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Gay Video Dad  Presents... This Week in "Behind Closed Doors"  Issue #23 - June 7, 2001

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Mickey Skee's Hollywood Hardcore Tidbits: Column #31. Mickey Skee recounts his weekend in Chicago for the Grabby Award Show over the Memorial Day Weekend.

Harry Bayer Reports on The Grabby 2001 Award Show & Weekend Events

	Before signing the Grabby Wall of Fame, ledgendary super star Jeff Stryker strutted his stuff for his fans and met with an approving smile from cohostess Honey West.

The Grabby Show 2000 Award Winners

	I have never had too much of a problem finding things to do when I get to Chicago, but this year, my second as a writer and judge for the "Behind Closed" Grabby Awards, it seemed that the logistics of getting to everything were going to be daunting. It started with an online chat on Tuesday with fellow writer Burny Edmonds. He told me that while Big Daddy Ferguson was out at the Jeff Stryker play, an electrical fire had burned the contents of his condo. Big Daddy was okay, but some of the videos and show prep for the upcoming awards program on Saturday were destroyed. As Burny and I debated our accommodation options (we had planned to be guests at the condo, along with fellow writer and AVN Gay/Bi Editor Jeremy Spencer), it turns out that Big Daddy was one step ahead of us. Even while he was homeless himself, Big Daddy wanted to make sure his out-of-town guests were had a place to stay. A big thanks to Dave Edwards from Gentry for offering his downtown apartment to Big Daddy and his guests. After the drive from Grand Rapids, Michigan on Friday, I dropped my traveling companions at the Hyatt near McCormick Place for Bear Pride festivities. I parked my car for the weekend and hooked up with Burny at our swanky digs on State Street to change for our first event of the weekend, a cocktail party at Sidetrack with some of Falcon's stars and fans.

	Falcon promotion director Will McCoy, Falcon exclusive Addison Scott and Enrico Vega at the Sidetrack Friday cocktail party.
	When we arrived, Falcon PR God Will McCoy was handing out temporary tattoos with the Falcon logo. Daniel Reed asked my assistance in putting a tattoo on his butt, but I regret that after almost 20 minutes of holding it there trying to make it stick (oh, the torture!), we found that we had been doing it wrong! Gay Chicago Magazine's (and Grabby producer) Stacy Bridges read the directions and finally branded Reed. There was a good crowd at Sidetrack, and one day I may finally get the hang of this porn star thing and actually remember the "faces" and names! I do remember Michael Brandon (but not because of his face!!). I did chat with Addison Scott and Corey Summers and many others, but those slushy Sidetrack drinks and lack of nutritional substances make the afternoon a little fuzzy. Later, as Big Daddy treated the Grabby entourage to dinner at The Bangkok, I got to hear all about the bare chest calendar contest at Gentry on Thursday night. Grabby cohost Zak Spears was there sporting a goatee (yum), along with Tony Donovan and others from the Men of Odyssey stable and from what I hear it was a happening time. In pictures, the winner Michael seemed visibly "excited" at accepting the prize from Zak. When some of the party moved on to Hunter's via limo, I'm told that Chi Chi LaRue proved that the "casting couch" may be a thing of the past and might soon give way to the "casting limo," as an eager young pup offered up his talents to the directrix and others.

	Chi Chi LaRue and Honey West at Porno-Palooza.

After dinner, Big Daddy wanted to make an appearance at Porno-Palooza. While not connected in any way to the Grabby's, Porno-Palooza at Circuit on Friday night did feature porn stars and a VIP room hosted by Chi Chi LaRue. Since it was the place to be, our group managed to hide under Big Daddy's coat and slip under the velvet ropes for a few shots and porn star crotch rubbing before Burny and I caught the Red line back to State street. On Saturday morning, I took the train to Boystown to meet up with my Michigan entourage as they did the Bear Pride Bar Crawl. It was good to catch up with their antics, and I figured I had some time to hear their exploits. At 2p.m., I was told that I was due at the Gay Chicago offices to help prep for the Grabby's. (Thank goodness for wireless phones.) Apparently my copy of the itinerary burned in the fire, because I seemed to always be one train behind the crowd and never did catch up. As I was leaving, the rain began, and by the time I got from Charlie's to the GCM offices south on Broadway, I was soaked. Sleeveless, cold and wet, I had to forego my glamorous "Grabby bag stuffing" duties for a train ride back to State Street, dry clothes, a train ride back to Belmont, a four dollar umbrella and a walk to back Circuit. Finally, Grabby Night is here! Oh, the glamour, as Jeremy Spencer and I get to take tickets and put wristbands on the guests with VIP tickets or performers or guests of performers, etc. using a very complex system of color coded hospital-type ID bracelets. Like a Chi Chi LaRue orgy, everyone seemed to be coming at once, so I had a good look at a lot of porn star wrists.

Cohostess Chi Chi LaRue (seen here entering for the show opening), as always, kept the Grabby show rolling with her unique brand of wit and humor.

Even with the nudity limitations, Circuit was a great place for a show. There was plenty of room for the hosts and performers when they weren't on stage. Luckily for me, there were lots of video screens around the bar, as the "writer's table" was tucked off to the side of the action, and really tall people with cute butts stood in front of us all night. (Note to self: next year buy a ticket to get a better view of the show.) I was in good company, though as Hank Ferguson, Burny Edmonds and even Mickey Skee saw the show from the same vantage point as me. The show started with a video of Chi Chi LaRue and Honey West in a sitcom parody called Lesbian Trannyies complete with catchy theme song. "Tran-ies, they're lesbian Tran-ies," well, you get the picture.

	I later found out the entire bit was a Honey West creation. Chi Chi joked during the show about getting Honey work in a porn, but West said her favorite title, How the West Was Hung was already used. In addition to West and LaRue, Addison Scott and Zak Spears added a testosterone jolt to the hosting duties. Unlike the blonde Ms. Spears, Mr. Spears kept his clothes on. Addison looked yummy in his - whatever - he looked yummy, period. There was a definite absence of sleeves for the presenters and the award winners. Most of the trendy stores on Halstead street had been raided by porn pups, and even LaRue got a new hat from Beatnix, because it "fit my big head."
	Falcon exclusive Addison Scott joined Honey West as one of the four cohosts of the show.
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