It's On: 2020 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo Opens at the Hard Rock

Above, the new AVN booth at AEE. Photos by Rick Garcia/@IndustryByRick LAS VEGAS, Nev.—Ninety minutes before the noon opening, the line of fans led from the entrance to the sports book at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for the first day of the 2020 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo. Inside, there was a sense of urgency as tech crews set up backdrops for talent agencies in The Joint, the concert venue repurposed as a meet-and-greet venue for fans to meet performers. In the hallway leading to the adjacent Muse Hall, the bright white counters of the MyFreeCams were punctuated with dark blue connector cords every few feet. Inside Muse Hall, John Stagliano and Jules Jordan chatted near the new Evil Angel booth, an elevated platform with a deep red back wall. Above, John Stagliano with Bridgette B., Jane Wilde and Kenzie Taylor. Inside The Joint, performer Texas Patti said "I'm ready, and it's half an hour before the show. I'm German," she added with a laugh. Neatly arrayed on her table were magazines, posters, DVDs, signature sweatsuits, and her Fleshlight. "I want to see my friends. This is most important for me. To connect with my friends and the fans." After a ribbon-cutting ceremony with AVN CEO Tony Rios and eight cam stars, faithfully recorded by a gaggle of photographers, the doors opened and the public got their first look at the 2020 Expo. AVN Hall of Famer Kiki D'Aire was in the foyer of The Joint representing Talent Health Labs, which she co-founded. "We are nationwide. We can answer any questions talent may have, and we're also letting the fans know we're open," D'Aire told AVN. "We have more than 2200 locations nationwide. You go to our site, sign up, set up your profile, and we send you a form you can take to the lab. They take your blood and your urine, and you're done. Our system is anonymous: When you go into a draw station, they don't know what you do. You could be a plumber. Our goal is to make testing accessible and affordable for all performers. We don’t charge shipping or draw fees, and we’re PASS-compliant, so we can report to PASS or opt out, as the client wants." Above, Emily Willis at the Jules Jordan Video booth. Below, Ana Foxxx at the Adult Time booth. James Bartholet and Galaxy Publicity are also in the foyer of The Joint. "This is where I met Yurizan Beltran, She was 18, 19 years old," Bartholet reminisced about the late porn star. "We'll have 25 girls here, in this wonderful spot. Everybody sees us here." At the Mile High Media booth near the stage in The Joint. Dusty Marie told AVN, "We have our most star-packed lineup this year, with 10 different girls signing. We'll get everybody happy. Share the love." At the booth, returning performer and Transgender Performer of the Year nominee Khloe Kay ("This is my second year") said she's looking forward to "seeing everybody, all the performers and the outfits they're going to bring. I'm also looking forward to meeting my fans. They want to meet you, and that's so nice." Performer Cherie DeVille told AVN her highlight is "the awards show. Seeing my colleagues naked is amazing, but seeing them clothed is special too. All the style is amazing. For the show, I'll be signing here and at the Evil Angel booth." Khloe Kay, Lena Paul and Cherie DeVille at the Mile High Media booth. In the middle of The Joint, Karma Rx said, "This is my third year. I don’t remember my first year too much. I was panicking for a solid four days." What are you looking forward to? "I think there's a correct answer here, which is 'Meeting my fans and spending time with people that support me,' but really I'm looking forward to cigarette breaks in between signing," she said with a laugh, pointing out the nicotine patch on her shoulder: "They're not for quitting. They're for sustaining. They got me a smoking room here, which means my reputation has preceded me." Five-year veteran performer Tiffany Watson told AVN that she was prepared at her signing table: "I bring a spangled tablecloth, I have my movie stands, I bring candy, I bring stickers. I come prepared. I lay out my outfits with the jewelry and the shoes. I have pasties on in case something slips. I have all sorts of stuff in my suitcase. I've got wipes, I've got tampons. I'm the go-to person, and I like it. It takes a lot of practice. And I live 20 minutes away, so if I need more movies, I can reload at home. It’s good to be prepared." In Muse Hall, Adult Time has a new, open booth, surrounded by stanchions with black velvet ropes, different from the walled-in structure of last year. At the booth, Ana Foxxx was handing out stickers and signing. "I'm really excited. Being nominated for Performer of the Year has me excited. I think I'm coming up on 10 years, and that's a lot of time. This next year I've got to prove what I've been learning." Also at Adult Time, Karla Lane said, "I'm here, I'm being pretty, I'm celebrating The Shape of Beauty. I was just having a conversation with a fan: His wife is a plus-size woman, and when she saw what he's into, she realized, 'He's into me too. Even though I've gained a few pounds, he still thinks I'm attractive.' I love having those conversations. This is like a high school reunion. You run into people you haven’t seen in a long time." At the MyFreeCams booth, branded swag covered the counter space between performers: lighters, shot glasses, mini vibes, lanyards, mirrored shades, tote bags and lip balm. Artist LaRoulette was drawing anime-inspired nudes with markers and offering them to fans