So sorry to read to you. I promise that I mean it.
But it's an odd thing. It's so much easier to memorize words that aren't yours than it is to memorize words that are yours.
There's something mind numbingly scary about this.
Thank you Mayim and Carly.
Mayim, you are such a loving, intelligent, and good person.
And while Todd and I have shared many friends for many years
you were the first person that we both agreed we wanted to have here with us.
Thank you for doing this.
Um...checking my zipper.
Thank you all for having us here tonight.
Um...I'm not going to say 'um' anymore.
When Todd and I were so graciously...
...when we heard that we were so graciously being given this award we were very flattered.
And we were also very confused.
It just seems like there are so many people in this world who do really amazing things
who are inspirations to others.
We're surrounded by these people tonight.
GLSEN's Student Ambassadors to me, are some of the most truly inspiring people I've ever had the pleasure to meet.
As she mentioned, I presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Jeffrey and Marilyn Katzenberg last year with Carly, who's right there.
After hearing Carly speak that night, I only wondered how long it would be until I had to call her senator.
My initial response when asked to name someone who is an inspiration is to look for someone like Carly
who, like the other ambassadors, has decided to step up, and take a stand, and actively attempt to make a difference in their societies.
I look for people who see a problem, an injustice, an inequality
and know that the only chance to rectify that issue is to get up, and speak their minds in front of their peers
fully aware that this act puts them in the line of fire.
I've been lucky enough to meet Larry Kramer, because I've had the incredible good fortune to work on his piece "The Normal Heart".
I was not going to do a promotion, but there are so many good people from HBO here.
Ryan Murphy is here and I'm in the midst of working on this with all of them
Ryan Murphy's doing such a wonderful job on the movie version of "The Normal Heart". I'm very excited for all of you to see it.
I really wasn't going to do that. It seems so cheap doesn't it? It cheapens the moment, but it's such a good thing.
I'm back to my words.
It is impossible to work on "The Normal Heart" without starting to understand what Larry is all about.
Larry Kramer is a human. He has an acute sense of injustice.
And has a refusal to let anything slide by uncommented upon when he sees it as unjust.
And while "The Normal Heart" covers a period in Larry's life where he spear headed the struggle to bring attention to the AIDS crisis.
at a time when the epidemic was largely being shunted aside because it was considered a gay disease.
I believe his play continues to resonate with audiences so strongly
because it also serves as a parable about all the Larry's and Carly's and Student Ambassadors in our world.
Whatever the particular cause is, all people understand an inspiration when they see it.
So when I hold myself up to these types qualities, these types of people. I feel I pale in comparison.
I think that what people like Larry do, Carly do, is called activism.
And I've never considered myself an activist.
I have never considered my relationship with Todd to be an act of activism.
Rather it is simply an act of love.
Coffee in the morning, going to work, washing the clothes, walking the dog, regular life boring love.
No offense. You know what I mean by that!
It's a good place to be, but come on.
Now all that said. No one is giving us an award for activism. I realize this.
So, if we are indeed inspiration to others, simply by being who we are, living our lives in the way that feels right to us
Then we have to thank the same people who help any couple continue a successful relationship.
Our friends and family.
We are both surrounded so many wonderful be people who make our lives better and easier
friends we've had for years and friends we've made since living in LA like the whole cast and crew of "The Big Bang Theory".
And we receive so much love and support from each of our families.
Mine in Houston and Todd's whose parents are actually with us tonight.
You can barely see up here, but thank you. There they are.
Thank you Ellie and Lou for being such and important part of our lives
and our dogs lives.
And now I should let Todd speak some.
Well as always, Jim didn't leave much for me to say.
But I just wanted to give a few extra thanks.
Again, to Eliza and everyone at GLSEN for this great honor and all your hard work.
To Mayim.
Thanks again for being with us here tonight.
We also want to thank Jeffery and Marilyn Katzenberg and Chip Sullivan for inviting us to this event last year.
For without your invitation we wouldn't know about this organization and the great work GLSEN is doing across the country.
And lastly, to my most supportive parents for making the trip out from Philadelphia to be here tonight. Thank you.