Online Industry Veteran Joe E. Passes Away

Online Industry Veteran Joe E. Passes Away

LOS ANGELES — Online industry veteran Joe E has passed away, according to friends and industry associates.

Joe E co-founded CEN (Cyber Entertainment Network), one of the most expansive paysite affiliate networks of the early 2000s. He also created the online adult industry trade publication KLIXXX, and originated Island Gathering, a retreat-style event for adult site webmasters.

Fellow industry veteran Kevin Blatt called Joe E “a marketing guru, a showman, a friend and, most of all, a pioneer for the adult industry in general.”

“I never met a more interesting and benevolent marketing guy in all my years working in the online adult biz than Joe E,” Blatt eulogized. “He lived hard, he loved hard. He was a family man. He loved his mom, who passed several years ago, so much and I know he really adored being a dad. He took care of so many people, from employees to friends, and suffered a lot of hard losses, from his bodyguard Big Scotty — who perished in the plane crash that took the singer Aaliyah while we were all in South Florida for a show — to being locked out of his company and screwed out of all of his businesses.

“Who could ever forget the full Norwegian cruise ship he rented out for an evening back in 1999-2000?” Blatt recalled. “He did it to entertain the masses, and to get more affiliates to his websites. Imagine the movie 'Caligula' on a moving ship in international waters. The gambling, the excess, the exhibition of every sexual niche you could imagine — he pulled off a party that was unrivaled. Even Hugh Hefner couldn’t throw a shindig like that. So many incredible memories come to mind that it’s going to really take some time to let this all settle in.

“I’ll miss Joe and his devilish smile so much,” Blatt concluded.

Jonathan Silverstein described Joe E as the epitome of "one of a kind" and "a living legend in our lifetime."

“Everyone who knew him has their own Joe E story,” said Silverstein. “I have dozens, most not for public consumption but all legendary in their own way. He was a real mensch and will never be forgotten.”

Veteran webmaster Colin Rowntree dubbed Joe E “the embodiment of the high-roller industry player in the early days.”

Rowntree remarked that it was always one of the highlights at trade shows to see what over-the-top thing Joe E would do.

“Besides renting an entire Norwegian Cruise Line ship to throw a bacchanalian party for a thousand affiliates and players, he handed out $100 bills to anyone that welcomed him back after a particularly ugly tribal war with his affiliate partners which almost destroyed him — he miraculously survived — and threw $25,000 into the air for people to grab at a party he hosted for affiliates at a local gentlemen’s club,” Rowntree reminisced. “Yet, beneath the glitz and audacity of his events, lay a man deeply invested in his community. His spontaneous acts of kindness over the years were truly extraordinary to witness.”

For Rowntree, Joe E was a figure whose impact was monumental and who represented a bygone era in the industry.

“He rightfully earns a place as an epic hero of mythic proportions, a key influencer who shaped the industry during its formative years,” he concluded.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 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

UK Lawmaker Calls for Appointment of 'Porn Minister'

Baroness Gabrielle Bertin, the Conservative member of Parliament who recently convened a new anti-pornography task force, is calling for the appointment of a “minister for porn,” according to British news outlet The Guardian.

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

TTS Opens UK Testing Location

Talent Testing Service (TTS) has opened a new U.K. location in Ware, Hertfordshire.

FSC: Age-Verification Laws Go Into Effect South Dakota, Georgia, Wyoming on July 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a statement regarding new age verification laws set to go into effect tomorrow in South Dakota, Georgia, and Wyoming.

FSC Responds to Supreme Court Decision on Texas AV Law

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released a statement responding to last week's Supreme Court decision on FSC v. Paxton, the Texas age verification law.

Sex Work CEO Debuts Upgraded 'GPTease' AI Assistant

Sex Work CEO has introduced the new Canvas in-chat editing feature to its AI-powered, NSFW text generator, GPTease.

UPDATED: Supreme Court Rules Against Adult Industry in Pivotal Texas AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday issued its decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, striking a blow against the online adult industry by ruling in support of Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

North Carolina Passes Extreme Bill Targeting Adult Sites

The North Carolina state legislature this week ratified a bill that would impose new regulations that industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

Supreme Court Ruling Due Friday in FSC v. Paxton AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court will rule on Friday in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, the adult industry trade association's challenge to Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

Ofcom: More Porn Providers Commit to Age Assurance Measures

A number of adult content providers operating in the U.K. have confirmed that they plan to introduce age checks in compliance with the Online Safety Act by the July 25 deadline, according to U.K. media regulator Ofcom.

Show More