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)[2][3][4] 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.[5] Comedian Bobby Slayton returned as host, with actresses Nici Sterling and Kylie Ireland as co-hosts.[1] 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.[1]
| 14th AVN Awards | |
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1997 AVN Awards Show VHS box cover
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| Date | January 11, 1997 (1997-01-11) |
| Site | Riviera Hotel & Casino, Winchester, Nevada |
| Hosted by |
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| Produced by | Gary Miller |
| Directed by | Mark Stone |
| Highlights | |
| Best Picture | Bobby Sox (Best Film) |
| Most awards | Shock (11) |
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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.[1]
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.[1]
Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger (‡).[1][5][6]
| Best Film | Best Shot-on-Video Feature | ||
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| Best New Starlet | |||
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| Male Performer of the Year | Female Performer of the Year | ||
| Best Actor—Film | Best Actress—Film | ||
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| Best Actor—Video | Best Actress—Video | ||
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| Best Supporting Actor—Film | Best Supporting Actress—Film | ||
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| Best Supporting Actor—Video | Best Supporting Actress—Video | ||
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| Best Director—Film | Best Director—Video | ||
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| Best Sex Comedy | Best All-Sex Video | ||
| Best Selling Tape of the Year | Best Renting Tape of the Year | ||
| Best Gonzo Tape | Best Gonzo Series | ||
| Best Couples Sex Scene—Film | Best Couples Sex Scene—Video | ||
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| Best All-Girl Sex Scene—Film | Best All-Girl Sex Scene—Video | ||
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These awards were also announced at the awards show, most in a winners-only segment read by Kylie Ireland during the event:[1][6]
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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:[1]
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Presented to Steve Perry for Ben Dover series[1][5]
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[1]
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.
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.[1]
| 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 |
| 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” |
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.[1]
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.[5]
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.[1][5] 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."[1]
The ceremonies were published on VHS tape by VCA Pictures.[5][7]
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."[8] Swank Video World magazine was a bit more positive, calling the show "the most glamorous night in the adult industry."[6]
This is a well put together video. It shows who won the 1997 awards for best performances of 1996 videos.
