What an inspiring night! On Saturday evening, I attended the Humane Society of the United States’ 25th Annual Genesis Awards, celebrating those in entertainment and news media raising awareness of animal and wildlife issues. Celebrity attendees/presenters included Betty White, Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick, Emily Deschanel, Michael Vartan, Leona Lewis, Rene Russo, Ed Asner, James Cromwell, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Simon Helberg, Ryan O’Neal, Amanda Righetti, Olivia Munn, Tippi Hedren, Stephanie Pratt, Carrie Preston, Charlotte Ross, and Wayne Pacelle –HSUS president & CEO–as well as other celebrity animal lovers.
image: frazier harrison/getty
Sex and The City 2’s Kristin Davis, decked in a gorgeous and perfectly springy hot pink Oscar de la Renta cocktail dress along with black Miu Miu platform heels, was honored with the The Wyler Award, one of the evening’s most prestigious awards, named after late Genesis Awards founder and HSUS vice president Gretchen Wyler. Davis received this award for the media spotlight that she has brought on the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, located in Kenya, for their dedication to rescuing, nurturing, and releasing orphaned elephants and rhinoceroses back into the wild after their mothers have been slaughtered by poachers. Kristin mentioned to me that she had always had a fondness in her heart for these highly intelligent and socialized creatures, and even got a bit choked up when she was called to the stage to receive her award.
Betty White and Ed Asner in an embrace backstage image: frazier harrison/getty
Stephen Colbert and Bill Maher provided video hilarious messages-including a satirized version of bullfighting, compliments of Colbert, and Maher’s New Rules, to call for the better treatment of animals. The food, furnished by celebrity vegan chef Tal Ronen, was yummy! I was quite fond of the maple “cheese” cake with graham cracker crust. And the silent auction included great prizes like tickets for 2 to the Ellen Show (fingers crossed that I won!), a stay at a luxury resort in Morocco, wine tastings in Napa, a signed script by the ladies from Hot in Cleveland including Hollywood “It” girl Betty White, a Girls Gone Wild limited edition guitar, a photo session for your beloved pet with Bark photography, vegan makeup, clothing & accessories, and other animal friendly goodies. Stay tuned for my interviews with Davis (will there be a Sex and the City 3?), Leona Lewis, Stephanie Pratt, Wendie Mallick, Jane Leeves, and others.
image: jason merritt/getty
Check out interviews below from Wayne Pacelle and Mayor Villaraigosa-who addressed what he would like to see happen in the City of Angels over the next few years as it pertains to our furry friends.
Click here to join Red Carpet Roxy on Twitter.
Here is the full list of winners from the 25th Annual Genesis Awards:
Outstanding Feature Film
How To Train Your Dragon – DreamWorks Animation
Outstanding Feature Documentary
The Elephant In The Living Room – NightFly Entertainment
Sid Caesar Comedy Award
The Colbert Report bullfighting – Comedy Central
Outstanding Dramatic Series
True Blood Hitting the Ground, Beautifully Broken – HBO
Outstanding TV Newsmagazine
Nightline Got Milk? – ABC
Outstanding News Feature
KTLA News At 10 (Los Angeles) Puppy Mills Exclusive Investigation, Dogfighting Investigation, Hatchery Hell – Investigative Report
Outstanding News Series
WOIO TV 19 Action News (Cleveland) Ohio Dairy Farm Animal Abuse
Outstanding Morning News Show
The Early Show Shark Victims – CBS
Outstanding Talk Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show Oprah’s Earth Day Mom Swap – An Eye-Opening Intervention; Ultimate Amazing Animals
Outstanding TV Documentary
My Child Is A Monkey – National Geographic Channel
Outstanding Reality Series
Last Chance Highway The Great Escape – Animal Planet
Brigitte Bardot International
60 Minutes Australia Natural Born Killers – Nine Network Australia
Outstanding Written Word
Magazine
National Geographic Magazine The Kingpin
by Bryan Christy
Series Of Newspaper Articles
Isthmus (Wisconsin) multiple articles by Bill Lueders
Columnist
Los Angeles Times Where Captives Put on a Show
by Steve Lopez
Brigitte Bardot International Print
Daily Mail (UK) multiple articles by Dr. Danny Penman
William Wilberforce Award
Christianity Today A Feast Fit for the King: Returning the Growing Fields and Kitchen Table to God.
by Leslie Leyland Fields
