
Historic? Political?
Renee Olstead: Social for the most part. A lot of stuff around psy’, a lot of stuff around sex work, a lot of about sex work history, obviously a special interest of mine. Emily Nagoski has a new book that’s coming out in a couple of days that I’m really excited about.
As for fiction, I’m going to go with Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment.
There were so many things that were interesting about that. That book. You know, specifically in the discussion of an alcoholic character and the conceptualization of that – much of our understandings about that came a lot later. … The fact that there’s such diversity in the roles of female characters in that book. You see women as the villain. You see, you know, women as yeah…
Sure. We all study the core philosophy in The Brothers Karamazov, but when we ask that question, not a lot of people pick Russian literature. [laughs]
Renee: Well, yeah, but also what is more fascinating than a man who turns out classic literature every time he has a gambling debt? That is fascinating to me. [laughs]
“Damn! I have to write another book!”
Renee: Exactly! That’s so funny.
Last question, what would it mean to you to be Pet of the Year? That voting is coming up very soon…
Renee: Oh my God … It would be … It would be everything. I’m not going to pretend that it wouldn’t. I’m such a huge fan of the brand. I will say, I’m very honored to be part of the family as a Pet. I’m not trying to be greedy.
Penthouse is one of the rare truly legacy brands, and being Pet of the Year would be a chance to be an even bigger part of that legacy.
I really like it here. I hope I get to stick around, regardless. I certainly enjoy writing and all of that. … But I’ll definitely be sure my fans know [when the voting goes live]. It would mean the world to me.
Awesome, thank you so much.
Renee: I just got nervous.
You did great. I caught you off guard with that one.
Renee: That’s a hard question to answer, because it would absolutely mean everything to me. But I also appreciate everything that I’ve been given.
It would just be the trifecta for you. … Pet of the Month, columnist, and then Pet of the Year… Then we can hire you as a photographer … art director… How are you at doing makeup on other women? [laughs]
Renee Olstead: I could try my hand at it. I would be open to it. Still, being Pet of the Year would be a chance to be part of not only the legacy but what it means to be part of the Penthouse family going forward. Part of Penthouse’s future.
Because you were super-curious, we thought we’d let you know that Emily Nagoski, Ph.D.’s book did release, and even though it sounds like a Beatles song, it happens to be a fascinating read for anyone in a relationship – or who wants to be in a meaningful one. Being us, we naturally took Renee at her word and now can show off the “Sleepwalk” video that came up earlier in the conversation. This woman has many, many talents. It doesn’t seem fair, really, come to think of it.
Renee on YouTube … Renee on Instagram
Then we decided to leave you with one final image of Renee from out visit in January of 2024 in Las Vegas. We’re not saying that this represents how Ms. Olstead left the interview or anything, but she does happen to be kind of magic. You never know when she might appear again.
