The Exotic Erotic Ball is billed as the largest and longest-running adult party in the world. And this year is the party’s 30th anniversary– a milestone they are celebrating in an extraordinary, no-holds-barred blowout. Over 20,000 sexually liberated souls will attend from far and wide. Founder Perry Mann is calling it the “XXX Anniversary” (double entendre intended). I interviewed Perry for this article (see below) and he promises to be “pulling out all the stops”, including bringing back favorite acts from prior shows, along with new acts from Europe and Asia, as well as the famous couples-only “Blue Room” and an amazing hand-selected Expo.

I’m writing this to say that if you are in the lifestyle, and even if you only travel to one event a year, you need to be at this party. Here’s why…Is the Exotic Erotic Ball a lifestyle show? Yes, and a lot more! It is sexy, it is unique, and it is very special. In many ways, this show features the best parts about being in the lifestyle while being even more liberated, more uninhibited, with more variety and with a truly unlimited freedom of sexual expression.

Many of us in the lifestyle have become so extremely cautious that we resist really letting loose once in awhile. We frequently obsess over discretion. We choose friendships and associate with “like-minded individuals” in an increasingly narrow way. We attend small and often exclusive events because that’s what we are comfortable with, but in so doing we cannot escape there being a lack of variety. This usually leads to an immutable and sometimes uncomfortable formation of cliques. We see the same people repetitively. And in succumbing to these inevitable byproducts of the lifestyle choices we’ve made, it’s possible that we might have lost track of what is important to us – like meeting new people, experiencing new social settings, and even seduction and new pleasures. And perhaps we even forgot the root of what attracted us to the lifestyle in the first place – our passion for freedom of expression as we escape the repressed vanilla scene.

I’ve seen more hot things transpire at this show than at any other event!

I’ve been to the Exotic Erotic Ball 6 times myself, and I’ve met a number of great people – some I’m happy to now call friends, and some who are blissfully anonymous. I’ve had sex in the bleachers with a new female friend at this event, and on another occasion I got possibly the best blow job of my life in a corridor from someone whose name I never got. I’ve seen more hot things transpire at this show than at any other event – because it’s everywhere; on stage, in the audience, and in the adult Expo. Some of the things I saw (and did!) fueled fantasies for months. Needless to say, I’ve become a fan and categorically state that this is the wildest and sexiest show around.

Those are the reasons to join in this party. It is unique, unlike any other party on the planet.It is special, you will meet the most amazing, uninhibited friends. It will make you remember seduction and experience new visceral pleasures. It will resuscitate your love and respect for freedom of expression. And it will liberate you completely and without fear, even if only for a night.

Part of what makes the Exotic Erotic Ball unique is the convergence of 5 things – you have tons of sexy on-stage entertainment with real production values; you’ve got all the funky fashion – lingerie, fetish, costume - that comes with Halloween; there are nooks and crannies filled with perversion and exhibitionism that comes with the oddball way the Cow Palace is shaped; there is all the support from the adult industry which means porn stars and sex toys and porn star wannabe’s at every turn; and finally, there is the sheer scale of all this spread over 20,000 people at one time. It’s true sensory overload – sights, sounds, and smells all bombarding you at every turn. And it’s San Francisco, too, so the locals are over the top. You do the math – where else can you see more hotly dressed sexually liberated fans of freedom in one place? And as a fetishist I can tell you that it doesn’t matter whether you fancy leggy blondes, pleasantly curvaceous types, fishnets and a corset, or other salacious delights, it’s all here. There are all shapes and sizes, all dispositions, and lots of couples who like to share and share alike. At the Exotic Erotic Ball, you pick your flavor. Because you know it’s here.

