The 14th AVN Awards ceremony, organized by

Adult Video News ''Adult Video News'' (also called ''AVN'' or ''AVN Magazine'') is an American trade magazine that covers the adult video industry. ''The New York Times'' notes that ''AVN'' is to pornographic films what '' Billboard'' is to records. ''AVN'' spon ...

(AVN), took place January 11, 1997 at Riviera Hotel & Casino,

Winchester, Nevada Winchester is an unincorporated town and census-designated place (CDP) in Clark County, Nevada, United States that contains part of the Las Vegas Strip. It is one of a number of CDPs in the unincorporated urbanized area directly south of Las Veg ...

, beginning at 7:45 p.m. PST / 10:45 p.m. EST. During the show, AVN presented

AVN Awards The AVN Awards are film awards sponsored and presented by the American adult video industry trade magazine '' AVN'' (''Adult Video News'') to recognize achievement in various aspects of the creation and marketing of American pornographic fi ...

(the industry's equivalent of the Academy Awards) in 41 categories honoring the best

pornographic films Pornographic films (pornos), erotic films, sex films, and 18+ films are films that present sexually explicit subject matter in order to arouse and satisfy the viewer. Pornographic films present sexual fantasies and usually include eroticall ...

released between Oct. 1, 1995 and Sept. 30, 1996. The ceremony was produced by Gary Miller and directed by Mark Stone. Comedian

Bobby Slayton Robert Michael Slayton (born May 25, 1955) is an American actor and stand-up comedian. Slayton is probably best known for a supporting role in the 2001 film '' Bandits'', and as a frequent guest on '' The Adam Carolla Show'' (2006-2009). Career S ...

returned as host, with actresses

Nici Sterling A list of notable British pornographic film actors: Female Male See also * Outline of British pornography * Pornography in the United Kingdom References {{British pornography * Pornographic British British may refer to: Peoples, cul ...

and

Kylie Ireland Kylie Ireland (born May 26, 1970) is an American pornographic actress, film director, Film producer, producer, publicist, and satellite radio show host. She is an inductee into the AVN Hall of Fame, AVN, XRCO Hall of Fame, XRCO, and NightMoves Aw ...

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 Dyanna Lauren (born March 18, 1965) is an American erotic dancer, pornographic actress, singer and director. Career She has appeared in over 200 movies between 1989 and 2000; in the years since, she has shifted away from acting and towards dire ...

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 The AVN Award for Female Performer of the Year is presented every January in Las Vegas, Nevada at the AVN Awards ceremony sponsored and presented by the American adult video industry trade magazine ''Adult Video News'' (AVN). It represents the f ...

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 ().

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: * Best All-Girl Feature: ''The Violation of Missy'' * Best All-Sex Film: ''Unleashed'' * Best Anal Sex Scene—Film: Lovette and the Six Skeletons (John Decker, Michael J. Cox, Nick East, three others), ''Gregory Dark's Sex Freaks'' * Best Anal Sex Scene—Video:

Rocco Siffredi Rocco Siffredi (born Rocco Antonio Tano; 4 May 1964) is an Italian Pornographic film actor, pornographic actor, director and producer. He took his stage name from the character Roch Siffredi played by Alain Delon in the French gangster film '' ...

, Laura Turner, Danielle Louise Kelson; ''Buttman's Bend Over Babes 4'' * Best Continuing Video Series: ''The Voyeur'' * Best Director—Gay Video: Jerry Douglas, ''Flesh and Blood'' * Best European Release (the Hot Video Award): ''Torero'' (Italy) * Best Gangbang Tape: ''Gangbang Girl 17'' * Best Gay Video: ''Flesh and Blood'' * Best Group Sex Scene—Film:

Christy Canyon Christy Canyon (born June 17, 1966) is a retired pornographic actress and American radio personality. She is an inductee of the AVN and XRCO Hall of Fame. Career Canyon has performed in over 100 adult films. She retired from performing in front ...

Tony Tedeschi Tony Tedeschi (born April 11, 1964) is an American pornographic film actor and AVN Hall of Fame inductee. Career Before his pornography career, he worked as a deejay at the Foxy Lady strip club in Providence. He was spotted by Britt Morgan, who ...

Vince Vouyer Vince Vouyer (born John Albert LaForme on June 1, 1966 is a pornographic actor and director. He is sometimes credited as Vince, Vince Voyeur, Vince Voyer, or Vince Voyuer. ''Breakin' 'Em In #9'' won the AVN Award for Best Pro-Am Release at the ...

, Steven St. Croix; ''The Show'' * Best Group Sex Scene—Video: (tie) Hakan, Missy, Taren and Alex Sanders, Squirting Anal Orgy scene in ''American Tushy!'';

Ruby A ruby is a pinkish red to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum ( aluminium oxide). Ruby is one of the most popular traditional jewelry gems and is very durable. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sa ...

