Pictured from left, Lauren Phillips, the Penthouse booth, Sarah Vandella at the AVN booth—just a few of the more than 500 performers now at the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo. To see more, click here.
LAS VEGAS, Nev.—The line of fans led from the entrance to the sports book 90 minutes before the first-day opening of the 2018 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Surveying the lengthy line, performer Chad White said, "It's gonna be crazy today. I'm going to the Concrete Show—or maybe the Shots Show." Once through the door, attendees could visit the Joint, the concert venue transformed into a meet-and-greet area for performers to meet their fans, and the adjacent Muse Hall and Artist Hall, filled with booths representing production companies and online content providers. "The show seems to be getting larger the last two, three years, and I hope it continues," observed talent agent Mark Spiegler.
Talent agencies represented in the Joint include LA Direct Models, Ideal Image. Motley Models, OCModeling, Spiegler Girls, ATM|LA, Nexxxt Level, Matrix Models, Foxxy Modeling, the VIP Connect, 101 Modeling and 360 Models. Nexxt Level's Jonathan Morgan said, "We're looking for no hassles, a smooth ride, no headaches and a bunch of smiles ... I'm hoping to get two of those four," he added with a laugh. "We have Brandi Love, who just won a MILF award, and Katie Morgan will be here later. Pretty much everyone on our roster." Performer/publicist James Bartholet displayed his wares for sale at the 101 Modeling booth: "I've got shirts, I've got hats, I've got bath bombs. I've got movies. Stormy Daniels is the big thing on the news, so I went to Wicked and got a bunch of movies that I've done with Stormy over the years. I sold one in the hallway on my way in." Also at the 101 Modeling booth, performer Nickey Huntsman told AVN that she was looking forward to "meeting the fans ... and getting drunk, of course."
Performer Anya Ivy said "It's my fourth year, so I feel like I have senior status, I'm not a freshman. I'm more prepared than I was before. I didn't have a banner, I didn’t bring photos, I was just here to meet the fans. Now I have more things to share. I feel good about that. It's exciting to meet the fans face-to-face." Leya Falcon, in full Harley Quinn makeup, said, "I'm looking forward to maybe winning for sticking an AVN Award up my ass. [Laughs] If I do win, I'm going to do a d.p. with the trophies. When [director] Ivan won a few years ago, I said 'Can I put that in my ass?' and I think he thought I was kidding."
First-timer Sizi Sev told AVN "I'm so excited. I'm looking for my booth and I can't find it. I'm looking forward to meeting people and doing more scenes. I want to get fucked." Performer Katie Morgan, posing with fans outside the rail of the Nexxxt Level booth, said she was "recovering from the long 15-minute trip all the way from Spring Valley. Bad Babes Inc. just won an award for Best Comedy, and that bodes well for us on Saturday. And I'm up for Best Actress." Performer Summer Day said, "AVN 2018 has been everything I have wanted so far. The energy has been really great, and I'm really happy to be here. It's really cool because I know more and more people. So I have more fun seeing my friends." New talent Moka Mora called the Joint experience "scary and exciting. I love to meet my fans, that's exciting. Scary, it's new to me, I don't know what to expect."
Production company Evil Angel has a corner booth in front of the Joint stage, with stanchions for queue control and a large video screen announcing talent appearances visible throughout the room. Production company Girlsway has the other corner in front of the Joint stage. "It's our third year exhibiting," writer/producer/director Bree Mills told AVN. "It's nice that each year we're having a larger presence. It's always good to meet the fans. Some of our most devoted fans are making pilgrimages to meet us." Half His Age co-director Craven Moorehead said, "My first AVN was 20 years ago, in 1998. I haven't been on the floor in five years. I'm looking forward to meeting new talent, checking out the Girlsway booth. The Pure Taboo Half His Age poster. Try to make off with that, take it home. I was really proud of that."
