Genesis Awards
The Genesis Awards are awarded annually by the Humane Society of the United States to individuals in the major news and entertainment media for producing outstanding works which raise public awareness of animal issues. Presented by the HSUS Hollywood Outreach program, the awards show takes place every March in California. The awards have honored such well-known personalities as Michael Jackson, Aaron Sorkin, Anderson Cooper, Peter Gabriel, Ellen DeGeneres, Jane Goodall, David E. Kelley, Paul McCartney, Arthur Miller, Stephen Colbert, Oprah Winfrey, Prince, Jacques Cousteau and Ian Somerhalder, as well as journalists, film and documentary writers and producers, print and broadcast news outlets in the United States.
Honorary awards include the Sid Caesar Award for television comedy, the Doris Day Award for music, the Brigitte Bardot International Award for non-American media, and the Gretchen Wyler Award for a celebrity using their fame to bring attention to animal issues.
won 2 Genesis Awards.
Founding
The Genesis Awards were founded as an annual event in 1986 by the Broadway actress and animal advocate Gretchen Wyler, under the aegis of the Fund for Animals. Wyler believed that rewarding members of the media encouraged them to spotlight more animal issues, thus increasing public awareness and compassion toward animals. The first event, a luncheon, drew 140 attendees, and in subsequent years it grew into a large gala averaging 800 guests.In 1991, Wyler founded the Ark Trust, Inc., to present the Genesis Awards. Dr. Michael A. Giannelli served as the Founding Executive Director from 1991 through 1997. In 1990, it became a television special airing first on the Discovery Channel and then on Animal Planet. In August 2002, the Ark Trust joined with the Humane Society of the United States. Wyler, as Vice President of HSUS Hollywood, continued her role as Chair of the event and Executive Producer of the Genesis Awards television special until her retirement in 2006.
Winner selection
Beginning with the first ceremony in 1986, Genesis Awards entries have been submitted by members of the public as well as by media professionals. Categories span television, film, print, radio, music, and the arts. The Genesis Awards Committee—via a process of submission, nomination, candidate selection, debate, and secret ballot—makes the final decisions regarding the winners. The 13 committee members are selected based on their personal histories in working for animal causes. The members include people from various animal-protection organizations and diverse walks of life.Award ceremony
The Genesis Awards is the only event of its kind honoring the entertainment industry and news media for raising awareness of animal-protection issues. Celebrating the power of the news and entertainment media to shape and change societal attitudes for the good, Genesis Awards acknowledge outstanding works in TV, film, print and the arts.Past Genesis Awards hosts include Betty White, William Shatner, Brooke Shields, Ellen DeGeneres, Ed Asner, Wendie Malick, Bill Maher, Scott Hamilton, Kevin Nealon, Bonnie Hunt, Charlotte Ross, Joely Fisher, David Hyde Pierce and Carrie Ann Inaba.
Presented at a star-studded ceremony, attracting leaders from the entertainment, news, and humane communities, Genesis Awards have featured such celebrity presenters as James Stewart, Jack Lemmon, Milton Berle, Christian Bale, Sidney Poitier, Carl Reiner, Daryl Hannah, Kristen Bell, Pierce Brosnan, James Cromwell, Zooey Deschanel, Emily Deschanel, Melanie Griffith, Teri Hatcher, Isabella Rossellini, Martin Sheen, Kaley Cuoco, Nicollette Sheridan, Alicia Silverstone, Kelsey Grammer, Deepak Chopra, Kim Cattrall, Peter Falk, Walter Matthau, and Kermit the Frog. The Genesis Awards is taped for broadcast.
The awards ceremony has been held at both the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills and the Century Plaza Hotel in Century City. Through the years it has aired on the Discovery Channel, American Life Network and Animal Planet.
Sponsors for the Genesis Awards have included Warner Bros., Gardein, One Car One Difference, Honda, Bank of America, HBO, Market Development Group Incorporated and more.
