GLAAD Media Awards honor Chaz Bono, 'Hunger Games' star Josh Hutcherson
Cher made a surprise appearance to honor her transgendered son Chaz Bono on Saturday night at the Los Angeles GLAAD Media Awards, where he received the Stephen F. Kolzak Award for promoting equality. The award was presented by Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack, Chaz Bono’s stepmother and the widow of his father, the late Congressman and entertainer Sonny Bono, but then his mother turned up — sporting a characteristically flamboyant awards show hairdo — to cheer on the pioneering work of her son.
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation gives out dozens of awards annually to recognize outstanding representations of the gay, lesbian, transgendered and bisexual community. Most of those were already presented during the New York ceremony last month, though four were saved for Saturday’s west coast presentation…
Beginners, which earned Christopher Plummer a best supporting actor Oscar for his portrayal of an aging gay man who comes out to his son, won outstanding wide-release film. The honor was accepted by writer-director Mike Mills.
Modern Family claimed the prize for outstanding comedy series, which was accepted by actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson.
And Chaz Bono’s work received another honor as Becoming Chaz, the documentary about his transition from a woman to a man, received outstanding documentary, with directors Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato accepting along with Bono.
Meanwhile, The Hunger Games star Josh Hutcherson received the Vanguard Award, which GLAAD presents to media professionals who “have increased the visibility and understanding of the LGBT community.” Hutcherson received the award for his work co-founding the tolerance group Straight But Not Narrow. Benicio Del Toro presented the award to Hutcherson.
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