# 14th AVN Awards

The 14th AVN Awards ceremony, organized by Adult Video News (AVN), took place January 11, 1997 at Riviera Hotel & Casino, Winchester, Nevada, beginning at 7:45 p.m. PST / 10:45 p.m. EST. During the show, AVN presented AVN Awards (the industry's equivalent of the Academy Awards) in 41 categories honoring the best pornographic films released between Oct. 1, 1995 and Sept. 30, 1996. The ceremony was produced by Gary Miller and directed by Mark Stone. Comedian Bobby Slayton returned as host, with actresses Nici Sterling and Kylie Ireland as co-hosts. At a pre-awards event held the previous evening, 60 more AVN Awards, mostly for technical achievements, were given out by hostess Dyanna Lauren and comedy ventriloquist Otto of Otto & George, however, the pre-awards event was neither televised nor distributed on VHS tapes as was the main evening's ceremony.
Shock won the most awards with 11, however, Bobby Sox, an "off-beat period piece comedy" that received six statuettes, won for best film. Flesh and Blood was next with five awards including best gay feature.

## Winners and nominees

The winners were announced during the awards ceremony on January 11, 1997. Missy was the first actress to win both Starlet of the Year and the AVN Female Performer of the Year Award in the same year. Kurt Young, however, was second to win the major gay awards in the same year, taking Gay Video Performer of the Year and Best Newcomer.

