One year after the first AVN Awards proved that, much as people kicked themselves to admit it, porn performance was taken seriously, the X-Rated Critics’ Organization threw its first award show.
The 26th annual XRCO Awards returns to the Highlands Nightclub above the Kodak Theatre on April 29.
And chances are you can’t come.
Because the XRCO is privately sponsored and does not sell tickets. Only card-carrying members of the adult industry and their special hangers-on can get in. This is because the XRCO, alone among porn’s award-granting institutions, is utterly incorruptible.
“I often jokingly tell people that I take bribes,” said XRCO co-chairman “Dirty” Bob Krotts, “[but] we have never had anyone suggest or try to do so.”
While I will not even suggest that the fix is in at any of the other respected American porn awards shows, the XRCO was founded as a critics’ organization unaligned with any for-profit trade magazine or convention.
Nor am I suggesting that the founders of the XRCO – which included the late director Jim Holliday – felt the industry needed an impartial circle of elders to give awards to the most deserving performers and companies, not just the ones who had the ears and the routing numbers of the dominant trade publications of the time.
While the winners of XRCO awards are often the same as AVN award winners, and while many members of AVN’s Hall of Fame are also XRCO Hall-of-Famers, the XRCO draws from a much wider pool of critics.
“The awards and nominations are derived from carefully considered selections by those whose collective voices reflect the overall opinions of qualified and accredited reviewers of adult releases,” said Krotts.
And the XRCOs are second only to AVN in longevity, having outlasted numerous other more recent award shows, including the Temptation Awards (one year), the Adultcon Awards (one year), and the FAME Awards (four years).
I asked the Ohio-based Krotts who pays for it all.
“Over the years there have been a variety of sponsors who donate time, materials, and cash to help with the costs of the trophies, red carpet, program, web, and other expenses,” he said (this year’s event is co-sponsored by Wicked Pictures and Deep Throat Energy Drink, among others). “In no way does their sponsorship affect the nominations and votes; in fact, many sponsors are from aspects of the adult industry who have no direct connection with nominations.”
The XRCO Awards have never, in my experience, not been a raucous affair (I have been a member since 2006). Despite this, the event has always managed to remain industry-only, with attendees allowed in often by facial recognition alone.
I do not consider myself a fraction as knowledgeable about porn movies as most of my longer-serving XRCO brethren and sistren. So I asked Krotts how porn criticism has changed obver the years.
“Some people have totally lost perspective and their sense of humor,” he said. “For crying out loud, look at the big picture: this is porn…you are spending time playing expert with porn? – this is absurd and humorous in itself – and a bit sad.”
But it often amazes me – and I’ve talked with numerous performers who are similarly shocked – how clinically a fan might know a performer’s complete career, far past the point that the performer herself knows.
“I believe that only people who have been in the biz a long, long time have survived because they recognize and acknowledge the humor of it,” Krotts said.
See the original nominating categories below, followed by this year’s noms.
2010 XRCO Nominations
BEST RELEASE
Deviance – SkinworXXX/Adam & Eve Pictures
Educating Alli – Wicked Pictures
Flight Attendants – X-Play/Adam & Eve Pictures
Teachers – Digital Playground
Throat: A Cautionary Tale – VividBEST EPIC
2040 – Wicked Pictures
Nurses – Digital Playground
Operation: Tropical Stormy – Wicked Pictures
The 8th Day – Adam & Eve Pictures
