LOS ANGELES — Veteran bear gay porn performer Hank Hightower passed away Nov. 1 at 57.

News of Hightower’s passing was confirmed via social media by friends and industry associates, and reported by specialized LGBTQ+ news media.

The brunette, hirsute Hightower was a prominent performer in gay titles from 1993 until the late 2000s. His IAFD page lists over 140 titles for studios such as Catalina, HIS, Forum, Vivid Man, Tool Factory and Caballero.

Bear World Magazine’s John Hernandez penned a heartfelt remembrance about Hightower’s impact on that always-popular niche.

“The death of iconic bear porn star Hank Hightower sent ripples through the bear world once word came of his passing on Nov. 1,” Hernandez wrote. “Hank’s death loomed large, especially for me.”

Porn, he continued, “is a great way to explore fantasies and alleviate tension. It’s a way to safely experiment and a way to learn what you like and what gets your motor running. For me, personally, it’s how I discovered my lust for bears, and Hank Hightower was my entry point.”

Hernandez explained why he has never gotten over his crush on Hightower, and never will.

“Lots of bears credit Hank Hightower with their sexual awakening,” he wrote in his tribute. “And of course, there was a complete person behind the public porno persona and stories of his time as a sweet natured bartender and as a dedicated volunteer for AIDS charities and animal shelters are making their way around the internet.”

Industry Reactions

Hightower’s friend Jeff Yarbrough wrote on Facebook, “I was jolted awake by a text early this morning. One of the (few) special guys in my life lost a health battle today. Hank Hightower called me last Sunday to say so long. Hank and I lived large, hard, and fast at an appropriate time for all that — late 1990s — after a shit ton of our friends had died of AIDS. If you knew Hank, then you knew of his love for canines. If his passing moves you, please send a donation this season to an animal rescue of your choosing. He did a lot of volunteering, and those nonjudgmental licks and hugs meant the world to him. One year he sold Christmas trees for a pug rescue. Imagine having Hank Hightower tie a fir tree to the roof of your car.

“As per his wishes, he died at home surrounded by his two pups. He passed peacefully,” Yarbrough added.

Fellow performer and friend Pete Finland called Hightower, “the original muscle bear.”

“He was also battling with cancer and called me two days ago to check up on me,” Finland wrote on X.com. “Now he is gone. He will be really missed.”

Nov 7, 2023 1:36 PM PST

LOS ANGELES — Liv Revamped, Yumi Sin, Ace Kush and Chris Cock star in the latest all-nude edition of the ‘Misfit Effect’ podcast.

The episode sees new co-host Sarah Lace joining the Burbank Misfits.

“It is always fun to be naked and be open,” Lace said.

During the episode, the group discusses wild sexual encounters, kinks and sexual expression. 

Video of the episode can be viewed on “The Misfit Effect” OnlyFans; audio of the episode can be streamed here.

Follow Burbank Misfits on X.com.

Nov 7, 2023 1:28 PM PST

BEND, Ore. — Holistic Wisdom has released a guide on the best pleasure products categories for 2024.

“Whether you’re looking to reignite the spark in the bedroom, navigate intimacy with health conditions or gift a toe-curling surprise, this guide is a helpful compass,” said a rep. “Explore the innovation of air pulse stimulators, venture into the realms of long-distance love with app-controlled vibrators and enhance solo sessions with the latest in male vibrators and masturbation sleeves — all meticulously vetted and recommended for their body-safe materials and user satisfaction.”

Dr. Lisa Lawless, CEO and writer of the guide, enthused about the information.

“As you explore our guide, it’s more than discovering a treasure trove of pleasure,” she said. “It’s about finding a reflection of your desires and sexual health goals.”

To view the guide, visit HolisticWisdom.

Nov 7, 2023 1:27 PM PST

LOS ANGELES — Director Ivan has announced a new trading card set.

The set features his work photographing Xtreme Pro Wrestling (XPW) matches.

“In 2022, Ivan, who goes by his real name ‘Slava,’ joined the world of professional wrestling photography with Rob Black’s returning Xtreme Pro Wrestling (XPW),” said a rep. “His duties were to shoot backstage and ringside images. Since then, he has secured his reputation as ‘top photographer in independent and deathmatch wrestling.’

“His unwavering style in lighting and storytelling with the lens has not gone unnoticed,” the rep added. “Over a dozen wrestlers have chosen his images to be used on their official merchandise, and now XPW has released a trading card set donning his images.”

Ivan enthused about the recognition.

“I am beyond honored to have so many people in wrestling approach me about my photography,” he said. “And to see my images used to promote their brands is priceless. I take so much pride and care in everything I do. I’m thrilled this opportunity was given to me by Rob and XPW.”

For more information, visit XtremeProWrestling.

Follow Ivan on X.com.

Nov 7, 2023 1:26 PM PST

LOS ANGELES — Fleshbot is highlighting “Angela White: Unbound” from Brazzers as the XCritic Pick of the Month for November.

“This union of star and brand gives adult movie fans some of the best porn to watch out there,” said Fleshbot’s Mutantmo. “Especially if you like the gonzo side of it, Angela White is like that favorite band that keeps churning out great tunes no matter what stage she’s currently on.”

For more information, visit Fleshbot.

Follow Angela White on X.com.

Nov 7, 2023 1:24 PM PST

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Audrey Hollander will be hosting an OnlyFans livestream on Friday at 2 p.m. (PST).

“I am so excited to connect with my fans in a more personal way,” said Hollander. “This live show is going to be so much fun, and I can’t wait to share it with everyone. I love going live on OnlyFans. It’s such a great intimate experience.”

Watch the livestream on Hollander’s OnlyFans and follow her on X.com.