### Major awards

Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger (‡).
| Best Film | Best Shot-on-Video Feature |
| Bobby Sox‡ Dangerous Games Dreams of Desire Expose Me Again Gangland Bangers Gregory Dark's Sex Freaks Lust and Desire Oral Addiction The Palace of Pleasure Penetrator 2: Grudge Day The Show | Shock‡ Car Wash Angels Conquest Gregory Dark's Flesh Head Trip Hollywood Boulevard Kink 3 Police Chronicles My Surrender Pristine The Pyramid 1 through 3 Silver Screen Confidential Temple of Poon Virgin Dreams XXX |
| Best New Starlet ||
| Missy‡ Farrah Houston Kristy Myst Julie Rage Ruby Jasmin St. Claire Stephanie Swift Tatiana Nikki Tyler Stacy Valentine ||
| Male Performer of the Year | Female Performer of the Year |
| T. T. Boy‡ Tom Byron Mark Davis Sean Michaels Rodney Moore Jonathan Morgan Ed Powers Steven St. Croix Alex Sanders Rocco Siffredi Jake Steed Max Steiner Vince Vouyer | Missy‡ Juli Ashton Alex Dane Jeanna Fine Melissa Hill Jenna Jameson Jill Kelly Christi Lake Shayla LaVeaux Caressa Savage Nici Sterling Nikki Tyler |
| Best Actor—Film | Best Actress—Film |
| Jamie Gillis, Bobby Sox‡ Buck Adams, Sexual Healing Christoph Clark, Hamlet Mark Davis, Oral Addiction Mike Horner, Lust and Desire Steven St. Croix, Gangland Bangers Steven St. Croix, The Show Tony Tedeschi, Party House Randy West, Expose Me Again | Melissa Hill, Penetrator 2: Grudge Day‡ Kaitlyn Ashley, Penetrator 2: Grudge Day Christy Canyon, Oral Addiction Christy Canyon, The Show Melissa Hill, Dangerous Games Melissa Hill, Dreams of Desire Nicole London, Lust and Desire Jenteal, Dangerous Games Nikki Tyler, Bobby Sox Stacy Valentine, Expose Me Again |
| Best Actor—Video | Best Actress—Video |
| Jon Dough, Shock‡ Tom Byron, Gregory Dark's Flesh Jonathan Morgan, Silver Screen Confidential Alex Sanders, Stacked Deck Carter Stone, Whackers Tony Tedeschi, Heinie's Heroes Tony Tedeschi, Sue Vince Vouyer, Hard Evidence T. T. Boy, NYDP Blue | Jeanna Fine, My Surrender‡ Lisa Ann, Entangled Kaitlyn Ashley, Anal Inquisition Juli Ashton, Nightshift Nurses 2 Sindee Cox, Pristine Melissa Hill, Mindset Kylie Ireland, Twist of Fate Jenna Jameson, Silver Screen Confidential Jill Kelly, This Year's Model Christi Lake, Director's Wet Dreams Dyanna Lauren, Hard Feelings Shayla LaVeaux, Head Trip Tiffany Million, Shock |
| Best Supporting Actor—Film | Best Supporting Actress—Film |
| Tony Tedeschi, The Show‡ T. T. Boy, Lust and Desire Jamie Gillis, Goldenrod Tony Montana, Gangland Bangers Jonathan Morgan, Penetrator 2: Grudge Day Alex Sanders, Dangerous Games | Shanna McCullough, Bobby Sox‡ Kaitlyn Ashley, Penetrator 2: Grudge Day Chelsea Blue, Bobby Sox Jeanna Fine, Dreams Tracy Love, The Show Lovette, Gregory Dark's Sex Freaks |
| Best Supporting Actor—Video | Best Supporting Actress—Video |
| Tony Tedeschi, Silver Screen Confidential‡ Brad Armstrong, Conquest Steve Hatcher, Stacked Deck Jonathan Morgan, Anal Inquisition Jonathan Morgan, Heinie's Heroes Alex Sanders, Valentina Joey Silvera, Nightshift Nurses 2 Jake Steed, Valentina | Juli Ashton, Head Trip‡ Davia Ardell, Silver Screen Confidential Juli Ashton, Twist of Fate Sindee Coxx, XXX Jenna Jameson, Hard Evidence Kiss, Sue |
| Best Director—Film | Best Director—Video |
| Paul Thomas, Bobby Sox‡ Andrew Blake, Unleashed Stuart Canterbury, Dreams Nic Cramer, Penetrator 2: Grudge Day Joe D’Amato, Gangland Bangers Greg Dark, Gregory Dark's Sex Freaks Mike Horner, Dreams of Desire Robert McCallum, Lust and Desire Ralph Parfait, Oral Addiction Michael Santangelo, The Palace of Pleasure Paul Thomas, The Show Michael Zen, Expose Me Again T. T. Boy, NYDP Blue Tom Byron, Gregory Dark's Flesh | Michael Ninn, Shock‡ Nic Cramer, Pristine Gregory Dark, Gregory Dark's Flesh Alex de Renzy, Virgin Dreams Teri Diver, Generation Sex Veronica Hart, The Right Connection Jim Holliday, Car Wash Angels Kris Kramski, SexHibition 3 John Leslie, Fresh Meat 3 Candida Royalle, My Surrender Joey Silvera, Kink 3 Police Chronicles Greg Steel and Brad Armstrong, Conquest Justin Sterling, Head Trip Pierre Woodman, The Pyramid 1–3 |
| Best Sex Comedy | Best All-Sex Video |
| The Show‡ Best Butt in the West 2 Car Wash Angels Gangbusters Heinie's Heroes Nightshift Nurses 2 Silver Screen Confidential | Fresh Meat 3‡ Beyond Reality Dirty Tricks 2 Fresh Meat 2 Friends in Sex SexHibition 2 |
| Best Selling Tape of the Year | Best Renting Tape of the Year |
| Shock‡ World's Biggest Gang Bang 2‡ (tie) | Shock‡ |
| Best Gonzo Tape | Best Gonzo Series |
| Buttman's Bend Over Babes 4‡ American Tushy Anabolic World Sex Tour Ben Dover's Alley Cats Ben Dover's Fresh Cheeks | Butt Row‡ Anabolic World Sex Tour Ben Dover Buttman Tom Byron's Cumback Pussy |
| Best Couples Sex Scene—Film | Best Couples Sex Scene—Video |
| Jenna Jameson, Rocco Siffredi; Jenna Loves Rocco‡ Nikki Tyler, Steven St. Croix; Bobby Sox Jeanna Fine, Vince Vouyer; Dreams Melissa Hill, Mike Horner; Dreams Infidel Lethal Affairs | Jenna Jameson, Vince Vouyer; Conquest‡ Ben Dover's Different Strokes Ben Dover's Little Big Girls Blue Saloon Buttman's Bend Over Babes #4 Fresh Meat #2 |
| Best All-Girl Sex Scene—Film | Best All-Girl Sex Scene—Video |
| Jill Kelly, Melissa Hill; Dreams of Desire‡ Lethal Affairs Lunachick Nightclub Party House Return Engagement The Show | Caressa Savage, Missy, Misty Rain; Buttslammers: The Thirteenth‡ Anal Aristocrats Buttslammers 12: Anal Madness Everybody Wants Some Frendz 2: Friendlier |

### Additional award winners

These awards were also announced at the awards show, most in a winners-only segment read by Kylie Ireland during the event:
The previous night, January 10, 1997, during AVN's pre-awards cocktail reception, hostess adult film actress hostess Dyanna Lauren and comedy ventriloquist Otto of Otto & George handed out these awards, mostly for technical excellence:

### Honorary AVN Awards
#### Special Achievement Awards

* Mark Stone and Gary Miller on their 10th anniversary producing the AVN Awards Show
* Berth Milton Jr. and Robert Tremont for their success with Private Video

#### AVN Breakthrough Award

Presented to Steve Perry for Ben Dover series

#### Hall of Fame

AVN Hall of Fame inductees for 1997, announced during AVN's pre-awards event, were: Bunny Bleu, R. Bolla, Michael Carpenter, Desiree Cousteau, Duck Dumont, Jeanna Fine, Gail Force, Ken Gibb (posthumously), Victoria Paris, Jeannie Pepper, John Stagliano, Joey Stefano (posthumously), John Travis, Dick Witte

### Multiple nominations and awards

Shock won the most awards with 11; Bobby Sox was next with six, followed by gay video Flesh and Blood with five. Buttman's Bend Over Babes 4, Conquest, The Show, Silver Screen Confidential and Unleashed had three apiece. American Tushy! Idol in the Sky, Night Walk and Switchhitters VIII had two each.

