Richard Abowitz posts: This morning I am heading over to the Venetian to pick up my press credentials for the Adult Entertainment Expo and AVN awards (dubbed the porn Oscars, because something has to be called that, right?). Last year I did a cover story for Las Vegas Weekly on the convention. But this year is a much more important year from a Las Vegas perspective.

For one thing, the awards show is moving from a banquet room at the Venetian to the Mandalay Bay Events Center where they are able to accommodate 7,000 people. In the rest of the country the mainstreaming of adult entertainment is a phenomenon people are just noticing. But in Vegas this mainstreaming took place years ago.

These days the adult industry and the resorts have threaded together a range of mutual interest. Playboy, of course, has its name on a club at the Palms. And, Playboy also owns Club Jenna, the home of adult film legend Jenna Jameson also cut the ribbon to open AVN Wednesday morning. Jameson also sponsors a Silicone Sunday event at 40 Deuce at Mandalay Bay every week. And, she will be joined this week by adult stars and companies like Hustler and Penthouse throwing parties in clubs all over the Strip.

Last year one of the biggest adult companies, Evil Angel, had its party at the nightclub at Wynn. The owner of Evil Angel is John Stagliano. Stagliano’s name is familiar to Buffet readers because of his show Fashionistas at Krave at the Aladdin. Though the show isn’t even topless, Fashionistas is regarded by myself and other local critics as among the best erotic shows in Vegas history. Part of the reason may be the imagery and plot for Fashionistas show came from a hardcore porn film of the same name. The movie, “The Fashionistas” won 11 AVN Awards, and this year its sequel, Fashionistas Safado, is up for 14 AVN awards. That would be a record.

Last week I was able to watch Stagliano rehearse his aerialists from the Vegas show for a 5 minute live performance he is hoping to stage at the awards show. It will be interesting to see the Vegas show kids and adult stars meet. If I am able to do so I am going to try to get the lead in the show (Marceea Moreno) and the star in the movie version (Belladonna ) together to compare notes for the Buffet.

Among the other things happening for the awards show that I have heard about so far: Gene Simmons and Dave Navarro are presenting awards as well as Luxor headliner Carrot Top and Buck Cherry will be the not so surprise closing performance with “Crazy Bitch.”