According to news reports, actress Erica Boyer was killed on New Year’s Eve in a traffic accident near her home in Panama City Beach, Florida, where she had been living since her retirement from the adult industry in 1994. She was 53 years old, and is reportedly survived by one son.

The Panama City News-Herald has reported that Amanda Jensen, Boyer’s real name, was traveling south on Front Beach Road (U.S. Highway 98) near Second Street, and while attempting to cross Front Beach Road was struck by a 2001 four-door Hyundai being driven by an off-duty officer in the Florida Highway Patrol, Gregory Lowe of Fort Walton Beach. She was killed instantly. The accident occurred at 8:20 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, and is currently under investigation by the Highway Patrol.

According to the Internet Adult Film Database, Boyer began her XXX career in a little-seen 1974 movie, Cowgirls In Chains, but waited another five years before fully taking the plunge into adult acting. From that point, she worked regularly for another 25 years, during which period she racked up the vast majority of her 184 features. However, she did come out of retirement briefly in the early 2000s.

“The only time I ever worked with Erica was when she found out I was making a movie with Marilyn [Chambers],” recalled actress/director Veronica Hart. “She flipped; she said, ‘I have to do a scene with her.’ It’s something she’d wanted to do all her life, and she basically came out of retirement to do a scene with Marilyn, because she just loved her so much.”

The movie was Dark Chambers, the second of a trio of movies Chambers did for VCA beginning in 1999, and Boyer’s final on-camera appearance.

“She was just so nice and so sweet,” Hart continued. “She was living in Florida. Everybody had only the nicest things to say about her. She was just a gem to work with, and she was so thrilled to work with Marilyn, and I was so happy to be able to put them together.”

Boyer was known primarily for her girl/girl scenes, and reportedly, that was her preference off-camera as well.

Asked in a 1989 interview whether there were any real lesbians in the adult industry, bisexual actress Nina Hartley replied, “There used to be two: Erica Boyer and Barbara Dare. While for many years they had lesbian relationships off camera for emotional support and identified themselves as lesbians, each recently got married to a man. Obviously, they were basically bisexual and just hadn’t found the right man yet. They still enjoy sex with women very much, and there will always be that love and affection for women. But at this point in time, they have bonded with a man.”

Indeed, at the first X-Rated Critics’ Organization (XRCO) Awards show, Boyer was given the “Lascivious Lesbian” award for her performance with Robin Everett in Bob Chinn’s Body Girls. VCA’s Every Woman Has A Fantasy also won that year for “Most Erotic Film of the Year,” in which Boyer had essayed a solo, a girl/girl and a threeway scene for the film.

But it appears that Boyer’s sexuality—and in fact, her life—was more complicated than that.

“She was a wonderful, wonderful, crazy, incredible woman,” recalled director F.J. Lincoln. “I don’t ever think I’ve heard her use a cross word against anybody. I know everybody’s going to tell you she wasn’t reliable, and that part is true: You would hire her and then think of an alternate because she wouldn’t always come to work … but when she did, she was incredible, and her and I almost ran away in Europe. We worked in italy and then we went to Germany, and we had money, and she said, ‘Fuck it, let’s not go home; let’s just roam Europe till we run out of money,’ and I guess if I’d been ten years younger, I would have said, ‘Yeah.’”

“She was primarily a lesbian,” he continued, “but when I first met Brad Armstrong, it was at Erica’s. She invited me onto her patio and Brad was there. He was her latest boyfriend.”

Boyer was also a free spirit when it came to psychedelics.

“We were all doing mushrooms once,” Lincoln remembered, “and she had this thing, when she would do mushrooms, she would change her clothes like ten times during the night, and her makeup too. Our apartments were adjacent, on top of a bar in Ventura, and all of a sudden we heard her scream, and we went running into the other apartment to see what was wrong, and she was standing there crying and saying, ‘I shrunk! I shrunk!’ What she had done is put on this giant sweatshirt which made her arms where the elbows go and the bottom of it went almost to her feet—and it was a gag, a joke, but that was the kind of person she was.”

“She was absolutely hilarious, and sexual, too,” he continued. “We were staying in Germany in this old castle, and it was when Interview With The Vampire had just come out, the book, and all day, she was reading me little excerpts, especially the excerpts where the little girl vampire, her mind grows, she gets older but her body stays the same, and she starts seducing her victims.”

“That night, I went upstairs to my little pointy-roof bedroom,” he continued, “and I got in bed, ready to go to sleep, and there’s a knock on the door, and she’s standing there in this little cotton nightgown with pigtails, holding a teddy bear, and she says to me, ‘I’m really afraid and I can’t sleep; can I say in here with you?’ And I said, ‘Sure, why not?’ And she got in the bed and she turned herself so all I could see was her beautiful neck, and I became a vampire. We started to get together, and I realized how incredibly inventive this woman was, and she was just so much fun to be with. This is really a loss.”