Past winners
1986 Genesis Awards- Magnum, P.I. – Best TV Drama Series
- Night Court – Best TV Comedy Series
- Harry and the Hendersons – Best Feature Film – Comedy
- ' – Best Feature Film – Adventure
- Benji the Hunted – Best Feature Film – Family
- Gimme a Break! – Best TV Comedy Series
- Hachi-ko – Best Feature Film
- Highway to Heaven – Best TV Drama Series
- The Doris Day Music Award – Michael Jackson, "Man in the Mirror"
- Classic Film Award – Bambi
- Lifetime Achievement Award – Jacques Cousteau
- Gorillas in the Mist – Best Feature Film
- The Bear – Best Foreign Film
- Life Goes On – Best TV Drama Series
- Punky Brewster – Best TV Comedy Series
- Classic Film Award – Born Free
- The Rescuers Down Under – Best Feature Film
- The Last Elephant – Best TV Movie
- A Peaceable Kingdom & L.A. Law – Best TV Drama Series
- Ferris Bueller – Best TV Comedy Series
- City Slickers – Best Feature Film
- White Fang – Best Feature Film – Family
- Designing Women; "The Fur Flies" – Best TV Comedy Series
- Dinosaurs – Best Family TV Series
- MacGyver – Best TV Drama Series
- Beethoven – Best Feature Film
- ' – Best Animated Feature Film
- The Simpsons; "Dog of Death" – Best TV Comedy Series
- Quantum Leap – Best TV Drama Series
- The New Lassie – Best Family TV Series
- The Doris Day Music Award – Megadeth, "Countdown to Extinction"
- Classic Film Award – The Misfits
- Free Willy – Best Feature Film
- Sisters – Best TV Drama Series
- Roseanne; "Lanford Daze" – Best TV Comedy Series
- Rescue 911 – Best Reality Series
- The Doris Day Music Award – Paul McCartney, "Looking for Changes"
- Classic Film Award – Bless the Beasts and Children
- Lifetime Achievement Award – Jane Goodall
- Black Beauty – Best Feature Film
- The Golden Palace – Best TV Comedy Series
- Dead at 21 – Best TV Drama Series
- Babe – Best Feature Film
- The Simpsons; "Lisa the Vegetarian" – Best TV Comedy Series
- Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman – Best TV Drama Series
- The Doris Day Music Award – Michael Jackson, "Earth Song"
- Fly Away Home – Best Feature Film
- Ellen – Best TV Comedy Series
- Baywatch – Best TV Drama Series
- The Doris Day Music Award – Crosby & Nash, "To the Last Whale"
- A special Genesis Award was given to Dr. Michael A. Giannelli : "In Appreciation of Your Words, Your Wisdom and for Helping Develop the Soul of the Ark Trust"
- Shiloh – Best Feature Film
- Everybody Loves Raymond – Best TV Comedy Series
- Millennium; "Broken World" – Best TV Drama Series
- Mighty Joe Young – Best Feature Film
- The Practice; "The Food Chain" – Best TV Drama Series
- Sports Night – Best New TV Series
- Leeza – Best Talk Show
- Wild Rescues – Best Reality Series
- Instinct – Best Feature Film
- The Iron Giant – Best Animated Feature Film
- Spin City; "The Deer Hunter" – Best TV Comedy Series
- Judging Amy; "The Persistence of Tectonics" – Best TV Drama Series
- Leeza – Best Talk Show
- ' – Best Reality Series
- The Dolly Green Special Achievement Award – Prince, "Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic"
- Chicken Run – Best Feature Film
- Popular; "Joe Loves Mary Cherry" – Best TV Comedy Series
- Family Law; "Family Values" – Best TV Drama Series
- Politically Incorrect – Best Talk Show
- Dr. Dolittle 2 – Best Feature Film
- Dharma & Greg; "A Fish Tale" – Best TV Comedy Series
- Law & Order; "Whose Monkey Is It Anyway" – Best TV Drama Series
- Wild Rescues – Best Reality Series
- The Doris Day Music Award – Claude Carmichael & Pete Wasner, "Bearly Hangin' On"
- ' – Best Feature Film
- 8 Simple Rules; "Goodbye" – Best TV Comedy Series
- The Practice; "Small Sacrifices" and Everwood; "Deer God" – Best TV Drama Series
