EXXXotica Miami was a blast, I made no secret of that. If you know me in person or read what I write on the internet, then you have an idea of how I would feel attending a literal theme-park of adult stars for a three-day period. I was in awe of the amount of A-list adult performers I ran into or witnessed walking the convention floor at the Miami Convention Center at the Hilton Hotel.
I saw many other things and met many other people, the unforgettable Ashley Fires being one of them. I had some time to talk to her about some important issues.
Speaking with Ashley Fires at EXXXotica Miami
Sex work is real work: a phrase that stuck with me after meeting the flurry of flames that was Ashley Fires on the convention floor of EXXXotica Miami. We had brief discussions about the political climate of sex work today, and it was a topic we kept touching upon. But this interview also took a turn for the fun side during all that necessary industry talk.
I could barely keep up with this blazing beauty as she was very engaging with her surrounding fans. This was more an experience than an interview as we spent moments connecting about important issues. As our eyes locked she explained to me:
“The treatment of talent, female talent is the foundation of the industry. However, even though they typically make more money, they are not treated with the respect and dignity that they deserve.”
When I heard Ashley Fires say that, I couldn’t help but agree with her. Especially since there wouldn’t be an adult film industry without the fine women who perform in front of the camera for us. I was at the Clips4Sale booth for this interview. We were surrounded by these beautiful performers showcasing firsthand the reality of camaraderie at this convention. There were cam girls all around us I sat with this steamy industry stalwart.
“I feel the fans are craving more one-on-one interaction.”
Ashley tells me this as cam girls dance gleefully at the camming kiosks strewn about the convention hall. Every word counts with Ashley Fires, as she’s more than that performer you’ve frequented on any given website. She revealed to me right then and there that she was also producing content herself.
Far from the harbor of the LA industry, Ashley Fires is now based in New Hampshire. This is where most of her content production happens. And this is why she has a unique outlook on content production, the political climate of the porn industry, and most of all, the importance of a proper work environment for sex workers. Just a few moments goofing off with Ashley Fires and I learned that much.
Wandering the Convention Floor of EXXXotica Miami
I saw many things, like stars I’d never thought I’d meet in person. Running into Phoenix Marie during that holiday retreat was purely an example of this unexpected excitement. So I made a small list of memorable moments and items from the convention hall. If this were a scavenger hunt, then I would have failed miserably, as I ran into only a handful of hits on my to-do list of things to take pictures of. But let’s go over the cool things I did indeed run into:
Holly Hendrix: She’s number-one on my list because of her entrance alone. I met her for the first time that day as an extreme fan and a part of the media. One of the assignments of mine was to photograph a performer wearing an American flag somewhere on their outfit. Luckily, Holly’s presence brought more glory than I even asked for, so I took a picture of that glory firsthand. She was also a part of James Bartholet’s seminar about how to break into the industry, so I was able to snap even more photos of my XXX darling.
Redheads are currently ruling this industry and constantly running into Lauren Phillips at events like EXXXotica, and seeing her in some of the hottest porn out now is evidence of that. I ran into other flame-haired furies like Penny Pax as well. The inferno of red hair blazed through EXXXotica that weekend.
Aside from the actual people that decorated the exhibits, there were actual booths dedicated solely to physical products. Dildos, automated sex toys, life-sized sex dolls, and even apparel. It was merchandise-mecca at EXXXotica Miami 2018.
The warm embrace between fans and performers was all around me at EXXXotica Miami. Certain performers commanded long lines daily like Abella Danger, Adriana Chechik, and Lexi Belle. I also witnessed lovely little performers like Kenzie Reeves in the arms of a lucky fan. It was a great weekend to be a fan of porn. It still feels like a dream that I’m recollecting with these photos.
That weekend of July 20-22nd in Miami will be a weekend that I’ll never forget. As a staunch supporter of this industry, it was nice to rally up with performers I write about on a daily basis. It was even better to see other fans line up and support these performers that work hard, that I happen to write about as well. I hope to be a part of more EXXXotica meetings in the future to yet again witness such an amazing dynamic. It was nice to finally meet you all that wonderful weekend.
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