LOS ANGELES — The Learning Annex in Los Angeles is holding Se-XXX-po 2006 on Saturday, Oct. 14, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

While The Learning Annex, a leading producer of seminars, lectures, classes and workshops, has covered topics of a sexual nature before, this is the first slate of events dedicated to sexuality over the course of one day, the Annex’s Program Manager Jessica Cox told XBIZ.

Se-XXX-po 2006 events range from panels to workshops to live demonstrations covering a variety of topics including the corporate sex industry, couples sex tips and advice for adult entertainment newcomers.

“While we have covered sex-related topics previously, this event is specifically something new to attract enthusiasts,” Cox said. “The goal is to gather a lot of people all at once, and give them a slate of activities they can benefit from. Our organization is a learning facility first and foremost. We want to introduce our guests to the sex industry and have them learn something new in a safe, fun and exciting environment.”

Panelists include Stockroom.com CEO Joel Tucker who founded the sex gear and toy company while still in college. Tucker will share his story of building his multimillion-dollar business from humble beginnings.

Other events include the lecture “From Foreplay to Finish: How to Create, Manufacture and Sell Your Adult Product” hosted by Eyal Feldman, founder and CEO of Boy Butter, a sexual lubricant. “Overcome Sexual Shyness and Get What You Want!” will be hosted by 10-year BDSM participant Mistress Melissa and her sub Katie.

A seminar on how to break into the adult entertainment industry will feature speakers including performer and director Diana DeVoe, Paradise Visuals co-owner and director Jason Green, industry veteran Bill Margold and former performer Felix Vicious.

The final event is the workshop and live demonstration “Exotic Photography for Pleasure and Profit.” Lori Mann serves as host for the activity; her work has been published in GQ, FHM and Libido Magazine.

“A lot of the speakers have been involved with us already, but for the Se-XX-po we focused on bringing in innovators and successful entrepreneurs,” Cox said. “We want our attendees to feel like their success is attainable.”

To register for Se-XXX-po 2006, members and nonmembers should call (310) 478-6677, or email registration_la@learningannex.com. The cost to attend is $104.98.

Source: XBiz

PHOENIX, Ariz. – The first ever Gay Phoenix Forum got off to a busy start Thursday as hundreds of industry professionals traveled to the sprawling desert city for four days of networking, seminars, parties and the ever-popular Cybersocket Awards, which were held last night at the Amsterdam, a popular gay club within walking distance of the downtown hotels.

The unofficial start of the show took place Wednesday night as early-arriving attendees enjoyed the traditional invitation-only dinner held by Epoch and a sponsors dinner held by CCBill. Both were well-attended affairs that helped set the tone for the show: a convergence of high-level players from the gay adult community for business and pleasure.

Thursday saw the arrival of the remainder of attendees, most of whom were staying at the host venue, the Central Phoenix Inn and Suites, with the rest staying at other hotels and resorts close by. The highlights of the day included a welcome barbecue, sponsored by CCBill, DRMNetworks, CCBill EU and CaveCreek Web Hosting, an Epoch get-together at the Wyndham Hotel and, of course, the Cybersocket Awards.

Cybersocket tried something different this year by inviting consumers to the event. According to Cybersocket President Morgan Sommer, CCBill and the host venue, Amsterdam, spent a lot of time and money publicizing the awards locally, and it paid off. The place was packed to the rafters and so crowded during the awards ceremony that movement was all but impossible.

Chi Chi laRue was the hostess extraordinaire, rattling off the nominees and winners like a machine gun, often looking for a zinger to shoot at an audience member or winner.

Among others, XBIZ was the winner of the Best Magazine category. XBIZ President Alec Helmy accepted the award, expressing his appreciation for the award and offering kudos to the XBIZ editorial staff.

"We’re all thrilled about XBIZ World being awarded Magazine of the Year,” Helmy said later. “Thanks to Morgan and Tim of Cybersocket for putting on such a fantastic event."

He added, "Because of its focus on the gay market, this [Gay Phoenix Forum] show offers a unique networking opportunity. The attendance has been very impressive and everyone I have spoken with is really enjoying the show."

The show picks up today with a full slate of seminars, networking events and parties.

Source: XBiz

SAN FRANCISCO — The 27th annual Exotic Erotic Ball, a celebration of flesh, fetish and fantasy, will admit all half-sized adults at half-price.

"This is not some half-baked promotion,” spokesman Henry “Angry Hank” Dorfman said. “It is the result of careful analysis — square footage versus space utilization. And besides, half the time little people walk right in under the turnstiles anyway.”

Over its 27-year history, the Ball has offered various discounts to narcoleptics, multi-millionaires, and people with three nipples, but this marks the first discount offered to smaller-sized adults.

The Exotic Erotic Ball is slated for Oct. 28 at the Cow Palace. Live performers include rapper Too Short.

Source: XBiz

TAMPA, Fla. — Adult webmaster trade show Cybernet Expo will turn 10 next June. The organizers have asked attendees to save June 7-10 for the show.

The show will be held at the Hilton Westshore in Tampa, Fla. The organizers have bought out the entire hotel.

"Many of the leaders in our business responsible for shaping our industry back in the day, cut their trade show teeth at Cybernet Expo,” Cybernet Expo owner Fay Sharp said. “The landscape of the industry has radically changed since Cybernet Expo launched 10 years ago, but the show itself has remained constant and has weathered many storms. We couldn’t be more thrilled to be doing the show in 2007 at the Tampa Westshore Hilton in the late spring."

