‘Wolves,’ ‘Simpsons’ Lauded at Environmental Awards Fete : Media: Luminaries gather for show honoring productions that promote ecological themes.

Hollywood, long famous for recycling plots, honored its more socially conscious environmental efforts Monday night. It was at a star-studded gala held on a soundstage at Sony Studios in Culver City that the first Environmental Media Awards were presented.

Robert Redford gave the keynote address, and Diane Sawyer acted as emcee for the awards honoring television, film and music productions that promote environmental themes.

“Our hope is these awards will focus both public and entertainment industry attention on the environment,” said Andy Spahn, president of the nonprofit Environmental Media Assn.

Sawyer, co-anchor of ABC Television’s “Prime Time Live,” said she came “to celebrate what you’ve done in the most important issue of the decade.”

She was followed by association board member Norman Lear, who introduced Redford as “a big name who could probably get a TV show of his own.” The actor spoke for 10 minutes on the changes in the environmental movement, the difficulty and power of being a celebrity activist, and the need for immediate environmental action or, he said, “the celluloid in our films may last longer than us.”

Redford addressed his remarks to a room packed with both Hollywood and the media’s most powerful members. The dinner, co-chaired by Vanity Fair editor-in-chief Tina Brown, Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Peter Guber and Coca-Cola president Donald Keough, attracted a diverse mix of both West and East Coast figures. Among them were Norman Mailer, Carl Bernstein, Creative Artists Agency chairman Michael Ovitz, Barbra Streisand, former Arizona Gov. Bruce Babbitt, Marvin and Barbara Davis, Ted Turner and Jane Fonda, Shirley MacLaine, George Hamilton, Sting, Chevy Chase and Ed Begley Jr., who arrived in his environmentally correct electric car.

The 700 guests saw film clips from three nominees in each of the 10 award categories. Winners were chosen by a committee of environmental and show business figures. The award, a baseball-size bronze sculpture designed by artist Robert Graham, was given by duos of celebrities in the traditional award ceremony pattern.

The most well-known award recipient was cartoonist Matt Groening. He accepted the award in the television episodic comedy category for “The Simpsons” episode “Two Cars in Every Garage, and Three Eyes on Every Fish.” He said he had received a letter from a nuclear-power lobbying group saying his show “confused and frightened the American public.” Groening noted that this “was a sign that we’re doing the right thing.” He promised that “we at ‘The Simpsons’ will continue to confuse and frighten the American public.”

The evening ended with a strong performance by David Crosby and Graham Nash before the crowd headed for the valet parking. “The media is essential for getting the message across,” said Begley as he waited for his electric car to hum forward. “There’s not the time to go door to door.”

Here is a complete list of winners of the the first Environmental Media Awards:

* Television episodic drama: “Shannon’s Deal” (NBC), for the “Inside Man” episode.

* Television episodic comedy: “The Simpsons” (Fox), for the “Two Cars in Every Garage, and Three Eyes on Every Fish” episode.

* Television special: “A Users Guide to Planet Earth: The American Environmental Test” (ABC).

* Television movie of the week: “Chernobyl: The Final Warning” (TNT).

* Children’s programming/animated: “Tiny Toon Adventures” (syndicated), for the “Whales Tales” episode.

* Children’s programming/live action: “Earth to Kids: A Guide to Products for a Healthy Planet” (HBO).

* Daytime programming: “Days of Our Lives” (NBC).

* Feature films: “Dances With Wolves” (Orion).

* Music video: “Yakety Yak--Take It Back” (A Vision Entertainment).

* Ongoing commitment: (tie) “MacGyver” (ABC) and “Captain Planet and the Planeteers” (TBS).

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