by Mary Krasn
"I always feel better in this room than in any other room."
This statement from comedian and political satirist Bill Maher captured the feeling of the nearly 900 people who attended the taped-for-television 22nd Genesis Awards in the International Ballroom of The Beverly Hilton Hotel Saturday, March 29.
A Different Kind of Award
The annual Genesis Awards, produced by The Humane Society of the United States, recognizes those in the major media whose talents and journalistic integrity have raised awareness of animal issues. Nominees and winners range from those who work in the print media, to the writers, directors and producers of feature films and television. They are recognized and receive their awards from celebrities of all stripes.
"Gretchen Wyler, founder of The Genesis Awards, was the Liz Taylor and Jackie Onassis of the animal movement all in one," said Maher. "I'd rather get an award here than be nominated for 25 Emmy Awards."
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This year's ceremony was dedicated to Gretchen Wyler, who organized the first awards ceremony as a small luncheon in 1986 and guided its growth to the major event it is today. Wyler, a former Broadway dancer and actress, succumbed in May 2007 to breast cancer. Wyler was remembered warmly by the many people in the room whom she had enlisted to fight for the rights of animals. Animals, Wyler said, should have the right to "run if they have legs, swim if they have fins and fly if they have wings."
Wyler mentored, and was then succeeded by, Beverly Kaskey, now senior director of the Hollywood office of The HSUS. "Our goal now is to think 'beyond green,'" said Kaskey. "We are all connected—animals, people and the planet. Who wants to have a beautiful world without a variety of animals to inhabit it?"
Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS, presented The Wyler Award, established last year to honor a celebrity who has raised awareness of animal issues through the major media, to "Heroes" actress Hayden Panettiere following footage showing her tangling with Japanese fisherman as she attempted to save trapped dolphins rounded up for slaughter. Panettiere, who is also a spokesperson for Save the Whales Again! and The Whaleman Foundation, was visibly moved.
"As an actor, you always dream of Emmys and Academy Awards," she said. "But I never dreamed of an award as special as this one is."
From Pets to Pigs, Sharks to "Skinny Bitch"
Maher presented the Sid Caesar Comedy Award to "According to Jim" for its episode, "Guinea Pygmalion," which suggested that even a macho man like the show's character, played by Jim Belushi, can appreciate the rewards of making financial sacrifices for a family pet.
Celebrity presenters included Academy Award nominee James Cromwell, who presented the Outstanding Feature Film award to "Year of the Dog," a compassionate look at the evolution of an animal activist.
"Desperate Housewives'" Kyle MacLachlan presented the Outstanding News Feature award to "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric" for its coverage of assorted animal issues, including the Michael Vick dogfighting scandal.
Constance Marie of "The George Lopez Show" presented the Outstanding TV Newsmagazine award to "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" for its segments entitled "Bred to Die" and "Faster Horses."
Ben Stein presented the Outstanding TV Documentary award to CNN's Planet in Peril. The featured correspondent on the piece, renowned journalist Anderson Cooper, accepted the award. "I think it's the mission of reporters to give a voice to those that have no voice, and to hear the cries of those whose cries aren't being heard," said Anderson.
"Sharkwater" received the Outstanding Documentary Film award. The film's executive producer, writer and director, Rob Stewart, who also narrated and was featured in the film, accepted.
"Sharks are being killed everywhere, and people have no idea, largely because everyone's afraid of sharks, so I figured if I could give people a new impression of sharks counter to 'Jaws,' counter to the media's perception that they're mindless predators, then maybe they'd want to fight for their protection, like they fight for elephants, and pandas and bears."
Kaskey also gave special thanks to Special Guests Sam Simon, for The Sam Simon Foundation's multi-purpose mission to "save the lives of dogs and enrich the lives of people," and author Rory Freedman, for her book "Skinny Bitch," which is widely credited to have raised awareness of the plight of factory farmed animals on a huge scale.
Chef Wolfgang Puck received special recognition for embarking on a mission to offer more animal-friendly fare in his many restaurant and wholesale food products after meeting with HSUS representatives.
An animal Victory, presented by writer/comedian Carol Leifer, celebrated the decision of major designers, including Calvin Klein and Bebe, to go "fur free," and the European Union's decision to ban Asian fur products (The HSUS has exposed many so-called "faux fur" designs as being made of the real fur of cats and dogs in China).
Actress, animal activist, and HSUS board member Persia White presented another Victory, which included Oregon's decision to ban pig gestation crates that prevent any movement by the animals, and a mention of several major food service providers' and restaurant chains' pledges to end the use of products from animals confined in tiny crates and cages. "People are starting to understand that kindness to animals begins with a fork," said White.
THE 22ND GENESIS AWARDS' COMPLETE LIST OF WINNERS
YEAR OF THE DOG Paramount Vantage – FEATURE FILM
SHARKWATER Atlantis/Alliance - DOCUMENTARY FILM
ACCORDING TO JIM Guinea Pygmalion – ABC - SID CAESAR COMEDY AWARD
CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION Lying Down with Dogs -CBS - DRAMATIC SERIES
60 MINUTES multiple episodes – CBS - TV NEWSMAGAZINE – NATIONAL
REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL Bred to Die and Faster Horses – HBO - TV NEWSMAGAZINE – CABLE/LOCAL/PBS/SYNDICATED
CBS EVENING NEWS WITH KATIE COURIC multiple segments – CBS – NATIONAL NEWS FEATURE
WAGA-TV FOX 5 (Atlanta) Fox Pens - LOCAL NEWS SERIES (TIE)
WKYC-TV (Cleveland) Pig Farm Abuse – LOCAL NEWS SERIES (TIE)
KHOU-TV (Houston) multiple segments - LOCAL NEWS FEATURE
SUNDAY MORNING Unforgettable, Unleashed, Zoo Story - CBS - MORNING SHOW
PLANET IN PERIL - CNN - TV DOCUMENTARY
THE CAIRO CONNECTION – SABC2 50/50 (South Africa) plus various countries - BRIGITTE BARDOT INTERNATIONAL
GOURMET MAGAZINE A View to a Kill by Daniel Zwerdling and The Occasional Vegetarian - Letter from the Editor Ruth Reichl – PERIODICAL
CHICAGO TRIBUNE MAGAZINE Is Animal Liberation Going Soft? - by Mick Dumke - NEWSPAPER MAGAZINE FEATURE
TULSA WORLD puppy mill investigation by Omer Gillham – SERIES OF NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
STU BYKOFSKY Philadelphia Daily News: I am an Elephant / It's Time to Ban Foie Gras / "'Pardoned' Bird Also Is Doomed"- COLUMNIST
THE JAPAN TIMES 3-part series on dolphin slaughter/human health hazard – by Boyd Harnell - BRIGITTE BARDOT INTERNATIONAL PRINT
