Billed as the largest adult consumer show in the country, Exxxotica’s L.A. event completes show producers Victory Tradeshow Management’s trifecta of expos that also includes Miami and New York/New Jersey.
The inaugural L.A.show could best be described as a “something-for-everyone” porn event that crowded the show floor of the Convention center with adult and adult-friendly exhibitors including DVD companies, novelty products, T-shirt vendors, beauty treatment centers and even Hawaiian vacations.
The mixed bag of erotic fair was anchored by Exxxotica “hotties” stationed throughout the show along with a healthy showing of entrepreneurial porn star signing booths hosted by the stars themselves including Belladonna, Joanna Angel, Teagan Presley, Jessica Bangkok and more.
Some of the major exhibitors included L.A. Direct Models, Evil Angel, Hot Movies, Clips 4 Sale, Burning Angel, Screaming O, Urban X Awards, GlamourGirl magazine and more.
Many top industry players also signed on to sponsor the show including HotMovies.com, MyFreeCams, SexAppShop, Clips4Sale, Vivid, Belladonna Entertainment, Evil Angel, Wicked Pictures, Digital Playground, XBIZ, LA Direct Models and Genesis and Club Magazines.
LA Direct Models’ entourage included 20 of its top girl including Kagney Linn Karter, Lexi Belle, Amy Brooke and more. President Derek Hay expressed his thanks to Exxxotica for inviting his company to the L.A. show and told XBIZ, “The Miami show was very good and now it’s great to have one in L.A. as well.”
Regularly scheduled stage shows (including an appearance of hip-hop group 2 Live Crew), Miss Exxxotica amateur competitions, burlesque and porn star panels helped to create a unique and entertaining environment that ushered in a steady stream of fans into the DJ-generated beat-pounding hall to meet and greet their favorites.
J. Handy, Director of Victory Trade Show Management, Exxotica’s producers told XBIZ that he was thrilled with the L.A. turnout considering they had only a five week period of time to promote the show. Handy estimated the show attendance total to be about 15,000 – a number he said was realistic for these type of shows.
“The exhibitors and and all of our sponsors including HotMovies and MyFreeCams were great. They helped us take the Miami event and transport it to L.A. Our approach was quality over quantity and that’s evident in the buzz on the floor. And of course the Exxxotica hotties helped,” Handy said.
When asked if Exxxotica was created to fill the gap left this year by the perennial L.A. Erotica L.A. show, Handy said his company saw the opportunity and jumped on it. “In ’06 Erotica was a powerhouse. Exxxotica was always an east coast event but the gap let us now have a west coast show and we’re very happy.”
The show provided an easy venue for porn stars to hawk their wares in their own back yard. At the show’s central “Fantasy Island,” Adam & Eve star Teagan Presley who is a veteran of Exxotica’s Miami and New York/new Jersey shows said that it was a natural for the show to come to L.A. – the heart or the adult industry.
“I love J. and the show management. These shows are the best because we can sell our merchandise unlike other shows. Now we need one in Vegas and we’ll have the whole country getting to see us,” Presley said.
Another Fantasy Island girl, Chanel Preston had her virgin signing at Exxxotica. “I need to do this more often. This is the first show I’ve ever signed at and it’s really flattering to see how much fans know about me and want me to sign for them,” she said.
Even veteran stars lauded Exxxotica’s floor vibe.
At the Legends of Exxxotica booth, Nina Hartley told XBIZ that the show was already more fun that the Miami show because the buying mood of the L.A. crowd was much more friendly. “I love doing shows in my hometown and it’s especially great when I can do it with my friends like Ginger Lynn right here in the booth with me," Hartley said.
The star hinted that she’ll be making a new movie for Elegant Angel in the next few weeks.
Another legend, Randy Spears, said he felt the show was well attended but noted that was most important was that every year the girls get prettier. “Like always I come to these shows and just want to have sex with all of the hot girls,” he quipped.
Exxxotica’s official show model – Rubberdoll -- who graces the company’s ads said that she’s been exhibiting at the Miami show for five years and it’s always a great environment. The fetish model said she didn’t think L.A. would be as good as Miami but she was pleasantly surprised at the turnout.
Adult star Kagney Linn Karter echoed Rubberdoll comments and said she had sold out all of her products by the middle of the second day of the three-day show.
Fans also had a chance to ask their favorite stars questions about the industry in on-stage seminars that filled the gap between more raucous entertainment. “How to Get Into Porn” and “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Porn” Q&As drew fans from every corner of the convention hall.
An all-star lineup including Dana DeArmond, Dyanna Lauren, Tanya Tate, Isis Taylor, Alexis Texas, Lexi Belle. Gina Lynn, Dale DaBone, Evan Stone and Peter North answered questions about everything from getting into porn, to sexual positions, to how to keep coming during sex.
Ejaculate champion North advised, “Stay in shape, take vitamins and supplements, hydrate and keep having sex.” But DaBone countered, “I do all those things and I still can’t keep up with North.”
And the fans ate up the porn pros at ease. Amanda Brown, a local L.A. fan said she loved the show because of all of the beautiful women were present "in the flesh." “I never see these girls except on TV and DVDs so seeing my favorites like Isis Taylor and Lupe Fuentes, well it’s the bomb," she said.
Another fan, Richard Martinez from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. simply described the show as “hot.” “I like it better than Adult Con because it’s bigger and it has more models," he said.
But the Exxxotica expo also mixed business with pleasure. At the seminar on “PR 101 – Is bad Press a Good thing?,” industry public relations maven Brian Gross pointed out that a lot of written releases generated in adult are missing the mark. “PR is more than publicity – it’s communicating professionally. We need to take a page from mainstream.” he said.
Retail business was also part of the event.
At Evil Angel’s booth, Buttman Magazine Sales Manager, Lissa Baren said sales were brisk especially Belladonna, Sophie Dee and Asa Akira titles. Belladonna’s sales were no doubt helped by her exhibitor booth that housed a makeshift toilet where she graciously posed with fans for simulated raunchy photos.
Screaming O Promotion Manager was pleased with the show’s turnout. He said his company’s original vibrating cock ring was a brisk seller but the main reason to come to this consumer event was to continue branding their novelties and Rock On herbal enhancement products.
Porn legend Evan Stone summed it up best. "The fans are here and they're spending money in L.A. What could be better?"
