Vancouver’s Naked Truth Awards

There’s more perversity going on in Vancouver than I ever realized.

I discovered this on June 9, at the Naked Truth Awards.

An online community and advocacy group for Canadian adult entertainers, nakedtruth.ca invited strippers, burlesque stars, porn performers and pole dancers, plus the equally important behind-the-scenes workers for the local adult industry, to celebrate themselves and favourite members with some glittery hardware.

I chatted with glamourpuss and event hostess Samantha Mack before the show, and she let me in on some of the secrets of Vancouver’s surprisingly extensive adult industry.

Did you know the biggest fetish studio in the world is based in Burnaby? Local performers are requested from here to Guam thanks to their circus training and skills in areas such as gymnastics, aerial work and so much more.

To be fair, there wasn’t a lot of queer content at the Naked Truth Awards, simply because the straight side of the industry far outweighs the gay side. But one of the biggest wins of the night was Bren Ryder’s gooddykeporn.com.

Ryder took home plaques for Best Adult Website and Favourite Adult Film Company: Performer’s Choice.

Meanwhile, Chicago played host to a porn awards show of its own on Memorial Day weekend. The International Mr Leather competition was only one of the crazy parties flooding that city with flesh just in time for the annual Grabby Awards.

The Grabbys are one of two major international ceremonies awarding the best in hardcore gay porn. (The other is the GayVNs, hitting San Francisco in September.)

All your favourite performers packed into the Park West Theatre to toast each other’s achievements in the competitive field of getting fucked up the ass.

SF studio Raging Stallion took the top honour for the fourth year running — their Focus/Refocus was Best Movie.

Seattle fetish-scene leader Tony Buff was named Performer of the Year. Watch for an upcoming interview right here with the outrageous stud, following his appearance at Priape’s fifth anniversary party.

Just about every star attending the Grabbys blogged about it. For some great roundups and photos, check out queermenow.net and unzipped.net.

By the way, there’s still time for you to tell me your own porn viewing habits. I’m keeping the survey open another month to get the meatiest replies. Buy or rent? Movies or web scenes? Twinks or bears? Kinky or vanilla?

Keep Reading

In the midst of despair, how do you find the will to go on?

“We have a calling, here in this decaying world, and that is to live and to serve life with every precious breath that is gifted to us”

I’ve met someone amazing, but I can’t stand the way he smells. How do I talk to him about it? 

Kai weighs in on how to have a “scentsitive” conversation with a new date 

Queer and trans families are intentional. They take the shape of what you and your loved ones need most

In the nine-part series Queering Family, Xtra guest editor Stéphanie Verge introduces us to people who are redefining what it means to build and sustain a family

Valentine’s Day gifts for every queer in your life

Shower every love in your life with gifts galore this Valentine's Day