Christi Lake The XRCO Hall of Fame lists well-known adult entertainment works and workers. The list is managed by X-Rated Critics Organization and inducted annually during the XRCO Award The XRCO Awards are given by the American X-Rated Critics Organizati ...

John Stagliano John Stagliano (born November 29, 1951), also known as Buttman, is an American entrepreneur, former pornographic film actor, producer and director who founded and owns the Evil Angel pornographic film studio. Early life and career Stagliano gr ...

, ''Buttman's Bend Over Babes 4'' * Best Tease Performance:

Janine Lindemulder Janine Lindemulder is an American nude model, former exotic dancer and retired pornographic actress. She is best known for her work in American pornographic films (typically credited mononymously as Janine) during the mid-1990s and since a 200 ...

, ''Extreme Close-Up'' * Gay Video Performer of the Year: Kurt Young * Most Outrageous Sex Scene:

Shayla LaVeaux Shayla LaVeaux (born December 27, 1969) is an American pornographic actress and exotic dancer. Early life LaVeaux was born in Golden, Colorado. She graduated from Wheat Ridge High School. Career At 18 years old, LaVeaux began stripping at Shotg ...

T. T. Boy T. T. Boy (born April 30, 1968) is an American pornographic performer and podcaster. He made his adult video debut in 1988. He twice won the XRCO Male Performer of the Year award, and was named the 1997 AVN Performer of the Year. In 2000, he ...

and

, gargoyle scene in ''Shock'' 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: * Best Advertisement: Changing the Face of Adult,

Vivid Vivid may refer to: Music * Vivid (band), a Japanese rock band * "Vivid" (song), by Electronic, 1999 *"ViViD", a 2016 song by Loona from '' HeeJin'' Albums * ''Vivid'' (Vivian Green album), 2015 * ''Vivid'' (Crystal Kay album), 2012 * ''Vivi ...

* Best Alternative Adult Feature Film: ''Scoring'' * Best Alternative Adult Film Featurette or Specialty Tape: ''The Best of Anna Nicole Smith'' * Best Alternative Adult Video: ''Buttman at Nudes ‘a Poppin 3'' * Best Amateur Series: ''Filthy First Timers'' * Best Amateur Tape: ''Southern Belles 4'' * Best Anal Tape: ''American Tushy!'' * Best Art Direction—Film: ''Unleashed'' * Best Art Direction—Video: ''Shock'' * Best Bisexual Video: ''Switchhitters VIII'' * Best Box Cover Concept: ''Russian Model Magazine'' * Best Box Cover Concept—Gay Video: ''Night Walk'' * Best CD-ROM Graphics/Art Direction: ''Latex'' * Best CD-ROM Photo Disk: ''Eric Kroll: Fetish'' * Best Cinematography: Andrew Blake, ''Unleashed'' * Best Compilation Tape: ''Sodomania: Smokin' Sextions'' * Best Director—Bisexual Video: Gino Colbert, ''Switchhitters VIII'' * Best Editing—Fllm: Barry Rose, ''Bobby Sox'' * Best Editing—Gay Video:

Michael Ninn Michael Ninn is an adult film director and writer. He began his career as a music video director and made his first adult films in 1992. Adult film career In 1992 Ninn made his first adult erotic films – ''Black Orchid'', ''Principles ...

, ''Night Walk'' * Best Editing—Video: Michael Ninn, ''Shock'' * Best Ethnic-Themed Video: ''Inner City Black Cheerleader Search 6'' * Best Explicit Series: ''Amazing Hard'' * Best Featurette Tape: ''Sodomania 16'' * Best Foreign Release: ''The Pyramid 1–3'' * Best Foreign Featurette Tape: ''Prague by Night'' * Best Gay Alternative Video Release: ''Nighthawken'' * Best Gay Solo Video: ''Brad Posey's Hot Sessions 3'' * Best Gay Specialty Release: ''Orgy Boys 1 & 2'' * Best Interactive CD-ROM (Game): ''2069: Oriental Sex Odyssey'' * Best Interactive CD-ROM (Non-Game): ''FantaScenes'' * Best Music: Dino and Earl Ninn, ''Shock'' * Best Music—Gay Video:

Sharon Kane Sharon Kane is a former American bondage model and pornographic actress. She has appeared in many adult magazines and pornographic films, in both dominant and submissive roles. After leaving her home state of Ohio to move to San Francisco, she ...

, ''Idol in the Sky'' * Best Newcomer—Gay Video: Kurt Young * Best Non-Sex Performance, Film or Video: Scotty Schwartz, ''Silver Screen Confidential'' * Best Non-Sexual Role—Bi, Gay or Trans Video:

Jeanna Fine Jeanna Fine (born September 29, 1964) is an American former pornographic actress and erotic dancer. Career Adult film actress Barbara remarked how "fine" Jeanna was, which prompted Jeanna to adopt that as her surname. She was romantically inv ...

