Last night, GayVN streamed the 2020 GayVN Awards with live commentary from some winners and Trophy Boys during a streamed watch party. Here are some highlights from the unique broadcast, including lots and lots of Cade…
The broadcast of the show from January in Las Vegas—with participants joining live to comment—was free to watch for anyone who signed up for GayVN Stars, a subscription-based community launched in January for adult entertainers (the broadcast should be on-demand as well at the same platform).
Joining were Performer of the Year Cade Maddox, Best Actor DeAngelo Jackson (see his performance in Icon’s Blended Family), Best Newcomers Nic Sahara and Alex Riley, Chi Chi LaRue (who directed Best All-Sex movie Love and Lust in Montreal), Trophy Boys Brock Banks and Riley Finch (Nico Leon was supposed to be there, but it appears a technical problem prevented that), red carpet interviewer Liam Riley, Falcon/NakedSword President & CEO Tim Valenti (who was inducted into the GayVN Hall of Fame in January) and host Alec Mapa.
They watched a broadcast of the event (including red carpet and backstage interviews), then shared thoughts during pauses in the action. Here’s what I loved from last night:
1. Cade Maddox and his dogs. Dear lord, how can this man get any sexier? By propping two cute pooches up on his lab and showing them off, rubbing their chests and basically looking his usual sexy as fuck self, only while holding two adorable furballs. (They know how to work the camera just like daddy!)
2. Brock Banks stripping. This CockyBoy also shared that he just got a puppy, and he had a hot smile throughout—and less clothes on toward the end (during one quick break he took, we caught a quick glimpse of him in just his briefs).
3. Remembering Jay Dymel. Sahara recounted his growing friendship with Dymel before the performer passed away last year (the two were in the Best Group scene for NakedSword’s Five Brothers). “If I ever needed anything, he was always there for me, I think it was pretty appropriate to thank him and just be grateful on his behalf.”
4. Cade kissing Kevin: When host Alex caught on that Cade’s boyfriend was with him behind the cam, he asked him to say hello. “I have to applaud you, because he just won an award, but you win an award for healthiest ego…I wanna see hugs between you, and love. I wish you guys the best. After this is over, will you come over to my house for dinner? I’m a really great cook.” (Of course, said Cade, as soon as this COVID shit is over.)
5. DeAngelo’s friend. The Best Actor had a friend join him in front of the camera at the end to watch. No idea who he is, but it was cute. Also cute? DeAngelo’s expression’s while watching his win replayed. This man wears his heart on his sleeve!
6. Alec getting punchy. Some technical challenges ramped up Mapa’s attitude. “You know (Chi Chi), I think you deserve another award for showing the most expression with that amount of Botox in your face…you managed to look happy, you managed to look moved.” (“I did have a lot then,” said the director after he wiped the expression of shock off.) Later, Mapa sarcastically thanked the show’s producer for an unfortunate video pause: “Thanks for freezing on a picture of me where it looks like I’m taking an actual shit.” He also issued Valenti a back-handed compliment, saying of his speech from January: “It was the most well-groomed I’ve ever seen you.”
7. Alex Riley’s cuteness. He gushed over co-winner Nic (“I love you!”), wore the same outfit he won in (aww!), and left his award in his chair when he went for a bathroom break (if ya got it, flaunt it!).
8. The chat room. Fans went gaga over Maddox: “Cade is looking like a snack,” “My eyes are on Cade the whole show” and “Awe Cade and his dogs!” And while Armond Rizzo wasn’t at the live watch party last night, fans also loved seeing his speech replayed from his Social Media Star win: “Armond is such a beautiful person,” “Armond’s speech was very moving” and “Armond is such a sweet soul” being just a few of the sentiments shared.
9. Cade’s emotions. Maddox ran the spectrum, and it was great to watch—from laughing when the Best Supporting Actor presentation was replayed, with a clip of him telling Hunter Smith “Why don’t you stop this teasing and put my dick where your mouth is” (in Icon Male’s A Stepbrother’s Obsession); to his voice trembling later (just like it did in January!) when he recounted his win, the performer fighting back the tears.
10. Alec Mapa’s abs. The replay showed us the skit that the surprisingly ripped Mapa had with Dallas Steele and Dolf Dietrich at the show in January. “How great of a job did the makeup person do on my torso?!” he gushed last night. “Well, you know, there was just a little bit of shadow.”