Besides her acting talents, Boyer is also credited with scripting VCA’s The New Barbarians 1 & 2 in 1990.

Teravision and Iron Cross Entertainment CEO Evan Seinfeld has formed a new enterprise, Sinnergy Entertainment, offering marketing and multi-media management services for adult industry professionals.

Sinnergy Entertainment will draw upon Seinfeld’s seven years of expertise guiding the wild success of Tera Patrick and Teravision to help those in the adult field monetize intellectual property and star power into bankable household names through strong online presence and building a recognizable brand across all media platforms.

“Sinnergy Entertainment will be the first company to handle not only adult performers, but all adult companies that need to become ‘Sinnergized’ to monetize their brand. There are so many revenue streams out there, and it seems that so many people are leaving money all over the table, or don’t even know where to look,” said Seinfeld.

Sinnergy Entertainment will provide consultation and hands-on service to handle every aspect of business, from brokering distribution and mobile content deals, to arranging red carpet events in both the adult and mainstream realms.

“You can plan for tomorrow, but you must be working today on your own future,” Seinfeld elaborated. “You can let this business chew you up and spit you out, or you can take it by the balls and squeeze. No one is going to build your career for you, with only your best interest in mind. But, you can do something about it right now, by aligning yourself with career minded management like all of us at Sinnergy Entertainment. Sex is power and power is money. Either you work for it, or you make it work for you.”

Sinnergy Entertainment is now accepting clients in preparation for the annual AVN Adult Entertainment Expo, held in Las Vegas January 7-10, 2010. Sinnergy will present three simultaneous nightclub parties at the Palms Resort and Casino during the AEE weekend. Events for the party night include a site launch party for RockstarPornstar.com hosted by Seinfeld and 20 porn stars at Ghostbar, Joanna Angel and the BurningAngel Girls at the Playboy Club, and an evening of uneasy listening with DJ Z Trip at Rain.

Sponsors and celebrities wishing to work with Sinnergy to promote their brand on the red carpet at these events are encouraged to contact Seinfeld at his Sherman Oaks offices. Seinfeld noted that there are a number of major venues still seeking porn stars and adult companies to host events during AEE.

“Combine the adult and mainstream press exposure of any one of these events, and you can start off your new year with an invaluable boost to your bottom line,” he said.

Vivid Entertainment has made an offer of $1 million to any woman who has proof she was a paramour of Tiger Woods and will sign a contract with the studio.

“Of course, we would need proof that a relationship actually took place,” said Vivid co-chairman Steven Hirsch. “Tiger Woods is much more than a great athlete, he’s an American sports legend, and we feel that there would be strong public interest in an intimate look at him through the eyes of one of his actual lovers.”

Hirsch said if any of the actual Tiger lovers takes him up on his offer, her movie with the company would be released under the Vivid-Celeb imprint, which has released titles starring such celebrities as Kim Kardashian and rapper Ray J, former Miss USA Kelli McCarty and international TV star Shauna Sand-Lamas.

“If a woman has already make the decision to step forth and talk to the media about her actual relationship with Tiger, she could do well by working with us, as we can help her tell her story in an unvarnished and honest way,” Hirsch said. “The names that have already surfaced, Rachel Uchitel, Jaimee Grubbs and Kalika Moquin, will be tops on our list.”

Susie Hutson is the new face and body of Wickedelic Lingerie.

The sexy mom from Hampton Vale in Peterborough beat off competition from 11 other hotties to win the Wickedelic Lingerie Model Search competition.

Hutson, 30, will now star in a 2010 charity calendar, with the proceeds going toward military charities Help For Heroes and Combat Stress.

A delighted Hutson said, “I am beyond thrilled. This is my ultimate dream, and I want to inspire all girls out there to follow their dreams however big or small.”

Hutson will take part in a number of international advertising campaigns for the Devon-based company. The single mother of one only started modeling last year, after wanting to spark a turnaround in her life.

“I have had a lot of bad luck over the last few years—I was left on my own when I was pregnant with Josh, and then was made redundant a week before I was due to have him. I was really down, so this year I decided I had to make a change. I thought about modeling, but everyone said I was too old,” she told the Evening Telegraph in October. “That made me even more determined to succeed, and I got a job at the modified car show at the East of England Showground.

“I then saw the competition to become the face of Wickedelic, and when I found out I had been shortlisted, I could not believe it. More than 800 girls applied, so it is a real achievement to get this far.”

To win the competition, Hutson embarked on a massive promotional campaign, which included her becoming the official “sweetheart” of Wittering, the local Royal Air Force station. She also took part in a sexy photo shoot at Peterborough United’s London Road stadium in an attempt to drum up support from the town’s football supporters.

