GLAAD FOR US
Tribute to late ‘Glee’ star at LGBT media awards show
The 32nd annual GLAAD Media Awards premiered on YouTube Thursday night, culminating with a highly emotional tribute to late “Glee” actress Naya Rivera led by several of her former show castmates.
Rivera’s character on “Glee,” Santana Lopez, came out as a lesbian in 2011 in an episode titled, “I Kissed a Girl.”
Pop star Demi Lovato, who guest-starred in the show as Santana’s girlfriend, introduced the virtual reunion of the cast, which included Jane Lynch, Darren Criss, Amber Riley and Matthew Morrison.
“Santana Lopez was groundbreaking for closeted queer girls, like I was at the time,” Lovato said. “Her ambition and accomplishments inspired Latino women all over the world.”
The long-awaited cast reunion closed a star-studded ceremony that celebrated LGBT performers, shows and storylines that have contributed to a more inclusive and authentic media landscape in 2020.
Hosted by actress and comedian Niecy Nash, the event, which honors fair and accurate representation of the LGBT community in the media, debuted on GLAAD’s YouTube channel at 8 p.m. Eastern Time Thursday before streaming hours later on Hulu, where it would remain until the end of June, LGBTQ Pride month.
Nash, who surprised fans last year after announcing her marriage to musician Jessica Betts — by sharing a photo of the newlyweds celebrating their union, captioning it with a rainbow and a diamond ring emoji, and the hashtag #LoveWins — opened the show joking about her new status as a proud member of LGBT community.
“I don’t know what I am,” she said, wondering aloud whether she should introduce herself as the show’s new gay, pansexual, or queer host.
The first award of the night, for outstanding music artist, was introduced by Katy Perry and went to British singer Sam Smith, who won the first GLAAD Media Award for their “Love Goes” album.
Speaking from London via video conference, Smith said that listening to the albums of their fellow nominees — a category that included some of the hottest names in pop music at the moment, such as Lady Gaga, Halsey, and Miley Cyrus — was exactly what helped them get through this difficult year.
The award for outstanding reality series went to HBO’s “We’re Here.” The popular drag-on-the-road show features former “RuPaul’s Drag Race” queens Bob the Drag Queen, Eureka O’Hara and Shangela, who brought the transformative art of drag to small-town America.
Social media megastar JoJo Siwa, who sent the internet into overdrive in late January when she came out as a proud member of the LGBT community, introduced the award for outstanding children’s program — and used the opportunity to remind the world that she has “the best and most amazing girlfriend in the entire world who makes me so, so, so happy. And that’s all that matters.”
That award went to HBO Max’s “The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo,” accepted by the Sesame Street legend, himself.
“It’s almost Elmo’s bedtime, but Elmo wants to remind everybody at home: you are amazing just the way you are,” he said.
“This is Us” star Sterling K. Brown introduced the award for outstanding documentary.
The award went to Netflix’s “Disclosure,” a look at the depiction and treatment of of transgender people in the U.S. and its impact on American culture.
Cox, the show’s executive producer, accepted the award, sharing a message of empowerment to young trans people.
“We are looking for people to move beyond acceptance to radical acceptance, to radical self-love. To the trans youth watching right now, we want you to know that you’re anointed, that despite all of the attacks that might be happening against you, you are divine. You deserve to be. You are here for a reason. You must survive to fulfill that divine purpose. I love you!” Cox said.
The “Glee” cast introduced the last award of the night, for outstanding comedy series. “Schitt’s Creek” continued its recent award-winning streak, snatching the GLAAD Media Award for the second year in a row.
Co-creator and star Dan Levy accepted the award saying that he’d “created a town where everyone was not only respected, but they were also supported without question by their neighbors.”
The Emmy-winning actor, director and writer thanked GLAAD for its work in making sure that in the future “our community feels that same kind of support.”