LOS ANGELES — “A bunch of misfit toys.” That’s how MojoHost founder Brad Mitchell described himself and his industry peers at the 2025 XBIZ Honors ceremony at Hollywood’s Kimpton Everly Hotel. Everyone cheered in agreement. Frankly, they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Decked to the nines in their finest evening wear, the online industry’s elite gathered Wednesday night to celebrate their colleagues, throw back a few drinks, and toast to the future. Judging by the mood in the room, the community remains as resilient as ever.

Between a raft of age verification laws designed to shutter adult sites, the wildfires that ravaged parts of Los Angeles, and potential threats looming from the incoming Trump administration, the industry has been under siege lately — but it is still standing, and rather than standing still, it’s fighting back.

It was fitting, then, that industry attorney Corey Silverstein was named Community Figure of the Year, an award that he quickly dedicated to Free Speech Coalition Executive Director Alison Boden, who had just flown in from Washington, where the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the FSC-led challenge to Texas’ age verification law.

The ceremony was hosted by Playboy’s Holly Ruprecht and multi-award-winning star Ana Foxxx, who was also nominated for Creator Brand Ambassador of the Year for her work with Playboy Plus. Foxxx is also up for five XMAs this year.

The contrast between Ruprecht — a self-described “butch lesbian” with pink hair and a killer sense of humor — and statuesque performer Foxxx, in a tux-style outfit that showed off her booty cheeks, helped make the co-hosts a fantastic comedy duo.

After a warm welcome from XBIZ founder Alec Helmy, followed by brief words from XBIZ execs Moe Helmy and Leah Mahi, Ruprecht and Foxxx got the show underway, kicking off a steady stream of presenters, most of whom preferred to read the nominees’ first names off of a teleprompter rather than risk butchering their last names.  

One of the night’s early winners was an easy name to pronounce, thankfully, as Fleshlight’s Jasmine James received the award for Business Development Exec of the Year from Chaturbate’s Shirley Lara. 

  

“I’m so happy about this,” said James. “I really love this industry and I love my clients. I’ve been doing this for a long time, so it’s great to be recognized!”

One of the evening’s most emotional winners was Leah Koons of Fansly, who took home the award for Marketing Executive of the Year. Koons said she was overwhelmed by the sudden burst of attention when all eyes turned to her as she made her way to the stage.

“This is the first award I’ve won, and my Dad would be so pissed!” Koons joked.

“I don’t know how far I would have gotten in this industry without the unwavering support of everyone I’ve met in this space, who just go so hard for each other,” Koons said with great sincerity. “Thank you to everyone who has let me bounce terrible ideas off them.”

Next, CAM4 exec Andra Chirnogeanu, who hosted last year’s ceremony, took the stage. Luminous in a white dress, she handed out the awards for Merchant Services Payment Company of the Year, which went to NETbilling, and Alternative Payment Services Company of the Year, which went to CentroBill.

Grooby rep Kristel Penn, who spent the evening sitting next to performer Bea York, then took the stage to present the award for Brand Ambassador of the Year, which went to Aylo exec Freedom Taylor.

Accepting the award on Taylor’s behalf was Aylo’s Solomon Friedman, the Canadian lawyer and ordained rabbi who co-founded Ethical Capital Partners, which owns Aylo and Pornhub.

“I know this means a lot to Freedom and to the company,” Friedman said. 

“Freedom always wins!” declared Ruprecht.

Friedman soon returned to the stage, this time to accept the Progressive Leadership Award on behalf of Aylo’s head of production, Ryan Hogan. 

“I’m going to need a checked bag to get all this hardware back to Montreal!” quipped Friedman.

Then, famed industry photographer and podcast host Holly Randall took the stage to present the award for Web Services Company of the Year, which went to MojoHost.

“This is my 25th year in the industry and I love what I do, and I appreciate all of you,” said MojoHost founder Brad Mitchell.

One of the loudest rounds of applause rang out shortly thereafter, when Streamate’s Liz Rekevics won the Executive Leadership Award. Rekevics said she was “totally surprised” by the honor and moved by the support of her peers.

Once again, Friedman returned to the stage, though this time, his appearance was in the script.

“This was one of the places I never expected to be when I started law school 19 years ago,” Friedman joked, before presenting the award for Team Manager of the Year to Julia B of BongaCams.

