Edison, New Jersey – James Bartholet [pictured] calls Saturday afternoon from the Exxxotica Expo in New Jersey. There are no pickets, and show handlers like J. Handy don’t want to talk about any lawsuits stemming from that mess in 2008 in Secaucus when they forked over a security deposit for the Meadowlands which then shut ‘em out like Sandy Koufax.

But here in Edison, New Jersey, folks are attending the show in droves as though the porn industry had just re-invented the light bulb.

“Our VIP program has been really killing it,” relates Handy. “And the Ladies Free Friday promo was really what blew the doors off.”

“Exxxotica really had their act together,” adds Bartholet.

“Not only talent but a lot of fans. We’ve had twice the numbers as before. It’s been a huge turnout with wonderful fans here on the East Coast. [Truism: Fans come out for the shows; they just don’t buy the product.]

But according to Bartholet, the DVD and autographed photo business is as brisk as the weather.

Outside of the weather being very cold and the fact there was a bomb threat at Newark Airport which delayed a bunch of performers’ flights, things have been running efficiently. Plus it didn’t hurt to have a classic car show going on in the same building which brought in additional fans who took in the Expo while they were at it.

“Fans are coming from Pennsylvania, Boston; New York, D.C. I had a fan here to see Misty Stone- he drove all the way down from Maine,” Bartholet says.

Bartholet, besides running his “Galaxy” booth has been conducting a series of Inside the Porn Actors’ Studio panels and was about to have one featuring Jasmin St. Claire, former gangbang queen, disgruntled Extreme Associates contract girl and lady wrestler. The first day of the show, Bartholet’s guest was Vanessa Del Rio.

“What an honor. That woman is such a class act and one of the true stars. A great lady and truly fantastic.”

St. Claire’s thing nowadays is heavy metal. Bartholet’s thing is doing hardcore scenes.

“I’m finally fucking in movies,” Bartholet laughs, noting that all of a sudden he seems to becoming the middle aged flavor du jour.

“Tabitha Stevens said she’d put me in a movie.”

Maybe we’ll see Bartholet hanging by meat hooks in her next one.

“How is a man your age functioning with all the porn demands for sexual volume?” he’s asked.

Bartholet lends no secret recipes for potency but notes that middle aged couples and guys at the show were voicing admiration for his choices telling him that he was a source of inspiration.

Asked what the deciding point was that made him cross over to the dark side, you get the impression that his mother’s recent passing away might have had something to do with it.

“I talked to my family about it,” he continues. “They said it’s your choice, what you want to do. I’m happy doing it and I can do it. There’s a market out there for that and work for me to do.”

Small wonder Bartholet’s getting laid as he rattles off performer names and platitudes as though he were the toastmaster of The Chamber of Schmooze.

“It’s a wonderful mix of all different types of gals here- legendary stars, new stars, established stars.”

Knowing the physical toll these shows place on the body, Bartholet’s asked how he’s holding up.

“I’ve been pacing myself pretty well,” he states.

“They have a nice gym here – Dyanna Lauren, Nick Manning and I and Tabitha Stevens we’ve all been in the gym working out.”

Bartholet notes that Lauren and Nick Manning got married earlier in the year and that Manning has signing autographs in his Batman outfit from the Bluebird Films version of the parody.