Hannibal Buress Set to Host 19th Annual Webby Awards

The comedian will open the show and enforce the Webby’s trademark five-word acceptance speech rule on May 18

After helping to roast Justin Bieber on Monday night, comedian Hannibal Buress was named as the host of the upcoming 19th Annual Webby Awards on Tuesday.

Buress will open the show and enforce its trademark five-word acceptance speech rule on Monday, May 18 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.

“The Internet is a huge fan of Hannibal’s — he isn’t someone who just gets Internet culture — he is literally helping to shape it every day,” David-Michel Davies, Executive Director of The Webby Awards said in a statement to TheWrap. “We are excited to have him bring his funny and brilliant corner of the web to life at this year’s show.”

The Webby Awards honor excellence on the Internet, including websites, advertising and media, online video, mobile sites and apps and social.

Memorable short-and-sweet speeches from past years have included street artist Banksy’s “somebody painted over it,” Kevin Spacey and Dana Brunetti of Trigger Street Productions saying “the Oscars should do this,” and the inventor of the GIF file format Steve Wilhite’s declaration: “It’s pronounced ‘JIF’ not ‘GIF.’”

Fans around the world can watch and share The Webby Awards ceremony on demand at WebbyAwards.com the following morning (May 19), and the Webby Awards channel will launch with all the show highlights, including all of the Webby 5-Word Speeches and special performances.

Buress will soon be starring in his own weekly TV series “Why? With Hannibal Buress” on Comedy Central. He is also a cast member on the network’s hit series “Broad City,” as well as co-host of Adult Swim’s “The Eric Andre Show,” and just shot the film “Daddy’s Home” alongside Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg.

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