The opening on Friday night received substantial mainstream attention.
"We had TV coverage from all the major stations for the opening," Erotica LA Senior Show Manager Renee Johnson told XBIZ. "Channels 2 [CBS], 4 [NBC], 5, 7[ABC], 9, 11 [Fox], 13 and 34 [Univision]."
Crowds at the Erotica show thickened late on Saturday afternoon, as several live events were scheduled to take place including a latex fashion show presented by fetish producer GwenMedia and a tattoo contest judged by adult celebrities Tera Patrick, Joanna Angel, Dave Navarro and Evan Seinfeld.
Many fans anticipated Saturday’s main event, the 2008 FAME Awards, which were held at 9 p.m.
Production companies participating in the show included Jules Jordan Productions and Wicked Pictures, flanking the entry with their large booths. Other participating production companies included Mercenary Pictures, Sex Z Pictures, Burning Angel, Sweetheart Video and Girlfriends Films.
Vendors, who covered a majority of the show floor, enjoyed a brisk business from a steady stream of attendees. Consumers were tempted by several herbal sexual enhancement products like the Money Shot, distributed by Julien Marie Inc., which promised to enhance the amount of ejaculation with a special Chinese herbal formula.
Everything from hair replacement to plastic surgery, bed sheets to Latin dance instructional videos, car rims to stripper poles, as well as the traditional assortment of lingerie, clubwear, smoking accessories and sex toys were offered for sale.
A new cross-promotional area was added this year. The Sexopolis Rock Arena featured several metal attractions for fans, including booths with merchandise from the band Motorhead, Hollywood’s famous Viper Room nightclub and metalhead online blogger babe Metal Sanaz. “Family Business” star and “Pussy Party” director Cousin Stevie had fun flogging starlet Amber Peach as she was strapped to a bondage cross in the middle of the arena. Adult online producers Hellhouse Media hosted a booth nearby, as well.
The Teravision booth was a huge draw for fans, who waited in long lines to meet stars including Tera Patrick, Sasha Grey, Sunny Leone and Dave Navarro. And enormous banner of the box cover for “Teradise Island 2” hung from the ceiling to the floor, behind a DJ that spun an old school rock mix for the crowd.
Patrick’s rocker husband Evan Seinfeld was busy meeting with video crews and various dealmakers. Between meetings, both he and Teravision executive producer Sancho manned the booth and helped manage the flow of autograph seekers.
“We do it for the fans,” Seinfeld told XBIZ. “People love to see Tera and that’s what being at the show is all about — being able to get out there and meet them.”
Next door to Teravision, at Jules Jordan’s booth, the lines also were long for starlet Jenna Haze, who was dressed in a pretty blue dress and matching high heels.
Later, Jordan was spotted at his former place of employment, the Evil Angel booth, where he showed up with a boxed pizza. Reminded that his entrance was like the setup to a scene, he drew laughs from the Evil crew by announcing, “I’m here with your big sausage pizza!”
Evil Angel director Jake Malone was gushing over a pretty black starlet that he discovered in the crowd, as Evil Angel’s Karen Stagliano presided nearby. Belladonna spent several hours meeting fans, taking time to talk to each of them. A wheelchair-bound fan rolled up and asked her to sit in his lap for a photo, but Belladonna went further and mounted a provocative pose, with her arms wrapped around his neck and one leg over the arm of the chair.
Performer/director Kimberly Kane came by the Evil booth as well, taking a break from the booth she shared with redheaded Justine Joli.
Late on Saturday afternoon, legendary performer Sean Michaels attracted a lot of fans to the Urban Spice Awards booth. The award show was held on Sunday night, after Erotica closed.
Adult industry investment firm AdultVest and yet-to-be-launched online adult network iPorn.com, had a large presence at the show, with floor banners leading all the way to their booth space with an enormous light-up sign.
At the Wicked Pictures booth, contract performer Jessica Drake wore a sexy Los Angeles Lakers uniform, with Kobe Bryant’s name across the back.
Arrow Productions extended its "Deep Throat" branding to bananas with the movie title rubber stamped on them, on sale at the Arrow booth for $1 each, right next to the company's signature DVDs.
Other performers appearing in booths to sign autographs and pose for pictures included Eva Angelina, Sunny Lane, Ashlynn Brooke, Kayden Kross, Stephanie Swift, Sophia Santi, Angie Savage, Cindy Pucci, Rebeca Linares, Flower Tucci, Jack Lawrence, Whitney Stevens, Sunny Leone, Stormy Daniels, Randy Spears and Tommy Gunn.
