Congrats to the XRCO Hall of Famers!

This Thursday, April 12, the X-Rated Critics Organizationwill induct 9 industry folk into their Hall of Fame.

On the performer side, the honorees are: Rhonda Jo Petty, Vince Vouyer, Julia Ann, Jenna Haze, and Jesse Jane

On the production side: Miles Long and Luc Wylder

Lastly, representing the Fifth Estate: Tristan Taormino and Den

I’m happy to be personal friends with two of the honorees and wanted to take a moment to congratulate them…

Luc Wylder was one of the first industry people I ever met, back in the mid-90s at the East Coast Video Show in Atlantic City.  He has been a big supporter of ours from way back in the RAME days, and we’re very excited to see him back in the director’s chair and now, in the Hall of Fame. Luc pioneered the pro-am genre with his Dirty Dancers series, did some great MTV Cribs style work with Adult Stars at Home series and fun travelogues in the Sex Across America series, and this is to say nothing of his B&D work epitomized by his Master’s Choice series. I always worry that Hall of Fame status comes at the end of a career, but I think with his new entries in the Amateur Angels series, he’s put those fears to rest.

Almost 4 years ago to the day (where has the time gone!?) Luc was the first of our IAFD Interviews.

 And I also need to take a moment to say a word or two about my friend and colleague, Den, who is being honored posthumously.  He’s my second friend (the first being IAFD’s co-founder, Peter van Aarle who was honored in 2011) to be accorded such an honor, and if I had a choice, I’d prefer he stay out of the Hall if it meant one more phone call or review…

In the mid-80s, Den produced his own mail-order adult content, being one of the first amateur producers (if not THE first) to shoot on S-VHS.  For his troubles, he got into a legal battle for free speech rights and spent some time in jail for his role in producing adult material.  In 1996, Den founded his site, Cyberspace Adult Video Reviews or CAVR.com.  Every day he diligently watched almost every type of porn imaginable, noting down his observations and publishing them on the web.  He posted more than twenty seven thousand adult movie reviews until he retired from reviewing in April 2011.  Den was easily the most prolific writer of on-line adult film reviews we have seen. A pioneer whose career spanned more than two decades, Den influenced a generation of reviewers and ushered in the era of independent, on-line critics. He was a tireless voice for the industry he loved right up until his passing last year.

Not only was Den a reviewing machine, but he was a giant fan of the industry, and we miss walking around AEE with him; he was like a kid in a candy store.  In an industry where its possble to become jaded very quickly, Den had an enthusiasm for the girls that was unmatched.  If there ever was a reviewer who deserved to be in the Hall of Fame, it’s Den.

As caretaker of his website, I was hoping to accept Den’s award on his behalf, but scheduling conflicts will keep me on the east coast this week.

Congrats to all the honorees.

Goodnight, Reviewer-man: Den of CAVR Passed Away

“Desperate as the night moves on, just a look and a whisper, and they’re gone…” – Bruce Springsteen, “Jungleland”

My friend and colleague Den passed away on Thursday; I only heard about it this morning from an email Dirty Bob sent over.

I’ve known Den since 1996 or so; we’d see each other once a year at the trade shows (ECVS or, later, AEE) and we’d be in email contact often.

Den had some health issues back in 2006 which slowed him down physically (and eventually, a few years later, made it impossible for him to travel to Vegas for AEE).  It was around that time that Den approached me about taking over hosting responsibilities for his site and making sure it would continue to exist after he was gone.  Luckily for all of us, this first event was just a scare, and we were granted five more years worth of reviews.

Shortly before Den announced his retirement, he called to tell me that he’d gotten some bad news from his doctor and it would seem that his time left was short; but he was adamant that no one know about his disease until after he was gone.  Like everything he did, he didn’t want to draw attention to himself.  He wanted to go on his own terms; I convinced him to tell a few mutual friends who lived nearby so at least he would have someone close.  He agreed and a few days later he wrote up his retirement announcement.

He was very concerned that his site not go away, and I assured him — as I did back in 2006 — that his site (and his legacy) will stay online as long as the IAFD does (which I hope is forever.)

Since I’ve been a pretty behind-the-scenes guy in recent years, I am flattered he thought enough of me to induct me into his Hall of Fame.

Attempts at writing much more are failing right now, so I will leave with some links to some nice writeups in the trades and his colleagues, so here are the links.  I hope to write a proper tribute soon.

XBIZ: CAVR Founder Den Passes Away

AVN: CAVR Founder Den Passes Away at 67

Gram Ponante: Den of Inequity: Legendary Porn Reviewer Dies

Roger Pipe’s Tribute to Den: Den Retires, All Hail the King

Den’s Retirement Announcement: CAVR remains On-line!

This is how I remember Den (he’s the one who doesn’t look like Buttman): at the ADT Party in the Rivera in 2003 just hanging back and smiling at his good fortune to be in the same room with people he loved watching and talking to. (Den’s write up here)

Here’s another shot from a few moments after, which is notable if only for having Den and Peter van Aarle (in the white IAFD sweatshirt on the left) in the same shot…  (and apologies to Stagliano for catching him mid-blink.)

Den, I hope you and Peter get to meet up again wherever you are.