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The Oscars of porn and the industry’s largest trade show will begin in one week, on January 22 at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas. Inside, adult performers, producers, directors and crew will find out whether they’ve won the prestigious AVN Award in categories including “Best All-Girl Group Sex Scene” and “Best Big Butt Movie or Collected Release,” but outside, hospitality workers are picketing for a better union contract. It’s a massive week for the adult industry, but porn workers are conflicted about crossing the picket line, with many choosing to sit this one out entirely.
The Adult Entertainment Expo (AEE) and the Adult Video Network Awards, collectively often referred to as AVN, is expected to bring more than 45,000 attendees to Vegas for three days of signings and meet-and-greets for fans, panels and programming about the adult industry, and booths for hundreds of brands, studios, and sex toys. It’s also the biggest event of the year for the industry’s indie performers, who come out to shoot content and network, spending weeks and months planning agendas and setting up unofficial parties and meetups. The show has been going for decades—since 1998 when it shared space and dates with the Consumer Electronic Show, and later at the Hard Rock Hotel when vendors and performers were forced out of CES and started their own event a few weeks and a couple blocks away.
Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165, Nevada affiliates of UNITE HERE, represent 60,000 workers in Las Vegas and Reno according to their website. They’ve been on open-ended strike since November, and are fighting for a new five-year contract for 700 workers. Union representatives said last month that the latest offer from Virgin Hotels Las Vegas was a 30-cent-a-year wage increase, which they rejected.
Virgin Hotels, formerly the Hard Rock before renovations and a rebrand in 2020, was AVN’s first home when it split from CES’ dates and venue in 2011 (AVN became its own event in 1998 but shared space and time with the mainstream electronics show, where attendees would drift from one to the other). Today, AVN is actually multiple events, including the AEE and the awards but also the Adult Novelty Expo (ANE), interNEXT Expo, GayVN Awards Show, and the “O” Awards. In 2020, when the hotel reopened, Virgin Hotels Las Vegas CEO Richard Bosworth called AVN and other conferences “very cherished clients.”
🪧 @VirginHotelsLV ON STRIKE! Hospitality workers are pushing to win a union contract. Virgin Las Vegas workers are strong and they will stay out on strike until they win a contract. ATTN: Customers: Support workers & DON'T cross picket line.
Performer Electra Rayne told me on Monday she’s still planning to boycott the event as long as the strike is ongoing. She corresponded with the Culinary Union, and confirmed with them in an email she posted to X that striking workers are asking people to refrain from patronizing the venue in solidarity, which the union has since said publicly in statements.
“Thankfully I'm local so it's not like I spent a ton of money on travel or anything, and I'm supposed to go sign at the booth for my agent who has been super understanding about me needing to cancel should the strike be ongoing (which it seems it will be),” Rayne said. “I'm bummed to not see my fans, but the really sad part is that I was in a feature that's up for multiple awards this year, and I won't be able to celebrate that at the awards with the cast. We worked so hard on that movie and I'm so proud to have been a part of it, it's a really bummer to not get to participate in that moment.”
Other people in the industry are planning to attend despite the strike, but still find the decision difficult. “It saddens me to hear that Virgin is not paying their workers a fair wage, as that is something everyone deserves. With that said, I will still be attending AVN as it is the biggest convention of the year for my industry and I do have agreements and obligations that were arranged far ahead of these strikes,” performer Leya Falcon told me. “I do find it quite disturbing to hear that some of those on strike are ‘allegedly’ harassing and sometimes even following in an intimidating manner those that decide to enter the property as we have nothing to do with their employment situation, we are simply doing our job, which to be fair, does not always pay fairly either. [The Culinary Union did not respond to a request for comment on this alleged harassment, but we will update if we hear back.] Just as they are working to care for their families, we are doing the same and we should not be bullied for it, especially in this economy. I do hope that they can see the other side of the coin here, much as we do see theirs, and understand that none of us are against them receiving fair pay, we are simply doing what we need to do to provide for our families as not all of us have the luxury to just decide to sit this one out.”
Performer London River wrote on X that she would also still attend. “I likely can’t pull out of my commitments to AVN without experiencing losses. Considering that, I will be donating a percentage of my profits from the event to the strike fund,” she wrote, linking to a donation page for their fund. Striking workers are paid $500 a week out of this fund, a representative for Local 226 told me.
“Performers should not cross picket lines!”
There is a lot to unpack here. Many performers and independent production companies have invested a significant amount of money into attending the AVN expo. And most of that money cannot be refunded which means that we stand to suffer…
AVN declined to comment, but last week, it launched a FAQ page for attendees of the event. “The hotel has assured us that the strike will not impact the AVN Expo and Awards. Contingency measures are in place to maintain a memorable guest experience and exceptional service during the event,” the page says.
