Counterprogramming: TEA Awards Rock Avalon on Oscar Night

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.—One would think that the Oscars, with the attendant street closures and limo congestion, would clear the streets of Hollywood, but the area around the corner of Hollywood and Vine was full of activity late Sunday afternoon, with theatergoers exiting "Chicago" at the Pantages, protesters waving FREE PALESTINE signs blocking traffic on Hollywood Boulevard, and the 2024 Trans Erotica Awards taking place at Avalon on Vine Street. Guests were welcomed by two red carpet entrances, both stage-lit with step-and-repeat backgrounds and photographers, videographers and interviewers recording the guests as they enter. The step-and-repeat backdrops have large bands at the top and bottom featuring the names of 34 sponsors of the awards, including production companies, websites, toy and lube manufacturers, and a doctor offering reassignment surgery.  Performers Natassia Dreams, Foxxy, and Lindsey Banks conduct interviews on the red carpets. Dreams is wearing a dress made up of wide black bands that need regular adjustments to avoid inadvertent exposure. "I have 11 nominations today, so I'm excited to just win one award," Emma Rose tells AVN. "I went to the kickoff party for the very first time and I met so many new people. It's so exciting." Rose later kneels down on the red carpet to pose with her logo on the bottom band of the step-and-repeat.  Inside, framed photos on the walls of the foyer document the history of the venue, which had been a stage theater before its conversion to a TV studio on the 1960s and a concert venue in the 1980s, with pictures of the marquee announcing plays, Milton Berle in a hippie getup with Sonny and Cher, and Merv Griffin hosting his talk show, along with the expected pictures of rockers on the stage. Inside the auditorium, video screens on the walls and upstage display the logos of the show sponsors on a loop. Large round tables on the main floor are reserved for sponsors, with matte-finish programs at each place.  On the red carpet, between interviews, Natassia Dreams takes a water bottle, throws her head back and pours water into her wide-open mouth. "Won't mess up my lipstick." The red carpet line stretches down Vine Street, with Queenie Sateen, Lauren Phillips, Asa Akira, Scarlet Alexis, Kira Noir, Brittany Andrews and Alexis Tae waiting their turn. Performer Nurse Kay reacts to a fan handing her a still to autograph with a surprised "Oh shit, that's me!" Fashion varies from glam to street clothes to only-at-a-porn-function, like the woman in the dark-green dress cut from shoulder to hip with her left breast covered only by a mosaic of shiny gold stickers. Steven Grooby works the crowd, wearing a tuxedo. Photographers flash their way through the lobby as guests mingle before the auditorium opens. New talent Neci Archer tells me that she shoots OnlyFans content at her home in Texas "but I travel to Vegas a lot."  "I'm nominated, but I'm not worried," Ana Foxxx says. "I'm a visitor here — an honored guest."  The networking continues when the auditorium opens at 9 p.m., with the speakers playing "It's Raining Men." The show started at 10:20 p.m. with a musical number by The Gurls, and the introduction of show host Domino Presley. Best Scene Producer award went to Ricky Greenwood, and when the presenter held the mic at her crotch level, Greenwood good-naturedly leaned over and spoke his words of thanks into it. Many of the awards were sponsored, with Grooby, Gender X, TS Virtual Lovers and Pornhub all announcing their Model of the Year. Performer Leilani Li received a major ovation when she won Black T-Girls Model of the Year, thanking "all my peers and all my sisters." Best Transmasc scene performers Nicky Zeal, Zeke Nix and Zariah Aura got a standing ovation, with Aura exulting "I'm the only trans girl nominated in a transmasc scene!"  