Novelty News :: May 2010 :: It's Showtime!

It's Showtime!

By Desiree Duffie

The second annual ANME Founder's Show at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank

July is quickly approaching and that means it’s time for the highly anticipated ANME Founder's Show Happening July 11-13 at the Los Angeles Marriot Burbank, the second annual ANME Founder’s Show promises to be bigger than the first.

There will be over sixty exhibitors showing the newest products from the largest and most respected manufacturers in the novelty industry. The ANME Founders recognize the need to have a show focused on B2B. That’s why the ANME Founder’s Show once again promises to be exclusively for novelty businesses without a distracting public element.

Topco Sales plans on having a themed booth this year. For many years Topco Sales was known for its creative trade show booths and kitschy-fun themes. Without spilling the beans, or the popcorn, or the cotton candy, Topco Sales' trade show booth designers will only divulge that the booth will be unexpected and delightfully unique.

A new addition to this year's Show is STOREROTICA Magazine, joining as the Official Media Sponsor.

Attendees arriving early are invited to the Meet and Greet Cocktail Party on Saturday night from 7-9pm. The show hours Sunday July 11th and Monday July 12th are from 9am-6pm, and Tuesday July 13th from 9am to noon. Monday evening features the ANME Founder's Show Welcome Dinner at 6:30pm. Registration is open Saturday July 10th 3-7pm and Sunday July 11th 9am-6pm.

Walking distance from the airport, the Los Angeles Marriot Burbank is easy for attendees and exhibitors to access. Special room rates have been reserved for ANME Founder's Show attendees and exhibitors. For more information and to register, visit www.anmefounders.com.

Joanna Angel is a writer, producer, director, model, journalist and AVN award winning adult film star. Angel has been featured in mainstream publications such as the New York Times, The Village Voice, Time Out New York, The New York Press, Esquire UK, Spin Magazine, and well known Adult publications Penthouse, SCREW, XBIZ, Fleshbot, AVN, and she was named "Up and Coming Jew" on the cover of Heeb Magazine. She's made appearances on Playboy TV's "Sexcetera," Fuse TV, Howard Stern and KSEX Radio. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English a minor in Film Studies from Rutgers University and considers herself a writer above all. She's followed her intuition and created a punk-porn empire including websites, blogs, movies and toys for a new generation of porn fans that appreciate her sense of humor and punk rock sensibilities.

"I think people take porn and even 'alt-porn' way too seriously," says Angel. "I want the viewers of my movies to have fun. Also, a lot of our members aren't really avid porn watchers. They're a younger demographic and have barely watched any porn in their lives. Having one hundred percent serious porn would scare them away. The humor makes the website feel more like a lifestyle site, [more] like a personal joke instead of something wrong and dirty that you need to hide from friends and girlfriends."

She thinks it's "Joanna Angel" that sets the Burning Angel brand apart from the Punk Porn pack. "Not to sound arrogant but… No other company has Joanna Angel as their spokesperson. [BurningAngel.com] was one of the first—not the first, but one of the first—adult sites to feature 'punk rock' chicks—not your average blond, busty fake-tanned girls. We weren't trying to do anything revolutionary… I was just making things up as I went along and asking my friends for help," says Angel.

Angel had never even seen a porn movie until well after starting the BurningAngel.com site with the early, relatively tame photos. Once she viewed a porn movie for the first time, she thought, "Wow… I love porn… It's awesome… But it would be a lot more awesome if my kinda girls were in it." So she started adding hard-core sex scenes to BurningAngel.com. Over the span of a year, she edited the scenes into a movie starring Miss Angel herself. "BurningAngel.com—The Movie" was produced on a budget of $4,000 and consisted of a series of hard-core sex scenes with a punk rock soundtrack and interviews of popular rock bands sandwiched in between.

Angel recalls, "After that, things really took off. The New York Times and Village Voice started writing about me and my company, and hundreds of girls were applying to get on the website. It was all really crazy because everything seemed so organic to me. In the midst of this buzz I was called by Hustler Video for some meetings. I flew out to Los Angeles and started meeting people in the 'real porn' industry. Eventually I started directing for Hustler Video, which gave way to [the movies] 'Joanna's Angels' and 'Joanna's Angels 2,' both nominated for several AVN awards in 2006 and 2007. In 2007 'Joanna's Angels 2' won for Best Sex Comedy. I was like, 'Yes! I succeeded at making a hot, FUNNY porn with girls who look like me—as opposed to girls who looked like Pamela Anderson—and people actually liked it!' That felt good."

On JoannaAngel.com, she reveals her softer side: she says she was shy in high school, not overly interested in sex, was picked on by the jocks, and that she finally lost her virginity at age 18. "Doing porn made me find the woman inside that was waiting to come out," she says.

