YNOT EUROPE – Logan McCree, Kristen Bjorn Productions, Bel Ami Entertainment and Michael Lucas’ Men of Israel were among the European individuals, studios and titles that earned acclaim during Friday’s 2010 GAYVN Awards ceremony Friday in San Francisco’s historic Castro Theatre. The riotous evening full of onstage shenanigans provided few surprises but produced lots of laughter and applause.

Wilfried Knight, often referred to as “the Susan Lucci of gay porn” because he receives multiple nominations across all gay adult awards shows annually but until this year’s GAYVNs failed to win a category, finally broke the curse and took home the Performer of the Year trophy.

For the first time, the GAYVNs included fan-selected winners. Sister Roma, a fixture in the gay adult industry for nearly 30 years and a seemingly tireless activist for community causes, walked away with the first-ever “Personality of the Year” award after both threatening and cajoling the voting audience.

“Vote for me, or I’m gonna start tipping shit over,” she said during a taped segment prior to a live performance. “Seriously, if I don’t win, I’m coming to each of your houses and kicking some ass.”

Either the threats or the high-spirited comedy apparently swayed the public, as Roma bested drag diva LaRue and industry gadfly Jason Sechrest in the battle of the larger-than-life nominees. Audience members texted their votes throughout the evening.

Celebrity host Alec Mapa, too, got in a few good licks, needling celebrities both in the audience and nowhere near the ceremony. Bruce Villanch, who attended, and Julia Roberts, who did not, received some of Mapa’s attention.

Of Villanch, he said, “One minute you’re hobnobbing at the Academy Awards with Julia Roberts, and now you’re here in this room full of cocksuckers.”

“Not that Julia Roberts has never sucked a cock,” he added to the obvious delight of the audience, which roared with laughter and applause.

Special awards included Trailblazer Sharon Kane, who debuted in adult productions during the 1970s. Trailblazer 2009 winner LaRue said she selected Kane in part based on her motto: “If you want to fuck it, stick it in.” Kane now is tasked with selecting next year’s recipient.

Pat Rocco, who produced some of the first underground gay adult films in the 1960s, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Rocco’s iconic status reaches far beyond adult, as he founded the Midnight Mission shelters for homeless gay teens and is a vocal advocate for GLBT causes in the mainstream.

Ryan Block, Mike Donner, Bill Marlowe, Matthew Rush and Mickey Skee were inducted into the GAYVN Hall of Fame.

Award winners in the DVD categories were:

Best Actor: Logan McCree, The Visitor (Raging Stallion Studios)
Best All-Sex Video: Tropical Adventure (Kristen Bjorn Productions)
Best Alternative Release: Men In Stockings (Lucas Entertainment)
Best Amateur/Pro-Am Release: Brent Corrigan’s Big Easy (Prodigy Productions/Dirty Bird Pictures)
Best Cumshot: Rafael Alencar, Wall Street (Lucas Entertainment)
Best Director (TIE): Chris Ward, Ben Leon and Tony DiMarco, Focus/ReFocus (Raging Stallion Studios) and Joe Gage, Dad Takes a Fishing Trip (D/G Mutual Media)
Best Duo Sex Scene: Tony Buff and Will Parker, Folsom Flesh (TitanMen)
Best Feature Release: Focus/ReFocus (Raging Stallion Studios)
Best Fetish Release: Skuff 4 (Hot House)
Best Group Sex Scene: Cast, Black Balled 7: Jail Slammed (All Worlds Video)
Best HD Feature: Flux (Titan)
Best Marketing – Company Image: Bel Ami Entertainment
Best Newcomer: Conner Habib
Best Sex Comedy: Whorrey Potter and the Sorcerer’s Balls (Dominic Ford Features)
Best Solo Performance: Adam Killian, Taken: To the Lowest Level (Rascal Video)
Best Supporting Actor: Steve Cruz, Focus/ReFocus (Raging Stallion Studios)
Best Videography: Ben Leon and Tony Di Marco, Focus/ReFocus (Raging Stallion Studios)
Best Web-to-DVD Release: Summer Recruits (Active Duty)
Best Renting Title: Steven Daigle: XXXposed (Rascal Video)
Best Selling Title: Men of Israel (Lucas Entertainment)
Performer of the Year: Wilfried Knight

Website category winners were:

Best Affiliate Program: C1R Affiliate Program
Best Blog/Gossip Site: TheSword.com
Best Genre Site: AthleticModelGuild.com (Classic content)
Best Live Webcam/Webshow: Chi Chi LaRue’s Live & Raw (LiveAndRaw.com)
Best Porn Star Site: BrentEverett.com
Best Web-Based Marketing/Promotion: Channel 1 Releasing
Web Performer of the Year: Brent Corrigan
Website of the Year: RandyBlue.com

Winners in the fan-favorite categories were determined by online votes from gay-porn viewers. The winners were:

Best Top: Trevor Knight
Best Bottom: Brent Corrigan
Best Versatile: Matthew Rush
Overall Fan Favorite: Brent Everett

Photos taking during the event and more information are available at GAYVNAwards.com.