Let's Play 20 Questions with Party Promoter and Editrix, Abby Ehmann
Pleasure hunters who seek the best raunch in New York, San Francisco, and soon the world, seek Abby Ehmann, party promoter extrodernaire. She took a little time out from putting the sexy back in to sleaze and her busy writing career to chat for our mutual pleasure.
PD: What’s does it take to be a performer for your parties?
AE: Um, probably just knowing me! Or having me know of you! That and some talent, I suppose. And maybe balls! Figuratively, not literally...
PD: How else do you find entertainment?
AE: I find my performers all over the place: Tribe, MySpace, other events, and recommendations from friends. I meet people easily and wind up in wacky conversations, so I've probably booked people I've met on the subway or at the grocery store. My favorite booking story is Rosin Coven. My friend Gabrielle (of St.Eve fame) went to Burning Man and the band was camped across the street. She suggested them for Gomorrah. They were touring around the country and she was helping them get gigs. I spoke to Justin over the phone and he said their set was about an hour long. I was scared to death. Our audience didn't usually have that long of an attention span. But they showed up and completely STUNNED everyone. And I loved, loved, LOVED them! They were touring in a little white school bus and I SOOO wanted them to take me with them! Instead, I wound up camping with them
at the next two Burning Mans! I also continue to work with Justin on the San Francisco Mondo Pornos and other events, like the Edwardian Ball.
PD: Two words: Santa Crawl. That’s hard-core. What on earth possessed you to do that?
AE: Are you kidding? Costumes, crowds and lots of alcohol? How could I NOT? To be clear, SantaCon isn't MY invention.
I'm following in years of black booted footprints. The event was created by the Cacophony Society [link?] and I'm just one Santa out of thousands. It's one of my favorite days of the year, though, along with Halloween and the Mermaid Parade. Burning Man doesn't count cause it isn't just a day.
This year I missed the NYC SantaCon but made it to San Francisco's AND Sacramento's.
Urp.
PD: Eee-yeah, how many fingers am I holding up?
AE: Hey, fuck you too! Oh, one?
PD: What/who are you writing for these days?
I'm a regular contributor to ErosZine.com and though I'm no longer a monthly columnist for Penthouse Forum, I'm still writing for them too. I don't know what's up with my column at Leg Sex. My editor there seems to be lost in the email ether. I'm hoping to do some stuff for Fleshbot and I'm always looking for other gigs.
PD: Porn, porn, porn porn. Where do you get it, how do you disperse it at Mondo Porno?
AE: It comes in the mail by the boxful. Both my husband and I review porn, so we get lots. I used to hand out tickets and swap tickets for a DVD at Mondo Porno, but that got too labor intensive. Now I just chuck it into the audience.PD: Do you ever just snag some for your own?
AE: Of course, I do! I keep the good shit. The stuff I toss out is the crap! Hahahah
PD: Why Mondo Porno?
AE: I started Mondo cause we were accumulating WAY too much smut! I used to give it away at my zine and magazine parties but when I stopped doing those, the piles were just growing. I thought, hmm, what would be an easy party? How about rock bands, a few burlesque acts and free porn? Needless to say, it was a HUGE hit! And I've been doing the party every six months for a few years now.
PD: Spunkbubble, why, why why and what happened? Ran out of pies?
AE: HQ and I just wanted to do a lazy-ass, sick, alcoholic, messy, low maintenance party. Thus, SpunkBubble. The first bar we did it in closed, like, the next day. So we had to keep moving it. When we wound up at Delancey, that was cool, but it got WAY too complicated. We wanted a cheap, dirty high...I mean party. And Delancey required too much work. So I guess it just fizzled... And there are ALWAYS enough pies!
PD: Are you branching out to San Francisco?
AE: I began branching out to San Francisco years ago, when I worked with Justin on the Edwardian Ball and our post-Folsom Street Fair event, Afterglow. That was awesome! I've been doing Mondo in San Francisco every six months, same as in NY, for a few years. I spend a lot of time in SF cause my sister lives there, so I'm in town for holidays, Burning Man, my niece and nephews' birthdays, etc.
PD: What’s your personal kink? Come on, share with the class.
AE: I don't really have a personal kink. I do have a thing for tube socks--fluffy, white, clean tube socks. Mmmmm. I've been known to engage in all manner of perversion. Usually when there’s a prodigious amount of booze or other mind-altering substances involved. I guess you could say I'm easily influenced when under the influence! Hahah! I enjoy open-hand spanking (giving, not receiving) and am a total slut for foot worship! I've indulged balloon and pie fetishists cause I enjoy that sort of thing. Really I'm just interested in a good time, whatever that entails!