Julia, who has been in adult for nearly a decade, told the crowd, “I was totally not expecting this. It must mean that I’m doing something right!” 

Then it was Silverstein and Boden’s night to shine.

Upon accepting the award for Community Figure of the Year, Silverstein noted that he usually has something funny to say, but this time out he went in a different direction. Dedicating the award to Boden, he said, “It has been a tremendously stressful couple of years, and we’ve got some tough times ahead, but Alison, you’re my hero of the year.”

It was a heartfelt moment that garnered a standing ovation from the audience, with Boden taking the stage to join Silverstein.

“Look, I don’t deserve this award, but what I will tell you is that I wouldn’t and couldn’t be up here doing this if it weren’t for all of you,” said Boden. 

Up next was the award for Paysite Company of the Year, which went to YourPaysitePartner. Company founder and architect Kenny B graciously accepted the trophy.

Olivier of FansRevenue and director Paulita Pappel of Lustery then took the stage to present the awards for Premium Cam Site of the Year, which went to Streamate, and Paysite of the Year, which went to Adult Time.

They were followed by Jasmine James and director Siouxsie Q, who presented the award for Creator Brand Ambassador of the Year to Vicki Chase of Vixen Media Group, and Creator Businessperson of the Year to Lauren Phillips of Adult Time.

Ruprecht joked that Phillips couldn’t make it to the stage because she had a DP scene to film on Thursday, which got a chuckle out of the room — the rare one whose inhabitants are well-versed in such activity.

The entire crowd was still buzzing from XBIZ’s wild Winter Wonderland party at the Hollywood hotspot Ballet on Tuesday night. The evening featured entertainment from DJ Carter Cruise and saw stars such as Sarah Arabic, Kendra Kole, Leana Lovings, Genny Rock, and Seth Gamble in attendance.

Gamble was in attendance again on Wednesday night for the XBIZ Honors, as Hentai.com was named Specialty Site of the Year and GroobyGirls.com named Trans Site of the Year. The latter award was accepted by Kristel Penn, who used the opportunity to plug the TransErotica Awards. Shortly thereafter, FeetFix walked away with the award for Emerging Web Brand of the Year.

The award for Businessperson of the Year went to Segpay’s Cathy Beardsley, who declared herself a proud member of the Free Speech Coalition, while the FSC’s Advocacy Award went to gay performer Derek Kage, who promised, “I will fight as hard as I possibly can for this industry, which has given me a wonderful life.”

Leya Tanit of Pineapple Support then presented a Pineapple Award to Savannah Sly of the New Moon Network, where Sly advocates for the human rights of sex workers, having identified as one since she was 18 years old.

Sly thanked fellow nominee Siouxsie Q for radicalizing her as a young sex worker, as well as Pineapple Support, the Cupcake Girls, and SWOP Behind Bars for their community advocacy.

Megan Stokes of NMG Management presented one of the night’s top honors, the award for WIA Woman of the Year, to Melrose Michaels, who kept her acceptance speech short and sweet.

The other major award of the night was the ASACP Award, which is presented to those whose efforts stand head and shoulders above others in the industry in respect to its mission.

This year’s award was presented to Brad Mitchell of MojoHost.

“I’m very honored, as this is one of those awards that means the most to me,” said Mitchell, who sits on the board of ASACP.

Mitchell joined the organization 15 years ago, and he said that today, MojoHost contributes as much as it can to support the organization’s mission, but he called on his peers — many of whom have directly benefited from that mission — to increase their funding if and when possible.

“Less than 100 companies keep ASACP going, and they put in some big numbers,” he exhorted his peers. “So I ask all of you to ask yourselves: ‘What are you doing for the rest of the industry?’”

With that rallying cry, Ruprecht and Foxxx bade farewell to the crowd and sent everyone off with a night full of memories, even amid challenging times for Los Angeles and the adult industry.

TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach has filed suit against SARJ LLC, alleging that the company’s adult websites have failed to implement age verification as mandated by state law.

Kansas’ AV law, SB 394, became effective on July 1, 2024. It requires sites to verify that users are 18 or over prior to granting access to content deemed harmful to minors.

