Much-anticipated Naked Sword/Jet Set-produced gay soap opera Wet Palms, which debuted yesterday at WetPalms.com, approached the 200-download mark on its first day of release, nearly 10 times what was expected.
A typical new release does nowhere near 100 downloads on NakedSword.com, according to Wet Palms media director Michael Stabile, who said the first day of Wet Palms blew the typical new release out of the water.
“We’re not even talking about two or three times the normal amount at this point, its more like 10 times,” he said.
Wet Palms, whose Web site was unveiled nearly a month ago, has built a great deal of buzz over with media coverage by H/X, Fleshbot, Cybersocket, Out in America,and mainstream publication The San Francisco Bay Guardian.
Reena Patel, Wet Palms director of strategic accounts, believes that the combination of press, the unique concept of the show – scripts that combine a soap opera format with gay Adult entertainment – and good acting have made Wet Palms what it is.
“For consumers already interested in gay adult media, they’ll recognize a lot of the faces in the show and they’ll be able to create sort of a bond with characters they enjoy seeing on an ongoing basis,” she said. “And I think that’s what appeals to people – it combines Adult with the sort of ongoing soap opera feel.”
The timing appears to be right, too.
“With shows like Desperate Housewives and The Mountain and The OC, this is a really hot time for a serial drama,” Stabile said. “It seems like a lot of things are converging at the right time. In terms of porn hitting the mainstream, in terms of art-house films like The Brown Bunny, people are ready for a little more.”
In addition to downloading episodes on the Web site, consumers will be able to purchase Wet Palms DVDs later this month. The DVDs will feature a 90-minute version of the show, in contrast to the 40-minute version available online.
With the current success of the downloadable version, Patel has high hopes for DVD.
“Honestly, I think it will do just as well, if not better,” she said. “I think it’s going to be one of the record-breaking DVD sales of the year.”
New episodes of Wet Palms hit the Web site each Thursday.
