HOLLYWOOD, California—The X-Rated Critics Association gave out its 31st awards in an industry-only ceremony Saturday night at Hollywood nightspot Lure. The awards were hosted by Jules Jordan Video contract performer Jesse and Not The Cosbys XXX star Thomas Ward. New performers Kissa Sins and Dylan Phoenix were "Heart-On Girls," delivering the new heart-shaped Lucite trophies to the winners.
"It's really good to be back," Jesse told AVN. "It's cool to be host. I love hosting. A lot of people get nervous, but I don't. I like to be in charge, get the crowd going. To be back and with my first movie now coming out and get to host another awards show is rad. I like everybody coming together and hanging out. It's a fun group of people."
The evening began with the new additions to the XRCO Hall of Fame, hosted by Bill Margold. New inductees to the XRCO Hall of Fame were directors Jeff Mullen and Stoney Curtis, performer Melissa Hill, 5th Estate member Jim Dawson, pioneer director Lasse Braun, ’70s Golden Age performers John Seeman and Karen Summer, and Sardo's Grill & Lounge owner Seymour Satin for hosting Porn Star Karaoke since 2003.
Veteran performer Herschel Savage, inducting Stoney Curtis, pointed out that "his perversions began at age 10 in the late 1970s when I was making porn films in New York" and called him " always the innovator, never an imitator," mentioning several of his attention-getting titles like Pussy Farts and the upcoming That Rapper Destroyed My Crapper. In his acceptance, Curtis thanked the talent who worked with him over the years: "If you guys didn't have the balls and the courage to take your clothes off in front of a pervert like me, so I could film you and jerk off to it later, and sell it and make money at it ... This is the greatest job in the world. I want to thank the talent. You should give yourselves a round of applause. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have a career, None of us would." Kent Smith inducted writer/reviewer Jim Dawson, who told the assembled performers "You continue to do your job, and we'll continue to do our job. Keep it going." Steven St. Croix inducted Melissa Hill, observing "This place is more organized than Coachella" before praising Hill as "an actress I directed and worked with in the '90s, She has a personality that draws you to her." Hill said that she started in 1993 "when some of you were being born" and said that she was "surprised and touched" by the honor. She advised performers "Don't do anything you don't want to do. Stay true to yourself because at the end of the day, and for the rest of your life, the only person you have to live with is yourself."
Miles Long inducted Jeff Mullen, also known as director Will Ryder, pointing out that he and producing partner Scott David have won more than 60 industry awards and he is credited with being "the father of the modern porn parody." Ryder said he came into the adult industry "by accident. I needed a job and I started scoring some movies. Next thing you know, I got to direct a few, and 300 movies later here I am." He thanked David "for all the years and all the bullshit we've done. It's been a great run," adding "You really know you've made it when the XRCO puts you in the Hall of Fame and they misspell your name." Industry journalist Tod Hunter inducted Seymour Satin and Sardo's Grill & Lounge as a friend of the industry, inviting people to go to Sardo's "to thank him for his hospitality—maybe on a Tuesday night." Legendary performer John Seeman was inducted by Tyler Horne, and he mentioned that he had "great memories—as I'm sure you will have great memories. It was like a family to me, when I was in the business, and it was wonderful." Veteran performer Karen Summer was inducted by her friend Big Cat Daddy, who pointed out that Summer was in the first blowjob instructional video and said, "There's nothing hotter than Summer." Summer said "I started in the summer of ’82 and because of you I have a place to come back to. It's an honor to be here. Thank you for welcoming me back with open arms."
After the Hall of Fame inductions, the XRCO Awards began with Thomas Ward and Jesse. Ward went straight into his Bill Cosby imitation: "I'd like to thank the XRCO Awards for inviting me out to host the show, but some pussy would be nice."
Orgasmic Oralist winner Vicki Chase thanked "the producers who had me in their productions over the years and my fellow performers—for letting me shine with you."
Greg Lansky, winning for Best Web Director, thanked his collaborators, observing "You're nobody without the right crew."
"I've been in the adult industry since 2005, and being primarily on the web you get used to not being recognized for your work," Lansky told AVN. "It was wonderful to be recognized by XRCO. It was very humbling. I'm grateful for it."
Performer/director Tim Von Swine thanked producers Mike John and Jules Jordan and "all the beautiful girls I get to work with. It's all about the chicks, we all know that. Give it up for the beautiful ladies and the wonderful things they do. God bless America."