And here’s another reason why this show is special and important. As a nation, we’ve just spent 8 years living under a lying and conniving government who would have no problem denying its constituents even the most basic civil liberties. Forget what you think of the new administration, because if you are reading this article on this website, you have got to favorably embrace the fact that this guy, at minimum, is not the other guy. The Exotic Erotic Ball has maintained a political consciousness over the years, without standing on a soapbox. They have been irreverent, usually with good humor. I was there when they paid tribute to Larry Flynt for his contribution to freedom and dubbed him as the one man who truly took a bullet for the cause and I felt the chills when the crowd gave him a standing ovation. I was there when they conducted mock same sex marriages smack in the face of the failed proposition and people applauded that too. And I remember the furor that resulted after they issued an uproarious though offensive press release pronouncing that all half-size people would get into the next event for half price. Clearly, Ball founder Perry Mann has never been one to take himself too seriously and yet, he has managed to maintain the Ball’s image as a real contributor and leading proponent of personal freedoms. And when you combine that image with the climate of change we are undergoing and the momentousness of the 30th anniversary, you get “special”.

Perry Mann gave me a few minutes the other day, and I had the chance to ask him about the show and its relevance to those in the lifestyle. Here’s a quick transcript of that interview:

RC: Thirty years, Perry – that’s a long time. Did you think you’d make it this far?

MANN: I didn’t really think about it in those terms. When I started the Ball, it was a small party in my apartment to raise money for my friend Louis who was running for President under the Nudist Party. I had no clue what it would become. Over time, as I went through much personal travail, I learned to be grateful for many things. I’m especially grateful to be here for this.

RC: Leave it to you to come up with a double entendre for the number 30 with “XXX”!

MANN: Well, the 30th Wedding Anniversary is Pearl, so we were sitting around making lame pearl necklace jokes, looking for a better marketing hook. As soon as we realized that the Roman Numeral for 30 was XXX, we knew we had it.

RC: The Ball has received so many accolades – and you must have had so many highs. Looking back, what makes you the most proud?

MANN: Unfortunately, some of those “highs” you mention have diminished my capacity to remember. (Laughs) The thing I am most proud about - and this is hard to explain in a few words – is that the Ball hasn’t lost its message or its edge despite the growth, without being overbearing. A lot of people who attend every year see us in a twofold manner – as a giant sexy party, and as a celebration of freedom. I like that.

RC: What about disappointments or regrets?

MANN: My biggest regret is easy – losing my partner Louis tragically in 1995. He would have loved to see this.

RC: What can you tell us about the 30th Anniversary Exotic Erotic Ball, and do you encourage people “in the lifestyle” to attend?

MANN: Do I encourage it? I love it! We’ve taken exclusive floors at the local Radisson which is a great property with an indoor pool, so everyone on your floor is going to the Ball and the party begins at the hotel. We put together a $669 VIP ticket and hotel package that covers two people which even includes some spending money – it’s the best deal we have ever offered in our history so the value proposition is there. We brought back the popular Blue Room – a couples-only section with provocative ambience and Liberator furniture. As for the show content, the focus is partly on sexy groundbreaking stuff, and partly on bringing back the best acts from previous years. To find the best new stuff, we’ve already sent Paul Nathan to Europe, Asia, and South America. To pick the best returning acts, we’ve asked our email database to choose their favorites. We’re getting a huge response. I’ll announce more soon.

RC: How do you see the future of the Exotic Erotic Ball?

MANN: I don’t over-think that. We’ll stay true to our roots, not take ourselves too seriously, put on a great show, and remember to give back.

RC: And what about the future of America and the world?

MANN: Does anyone really want my opinion? I can’t speak for the world, and I’m not the fearful type so I don’t worry about what I cannot control. As for America, I think that pure capitalism is having a rough time, and maybe rightfully so. I like the guy we have in charge now, so let’s hope he has answers. I’m just a guy who throws a big sexy party. And my next one is October 24 at the Cow Palace, the one party you do not want to miss!

Thanks Perry!

The 2009 Exotic Erotic Ball is an incredible, over-the-top party that’s celebrating a milestone anniversary, and a special event occurring during a new chapter in our history. If you love the lifestyle for its variety and our love of personal freedoms, no event delivers this more than the Ball.

All signs point to this celebration being one for the ages. Plus, I know Perry’s got something special up his sleeve, and damned if I’m going to miss out on that!

So I’ll see you at the show … right? And hey - when you see a marginally handsome guy in a black leather kilt snapping pictures with his Palm, come by and say hello.

Want to attend? You’re invited!

Click here for the Exotic Erotic Ball on Kasidie

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