"The decision to move the show to Tampa was an easy one,” Cybernet Expo Director LAJ said. “Cybernet Expo has always been an international trade show, attended by anyone interested in an affordable, fun and educational event. We were ready for a venue change, and I’m especially thrilled at the huge support that Tampa and surrounding area adult companies have already shown us in the pre-planning of the 2007 show."

The Cybernet Expo 2007 website will officially launch later this month. Sponsorships will be available at that time.

Source: XBiz

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Coming off a wildly successful Amsterdam show, Webmaster Access has announced the 2007 Getaway event will be held in Lake Tahoe, Nev., Feb. 8-11, at Harvey’s Resort and Casino.

The Getaway event, which previously was held in Cancun, Mexico, will feature gambling, snowmobiling, tubing, snowboarding, and skiing, along with a full slate of parties and dinners.

“After three successful years in Cancun, we’re really looking forward to bringing Webmaster Access Getaway close to home,” says organizer Eric Matis. “Tahoe is an easy fit for us, and it provides world-class skiing, great mountains, gambling, and escorts. What more could a webmaster ask for?”

Registrants will start receiving emails in December that will allow them to choose which events they want to participate in each day. Skiing and snowboarding lessons will be available.

Complimentary transportation to Lake Tahoe from both the Reno/Tahoe International Airport and the Sacramento International Airport will be provided.

Source: AVN

LOS ANGELES - Sexsearch will give away a room at the sixth annual Island Gathering to one of its affiliates. Each Sexsearch affiliate will receive one entry into a special random drawing for each new member referred Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Limited to the first 150 adult industry professionals who register, the Island Gatthering will be Oct. 12-16 at a luxury resort on Curacao. It is hosted by Epoch and Klixx and has been sold out since July.

Sexsearch, launched in 2003, is an adult personals site that boasts more than 10 million registered members and claims to attract 15,000 new members daily. The company says it has grown primarily through affiliate marketing and pays out more than $1.5 million a month to affiliates.

New affiliates get a $100 bonus just for signing up, and they can choose from geotargeted banners and hosted galleries to promote the program.
“Our target market is anyone over the age of 21 who is interested in sex … which is almost everybody,” Chief Marketing Officer Adam Small (formerly with Yahoo!) told Online Personals Watch recently. “Other personals sites beat around the bush; we get straight to the point. We know that there’s lot of people out there who are interested in sex.”

Source: AVN

JACO BEACH, Costa Rica - Online registration for the second annual Costa Rica Bash will begin Oct. 1.

Organizers for the event have announced details of the adult industry gathering taking place Feb. 22-25, 2007.

Premium sponsors for the event include dating site IwantU.com and billing company CCBill. More than 400 attendees are expected to attend this year’s event. A number of hotels are available; the majority of events will take place on the beach and various after-parties will be held in San Jose, the island’s capital.

“Last year was a tremendous success, so we decided to do it again,” says marketing director for IwantU, Sam. “We think it’s the best atmosphere to do business and create new relationships. The bonding experience was amazing last year. Everybody gets to know each other and talk business.”

A number of island activities will be offered, including canopy and ATV-jungle tours. A poker tournament will be sponsored by gaming site 2Bet.com.

At press time, organizers said one of D-Money’s Players’ Balls would be held on the beach.

Food, transportation, and the quintessential open bar will be provided for attendees.

Organizers say this is an ideal time for company owners to sponsor the event: The premiere bash garnered attendees from all over the world.

“People spoke about it for a long time. The event provides great visibility, the parties are crazier than in the U.S. and business gets done fast,” says Sam.

The event also will offer a day of seminars covering legal advice, offshore content, and an open discussion for attendees.

Source: AVN

CURACAO – As industry gatherings go, the Island Gathering has always been, and continues to be, one of the more exclusive to attend, due in part to its remote location just off the coast of Venezuela, in the warm waters of the south Caribbean Sea.

But make no mistake, the adult webmaster event, which kicks off its 6th annual get-together this Oct. 12-16, has a lot more to recommend it than just its isolation from fast-moving civilization. The former Dutch colony is a sort of warm-weather Amsterdam, boasting legal gambling and prostitution and banking laws that are… well, flexible. Add to the mix a gorgeous resort and three days of activities designed to excite, enthrall and amuse, or just relax, and its no wonder Island Gathering has remained so popular.

In fact, this year more people are planning to attend than any other year, according to Joe D, editor of Klixxx magazine, which, along with Epoch, is hosting the event.

“We are now officially sold out,” Joe told XBIZ.com, adding, “We hope you didn’t miss the boat!”

And just in case anyone thought that Island Gathering was just an excuse to party, Joe claims that more CEOs as a percentage attend Island Gathering than any other event. He also mentioned that, despite the sold-out announcement, there may be a few rooms available for last-minute registrations due to cancelations.

This year’s activities will include favorites from years past, featuring ATV tours of the island (sponsored by Eurorevenue), swimming with dolphins, sea lions and feeding the sharks at the Curacao Aquarium (Camazon Cash) and Dive ‘n’ Sail and Snorkel ‘n’ Sail cruises (Naughty Bank). There are also sponsored breakfasts and dinners (Epoch), a daily Dutch Café (Python), Wine & Cigar Bar Soiree (PPPcard and SlickCash), a poker Tournament (2BET), a beach party (AWEmpire), daily happy hours (SexSearch), and Late Night with PrideBucks, CRB Company, and RealityCash.

A complete list of sponsors and more information about Island Gathering can be found on www.islandgathering.com and for any inquiries, email Dana M at dana@netthinkmedia.com.

Source: XBiz