We are so excited to have Dr. Jo and Kristie Bish (and Lionel) hosting our first ever live in-person Bazowie Awards ceremony in Las Vegas. This Sunday, at Oddfellows at 150 Las Vegas Blvd N, Las Vegas, NV 89101 in Downtown Las Vegas, they will be announcing which of the Bazowie Awards nominees are the winners of the 2026 Bazowie Awards presented by Zinetastic. You can use code lionel50 at ticketing to come meet everyone at BazowieCon with free General Admission or a discount on VIP tickets which include the Bazowie Awards red carpet, open bar, and all of the antics of Lionel, Kristie Bish, and Dr. Jo.
Dr. Jo, a.k.a. Jim Phoenix, a.k.a. Jo Szewczyk, PhD, has spent nearly three decades doing the same thing in different rooms: telling stories, performing, and bringing audiences along for an exciting ride. We’re thrilled to have him behind the mic as this year’s Master of Ceremonies.
It started in late-1990s Las Vegas, where Dr. Jo was among the first wave of cam performers, figuring out digital entertainment in real time while the rest of the world was still arguing about dial-up. His journey has a throughline of storytelling and the intersection of performance and digital innovation.
In 2014, Dr. Jo brought that energy to SexyFandom.com, the pioneering nerd-culture-for-grownups site founded by yours truly, where he spent a decade-plus writing hundreds of articles on genre media ranging from cosplaying cam girls to the funniest Game of Thrones recaps you ever read, and all the gloriously weird corners of fandom.
That same storytelling impulse led him to found Czykmate Productions and HauntedMTL LLC, a grassroots horror publishing and media platform that champions emerging voices and supports LGBTQ advocacy through The Trevor Project, organizing charity drives for food banks, and fundraising for retired veterans. He co-hosts the horror podcast Streamin’ Demons with Amelie Delfly, hosts the interview series What’s Kraken and Empty Hell, and has curated anthologies including the charity collection 101 Proof Horror and the dark fiction anthology Dancer.
He’s also the author of the memoir Surviving Gen X, a raw, occasionally banned-by-his-own-mother chronicle of growing up in Las Vegas, and the punk anthology Music’s Over. Next up: Scarlet Mysteries, a contemporary mystery series with sharp wit and found-family energy.
Grab Surviving Gen X and get the ebook free: https://czykmate.com/discount/Bazowie (add the paperback + SGX ebook to your cart and the discount applies automatically)
Kristie Bish, a.k.a. Kristie B!, has spent her career doing exactly what she does best: lighting up rooms, defying expectations, and constantly asking the question, “What other kind of mischief can we get into?” We’re thrilled to have her bringing that vibrant energy to the stage as she and her long-time partner, Lionel, join Dr. Jo to co-host this year’s Bazowie Awards.
Kristie’s journey in digital entertainment is defined by a throughline of fearless creativity and deep audience connection. Her broadcasts are incredibly unique, breaking the mold of standard online performance to create a deeply interactive, fiercely original variety show experience. While the rest of the internet is busy following trends, Kristie has always been busy inventing her own.
That genuine originality has made her an absolute staple of SexyFandom.com. Over the site’s history, Kristie is easily one of the MyFreeCams streamers we have written up the most and quite possibly the very most. Her bold presence and undeniable star power not only landed her an iconic spot as a CamStar covergirl, but they have also earned her a massive, literal wall of trophies, all proudly standing as a testament to her passionate and dedicated fans.
Of course, that collaborative, storytelling impulse means Kristie rarely takes the stage entirely alone. She regularly shares the spotlight with her steadfast crew, her Lions, and most notably, Lionel, who has been by her side for years. As a regular co-host and partner in crime, Lionel brings his own sharp wit and commanding presence to their broadcasts, keeping audiences thoroughly entertained. Together, they are an unstoppable force of personality, and we couldn’t ask for a better duo to share the hosting duties this year.
Visit Kristie Bish and Dr. Jo‘s online hubs for more. Can’t wait to see you all at the Bazowie Awards and BazowieCon in the days before it this weekend.
