an example to everyone and putting their
passion and energy behind family
education and equality they're an
inspiration to all of us so please help
me welcome my two friends the twenty
twelve glisten respect Awards Los
Angeles inspiration honorees Simon halls
and Matt Bomer
[Applause]
[Music]
Wow
this makes me think this makes me think
I don't know if any of you guys saw Matt
do Glee there was this there's a scene
where he was just being ridiculous as
his character and then he went out and
broke out in a song with Darren Criss
and they were doing all this stuff and
at the end people started clapping and
he looked over to his character and he
said standing OH and I sort of feel the
same way I can't thank you so much it's
crazy to give us a standing ovation when
there's so many inspirational people out
here thank you Joe for that great
introduction and thank you to glisten
for this very kind award both Matt and I
are deeply deeply honored to be
receiving it you know there are a lot of
great organizations out there who do a
lot of fantastic stuff for people from
all walks of life but I think I speak
for Matt and myself and saying that none
of us are none of them impress us as
much as glisten which does amazing
life-saving work for kids across the
country as you've heard by now glisten
works in a grassroots manner to protect
young vulnerable kids from harassment
and bullying in schools and in their
communities for that they deserve all
the accolades and all the support
they're getting from all of you tonight
so
as parents Matt and I have been blessed
with three incredible sometimes crazy
but incredible kids having kids really
teaches you so many things and one of
the things we've both learned in our
parenting journey is how loving and
accepting and open children's minds and
hearts are from day one we both believe
that kids are a constant reminder that
man is essentially kind and good and
fair unfortunately in some parts of the
country some kids are taught at an early
age that being different is somehow bad
or wrong or worthy of ridicule and
that's where the seeds of bullying or
sown kids aren't born to be bullies
they're taught to be bullies and I think
that's why all of the amazing work that
Glisson does is so essential kids need
to be given an environment where they
feel safe and where they have hope for
the future and they feel empowered to
love whoever they want so thank you to
listen for all you're doing creating a
safe place for our nation's youth and
thank you Joe again and now over to my
better half mr. Baumer
note to self never let your smarter half
speak first I hope you guys don't mind I
say a few words as well we're both
really honored to be receiving the
inspiration award tonight from an
organization that's been so
inspirational to us for so long I want
to echo Simon and thanking Joe Joe to be
honest I thought the gate friendliest
thing you ever did was dance with me in
a thong and Magic Mike but I think I
think you've actually outdone yourself
tonight so thank you you are you're an
amazing friend and an incredible artist
and I'm lucky to know you and you
inspire me and not just with your beard
you know the reason and a lot of the
people who inspire me are actually here
tonight really starting with this
amazing young generation who are doing
such impactful grassroots work you guys
have to give yourselves a hand I mean
it's your doing the real work frankly
and also established artists like
Jeffrey and Ryan Murphy Harvey Mike
Lombardo amongst many many others who
are here tonight you tell stories that
start a conversation and oftentimes
that's the first step in dissolving
ignorance so thank you this organization
has always been special to me because I
grew up in suburban Texas not far from
Katy Texas that we heard about earlier
tonight and there was no glisten when I
was in high school there was no safe
haven there was no outlet for you to
speak your mind so I did what any
self-preserving fourteen-year-old would
do I signed up for the school play
and also the football team to cover my
tracks I'm sure there are many of you
out there tonight who probably did
something very similar but you know when
that happens when you aren't allowed to
speak about who you are one of the most
authentic parts of who you are which is
who you love or who you're attracted to
feels invisible and glisten gives
visibility and authenticity to kids all
across the country and for that we're
very very grateful yeah so I want to I
want to thank everybody who's here
tonight who started a chapter your local
school or who had the courage to go to a
meeting and to all those here who
donated of their time and their money
you're the ones doing the real work and
we share this work with all of you and I
also especially want to thank shear it
with the kids who don't have an outreach
program and who suffer in silence help
is on the way I went back to my high
school alma mater website this week to
just see what the developments were and
front and center on the homepage this is
near Katy Texas was an organization
called Bearcats against hate and
Bearcats where our mascot I don't know
what that is I still don't know what a
Bearcat is it made high school even more
confusing but
I digress the important thing is that
the work we're doing here tonight is
changing the cultural landscape and
making a lot of lives a lot better so
thank you
mostly I want to thank my amazing family
Simon our three boys who inspire me
every day and I want to thank everybody
at the USA Network and Fox many of whom
are here tonight Jeff Wachtel Alex fel
and I also chip Sullivan and Eliza Byard
who never stopped looking for this
organization and without whom this whole
night would not even be possible
bonnie hammers well I can't leave her
out she's been an amazing influence and
I really want to thank my friends who
came out to support and especially my
cast you guys have been so incredibly
supportive of me from day one you're
like the big Italian family I never had
you've stood by me through the good and
the bad and always supported me whether
voiced or or silently and most
importantly you've only ever treated me
as an equal artist who's there to help
you tell a story and that in my opinion
is real progress so thank you
[Applause]