Angel and adult novelties manufacturer Topco Sales® signed a licensing agreement in July 2007. Angel's line of toys fills a gap that existed in the adult novelties business: Punk Porn toys geared toward the Punk Porn lovin' MySpace/FaceBook Generation. "Creating a brand extension from Joanna Angel's movies and website to a line of toys is a natural progression. Her attitude is reflected in the products and the packaging, which feature her signature pink and black," said Desiree Duffie, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Topco Sales®.

The addition of the Burning Angel Toy line to Angel's Punk Porn empire means there is now something for everyone within the brand: still photos, hard-core movies, R-rated movies, toys for boys and toys for girls. And like her movies, her toys have a sense of humor with colors like Punk Ass Pink and Bitch Ass Black. The first Burning Angel Toys release included Bondage Tape, Waterproof Bullets and Vibes, all in a unique fractured finish, as well as realistic CyberSkin® strokers molded directly from Joanna herself. The next release will feature a life size inflatable Joanna doll with a screened face and realistic CyberSkin® pussy and ass.

Travelin' Toys

By Evelyn Haight

With summer fast approaching and dreams of vacation flitting through our minds, the editors of Topco Sales' Novelty News were wondering just what our seasoned sex-perts do to avoid sticky situations while traveling with their favorite Topco sex toys.

Here, we've compiled a few of the team's best tips and stories to keep you informed:

Top Tips for Sex Toy Travel

POWER DOWN. If a toy is battery-powered, take the batteries out, turn one of them around or slide a protective covering in between the connections. This will keep it from turning on at an inopportune moment and buzzing merrily away as TSA searches your luggage.
ZIP UP. Store toys in clear, plastic zippered bags. Even though Airport personnel wear plastic gloves when searching luggage and carry-on’s, they have still touched everyone else's items, so this will help protect yourself and your toys. And, since lubricants and massage oils can leak, placing these liquids in a double layer of clear, plastic zippered bags will help protect the rest of your belongings.
CARRY ON. If it’s a simple toy, put it in your carry-on. For most vibes and dildos, it’s the easiest way to transport them. But be prepared, you may be asked about the toys and you’ll need to give security an honest answer. Items like metal dildos and BDSM gear shouldn’t be carried on since they might look like weapons.
CHECK IN. More complex toys need to be checked–particularly items like, large toys, lubricants and rechargeable massagers. These items may also arouse the curiosity and suspicion of TSA agents. Remember: Even if it’s in your checked luggage, people are probably still going to see it.
HANDS OFF. Some toys may just be better off left at home. Super-fancy and/or expensive toys (like intricate fetish equipment or sex machines) are going to invite lots of attention. Not only will such devices practically guarantee a luggage search, they also run a high risk of theft.
LEAVE OUT. Don’t bring your most treasured sex toy on a trip. In case it is taken by security, neither your heart nor your bank will be broken. In some cases, it might be best to simply invest in disposable sex toys when you reach your destination. Items like disposable cock rings and bullet vibes are inexpensive, easy to find and will still get the job done.
SEND AHEAD. When traveling with a large number of toys the easiest solution is to ship them ahead. You’ll avoid embarrassment and luggage fees plus you’ll be able to keep track of them with added insurance and a signature requirement upon delivery.

First Hand Experience

"While I was in the airport in Germany, waiting to get on a plane to London, I heard my name over the intercom. Suddenly two security guards appeared next to me and asked if I was Ms. Pellegrini. It was early, so I wasn't really awake; I had my bags in one hand and my coffee in the other. They took me outside, near the plane, where a man in a full HazMat suit stood next to my suitcase on a table. He said, 'Would you please open your suitcase.' I said, 'Sure, can you hold my coffee?' He took my coffee and I opened the suitcase and the guy said, 'Can you please remove whatever is buzzing?' I reached in and pulled out one of the six vibrators and held it up to show him. I could hear the security guards snickering behind me. I turned to them and said, 'You want some samples for your wife? It's cool, take some. Just don't arrest me!'"
— Vanessa Pellegrini, International Sales Director, Topco Sales

"I was returning from a street team mission to promote the Vida luxury pleasure objects at Sundance. When I landed at the airport, sure enough, just as I feared, my suitcase was vibrating. Luckily no one called me into a dark room to ask me what was in there. Had they opened it up, they would have found not one but 5 vibrators – out of their packaging because they were samples to show people. Try explaining that!"
— Annalee Wilcox, Video Content Producer/Copywriter, Topco Sales

"Once I was going through security at the airport with my former boss and he was carrying aboard some light fetish toy samples...masks, whips, chains, you get the idea. Well, the chains and some whips were confiscated by airport personnel, but what was worse…was the impression we left that I was a kinky dominatrix! Talk about funny looks! All in a day’s work."
— Karen Raehpour, Account Executive, Topco Sales

What do you think is the best packaging aspect of the new Sinclair Select line of products from Topco Sales? (please select one)