Shooting the Bull – Page 15

Exxxotica Chicago 2012

I made a quick stop in Chicago to visit Exxxotica this weekend. It was well attended show, especially on Friday and Saturday, and is much busier than my experiences with the Exxxoticas in Miami and Los Angeles. Again, the Ladies Free Friday promotion helped bring out the people after work. Girlfriends and wives were accompanying their men, and groups of women shopping were seen throughout the convention that day. Every porn star I talked to indicated that business was good and people were eagerly buying their merchandise.

The stage shows were stronger this year with Belladonna doing her aeriel silk show on the main stage this year and Stoya doing her aeriel ring show. Both performers have immensely improved from the previous year with their technique, strength, and tricks.

Click on Stoya for the photos on Flickr.

Some other notes:

Gianna Michaels and Ron Jeremy were easily the most popular porn stars signing while Clips4Sale with Ashley Fires and Missy Rhodes had the most popular booth.
Web model, Eva Lovia, won the Ms. Exxxotica Chicago contest, and she was easily the most striking new girl that I’ve seen. Imagine a taller Cris Taliana with boobs.
Brooklyn Lee and Tasha Reign humoured me when I asked for a President Clinton shot. Probably because the request didn’t involve cigars.
Brooklyn and Stoya also wrestled in a lube match sponsored by Fleshlight. Think oil wrestling.
Teal Conrad and Raven Bay were both newbies who seemed happy to greet the fans. I had extensive conversations with them.
Jesus may Love(s) Porn Stars,but apparently XXXChurch doesn’t love Buddhists. They visibly scowled at me when I explained that I would not accept their stickers because of my religion.
Aleksa Nicole kept turning her face away when I asked and tried to take a photo. Not sure what was going on there. Maybe she was charging for photos of herself only.

IAFD Set Visit: Selena Rose feature

Thanks to the folks at Digital Playground, I was able to visit a Selena Rose feature, directed by Robby D in April. Selena plays a drifter who crashes a house full of eager guys and jealous girlfriends. One thing about features compared to gonzo movies is that the shooting can take the entire day and night rather than 3-4 hours. You would have multiple takes of dialogue shot at multiple angles that I can only imagine what an editor is faced with when the shooting is finished. Robby and his crew were gracious hosts, but I couldn’t last into the night… (That’s what she said).

Selena Rose is a beautiful Cuban American from Miami. She’s done multiple features for DP so she’s used to the long hours. She’s quite flirty in person and normally I would be skeptical in dismissing it as something she puts on for the press. However, I’ve met her in the past in more casual situations when she didn’t know who I was to conclude the flirtiness is just part of her normal personality. Sex always seems to be on the mind with her and I was flattered by the attention she showered until Manuel Ferrara showed up. Heh.

I also met a newcomer named Alexis Monroe who was in her first week of the business. She is a sweet girl from Michigan who I had a conversation about rabbits with beyond “doing it like rabbits”. We got along fabulously until she laid eyes on Erik Everhard. He really likes blondes so I can’t begrudge this.

Finally I met Tristyn Kennedy, a lovely Southern belle from Tennessee by way of Dallas, Texas. She was the first person I interviewed who was more nervous than me. We talked a little about how she came into business with her roomie, Ashlynn Leigh. Speaking of, I had ran into Ashlynn the previous day at the Apple store because that’s how things roll in Porn Valley. I didn’t get to see Tristyn have nasty sex with James Deen because the scenes got backed up late into the night, and I needed my sleep.

Expect some interviews from this set visit.

IAFD Set Visit: Immoral Productions’ Fuck a Fan

I first met Porno Dan in Berlin in 2009 when he brought his Fuck a Fan over to Europe. Most of it was a blurred memory due to massive amount of alcohol we all imbibed. I’m not even sure if the Fuck a Fan scenes there were shot due to logistical problems, but my friend Malte and I had a standing offer to attend one of them in the States. Except, I wasn’t sure if he had invited us to visit or participate.

