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Ryan Pownall: Celebrating the AVN Awards Win (Exclusive Interview)

Pillow Talk at AVN Awards
Image: pillowtalkwithryan (Instagram)

Interviews

Ryan Pownall: Celebrating the AVN Awards Win (Exclusive Interview)

Pillow Talk wins Best Podcast honors at AVN awards. Its host shares his experience and vision for 2025 and beyond.

Pillow Talk at AVN Awards
Image: pillowtalkwithryan (Instagram)

The world’s trendiest adult stars, creators and companies united in Las Vegas this month for the AVN Awards (aka the Oscars of Porn) and, of course, drop some of the wildest parties ever.

Each year, AVN highlights the industry’s most notable moments and people in a glamour night that had nothing to envy of Hollywood’s mainstream celebrity ceremonies. 

On January 25th, the AVN Awards celebrated the best of 2024 in over 80 categories, including Best Adult Podcast. Pillow Talk, today’s most-viewed adult podcast sponsored by adult cam site Jerkmate, received top honors for its third participation. 

In this exclusive OnlyNews interview, Pillow Talk host Ryan Pownall reflects on his AVN experience, reveals why he thinks Pillow Talk won, and what’s to expect from the “most viral podcast in the world” as it enters a new and highly promising chapter.

Adriana Chechik at Pillow Talk with Ryan
Image: pillowtalkwithryan (Instagram)

How would you define your experience at AVN?

Ryan: I was nervous as hell about the Dirty Little Secret show we did on Wednesday’s first night. Violet Myers threw a house party competing against us. Many of the girls I booked said they were feeling sick or had makeup at 7 a.m., and they bailed. I was scared to death!

The now world-famous podcast host recalls that he didn’t know what to expect minutes before they opened the doors to Pillow Talk’s soon-to-be-legendary show.

Ryan: Doors would open at 9, and it was 8.30, and I was like, “Oh fuck is anyone going to come?” 

Ryan told OnlyNews that feeling the crowd and making people laugh fuels his pushback on boundaries. The adult podcast host usually invites 6 to 8 friends to watch the podcasts on set, helping him stay focused on keeping the content as entertaining as possible.

Ryan: I really think DLS was my best live performance ever. I wrote so many jokes down for a month–I didn’t tell one of them. I just made it all up on the fly as soon as I got up there.

Hyped by his show’s success, Ryan spent the next two days walking around, connecting and interviewing A-list adult celebrities, slowly realizing what he and his team had achieved.

Then came Saturday’s awards night. Ryan recalls the exact moment when they announced “Pillow Talk with Ryan, Best Podcast.”

Ryan: I don’t know how many people were there, but it felt like the whole theater just screamed. I thought they were nominating us, so I was like, “Okay, here we go.” And people were hugging me and tapping me. I was like, “Guys, wait. I want to hear who wins!” 

But they were already announcing the next award. 

Why do you think Pillow Talk won the award?

Ryan: I was actually kind of sad that we lost Year 1 and Year 2 because this year was our third AVN. We lost to Plug Talk, and I love Adam and Lena. I love what they’re doing. But you know, last year, we did a lot of cool crazy shit! We did the cancer episode, and we brought on a bunch of A-list celebrities. We started hitting millions of views every month. And then we lost, and actually, it kind of hurt me. And I don’t want to sound like of one those narcissistic pieces of shit. But I really thought, “Hey, we’re crushing everyone in views. We’re crushing everyone in guests that we’re booking.”

And here they are, still on the effervescent cloud of the event and their voices dulled by the celebrations that followed victory. On the awards night, one of the AVN executives reportedly approached Ryan and told him, “You know, Ryan, you’re the first rock star podcaster.”

Ryan: I think the parties really changed everything. We did the first one when we hit a million followers, and although it was kind of a low budget, everyone told me it was the best party they’ve experienced in a while. So for my birthday party, I said, “Guys, let’s pull the budget and throw the best fucking party Hollywood has ever seen.” And it was.

Pillow Talk halloween party
Image: pillowtalkwithryan (Instagram)

The Pillow Talk host reminds OnlyNews readers that, even though the world’s biggest mainstream podcasts are raking in more views and Pillow Talk is “a bit more niche,” the latter certainly ranks among the top 3 podcasts in the world in terms of social media clip views.

Besides the parties and the ever-increasing efforts to make the podcast viral, the Dirty Little Secret live shows have been a way of separating Pillow Talk from everyone else. 

Ryan: We did it 3 times in LA and then, of course, in Vegas at AVN. And I think it’s a flex to sell out each time. Tons of celebrities are coming, red carpets, photographers, etc. It became cool. And I think that’s what made our brand cool. It was like, “Wow, these guys aren’t just little kids on the Internet getting a couple of clicks–they’re drawing crowds.”

Every month, Ryan and his team did something beyond what the competition does, focusing on delivering outrageously original content. Pillow Talk counted as many new followers in 2024 as they did in the previous 3 years. 

Soon enough, it became the digital hangout for the adult world, where fans felt like they were friends. 

Ryan: Pillow talk is positivity! And that’s what separates us, too. So many adult shows or interviews are just negative. We love it, and we don’t give a fuck what people think. Let’s all have a good time supporting each other. So that’s why the girls and the fans love it. 

What can we expect from Pillow Talk in 2025?

Ryan: The whole car ride home from Vegas after a two-day bender celebrating the award, I was already writing down the roadmap. One big thing that we did in the last couple of weeks is we hired four new people. I have a great team: Trevor, Terry, and Liam. They do a lot, but I’ve been wearing eight different hats. 

Doing so has enabled Ryan to free up more time to work on the creative side, think of new ideas, and plan for new shows that promise to flood the feeds. The Pillow Talk team also plans on doing a ten-city Dirty Little Secret tour in college towns, which should contribute to the brand’s already fast-paced growth.

Ryan: I think our parties last year are what blew our name up, especially in LA. But you know, going viral for the stunts we did at the parties, we’re going to take that to a whole fucking other level this year. We’re going to invest more in the parties. 

Following a network approach similar to Barstool Sports, the team will start different shows under Pillow Talk. Ryan confided he’s already talking to really great talent and big industry names that are yet to be revealed.

Ryan: We’ve found more producers and a new studio. We will get Pillow Talk studios, a really nice office for the whole team and a streaming spot. 

Pillow Talk wins AVN Awards Best Podcast
Image: itsryanpownall (Instagram)

You can find all Pillow Talk links here.

Francis has always had a passion for writing and information. His eclectic career has led him to cover many social movements and cultural events. With a keen eye for trends and a passion for digital platforms, he provides insightful coverage that keeps audiences informed about the ever-evolving landscape of content creation and subscription-based services.

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