LOS ANGELES — Hundreds of the best and brightest in adult entertainment stormed DTLA Wednesday, Nov. 14 for the glamorous RISE Adult Talent Appreciation Gala.
The annual red-carpet event, which honors and gives thanks to the adult talent community, set the stage for the XBIZ Show and XBIZ Awards in January. Following the success of last year’s jam-packed event, this year's gala moved to a larger venue, hotspot Exchange LA in Downtown Los Angeles.
A red carpet fuselage of flashbulbs greeted attendees. A table groaning with cupcakes from FanCentro offered a tasty diversion as performers, clip artists, cam models, agents and production heads moved into the main ballroom where DJ Darcie Dolce spun hip-hop beats that reverberated from corner to corner.
As a multicolored laser show flashed overhead, partygoers pressed the flesh, networking and flirting. Giant screens flashed the names of platinum sponsors FanCentro and Pimp.xxx, gold sponsors Wicked Pictures, Gamma Films and Smash Pictures, and silver sponsors Adam & Eve and ATMLA.
Small Hands and Della Dane posed for selfies in one corner while Abigail Mac greeted friends and fans in another. Honey Gold and Natasha Nice held court by the bar, while Angela White introduced herself to table greeters individually and Sofie Ryan snuggled with Justin Hunt. Nathan Bronson, Markus Dupree, Seth Gamble, Ricky Johnson, Derrick Pierce, Rob Piper and Chad White circled the room, chatting and laughing, while Mark Spiegler was encircled by talent at one table and event sponsor ATMLA wrangled a starry group at another.
Dolce’s DJ set segued into a live performance by camming couple TrueStori3z that culminated with a wave of talent ascending to the stage during their final number to share in the glittering spotlight. Soon, DJ Carter Cruise took over the spinning with a series of Top-40 remixes that kept the energy flowing.
Jessica Drake, last year's XBIZ Awards host, mixed-and-mingled with Romi Rain, Riley Reid, Charlotte Stokely, Kleio Valentien, Tana Lea, Alina Lopez, Leigh Raven, Briana Banks, Jasmine Jae, Jill Kassidy, Casey Calvert, Ana Foxxx, Kenzie Taylor and Riley Nixon, among many others.
“I’m looking forward to all of the nominations,” Mac said. “I’m excited to find out who will be mentioned. It would be an honor to be nominated!” (Her wish came true when the nominations were published on XBIZ.com shortly after midnight.)
“I was honored to receive six nominations last night at the XBIZ Rise Gala, including Female Performer of the Year and multiple best actress noms,” Whitney Wright later told XBIZ. “I’ve put in so much effort this year into my work and I feel like it was acknowledged last night.”
Karen Fisher enjoyed the night’s camaraderie. "The RISE Gala is the event of awards season and I never miss it,” she said. “I enjoy seeing all my industry friends and hearing the nominations — it's great to be recognized for your work and you guys do a great job of that. I had a great time!"
The gala holds a special place in Dane’s heart. "It was great to attend my second XBIZ Rise Gala! It was my first adult event last year and I'm so grateful to look over my career thus far. Congrats to all the nominees!"
Brenna Sparks savors the opportunity to meet online friends and colleagues in the flesh. "The party was a blast,” she said. “I met so many Twitter friends in real life. I usually don't get to go to a lot of these events, but this one was definitely worth going to! I was also thrilled about my three nominations!"
The 2019 XBIZ Awards, presented by MyFreeCams, is set for Thursday, Jan. 17 at the Westin Bonaventure in Los Angeles.
The XBIZ Awards honors the best in the business of sex and will be hosted by the most famous adult star in history, Stormy Daniels. A star-studded affair that attracts the industry elite, the XBIZ Awards show recognizes outstanding achievements in the fields of movie production, technology, pleasure products and retail.
The XBIZ Awards will coincide with XBIZ 2019, the biggest industry-wide trade show of the year, which annually unites over 1,500 players from international markets to promote business opportunities and examine industry trends.
Click here for a complete list of nominees.