Who Aren’t You Wearing? The “Oscars of Porn” Has Its Own Red Carpet Season

Ah, awards season. The red carpets. The screenings. The parties. The best actress contenders posting naked selfies to potential voters.

It’s little noted by the mainstream media, but right now — early January — is the thick of the adult film world’s cutthroat run-up to the Adult Video News Awards, porn’s version of the Oscars. And while there are many differences between the Academy Awards and the AVNs — like the categories, which stretch well beyond best actor and actress to best group sex scene, best oral sex scene and a few that can’t be published in a family magazine — there are more than a few similarities.

“Oh, there are a lot of parallels,” notes Brian S. Gross, a veteran publicist for the adult industry. “There’s definitely campaigning going on to try to get a step ahead and win awards. Companies throw For Your Consideration events and show off their work.