The name Ducky Doolittle might not instantly bring to mind anything sexual. It is the stage name of a 33-year-old former stripper turned sex educator, writer, burlesque performer and comedienne. Her latest gig is a series of lectures on sexuality at New York's Museum of Sex, and she also continues to write, publish, and maintain her website.

Ducky Doolittle is a clear argument for nature over nurture, as she had very little of the latter growing up. Her early childhood involved aimless ramblings living out of a car with an alcoholic mother and two sisters. While in her teens, she ran away to avoid being molested by her stepfather, and her mother committed suicide not long after. She wound up in foster care.

As if this were not enough, her mother's drinking while she was in the womb led to multiple birth defects. At the age of seven, she endured some 13 surgeries to correct urinary, kidney and bladder problems.

She is clearly a survivor, and developing a good sense of humor was probably part of the process of survival. That sense of humor comes out in all her work, from the whimsical name to her donning her alter ego, Knockers the Klown.

Her first exposure to sex work was when she learned she could make extra money just by showing her tits. She started working at the famous 42nd Street's Show World Theater. Her job working behind plexiglass lasted only a year before she decided it was time to move on, but it had a strong impact on her growing sexuality.

Not that she was a late bloomer. The Kegel exercises she had to do as a result of her childhood surgery built up her pelvic muscles, and she was having strong orgasms at a very early age. Her early experiences were with girls, but she has grown to appreciate the male gender too now that she has moved on from her childhood neighborhood where the boys "were so nasty and mean."

She had worked for Kinko's, and had learned a lot about printing. This led to her publishing zines, the first of which was about tattooing. She had been writing erotica for her own personal pleasure, and one day a friend talked her into posing for some pictures. She was so happy with the results that she combined the pictures with her writing to create her first erotica zine. It was for this zine that she created the Ducky Doolittle moniker.

She put out 16 different titles, and a friend encouraged her to do a public reading. That led to more performances, and soon, an artist was born. Writing erotica led to writing about fetishes and before long, she was a sex writer and educator.

Combining sex education and performance has led to many interesting experiences. As Knockers The Klown, she has spanked Howard Stern with a rubber chicken. She has appeared with the Circus Redickuless and the Bindlestiff Family Circus. She toured the nation performing her signature shows: Amazing Objects Removed From Human Rectums and The Screwy Animal Show. She has been featured in publications including Spin, Penthouse, Details, The New York Times, The New Yorker, New York Observer, NY Post, and The Village Voice. She has been on shows including Sex Bytes (HBO), Sexcetera (Playboy TV), and Behind Closed Doors (Playboy TV).

Her website includes listings of her appearances and workshops, a sex advice section, a few articles, some adult toy and book reviews, a journal, and several tame photos. Those hoping to see a little more of Ducky in her member's area have missed the opportunity, however, as she is no longer accepting new members.

In 2004, Ducky plans a national tour, something she has not done in five years. Over March and April she will cover much the West Coast and East Coast, with stops in between in places such as New Orleans and Texas. She will be appearing at universities, colleges, women owned sex toy shops and possibly a few indie book shops. This will be a terrific opportunity to learn about sex and be wildly entertained at the same time. Check her website for tour updates.