The Free Speech Coalition honored the careers of a remarkable group of adult industry figures on Saturday night at the 17th annual Night of the Stars gala at the Sheraton Universal Hotel.
Perhaps the best known was hip-hop pioneer Luther Campbell, who closed the ceremony by accepting the first Celebrity Freedom Fighter Award for his free speech clashes with the record industry and federal government.
"I fought a lot of battles in the name of freedom," Campbell, better known as Luke when he founded the musical group 2 Live Crew, told the star-studded audience inside the Grand Ballroom. "This is the first award I've ever received in my entire 20-year career."
Campbell's appearance on stage capped off an evening billed as a gathering of the "Kings and Queens of Adult Entertainment" that even included a Renaissance performance troupe.
| Click here for gallery. |
Free Speech Coalition (FSC) President Nicholas Boyias and Executive Director Kat Sunlove each gave friendly welcomes before Seymore Butts and Juli Ashton took over as Master and Mistress of Ceremonies for the award presentations.
Though previous Nights of the Stars have been characterized by a lack of attention from attendees, who usually prefer to talk among themselves, Butts’ confident tones commanded their attention throughout most of the presentations.
Free Speech supporters became particularly quiet, however, when Butts, aka Adam Glasser, introduced Jenna Jameson, winner of this year’s Positive Image Award.
After reviewing some of Jameson's achievements such as AVN Best New Starlet and a slew of mainstream credits, Glasser wondered aloud, "When did she have time to fuck?"
Jameson radiated star power in a sleek black dress with her blond hair straight, stepping to the microphone amidst a torrent of camera flashes. The Las Vegas native thanked Wicked Pictures President Steve Orenstein and V.P. Joy King, as well as Vivid Entertainment Group's Steven Hirsch, for being instrumental in furthering her career.
Jameson, the CEO of the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Club Jenna, Inc., also sent a special thanks to her husband Jay Grdina, aka Justin Sterling, who "allowed me to do everything a lot of people didn't think I could, being a woman in this industry." She went on to say, "I don't believe in big political statements, so I'm not going to make any except ‘John Kerry for President’," which drew roaring applause.
Jameson left attendees with this: "Try hard. Stick to your beliefs and stay true to yourself. That's all that really matters in this industry."
Steve Orenstein himself was a recipient this year of the Joel Warner "Good Guy" Award, but his appearance was slightly overshadowed by his presenter, last year’s winner, Eddie Wedelstedt.
“Nobody ever said freedom is free; you have to earn it,” Wedelstedt told the crowd, noting that he and several other industry titans had formed the “ACDC” defense fund five years ago in anticipation of the then-possible victory of George W. Bush as president. Wedelstedt emphasized the necessity for regime change in the federal government, “or we’re all going to suffer.”
In accepting his award, Orenstein first offered thanks to the Free Speech Coalition, and then mentioned people such as Al Bloom, Susan Colvin, Paul Fishbein and Ron Braverman, among several others who have impacted his life.
He also called his loyal employees, "the backbone of the company," and also thanked his wife Jan for her support.
"It really is an honor," Orenstein told AVN.com later, still humbled by the recognition. "So many people work so hard, just to receive an award."
Meanwhile, Carter Stevens, a sexual outlaw from the "Golden Age" of adult, earned the Anthony Spinelli Lifetime Achievement Award for a director. The porn survivor has acted, produced, directed and been a videographer for countless productions. His first feature-length adult film, The Collegiates, hit the streets only months after Deep Throat.
The night didn't come without surprises. Gay director Chi Chi LaRue, who earned the Lifetime Achievement Award, thanked Video Team President Christian Mann for getting him into the business on his 10th day in Los Angeles and also tipped his hat to Vivid's Marci Hirsch.
"Porno is my life – lipstick and porno," La Rue, dressed in full drag with his face nearly obscured by a black veil, said. “It's so great to direct sex and tell people how to have sex."
Then, in an obviously prearranged encounter, LaRue and one of the costumed Renaissance queens nearly came to blows on stage.