She now aims to follow in the glamorous footsteps of Adriana Lima, Amy Lynn Grover and Gisele Bundchen as she looks to become one of the world’s leading lingerie models.

For more information, visit WickedelicLingerie.co.uk.

Rammstein’s much discussed and highly sought-after LIEBE IST FÜR ALLE DA box set, which features six sex toys, lubricant, handcuffs and a special album version packaged in a custom flight case, is now available to U.S. fans via Rammstein-Deluxe.com.

The unique collection arrives on the heels of the Oct. 20 release of LIEBE IST FÜR ALLE DA, the band’s highest-charting U.S. album to date (No. 13 on Billboard’s Top 200, No. 1 on Billboard’s Heavy Music Chart).

Internationally, the German sextet enjoyed seven No. 1 debuts as well as numerous platinum and gold certifications upon release.

In keeping with the sexually charged nature of LIEBE IST FÜR ALLE DA, Rammstein’s video for the first single, “Pussy,” made music history as the first major recording artist to create an adult-themed video. Recently, the band has seen their album banned and/or available with age restrictions in their native Germany, Switzerland, and Australia.

From Nov. 20-22, the Olympia exhibition space in London will once again be taken over for the annual Erotica exhibition.

Erotica is one of the most attended consumer adult lifestyle shows in the world as well as being a daring and enthralling event with thousands of adult products, live stage shows, shopping, and art galleries.

The Erotica exhibition is in its 14th year and is aimed at freethinking adults of all ages wishing to experience and enjoy a diverse range of entertainment and stylish lifestyle events, products and services, whilst promoting safe and respectful sex.

Erotica is the exhibition with the largest footfall of all UK consumer shows and this year the famous exhibitors include Richard Larsen Jewellery and Velda Lauder Corsets as well as some kinky, surprise, live performers.

Tickets for both Erotica and the Erotica Winter Ball are available through Erotica2009.com to strictly over 18s. Strict dress codes apply and no cameras are permitted.

Digital Playground has signed Kayden Kross to an exclusive performance contract.

Kross will join the studio beginning in 2010. The company said the Sacramento native has remained a porn enigma within the industry, but Kross will redefine herself with Digital Playground.

Digital Playground’s founder Joone is proud to have Kross with the company. “Kayden is a truly unique personality,” he said “She is mysterious yet flirtatious, sexy yet reserved. There is a conundrum surrounding Kayden that draws people to her every more. Kayden will flourish with Digital Playground and really come into her own in front of the camera.”

Digital Playground, which has branded itself as a “filmmakers’ company,” has produced best-selling movies such as Pirates II: Stagnetti’s Revenge, Nurses and Teachers.

“Digital Playground provides a level of unrivaled creativity and beauty in their movies,” Kross said. “I am really excited for the opportunity to be a part of their original content and believe I can add another fresh, new dimension to the company.

“I want to be pushed to be the best I can be, and Digital Playground expects nothing less,” the 24-year-old continued. “I thrive under pressure, and I think Digital Playground will provide the direction and support that I’ll need to get there.”

Fans anticipating Kross’s first release under contract with Digital Playground should note her scene with Tommy Gunn in Digital Playground’s Deeper 9.

To view the Deeper 9 trailer, visit digitalplayground.com/mov/deeper9.html.

Genesis magazine on Tuesday announced plans to release the 11th annual edition of its “Porn’s Hot 100” issue. The January 2010 issue has a free, inserted mini-mag that ranks the 100 hottest stars in the adult industry.

Genesis anointed Sasha Grey the No. 1 porn star in this year’s rankings, thanks to her breakthrough year in both mainstream and adult.

“Ever since Sasha entered adult she has made a name for herself in the industry with her amazing scenes, all-natural beauty and forward-thinking vision,” said Dan Davis, editor-in-chief of Genesis. “This last year saw Sasha not only increase her popularity in adult to uncharted heights, but become a household name thanks to her various accomplishments, and that is everything the top star of the year should do.”

Grey in January 2008 won AVN’s coveted Female Performer of the Year honor before going on to star in various adult hits such as Vivid’s Throat: A Cautionary Tale, Digital Playground’s Pirates II: Stagnetti’s Revenge and Nurses, This Ain’t Star Trek XXX (Hustler), Sun Goddess: Mailbu (skinworXXX) and The Five (Adam & Eve). This year she also started her own production company, Grey Art, and made various appearances in all areas of adult media, including a starring role on the Showtime reality series, “Deeper Throat.”

But it was Grey’s star turn in Academy Award-winning director Steven Soderbergh’s The Girlfriend Experience that made the biggest splash. After being hand-picked by Soderbergh, she received rave reviews for her role as a call girl. With the role came several mainstream media opportunties, including an appearance on “Last Call with Carson Daly” and a feature story in Rolling Stone.

