Keke Palmer has opened up about her relationship with sex, and the life-changing advice she received from Whoopi Goldberg.
In the latest episode of her podcast, Baby, This is Keke Palmer, the Nope star discussed how watching pornography has altered her perspective on sexual pleasure.
“My identity with sex – it was always based upon: ‘Oh, I just gotta do this service,’” she explained. “And my enjoyment, any enjoyment that I had at that era, in that point, in that time, came from: ‘I’m glad they’re happy.’”
“That was, like, depressing and not enough,” she continued, “Because I realised, like: ‘Well, wait a damn minute, this isn’t you, know what I’m saying?’”
The 29-year-old actor then recalled a piece of advice she received from The View co-host Goldberg while appearing on the talk show.
“I’ll never forget, I was on The View one time, and they were having a conversation about sex, a really great conversation, and Whoopi Goldberg said: ‘Please just – start with pleasing yourself.’ And I was like:‘That rings true,’” she recalled.
Palmer also admitted she’s never had a “happy ending” from “simulated-esque” sex, and revealed she now prefers to have an emotional connection with her sexual partner.
“There was one time in my life where I thought porn simulation sex – because that’s what it sounds like to me, porn: simulated-esque sex – was something that could be interesting or fun,” she said. “But I never actually had a happy ending from it, if I’m being, you know, lightly frank.”
She added: “I’ve only ever had an actual happy ending from a more demure, a calmer, a more emotional approach.”
Palmer has been open about her dating history and sexuality in the past. Earlier this month, the Nickelodeon alum spoke candidly about her sexual fluidity, admitting that she doesn’t identify as straight.
“I’m definitely in the middle of the scale. I’m definitely even across the board,” she said during a recent interview on the WHOREible Decisions podcast. “I feel like love is love, life is life. Do your thing, live your life. I feel that way.”
In 2015, Palmer released a music video for single “I Don’t Belong to You” – which featured a queer storyline with singer Cassie. Speaking to People at the time, Palmer said: “The video was to represent the young woman today – it’s not the traditional woman anymore – and not the specifics of ‘Am I gay? Am I straight? Am I bi?’”
“I’m making the rules for myself, and I don’t have to be stuck down to one label,” she added.
Most recently, Palmer has been romantically linked to Insecure actor Darius Jackson.