The AG’s petition, filed this week with the Shawnee County District Court, states that SARJ’s websites, described as “replete with nudity and a variety of sexual content,” do not employ age-gating technology aside from banners reading “This site contains sexually explicit material. By using this website you acknowledge that you are over 18” and the option to click “I Agree” or “I’ll Leave.” Such notices do not constitute compliance with Kansas statutory requirements, the suit notes.

The websites listed in the petition are metartnetwork.com, metart.com, metartx.com, sexart.com, vivthomas.com, thelifeerotic.com, eroticbeauty.com, lovehairy.com, domai.com, goddessnudes.com, rylskyart.com, stunning18.com, and straplez.com.

The suit requests a jury trial, asks that SARJ be prevented from conducting consumer transactions in Kansas, and calls for fines of between $500 and $10,000 per violation per day, which could amount to tens of millions of dollars.

“Protecting our children against the harmful effects of pornography is a high priority for all Kansans,” Kobach said in a statement. “This law is making a difference.”

As XBIZ reported, SB 394 is Kansas’ version of the age verification bills being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists. The bill passed 40-0 in the Kansas state Senate and 92-31 in the state House. Kansas’ Democratic governor, Laura Kelly, expressed strong reservations about the bill but ultimately decided not to veto it, allowing the legislation to become law by default without her signature.

In a statement explaining her ambivalence, Kelly said, “While well-meaning in its efforts to protect children from content the legislature considers ‘harmful to minors,’ this bill is vague in its application and may end up infringing on constitutional rights, which is an issue being litigated in other jurisdictions over similar bills.”

The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the constitutionality of such bills, or at least on the level of judicial scrutiny that should be applied to their provisions, when it decides Free Speech Coalition et al. v. Paxton. Oral arguments in that case took place Jan. 15.

LOS ANGELES — Sadie Summers stars in the latest Evil Angel gangbang scene from director Jonni Darkko.

The scene features Milan, Nade Nasty, Derek Savage, Chocolate God, Richard, Rob, Scotty, and Musa.

“Shooting this scene with Jonni Darkko was a dream come true,” said Summers. “He’s an absolute genius behind the camera, and his attention to detail creates such an inspiring environment on set. Working with this incredible cast was just the icing on the cake; everyone brought their A-game, and the chemistry was off the charts. I’m so proud of what we created, and I can’t wait for fans to see it.”

The scene is streaming on EvilAngel.

Follow Summers on X.com.

LAS VEGAS — Shay Sights stars with Mick Blue in the latest release from Brazzers, titled “Uptight MILF Fucks Husband’s Filthy Friend.”

The scene opens with Sights returning home to find the house in disarray following her husband’s party.

“She discovers one of her husband’s friends, Mick, has not only crashed at their place but is now making his intentions toward her unmistakably clear,” the synopsis reveals. “Despite her irritation, Shay finds herself unable to resist Mick’s undeniable charm, and what starts as a confrontation takes a turn she never saw coming.”

Sights enthused about the scene.

“It’s always such a pleasure to shoot with the amazing Mick Blue,” she said. “He’s a true professional and brings so much energy and charisma to every scene. This was an incredibly fun day on set — the kind of work that reminds me why I love what I do. I woke up excited to dive into this scene, and I think fans are really going to enjoy what we created together.”

“Uptight MILF Fucks Husband’s Filthy Friend” is streaming on Brazzers.

Follow Sights and Blue on X.com.

MONTREAL — Zariah Aura is the latest guest on the “Adult Time Podcast,” hosted by studio CCO Bree Mills.

During the interview, Aura discusses her performance name, spit play, orgies, and her creative process, among other topics.

I was excited to be in the hot seat across from Bree,” said Aura. “I’ve wanted to do the podcast for a while now, since I love to talk her ear off, and it was no different this time. I got to gush about my favorite subject, me. There may or may not have been a tear or two, but you’ll have to tune in to see why.

The episode is streaming on AdultTime.

Follow Aura on X.com.

LOS ANGELES — X3 Expo organizers have revealed the panelists for “Behind the Scenes: Acclaimed Directors Share Wildest On-Set Stories,” scheduled for Jan. 18 at 7 p.m.

Veteran producer Will Ryder has been tapped to host the session, where noted directors Casey Calvert, Ricky Greenwood, Harry Sparks, and the husband-and-wife team of Michael Vegas and Siouxsie Q will share colorful anecdotes.

