LOS ANGELES — The 3rd annual Pornhub Awards were announced Tuesday night during a glitzy, action-packed virtual ceremony as an array of top adult stars — from Abella Danger, Natassia Dreams, Wolf Hudson and Angela White to Aubrey Kate, Ricky Johnson, Sofia Rose and Austin Wolf — presented trophies to the platform's top performers, channels and networks. Presiding over the night's action was brand ambassador Asa Akira.
A pre-show countdown clock ticked away the seconds as dozens of Pornhub stars presided over their own chatrooms and watched the proceedings live alongside their fans and admirers (Pornhub donated all tips collected during the night directly to the performers).
The show opened with a preamble as Akira, dressed and styled casually, soberly addressed new content upload guidelines enacted by Pornhub only last week; a text statement then appeared onscreen that reiterated the platform's commitment to "preventing, indentifying, expeditiously removing, reporting and ultimately eliminating" illegal content.
"We will continue to research and put in place the best solutions to keep our platform and community safe," read the statement.
The ceremony then kicked off in raucous style with a CG blob in a top hat named "Mr. Cum," who traded jokes, sang a song and plugged Pornhub's philanthropic initiatives with another animated character named "DJ Banana" (the fruit figured prominently in Pornhub's marketing campaign for the show).
Guest stars included hip-hop duo City Girls, singer Ozuna, drag performer Violet Chachki and "Real Housewives of New York City" star Leah McSweeney.
Interspersed throughout the night's award segments were various skits and cutaways, including uproarious black-and-white interviews led by comedian Dee Nasty, who quizzed random passersby — many of them remarkably candid — about their sex lives and porn viewing habits.
Other skits, such as “This Is Pornhub," featured Pornhub "employees" — played by Akira, Ana Foxxx, Pierce Paris and others — as they perpetrated various interoffice hijinx. Fake commercials touted products such as "The Pornhub Home" featuring actual (nude) people in place of furniture, and extremely high-end glory holes for every possible occasion.
Even more comic interstitials included memes from PatiasFantasyWorld and stream-of-consciousness comic monlogues that riffed on such topics as a vibrator that wants to break up with its owner, and the emo angst of the final load of semen inside a butthole (yes, that's right).
The first award of the evening, introduced by Natassia Dreams and Jada Kai, was "Girl Who Likes Girls: Top Lesbian Performer," and its recipient was a jubilant Vanessa Veracruz, who accepted her award live. This was followed by "Blowjob Queen: Top Blowjob Performer," which went to Heather Harmon.
Jordi "El Niño" Polla awarded "Get Your Freak On: Top Fetish Performer" to AstroDomina, and "Best Chest: Top Big Tits Performer" to Autumn Falls, the first of two awards the reigning XBIZ Awards winner for Best New Starlet would receive.
Austin Wolf and Aubrey Kate awarded "Big and Beautiful: Top BBW Performer" to Darkwetdreemz, who offered a live acceptance speech and expressed solidarity and camaraderie with her fellow performers of all shapes and sizes. Meanwhile, "Splash Zone: Top Squirting Performer" was bestowed upon a happily surprised Abella Danger.
An interlude featuring a highly stylized dance performer preceded the announcement, by the duo of Ricky Johnson and Sofia Rose, of Cory Chase as "Highly Experienced: Top MILF Performer" and Siswet as "Backdoor Beauty: Top Anal Performer." Both women accepted their awards live; Chase blew kisses to the online audience and a shocked Siswet offered a torrent of thanks from her brightly decorated cam room.
Asa Akira returned to offer laurels to Lifetime Achievement Award winner Cicciolina.
The erotic icon, actress and producer, art world muse, Hungarian spy — yes, that's right — singer and politician appeared onscreen in a sparkly pink gown and white, furry shrug with a garland of flowers crowning her platinum blonde locks.
"I'm very, very, very happy for this award from Pornhub celebrating my life, my career," she said. "Well, I am very happy and to be honest... I did something very important — especially in Italy — and that was [to] break the barrier of 'common decency.' What I mean... is that I empowered women through my, well, through my 'transgressions' in the '80s... Pornhub, I love you so much for this award!"
Esperanza Gomez next appeared to award "Most Popular Verified Amateur" in a year when more aspiring performers have entered the industry than ever before. The trophy went to Mini Diva, the first of her two trophies for the night. She accepted the honor live, dressed in pristine white, and shyly expressed gratitude for the recognition.
A lusciously produced vignette then followed that starred drag performer Violet Chachki, in a string of lavish outfits, enacting a BDSM fantasy with a willing slave.
The sun-kissed duo of Abella Danger and Diego Sans, filmed on Miami Beach, presented "All at The Same Damn Time: Top DP Performer" to a clearly thrilled Adriana Chechik, who accepted her trophy with a cheery speech, and "Mrs. Dress-up: Top Cosplay Performer" to Purple Bitch, who appeared with vibrant red hair and a multi-colored spike necklace, to thank her supporters and community. (The cosplay star also took home a fan-voted award.)
Globe-trotting cam duo Lelolulu — appearing from their bedroom in skimpy attire and flowered masks — presented "Most Popular Female Performer by Women" and "Most Popular Male Performer by Women" to A-listers Riley Reid and Johnny Sins.
Pierce Paris and Ana Foxxx presented "Full Mast: Top Big Dick Performer" to Ricky Johnson, who appropriately thanked his penis, and "Solo Siren: Top Female Solo Performer" to Indigo White, who appeared onscreen with two-toned blonde-and-brunette locks and a diaphanous dress decorated with strawberries to express her gratitude.
Rourke Gudel won "Tantalizing Twinkie: Top Twink Performer" and, later that night, his partner Zilv Gudel received the award for "Most Popular Gay Male Performer" from Britney Amber. Meanwhile, a grinning Austin Wolf, attired in an all-black tuxedo, collected "Zaaamn Zaddy! Top Daddy Performer."
Angela White, in a skintight, low-cut orange dress, presented "Most Popular Male Newcomer" to a surprised Lil D — the first of several trophies collected by the new performer — while the City Girls hip-hop duo presented "Most Popular Female Newcomer" to an elated Skylar Vox.
The adorable Eva Elfie, standing in front of a white curtain bedecked with fairy lights, announced Leolulu as "Most Popular Verified Couple." The duo cheered and kissed and promised more fantasy locations and scenarios for 2021.
Wolf Hudson and Isiah Maxwell, smoothly trading banter with practiced ease, presented "Most Popular Trans Performer" to starlet Daisy Taylor and "Most Popular Trans Channel" to Gender X.
As the night's festivities drew to a close, Kira Noir — in a form-fitting mini-dress and thigh-high boots — announced Jordi "El Niño" Polla as "Most Popular Male Performer." The ever-boyish performer, in a traditional tuxedo, gleefully accepted the award with a wide smile.
For the final award of the night, singer Ozuna stepped out of a sports car in Miami Beach and offered a quick, tuneful verse or two as a segue to the comely duo of Scarlit Scandal and Johnny Sins, who happily presented "Most Popular Female Performer" to Lana Rhoades.
The ceremony closed on a high note with a final salute from Asa Akira and a striking performance by Mila J as post-show schmoozing heated-up the nominee and winner chatrooms and chatter buzzed like lightning across Twitter and Instagram.
Click here for a complete list of winners, including the recipients of Pornhub's fan-voted categories.
Images: Screencaps by XBIZ