## Presenters and performers

The following individuals, in order of appearance, presented awards or performed musical numbers or comedy. The show's trophy girls were Midori and Stephanie Swift.

### Presenters

| Name(s) | Role |
| Dyanna Lauren Sasha Vinni Laura Palmer Lori Michaels Gina LaMarca Bionca Sahara Sands | Presenters of the awards for Best Couples Sex Scene—Film and Best Couples Sex Scene—Video |
| Caressa Savage Angel Hart Jasmin St. Claire | Presenters of the awards for Best Supporting Actor—Film and Best Supporting Actress—Film |
| Max Hardcore Barbie Angel Shyla Foxxx Morgan Fairlane | Presenters of the award for Best All-Girl Sex Scene—Video |
| Misty Rain Chi Chi LaRue Richard Williams Steve Hatcher Sunset Thomas Zach Thomas Missy | Presenters of the award for Best All-Girl Sex Scene—Film |
| Kristi Myst Gene Ross Jill Kelly Taylor Hayes | Presenters of the AVN Breakthrough Award, Best Renting Tape of the Year and Best Selling Tape of the Year |
| David Chryso Lea Martini Vicka | Presenters of the Hot Video Award (Best European Release) |
| Tiffany Mynx Stacy Valentine Randy West Tricia Devereaux Coral Sands Felicia | Presenters of the awards for Best Supporting Actor—Video and Best Supporting Actress—Video |
| Robert Schimmel Rocki Roads Wet Man | Presenters of the award for Most Outrageous Sex Scene |
| Victoria Paris Shane Yvonne Rayveness Felicia | Presenters of the awards for Male Performer of the Year and Female Performer of the Year |
| Paul Fishbein | Presenter of the AVN Special Achievement Awards |
| Kylie Ireland | Announces winners in the winners-only segment |
| Jenna Jameson | Presenter of the award for Best New Starlet |
| Veronica Hart Shayla LaVeaux Carolyn Monroe Colt Steel Jon Dough Jenteal | Presenters of the awards for Best Director—Video and Best Director—Film |
| Nina Hartley Mark Davis Helen Duval Kobe Tai Shanna McCullough Porsche Lynn | Presenters of the awards for Best Actor—Video and Best Actress—Video |
| Jeanna Fine Kelly O'Dell Juli Ashton Jake Steed Heather Hunter T. T. Boy Janine Lindemulder | Presenters of the awards for Best Actress—Film and Best Actor—Film |
| Alex Sanders Nicole London Brittany O'Neill Sean Ryder Shelby Stevens | Presenters of the awards for Best Gonzo Series and Best Gonzo Tape |
| Wilde Oscar Micky Lynn Sindee Cox Melissa Hill Jonathan Morgan | Presenters of the awards for Best Sex Comedy and Best All-Sex Video |
| Monique Covét Houston Steven St. Croix Serenity Nikki Tyler | Presenters of the awards for Best Shot-on-Video Feature and Best Film |

### Performers

| Name(s) | Role | Performed |
| The Stingers Serenity and Her Dancers | Performer | Opening number: “The World Sex Suite” |
| Bobby Slayton | Host | Standup comedy |
| Rich Williams | Performers | Bill Clinton impersonation |
| Robert Schimmel | Performer | Standup comedy segment |
| Scott Schwartz Serenity and Her Dancers The Stingers | Performer | Musical number: “Thank Heaven for Grown-Up Girls” |
| Scott Schwartz Serenity and Her Dancers The Stingers | Performer | Macarena spoof: “Cockeranal” |

## Ceremony information

Comedian Bobby Slayton made a return engagement as host of the show. This year the show was centered around an international theme, “the world of adult,” with added emphasis on European presenters and awards. This was the first year the awards ceremony was split over two nights, with a pre-awards event held January 10, 1997, where awards for technical achievements were distributed, while the main awards were presented January 11, 1997.
Several other people were also involved with the production of the ceremony. Serenity was responsible for choreography and Mark Stone was musical director with original songs by Mark J. Miller.
The top selling and renting tape of the year was Shock, although it was tied in the best-selling category with World's Biggest Gang Bang 2. There were several new awards categories this year including Best Advertisement and the AVN Breakthrough Award to acknowledge "those who were carving new niches and forging new territories in the adult business."
The ceremonies were published on VHS tape by VCA Pictures.

### Critical response

The show received a negative reception from Hustler magazine, which said, “Long-winded speeches from several award winners threatened to bore everyone to death.” It went on to add that since AVN is a trade publication paid for by ads "from the same adult video companies it bestows awards upon, the critical value of such honors is subject to debate." Swank Video World magazine was a bit more positive, calling the show "the most glamorous night in the adult industry."