You don’t have to be a porn star to win the award for International Escort of the Year at the annual Hookies – but it doesn’t hurt. Just ask gay porn star Rafael Alencar, the 2011 title holder. Apparently you don’t have to follow any special escorting protocol, either. When we recently asked Rafael which personal escorting rules were most important to him, he answered, “None. I’ve broken all the rules. I kiss, I cum, and I feel love for my clients.” By bringing escorting out into the light of day, Rentboy.com dispelled a host of common myths about the industry – and now it seems that Renboy.com’s annual Hookie Awards are helping to shatter popular stereotypes about the escorts themselves, too.

Rentboy.com was founded in 1997, and after more than 15 years of increasing success it is now the go-to site for men from around the world who are in search of a safe, confidential, and reliable place to connect with the world’s best male escorts – and with no charge or subscription to buy. The site now has listings from more than 100,000 professional escorts located in over 160 different cities all over the world. Rentboy.com’s annual International Escort Awards (aka The Hookies) were founded as a way to recognize the hardest working and most talented men in the business, and today it is playfully referred to as “The Academy Awards of male escorting.” Each year the awards show hands out titles in 15 separate categories such as Best Newcomer, Best Daddy, and Mr. International Escort of the Year. Every year the show has grown in popularity and scope and it now integrates celebrity hosts, well known comedians, and musical performances. In 2011, the Hookies were hosted by Emmy Award Winning Actor Leslie Jordan, and the celebrity presenters included mainstream TV stars, well known gay porn directors and performers, comedians, and even Sarah Palin impersonator Dorothy Bishop. The Hookies have become an A-List event, but anyone can attend simply by purchasing a ticket before they sell out.

This year’s Hookies will happen on March 23rd, 2012 at the Roseland Ballroom in Times Square. The Hookies will also serve as the official opening event for the world’s naughtitest and longest running circuit party, The Black Party Expo (aka BPX). This year marks the Expo’s 33rd anniversary and it takes place from March 23-25, 2012 in NYC.

One of the best things about the Hookies is the fact that fans get to nominate their favorite escorts and then vote on the finalists. This year’s awards process began in December 2011, with nominations continuing online through February 15th, 2012. After nomination, voting on the finalists will happen from Feb. 15th to March 20th. To vote, you just need to create a free account at Rentboy.com, either as an escort or a potential client.

We asked last year’s top winner Rafael Alencar what kind of benefits came with his 2011 International Escort of the Year title, and he replied that, “It was the climax of my year, which led to a lot of money and the opportunity to travel around the world, which is one of my favorite things. In 2011 I was able to visit Iceland, Europe, Korea, Tokyo, and Africa.” For our final question, we asked Rafael his favorite thing about being International Escort of the Year. He said, “In one week, I get to fuck more men than my sister has in her whole life. And I enjoy her envy.” You can definitely say one thing about this sexy porn star escort – he’s a straight shooter!