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Last month the 21st annual GLAAD Media Awards were handed out in a ceremony in NYC, NY and last night the second batch of awards — “recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and the issues that affect their lives” — where handed out here in LA in a second ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel. American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert performed and artists like Wanda Sykes, Drew Barrymore won GLAAD Media Awards alongside TV shows like Glee and RuPaul’s Drag Race. Here are a few photos from the red carpet arrivals yesterday and some deets from last night’s affair:

The Fox musical comedy was among the winners at the 21st annual GLAAD Media Awards. The show’s cast and creator Ryan Murphy received the trophy for outstanding comedy series at Saturday’s glitzy ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza. Murphy, in particular, praised lesbian actress Jane Lynch and gay actor Chris Colfer for their contributions. “We have a great responsibility with the show,” Murphy beamed. Murphy told the crowd that Colfer’s character, outspoken gay soprano Kurt Hummel, would have a boyfriend next season, and the pair would become prom kings. Murphy also promised the crowd that Colfer’s character “would never be the victim.” “Iron Chef” Cat Cora presented actress-director Drew Barrymore with the Vanguard Award, which honors efforts to increase visibility and understanding of the gay community. In a humorous video before accepting her trophy, Barrymore listed several of her inspirational gay colleagues, including her agent, lawyer, doctor, stylists and one of her dogs. “The thing that means the most to me about an evening like this, and why I want to fight and be outspoken about this is because there are so many people who are in desperate need of families,” Barrymore said. Constance McMillen, the lesbian Mississippi teenager who challenged her school district’s ban of same-sex prom dates, presented comedian-actress Wanda Sykes with the Stephen F. Kolzak Award, which is given by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to an openly gay member of the entertainment community for their work toward eliminating homophobia. “I’m willing to give this award to you,” Sykes teased McMillen, “but I’m not gonna do it. It means a lot to me.” Other winners included Logo’s “RuPaul’s Drag Race” for outstanding reality program and “A Single Man” for outstanding wide release film. “A Single Man” director Tom Ford wasn’t on hand to receive his trophy. His partner Richard Buckley accepted the award on Ford’s behalf because the filmmaker was stranded in London thanks to the volcanic cloud of ash. Adam Lambert, the glam-rocking “American Idol” runner-up who raised eyebrows with his racy performance at last year’s American Music Awards, capped off the ceremony hosted by transgender actress Candis Cayne and gay actor Wilson Cruz with a performance of his tunes “Music Again” and “Fever.” He ended by pleading for diversity within the gay community. The awards salute fair, accurate and inclusive representation of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives in the media. Other winners — chosen from 152 nominees in 32 categories — were awarded at a March ceremony in New York, while the remainder will be presented at a San Francisco ceremony in June.

Yeah, I know the NYC ceremony last month was fab but LA always does this show better. What a fantastic turn-out for such an important awards show. After the jump, check out some of the winners on stage as they collected their GLAAD Media Awards last night …

The 25th Annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles took place here in SoCal Sunday kicking off with a rally in West Hollywood, CA yesterday morning. A bunch of celebs took part in the walk in order to help raise funds for AIDS research charities … including George Takei, Felicity Huffman, La Toya Jackson and my dear friend Pauley Perrette. Here are a few pics of some of the celebs who participated in yesterday’s event and some deets about the AIDS Walk itself:

More than 30,000 people took part in Sunday’s 25th annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles, which benefits AIDS Project Los Angeles and several other Los Angeles-area AIDS service organizations. The opening ceremony began at 9:15 a.m., and the 6.2-mile walk started at 10 a.m. at West Hollywood Park, 647 N. San Vicente Blvd. From there, walkers headed south on La Cienega Boulevard, east on Melrose Avenue, south on La Brea Avenue, west on Beverly Boulevard and north on San Vicente to return to the park. Among the celebrities who participated were Felicity Huffman, Aaron Carter, Mary Louise Parker, Darryl Stephens, George Takei and John Lloyd Young. A VIP post-walk reception hosted by actress Teri Hatcher began at noon. San Francisco Mayor and gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom attended, along with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and West Hollywood Mayor Abbe Land. Villaraigosa and Land spoke to the crowd about the HIV/AIDS crisis in Los Angeles and the work of AIDS Project Los Angeles. “Today in L.A., there are 60,000 people living with HIV, and as many as a quarter of them don’t even know they are infected. It’s so important that we get them into testing and get them into treatment and care early so that they can stay healthy,” Colin Weil of AODS Project Los Angeles said.

I understand that this year’s AIDS Walk LA raised $3.15 million for the cause! Woot!! My hat is off to any person who gives of their time in this manner … thank all y’all who walked the walk and put your time where your money is to help find a cure for this deadly disease. Kudos and thanks again for your hard work this year!

