Do I have the wrong hotel? There's nobody at the Diplomat

I am in my glory days right now. But the shows aren't. And I'm not living a "lifestyle". I'm just telling you the truth. Back when there were only a couple of shows the sponsors (including us at a few shows) would put all their "show" resources into them.

Now, there is no way for a sponsor to do that. Just too many shows. So they may be spending 50 grand a year to go to shows...but it's spread out amongst a dozen shows instead of just one or two.

I've never been to Dirty D's glory hole. Not my kind of thing. But I've made lots of money casually discussing things with paysite owners with drinks in our hands and getting to know each other.

You seem to be a little bitter with your "grown up" statements. Got some news for you...handshake deals in strip clubs, restaraunts, etc. are and always have been an important part of making money in every business. And it's usually guys my age and older doing it.

You're also missing the point I'm trying to make while you're busy concentrating on "growing up"...
AFFILIATES. As an affiliate I bust my ass. I don't have a lot of time to walk away from my company. There is literally shit to do 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But even I need a vacation sometimes.

And so do the thousands of affiliates out there who sit in front of a computer everyday bored to death. Yeah, they promote porn. But do they ever get to see it in real life?

No.

The shows USED to provide that. As an affiliate we were treated like gold at shows. Free drinks. Naked girls ON the show floor (but as I said earlier...they now choose hotels based on kickback money instead of what we need, and there is no nudity at those hotels). Lavish sponsor parties.

These were all designed to do one thing...grab the couple of affiliates you might not have yet, and get MORE traffic from the guys who already promoted you but might only run a gallery or two and never gave you a good push.

And THAT was why affiliates once attended shows in great numbers. It was FUN. It was something to break up the monotony of living in front of a computer screen all day. It was a chance to actually meet and talk to the girls you promoted.

Now the shows are boring. I still make money when I go to them. But not at any "official" event. It's always over a drink. Always.

It's already been said to death...there only need to be two shows a year. And those shows need to give affiliates a reason to be there. If they are going to walk away from their work for a vacation once a year, it's going to be the Bahamas or Jamaica or Mexico IF the shows are nothing but seminars and a half dozen booths with billing processors.

If you think I'm wrong...then you need to go to a show and see for yourself. There is absolutely NOTHING to do there.

What the fuck would an affiliate do at a show if he chose to attend one in 2010?

Nothing. He doesn't need to go to a "seminar". He doesn't need to do "speed networking". He doesn't need to listen to some paysite owner give keynote speeches.

What he wants is to put a face to the name he talks to on ICQ. He wants to have some comradarie that he misses out on by working at home by himself. And he wants to have some FUN. \

And back when the shows provided those things...I always went straight home and put up links to the guys that I made friends with and had crazy times with for a few days. I was re-charged and on fire.

Now? When you get back from the show...you feel like you need to go out to a club and have some fun to break up the fact that you just overpaid for your room, drinks, and food for 3 days and you didn't even see one titty.. lol

I know you are disagreeing with me. And in that case I say...Go to the shows and enjoy the 5 or 6 billing companies that are the only companies with a presence there anymore.

Then honestly ask yourself...if you were an affiliate would you want to be there on your "vacation"? Or would you rather be in Cancun?

It will be sad to see this show disapear. If merging it is the only way for it survive, similar to the Vegas show all that is needed aré some Internet only gathering.

Or an Internet only party.

stop wasting your breath robbie. that guys always been a shit talker. he's a troll.

Oh....

I wanted to do something this summer. I COULD have went to Miami to that show.

But instead I flew over to San Diego to Pacific Beach and got a suite with a balcony overlooking the ocean and I spent 4 days there. Had a blast and went to the San Diego Zoo and Sea World for good measure.

Did it all the week before the Miami show.

That's where one of the affiliates was at during the show. I never would have done that back when there were only a couple of shows a year. Never.

But I wanted to do something that I could have some fun doing. And sitting at The Diplomat and overpaying for drinks and food with nothing to do just wasn't gonna cut it.

And obviously I was not alone in that thought. How many affiliates attended do you think?

Well I have to say I am not disappointed but the attendance was a little scary... I pretty much figured that.

I had my meeting set up and really was not there to party.. I think people in this industry are so use to talent being there and tons of party's.

I got what I needed out of the show.. but would have like to see more webmasters. The shows was a little sad.

If this show closing down will FINALLY get you and Score to venture out of Miami for a show....then I'll be happy!

You need to come to Vegas and party with me!

One is tax deductible, one is not.

B.S. I'll find a way to do business on EVERY trip I take.

It's called a laptop and doing a bit of work everywhere I'm at. I also take a camera with me and shoot content everywhere I go. So "no" that isn't true. Both places are tax write-offs

And quite frankly...for those that aren't clever enough to make sure it IS a tax write off, I don't think that taxes are on their mind when it comes time to take a couple of grand vacation is it?

While I am sure I am sure to take any tax benefits available (and there are a ton), not every affiliate has the ability to write off taking pics.

You may need to look into some automation

RE: The HDR adventure at the CR Bash - yes, definitely a classic scene and great memory, among many others, for the people involved

RE: Shows and business: Despite the fact some people are in denial, there are a lot of "cliques" in the adult industry and many of those people don't do business with others "outside of their circle" too often. How did those cliques get formed? People partying and hanging out with each other. If you want to do business with those people, your best bet is to do the same.

This doesn't mean you must be a whore-banging, alcoholic drug-user. Many friendships and relationships can also be formed white water rafting, ATVing, visiting an amusement park, attending a small dinner; these are things people remember.

Seminars, meetings, lame parties in venues you can't hear yourself think, etc... are NOT.

No, but they can do lots of other things. Business calls, working on the laptop, etc. etc.
And even when I wasn't shooting content from 2002 to 2007 I still wrote off every trip I took to the Bahamas, Jamaica, and Mexico. I had my laptop and worked every day...even though I was naked on the beach with a drink in my hand while working.

I do have a lot of shit "automated" in that I can cue up galleries to run on my tgp's, write blogs ahead of time of course and have them scheduled to go up, have tube clips scheduled to go up...

BUT I can't automate the hands on operations here. No way. I'm on the phone every day with my programmer working on stuff. Running 4 tgps, a tube, a paysite, a program, doing support, CM's cam shows, social networks, public appearances for CM, shooting content, editing content, working on new music and music videos, etc.

I'm like James Brown...the hardest working man in show biz!

I like shows. It get's me to nice places, meet interesting people, do business, have nice dinners, enjoy and learn/grow at the same time.

Me too. I guess all starts from oneself being openminded and not the prejudice or too high expectation levels, wether compared to past experiences or not.

And your accountant was okay with this? Seems a little over the top, particularly because you can make business calls and work on your laptop "anywhere", there really is no need to be in any of those locations to do so.

I've been told you can justify a "business trip" somewhat easily (look at real estate, possible business buyouts, etc.), your method just seems to be pushing it.

Back when exactly are you talking about?