Highlights: Watch Britney Spears, Jim Parsons, Lena Waithe among Honorees at 29th Annual GLAAD Media Awards

Logo to exclusively air the world’s largest LGBTQ awards show on April 18 at 8pm ET/PT

‘This Is Us,’ ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine,’ ‘A Fantastic Women,’ and more receive awards

Los Angeles, CA – GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, honored Britney Spears, , Jim Parsons and outstanding LGBTQ images in film and television at the 29^th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of the LGBTQ community and the issues that affect their lives.

Logo will exclusively air the ceremony on April 18 at 8pm ET/PT.

Comedian Wanda Sykes hosted the event that included a smash performance by Superfruit. Halle Berry, Chloe Grace Moretz, Ryan Murphy, Adam Rippon, Gus Kenworthy, Rachel Bloom, Wilson Cruz, Trace Lysette, Anthony Rapp, Jazz Jennings, Tommy Dorfman, Zeke Smith, and Ben Feldman were among the special guests. The 29th Annual GLAAD Media Awards are presented by Delta Air Lines, Gilead, Ketel One Family-Made Vodka, and Wells Fargo. 

Photographs and video from the 28th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York are available upon request.

Video of Britney Spears’ acceptance speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCDQxXIvSXk&t=11s

At the ceremony, Britney Spears received GLAAD’s Vanguard Award by surprise presenter Ricky Martin.  The Vanguard Award is presented to media professionals who have made a significant difference in promoting equality and acceptance of LGBTQ people.

Spears sent a message of acceptance saying: “To be accepted unconditionally and to be able to express yourself as an individual through art is such a blessing. Events like this show the world that we are not alone. We can all join hands together and know that we are all beautiful.”

Also at the event, writer, producer, and director Ryan Murphy presented Jim Parsons with the Stephen F. Kolzak Award, which is presented to an LGBTQ media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting LGBTQ acceptance. Parsons was surprised onstage by his ‘Boys In The Band’ cast mates, Matt Bomer, Zachary Quinto, Andrew Rannells, Robin De Jesus, Brian Hutchinson, Charlie Carver, Michael Benjamin Washington, and Tuc Watkins.

In his acceptance speech, Parsons paid homage to Stephen F. Kolzak’s importance and impact.

“I, as an adolescent, was being shown an image of homosexuality on the TV that painted being gay as a death sentence. Stephen was hard at work trying to counter that image, and a large part of that protest was showing his face…claiming both his homosexuality and his HIV positive status.”

Halle Berry presented the award for Outstanding Individual Episode (in a series without and LGBTQ regular) for the “Thanksgiving” episode of Master of None. Lena Waithe accepted the award and in her acceptance speech talked about the particular importance of the LGBTQ community coming together as family to support each other in this moment, saying “The more visible we are, the less they can act like we’re invisible.”

Video of Lena Waithe’s acceptance speech here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow1mFWdZiKI

Olympian Adam Rippon took to the stage and introduced a surprise guest: his friend and fellow Olympian Gus Kenworthy.

Chloe Grace Moretz and Tom Payne presented the award for Outstanding Comedy Series to FOX’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Chelsea Peretti, Stephanie Beatriz, and Melissa Fumero accepted the award.

Rachel Bloom and Ben Feldman presented the award for Outstanding Drama Series to NBC’s This Is Us. Accepting the award was Denis O’hare.

Star Trek: Discovery’s Anthony Rapp and Wilson Cruz introduced two transgender service members, Laila Ireland and El Cook, and discussed their documentary, TransMilitary. Ireland and Cook shared their stories and highlighted the issues with a proposed ban on transgender troops in the military.

Keiynan Lonsdale and Alexandra Shipp of ‘Love, Simon’ presented the award for the inaugural Outstanding Kids & Family Programming to Disney Channel’s Andi Mack the day before the GLAAD Media Awards at GLAAD’s Rising Stars Luncheon. Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Joshua Rush, Lilan Bowden, Lauren Tom, Stoney Westmoreland accepted the award the previous day during the Rising Stars Luncheon at the 29^th Annual GLAAD Media Awards.

