San Francisco- [San Francisco Chronicle]- The Academy Awards they were not.

The GAYVN Awards at the Castro Theatre on Saturday night went off with a few hitches — mainly technical glitches unbecoming an event with tickets costing as much as $300 — but the show had several high points, and industry leaders who do not get along made a good show of playing nice.

Studio head, director, porn star and rabble-rouser Michael Lucas — whose acceptance speech for his best film prize at last year’s awards consisted of telling his many detractors in the industry “f — you” — gave praise this year as he again won the grand prize, this time for his film “La Dolce Vita.”

“I love all the judges. Thank you very much,” said Lucas, whose studio won several major awards.

The event’s host, the comedian Kathy Griffin, earned her fee for the night by moving the often-repetitive ceremony along with her take-no-prisoners humor.

“No one has thanked Jesus yet. That’s bull — ,” Griffin said partway through the evening.

Later, after an award winner who starred in a movie filmed in Lebanon called for peace between that country and Israel, Griffin delivered again.

“Who knew it would take the gay porn awards to bring the Middle East together — what they couldn’t do at Camp David,” she said.

The night honored some deserving industry pioneers with lifetime achievement awards, including San Franciscan Peter Berlin. The nominated documentary on his life, however, lost out to “Gay Sex in the 70s.”

The weekend highlighted San Francisco’s position as the capital of the gay porn industry. Elected officials — including Assemblyman Mark Leno, Mayor Gavin Newsom and City Treasurer Jose Cisneros — penned official statements honoring Colt Studios, which celebrated its 40th anniversary Friday. City Supervisor Bevan Dufty worked the crowd in the lobby of the theater before the Saturday night ceremony.

The gathered crowd — accustomed to a Los Angeles award show — relished having the event in the city and cheered references to San Francisco.

The city responded, dousing everyone in the pouring February rain as they left.