Pure – Prime Evil/Evil AngelBEST DIRECTOR (features)
Brad Armstrong
David Aaron Clark
Lee Roy Meyers
Will Ryder
Ren SavantBEST DIRECTOR (non-features)
Belladonna
Robby D
William H
Jules Jordan
MasonBEST COMEDY or PARODY
LA Pink: A XXX Parody – Burning Angel/Vouyer Media
Not Married With Children XXX – X-Play/LFP Video
Not The Cosbys XXX – X-Play/LFP Video
The Sex Files: A Dark XXX Parody – Digital Sin
TM Sleaze A XXX Parody – 3rd DegreeBEST GONZO MOVIE
Big Wet Asses 15 – Elegant Angel
Evalutionary – Elegant Angel
Slutty & Sluttier #10 – Manuel Ferrara Productions/Evil Angel
South Beach Cruisin’ 3 – Justin Slayer International
Tori Black Is Pretty Filthy – Elegant AngelBEST GONZO SERIES
Couples Seduce Teens – Pink Visual
I Fucked My Bosses Daughter – Evasive Angles
First Time Auditions – Realitykings.com
Seasoned Players – Tom Byron Pictures
Titty Sweat – Vince Voyeur UnleashedBEST GIRL/GIRL SERIES
Girlvana – Zero Tolerance
Predator – Wicked Pictures
Strap-On Sally – Pleasure Productions
Violation Of… – JM Productions
Women Seeking Women – Girlfriends FilmsBEST POV MOVIE
POV Jugg Fuckers #2 – Darkko Productions/Evil Angel
POV Pervert #11 – Mike John Productions/Jules Jordan Video
Pole Position #9 – Mercenary Pictures
Pound The Round #3 – Digital Sin
Schoolgirl POV #6 – New SensationsBEST ETHNIC SERIES
Big Black Wet Asses – Elegant Angel
Cockasian – Digital Playground
Deep In Latin Cheeks – Alexander DeVoe Productions/Jules Jordan
Naughty Little Asians – Third World Media
Run For The Border – Porn Fidelity/Juicy EntertainmentNEW STARLET
Angelina Armani
Gracie Glam
Kagney Linn Karter
Tanner Mayes
Riley SteeleNEW STUD
Bill Bailey
Dane Cross
Ralph Long
Brian Street Team
Aaron WilcoxUNSUNG SIREN
Andi Andersen
Marie Luv
Rayveness
Missy Stone
Misty StoneUNSUNG SWORDSMAN
Jordan Ash
Jack Lawrence
Danny Mountain
Sascha
Eric SwissFEMALE PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
Tori Black
Jenna Haze
Kristina Rose
Bobbi Starr
Alexis TexasMALE PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
James Deen
Erik Everhard
Rocco Reed
Anthony Rosano
Evan StoneSINGLE PERFORMANCE – ACTRESS
Asa Akira – Pure – Prime Evil/Evil Angel
Sasha Grey – Deep Throat: A Cautionary Tale – Vivid
Kimberly Kane – The Sex Files: A Dark XXX Comedy – Digital Sin
Kayden Kross – The 8th Day – Adam & Eve Pictures
Misty Stone – Not The Cosby’s XXX – X-Play/LFP VideoSINGLE PERFORMANCE – ACTOR
James Deen – Scrubs: A XXX Parody – New Sensations
Marcus London – 2040 – Wicked Pictures
Anthony Rosano – The Sex Files: A Dark XXX Parody – Digital Sin
Keni Styles – Pure – Prime Evil/Evil Angel
Eric Swiss – Not Married With Children XXX – X-Play/LFP VideoCREAM DREAM
Lexi Belle
Tara Lynn Fox
Tanner Mayes
Amia Miley
Isis TaylorSUPERSLUT
Belladonna
Tori Black
Dana DeArmond
Kristina Rose
Bobbi StarrORGASMIC ORALIST
Hunter Bryce
Sasha Grey
Jenna Haze
Nika Noire
Bobbi StarrORGASMIC ANALIST
Joanna Angel
Eva Angelina
Jenna Haze
Kristina Rose
Bobbi StarrMILF OF THE YEAR
Julia Ann
Lisa Ann
Francesca Le
Raylene
RayvenessBEST CUMBACK
Eva Angelina
Debi Diamond
Dyanna Lauren
Raylene
Avy ScottMOST OUTRAGEOUS DVD XTRAS
2040 – Wicked Pictures
Not The Cosbys XXX – X-Play/LFP Video
Operation Tropical Stormy – Wicked Pictures
Teachers – Digital Playground
The 8th Day – Adam & Eve PicturesMAINSTREAM ADULT MEDIA FAVORITE
Lisa Ann
Stormy Daniels
Penny Flame
Sasha Grey
Tera Patrick
(Photos of Wankus, jessica drake, Taylor Wane, Holly Wellin, Jenna Jameson, Bree Olson, Ava Rose, Kayden Kross, John Stagliano, Flower Tucci, Sunny Lane, Sunset Thomas, Ron Jeremy, Sophie Dee, and Manuel Ferrara from the 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 XRCOs)
Previously on Porn Valley Observed: XRCO from the outside in; Backstage at the XRCOs – a night of heroes; Male Performer of the Year*; “Shut up, please”: the 22nd annual XRCO Awards
See also: XRCO
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