When ZZ Met Hollywood: Brazzers’ 20th Anniversary Gala Brings Out The Stars in Full Force

LOS ANGELES — On Saturday, Brazzers marked its 20th anniversary with a swanky gala in the very heart of old Tinseltown, at the historic Hollywood Athletic Club on Sunset Boulevard, where the top performers and influential figures in the industry gathered for an exclusive dinner and celebration of the iconic brand’s talent, crew and execs.

The evening was an unabashed celebration of all things Brazzers, with a red carpet and open cocktail party — featuring drinks provided by trendy Toast Distillers — followed by a black-tie dinner and an afterparty, all in the palatial common rooms of Roarin’ Twenties architectural landmark the Hollywood Athletic Club, currently celebrating its 100th anniversary.

The dinner featured the evening’s centerpiece, a full awards-style stage show celebrating Brazzers and hosted by megapopular brand mainstay Abella Danger.

“There are 300 people sitting together in this iconic landmark, where the first-ever Emmys took place in 1949,” Danger marveled. “When the Hollywood Athletic Club was originally founded in the 1920s, it served as a health club for silver screen stars such as Walt Disney, Humphrey Bogart, Charlie Chaplin and Joan Crawford.”

One hundred years later, she announced gleefully, the venue was now hosting industry and Brazzers veterans Scott Nails, Madison Ivy and Johnny Sins.

Danger reached the stage after a short film — humorously featuring beloved Brazzers crew members and BTS personalities in zany acting roles, plus a Tom Cruise impersonator — which culminated in her emergence from a gigantic washing machine onstage, a reference to the brand’s memetastic reputation for dubiously trapping MILFs in those appliances.

“Look at all these people here tonight — I’m starstruck!” Danger told the attendees, marveling at the “people who have traveled far and wide in only to attend this gala,” including talent and staff from Spain, the U.K., Montreal, Las Vegas and Miami, her beloved hometown.

“Tonight, let’s celebrate the incredible fact that we all sit together, hundreds of Brazzers’ best in one room for what it’s to be a monumental 20 years of the gold standard,” Danger concluded.

Although Danger’s monologue had indicated that iconic brand mascot Jordi El Niño Polla had not been able to make it, that turned out to be a fakeout, as a Jazz Age homage to the venue with tuxedoed tap dancers ended by revealing Jordi himself hoofing it up like Fred Astaire on the same stage that the real Fred Astaire may have frequented. Massive cheers ensued, unsurprisingly so given that everyone knows that everybody loves the Notorious ENP.

Different segments throughout the evening honored the 2024 inductees to the Brazzers Hall of Fame — which included brand stalwarts Xander Corvus, Monique Alexander, Misty Stone, Danny D, Alexis Fawx, Manuel Ferrara, Cherie DeVille, Toni Ribas and Kissa Sins — contract stars and performers, male talent, those who have passed over the years in an in memoriam tribute, the crew, and even those hard-working extras tasked with reacting to the brand’s famously outlandish comedy scenarios.

Brazzers’ MILF extraordinaire Cherie DeVille, in tantalizing leopard and with an enormous red flower decorating her hair, shared her feelings with XBIZ. 

“I am beyond honored to have been inducted into the Brazzers Hall of Fame at their 20th anniversary gala,” she offered. “Brazzers has been such an iconic platform in the industry, and to be recognized for my contributions alongside so many incredible performers is truly humbling. I’m grateful to everyone at Brazzers and my fans who have supported me throughout my career. This is a moment I’ll cherish forever.”

The brand took advantage of its in-house star power, drafting heavy hitters Mick Blue, Kira Noir, Alex Jones, director/producer Lea Lexis, Luna Star, Lily Lou, Abigaiil Morris, Ryan Reid, director/producer Mello Jackson, Ricky Johnson, and Keiran Lee as presenters.

The first formal speech of the evening set the tone, with brand director Ryan Hogan heralding the work of the entire team that makes Brazzers’ success possible.

After the event, Hogan told XBIZ that it was very satisfying to see the Brazzers Gala come together in real time.

“We were a bit nervous, not being experts when it comes to stage production — but when you have a crowd as electric as it was, with all the right beats, none of that seemed to matter,” he enthused. “The show was written, produced and performed by Brazzers, knowing that the audience would be comprised of our closest people. We are proud of all the performers and crew who took this and made it their own.

Hogan gave special credit and gratitude to Danger, concluding toastmaster Lee, and, of course Jordi, who went above and beyond with his tap dancing.

“Expect Brazzers on Broadway by 2026!” Hogan (perhaps not) joked.

Fellow Brazzers exec Frank Petosa told XBIZ  that the gala was always conceived as a way “to honor the amazing talent and our hardworking crews that helped build Brazzers into the brand that it is today.

Los Angeles-based Brazzers’ producer Lea Lexis gave the most moving speech of the evening, pointing out the evolution of the profession since she started as a performer in the 2000s and noting that Brazzers commitment to testing requirements, introducing the role of the Talent Assistant and other innovations add up to “a meaningful shift in the culture of our industry.”

Celebrating being able to be “part of the number one adult company in the world,” Lexus continued, was special to her because “that has nothing to do with follower count or awards — that has to do with hard work, dedication and empathy.”

Brazzers, she concluded “has been at the forefront of changing the adult industry. Together we are changing the way the world views and understands porn, that’s not a small thing and that’s not an easy thing.”

Throughout the event, the speakers called attention to the work of everyone behind the scenes that helps make porn magic.

“I wanna thank the very first people we interact on set: the makeup artists,” Danger said. “Over the course of many years they have made me feel and look beautiful every time I sat on their chairs,” before shouting out “the producers who every single day, day in and day out, work tirelessly to bring these amazing scripts to life,” and the international crews responsible for keeping the demanding Brazzers content pipeline flowing.

Pivoting to everyone in the invitation-only room, Danger added, “Millions of people watch the art that you help create every single day and I wish that every single one of them knew that you are the backbone of this industry and this iconic brand, so here’s to 20 more years!”

Keiran Lee delivered the final toast, retelling his storied journey from “a kid” from the U.K. 18 years ago who joined a strangely named website which promised “the future: full high-definition porn beamed directly to your household whenever you wanted” and saw them — to his admitted amazement — deliver on the promise, and then some.

Lee told XBIZ that “working for Brazzers for the last 18 years has always been a great experience. The 20th gala celebration was no different, thanks to a lot of hard work from the team in Montreal and L.A.  — Ryan, Frank, Rachel, Micheal, Lea and many more. We all made a truly memorable evening. Here’s to the next 20 years!”

After the dinner, the afterparty featured sought-after rapper Coi Leray DJing a full dance party in the historic setting, as everyone finished the evening stepping out in their gala best, before the Ubers — dodging the paparazzi who had gathered on Sunset Blvd. — arrived to take everyone home.