PD: Have you ever produced a party just because you had the perfect outfit?
AE: Well, I did have a Mondo Porno Pirates just cause I had a great pirate costume! But usually the party comes first and I figure out the ensemble. Any excuse to get all dressed up, in costume or drag or even fun colors and fabrics, is good with me!
PD: According the NYPress, you have the best orgies of New York City. Wow. What makes a good orgy?
AE: For a really good orgy there are a LOT of variables: the right venue, sexy décor, but probably the most important this is the right mix of people. Guests need to feel comfortable and relaxed and, well, sexy. Each party is different, even if you set all the variables the same because the situation is very dependent on vibe; you know, the right energy, room temperature, all kinds of things, some of which are virtually impossible to control. It's really just magic, to be honest, a special alchemy of moment, mood, humans and pheromones.
PD: What is orgy party etiquette?
AE: I could go on forever about that. It's complex. First and foremost is respect. Guests have to respect each other's boundaries, limits, space, all that. Always ask permission. I like to say use common sense, but often once there are naked people, others tend to kinda temporarily lose their minds. So discrete "policing" is always necessary. And introducing people to each other. Someone you've been speaking to for a few minutes can get away with more than a total stranger!
PD: What is your Burning Man camp like?
AE: I don't always have my own camp. I've only had my own once. I've camped with Rosin Coven in Trashistan twice, Kostume Kult once, sort of. I had my own camp in 2005, Abbyville. It was really just a bedroom community of Asylum Village, a camp for newbies and others who weren't interested in a big production...kinda a low-maintenance-ville situation. It was awesome! And this past year I camped in the DPW Ghetto. DPW is the crew who builds the infrastructure of Burning Man. Camping in The Ghetto was a pretty fucking incredible experience! I'll have to write my memoirs down eventually...
PD: How long does it take for you to recover when you get back from it?
AE: Well, when I would go for one week, it would take about a month to recover. But since I was out there for, um, two MONTHS this past year--I'd have to say I haven't recovered YET! Nor do I plan to.
PD: Get any ideas for new parties, or did it delete certain parts of your brain?
AE: It DID delete all sorts of stuff! But every moment at Burning Man is an inspiration. I get all KINDS of ideas. Mwah-hahahahaha!
PD: What’s the strangest place you wound up after a party?
AE: Oh, man. This could take a while--A cot. THAT'S a looonnnng story. Floors. A number of hotel rooms, alleyways, the backseats of cars, in bed with lotsa unidentifiable people... I guess the cot is the strangest. I have a very extensive party history, mind you.
PD: What makes a good party by your standards?
AE: Well, lotsa free booze helps! But it's really the people. If I can get into a good conversation or two...or get into trouble...or get into someone's pants, well THAT'S a good party! Everybody must get laid! Hah! Seriously, big or small, huge budget or none, loud and raucous or mellow and quiet, it's really the people.
PD: What are you wearing now? I need to get off here soon or there will be trouble for all.
If I tell you the truth, no one will be getting off! Though I AM wearing some really great new panties. They're baby blue Victoria's Secret, soft cottony fabric, those little boy shortie kind, with little crowns all over them. I was sooo excited to get them on sale. They're comfy and soft, soft, soft! A black and bright flowered push-up bra...also Victoria's Secret. Black jeans and a random shirt and my DPW hoodie. Which you can see me in -- and nothing else! -- in my Tribe photo album!
PD: Most of your parties have fetish elements and the great, late Gomorrah revolved around kink. Any fetish themed parties coming up?
AE: I don't have too much planned at this point, just a Mondo in San Francisco on Cinco de Mayo! But I'm always whipping stuff up, so keep an eye out for me and my events!
PD: What’s next?
AE: Well, I never know. A book? The EditrixAbby Reality TV Show? I'm hoping to eventually revamp my web site, which is sorely in need of fixing. I'm supposed to be working on a book, but there was a big change of personnel at the publishing company and everything's on hold. I have a bunch of ridiculous ideas percolating. We'll see! I'm sure it will be entertaining, though! Cause one thing's for sure: I am NEVER dull!
Find the perfect sexy party through Ehmann's website, EditrixAbby.com , or check out her MySpace page.
