Page 26 - AVN January 2013

EdDesk.Cross_01.13 12/26/12 3:47 PM Page 26
WE’VE GOT ISSUES | By Sharan Street
Veterans Days J Ja an nu ua ar ry y e ev ve en nt ts s d dr ra aw w When AVN founder Paul Fishbein came out
with his first list of the year’s top films, the
roster of companies honored with AVN
Awards was far different than what will be
announced at the 30th annual AVN Awards
Show this month.
In that first grouping were titles from
Caballero Home Video, Cal Vista Video,
Command Video, Essex Video, VCA Pictures,
Vidco Entertainment and Video-X-Pix. Some
f fa am mi il li ia ar r n na am me es s
of these are around in some form, while oth-
ers have faded to black.
EDITOR’S DESK
In their place have come a new crop of AVN Award heavy hitters. But though many of
today’s companies weren’t in existence three decades ago, some of the people who work in
the field today were already around. John Stagliano didn’t start Evil Angel until 1989, but
several of its current directors were already on the scene. Some of the stars are still making
movies, among them Tom Byron, Herschel Savage, Ron Jeremy and Amber Lynn. And
some studio executives were already working in the business before 1983, including Evil
Angel’s Christian Mann, Vivid’s Steven Hirsch and Wicked’s Steven Orenstein.
In this issue, some of these 30-year vets share their memories, beginning on page 74.
And look for more in the March issue of AVN, which will provide coverage of this year’s
AVN Awards and AVN Adult Entertainment Expo.
Speaking of AEE, this year’s will be the 15th expo mounted by AVN. The first was in
1999, and a list of the participating companies from those summer shows bears a much
closer resemblance to this year’s exhibitors than the companies who dominated the AVN
Awards back in the early 1980s. Though some have departed the scene since 1999, others
remain strong and will be in the mix at AEE this month, including these veterans:
• Adam & Eve. The venerable seller of pleasure products and adult entertainment has a
new contract girl, Alexis Texas, and a new licensing agreement with Evolved Novelties.
And founder Phil Harvey will be receiving the Visionary Award at this year’s AVN
Awards Show.
• Digital Playground. Though under new ownership in last January, one thing remains
consistent at this adult studio: a stable of stunningly sexy contract girls—one of whom,
Jesse Jane, is co-hosting the AVN Awards show for the second time.
• Elegant Angel. The studio, founded in 1990 by Patrick Collins, will field an array of
red-hot stars at AEE, if the past is any indication. Its directors—including William H.,
L.T., Mason and Graham Travis—are heavily represented in the AVN Awards nomina-
tions.
• Evil Angel. In addition to movies directed by Stagliano (the latter’s Voracious is
nommed in 18 categories), the studio distributes titles for other award winners such as
Belladonna, Mike Adriano, Manuel Ferrara, Joey Silvera and Bobbi Starr.
• Heatwave Video. Founded 22 years ago by Gabor Esterhazy, Heatwave has been a
mainstay in the industry with a wealth of hardcore content, including ethnic porn and
titles in various niche categories.
• Hustler. Also known as LFP (for Larry Flynt Productions), the studio recently signed
a distribution deal with Pulse. Both LFP and Pulse will be at AEE.
• IVD. Founded in 1985, the distribution giant comes close to the 30-year mark, but
it continues to innovate. The Adult Drop Shop is a recent offshoot of IVD’s Adult Drop
Shipper service, which retailers can check out at AEE this month.
• New Sensations/Digital Sin. The adult studio was nominated for 45 AVN Awards,
including recognition for these critically acclaimed titles: Torn, The Friend Zone, Shared
Wives, Meet Bonnie and The Innocence of Youth.
• Pjur. The company began producing lubricants in 1992, after it came across a sili-
cone formulation while doing research for a cosmetic cream. In 1996, Pjur USA emerged.
• Vivid. Still an AVN Awards powerhouse, the studio’s big 2012 release—Star Wars
XXX: A Porn Parody, helmed by Axel Braun—is nominated in 20 categories.
• Wicked Pictures. The studio continues to put out a couples-friendly mix of AVN
Award-nominated comedies, dramas, romances and parodies. And it’s also producing its
own line of high-end lubricants, the Wicked Sensual Care line.
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