Ryder shared his enthusiasm for the esteemed panel, saying, “I’m looking forward to putting the screws to these fine directors, turning up the interrogation spotlight, and getting them to reveal juicy secrets and wild stories from their sets. Don’t miss it!

Featuring a curated mix of sizzling exhibits and solo creator booths to captivate attendees, X3 Expo promises a multimedia extravaganza with a refreshed lineup of onstage events, movie screenings, contests and more.

For event information or to purchase tickets, click here.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A U.S. district court judge has paused Free Speech Coalition’s lawsuit over Florida’s age verification law, pending the Supreme Court’s ruling in the FSC-led challenge to Texas’ age verification law, HB 1181.

According to court documents, Chief United States District Judge Mark E. Walker, of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, granted Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody’s motion for a stay of proceedings until the U.S. Supreme Court issues a ruling in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton. Oral arguments in that case took place Jan. 15.

In his opinion, Walker noted, “It was apparent from the arguments that the Supreme Court’s ruling in this case is substantially likely to inform this Court’s analysis of Plaintiffs’ First Amendment claim, the level of scrutiny that should apply, and how that may impact the merits of Plaintiffs’ claim.”

On Dec. 24, Moody filed the motion asking the court to stay the FSC lawsuit challenging HB 3, the state’s age verification law, which took effect Jan. 1. At the time, adult industry attorney Corey D. Silverstein told XBIZ that granting the motion would penalize adult sites operating in Florida without due process.

“Florida lawmakers are ignoring the constitution, just as in other states that have passed these laws, as well as ignoring existing case precedent that these laws are unconstitutional,” he said.

As XBIZ reported earlier this month, the ramifications of HB 3 are already being felt. Aylo geo-blocked Pornhub in Florida starting on Jan. 1, as it has done in numerous other states with similar AV laws.

“This Court recognizes that Plaintiffs’ speech is chilled every day the challenged law is in effect, but, given the substantial guidance the Supreme Court is likely to provide in its ruling in Paxton and the impact this guidance will have on this Court’s analysis of Plaintiffs’ primary constitutional claims … this Court concludes that a limited stay of these proceedings is both appropriate and necessary in this case,” Walker wrote.

The suit is stayed until the Supreme Court issues its opinion in FSC v. Paxton, or until July 3, whichever happens sooner.

AMSTERDAM — Kiiroo has appointed Maxime Kamstra as its new B2B marketing manager.

“We are thrilled to welcome Maxime Kamstra to the Kiiroo family,” said Kiiroo CEO Toon Timmermans. “Her proven track record in B2B marketing and her strategic mindset will be invaluable as we continue to expand our footprint globally and strengthen our partnerships within the industry.”

Added Kamstra, “I am excited to join Kiiroo at such a pivotal time in its journey. The company’s dedication to cutting-edge technology and its focus on creating meaningful connections resonates deeply with me. I look forward to contributing to its growth and building lasting relationships with our partners.”

For more information, visit Kiiroo or contact maxime@kiiroo.com.

MIAMI — Barry Loves Boobs has announced the launch of its new membership site.

Powered by mymember.site, the website features premium videos, podcasts of “The Barry Loves Boobs Show,” and behind-the-scenes content, among other elements.

“I’m thrilled to finally launch Barry Loves Boobs, the breast website, as its own dedicated domain,” said site honcho Barry. “Partnering with mymember.site has been a game-changer. Their team made it incredibly easy to build a site that represents my brand and gives fans the high-quality experience they deserve.”

For more information, visit BarryLovesBoobs; follow the site on X.com.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Creator Luna Baby has made her Ricky’s Room debut with Mazee The Goat in “Dreamin’ of a Creamin’.”

“The lovely Luna Baby found her way to Ricky’s Room, and I had to pair her up with a true goat,” said studio honcho Ricky Johnson. “Watching these two in action was a real treat, and I almost regretted not being a naked and involved part of it all. There was definitely some magic happening.”

Added Baby, “My Ricky’s Room debut is finally here, and it turned out better than I even imagined. I had such a blast on set and felt sexier than ever. I got slutted out by The Goat, and I can’t wait for everyone to see just how much fun we had.”

“Dreamin’ of a Creamin’” is streaming on RickysRoom.

Follow Baby on X.com.