Mimi Miyagi
Encyclopedia
Melody Damayo is a Filipina
porn star best known as Mimi Miyagi.
, the second of four children born to conservative Seventh Day Adventist parents. When she was six, she moved to the United States
with her parents, and she grew up in California.
Damayo was sent back to Mindanao
for high school, and her family enrolled her in a Seventh Day Adventist academy in Bukidnon
, hoping she would absorb Filipino values.
After finishing high school, she enrolled in an Adventist college, but she dropped out in her second year. She says she had been a disc jockey on the college radio station and had decided on a career in show business
.
Damayo returned to Los Angeles and obtained a scholarship to the American College for Fashion Merchandising, but once again she dropped out without graduating, when she'd run out of money and begun looking for jobs.
As she was now of legal age, she began performing as a pornographic actress, starting by working with Ed Powers
.
In 1996, she retired from porn acting and moved to Henderson, Nevada
. She married a former professional football player. She hired a consultant to set up a website, MimiMiyagi.com, then got embroiled in a legal battle over control of the domain name
. She then learned HTML
and created a new website.
She created the men's magazine Oriental Dolls (now known as Asian Hotties).
In 1999, Damayo began doing movie production and talent scouting for Metro Home Video and produced the series she entitled FantAsiany, of which there are now three sequels.
).
In May 2005, Damayo began work in her first bit role in a mainstream comedy, Come Again.
In December 2006, "Mimi" returned to adult films with great fanfare after her failed run on the Republican ticket for Governor of Nevada.
On May 12, 2006, she filed as a Republican gubernatorial candidate in the state of Nevada, under her birth name, Melody Damayo. "I have nothing left to hide, everybody has seen all of me already." she said. One of her slogan was "I'm bare and honest at all times." Her candidacy came three years after fellow porn star Mary Carey's campaign for Governor of California
in the 2003 recall election. On May 16, 2006, her campaign was endorsed by the liberal blog Wonkette
. She was criticized for running for such a position, given her past profession. She faced four other Republican candidates in the primary held on August 15, 2006, and was defeated by a wide margin by Jim Gibbons. After her loss in the primaries, she joined the Libertarian Party
.
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
porn star best known as Mimi Miyagi.
Early life and education
Melody Damayo was born in Davao CityDavao City
The City of Davao is the largest city in the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. Its international airport and seaports are among the busiest cargo hubs in the Philippines....
, the second of four children born to conservative Seventh Day Adventist parents. When she was six, she moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with her parents, and she grew up in California.
Damayo was sent back to Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
for high school, and her family enrolled her in a Seventh Day Adventist academy in Bukidnon
Bukidnon
Bukidnon is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Northern Mindanao region. Its capital is Malaybalay City. The province borders, clockwise starting from the north, Misamis Oriental, Agusan del Sur, Davao del Norte, Cotabato, Lanao del Sur, and Lanao del Norte.Bukidnon is...
, hoping she would absorb Filipino values.
After finishing high school, she enrolled in an Adventist college, but she dropped out in her second year. She says she had been a disc jockey on the college radio station and had decided on a career in show business
Show business
Show business, sometimes shortened to show biz, is a vernacular term for all aspects of entertainment. The word applies to all aspects of the entertainment industry from the business side to the creative element ....
.
Damayo returned to Los Angeles and obtained a scholarship to the American College for Fashion Merchandising, but once again she dropped out without graduating, when she'd run out of money and begun looking for jobs.
As she was now of legal age, she began performing as a pornographic actress, starting by working with Ed Powers
Ed Powers
Ed Powers is an American director, producer and actor of hardcore pornographic films. He owns his own production company, Ed Powers Productions.Powers was born in Brooklyn, New York...
.
Adult film career
Damayo says she saw an advertisement for nude models and answered it. She took the name "Mimi", the childhood nickname given by her grandmother. "Miyagi" was derived from the character Mr. Miyagi in the film The Karate Kid. She says she cloaked her actual nationality in Asian mysticism.In 1996, she retired from porn acting and moved to Henderson, Nevada
Henderson, Nevada
-Demographics:According to the 2000 census, there were 175,381 people, 66,331 households, and 47,095 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,200.8 people per square mile . There were 71,149 housing units at an average density of 892.8 per square mile...
. She married a former professional football player. She hired a consultant to set up a website, MimiMiyagi.com, then got embroiled in a legal battle over control of the domain name
Domain name
A domain name is an identification string that defines a realm of administrative autonomy, authority, or control in the Internet. Domain names are formed by the rules and procedures of the Domain Name System ....
. She then learned HTML
HTML
HyperText Markup Language is the predominant markup language for web pages. HTML elements are the basic building-blocks of webpages....
and created a new website.
She created the men's magazine Oriental Dolls (now known as Asian Hotties).
In 1999, Damayo began doing movie production and talent scouting for Metro Home Video and produced the series she entitled FantAsiany, of which there are now three sequels.
Mainstream films
Nearly bankrupted by her divorce, in September 2003, "Mimi" came out of retirement, and appeared in the adult film Happy Ending (not to be confused with Happy Endings later released by Lions Gate EntertainmentLions Gate Entertainment
Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation is a North American entertainment company. The company was formed in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1997, and is headquartered in Santa Monica, California...
).
In May 2005, Damayo began work in her first bit role in a mainstream comedy, Come Again.
In December 2006, "Mimi" returned to adult films with great fanfare after her failed run on the Republican ticket for Governor of Nevada.
Political career
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
in the 2003 recall election. On May 16, 2006, her campaign was endorsed by the liberal blog Wonkette
Wonkette
Wonkette is a left-leaning American online magazine of topical satire and political gossip, established in 2004 by Gawker Media and founding editor Ana Marie Cox, and edited by Ken Layne from 2006 to 2011...
. She was criticized for running for such a position, given her past profession. She faced four other Republican candidates in the primary held on August 15, 2006, and was defeated by a wide margin by Jim Gibbons. After her loss in the primaries, she joined the Libertarian Party
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
.
External links
- Mimi Miyagi's Homepage
- Campaign website
- Melody Damayo collected WonketteWonketteWonkette is a left-leaning American online magazine of topical satire and political gossip, established in 2004 by Gawker Media and founding editor Ana Marie Cox, and edited by Ken Layne from 2006 to 2011...
articles and interviews about her gubernatorial campaign - Mimi Miyagi video interview on burntwire.tv
- Mimi Miyagi short documentary feature video on Philippine news website GMANews.TV