With full-sized sex dolls staring down at you, ‘My Little Pony’ enthusiasts’ marveling over new butt plugs, fans trading porn trading cars and a lube fountain all could enjoy, not to mention the infamous awards, this year’s AVN festivities heated up quite nicely.

God knows exactly what is going on in the world of porn these days. With consistent on again/off again legislation for mandatory condom use, big video companies “restructuring” and the consistent uptick in parody and real celeb pov porn, the business is pretty much up for grabs. But in a year when sometimes porn star the Octo-Mom pleads not guilty to welfare fraud, “Teen Mom” Farrah Abraham can make a sex tape (see here) that sells like hot cakes but she just as quickly disavows it, and we saw more faux superheroes stripping down for Wicked than maybe ever before, it was a wacky 2013 to be sure. And as much as there’s a push for custom video-some say maybe saving the business all together-and just as many anti-pirating gurus out there culling unauthorized views and downloads, ‘the biz’ does a keep rolling and rocking.

Let’s face it, none of us could have foreseen the effect digital technology would have on our lives, from record business execs to our fine feathered fellows and ladies of porn, really everybody has been in a mad scramble to find the right way to monetize what they do (aren’t you doing the same, as much infusing your social media world in your personal life as in your work?). But whether it’s the women in gowns that would make any Oscar red carpet walker blush or Machine Gun Kelly doing his thing as this years’ AVN Awards’ musical guest, one has got to applaud the porn business for still having the gumption to get out there and do what they do…and celebrate it as well.

Here are a few names of this year’s award winners:

For those who truly enjoy their downloads, the Best Studio Website award went to EvilAngelVideo.com. Those budding Howards or Finchers out there might be interested to note that Axel Braun nabbed his fourth consecutive Director of the Year win, while the Best Actor and Best Actress awards went to Tommy Pistol and Remy LaCroix, respectively.  For those of you oiling the whips, the Best BDSM Release was The Submission of Emma Marx, New Sensations Erotic Stories, the Best Big Bust Release Bra Busters 4, Jules Jordan Video, and for those who prefer women more mature, Lisa Ann won for Hottest MILF (like how could she not?!); Lexi Belle took home a decidedly more modern award as Best Social Media Star and our old friends AdamEve.com, who I’ve featured here plenty (see here) won for Best Web Retail Store.

There’s lots more to be seen if you wish to check the actual AVN site: http://www.avn.com/.

That’s my short round-up of the doings out in Las Vegas this year that neither you nor I got to. Makes you wish you were one of the beautiful people, huh?