On January 9, the Adult Performance Artists Guild (APAG) issued a statement about the strike: “As the union for performers in the adult industry, care for the safety and well-being of our workers is paramount to our mission,” they wrote. “We feel this for not only our members and other workers in the adult industry but for all workers, regardless of their jobs. As union representatives, we support the sacrifices made by workers on strike, fighting for better working conditions. The officers of APAG voted unanimously to support our fellow union workers in Culinary Workers Local 226, and we will not cross their picket line in a show of solidarity.”
APAG said it “strongly encourages” members to avoid crossing the picket line, as well as cancelling reservations at the hotel and contacting AVN, Virgin Hotels, and companies they were set to sign with at the event to express their concerns.
And on Saturday, marking day 58 of the strike, APAG members joined Local 226 workers and their families for a march from the Las Vegas Strip to Virgin Hotels, blaring vuvuzelas and holding signs referencing Virgin Las Vegas’ contract negotiation offer of an estimated 30 cents an hour in wage increases.
“The Adult Performance Artists Guild (APAG)’s decision to stand with Culinary Union strikers and honor the picket line at Virgin Las Vegas demonstrates unity, and the Culinary Union applauds the unwavering solidarity shown by the APAG and their members,” Ted Pappageorge, Secretary-Treasurer for the Culinary Union, said in a statement. “Workers across industries share the same fight for dignity, fair pay, respect, and protections on-the-job, and Culinary Union is proud to stand with APAG in solidarity as strikers continue to take on a billionaire-owned company that refuses to treat workers fairly. APAG’s support sends a powerful message: When workers stand together, we are unstoppable. To APAG members and all customers choosing not to cross the picket line – thank you for standing with workers on strike, with your continued support we will win.”
Last week, Pornhub announced that its team is canceling its upcoming trips to AVN and adult industry event XBIZ LA due to the strike in Vegas, and in Los Angeles, the wildfire crisis that’s required many LA residents to evacuate to hotels. “Unfortunately, this means our scheduled in-person events and workshops are no longer going on as planned. We are working closely with XBIZ to host our scheduled workshop virtually,” they wrote in a post on X. “We're so disappointed we won't be able to get face time with those of you who were planning to attend, and looking forward to seeing you all again soon.”
If workers don’t receive a fair contract soon, AVN won’t be the only event where attendees will have to choose between staying home or crossing a picket line. There are 11 other trade shows and events set to take place at Virgin Hotels in the coming weeks, including the Fancy Food Show, World of Concrete Expo, Academic Surgical Congress, CHAMPS Trade Show, and Kitchen and Bath Industry Show.
Trader Joe's package came with almost twice the product for less than half the price.
They were so similar that I'd rather save money by getting the Trader Joe's balm.
Summer Fridays is perhaps best known for its viral lip butter balm. The non-sticky formula has been praised in beauty publications and on TikTok since 2020, and it's supposed to leave a glassy, glossy look.
Unfortunately, it costs $24 a tube, which is a little too much for me to regularly spend on lip balm.
Luckily, as a professional makeup artist, I have found plenty of so-called dupes on the market that use similar ingredients and formulas but cost less. One that recently caught my eye is Trader Joe's two-flavor pack of lip butter balm for $7.
To see how similar the products really are, I bought both and put them to the test.
Owning a balm from Summer Fridays made me feel fancy.
Summer Fridays lip butter balm has become a bit of a status symbol in the beauty world.
Meredith Schneider
To pick up my Summer Fridays balm, I headed to Sephora.
There's something luxurious about purchasing skincare and makeup products at high-end retailers, and I enjoyed perusing the varieties of balms on the shelf.
The brand's lip butter balm comes in eight shades/scents: vanilla, sweet mint, pink sugar, iced coffee, vanilla beige, brown sugar, cherry, and poppy.
I went with sweet mint, mostly because it sounded similar to a variety Trader Joe's offers. It also seemed to be the most neutral shade of the bunch, so I thought it would make for a good, fair comparison.
I paid $24 for a 0.5-ounce tube.
Trader Joe's, however, gave me a better deal right off the bat.
Trader Joe's lip set comes with two smaller tubes.
Meredith Schneider
As a grocery store, Trader Joe's was a less luxurious, more hectic environment.
However, these lip balms were super convenient to buy since I was already there buying groceries.
I paid $7 for 1.04 ounces of product in two varieties (each 0.5 ounces): vanilla mint and brown sugar.
Far and away, Trader Joe's has the better deal on balm. When broken down, Summer Friday's balm costs $48 an ounce, and Trader Joe's is about $6.73 an ounce.
The packaging looked similar.
I focused on comparing the sweet-mint and vanilla-mint tubes.
Meredith Schneider
Both balms came in matte, mint-green squeeze tubes, which I found aesthetically pleasing.
However, Summer Fridays' packaging is slightly thinner, creating a longer tube, and has a contrasting white cap.
Despite the subtle size difference, they both fit easily into small pockets, which is a high priority for me when it comes to lip balms.
They both smelled the same to me.
Although the scent names were different, they smelled the same.
Meredith Schneider
The minty balms from Trader Joe's and Summer Fridays smelled very similar to me. In fact, I couldn't tell them apart in a blind smell test.
