(Note: This Publisher’s Note was published in the September 2026 issue of ED Magazine.)
In August 2023, just seven months before his untimely passing, ED Publications Founder Don Waitt was honored with induction into the ED (Exotic Dancer) Hall of Fame during the Annual ED Awards Show in Las Vegas. The irony was not lost on Don — that he was being inducted into a Hall of Fame that he created, at an Awards Show he created, at the convention that he created. But as Don had moved into semi-retirement, 2023 was the appropriate time to present him with an honor that he had long deserved but would never accept. Until that night, that is.
As Don gave his acceptance speech, he told the story of the genesis of ED Publications. Specifically the Exotic Dancer Directory, a national (and international) listing of adult nightclubs in every city and state across the US, later evolving into listings of clubs in Canada, Europe and Australia.
Don referenced his wife, Debbie, and the moment back in 1990 when he told her about his idea: “Thirty-five years ago we had two small children (Tyler and Devyn), and less than $20,000 in savings. I told her I was going to find out where all the strip clubs in America were, and then take every dime we had out of savings to publish a Directory of those strip clubs and hope horny guys would buy it. My wife looked at me like I was crazy, then said, ‘What the hell … go for it!’”
And go for it he did. Though he had a full-time gig as the Publisher of Performance Magazine, the go-to business publication for the concert touring industry, Don realized he had a more substantial interest a different type of entertainment. While he was on the road for Performance, Don found himself wanting to check out a strip club in a city he’d never been. But as he soon realized, there was no way to “search” for strip clubs. This was the late ‘80s — no internet, no Google, no social media. And even the Yellow Pages rarely listed strip clubs.
Then the light bulb went off: There needs to be a national “directory” of clubs, with detailed listings including address, phone number, hours of operation, what type of club it is (go-go, topless, nude, etc.), the cover charge, drink specials, etc. Thousands of adult nightclub aficionados and fans of adult entertainment, Don knew, wanted — no, NEEDED — such a directory, and they’d happily pay a very reasonable $19.95 for it. So, with his entrepreneurial spirit in tow, Don began the long and arduous task of making phone calls, perusing adult publication and sending out mailers until he slowly but surely built up an impressive list of adult clubs from across the US.
Don was well suited to such investigative work — after all, his career in journalism began in the ‘70s as a crime reporter for the Shreveport Times in Louisiana. Said Don in a 2015 Publisher’s Note about that very first Exotic Dancer Directory in 1991, “It was tough going at the beginning. It’s hard enough to get club owners to buy display advertising; try trying to talk club owners into buying, and pre-paying for, a display ad in a publication that didn’t even exist at the time.” But he pulled it off, and that very first Directory would set into motion a course of events that would lead to a national adult nightclub convention (founded in 1993), a national adult nightclub business magazine (founded in 1996) and a national adult nightclub and entertainer awards show (founded in 1998).
Note: The Exotic Dancer Directory, housed under various names (Exotic Dancer Directory, Exotic Dancer’s Adult Nightclubs Guide and the VIP Guide), was published and sold to the public until 2012. By that point, the internet had replaced the need or desire for a printed guide of adult nightclubs.
The industry needs a magazine
The Annual Gentlemen’s Club EXPO (now known as the ED EXPO), which was introduced in 1993, grew very quickly. Attendance doubled in 1994, and doubled again in 1995. The success of the EXPO — particularly, the seminars — led to a demand from the industry at large. Specifically, “We can’t wait an entire year to get the news, legal advice and marketing strategies we hear at the EXPO — it’s too important to our industry and to our clubs!”
The industry’s clarion call was heard loud and clear. And in the Spring of 1996, the “Exotic Dancer Bulletin” was born; a magazine that was written and designed specifically for adult club owners and operators. Initially, the Bulletin began as a quarterly publication, with seasons rather than specific dates listed at the top of the front cover (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter). The magazine frequently showcased touring “feature entertainers” on the front cover, as having a front-cover spot was a great way for these entertainers to promote themselves to the clubs that would “book” them at their venues for limited engagements.