I finally made that set visit 3 weeks ago even though it was abrupt because I had to run off to shoot the XRCO Awards. The concept of Fuck a Fan is that you have 3 fans or wanna-be-pornstars who would engage in some silly contest which is also broadcasted online. The winner would get to fuck the feature girl which was Jenna Presley, while second place would get a blowjob, and third place would get a mere handjob. Jenna was assisted by fluffers, Jennifer White and Nikki Sexx. Porno Dan would be the MC of this contest, and I’m sure he got some perks from the girls on the side even though I didn’t stay long enough to watch the sex scenes. As he would say, “Everyone’s a winner on Fuck a Fan”. Well, everyone except for the staff who have to clean up the mess.

Some NSFW shots.

Some notes:

Despite the years that have passed since seeing each other, Jenna recognised me as I walked right past her.
First time I met Jennifer White, and she is very pretty in person. She was also accommodating with her nakedness.
Porno Dan is all business before the shooting starts. Then it seems like a switch is turned on, and he becomes the silly host that you see on video or in person when drunk.

XRCO Awards Photos

Speaking of the XRCOs, click on Asa for some photos from the awards:

Spieglergirls were the big winners with Asa Akira, Jessie Andrews, Brooklyn Lee, and Bobbi Starr getting all of the major female performer awards.
Cherie Deville was quite lovely as a trophy girl, but I didn’t get to meet the other trophy girl, Allie James.
Taylor Russo kept showing me her vagina. Of course, that made me wonder about what her twin‘s vagina looked like. Too bad Flickr censors vaginas.
The crowd was smaller than last year’s but they certainly stayed a lot longer. Even Tim Von Swine and his broken shoulder stayed for several Heinekens with me.
I really like Vicky Vixen‘s boobs… and her vagina too. Again with the Flickr censorship thing.

Congrats to the XRCO Hall of Famers!

This Thursday, April 12, the X-Rated Critics Organizationwill induct 9 industry folk into their Hall of Fame.

On the performer side, the honorees are: Rhonda Jo Petty, Vince Vouyer, Julia Ann, Jenna Haze, and Jesse Jane

On the production side: Miles Long and Luc Wylder

Lastly, representing the Fifth Estate: Tristan Taormino and Den

I’m happy to be personal friends with two of the honorees and wanted to take a moment to congratulate them…

Luc Wylder was one of the first industry people I ever met, back in the mid-90s at the East Coast Video Show in Atlantic City. He has been a big supporter of ours from way back in the RAME days, and we’re very excited to see him back in the director’s chair and now, in the Hall of Fame. Luc pioneered the pro-am genre with his Dirty Dancers series, did some great MTV Cribs style work with Adult Stars at Home series and fun travelogues in the Sex Across America series, and this is to say nothing of his B&D work epitomized by his Master’s Choice series. I always worry that Hall of Fame status comes at the end of a career, but I think with his new entries in the Amateur Angels series, he’s put those fears to rest.

Almost 4 years ago to the day (where has the time gone!?) Luc was the first of our IAFD Interviews.

And I also need to take a moment to say a word or two about my friend and colleague, Den, who is being honored posthumously. He’s my second friend (the first being IAFD’s co-founder, Peter van Aarle who was honored in 2011) to be accorded such an honor, and if I had a choice, I’d prefer he stay out of the Hall if it meant one more phone call or review…

In the mid-80s, Den produced his own mail-order adult content, being one of the first amateur producers (if not THE first) to shoot on S-VHS. For his troubles, he got into a legal battle for free speech rights and spent some time in jail for his role in producing adult material. In 1996, Den founded his site, Cyberspace Adult Video Reviews or CAVR.com. Every day he diligently watched almost every type of porn imaginable, noting down his observations and publishing them on the web. He posted more than twenty seven thousand adult movie reviews until he retired from reviewing in April 2011. Den was easily the most prolific writer of on-line adult film reviews we have seen. A pioneer whose career spanned more than two decades, Den influenced a generation of reviewers and ushered in the era of independent, on-line critics. He was a tireless voice for the industry he loved right up until his passing last year.

Not only was Den a reviewing machine, but he was a giant fan of the industry, and we miss walking around AEE with him; he was like a kid in a candy store. In an industry where its possble to become jaded very quickly, Den had an enthusiasm for the girls that was unmatched. If there ever was a reviewer who deserved to be in the Hall of Fame, it’s Den.

As caretaker of his website, I was hoping to accept Den’s award on his behalf, but scheduling conflicts will keep me on the east coast this week.

Congrats to all the honorees.