For both products, I liked the added kick of sweetness to mellow out the tingly mint sensation.
Even the core ingredients are the same.
It was really hard to find major differences between the balms.
Meredith Schneider
When I glanced at the back of each box, I didn't notice much variance in the balms' formulas. This is especially true for the first-listed ingredients, which typically make up the largest part of a product's makeup.
When I asked dermatologist Toral Vaidya about the formulas, she said that some of the shared ingredients — shea butter, tocopherol (vitamin E), and sodium hyaluronate — make both products similarly effective for hydration.
"Shea butter is a moisturizing agent rich in fatty acids that helps nourish the lips, and vitamin E is an antioxidant that has skin-protecting qualities and also helps the skin retain moisture," she told BI. "Sodium hyaluronate is a humectant and skin-conditioning agent that helps hydrate the lips."
Both tubes had a smooth application.
I liked the slanted angle of the applicator.
Meredith Schneider
I was able to smoothly apply Summer Fridays and Trader Joe's balms on my bare lips and on top of other products for a glossy finish.
The applicators on both tubes had similar divots that seemed to form the shape of my lips as I used them, which I loved.
The only difference I noticed was that Summer Fridays' formula felt slightly thicker.
The products are both great, but I'd rather save my money and get the dupe.
Since the products are so similar, I'll likely only repurchase the cheaper Trader Joe's lip balm.
Meredith Schneider
I used each balm for a total of three days, leaving some time between for the fairest comparison.
My lips felt similarly hydrated the entire time, and both products showed noticeable improvement in healing my chapped lips.
I found myself applying the Summer Fridays formula less frequently than Trader Joe's balm, but that could've been due to the difference in my schedule those weeks. I was out and about in the cold more while testing the latter.
I completely understand why people rave about Summer Fridays' balm, especially if they've found a signature shade or scent they can't part with. However, when it comes to the basic clear formula, I really couldn't tell the difference between the products.
I'd rather save some money and repurchase the two-pack dupe from Trader Joe's.
Sens. Elizabeth Warren (left) and Chris Coons (right) sent the letter to two Trump nominees, including Scott Bessent (center).
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images; Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images; Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images
Some Republicans have urged Trump and his nominees to kill the IRS's free direct tax-filing tool.
Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Chris Coons are urging them to keep it.
They also argued that the program fits the bill of one of DOGE's reported goals.
As some Republicans urge President-Elect Donald Trump to kill the IRS's free direct tax-filing tool, Democrats are attempting to preserve it.
In a letter to Treasury Secretary nominee Scott Bessent and IRS Commissioner nominee Billy Long, Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Chris Coons of Delaware touted what they see as the benefits of the program.
"Direct File is making the process of interacting with the government more efficient, a goal we all can agree on," Warren and Coons wrote in a letter exclusively provided to Business Insider. Twenty-two other senators and 113 House members, all Democrats, also signed on.
The duo also made the case that the program "fits the bill" of a program that's reportedly being explored by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy's "Department of Government Efficiency:" a mobile app to allow Americans to file their taxes directly to the IRS for free.
"The Direct File pilot program has proved that it is efficient, cost effective, user friendly, and secure — a pilot program that already meets the DOGE leaders' goals," the senators wrote. "As Mr. Musk and Ms. Ramaswamy have said, Americans deserve a simple and free way to meet their tax obligations online."
The program, which was enabled by the 2022 passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, first launched in 12 states last year and is set to expand to 13 more states this year. More than 140,000 have filed their federal tax returns via the program, according to the IRS.
The direct-file tool is designed to make filing taxes easier and simpler. Historically, many Americans have had to spend significant amounts of time on tax preparation or pay money to private services like TurboTax.
"Most Americans have simple tax returns, yet filing is still arduous and frustrating," the senators wrote. "The complexity of the tax code makes it difficult for average Americans to ensure they get it right, while also protecting their sensitive financial and personal data."
In December, 29 House Republicans sent a letter to Trump urging him to kill the program via executive order as soon as Day One of his presidency. They cast the tool as an example of the "weaponization of government," arguing that it gave too much power to the IRS.
It's not clear how the incoming Trump administration will approach the program, and the Trump-Vance transition did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this story.
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CES 2025 was a whirlwind of a time. It is the only convention in the world where you can see the future of the toothbrush industry right next to a booth all about robot vacuums with robotic arms coming out of them. Everyone brand now has some sort of AI assistant or smartglasses or health wearable or 1000W GaN charger that can charge 18 different laptops at full speed (A bit of an exaggeration). However, through all that noise, a few products and brands stood out to me regarding Apple-related products and accessories. Here are 5 of the best products I saw at CES.
Celine Dion shared a rare photo with her three sons on the anniversary of their dad René Angélil’s death. The singer took to Instagram to dedicate a post to her late husband. Watch the full video to learn more about the touching tribute. Subscribe to our YouTube for the latest on all your favorite stars.
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