Award Ceremony Salutes Portrayals of Gays, Lesbians

Thanking the audience for “the Oscar of homosexual trophies,” actress Debra Messing of NBC’s “Will & Grace” accepted the award for outstanding comedy series at the Los Angeles ceremony of the 11th Annual Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Media Awards.

Saturday night’s event rewarded positive and truthful portrayals of gays and lesbians in the media, but most of the evening’s wittiest comments came at the expense of controversial radio talk show host Laura Schlessinger, whose syndicated TV show, set for a fall premiere, has become a recent target of protests by the gay community.

“Dr. Laura, thank you for bringing us all together,” actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus told the 1,000-person audience gathered at the Century Plaza Hotel in Century City.

Commentaries from the dais ranged from boisterous condemnations of Schlessinger to serious commentaries on the obstacles still facing gays and lesbians.

The night featured a video montage of last year’s evocative moments in television and film, including the news about Schlessinger coming to TV, punctuated by a clip of the animated Homer Simpson screaming in horror.

Schlessinger’s forthcoming talk show will be taped on the Paramount lot, next to Leeza Gibbons’ program “Leeza,” whose host offered some advice as well.

“I do think that Dr. Laura could use some coaching on the difference between the Bible and the Bill of Rights,” Gibbons said in accepting the award for outstanding talk show.

Another topic much on people’s minds was last month’s voter approval of Proposition 22, stating that California will recognize only marriages between a man and a woman. Joan Garry, executive director of GLAAD, was unable to attend the awards due to emergency surgery, but in a taped speech she urged the audience to continue fighting for the right to marry and raise children (Garry herself has three children).

On the Schlessinger issue, Garry said that when she met with the talk show host recently to discuss Schlessinger’s gay stance, the radio host reiterated her position that a gay or lesbian orientation was “a mistake.”

“Then she leaned over to me and said, ‘But don’t take that personally,’ ” said Garry, adding that she found the comment intensely personal.

The concept of traditional families was playfully poked fun of by serial bride Elizabeth Taylor, who accepted the Vanguard Award for her devotion to fighting HIV and AIDS.

Taylor said marriage between a man and woman guarantees nothing. “God, of all people I should know that doesn’t always work. . . . Let love live!” she proclaimed to a standing ovation from entertainment types like Sharon Stone, Jay Leno, Carrie Fisher, Garry Marshall and rocker Joan Jett.

Former Dodgers and Padres outfielder Billy Bean, who last year publicly acknowledged his gay orientation, was one of the evening’s presenters.

Accustomed to suiting up for professional baseball games, Bean told the crowd that a year ago he could not have envisioned getting dressed up for an event celebrating gay achievements in the arts.

Other categories and their winners included:

Outstanding individual television episode: “Wild, Wild Mess” on “Popular” (WB).

Outstanding wide release film: “Being John Malkovich” (USA Films).

Outstanding drama series: “Dawson’s Creek” (WB).

Outstanding TV movie: “Execution of Justice” (Showtime).

Additional awards were presented April 4 in New York and also will be given at upcoming events in Washington, D.C., and San Francisco.