The Muse Hall was dominated by online providers, with MyFreeCams, Clips4Sale and Chaturbate all represented by large booths filled with performers chatting on their computers. The counters at the MyFreeCams booths were scattered with branded souvenirs including coffee mugs, mini-vibes, sunglasses and pencils in the company's trademark green color. At the Chaturbate booth Lauren Phillips, barely clad in strips of black and gold tape, told AVN that she was donating 10 percent of her tips to anti-cyberbullying efforts: "I'm wearing blue throughout the Expo to promote that. What's happened this year really affected me, and I want to make a difference. I want to do something. We have to show that we're family."
Also in Muse Hall was another big name in live online entertainment. ImLive.com entertained attendees with its Live Money Booth. People were lining up to stand in the booth and catch as much money as they could in a short period. And whoever got the most money would then be eligible for more prizes. And model Sabrina Katarina supplied the eye candy.
The stylish Blacked/Tushy/Vixen booth was back, an elevated platform with signing stations, a full bar and lounge, and a gold couch in front of a large shadowbox with 40 AVN Awards. At the booth, Kira Noir said, "This is amazing. I've always said that Expo is like porn summer camp. My first year, I was very, very new. No one knew me, it was terrifying. The second year, I was nominated, so I had a lot of emotion. This year, I finally know what to do, where to go, who I'm talking to. It's nice and relaxing. I've already met so many amazing fans. It’s nice to reach out and have a conversation with the people who make my job possible." Veteran performer Tori Black said, "It's phenomenal to be back, and I couldn’t have picked a better company to do it with. They see my vision, and they have their own vision, and together we're explosive. Who else would put me in a helicopter and let me dangle out over L.A.? Nobody else would. It's always great to be back at Expo. I've had such a long and beautiful career, it's my chance to say hello and thank everybody." Kendra Sunderland told AVN, "It's really bittersweet to be here, because this is my last Expo. I'm going to be going back to school. I've had a lot of fans coming up to me saying how happy they are for me. It feels so good to be around such positive energy, having fun and celebrating ourselves. I have one last scene to shoot for Blacked Raw. That will be 20 scenes. I'm all good and ready to move on."
In the hall between Muse Hall and Artist Hall, Penthouse Pet Sam Phillips was at the Penthouse booth. "We have several Penthouse Pets each day, signing autographs and posing in our green screen booth for souvenir Penthouse covers. Free of charge, of course. Kenna James, Pet of the Year for 2016, is here. Olive Glass and Marica Hase are also going to be here. We are showing broadcast clips of our video content, featuring the Pets we'll be having in the booth."
In Artist Hall, Satisfyer promoted the personal appearance of performer Rocco Siffredi with larger-than-life-size images on 10-foot walls. CAM4 featured a large plexiglass sandbox structure filled with hundreds of 3-inch clear and white plastic balls. At the AVN Booth, performer Sarah Vandella said, "I'm looking forward to seeing all of the amazing fans, and of course Saturday on the red carpet, walking with my good friend Cadence Lux. And hopefully taking home an award for my blowjob scene with Blair Williams." Veteran performer Sunny Lane said, "I really appreciate being a part of the adult industry because I'm able to speak my mind and I can be the strong, empowered woman I've always been. I like the convention because I'm able to meet everybody in the industry and I can meet the fans who actually watch my films. That means so much to me. The nice thing about AEE is that the best of the best are here. This is where the cream rises to the top. And this is where the fans get a chance to get up close and personal with us, in the same room." At the Adam & Eve booth, semi-retired performer Jesse Jane was promoting her new toy line from XR Brands. "Being here, I'm so excited. It's fun to be back. I'm not back-back [performing] but I did do one scene for Trenchcoatx. Kayden Kross wanted to recreate a scene she and I did with Riley Steele."
AVN Hall of Fame performer Steve Holmes summed it up: "I always like being here. It's like a family reunion."
The AVN Adult Entertainment Expo continues through Saturday at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, followed by the AVN Awards ceremony at the Joint on Saturday night. Both events are open to the public. There is an admission charge.
