The LA Times had a story about the XBIZ Awards. Cool. I guess they beat AVN. AVN didn’t get a front page story. That’s because their show is in Las Vegas.

I’ve always said having the AVN show in Las Vegas is stupid. I remember a couple years ago having a conversation with Sharan Street about how retarded it was to have the AVN show in Vegas and there was no reason for it. This was the time when the AVN show was going on at the same time as a gun show.

The AVN show used to go on at the same time as the CES. (Consumer Electronics Convention) At one time, we actually shared floorspace with CES. We were off in a little corner with a curtain separating the adult section from the mainstream part of CES. We actually would have Hollywood celebrities venture into the adult section when they were done with their autograph sessions in the other area. My mom got an autograph from a soap opera star. It was mentioned in the Premiere article was in. So we would go and get celebrity autographs when we were bored or go and look at all the latest gadgets. We didn’t have to go to different hotels, it was all at the convention center. It was fucking awesome. Paul Fishbein broke off from CES at one point and started AEE, The Adult Entertainment Expo, but it was still held at the same time as CES.

So the concept was to go during CES so you could get the biggest crowds and the most bang for your buck. Once the shows weren’t being held simultaneously, it made no sense to keep going to Vegas. Yeah, to keep the tradition, but as I told Sharan, the most logical thing would be to move the show to Los Angeles. As much as we shit on AVN and their decline and being owned by Manwin, to the mainstream world AVN is still considered the bible of the adult business. The awards show is considered the Oscars of porn. XBIZ is still a second rate option. They are The American Music Awards to AVN’s Grammys. They are The Golden Globes to AVN’s Academy Awards.

I explained to Sharan that with the history and notoriety of AVN you could have a show in Los Angeles that would be off the hook. You would get more porn stars to attend, because it would be easier than footing the bill for hotel and travel and food and everything else in Vegas. And you could actually attract mainstream people because this is where they all live. If the idea is to have just a big old party in Las Vegas, then have a big party. A get together called AVN Vegas Party Like A Porn Star Bash or something and have it over the weekend. They sorta have a thing like that called Expomark. A big party where distributors get together with manufacturers and party and do business.

But for the awards show and the convention with all the seminars and signings, it makes more sense to do it in Los Angeles. Especially since the entire original concept of having it in Vegas because of CES is all but done. Yeah, you talk about the atmosphere in Vegas and the casinos and stuff, but what about all the stuff you can do in LA? You could rent out the Chinese Theater for premieres. Hold the show at the same place they hold the Oscars at the Kodak. There’s so many options here. I mean, this is the entertainment capital of the world fer crissakes.

A the end of the day, the LA Times puts the XBIZ Awards on the front page and AVN gets mentioned in what? The Las Vegas Review? Who gives a fuck?

The sad thing is, XBIZ is the inferior show. It’s an AVN wannabe. They throw a little money at it, but they fuck it up by letting web and billing companies up on stage. It’s a show just for the sake of a show to appease XBIZ advertisers. Yet, they get written up in LA Times. Why? Because LA is still the porn capital and is where everyone lives and is where everything happens. Makes sense to me. I get it.

I also get that the people who run AVN now are stupid. From Manwin to somebody who used to write for LA Weekly. I get that.

That’s why AVN is done. That’s why there won’t be another convention or awards show in Las Vegas next year. Mark my words. That’s why XBIZ is kicking the shit out of AVN. Because XBIZ gets an article in LA Times, right now people are marking down in their calendars to attend the next show. Nobody gives a shit about AVN. It’s sad, because AVN is still the name that is synonymous with our business. But the institution is dogshit.

All AVN is now is a name. That’s it. Other than that, it’s dogshit.

Follow Rob Black on Twitter @RealRobBlack Email: [email protected]