“I am genuinely shocked and extremely flattered that I garnered the number one spot this year!” Grey said. “Sincerest thanks go out to all of my fans and Genesis magazine for this honor. I’ve had a lot of fun and success in diversifying my ventures this year, and hopefully 2010 will bring more of the same!”

The January issue of Genesis also includes an exclusive centerfold layout of Grey shot by photographer and filmmaker, Ian Cinnamon. With a penchant for the avant garde, Cinammon is now sole documentarian for the experiences and exploits of his fiancé, Grey. He is also co-creative director (along with Grey) for her production company. His work has appeared in numerous publications including: Contra, Rolling Stone, Metro, Time Out Chicago, SF Gate, SNR and Montreal Mirror. His work will also appear alongside Grey’s in her upcoming sexual philosophy book, due out in the early part of 2010.

The top 10 (in order) “Porn’s Hot 100” also features Jenna Haze, Digital Playground star Jesse Jane, Tera Patrick, Wicked’s Stormy Daniels, Adam & Eve’s Bree Olson; Briana Banks, Belladonna, Joanna Angel and Gianna Michaels.

The main issue of Genesis also features an on-the-set report from the making of Adam & Eve’s newest epic Rawhide II, as well as pictorials with Kayden Kross, Sarah Vandella, Mia Presley, Karlie Montana, Sophie Dee, Mya Luanna, Rebeca Linares and more.

A complete list of the rankings is also available at genesisonline.com/hot100.

In announcing the launch of the 2.0 version of its flagship website, DigitalPlayground.com promises “a new level of content depth, interactivity and the friendliest user experience the adult industry has yet to witness.”

The overhauled website will provide fans with more DVD and niche content than was previously available, plus additional content developed specifically for the web from behind-the-scenes footage of movies, photo shoots and appearances by the girls. Users can also communicate with Digital Playground contract stars like Jesse Jane and Riley Steele, and iPhone owners will find four times the prior content—including movies, photo galleries, behind-the-scenes and exclusive clips—on the app-like optimized site.

All movies on the site stream in true high-definition—ideal for enjoying features like Babysitters and the Island Fever series—and V2.0 also offers users the opportunity to experience “Virtual Sex 360,” the industry’s first 360-degree hardcore, adult immersion video experience. “Every angle in the room is available at only the move of a cursor, as though the user is in the middle of a full-blown orgy,” the company release claims.

“DigitalPlayground.com 2.0 is a superior platform for the consumer not just in comparison to adult pay sites but relative to entertainment sites on the whole,” VP of New Media Farley Cahen told AVN. “We spent a lot of time planning our infrastructure in an effort to deliver the best user experience possible, and the feedback from our users and affiliates is a testament to our success. We look forward to rolling out a number of new sites that will reflect this vision and our ongoing dedication to exclusive, high-quality content.”

Indeed, the website has already garnered a number of positive comments from industry professionals and others.

“Digital Playground has put together a pretty hot product,” Fleshbot.com Editor Lux Alptraum said. “Not that we’re surprised. Digital Playground is known for its top-notch, high quality content—and the website provides a whole lot of it. Members are able to easily get access to exactly the porn they want. Expect to spend many, many hours lustfully enjoying Digital Playground’s delicious website—time very well spent.”

“The site looks great,” said Yuval, Director of Business Development for IMLive.com and PussyCash.com. “Digital Playground is indeed on the cutting edge of utilizing new technologies in the adult world, and the same can be said as far as its first-class design. This is a whole new level and I’m sure it will blow users away, as it’s far more advanced and interactive.”

For Digital Playground founder Joone, the “new” site is a crucial manifestation of the company’s innovative attitude. “To succeed in our technology-driven, interconnected world, it is imperative that we continue to utilize foresight to predict what consumers want and need before they are even aware of it. DigitalPlayground.com 2.0 has been rebuilt from the inside with the future of technology in mind.”

International mainstream media has long noted Digital Playground’s technological success over the years. Forbes.com writes, “Digital Playground pioneered the interactive format.” Fox News says, “An innovator for bringing porn to personal computers.” The New York Times adds that Digital Playground is “gazing toward even newer horizons.”

For more information visit www.digitalplayground.com.

Evolved Novelties has released a new color for its best-selling vibrator line, Diamond Edition. The Princess, a highlight of the line, is now available in purple.

Designed to be a cut above the rest, the Princess features a satin-smooth feel over a shaft that is ergonomically shaped to meet every contour of the body.

The products in the Diamond Edition line are bath and shower friendly and feature multi-speed motors and jewel-studded controls.

Created from non-toxic ABS, the vibrators are phthalate-free and body-safe.

The Princess measures 4.5 inches in length and 0.93 wide, and weighs 1.1 ounces.

For more information, visit EvolvedNovelties.com.