Heidi Fleiss: The former Hollywood Madam discusses her life and her new book

(Court TV) —

Court TV Host: Heidi Fleiss was just on Catherine Crier's show...and now she's here with us now! Welcome, Heidi Fleiss. Thank you for being our guest online today!

Court TV Host: Anything you didn't get a chance to say on air that you'd like to start by discussing now?

Heidi Fleiss: I think we covered it, but I'd just like to say that the best possible Christmas gift is my book, Pandering, and you can get an autographed at my brand new store, Hollywood Madam, on Hollywood Boulevard.

Question from Ynot: What's Heidi been up to lately?

Heidi Fleiss: I've been working so hard on opening up my new store, because it's a really cool store. Tomorrow, we're setting up web cameras in the store so you'll be able to see it online...for free. Just go to www.heidifleiss.com -- we're setting up for cameras tomorrow, and in the next week or so, we'll start having scheduled events, like book-signings, and playmates who come and sign their calendars. It's a very good venue. It's also nice for tourists to come to Hollywood and see something beautiful, not just panhandlers and vagabonds, and things of that nature.

Question from Desertdog: Heidi how much pressure was put on you to give names and lurid stories about your clientele when you were prosecuted? Did they offer you any deal??

Heidi Fleiss: I was offered anything and everything in terms of deals, and it's something I would never consider. It wasn't my job to tell or I would have worked for the National Enquirer. And besides, whoever you think in Hollywood is doing it, is doing it... and much weirder than you think. With my reputation -- people say I'm a hooker, or I'll do anything for money -- there's no amount of money that will make me talk about my past. So there is some integrity in me. People hate that.

Question from erinlin: Heidi, do you feel the prison time you had to serve was directly involved with the fact that you would not give up names for scandal?

Heidi Fleiss: I think that the prison time -- when I got out of prison, I saw on ABC, on TV, how to meet and marry a millionaire -- and I thought, "I went to jail for that." I cornered the market in basically what was a boy's club -- they didn't like that -- and I paid a heavy price for it.

Question from Akeakamai: What is your book about?

Heidi Fleiss: My book, Pandering, is my proudest accomplishment of my entire life, and I truly believe that in a few years they will teach a college course on that book because that book addresses things that all of us go through in life. Besides it being about my life and explaining how I wound up in the sex business and the lessons I learned, the book deals with love, hate, jealousy, revenge, rejection, Hollywood, age...everything and every emotion that we all go through in life is addressed in some manner in that book.

Question from OldHippy: Hi Heidi, do you miss the excitement and glamour of the past?

Heidi Fleiss: People don't realize that being a madam is hard work, and I was working all the time, and I was worn out from working, and I remember one night, I was out and a beautiful girl came up to me, and asked, who's answering your phone, and I thought, "Oh my god, I've got to go home and answer the phone -- because these girls need work."

Question from erinlin: Good point, Heidi. I think the price you paid was much too high, and it was a witch hunt.

Heidi Fleiss: I did serve a little over three years in a federal penitentiary, and if I served six months, the government would have served the same goal it had. I'm out of the business, I'm never going to go back in the business, I never want to go back to the penitentiary. And in the end, they got all the money.

Question from FiveGoldenJERRYS: Heidi. Happy Holiday. Do you support a federal law that would legalize prostitution?

Heidi Fleiss: I don't recommend prostitution as a career, but if someone wants to do it, let them do it. But let them do it in a safe environment. I think it's wrong that it's illegal everywhere except in Nevada, but at the same time it's the women who are the only one who are persecuted, prosecuted -- they're the ones who suffer. The men are protected, coddled, patted on the back -- they even brag about committing a crime. In Australia, I'm a part of the Daily Planet; it's the first brothel in the history of time that's on the stock exchange, the Australian stock exchange. It's very strict, they don't have Enron, and Tyson, but they don't have the same kinds of white collar crimes that pop up with insider trading, and junk bonds. So to have a brothel on the stock exchange, they must be doing something right. The women are safe, it's clean, regulated, the government makes money, everyone's happy. No one is forced. I think the laws on prostitution are archaic. Especially in regards to pornography -- if a camera's there, it's okay. I think if the U.S. decriminalized and regulated it, then everyone would benefit. By making it illegal, this is where murders, and drugs, and nefarious activity comes in. That's why the women always suffer. Except in Nevada, the Cherry Patch, where they really enforce laws against drugs, and encourage a safe and clean environment. And they have Christmas Specials, too, or something. If the White House calls me to be the head of legalizing prostitution, I'd be up for it, because men have no place in the sex business -- except paying for it!

Question from emcas: Did your fame have any advantages/disadvantages when you were incarcerated?

Heidi Fleiss: There's no benefit to being famous. It's definitely the wrong kind of fame I have, except for Nicole Kidman wanting to play me in a movie filmed by Paramount.

Question from BCingU: What has happened to the women you worked with? Do you keep in touch with some of them?

Heidi Fleiss: No, and the women who do say they worked for me, most likely they didn't. Most of the women who worked for me did extremely well. There are a few millionaires, and even a few marriages. Who in their right mind is going to go around on television and elsewhere saying, "I was a Heidi Fleiss prostitute?"

Question from Ynot: Are you ok after being battered so badly? Any permanent damage?

Heidi Fleiss: No, I'm just kind of mad at myself for getting involved in the whole thing, but hindsight is 20/20. It was very difficult for me to file those charges. Because of my past, I knew it wasn't an even playing field, and when it was over the DA got the conviction, they gave a grand speech that they would prosecute domestic violence at all levels, for rich or poor. But that's not true. I had to fight every step of the way for them to prosecute. And at the end, everyone came out with a victory speech, including Mr. Sizemore -- he gave a speech as if he won an Academy Award -- everyone gave a speech except for me.

Question from BingleJells: What lessons have you learned?

Heidi Fleiss: Enough to make me 500 years old. Ultimately, in the end, you have to take responsibility for everything. You can't blame it on your childhood, you can't blame it on drugs, you can't blame it on your friends, or a divorce. You have to take full responsibility and accountability for your own actions. I hear lots of people say, as an excuse, they were on drugs. I've done drugs, but I never hurt anybody, I never done anything that hurt anyone, or stole. Everyone has a tale of woe.

Question from Ynot: You're one tough cookie, Heidi

Heidi Fleiss: I may look that way, but trust me, my heart is on my sleeve.

Question from wingit: What exactly does your store sell anyway?

Question from debbie: What can you buy in your new store?

Heidi Fleiss: Lingerie, sexy sweatpants, comfort clothing for both men and women. And, of course, my book "Pandering." And I have other books coming out this summer, too.

Court TV Host: What are they? One is called The Beverly Hills Tutor, which two studios are interested in (with an A-list actress). It's a true story about this really adorable girl, she's in a sorority house, she goes to UCLA, she wants to make some money so she gets an after-school job tutoring children. And basically, she's thrust into this high-class world of prostitution, offered six figures to take tests for children. It reads better than any Jackie Collins novel -- and it's all true. And then the other book I have coming out is called "The Player's Handbook," and it's the ultimate guide to dating and relationships for women. Men should read it too -- they can probably benefit the most.

Court TV Host: Any closing thoughts?

Heidi Fleiss: It's been great talking to you -- thanks for your questions -- and get "Pandering" for Christmas!

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