[Photo credit: Splash News; Source]

The principle cast, along with a few folks from previous incarnations of the franchise as well as a few celeb fans, made their way out to Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood, CA last night for the Hollywood premiere of JJ Abrams‘s new Star Trek film (tho you may recall that the film already premiered in Sydney, Australia and London, England). Hollywood Blvd. teemed with Trekkies and celebs alike clamoring to be a part of the big party … and David and I were lucky enough to be among them. Here are a few pics of the new cast of Star Trek making their entrances on the red carpet (which was actually black and silver) and

Celebs from the big screen, the small screen, the stage and more made their way out to the Nokia Theatre here in downtown Los Angeles, CA yesterday evening to attend and participate in the 2009 GLAAD Media Awards … which honors achievement in GLBT visibility in the media. Here are a few photos from the awards show itself and some info from the glitzy ceremony:

Civil rights group GLAAD honored the movie “Milk” and singled-out Reverend Gene Robinson and comedian Kathy Griffin for their work at a Saturday night gala highlighting issues such as gay marriage and equality. Talk program “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” was given a GLAAD Media Award for its episode “Ellen & Portia’s Wedding Day,” covering DeGeneres’ wedding to actress Portia de Rossi. DeGeneres dedicated the honor to Carl Walker-Hoover, an 11 year-old Massachusetts boy who killed himself earlier this month because school kids bullied him and called him “gay.” “In my opinion, we are not fighting for gay rights, we are fighting for equal rights,” DeGeneres told the black tie crowd at Los Angeles’ Nokia Theater. The 2009 awards marked the 20th year that films, TV shows, performers and others have been honored by GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. “Milk,” about slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk, was named best film. “Desperate Housewives” was chosen best TV comedy, and “Brothers and Sisters” was named top TV drama. GLAAD President Neil Giuliano spoke to the audience about the impact TV shows such as “The L Word” and movies like “Brokeback Mountain” have had on introducing audiences to all sorts of lesbian and gay characters and issues they face. Giuliano touched on marriage and said that despite setbacks like the passage of California’s Proposition 8 which denied gay men and women the right to marry in that state, progress has been made in other states where gay weddings are now legal. “As we learned in Iowa and Vermont, ignorance and hate does not stop the march of social justice,” Giuliano said. While many of the night’s speeches focused on social and political issues — as expected for the activist group — the night also featured a lot of comedy and music. Comedian Kathy Griffin accepted the Vanguard Award for her work in the gay community. She dressed in a bikini with a white, gay marriage ribbon, pinned to the bottom. The makers of video sensation “Prop 8: The Musical,” a parody of the conservative campaign backing Proposition 8, were singled-out with a special recognition award, and the musical number was performed on stage. The Right Reverend V. Gene Robinson, the first openly gay Bishop in the Episcopal church, was given an honorary award for his work as a religious leader and activist. Last month, GLAAD held a ceremony in New York City where it handed out other media awards. A similar event is planned for May in San Francisco.

I really love that the GLAAD Media Awards are handed out in LA, NY and San Francisco … issues of GLBT visibility are too large for just one ceremony. Much love and congrats to all the folks who work tireless to help foster and spread positive images of the gay community, pushing the boundaries of discrimination further and further away. The work is long and hard and nowhere near complete … until justice and equality for all is achieved in this country, the work carries on. Again, congrats to those folks who keep on keepin’ on. Click HERE for a full list of award winners from the LA portion of the GLAAD Media Awards. My dear friend Darion was able to attend the GLAAD Media Awards yesterday and he managed to get a fun photo with one of his fave celebs:

Don’t they look great? Kathy Griffin looks stunning. Trust me, Darion was geeked beyond words. Woot!!

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]

In happy nuptials news, longtime partners George Takei and Brad Altman finally took their stroll down the aisle together yesterday afternoon and entered the bonds of lawfully wedded bliss. You may recall that George and Brad were among the first California citizens who applied for their marriage licenses when same-sex marriage was legalized in the state back in June. This weekend, the grooms made it official with close friends and family to bless the occasion:

George Takei and his longtime partner, Brad Altman, were wed Sunday evening in a Buddhist ceremony in downtown Los Angeles. “All I can remember is what the priest said,” Takei told PEOPLE after the ceremony. “That this moment will never happen again. It’s something to savor.” Nearly 200 of the couple’s friends attended the event, which began as a kimono-clad koto player plucked out tunes on the ancient Japanese stringed instrument. Afterward, the couple sipped sake from red lacquer cups, then said their vows to one another while standing within a circle of yellow rose petals. A Scottish bagpiper led Takei, 71, and Altman, 54, to the reception on the grounds of the Japanese American National Museum. On the way, the couple, along with their maid of honor and best man (Takei’s former Star Trek co-stars Nichelle Nichols and Walter Koenig) flashed the “live long and prosper” hand sign to photographers and friends. “I was fighting back the tears,” said Nichols, who played Uhura on the Star Trek series. “But they came oozing out anyway. I’m so happy that they’re both able to legally proclaim their commitment to one another after spending the past 21 years together.”