Nov 7, 2023 1:23 PM PST

PATTAYA, Thailand — Writer Ralph Grecco is the latest guest on the “Adult Site Broker Talk” podcast.

Grecco writes adult and children’s fiction, poems, essays and plays. His novel “Writing Dirty Words: The Not-So-Sexy Reality of Making a Living Writing (and the Occasional Crack of a Whip)” was recently published by Parisian Phoenix Publishing.

“This was Ralph’s third time on our podcast,” said Bruce, host of the podcast and CEO of Adult Site Broker. “He’s always amusing, insightful and has something significant to say. It’s always a pleasure to have him on.”

The episode is streaming on AdultSiteBrokerTalk.

BEIJING — Chen Shaojie, founder and CEO of DouYu — China’s leading video streaming platform — is being held by Chinese authorities over supposed “pornographic content” on the site.

Chen’s whereabouts had been a mistery for weeks until Monday, when anonymous sources unofficially told the Chinese press that he was being held somewhere in the country’s labyrinthine prison system.

A few months ago, China’s all-powerful internet watchdog, the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission (aka, Cyberspace Administration of China, or CAC), launched an on-site inspection of the DouYu’s local subsidiary in the Hubei province “to address ‘serious’ problems, including pornography,” the English-language South China Morning Post reported.

DouYu — a massive, China-based analog to YouTube — is the largest of its kind in the country, boasting 163.6 million monthly active users before the pandemic and outnumbering platforms by competitors such as DouYin, the flagship product by TikTok’s parent company ByteDance.

Several weeks ago, following the Hubei branch inspection, Chen had “vanished from sight and could neither be contacted nor located by his colleagues,” local news reported.

DouYu told the press “its operations remain normal, but did not comment on its missing chief executive.”

Reports about Chen, the tech mogul behind the Tencent Holdings-backed DouYu International Holdings, confirm he is being held “incommunicado” by Chinese authorities.

“When someone becomes incommunicado in mainland China, it typically means that the person has either been taken away by authorities for an inquiry or ‘to assist in an investigation,’” the South China Morning Post explained. “In Chen’s case, no Chinese authority has provided any information about his disappearance.”

Chen’s last public appearance was in August, during DouYu’s second-quarter results conference call.

‘Providing Easy Access to Pornography’

Another tech mogul, China Renaissance Holdings chairman Bao Fan was seized by authorities earlier this year in an unspecified investigation. “Authorities have not provided further details about Bao’s situation,” the South China Morning Post offered.

Chen’s disappearance comes several months after China’s internet watchdog, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), launched a rare on-site inspection of DouYu’s local arm in central Hubei province to address “serious” problems related to the platform, including pornography and other vulgar content.

CAC did not release information about the results of the inspection or subsequent action as part of rectification measures.

The current case echoes a 2016 investigation, when video streaming pioneer Wang Xin, “was sentenced to a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence and fined one million yuan by the Beijing Haidian District People’s Court, which found him guilty of ‘distributing obscene materials for personal gain.’”

The government charged Wang’s with “providing easy access to pornography” through his platform.

The weaponization of obscenity laws against tech companies and moguls over third party content published in platforms, and against other politically controversial individuals, has been routine in totalitarian regimes worldwide.

In the U.S., Section 230 shields tech companies from liability over third party content, and discourages the abuse by the State of sensational sex-related accusations to target companies and individuals.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A religious conservative lawmaker in Alabama revealed Monday that she intends to introduce a copycat age verification bill as soon as the state legislature’s 2024 session begins.

State Rep. Susan DuBose (R-Hoover) — who prior to being elected declared to the Birmingham Christian Family magazine that her Biblical worldview would guide her decision making — told Alabama Daily News that her version of other Republican-majority states’ age verification laws will be “a porn ID law.” 

DuBose said her bill would be “similar to a bill approved this year by Louisiana lawmakers, which would fine pornographic websites up to $5,000 a day for not verifying the age of its users through a process that requires the submission of a photo ID.”

As XBIZ has been reporting, leading conservative anti-porn crusaders have admitted that the state-by-state age verification laws are merely a stepping stone in an organized effort to ban all adult content online and revive obscenity prosecutions.

DuBose, however, claimed to have been motivated by speaking to parents and grandparents concerned “about their 10 to 12-year-old boys because they’re so engaged in their computers,” and asserted that most children in that age group have already seen porn on the internet. 

“It’s damaging and addictive to young minds,” said DuBose, who before entering politics was a homemaker with no scientific background in mental health or brain science.

DuBose also stated, without providing evidence, that access to online adult material is “one reason we see so many females thinking that they are transgender.” She told Alabama Daily News that she will also reintroduce the transphobic What Is a Woman Act, which would legally codify definitions of “men” and “women” based solely on biological sex determined at birth.

“My faith impacts everything in my life,” she told the Birmingham Christian Family magazine in 2022. “It is my moral compass. It gives me the strength to make the right choices when so much of the world is pulling in the other direction. Every type of decision you make, you can go back to the Bible and the answer is there.”

Another conservative politician, Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) told the Alabama Daily News that he is working on a parallel project in the Senate.

“Just like young people are prohibited from purchasing pornographic magazines in retail stores, they also shouldn’t be able to access it online,” Orr said. “And currently, we have no prohibitions in effect to prohibit such activity.”

SAINT-LAURENT, Quebec — Nobü has debuted six new Mini travel vibrators.

The waterproof Minis feature seven vibration modes and three speeds, and are available in three colors — teal, coral and yellow.

“Our new Minis pack all the punch that you know and love about a Nobü vibrator, all while fitting right in the palm of your hand,” said CEO Alain Elmaleh. “You can slip them seamlessly into your bag, pocket, or luggage, making them great for a weekend getaway or other types of travel.”

For more information, visit NobuToys.