Source: Adult Industry News
By: Rich Moreland
Pictured left to right: Summer Cummings, Skye Blue, Mike Horner, Christian Mann, Carter Stevens, Caroline Pierce
Vegas’ annual soirée of iconic porn talent, “Legends of Erotica,” is the brainchild of adult film’s living historian Bill Margold and his friend, Showgirl Video’s Ray Pistol. While Ray’s backstage employees mix the cement that immortalizes impressions of hands, boobs, and butts, Bill Margold orchestrates a show that celebrates adult film’s meaning and intimacy.
“It [Legends] was a mutually collaborative creation between Pistol and myself that began in 1994,” Bill remembers, “The year after I was arrested in Las Vegas for hosting/staging the Pure Pleasure event.”
Mutual admiration between two rebels evolved. “Pistol had always appreciated my tireless endeavors for Free Speech as well as the homage to the history of XXX, so he gave me Showgirl as my stage,” Bill explains. Porn fact: Ray Pistol holds the copyright to porno chic’s ground breaker, “Deep Throat,” a marker in adult film history.
This evening featured a night of lovable evil angels, Skye Blue and Summer Cummings, Carter Stevens, Mike Horner, Caroline Pierce, and Christian Mann. To warm up the audience, Carter stepped up as an impromptu emcee with Bill’s blessing. Microphone in hand, he recalled porn’s golden age of 35 mm adventures, a time when talent fell into “four types of people, hetero, homo, bisexual, and Jamie Gillis!”
As is the Margold custom, the mic was passed around for some oral history (pun intended). Skye and Summer remembered shooting for director John T. Bone, with Summer laughing about a messy scene in mud that was really moist potting soil laced with cow manure! Summer cherished her days with Skye and their friendship radiated from the stage, “We were able to explore our kinky side together,” she said while her pal commented their career together was “A fabulous ride.”
Mike Horner put the night in perspective with an appreciation that “Legends” exists at all. Porn’s educational function was highly valued way back when, he said. Productions were carefully crafted, shot in weeks or months, very unlike today’s features cranked out in a day or two.
Inducted by Ray Pistol, Caroline Pierce described her time before the camera as a “fun” opportunity to show off her biggest asset, her bottom. She began her stage career at Showgirl and is still active in fetish work.
Carter Stevens wove tales about famed filmmaker Joe Sarno (Carter actually was “Inside Jennifer Welles!”) and the New York scene in adult’s early days. Carter’s entertainment persona gave Bill Margold the opportunity to move away from center stage and join the fans.
The evening concluded with the long anticipated induction of Christian Mann of Evil Angel Productions. Company heavy hitters, founder John Stagliano and director Joey Silvera, were in attendance along with a couple of youngsters, Romanian performer Lea Lexis and artist Armando Huerta, the fuel of Evil Angel’s latest business venture, apparel. It’s never too early to hand an institutional memory over to the next generation.
In fact, Evil Angel pervaded the show. Skye and Summer remembered shooting for John Stagliano’s longtime friend, the late Bruce Seven, who encouraged them to “explore their kinky sexual side together,” Summer said. Earlier, Christian recalled the company’s Buttman series as instrumental in shaping his transition from his father’s print porn business to film.
Bill Margold praised Christian’s role in breaking porn’s color barrier, while his political influence continues today through his seat on the board of the Free Speech Coalition. Incidentally, Christian’s soul mate, Melissa Palmer, was present to lend support to the celebration.
John Stagliano and Joey Silvera inducted Christian, praising his wit and business acumen.
As the ceremony wound down, Christian Mann’s humility and integrity crowned the evening. John Stagliano runs Evil Angel with honesty and a degree of ethics not often found in porn, Christian said in a way that explains why they are friends. By the way Christian also understands the value of history, having known Bill Margold for thirty years.
According to mythology and popular belief, angels represent the greater good. Tonight Showgirl was filled with angels, past and present, lighthearted yet very sincere in expressing what “evil” really means in the world of adult film: pleasure, caring, and a sense of community.
