Trixie Mattel to Host Ambies Podcast Awards; Malcolm Gladwell, Ira Madison III Set for Honors

The annual Podcast Academy’s Awards for Excellence in Audio — or Ambies — will return for its fourth installment on March 26, with Season 3 “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” winner Trixie Mattel set to host.

The ceremony celebrates excellence in podcasting, especially those that elevate the status of the medium as a “unique” and “personal” form of entertainment, information and storytelling, according to The Podcast Academy (TPA). This year’s competition encompasses 192 nominees across 27 categories, with winners selected by every voting member of TPA.

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New York Times best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell and cultural critic, writer and host Ira Madison III will also be feted with special honors, with Gladwell receiving the Governors Award and Madison III the Impact Award.

The Governors Award recognizes a podcast or individual for the “compelling” influence they’ve had on the industry, while the Impact Award honors an individual or podcast that has had a significant and positive impact on its listeners.

“On behalf of The Podcast Academy, we are thrilled to honor Ira Madison III with the Impact Award and Malcolm Gladwell with the coveted Governors Award,” Donald Albright, chairperson of TPA, said in a statement. “As a writer and podcaster, Ira is an authentic voice for the industry. He alongside his team have created unique content that spans pop-culture to politics while amplifying underrepresented voices. Furthermore, we are beyond privileged to recognize Malcolm Gladwell with the Governors Award. He’s been instrumental in shaping the medium with innovative content that has, and will continue to have, a lasting effect.”

Founded in February 2020, The Podcast Academy is a not-for-profit professional membership organization that, in addition to celebrating podcasting as an art form, helps creators elevate their craft by providing community, professional development and industry connections.

The awards will take at the JW Marriott LA Live in Los Angeles and will be available to stream on the TPA’s YouTube channel at 6:00 p.m. PT.

Click here for a complete list of the 2024 nominees.

(Pictured: Trixie Mattel at Variety‘s 2023 TV FYC Fest in Los Angeles)

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