"If there's a queen fight, this big, fat queen will win," LaRue shouted as the trash talk led to a brief faux altercation.
During a more serious moment, Gary Kremen, owner of ultimate adult domain name sex.com, picked up the Hal Freeman "Freedom Isn't Free” Award for his protracted struggles to re-secure the domain name after it had been fraudulently taken from him. Kremen won a $65 million lawsuit against Steve Cohen after a three-year legal battle, which left Cohen a fugitive and Kremen in possession of Cohen’s house as perhaps his only recovery from the lawsuit. In April of this year, after a six-year struggle, he finally settled with Verisign, formerly Network Solutions, which had improperly transferred the sex.com domain name to Cohen, a convicted forger.
"We admire his tenacity," Glasser said before summoning the sharply dressed entrepreneur, who also started match.com, the world's largest dating service, to the podium.
The festivities had gotten off to a rousing start with AVN Hall of Famer Christy Canyon commanding considerable attention as she was escorted onstage to pick up her Lifetime Achievement Award. Canyon, who has been promoting her autobiography, "Lights, Camera, Sex!" said that the award comes during her 20th year in the industry.
Then 32-year industry veteran Jesse Adams, who earned his own Lifetime Achievement Award, jokingly remarked, "I understand most people don't know who I am. I'm like an old dinosaur."
The Vietnam veteran from Ohio has produced, directed, edited and performed in numerous adult films during his three-plus decades in the business. He even did live sex shows in Japan for a three-year stint.
Adams thanked Kat Sunlove and William Margold, among a host of others.
Midway through the program, Glasser asked guests to observe a moment of silence for Wendell Carter, who passed away this year after 14 years with Pipedream.
Gay actor and GayVN Hall of Fame director, Chip "Eveready" Daniels, owner of Centaur Films, also collected a Lifetime Achievement Award in front of nearly 500 guests. The 40-year-old has performed in more than 40 films and has 29 directing credits including last year's highly acclaimed Man Hunter.
"The penis is about the only thing not yet tainted," the director and star of 2001 hit Tight Ends & Wide Receivers, said.
As usual, dozens of adult film stars, company owners and industry movers and shakers attended the event. Some of the current and former porn stars in the crowd included Nina Hartley, Stormy, Krystal Steal, Teagan Presley, Mary Carey, Dani Woodward, Jessica Drake, AnnMarie, Carmen Luvana, Kelly Erikson, Teri Weigel, Julie Night, Catalina, Vandalia, Candida Royalle, Kaylani Lei, Devinn Lane, Mari Possa, Cherry Rain, Anita Cannibal, Pamela Peaks, Alexandra Silk and husband Luc Wylder, Max Hardcore, Mr. Marcus, Dino Bravo and Ernest Greene.
When it was over, AVN Publisher Paul Fishbein said, "I think this group of honorees, from Steve Orenstein and Chi Chi LaRue to Jenna Jameson, they are all good choices. They embody the values of what the Free Speech Coalition and freedom of expression are about."
Glasser added, "I think it went as smooth as possible and I'm surprised that somebody set 25 G's aside for one of the auction items [the Tiger Woods personalized golf lesson and vacation package]."
Honorary co-chairs Susan Sarandon, an Academy Award winning actress, and California Senator John Vasconcellos were unable to attend. However, Matt Gray, an aide to the senator, came on his behalf.
California Assemblyman Paul Koretz also joined the ceremony as an honoree co-chair.
Besides roaming through the crowds, dispensing 17th century advice and gossip, the Renaissance entertainers performed several skits during the ceremonies, including an impromptu sword fight between two “noblemen” that carried on for over 10 minutes before the final award.
"I'm fascinated," adult performer Dani Woodward joked as the jousting spilled into the audience. "This reminds me of the Renaissance festival in high school."
"I thought you were supposed to kill each other, not the show," Ashton quipped when they were finished.
Mark Kernes contributed to this report.
