LOS ANGELES — King Ryan, a promoter who got his start in the mid-2000s with adult industry events, has passed, reportedly after a car accident.
Ryan, also known as Ryan Long, was known to longtime industry insiders like Dan Leal and TeeReel as one of the biggest party promoters in the industry.
"He threw tons of wild events," in the mid-2000s and early 2010s, Leal told XBIZ from Budapest. "He started in adult and did events with us for about five years. We did them together at first and then he took over when I got too busy to organize them for AEBN. He was the party go-to guy for years. Porn was a different world back then, with huge parties with hundreds and sometimes thousands of people every month."
In the mid-2000s, performer, producer and agent TeeReel told XBIZ, "there was still good money in the adult industry and a lot of Hollywood club promoters popped up on the scene and used performers and the industry as a stepping-stone or just a quick way to make money. But Ryan was different. He didn’t just throw parties — he had events and mixers where people in the industry could actually make real contacts and connections to build their brands and move forward."
A "King Ryan Event," according to TeeReel, "would be filled with celebrities, industry insiders, performers and influencers, at a time where that was not the norm. Ryan looked at us and the people in the industry as equals, putting together countless events, co-sponsoring performers' birthdays and movie releases and supporting our companies."
King Ryan Events were held "at some of the hottest clubs in Hollywood, all the way to the Playboy Mansion."
"People met their significant others," said TeeReel, "brokered business deals and helped build their brands. Pictures and videos from those events would end up on all of the major mainstream and adult blogs and websites, helping to put the adult industry in a better light."
Leal reports that Ryan had "moved on from adult and was doing very well, organizing multi-million-dollar charity events and motivational speaking engagements."
"Ryan made his transition to philanthropy and started the city gala organization that would put charities in touch with investors, business brokers and donors, raising millions of dollars for good causes," TeeReel explained. "From James Cameron to Halle Berry to most recently Demi Moore, his connections and support at those events were unbelievable."
TeeReel remembers his friendship with King Ryan as one of mutual support.
"He never turned his back on the industry or our friendship and my agency was more than happy to attend and support these charities in attendance at his annual Oscar parties," he said.
Last Halloween, Ryan and TeeReel hosted a table at Will Ryder's "Heaven and Hell" party.
"We had just talked at the last City Gala event and were planning on doing something together," TeeReel said. "I can’t even name the numerous times we helped each other out, talked about business and encouraged each other to grow as men. The charity work he was doing was amazing and inspiring and there is literally no one else that could replace him in that field."
"He’s an amazing guy and will truly be missed. The industry lost a great supporter, and I lost a good friend."