"I'm lucky enough to be in a category where I can compete, unlike other categories where not having the most svelte physique works against you," Von Swine told AVN. "XRCO recognizes it, and I really appreciate that, because Mike [John] and I have always cared about the accessibility and the vibe of the sex to go along with really good hand-held POV. When you shoot POV, just you and the girl, it's really bringing the fan into the experience. When you have two performers and that third [camera]person there, it's not the same. So the camera shakes here and there, and here are some little imperfections, but when you get a really hot chick in a room with you, there's going to be some motion. There's very good competition—Kevin Moore, Jules Jordan, Erik Everhard, Lex Steele, Mick Blue—there's a lot of guys who know how to hold a camera and fuck. I'm very, very stoked, fortunate and appreciative of anyone who acknowledges and votes for us. To win six in a row ... That's really something."
Best Actor winner Steven St. Croix said, "I want to thank all the directors I've worked with in my long career: Jonathan Morgan, Jacky St. James, Eli Cross, James Avalon. I'm forgetting some names, but you know them. It's a pleasure to work for you guys, and to do what I do. Thank you."
Best Parody director Will Ryder told the crowd, "I can assure you ["Not Jersey Boys XXX"] is not a gay porno. I love Frankie Valli and I'm not gay. Tommy Pistol played Frankie Valli and he killed it. Everybody in the cast was great. It was such a great experience making another musical. Thank you very much to the XRCO for recognizing that musicals are very, very sexual."
Best Feature Director Jacky St. James said, "I'm honored. I have to thank my team at New Sensations and Eddie Powell, who is my inspiration. All the wonderful performers I've worked with, and all the people I look forward to working with."
Mainstream Media Favorite winner Asa Akira observed that "mainstream star in porn is like being the tallest midget. This is the weirdest award ever." She thanked her publisher, which released her autobiographical book Insatiable last year.
Anikka Albrite and Mick Blue won Female Performer of the Year and Male Performer of the Year honors, repeating their one-two wins at the AVN Awards in January.
"It was absoultely incredible," Anikka Albrite told AVN about her and husband Mick Blue winning Female and Male Performer of the Year a second time after the AVN Awards earlier this year. "We didn't think it was actually possible to win the first time together. The second time is mind-blowing."
"When we won AVN a few months ago, it was mind-blowing, like a dream come true," Blue continued. "Now we are four months into the new year, and XRCO came around. We thought it would be awesome if we could win it together, but you know, we got AVN and if somebody else got it we would be happy for them. But here we are, we won it again. It's amazing. Thanks to the reviewers and the fans who take the time and support our movies. We need to keep in mind that in order to be here we can't do it alone. We're lucky to work with all those other great performers who gave their best in the scenes they worked together with us. It's teamwork that makes it happen."
Among those present, in no particular order: Samantha Saint, Kaylani Lei, Alexandra Silk, Jack Cannon, Miles Long, Miss Melrose, Jonathan Morgan, Andre Madness, Dylan Phoenix, Cassidy Klein, Keira Nicole, Daniel Metcalf, Peter Warren, director Ivan, Blake Palmer, Rusty Nails, Erica McLean, Chloe Amour, Jake Jacobs, Teanna Kai, Alyssa Lynn, Kristina Rose, Jaclyn Taylor, A.J. Applegate, Zoey Fox, Ela Darling, Dane Cross, Indigo Augustine, Kayden Kross and Manuel Ferrara, Priya Rai, Riley Steele, Aria Alexander, Yhivi, Jules Jordan, Kyle Stone, Mika Dai, Ashley Adams, Evan Stone, Brad Armstrong and Jessica Drake, Rebecca Bardoux, James Bartholet, Anita Cannibal, Alex Chance and director Mo, Kinky Gaga, Dana DeArmond, Skin Diamond, Nina Elle, industry attorney Michael Fattorosi, Ana Foxxx, O.G. Goddess, GlamorGirl Magazine publisher Rich Hansen, Max Hardcore, Marica Hase, Erika Ikon, Jenna Ivory, Ron Jeremy, Moe Johnson, Karmen Karma, Shy Love, Rachael Madori, Tony Montana, Nikki Phoenix and her father Charlie, Alexander Raymond, Tee Reel, Selma Sins, Misty Stone, Tanya Tate, Adam Wood, Christy Stevens, Presley Hart, Cali Carter, Katerina Kay, Tara Morgan, Veruca James, Aiden Starr and Wolf Hudson.
The 2015 XRCO Awards were sponsored by Vivid Entertainment, Wicked Pictures, IAFD.com, Axel Braun Productions, Jules Jordan Video, Adam & Eve, Vrai Voyeur, The V Agency, GlamorGirl and Pipeline Multimedia.
For a complete list of winners, click here.
For winners' circle photos, click here. For more galleries from the event, click here. Pictured above, XRCO attendees Jenna Sativa, Chris King and Chloe Amour trying on the 3D glasses provided to watch footage by Vrai Vouyer.