For the readers of the ED Club Bulletin, the most critical information the magazine has provided often revolved around the legal issues facing the industry. Specifically, court cases and legal decisions that would impact the industry at large and the legislation aimed at it. The industry’s top First Amendment attorneys would write about the reasoning behind — and the potential fallout from — critical US Supreme Court decisions (such as Barnes v. Glen Theatre or City of Erie v Pap’s AM), Circuit Court decisions, newly enacted state, city and county laws and ordinances, civil litigation and much more.
As the industry entered the new millennium, however, Don and the staff at ED Publications (which, at the time, included then-Editor, now Publisher Dave Manack and Art Director Kevin Pennington) again heard that clarion call: “Four times a year is not enough — we want more!” Hence, starting with the February 2000 issue, the magazine became bimonthly (six times per year).
That wasn’t the only major change to the magazine that occurred. The “February” 2003 issue showcased a new name (Club Bulletin), a total redesign and rebranding (which was a collaboration between Manack and Pennington), and the decision to remove nudity from the magazine. Believe it or not, that was actually a major turning point for ED Publications; though the Bulletin never showed full nudity, T&A made frequent appearances.
Another very visible change for the magazine was the front cover: Increasingly, it was industry businesses — not entertainers — who began to be showcased on the cover. The reason was two-fold: There were fewer feature entertainers in the mid-2000s than there were in the mid-to-late 1990s, and industry vendors saw the value in having their products or services showcased on the front cover of the industry’s only business-to-business publication, one that was mailed to every single adult club in the US.
As ED Publications evolved into the 21st century, the company wasn’t simply rebranding the look of the magazine; it also sought to rebrand the industry itself. Don Waitt, Dave Manack and the sales staff at ED Publications realized that it was unlikely, if not impossible, to garner support for the EXPO or the magazine from major liquor vendors or other mainstream businesses if the Club Bulletin was looked at as a “porn” magazine (hence, the removal of nudity). The message from ED Publications was clear: The adult nightclub industry is part of the “hospitality industry,” not the sex industry. The magazine reflected this message in the articles that were written and the way in which the magazine was presented.
In terms of the content of the Club Bulletin, the magazine functioned as almost all business-to-business (trade) publications do: The articles and information provided within are meant to help clubs operate more safely, more effectively and more profitably, while keeping up on all of the most important industry news and trends.
For the readers of the ED Club Bulletin, the most critical information the magazine has provided often revolved around the legal issues facing the industry. Specifically, court cases and legal decisions that would impact the industry at large and the legislation aimed at it. The industry’s top First Amendment attorneys would write about the reasoning behind — and the potential fallout from — critical US Supreme Court decisions (such as Barnes v. Glen Theatre or City of Erie v Pap’s AM), Circuit Court decisions, newly enacted state, city and county laws and ordinances, civil litigation and much more.
While of great importance, covering legal issues has not been the sole focus of the magazine. On the contrary, club owners and operators were often just as interested in hearing marketing and promotional ideas — in other words, the most effective ways to put “butts in seats.” When the magazine started back in 1996, that often meant billboards, radio spots and print ads. In the mid-2000s, the focus shifted toward club websites. Today, marketing articles focus more on how to effectively manage a club’s social media pages.
The backbone of the editorial content in the magazine, however, was the articles written about the club owners and operators themselves. Because each owner/operator has their own unique story to tell — whether they own a national “chain” of clubs or a single club in a small town — the magazine has always been interested in telling those stories. These articles often help chronicle the evolution of the industry itself, especially when showcasing individuals who have been influential in creating or furthering industry innovations.
