Madonna presented the Vito Russo Award to advocate, award-winning journalist, author and talk show host Anderson Cooper tonight at the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York, presented nationally by Ketel One Vodka and Wells Fargo and presented locally by Delta Air Lines. The Vito Russo Award is presented to an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equality.
Photos and video will be posted to glaad.org/mediaawards in coming days.
Hip hop mogul Russell Simmons presented the Ally Award to Hollywood director Brett Ratner. Ratner and GLAAD, in partnership with Comcast, launched the "Coming Out for Equality" PSA campaign at the show and attendees were treated to special screenings of the videos produced and directed by Ratner. The GLAAD "Coming Out for Equality" PSA Series features a diverse group of straight celebrities and athletes "coming out of the closet" as supporters of equality and calling for other Americans to speak out.
Following is a complete list of GLAAD Media Award recipients announced Saturday in New York.
- Vito Russo Award: Anderson Cooper
- Ally Award: Brett Ratner
- Outstanding Drama Series: Smash (NBC)
- Outstanding Documentary: How to Survive a Plague (Sundance Selects)
- Outstanding Reality Program: The Amazing Race (CBS)
- Outstanding Newspaper Article: "Game Changer" by Andy Mannix (City Pages [Minneapolis, Minn.])
- Outstanding Newspaper Columnist: Frank Bruni (The New York Times)
- Outstanding Newspaper Overall Coverage: The Boston Globe
- Outstanding Magazine Article: "School of Hate" by Sabrina Rubin Erdely (Rolling Stone)
- Outstanding Magazine Overall Coverage: The Advocate/Out
- Outstanding New York Theatre: Broadway & Off Broadway: The Whale by Samuel D. Hunter
- Outstanding New York Theatre: Off-Off Broadway: From White Plains written by Michael Perlman in collaboration with Fault Line Theatre
Spanish-Language Nominees
- Outstanding Talk Show Interview: "Entrevista con Orlando Cruz" Titulares Telemundo (Telemundo)
- Outstanding Magazine Article: "Amor genuino" by Cristina Saralegui (People en Español)
- Outstanding Digital Journalism Article: "Operación tolerancia: la lucha contra la homofobia en los medios hispanos" by Lilia Luciano (voces.huffingtonpost.com)
- Outstanding Digital Journalism - Multimedia: "2013: Año clave para la comunidad gay" by Ramón Frisneda (ElDiarioNY.com)
Good Morning America anchors Lara Spencer, Josh Elliott and Sam Champion hosted the event. Special guests included Madonna; Anderson Cooper; Sarah Arison, NFL players Brendon Ayanbadejo (Baltimore Ravens) and Chris Kluwe (Minnesota Vikings); Bernadette Peters, Christian Borle, Andy Mientus, Krysta Rodriguez, Wesley Taylor (Smash); Augusten Burroughs (author of Running with Scissors); model Lauren Foster; Melissa Harris-Perry (MSNBC); Milla Jovovich (Resident Evil); John Leguizamo (Ice Age, Moulin Rouge); director Brett Ratner (Rush Hour); Thomas Roberts (MSNBC); Jake Shears (Scissor Sisters); Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey); blogger Andrew Sullivan; Nigel Barker (The Face, America's Next Top Model); author Helen Boyd; Professor Jennifer Finney Boylan; Annie Clark, Cristine Prosperi (Degrassi); Laverne Cox (Musical Chairs); GLAAD National Spokesperson Wilson Cruz; Jenni "JWOWW" Farley, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi (The Jersey Shore, Snooki & JWoww); Straight But Not Narrow founder Avan Jogia; trans youth Jazz and Coy Mathis; Andrew Solomon; ousted Boy Scout mom Jennifer Tyrell; Mel Wymore; producing team Neil Meron and Craig Zadan and more.
Photos and video of the event will be posted soon at glaad.org/mediaawards.
Additional award recipients will be announced in Los Angeles on April 20 at the JW Marriott, and in San Francisco on May 11 at the Hilton San Francisco - Union Square. For a complete list of nominees and ticket information, click here.
The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives. GLAAD Media Award nominees were published, released or broadcast between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012.
To receive the latest updates on the GLAAD Media Awards, follow @glaad on Twitter and use the hashtag #glaadawards.