for a gratuity. "Sex and art is a really fun combination. You get to instantaneously intimately connect with people through the work. This is a chance to hang out and enjoy myself." Also in Muse Hall, Riley Reid faced a daunting line at her Reid My Lips booth, with a tall pink wall and a high table artfully arrayed with a fan of February 2019 AVN magazines with Reid on the cover, directly across from Chaturbate. Evil Angel and ManyVids face each other in one-sided booths with high back walls and platforms, giving the performers in both booths balcony-level views of each other as the fans gather below. A highlight of the Muse Hall is the new AVN Stars booth, a walk-through booth with DJ and a lounge with bar for signing performers. "The vibe is next level," PervCity producer Suzanne said. "Everyone's happy. The traffic is flowing, the girls are having fun. There's nothing better than that." New performer Rod Jackson said, "Time flies, Last year, I had to sneak into AVN. I was helping girls bring in their bags and I'd just stick around. Meet people and network. I'm signing this year. I'm nominated. Full circle." Emily Willis said the show is "really fun. There are more people this year." Jillian Janson said, "I'm having a lot of fun because of all the fans. People I know. I remember their face and I give them a hug. There's energy and excitement. I love it. It's a blast. Like a reunion. We're family by now." In Muse Hall, Gianna Dior was signing at the Jules Jordan Video booth: "It's been absolutely fantastic. Non-stop. My favorite part is always meeting my fans, I love that. People who watch me, who know who I am. I love that." also at the Jules Jordan Video booth, Best New Starlet nominee Gabbie Carter told AVN, "I was not expecting this super-cool thing with everyone in the industry. It's really awesome. I'm looking forward to the Awards. I got in the industry right after AVN last year, and I heard how great it was, and I'm here and it's really exciting. I'm prepared. I've got a lot of Emergen-C." Just outside Muse Hall, the new AVN Stars Lounge provides a sanctuary for performers only, with check-in credentialing counters, a pick-up area for AVN Awards tickets, and a lounge area with refreshments and a makeup artist for touch-ups. In line for her credential, performer Kira Noir told AVN she was finalizing her prep: "I have a card of Sharpies in all the colors, I'm getting pictures printed. I'm looking forward to the outfits. I love people-watching and seeing the amazing  things the girls and guys wear." Performer Leah Winters, facing her first Expo, said "I'm looking forward to experiencing the whole thing. Even before I got into porn, I knew what AVN was. I knew there was a huge Expo, and actually being here is amazing. Knowing that people are going to come up and say 'I know who you are!' It's so cool. I am so excited for the show." In Artist Hall, veteran performer Alexis Amore has a booth, meeting fans and selling merchandise. "I never feel like I left," Amore told AVN. "People don’t realize that adult stays with you. When I got in the business, I started with Playboy TV, and now I'll be doing girl/girl at OnlyFans. And no promises, but I'm dating somebody and I may be doing naughty stuff with him. I'm happy where I'm at, I have no regrets. In any job, you’re going to have drama, you're going to learn things, you're going to make mistakes. Being sexual is healthy, it makes you happier, you need to turn it around and be a better person." Bad Dragon has a booth in Artist Hall, with small pucks on a counter illustrating the company's Soft, Medium and Firm platinum silicone. Nearby, Manuel Ferrara and Abella Danger chat on webcam at the Bedroom Products/Rock Candy booth. The WoodRocket booth was selling action figures and enamel pins along with its DVDs, and also promoting its new line of "bedside products" produced in association with CalExotics, called "Naughty Bits." CalExotics rep Nichole Grossmann told AVN that the toys "are really fun, with unique designs, and clever names. A lipstick vibrator called Bad Bitch; a small, cute bullet called Just The Tip and Shake Your Ass, which is a vibrating butt plug. The line will be available this April." Playboy has a small booth tucked in a corner of Artist Hall. "It's an interesting year," company rep Holly said. "We're trying out selling merchandise, to see how it goes. We have head shots, we have condoms, we have T-shirts and stickers. There are so many fake Rabbit stickers. Our legal team is constantly chasing people. We're looking forward to getting the word out about Playboy Plus. Everybody knows Playboy, but people still ask me about Playboy Plus. It's going to be a good 2020." Late in the day, at the Jules Jordan Video booth, Angela White met Christian, a fan who had come all the way from Germany to meet her. "She has helped me so much, she's amazing," he told AVN. "This is why I fucking love this show," White said. "I get to meet incredible new fans. Christian has been supporting me throughout 2019. Every site I've been on, my Snapchat, my social media. I get to meet these wonderful people that I've had a positive impact on their lives. It's really special." And throughout the Hard Rock, posters promise that the 2021 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo will take place January 20-23, 2021: "Same place, new face." The show will go on. The AVN Adult Entertainment Expo continues through Saturday at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, followed by the AVN Awards ceremony at The Joint on Saturday night. Both events are open to the public. For ticket information, click here.