In May 2017, the Club Bulletin was rebranded once again as “ED Magazine” (as many in the industry had already started referring to the publication with that moniker). In January 2025, the magazine saw “Exotic Dancer” on the masthead and, in 2026, it was rebranded once again as “ED30” in order to celebrate the magazine’s 30-year anniversary.
Over the past 30 years, the issues facing the industry have changed and evolved. While many of the industry’s “major players” remain, new faces have emerged. But one thing remains constant: Whether you call it Bulletin, Club Bulletin, ED Magazine, EXOTIC DANCER or ED30, we remain the industry’s source for news and key information related to this billion-dollar business. When club operators have new, exciting and successful ideas for our industry, we’ll be here to highlight them. When new businesses enter our arena and want to work with clubs on a national level, we’re here to introduce them to you. When attorneys have critical issues or court decisions to dissect, they’ll be welcome to share that information in our pages. We are the voice of the industry, for the industry, and we will never take that responsibility lightly.
This issue, our September 2026 “EXPO” issue, is a celebration of the magazine that has covered this industry for three decades. We sincerely appreciate the quotes offered by a wide selection of industry veterans and club professionals on behalf of this publication’s 30-year history, and we proudly showcase the entire library of front cover artwork that may evoke the same nostalgia in all of our readers as it has for us, the staff of ED Magazine.
I have to thank the people who have made this magazine what it is over the past 30 years (I’ve been here for 28 of those 30 years). Of course it all starts with our late Founder, Don Waitt — without him, none of this would have happened. His legacy is the EXPO and this magazine, and we will certainly never forget that.
My very first hire here at ED Publications came in 1999, when we needed someone to design ads and do page layout for us (if you remember some of the ads that Don and I put together for the Directory and magazine years ago, you’ll know why we needed a graphic designer). That graphic artist was Kevin Pennington, and he’s still with us today as our Art Director. Kevin has consistently created high-end page layouts, EXPO graphics and amazing ads for many of our clients — including, of course, the artwork that has graced our covers for the past 27 years. He’s also a tireless EXPO veteran, putting in 16-hour days with a smile always on his face. Thank you, Kevin!
At just 20 years old, Teresa Tearno became our database manager back in 2000. Though the youngest member of the staff, Teresa quickly established herself as the backbone of the EXPO registration desk at her very first EXPO that year (even though, legally, she wasn’t supposed to be on the casino floor!), and her role in the daily operations at ED Publications only increased as the years went by. Today, as ED’s Finance Manager, she runs EXPO registration and manages all of the finances at ED. She’s “queen bee” as we affectionately call her, and she’s not only a confidant of mine, but she’s an integral part of everything we do at ED Publications. Thank you, Teresa!
Our current Managing Editor (previously our Sales Director, and before that, Assistant Editor), Kristofer Kay, came on board 20 years ago, enticed by what he’d seen in the EXOTIC DANCER Directory, a magazine that had been sold by the adult store in the Orlando area where he worked at the time. He began his career with us as an intern, driving back and forth from Orlando to Clearwater once a week until a position opened up, and I hired him. Kris has become a critical piece of the puzzle here at ED. Not only does he have well-established relationships with our clients, but he’s also a big part of the planning and production of the EXPO, the EDIs, and the content of the magazines we produce. I appreciate his insights and advice, and he’s also one of my most valued confidants and has been for a very long time. Thank you, Kris!
There are many other ED staffers that have played a part in who we are and what we’ve accomplished over the years — current editor/writer Kristen Burke (who also manages our social media), former writer Eugenio Torrens (whose byline still pops up in ED on occasion), current sales director Jonna Muschinski and former sales director Lacy Empkey also need to be acknowledged, as do former staffers Gary and Peggy Daughterty. A hearty “thank you” to all of these people!
And last but not least, I want to thank you, our readers, for caring enough about your club, or business, or career, or the industry at large, to continue reading our magazine. We don’t often get feedback on articles we’ve published, but we certainly welcome that feedback. This is YOUR magazine — it always has been, and always will be.