- Within These Walls – Best TV Movie
- Animal Precinct – Best Reality Series
- The Doris Day Music Award – Peter Gabriel, "Animal Nation"
- ' – Best Feature Film
- Finding Nemo – Best Animated Feature Film
- Everybody Loves Raymond; "The Bird" – Best TV Comedy Series
- ' – Best Reality Series
- The Classic Music Award – Matt Monro, "Born Free"
- Two Brothers – Best Feature Film
- ' – Best Feature Film – Family
- The Corporation – Best Documentary Feature
- 8 Simple Rules; "Finale: Part Deux" – Sid Caesar Comedy Award
- Huff; "Is She Dead?" – Best TV Drama Series
- Cell Dogs – Best Reality Series
- The Montel Williams Show – Best Talk Show
- Best Friend Forgotten – Best TV Documentary
- An Unfinished Life – Best Feature Film
- Duma – Best Feature Film – Family
- ' – Best Animated Feature Film
- The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill – Best Documentary Feature
- ' – Best TV Drama Series
- Larry King Live – Best Talk Show
- ' – Best Reality Series
- The Doris Day Music Award – Nellie McKay, "The Dog Song"
- Fast Food Nation – Best Feature Film
- Charlotte's Web – Best Feature Film – Family
- Happy Feet – Best Animated Feature Film
- The Simpsons; "Million Dollar Abie" – Sid Caesar Comedy Award
- Bones; "The Woman in Limbo" – Best TV Drama Series
- '; "The DeAlea Family" – Best Reality Series
- '; "Appa's Lost Days" – Outstanding Children's Programming
- The Gretchen Wyler Award – Sir Paul McCartney
- Year of the Dog – Best Feature Film
- According to Jim – Sid Caesar Comedy Award
- ; "Unbearable" – Best TV Drama Series
- Planet in Peril – Best TV Documentary
- The Gretchen Wyler Award – Hayden Panettiere
- Bolt – Best Feature Film
- Sharkwater – Best Documentary Feature
- The Simpsons; "Apocalypse Cow" – Sid Caesar Comedy Award
- Grey's Anatomy; "Life During Wartime" – Best TV Drama Series
- 30 Days; "Animal Rights" – Best Reality Seriesx
- Planet in Peril – Best TV Documentary
- The Gretchen Wyler Award – Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi
- Hotel for Dogs and Up – Best Feature Film
- The Cove – Best Documentary Feature
- Family Guy; "Dog Gone" – Sid Caesar Comedy Award
- Bones; "The Tough Man in the Tender Chicken" – Best TV Drama Series
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show – Best Talk Show
- Whale Wars – Best Reality Series
- Death on a Factory Farm – Best TV Documentary
- Lifetime Achievement Award – Tippi Hedren
- How to Train Your Dragon – Best Feature Film
- The Elephant in the Living Room – Best Documentary Feature
- The Colbert Report – Sid Caesar Comedy Award
- True Blood; "Hitting the Ground" – Best TV Drama Series
- The Oprah Winfrey Show – Best Talk Show
- Last Chance Highway – Best Reality Series
- My Child is a Monkey – Best TV Documentary
- The Gretchen Wyler Award – Kristin Davis
- Rise of the Planet of the Apes – Best Feature Film
- Born to Be Wild 3D – Best Documentary Feature
- The Colbert Report – Sid Caesar Comedy Award
- Hawaii Five-0; "Lapa'au" – Best TV Drama Series
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show – Best Talk Show
- Animal Planet Investigates; "Captive Hunting Exposed" – Best Reality Series
- Gordon Ramsay: Shark Bait – Best TV Documentary
- 20/20 – Best TV Newsmagazine
- International Humanitarian Award – Pritish Nandy
- The Gretchen Wyler Award – Ian Somerhalder
- Big Miracle – Best Feature Film
- The Colbert Report, Representative Steve King on dogfighting – Sid Caesar Comedy Award
- Harry's Law, "Gorilla My Dreams" – Best TV Drama Series
- Ivory Wars – Best TV Documentary
- Wild Justice – Reality Series
- 60 Minutes, "Jungle Warfare", Nine Network Australia – Brigitte Bardot International TV
- The Gretchen Wyler Award – Ke$ha