Los Angeles, CA. (May 21, 2024) – The 49th Annual Gracie Awards, hosted by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF), illuminated the evening with a captivating celebration of women in media at the esteemed Beverly Wilshire Hotel. The event, hosted by Tamera Mowry-Housley, commemorated the remarkable achievements of women across various media platforms, acknowledging their invaluable contributions to storytelling and cultural transformation.
This year's theme was centered on “Feminine Strength, both Large and Small,” highlighting impactful actions resonating on various scales. Among the distinguished honorees was Carol Burnett, a trailblazing figure known for her groundbreaking roles and whose impact spans decades and resonates with audiences of all ages. Burnett was bestowed with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by castmate of Palm Royale, Kristen Wiig.
The Gracie Awards Gala embodies AWMF's commitment to supporting women in media through charitable endeavors, educational programs, and scholarship initiatives. By investing in these initiatives, AWMF continues to empower women and cultivate leadership opportunities across the industry. The winners of this year's Gracie Awards embody the spirit and courage exemplified by Gracie Allen, and they serve as a reminder of the invaluable contributions women make in shaping our media landscape.
Winners and presenters included influential figures such as Jane Fonda, Natalie Morales, Sheryl Underwood, Yvette Nicole Brown, Mayan Lopez, Melissa Peterman, Emma Kenney, Danielle Pinnock, Amanda Kloots, Lauren E. Banks, Sharon Carpenter, Allison Holker, Christina Elmore, Kim Fields, Betsy Brandt, Sutton Stracke, Crystal Kung Minkoff, and Amy Chozick. Attendees include Maria Shriver, Glennon Doyle and Abby Wambach, Phylicia Rashad, Garcelle Beauvais, Mary McDonnell, Mariana van Zeller, and more. The audience was captivated by a special musical performance of “Girls” by Rachel Platten. Raegan Revord lent her support as the Gracie Awards' Digital Impact Ambassador, while Vicangelo Bulluck executed the evening as executive producer.
NOTABLE MOMENTS
Tamera Mowry-Housley started the show by saying, “We are living in historic times and our voices are needed to stand up for our rights. Infusing our collective feminine strength into media, we can change attitudes, empower audiences, and create productions that speak to us, for us.” While presenting to Carol Burnett, Kristen Wiig humorously expressed her admiration, stating, “Personally, it is surreal for me to be here, to even know you… because you have been such an inspiration.” Reflecting on her childhood watching the Carol Burnett Show, Wiig credited Burnett with planting the creative seeds that grew her love for sketch comedy. She affectionately joked, “So Carol, in many ways it’s like you're my oldest friend, but also you ARE my oldest friend.” Wiig continued, “It’s been an absolute honor and joy to work alongside you, Carol, in Palm Royale. And I mean this, no one plays coma patient like you.” During her acceptance speech for the Lifetime Achievement Award, Carol Burnett playfully remarked, “I was unfortunately (believe it or not!) too young to have met the legendary Gracie Allen, who is the inspiration for these awards, but I think we might have had a lot in common and her iconic work as an artist paved the way for all the women who came after her, including me.”. Jane Fonda, before introducing Maria Shriver (Conversations Above the Noise with Maria, Best Online Video Host), articulated, “I made my first movie in 1949, and there were no women on the set. We, women, experience things differently–war, peace, famine. If you don't have our voices in the arts, you're not getting the whole story. It doesn't just hurt us; it hurts men because they only get half the side.” Maria Shriver reflected on her journey in media, from intern to media entrepreneur, emphasizing the significance of women's voices in today's media landscape. She underscored the responsibility each individual holds in using their platform wisely, stating, “Today everyone seems to have a platform but not everyone is responsible with it.” Shriver expressed gratitude for the Gracie Award, highlighting the importance of producing meaningful content that makes a difference in shaping public discourse and acknowledging the women who paved the way for her. Abby Wambach joined Glennon Doyle on stage where Doyle's acceptance speech (Best Lifestyle Podcast Co-host/Ensemble, “We Can Do Hard Things”) highlighted the importance of self-advocacy in healthcare. Sharing her sister's story of early cancer detection through persistent advocacy, “Because of our conditioning it’s hard to advocate on behalf of ourselves but I assure you that my sister’s self-advocacy is the greatest act of love and service she’s ever done for the world. When she saved herself she saved the life of her children’s mother, her husband’s wife, our parent’s daughter - our sister. She saved so many of us when she saved herself.” Garcelle Beauvais expressed deep gratitude for the recognition of her film, “Black Girls Missing” (Made for Television Movie). Beauvais emphasized the film's mission to shed light on the critical issue of missing black and brown individuals, striving to ensure their visibility and voices are heard, “Shedding light when black and brown people go missing has been our mission with this movie. We want to be seen and heard!” Lauren Book, Florida Senate Minority Leader and survivor of child s*xual abuse, shared her mission to prevent abuse through the Lauren's Kids Foundation, stating, "Today, standing on this stage, knowing we are educating millions of kids every single year... Teaching personal safety from a place of fun and not fear." Expressing gratitude to the Gracie Awards for recognizing their work, Book emphasized the importance of collective action in creating a safer future for children, urging support for their cause at LaurensKids.org.
Posted By: Tanisha Grant
Wednesday, May 29th 2024 at 1:35AM
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