Urban X Awards Celebrates Unity in Downtown Los Angeles

Pictured above from left, Juan "El Caballo" Loco (Best Male Newcomer); organizer Giana Taylor with Leya Falcon (Porn Star of the Year); Rico Strong (Male Performer of the Year). Photos by Rick Garcia/@IndustryByRick) LOS ANGELES—Sunday night, the Urban X Awards returned to downtown Los Angeles at the Globe Theatre, a legitimate theater and vaudeville palace that opened in 1913 and has been retrofitted into a contemporary dance club/performance venue. The scaffolding from the continuing reclamation of the building still covers the façade, but the theater marquee restoration has been completed, with neon blinking into the night. Inside the venue, wood-look flooring has replaced the black concrete and the air conditioning has been upgraded, with the sound of rushing air filling the room and overwhelming the chatter of early arrivals. A DJ set up in the audience box stage right provided music. Before the show, Lauren Phillips posed on the runway that extends from the stage into the audience, between neat rows of wooden folding chairs. Reserved tables edge the rows of chairs, with high-top tables in the back, and two bars on the side walls serving thirsty attendees. A short red carpet was set up in the foyer, with stills and video photographers vying for attention from the performers walking in. A second red carpet downstairs serves for official Urban X Awards video, with a winners circle interview area set up with Ana Foxxx, in gold sequins, doing the interviews. Before the show, Lauren Phillips towered over Karma Rx and Miles Long as they posed for a picture together. "I'm just happy to be here, whether I win or not," Miles Long told AVN. "It's nice that people notice that I did some work this year. I'm nominated for Best Director. It's my eighth nomination this year. People happened to notice this year. I'm like, 'Wow. Thanks. I really appreciate it.'" Things got started when performer/publicist James Bartholet announced that show sponsor SmashedXXX.com would buy all drinks for 20 minutes before the show began. The show opened with Bartholet welcoming the crowd, and pointing out that the Urban X Awards are about "unity, creativity, and everybody coming together. ... We need to come together as one. And as I always say every year — FUCK TRUMP!" Misty Stone performed a musical number, followed by comedian Speedy doing a quick set and the introduction of scheduled hosts Nina Elle and Gia Milana, plus Mr. Marcus subbing for the absent Rob Piper. The Hall of Fame inductions were first, with honorees passing the microphone for momentary remarks. "I got a little emotional on stage," new Hall of Fame member Bartholet told AVN. "This meant so much because it's acknowledging my 20 years in the industry and everything that I do. I love this awards show, I'm part of this awards show. We work so hard to do this. It was just wonderful. Very emotional time." Nat Turnher accepts the award for Urban X Stud from presenter Daisy Marie. Nat Turnher, winning for Urban X Stud, said, "I appreciate you all. ... Love is love, always." A rep for BuddhaBang.com, winner of Best Pro-Am Site, said, "This is my first time in L.A. I didn't expect this." The Industry Pioneer Award went to Alicia Rio. "So many people to thank. I was 'The Latin Queen of Erotica,' it was Bill Margold that gave me that title. Rest in peace, Bill Margold, I love you." "I'm very honored to receive the Industry Pioneer Award," Rio told AVN. "I've had people like Alexis Amore and Alana Evans tell me that I'm the reason for [them] being in the business. That means a lot to me. Alana told me I'm a big inspiration." Jason Brown accepting the award for Best Couples Scene. Demi Sutra and Jason Brown won Best Couples Scene for their performance in Pure Ebony. Sutra, home with a cold, was a no-show, but Brown said, "I appreciate this award. Thank you so much, and thank you Urban X Awards for pumping it up for the couples shit, I love that fuckin' bathtub scene. It was ridiculous, we're talking about bubble bath and all that shit. Yum yum yum yum yum. Thank you all. Appreciate it." Sutra also won for Rising Star, Female. "I was getting all these messages on Twitter and I was. like, 'No. Way. There's no fucking way this happened,'" Sutra told AVN. "I made a video of myself to post and I started crying. Then they told me I won another award. It was really exciting. I can't believe it. I was in complete shock. I was felling guilty that I wasn't there, I felt like I let my fans down. And myself. But I wasn't expecting an award and I wasn't feeling that well either. I should have dragged myself out and brought some extra tissues. I'm really excited, I can't believe it. Really grateful." Juan "El Caballo" Loco won Best Male Newcomer, saying, "I didn't really have a speech, but all I've got to say is—it's Modelo time!" Porn Star of the Year went to a surprised Leya Falcon, who was retrieved from the back of the house and spoke from the apron of the stage before being led up onstage. After the show, Falcon admitted, "If I would’ve known I was going to win I wouldn’t have gotten so drunk. I'm a tad embarrassed—but at least my clumsy ass waited until I got to the stairs to fall down!" Left, Sara Jay (Social Media Star of the Year); right, Alicia Rio (Industry Pioneer) Performer Guy DiSilva introduced the "Fallen Angels" in memoriam segment, followed by Sara Jay winning Social Media Star of the Year. "I really appreciate this award," Jay said. "I work really hard on my social media. Social media got us all where we are today. It's really important to let people know: That's what they really want." "I'm really appreciative, because it's something that I work hard at, literally another job," Jay told AVN. "It takes time and effort, and I put that in there. I've been doing social media since it started. I've been in the porn industry for 19 years, and there was MySpace, there was Tumblr, Instagram, Twitter, whatever. I've always made sure that I had a presence, and I've always tried to give my fans what they want. Make them want to follow me. It’s definitely a strategy, and I make an effort at it. I love what I do, and I do what I love." Rico Strong, winning Male Performer of the Year, said, "Let me give a big shout-out to the Urban X Awards. It's really important to us in this industry. We work hard for this shit. ... I love this industry, and it's very important. I work hard and I've paved the way for a lot of people and myself. I'd like to give a shout-out to Prince Yahshua and Mr. Marcus, my 'father.' ... I appreciate you all. Keep working fuckin' hard and do not let nobody stop you from what you want to do. No matter how hard they knock you down, continue to fight. Be strong." The final award of the night, Female Performer of the Year, went to Luna Star, who climbed on stage from the runway to receive her award. Urban X Awards founder Giana Taylor took the stage to close the show, congratulating all the winners and nominees, and thanking "everybody for coming out and having an amazing time. ... We are about creativity, diversity, and the most important thing: unity. Let's keep the unity and keep the love. Let's just work, y'all. "Let's work." Click here for a look at the full list of honorees. Below, Lauren Phillips