Don Benn is retiring at the end of the month after eight years of maintaining the site. While Benn plans to maintain ownership of PNN, adult industry journalist John Paone will serve as the site’s new editor in chief beginning Nov. 1.
Benn underwent brain surgery two years ago for an injury sustained in an auto accident, according to a release. After the surgery, complications ensued prompting Benn to relinquish his day-to-day responsibilities of the site.
Benn joined the adult industry in 1998 when he “was attending a real estate seminar at the Atlantic City Convention Center and the East Coast Video Show was being held at the other end of the building, and one thing just kinda lead to another.”
As editor in chief and publisher of PNN, Benn has been involved in many aspects of adult. He produced and co-hosted an X-rated TV show with Angela Summers and Nikki Steele, appeared in non-sex roles in numerous adult films, co-hosted the Consumers Choice Show, wrote the novel “The SeXfiles – The Almost True Story of My Years of Porn,” edited Adult Stars Magazine and served as an adult industry liason for XonDemand.
“I couldn’t have asked for or dreamed up a more perfect, more exciting and certainly more pleasurable second career,” Benn said. “This industry gave me the opportunity to travel the world, put more than just a few bucks in my pocket, exposed me to friendships that will last a lifetime/infections that cleared-up in 7-10 days, and has provided me with memories, stories and video tape that will one day make me the most popular guy in whatever old age home my family puts me in.”
Incoming editor Paone has written for AVN, High Society and Hustler Erotic Video Guide.