Awww … I love these two together. It’s couples like this that make me so happy that same-sex marriage has finally been legalized in the great State of California. Much love and congrats goes out to the newlyweds … may they live long and happy lives together full of bliss and happiness. Mazel Tov!

[Source]

George Takei was on hand at the Orpheaum Theatre in LA to present his friend and co-star Nichelle Nichols with an award last night at the Closing Night Gala of this year’s Outfest Film Festival. George presented Nichelle with the Liberty and Justice Award on behalf of the ACLU … here are a few pics of the Star Trek stars at last night’s affair:

Pioneering actress Nichelle Nichols, who played Lt. Uhura on the original “Star Trek” television series, will receive the Liberty and Justice Award from the ACLU of Southern California Foundation on the closing night of this year’s Outfest 2008: the 26th Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival on Monday, July 21, 2008. The award, in recognition of Ms. Nichols’ contributions to the fight for civil rights and social justice, will be presented at the closing night gala screening of “Tru Loved” at 8 p.m. at the Orpheum Theatre, 842 South Broadway, in downtown Los Angeles. Ms. Nichols is one of the stars of the film. As Lt. Uhura, Ms. Nichols was the first African American actor to have a recurring, non-stereotypical role on a network television series. The series was broadcast from 1966 to 1969 and before that time, most black actors on television portrayed servants. Even though the role was groundbreaking, she felt it was not substantial and was tempted to quit the show. But Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. convinced her to stay with the series because Lt. Uhura was an important role model for black children. “Ms. Nichols’ trail-blazing role on ‘Star Trek’ allowed her to portray racial equality in our nation’s future, which brought us closer to full equality in our present,” said Ramona Ripston, executive director of the ACLU/SC, in announcing the award. “She also worked to expand opportunities for women at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).” After the series ended, Ms. Nichols worked as volunteer for NASA on a special project to recruit women and minorities to the space program. Among those recruited by that project were Dr. Sally Ride, the first American female astronaut, and U.S. Air Force Col. Guion Bluford Jr., the first African American astronaut. Dr. Mae Jemison, a former astronaut who is African American, said seeing Ms. Nichols on “Star Trek” inspired her to become a physician and astronaut.

I have always held Nichelle Nichols as one of the unsung heroes in Hollywood. She absolutely was a pioneer for helping fight racism just by being herself … for boldly going where no other African American actress went before. Lt. Uhura‘s skin color was never an issue on the show, which was significant because Star Trek aired during a time of particular racial unrest. I am very pleased to see that she is being recognized for her efforts … and by her good friend George Takei, who has done his part to help fight sexual orientation discrimination. Much congrats and love goes out to Nichelle Nichols, her Liberty & Justice Award is well deserved.

[Photo credit: Splash News]

Altho same-sex marriage officially became fully legal in the state of California on Monday June 16 at 5:01pm PT, it wasn’t until yesterday that most same-sex couples were allowed to get their marriage licenses … and boy did they, by the hundreds. In West Hollywood, CA, a ribbon-cutting ceremony (attended by Star Trek star George Takei and his longtime partner [soon to be husband] Brad Altman, among others) signaled the start of marriage licenses to be issued there while other counties issued their licenses with much less pomp and circumstance. Here are a few pics of George Takei with Brad Altman as they received their marriage license yesterday:

Star Trek’s George Takei is one step closer to the altar. The 71-year-old actor and longtime partner Brad Altman, 54, received a marriage license from the City of West Hollywood on Tuesday morning, becoming one of the first gay Californians to obtain a license since the state Supreme Court overturned a ban on same-sex marriages last month. “We are first and foremost beyond delighted!” an ecstatic Takei told PEOPLE minutes after he obtained the license. “It’s a landmark day.” Just days after the California ruling, Takei announced his plans to marry Altman, his partner of 21 years. The couple plan to wed on September 14 in front of family and friends, including some of Takei’s Star Trek cast mates. Immediately after obtaining their marriage license, “I started singing ‘One Singular Sensation,’” Takei said. “(Brad) said ‘I love you’ and I looked at him and said, ‘I love you.’” Takei and Altman were the first couple to receive a marriage license from West Hollywood, a city that previously did not issue licenses to gay or straight couples. The wedding will take place at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.

While George and Brad are among the first celeb couples to enjoy full marriage equality here in California there were among hundreds of same-sex couples who received marriage licenses yesterday … and many of those hundreds immediately exercised their right to marry and tied the knot.