We Talked to Couples Who Came to the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo Together

The biggest weekend of the year for porn also happens to make a great date.

The Adult Entertainment Expo, which culminates in the AVN Awards (aka the Oscars for porn), is the biggest weekend of the year for the porn industry and its myriad of fans. Devotees flock to Las Vegas for a chance to meet the performers that inspire their masturbatory fantasies in the flesh — meaning I envisioned my fellow attendees to mostly consist of lone dudes and their right hands.

I was wrong. While those guys are around, the crowd was also filled with couples of all ages and walks of life who threw down the $300 for four days of experiencing the thrills of being close to the adult entertainment industry with their significant other. Here’s what a few of them had to say about being on one of the world’s more adventurous dates.

Claudia and Jerry, both in their early 60s, from Las Vegas, NV

Is this your first year at AVN?
J: No, we’ve been coming about three years.

Why did you decide to start coming?
C: We just thought it looked interesting, like something we wanted to do.

Who are each of your favorite porn stars?
C: I’ve got so many. [To Jerry] Who’s your favorite one?
J: Probably Asa Akira. We’ve seen her several times, we have a poster that she autographed.

Is one of you a bigger fan of porn than the other?
C: I think we’re equally…we’re members of the lifestyle. So we kinda gravitate to that. [Laughs]

What does that mean?
C: We’re swingers.

Awesome. How long have you been swinging?
J: About four years.

And what’s your favorite part of AVN?
C: I love coming here and talking to all the ladies who work the desk and find out who they are, what they do, why they’re doing it.

Do you have any tips for anyone couples who want to come?
J: We definitely recommend getting the VIP tickets, there are less crowds. You can talk to some of the actresses, meet them, buying CDs. It’s really funny that, as a guy, I can’t touch the actresses.
C: [Grabs me for a hug] I can do this all day long.

What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen here?
J: Last year, one of the groups was interviewing people and said “if you give us your wildest story, you’ll win a free t-shirt.” And Claudia says, “I like to be strung up on things.” So no one could top that.
C: I got a t-shirt. And I got spanked.

Maria and Paul, 39 and 38, from Boston, MA

Is this your first year here?
M: This is our sixth year.

Why did you guys decide to start coming?
P: We just wanted a vacation away from the children.

Is one of you a bigger porn fan than the other?
M: [Points to Paul]
P: Of course

But you enjoy coming too, Marie?
M: Oh yeah…especially when I see the male porn stars.

Oh yeah, who’s your favorite?
M: Manuel Ferrera.
P: Me, Sophie Dee or Alexis Texas.

Do you have tips for anyone who’s trying to convince their significant other to come to AVN if they’re not super into it?
P: Be open-minded. [The performers] are not here to steal your men. They’re here to make their money.
M: And it’s strengthened our relationship too.

How so?
M: At night…it makes horny to get in bed with him. I just tackle him.

Stefanie Joy and David, 21 and 26, from Los Angeles, California

Is this your first year coming to AVN?
S: Yes — I work for MyFreeCams
D: For me as well

Is one you a bigger porn fan than the other?
D: She’s definitely gotten me more interested in it

Stefanie, how long have you been camming?
S: A year next month

Who are your favorite porn stars or camgirls? David, you have to say her, you know that.
D: I like Stefanie Joy…also Gia Peach.
S: He loves Gia Peach. My favorite is Ginny Potter. I like Aubrey Star too. 

What’s the best thing you’ve seen so far here?
S: We just got here so, so far…the MyFreeCams booth!

Do you have tips for anyone who’s trying to convince their significant other to come to AVN if they’re not super into it?
D: I would just say, be open about it. If they actually came they’d see that they could meet some cool people and maybe change their mind.
S: I think a lot of people think that porn is a really, really big deal and it’s actually just super chill. I would say try it, and you might be surprised that you end up liking it.

Jessica and Tim*, 45 and 51, from Lexington, KY

Is this your first year here?
J: Yes!

What made you want to come?
J: It’s been on his bucket list for a while.
T: We enjoy Vegas too.
J: So were like “oh, we’ll come out at the same time.”

If this was on your bucket list, Tim, would you say you’re more into porn than Jessica?
J: No, I am!

So who’s your favorite porn star?
J: I don’t know if I have a favorite one. I used to love Jenna Jameson. Nobody right now, I haven’t really kept up with it.

What’s the best thing you’ve seen so far?
J: We love Katie Morgan, so she was awesome. And then Jessica Drake was pretty cool too.
T: Very down-to-earth.
J: I guess what surprised me is that we didn’t think so many stars would be out here signing. It’s kind of funny, we had an idea in our head what kind of person would come here.

Do you have tips for anyone who’s trying to convince their significant other to come to AVN if they’re not super into it?
J: That’s a tough one. I think you both have to wanna come, or else one person would be miserable.

*Names have been changed

Barbara and Keye, 53 and 54, from Phoenix, AZ

Is this your first year here?
K: We came in 2002. We’ve wanted to come back since.
B: It’s hard to get vacation in January.

Is one of you the bigger porn fan than the other?
K: I would say I am, but nowadays, if I’m watching, usually she’s right there. Back in the day, in the eighties, she knew every porn star’s whole life: who they were dating, what they like. We subscribed to AVN, so she knew everything about all of them.

Who’s your favorite porn star?
B: I don’t know if they’re around anymore…Nina Hartley. And who’s the pretty one who always played doctors and stuff? Annette Haven. Oh my gosh, she’s so pretty.
K: Ginger Lynn, probably. There’s some newer ones but they come and go so fast now, you don’t remember their names. There’s one I got an autographed picture of, and I would’ve said her, but I can’t remember her name.

Do you have tips for anyone who’s trying to convince their significant other to come to AVN if they’re not super into it?
K: I hear and read a lot about women saying “How can I compete with that, because all the girls are so beautiful?” And if they would come here, they’d find that, unlike the fashion industry, porn has room for almost everyone.