Forget Hollywood, The Hookies – aka the ‘Oscars of Escorting’ – is staging its UK heat this Friday at Manbar Soho, with the winner invited to compete in the 8th annual international competition in New York City next month. Sean Van Sant, Director at Rentboy.com, breaks it down…
How did the Hookies start?
The Hookies Awards were given the first time in New York City in 2006. When I began directing Rentboy.com back in 2007, we realized there was a big demand for the Escort Awards to return. In fact, everyone loves The Hookies—fans, escorts and pornstars, because it’s a fun, sexy show that celebrates and elevates sex workers and pornstars, recognizing the effort they put into their profession. At the same time, the Hookies Awards is a send-up of the Hollywood awards show season, a cheeky way of poking fun at the self-seriousness of people in the industry who are afraid to be caught with their pants down.
It’s quite a big event then?
They began helping to kick-off the giant Black Party circuit weekend when 5,000 horny men descend on Manhattan. The Hookies are a genuine attempt to raise the profile and acceptability of sex workers by showcasing the best men in the industry and showing off the amazing personalities behind the stereotypes so often portrayed in the press. These skilled men provide an invaluable service, helping clients make meaningful physical contact, explore their fantasies, emotional needs, and desire for companionship.
What makes a good male escort?
Good male escorts comes in all shape, sizes, and ages, but I would say the best escorts are almost like therapists or psychologists because of their ability to help clients relax and have a genuine moment of intimacy. It’s brutal out there for men who are new to the gay scene, straight marrieds looking to experiment, shy ones, or gay men with imperfect bodies who feel unmarketable on hook-up sites. A good escort helps men in need find affection, acceptance, and a couple of hours or more of release and entertainment. The best escorts often form lasting relationships with their clients.
What do you say to people that think selling sex is wrong? 
It’s the world’s oldest profession, and thousands of men do this every day for work. They deserve basic worker protections, safety, and legal rights. Everyone has a skill that is marketable, whether you’re an artist, a dentist, a hamburger flipper, or an escort – there is no shame in doing what you do well as long as it’s consensual. Some jobs are a better alternative than others, but we don’t need to shame people whose skills happen to be in the erotic arts -the Hookies Awards says we should applaud them.
The next event is at Manbar. What porn studs will be there?
Marco Sessions is coming to help judge the finalists with host Chrissy Darling. Tyson Tyler, the gorgeous star of Cazzo, UKHotJocks, and Lucas Entertainment is a finalist, as well as porn stars Adam Dacre, Justin King, Matteo Valentine, Gabriel Cross. But not all the best escorts are porn stars and you will also meet some of the hottest UK gigolos with one name only, like “Bernardo”. The final contestants onstage can change up to the day of the event based on online nominations from any rentboy.com profile and voting.
• The Hookies are at Manbar (79 Charing Cross Rd, Soho, WC2H 0NE) on Friday 21st February, from 10pm.
• The winner will receive a trip to New York City (including flight and hotel) for Black Party Weekend to compete in the International Escort Awards on 21st March.
• Get voting at www.thehookies.com/vote
