CHATSWORTH, Calif.- The first-ever Gay Phoenix Forum got off to a modest but promising start on Thursday. Following Wednesday’s welcome dinner at Kinkaid’s in downtown Phoenix, other attendees began filing into the city throughout the day on Thursday and eventually congregated at the Irish Cultural Center in the evening for a welcome barbecue thrown by CCBill, DRM Networks, and Cavecreek Web Hosting. Bottles of champagne were given out to event sponsors, and a smorgasbord of chicken, beef, and pork was served. Following the barbecue, everybody migrated over to Amsterdam for the seventh annual Cybersocket Awards. Chi Chi LaRue again hosted the event, which honored excellence in the adult online industry. PrideBucks took home the evening’s first award, the Industry Choice Award for Best Affiliate Program, while CCBill snagged honors for Best Billing Company and NakedSword President Tim Valenti walked off with Best Business Person of the Year. Big winners in the Surfer’s Choice Awards included Best Mega Site (PuppyCash.com), Best Original Content (RandyBlue.com), Best Porn Star Site (PierreFitchOnline.com) and Best Reality Site (StraightCollegeMen.com).
For a complete list of the night’s winners, see below.
Following the awards show, many of the night’s winners made their way back over to the host motel (the Best Western in downtown Phoenix), where DirtyBoyVideo (winner for Best Amateur Video Site) hosted the first of three All-Night Fag Bashes, which lived up to its title by going strong until well into the wee hours of the morning.
While most of the events were rather low-key, spirits were high on the first day of the first Gay Phoenix Forum. “It’s so cool that this is the very first one,” enthused one excited webmaster who said he was looking forward to getting some business done in a more party-centric atmosphere. “These events are always a lot of fun to come to, because they allow you to get off the computer and get out of the office and meet the people you’re doing business with. It’s become so cliché to say that, but it really is true. What’s so great about this industry is that it’s really about the relationships and the people you meet. And, to be able to welcome another show—one that is devoted exclusively to the gay side of the industry—is really an exciting experience.”
2006 Cybersocket Awards Winners
Industry Choice Awards:
Best Affiliate Program – PrideBucks.com
Best Alternative Billing – ePassporte
Best Billing Company – CCBill
Best Business Person of the Year: Tim Valenti (NakedSword)
Best Hosting Company: Chili Host
Best Industry Publication: XBiz
Best Live Feed Provider: Flirt4Free
Best Megasite: Badpuppy
Best New Site: BrokeStraightBoys
Best Video Company Site: Falcon Studios
Best Web Content Provider: HardGayFeeds
Best Webmaster Community: GoFuckYourself
Surfer’s Choice Awards:
Best Adult Blog: GayPornBlog
Best Adult Novelties: AdamMale
Best Adult Video for iPod: (tie) Colt Studio Group, DirtyTony
Best Amateur Video Site: DirtyBoyVideo
Best Amateur Webcam: Str8Cam
Best Asian Theme Site: Boykakke
Best AVS Site: MANCheck
Best Black Theme Site: ThugBoy
Best Celebrity Site: MaleStars
Best Erotic E-zine: JustUsBoys
Best Escort Site: BigCockSociety
Best European Theme Site: MenAtPlay
Best Fetish Site: BoysPissing
Best Free Adult Site: BananaGuide
Best Hookup Site: Men4SexNow
Best Latin Theme Site: PapiCock
Best Live XXX Show: SexGaymes.tv
Best Megasite: PuppyCash
Best New Adult Site: BlakeMason
Best Original Content: RandyBlue
Best Original Theme Site: YouLoveJack
Best Personal Homepage: LadyBunny
Best Porn Star Site: PierreFitchOnline
Best Reality Site: StraightCollegeMen
Best Video Company Site: Raging Stallion Studios
Best DVD Retail Site: AdamMale
Best VOD Site: NakedSword
Best Voyeur Site: LiveTwinksCam
