Revamped Internext Concludes

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. - Amid soaring temperatures, occasional rainstorms and no shortage of thunder, lightning and blue skies, Aly Drummond, director of online marketing for AVN, told XBiz that this year's Internext, renamed “Internext Conference,” went well despite many people's resistance to the altered show format.

Turnout included Max Hardcore, Jenna Jameson, Tera Patrick, Ron Jeremy, ePassporte's Chris Mallick, Paycom, CCBill, Playboy, Hustler, Vivid, and an enviable list of webmasters and adult professionals.

As in past years, the show took place at the oceanfront Westin Diplomat Hotel & Spa, which this year was taken over entirely by adult webmasters and offered increased opportunities for companies to showcase and advertise their products and services by either purchasing booth space on the showroom floor, or renting poolside cabanas to maximize sun, fun and foot traffic from the showroom floor. Tradeshow hours were even cut to increase focus on those companies that opted for the cabanas as their primary location for show exposure.

While some show attendees complained about heavy security at the event that kept many people from coming and going with the freedom they were used to in past years, Drummond said she was on hand to meet and greet webmasters and clear up any confusion over the registration and hotel check-in process.

In an effort to maintain a feeling of adult exclusivity, hotel guests and event attendees were only allowed to enter the building if they had a show badge in their possession.

Webmaster veteran Sleazy Dream told XBiz that while he wasn't sure attendance was what it had been in past years, the webmasters he had encountered on the showroom floor and at networking gatherings, seemed far more informed and Internet savvy than in past years.

Other revamps to this year's Internext show included a new lineup of seminar topics focusing on industry topics such as mobile technology, 2257 record-keeping requirements, protecting content from obscenity prosecution and a poorly attended seminar on the controversial sponsored top-level .XXX domain name, which was hotly debated by ICM Registry's Jason Hendeles, Stuart Lawley – backers of the sTLD – with opposing viewpoints expressed by YNOT Master's Connor Young and Tom Hymes of the Free Speech Coalition. Other panelists included industry attorney Greg Piccionelli and Monte Cahn of Moniker.com.

Other informative industry gatherings included a sponsor meeting for ASACP and an early morning FSC update on the recent preliminary injunction hearing in Denver, Colo., at which several top-notch free speech attorneys such as Paul Cambria and Louis Sirkin posed a formidable legal argument against the U.S. Department of Justice's amendments to 2257 law.

“It couldn't have gone better,” Hymes said to the crowd of FSC supporters and members, referring to the hearing that took place on Aug. 2. Hymes added that at the conclusion of the hearing, the judge said he would issue a ruling within the next three weeks.

Hymes and the FSC feel confident at this point that the secondary provision in 2257 amended law will be enjoined and possibly even the amended regulations altogether.

Drummond predicted that next year's show will have even more additions, including water sports, more controversial seminar topics and more parties.

Party highlights included a GFY warm-up party in the Grand Ballroom East with GFY's Eric Matis on hand as the event's host; TopBucks' Big Fat Greek Dinner; an AVN-sponsored Smoke & Mirrors party at Nikki Marina; Netbilling's Porn Poker Tour Main Event; a Pajama Party thrown by Mac Daddy Bucks and Crazy Club Chick; a Cybersocket webmaster gathering; Maleflixxx Cock & Tail Hour; a PinkTV Party at a 25,000 square foot warehouse in Miami; and of course, the annual SilverCash Bikini Contest.

This year's traditional scotch and cigar party was thrown by NoCreditCard.com and ChargeMe Later, drawing a large crowd of cigar smokers and non smokers to enjoy the sunset ocean views, hors d'oeuvres and a full bar.

Women in Adult also held its yearly courtyard gathering that doubled as both an Internext send-off and a gathering of people interested in nurturing and supporting women adult professionals.

Earlier this month, WIA's Holly Moss disbanded the organization's board of directors due to lack of time to devote to the organization she founded two years ago.

The next Internext event will combine AVN's Adult Expo for the first time in Las Vegas, Nev., Jan. 5-8, 2006. In previous years, the two events ran back-to-back, one catering to the business-to-business community, and the other to a more consumer-based audience of attendees.

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Justices Alito, Thomas Invoke Victorian-Era Morality Law, Raising Censorship Concerns

Several national publications reported this week on widespread concern among Free Speech advocates after U.S. Supreme Court Justices Samuel Scalia and Clarence Thomas repeatedly invoked during a hearing the infamous segregation-era law the Comstock Act, which was the cornerstone of U.S. censorship of sexual material from the 1870s until the 1970s.

Skinfluential Management's FansFuel Acquires Fanwire

FansFuel has acquired creator account management tool Fanwire.

Nebraska AV Bill Moves Forward Despite Privacy, Free Speech Concerns

Nebraska’s unicameral Legislature has given first-round approval to LB 1092, the state’s version of the age verification bills being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists.

AEBN Celebrates 25th Anniversary

The Adult Entertainment Broadcast Network (AEBN) is celebrating its 25th year in business this week.

Performers in Meta Blacklisting Lawsuit Seek to Preserve Antitrust Claims

Adult Performance Artists Guild board officers Alana Evans, Kelly Pierce and Ruby have informed a California court that, although they want to drop their lawsuit claiming that Meta conspired with OnlyFans to blacklist rival premium fan platforms’ talent, they may still pursue antitrust claims in the future.

FSC, Co-Plaintiffs to Ask US Supreme Court to Review Constitutionality of Texas Age Verification Law

Free Speech Coalition (FSC) and its co-plaintiffs in the challenge to Texas’ controversial age verification law have petitioned the United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit to stay its recent decision upholding the law, because they intend to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to review the law’s constitutionality.

FSC Vows to Fight Florida Age Verification Law

Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has issued a statement vowing to continue fighting Florida’s new age verification law, which was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday as part of a comprehensive bill targeting minors’ use of social media.

Kansas Republican Aims to Create New Bureaucracy to 'Investigate' Porn Websites

Republican state legislators succeeded Monday in moving forward Kansas’ version of the age verification bills being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists, despite serious concerns raised by House Democrats about the cost of establishing a new bureaucracy tasked with investigating websites for pornographic content.

SK Intertainment Launches 'Skinfluential Management' Agency, FansFuel Joint Venture

Mr. Skin/Mr. Man parent company SK Intertainment has launched new creator agency Skinfluential Management, as well as a new joint venture with Showbizz Media's creator stats and affiliate marketing platform, FansFuel.

Industry Attorney, Free Speech Champion Clyde DeWitt Passes Away at 75

Noted industry attorney Clyde DeWitt passed away on Friday in Las Vegas at 75, according to friends and colleagues.

Show More