“Abbott Elementary” creator Quinta Brunson, former “Saturday Night Live” cast member Bowen Yang and his “Las Culturistas” podcast co-host Matt Rogers are all set to receive special honors at this year’s GLAAD Media Awards.
GLAAD announced Monday that Yang and Rogers will receive the Stephen F. Kolzak Award for their efforts to significantly raise visibility for members of the LGBTQ community and promote acceptance of queer issues. The award is named in honor of Kolzak, a casting director who spent the last chapter of his life fighting homophobia and HIV stigma throughout the entertainment industry. The award’s previous recipients include “Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo, Niecy Nash-Betts, Laverne Cox, Wanda Sykes, Jim Parsons and more.
Brunson, meanwhile, will be honored at the event with the GLAAD Vanguard Award, a prize gifted to queer allies who have made a difference in promoting greater acceptance of LGBTQ people and issues. The award’s previous recipients include Oprah Winfrey, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez, Kerry Washington, Liza Minnelli, Kacey Musgraves and more.
This year’s GLAAD Media Awards will be held in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 5. A broadcast of the event will subsequently stream Saturday, March 21 on Hulu.
In addition to Yang, Rogers and Brunson, the award ceremony will feature special appearances by U.S. Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn, comedian Zeke Smith and actor Frankie Grande. Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist Eli is also set to make her GLAAD Media Awards musical debut with a special performance at the ceremony. Demi Lovato is on deck to perform at the award show as well, which will be hosted by Jonathan Bennett.
This year’s GLAAD Media Awards attendees additionally include the cast and creatives behind “Heated Rivalry,” Don Lemon, Abe Sylvia, Tig Notaro, Ariana Madix, Camila Mendes, Lili Reinhart, Paul Feig, Rhea Seehorn, Rob Mac, Stephanie Beatriz, Cara Delevingne, Chris Appleton, Karolina Wydra, Kristen Wiig, Laverne Cox, Melissa Fumero and more.
Along with her forthcoming individual honor, Brunson’s “Abbott Elementary” was also nominated at this year’s GLAAD Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series. The category’s other nominees this year include “Ghosts,” “Hacks,” “Hazbin Hotel,” “Loot,” “Palm Royale,” “The Righteous Gemstones,” “Survival of the Thickest” and “The Upshaws.”
Yang and Rogers’ “Las Culturistas” is competing for this year’s Outstanding Podcast prize as well. The show’s 2026 competition includes fellow hit podcasts “Bald & The Beautiful,” “The Daily Beans Podcast,” “Handsome Podcast,” “Outlaws with TS Madison,” “The Read,” “Shut Up Evan,” “So True with Caleb Hearon,” “Tactful Pettiness” and “We Can Do Hard Things.”