GLAAD previously announced a Special Recognition Award for Jay-Z’s song and music video “Smile” featuring his mother Gloria Carter who used the song to come out as a lesbian, and a Special Recognition Award to the animated short film In A Heartbeat.

Following is a complete list of the GLAAD Media Award recipients announced on Thursday in Los Angeles.

•           Vanguard Award: Britney Spears [presented by Ricky Martin]

•           Stephen F. Kolzak Award: Jim Parsons [presented by Ryan Murphy]

•           Outstanding Drama Series: This Is Us (NBC) [accepted by: Denis O’Hare; presented by Rachel Bloom and Ben Feldman]

•           Outstanding Individual Episode (in a series without a regular LGBTQ character): “Thanksgiving” Master of None (Netflix) [accepted by Lena Waithe; presented by Halle Berry]

•           Outstanding Kids & Family Programming winner: Andi Mack (Disney Channel)

•           Outstanding Comedy Series: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (FOX) [accepted by: Chelsea Peretti, Stephanie Beatriz, Melissa Fumero, and producer Dan Goor; presented by Chloe Grace Moretz and Tom Payne]

•           Outstanding Film – Limited Release: A Fantastic Woman (Sony Pictures Classics)

•           Outstanding TV Movie or Limited Series: When We Rise (ABC)

•           Outstanding Comic Book: Black Panther: World of Wakanda (Marvel Comics)

•           Outstanding Daily Drama: The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS)

•           Outstanding Digital Journalism Article: “Why Bisexual Men Are Still Fighting to Convince Us They Exist” by Samantha Allen (Splinter)

•           Outstanding Blog: TransGriot (transgriot.blogspot.com)

SPANISH-LANGUAGE WINNERS

•           Outstanding Scripted Television Series: Las Chicas Del Cable (Netflix)

•           Outstanding Digital Journalism: “Tres Hemanitos Para Dos Papás” por Jacqueline García (laopinion.com)

In January, GLAAD announced 125 nominees in 21 English-language categories and 16 Spanish-language nominees in 4 categories. The nominees for the 29^th Annual GLAAD Media Awards were announced during the Sundance Film Festival by actors Wilson Cruz (“13 Reasons Why,” “Star Trek: Discovery”) and Trace Lysette (“Transparent”). Nominees across entertainment and news media included This Is Us, Call Me by Your Name, Lady Bird, Battle of the Sexes, A Fantastic Woman, Billions, The Voice, Will & Grace, Andi Mack, Halsey, Kesha, Kehlani, Teen Vogue, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, NBC Nightly News, HuffPost, and CNN en Español. GLAAD announced a Special Recognition Award for Jay-Z’s song and music video “Smile” featuring his mother Gloria Carter who used the song to come out as a lesbian as well as a Special Recognition Award to the animated short film In A Heartbeat. Nominees can be found here: www.glaad.org/mediaawards/nominees

The 29^th Annual GLAAD Media Awards continue in New York City on Saturday, May 5. During that ceremony, Samira Wiley will receive the Vito Russo Award and Ross Mathews will serve as host. Special guests include Halsey, Laverne Cox, Asia Kate Dillon, Lea Michele and Wrabel. 

To receive the latest updates on the GLAAD Media Awards, follow @glaad on Twitter and use the hashtag #glaadawards.

The 29th Annual GLAAD Media Awards corporate partners include Presenting Partners Delta Air Lines, Gilead, Ketel One Family-Made Vodka, and Wells Fargo. GLAAD is also grateful to: Official Partner Bud Light; Platinum Partners 21st Century Fox, Allstate Insurance Company, AT&T, Creative Arts Agency (CAA), Comcast NBCUniversal | Telemundo, Disney ABC Television Group | ESPN, Hyundai, Kaiser Permanente, Kelley Drye, MetLife, NBA | WNBA, Netflix, Omnicom Group, SheppardMullin, Southwest Airlines, and Turner; Gold Partners CBS | Showtime, Facebook, Nielsen, PwC, UM, Univision, Warner Bros.; and Silver Partners Coca-Cola, Hornet, Major League Baseball, Morgan Stanley, Pride Media, Skadden, Variety, and WWE. For a full list of corporate partners and information on how to become a corporate partner, purchase tickets, and place a tribute in the tribute book, please visit www.glaad.org/mediaawards.

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