TS Virtual Lovers Model of the Year Izzy Wilde made a dramatic announcement: "You never know, if you never try. And tonight. Fans, friends... in about six months from now, I will be undergoing gender reassignment surgery." To the standing ovation, she said, "This is extremely important to me. I'm ready. I have no idea how things will be after. I'm preparing for the worst, and hoping for the best. I love you so fucking much. Sincerely, thank you for boosting me up the several years that I've been here. I honestly couldn't have done it without you. I'll be making new content up until September." Representing Wicked Sensual Care, Jessica Drake presented Lifetime Achievement Awards to Aubrey Kate and Aiden Starr. Starr said, "Never am I able to stand in a room with so many trans people at one time, and it's really fucking nice because usually they're not the majority and tonight they are. And that's how I want it every day for the rest of my life." At 1:15 a.m. Presley announced, "The last fucking category," Best Hardcore Performer, which went to Zariah Aura, her second award of the night. She accepted in an emotional speech, her voice cracking, "I have never had as much attention or as much affirmation as I've had tonight. I have worked my ass off. When I started in this industry I got so much attention and so much affirmation—but I never really believed it... I can't believe I'm accepting this award."  Presley ended the show by asking the audience to repeat after her: "Thank you, Steven... Thank you, Kristel... Thank you Domino..." and at 1:30 the lights came up and audience started to exit, making their way out of the theater onto Vine Street. It was deserted.  *** The full list of 2024 TEA winners follows: BEST HARDCORE PERFORMER Winner – Zariah Aura BEST SOLO MODEL (SPONSORED BY BAD DRAGON) Winner – Rachael Belle BEST NEW FACE Winner – Eros Orisha BEST INTERNET PERSONALITY (SPONSORED BY NELSON THANE UNLIMITED) Winner – Emma Rose BEST NON-US PERFORMER Winner – Angellica Good BBW PERFORMER OF THE YEAR Winner – Mini D BEST TRANSMASC PERFORMER Winner – Jaq Quicksilver BEST NON-TRANS MALE Winner – Steve Rickz BEST NON-TRANS FEMALE Winner – Robin CoffinsWinner – Sydney Screams BEST CAM PERFORMER (SPONSORED BY STREAMATE) Winner – Julia Jane MS UNIQUE Winner – Ana Andrews BEST CONTENT CREATOR Winner – Shiri Allwood BEST SCENE PRODUCER Winner – Ricky Greenwood BEST DVD (SPONSORED BY ADULT EMPIRE) Winner – Tgirls Hookup: Slut Fantasies Vol 2 (Tgirls Hookup) BEST BOY/GIRL SCENE Winner – My TS Stepsister 8 – Jade Venus and Roman Todd (Transsensual) BEST GIRL/GIRL SCENE (SPONSORED BY TGIRL NIGHTS) Winner – Hot Pink Baddies – Gracie Jane and Leilani Li (Transangels) BEST THREESOME/MORESOME SCENE Winner – Lesbians Love Trans – Scene 1 – ‘Two Hot TS Fuck Tatted Babe Aliya Brynn’ – Kasey Kei, Brittney Kade, Aliya Brynn (GenderX Films) BEST TRANSMASC SCENE Winner – Nicky and Zeke Share Zariah – Nicky Zeal, Zeke Nix, Zariah Aura (Transnificent) (M3, MS2) BEST VR SCENE Winner – My Slutty Babysitter – Kasey Kei and Spencer Bradley (VRB Trans) FAN’S CHOICE AWARD Winner – Ariel Demure GROOBY GIRL OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY GROOBYGIRLS.COM) Winner – Amanda Riley BLACK TGIRL OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY BLACK-TGIRLS.COM) Winner – Leilani Li TRANSCENDENCE AWARD Winner – Shiri Allwood LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Winner – Aubrey KateWinner – Aiden Starr INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL AWARD Winner – Nate Glass (Take Down Piracy) PRODUCER’S CHOICE AWARD Winner – Lianna Lawson PORNHUB MODEL OF THE YEAR Winner – Austin Spears TS VIRTUAL LOVERS MODEL OF THE YEAR Winner – Izzy Wilde GENDERX MODEL OF THE YEAR Winner – Brittney Kade