, ''Flesh and Blood'' * Best Original CD-ROM Concept: ''NetErotique'' * Best Overall Marketing Campaign for an Individual Title or Series: ''Conquest'',

Wicked Pictures Wicked Pictures is an American pornographic movie studio headquartered in Canoga Park, California. Between 2004 and 2021, it was one of the only heterosexual studios to maintain a condoms-only policy. Company history Steve Orenstein founded Wi ...

* Best Overall Marketing Campaign for Company Image: Vivid Girl campaign,

Vivid Video Vivid Entertainment Group is an American pornographic film production company,

* Best Packaging—Film: ''Chasey Saves the World'' * Best Packaging—Gay Video: ''Idol in the Sky'' * Best Packaging—Specialty: ''Wheel of Obsession'' * Best Packaging—Video: ''XXX'' * Best Performer—Gay Video: Kurt Young, ''Flesh and Blood'' * Best Pro-Am Series: ''Cumm Brothers'' * Best Pro-Am Tape: ''Up and Cummers 33'' * Best Screenplay—Film: Raven Touchstone, ''Bobby Sox'' * Best Screenplay—Gay Video: Jerry Douglas, ''Flesh and Blood'' * Best Screenplay—Video: Jace Rocker, ''Silver Screen Confidential'' * Best Sex Scene—Gay Video: Derek Cameron, Kurt Young, ''Tradewinds'' * Best Special Effects: ''Shock'' * Best Specialty Tape—Big Bust: ''The Duke of Knockers 2'' * Best Specialty Tape—Bondage: ''Kym Wilde's on the Edge 33'' * Best Specialty Tape—Other Genre: ''High Heeled and Horny 4'' * Best Specialty Tape—Spanking: ''Hot Young Asses'' * Best Supporting Performer—Gay Video: Dino Phillips, ''Happily Ever After'' * Best Trailer: ''Conquest'' * Best Trans Video: ''Red Riding She-Male'' * Best Videography: Barry Harley, ''Shock'' * Best Videography—Gay Video: Bruce Cam, ''Desert Train''

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 Stephen Ray Perry (born January 22, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer of the rock band Journey during their most commercially successful periods from 1977 to 1987, and again from 1995 to 1998. He also wrote/co ...

for ''Ben Dover'' series

Hall of Fame

AVN Hall of Fame The ''AVN'' (''Adult Video News'') Hall of Fame has honored people for their work in the adult entertainment industry since 1995.Bunny Bleu The AVN Awards, ''AVN'' (''Adult Video News'') Hall of Fame has honored people for their work in the Pornographic film, adult entertainment industry since 1995.R. Bolla Robert Charles Kerman (December 16, 1947 – December 27, 2018), also known as R. Bolla, was an American actor who had a noted pornographic acting career during what is considered to be the "golden age" period of the porn film industry during ...

, Michael Carpenter, Desiree Cousteau, Duck Dumont,

, Gail Force, Ken Gibb (posthumously), Victoria Paris,

Jeannie Pepper Jeannie Pepper (born July 9, 1958) is an American pornographic actress. She began in the business in 1982 at age 24 and has appeared in over 200 adult films. She was still an active actress as recently as 2011, participating in the mature adult g ...

Joey Stefano Joey Stefano (born Nicholas Anthony Iacona Jr.; January 1, 1968 – November 21, 1994) was an American pornographic actor who appeared in gay pornographic films. Career Born Nicholas Anthony Iacona Jr., Stefano grew up in Chester, Pennsylvania. ...

(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 Midori (みどり, ミドリ, , , ) is the Japanese word for "green" and may refer to: Places * Midori, Gunma * Midori-ku, Chiba * Midori-ku, Nagoya * Midori-ku, Sagamihara * Midori-ku, Saitama * Midori-ku, Yokohama People Given name * Mi ...

and Stephanie Swift.

Presenters

Performers

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 Serenity may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Serenity'' (2019 film), a thriller starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway and Diane Lane * Sailor Moon (character), also known as Princess Serenity and Neo-Queen Serenity, in the ' ...

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 VCA Pictures (Video Company of America) is an American pornographic film production and distribution company. The company was founded by Russ Hampshire, and was formerly a major player during the 'Golden Age of Porn'. Throughout the 1970s and 198 ...

Critical response

The show received a negative reception from ''

Hustler Hustler or hustlers may also refer to: Professions * Hustler, an American slang word, e.g., for a: ** Con man, a practitioner of confidence tricks ** Drug dealer, seller of illegal drugs ** Male prostitute ** Pimp ** Business man, more general ...

'' 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."