FROM THE TRENCHES
BY: Dave Cummings – Porn Star/Producer/Director
Jan, 2011
Like every January, I just attended the annual AVN Adult Entertainment Expo (AEE) in Las Vegas. It’s THE place to gaze upon beautiful adult actresses, and to see and chat with porn insiders and friends. Yes, the hugs from the girls were nice, but it was also a pleasure to reconnect with all the Adult Industry folks. Everybody of note seems to gather every year at AEE, and this year was no exception.
Upon arrival at the Las Vegas Airport, it became evident that the Computer Electronics Show (CES) attendees heading to their venues made up much of the crowd standing in the taxi lines. While the very long line was snaking its way to the taxis, I overhead a lot of comments from CES people about their intent to also get over to AEE. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that AEE is a significant drawing card that motivates folks to sign up for CES in the first place, just so attendees can also make the rounds at AEE.
Upon getting to The Venetian, I had breakfast and then headed to the AEE Press Room to get my badge. As in the past, it was humming along like a well oiled military operation with personable/knowledgeable/helpful AVN staff members to process us, smile, make us feel welcome, smile, and to answer all our questions while smiling and being helpful. I saw lots of genuinely happy folks in that room.
Upon entering the AEE, I had an interesting walk through the Business-to-Business area which contained some very creative displays exhibiting an array of sex toys and other adult and miscellaneous products. From there I walked past rows of meeting rooms where Adult Industry buyers were doing business with manufacturers and owners, and into the main AEE room. Immediately, I noticed the delicious views of porn girls at booths signing autographs and posing for photos with fans. Despite the negatives of the rampant global piracy of porn, the room was full of happy people who seemed like they had just walked into a chocolate manufacturing area with “all-you-can-eat” welcome signs disguised as sexy models smiling away!
After walking around and enjoying the entire area, I headed to the Playboy Radio booth for an interview by hostesses Christy Canyon and Nikki Hunter who were doing their show live on Sirius/XM. We turned the sexual rhetoric up a few notches, and mischievous fun broke out. We three have a reputation of sorts for letting it all hang out.
Like I connoted, AEE was THE place to be. I think all fans of adult entertainment should put AEE attendance on their “bucket list”. Also for everyone’s list, year-round, I recommend these two favorites of many visitors to Las Vegas, and residents of Las Vegas, namely the Las Vegas Larry Flynt’s Hustler Club (see http://www.vegashustlerclub.com/ and The Erotic Heritage Museum (see http://www.eroticheritage.org/ ).
While in Las Vegas, I broke all my New Year’s resolutions to lose some weight. Oh, well! I can rationalize a bit of it by pointing to the way the two-quart containers of ice cream are now less than that; same with some bags of potato chips; and even the pop tarts seem smaller. Gee, what does a junk food guy like me do? For the record, nibbling on carrots won’t curb my craving for chocolate. It’s funny (not!) how I have no resistance to chocolate, and how the partially eaten large chocolate candy bars have been beckoning me to get my butt off of this desk chair and into my kitchen to grab yet another chunk of candy. I know that I shouldn’t buy chocolates in the first place, but I stupidly think that “this time” I can eat just a nibble every few days. Wrong!
That’s enough of my ramblings. Instead, please have a great, fun, happy, and healthy 2011; and let’s be extra nice to people just because it’s the right thing to do.
Dave Cummings www.davecummings.com / www.davecummings.tv / www.davecummingsvod.com