(Link) Melissa Etheridge, Charlize Theron and a host of others who've done us proud will be honored in four parties in four cities. Quadruple the fun of your average media fest -- but will Ellen show up in a swan dress? We can only hope.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
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From Gaywired
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) has announced that it will honor Charlize Theron, Melissa Etheridge, David LaChapelle, and People en Español editor Richard Pérez-Feria at the 17th Annual GLAAD Media Awards Presented by ABSOLUT VODKA.
The GLAAD Media Awards will take place in four ceremonies to be held in New York on March 27, Los Angeles on April 8, Miami on May 25, and San Francisco on June 10. At the New York City ceremony, GLAAD will present the Vito Russo Award to award-winning celebrity photographer David LaChapelle. At the Los Angeles ceremony GLAAD will present the Vanguard Award to Academy Award-winning actress Charlize Theron and the Stephen F. Kolzak Award to rock icon Melissa Etheridge. In Miami, at the first GLAAD Media Awards event focused on Spanish-language nominees, People en Español editor Richard Pérez-Feria will receive the Visibilidad Award. Additional honorees for New York, Miami, and San Francisco to be announced.
David LaChapelle rose to prominence in the mid-1990s with his photographs of celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Missy Elliot which have graced the covers of magazines such as Rolling Stone, Interview, and GQ. He is also a celebrated director who began in music videos and last year directed the critically acclaimed documentary Rize. LaChapelle, who is openly gay, has also donated his works to raise money for LGBT organizations and AIDS research.
The Vito Russo Award is named after the author of The Celluloid Closet, who was also a founding member of GLAAD. The award is presented to an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equal rights for our community. Previous Vito Russo Award honorees include Rosie O'Donnell, Alan Cumming, Nathan Lane, Cherry Jones, Elton John, Liz Smith, k.d. lang and RuPaul.
Over the past ten years, Charlize Theron has firmly established herself as one of the major actresses in Hollywood, receiving recognition from the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes, the Screen Actor's Guild, and the National Board of Review. In 2003's Monster, Theron found the humanity within serial killer Aileen Wuornos, who spent her life abused by men, but dreamed of a new life with her girlfriend, Selby. Late last year, Theron solidified her support of the LGBT community when she told Extra that she and partner Stuart Townsend would not wed until the day when gay and lesbian couples attain full marriage rights.
The Vanguard Award is presented to media professionals who, through their work, have increased the visibility and understanding of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Past recipients include Antonio Banderas, Eric McCormack, Shirley MacLaine, Vanessa Redgrave, Elizabeth Taylor, Liza Minnelli, and Whoopi Goldberg.
One of the biggest selling artists of the past decade, Melissa Etheridge has sold over 25 million albums worldwide, including 6 million of 1993's Yes I Am in the U.S. alone. She has been nominated for over a dozen Grammy Awards and has won twice for Female Rock Vocal Performance. While on tour in 2004, Melissa was diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent months of intensive chemotherapy, but returned stronger than ever in 2005. Melissa has credited her wife, Tammy Lynn Michaels, for helping her overcome her illness with her warmth and humor. It is clear that the couple's love for each other, in sickness and in health, has been a major factor in Melissa's incredible recovery.
The Stephen F. Kolzak Award is named after a highly successful Los Angeles casting director who devoted the last part of his life to fighting AIDS-phobia and homophobia in the entertainment industry. The award is presented to an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equal rights for our community. Previous Stephen F. Kolzak honorees include Bill Condon, Todd Haynes, Alan Ball, Ellen DeGeneres, and Sir Ian McKellen.
When Richard Pérez-Feria was appointed Editor of People en Español in 2003, he led the revamped publication to record growth in newsstand sales and advertising, and the magazine received a number of awards, including GLAAD Media Awards for Outstanding Spanish-language Magazine Article and Overall Coverage. Pérez-Feria, who is openly gay, has overseen a significant increase in positive coverage of LGBT issues in the Latino community. Outstanding feature articles have been written on civil unions in Buenos Aires and the plight of homeless gay youth. Jai Rodriguez, from Queer Eye, is featured in a monthly advice column, and gay celebrities were included in the "50 Most Beautiful People" issue.
The Visibilidad Award is presented to an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender Spanish-language media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equal rights for our community. Pérez-Feria is the first recipient.
"This year's honorees embody the spirit of the GLAAD Media Awards," said GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano. "In their work, in their visibility, and in their unrelenting commitment to fairness, Charlize, Melissa, David, and Richard have made a powerful impact on our culture's understanding and acceptance of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender lives. It is an honor and a privilege to recognize their commitment to our community."
The GLAAD Media Awards honor individuals and projects in the mainstream media and entertainment industries for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives. A complete list of nominees for the 17th Annual GLAAD Media Awards may be found at www.glaad.org/mediaawards.
For the second consecutive year, the GLAAD Media Awards will be televised on Logo, MTV Networks' cable channel for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender viewers and their allies. This year, VH1 will air the program for the first time. The Logo airdate for the GLAAD Media Awards is April 15, 2006 at 9 p.m. (ET/PT). The VH1 airdate is April 16 at 11 p.m. (ET/PT).
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