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As mentioned previously, AVN's annual Adult Entertainment Expo and Adult Movie Awards took place earlier this month in Las Vegas, with the convention running for four days at the Sands Expo and Convention Center and the awards show taking place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Held the night before the Golden Globe Awards and considered the adult equivalent of the Oscars, the Adult Movie Awards, now in its 26th year -- hosted by pornstars Belladonna and Jenna Haze, with comedy by stand-up Thea Vidale and musical performances by Flo Rida, T-Pain, and Flavor Flav -- clocked in at two and a half hours, which was brisk considering that past editions have lasted up to double that length of time.
Arguably the frontrunner, Digital Playground won 22 awards, with its blockbuster epic Pirates II: Stagnetti's Revenge winning not only Best Video Feature, but a record-setting 14 others, including Best Director Feature (Joone), Best Actor (Evan Stone), Best Supporting Actress (Belladonna), Best Supporting Actor (Ben English), Best Girl/Girl Sex Scene (Jesse Jane and Belladonna), Best Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Best Videography, Best Editing (Joey Pulgadas), Best Special Effects, Best Makeup, Best DVD Extras, Best High Definition Production, and Best Overall Marketing Campaign.
In addition, Evil Angel won 16 awards, Wicked Pictures' Fallen won four awards, including Best Actress (Jessica Drake), Best Double Penetration Sex Scene (Jessica Drake, Eric Masterson, and Brad Armstrong), Best DVD Menus, and Best Packaging, Vivid Entertainment's Cry Wolf won two awards, including Best Film (perhaps the last year this category will exist due to the overwhelming usage of video) and Best Couples Sex Scene (Monique Alexander and Mr. Marcus), and Vivid-Alt won Best Music Soundtrack (Bad Luck Betties). And Hustler won Clever Title of the Year (Strollin' in the Colon).
On the awards show, Violet Blue wrote for The San Francisco Chronicle that "I was invited this year, as in the past, but have never willingly undergone a root canal or a 6-hour porn star awards ceremony... Watching porny red carpet is enough to make fashion people self-administer a Thorazine dart, the kind they use on elephants who turn on their trainers. Not always; most of porn's Neu Wave don't look like they got in a knockdown drag out fight over the sale rack at the Stripper Barn; some do indeed dress up in pretty hot haute couture." Nevertheless, history was reportedly made on the red carpet, as Madison Young and Syd Blakovich walked together as the first queer porn couple.
To be continued.
A glimpse of the red carpet with Robin Leach. Video by the Las Vegas Weekly.
Special thanks to all of the participating nominees and AVN.
