5 things you might not know about Stormy Daniels

Stormy Daniels recently closed out a weekend of shows at the Admiral Theatre in Chicago as part of her “Make America Horny Again” tour. After a brief dispute with the strip club owner, the rest of the scheduled performances went on as planned, and Chicago audiences had the chance to feel, well, what the title promises.

Saturday afternoon, the adult film star spoke with the Tribune before her final shows in a candid interview, laughing loudly, speaking bluntly and sharing photos: of the key to the city of West Hollywood she once wore around her neck ala Flava Flav, the little lightning bolt tattoos inked on the closest members of her team and the strangest thing she’s ever been asked to sign — a homemade toilet seat with a Donald Trump photo inside.

Daniels talked about everything from what went down at the Admiral Theatre to her absolute lack of political aspirations — and there’s still so much she can’t talk about.

In January, The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump’s lawyer, Michael Cohen, arranged a $130,000 payment to Daniels, sent before the 2016 election, to keep her from revealing an alleged tryst with Trump. Daniels, via her lawyer Michael Avenatti, has since launched lawsuits against Cohen and the president.

Here are five things you might not have known about Stormy Daniels — the outspoken, fearless provocateur who’s often in the daily news cycle and just may be coming to a strip club near you.

1. She didn’t get to do much in Chicago, but she did make it to one touristy spot.

Daniels spent much of her time in Chicago with her daughter and on calls. “I’m on like two hours of sleep,” she warned at the beginning of the interview in Rosemont.

But Daniels and her team risked the public commotion to go to the Signature Room at 875 North Michigan Avenue for dinner Thursday. They took the requisite skyline photos, and the chefs brought out a special dessert for her daughter that read, “Welcome to Chicago.”

“I was like, how do they know we’re not from here?” she said.

2. She follows the rules of being on the road — mostly

There are everyday security measures that Daniels has gotten used to, like going into rooms after they’re cleared and sitting in certain seats in cars or in restaurants.

But there was one night in New Orleans when she and her assistant planned an escape.

“He was like, ‘you can’t wear that. Here, put my hat on, here, put my hoodie on, put your hair up,’ ” she said. “And then we got busted in the lobby.”

Her small travel team calls her two security guards “The Dragons.” She said she’s tried to ditch them, but they won’t leave. “They’re like, yeah, that’s cute.”

They once “kidnapped” her and took her horseback riding for an escape.

Daniels remembers the trip fondly. She added an excursion.

“That’s when I took them to their first porn set,” she said.

3. She doesn’t see herself as part of the #MeToo movement (and she doesn’t want you to either)

Daniels does not want to be used for your agenda. It makes her insane, she said, her glitter-painted nails sparkling as she gesticulated.

On Twitter and in a “60 Minutes” interview with Anderson Cooper, Daniels has spoken out about not equating her story and lawsuits with the #MeToo movement.

Last week she reiterated her stance.

“I think the #MeToo thing is great,” said Daniels. “But by trying to assign that to me, you cheapen it. That’s not my story, and you cheapen it for people who really were assaulted or attacked. … And that did not happen to me.”

4. She sometimes misses her pre-political circus life

“Do I miss it? Absolutely,” said Daniels, staring straight on.

“And I wish I was home. I wish I was with my daughter. I wish I was in my neighborhood where nobody knew who I was. I wish I was riding and competing with my horses. I wish all of that stuff. And I have days where I’m like, I want to do it all over again. I regret all of this.”

But if she had to do it all over again, she said she’d do exactly the same thing.

Daniels got a mix of “yes” and “no” when she asked those on the bus if they have kids.

“There is a bit of truth to say when you give birth, there’s a bit of mama bear that hatches and it sort of extends to everyone and everything you care about.”

5. Even her performances have changed since speaking out against Trump

More fans are buying fully clothed headshots than topless photos at Daniels’ shows, she said, but she’s also changed up her performances since going public with her story.

“I don’t do private dances anymore,” she said. “And it’s not because I’m afraid someone’s going to hurt me. It’s honestly because I don’t want to be alone with someone and have them come out and say I said something that I didn’t say.”

That’s not to say she’s afraid of the vocal trolls on social media.

“I actually deal with that much better than, ‘Oh my God, I love you so much!’ ” she said. “Because that freaks me out.”

She’s high femme and ruggedly frank.

When Daniels offered up macarons for everyone on the bus during the chat, and a reporter carefully tried to remove one from the plastic, she said, “Don’t be so dainty!”

mgreene@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @morgreene

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