Comedian Wanda Sykes to host the 29th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles

New York, NY – GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, today announced that actress, comedian, and writer Wanda Sykes will host the 29^th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles at Beverly Hilton on Thursday, April 12, 2018. GLAAD previously announced that Britney Spears and Jim Parsons would be receiving honors at the event.

GLAAD also announced special appearances by Lena Waithe, Olympian Adam Rippon, Chloe Grace Moretz, and Gigi Gorgeous.

The GLAAD Media Awards honor media for fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues. The GLAAD Media Awards also fund GLAAD's work to accelerate acceptance of the LGBTQ community. The 29th Annual GLAAD Media Awards are presented by Delta Air Lines, Gilead, Ketel One Family-Made Vodka, and Wells Fargo.

Wanda Sykes has been called “one of the funniest stand-up comics” by her peers and ranks among Entertainment Weekly’s 25 Funniest People in America.  Her smart-witted stand up has sent her career in many different directions. Sykes was also the 2010 recipient of GLAAD’s Stephen F. Kolzak Award which is presented to an LGBTQ media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting LGBTQ acceptance.

She can currently be seen on ABC’s Black-ish, which she is nominated for a 2017 Primetime Emmy Award for “Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series” as well as Broad City. Sykes was also on an episode of Disney Junior’s Doc McStuffins, where she and Portia de Rossi lent their voices to a queer couple who receive help from the show’s titular character. The episode, titled “The Emergency Plan,” is nominated this year for the inaugural ‘Outstanding Kids & Family Programming’ award.

Sykes was a vocal opponent of California’s Proposition 8, which would prohibit marriage equality in the state, and publicly came out at a rally voicing her opposition of the ballot. She was an active and outspoken proponent of marriage equality by hosting events and fundraising to ensure that everyone could live the life they love.

“Wanda Sykes’ humor, wit, and status as one of the most visible out women in Hollywood make her the perfect host for the 29^th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD President and CEO. “At a time when LGBTQ acceptance and equality are eroding, it’s more important than ever that we celebrate the best in LGBTQ representation, and share a few laughs along the way.”

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

Additional special guests from the GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles will be announced in the coming weeks.

To receive the latest updates on the GLAAD Media Awards, follow @glaad on Twitter and use the hashtag #glaadawards. The New York GLAAD Media Awards ceremony will take place on May 5 at the New York Hilton Midtown.

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 21^stCentury 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, Nielsen, PwC, UM, Univision, Warner Brothers; and Silver Partners Coca-Cola, Major League Baseball, Morgan Stanley, Skadden, 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. 

About Ketel One Family-Made Vodka

Created in the Netherlands – the progressive country to first legalize gay marriage – Ketel One Family-Made Vodka is proud to partner with GLAAD for the eighth consecutive year. As a longstanding ally of the LGBTQ community, Ketel One Vodka is excited to once again join GLAAD as they celebrate those working to accelerate the acceptance of the LGBTQ community.