“Here I am again, surrounded by gays,” announced Jennifer Coolidge during a surprise speech to kick off the 34th annual GLAAD Media Awards on Thursday night in Los Angeles, a joke referencing her recent time on HBO’s hit series, The White Lotus.
Wearing a form-fitting black dress with diamonds along the shoulder line and weaved in her hair, she continued, “We’re all here for a very important reason, and you want to know why? Because we’re here to honor media that helps the world understand and accept the LGBT community.”
Coolidge then went on to talk about how grateful she is for said community and how much support they’ve given to her over the years.
“I want to give back, you know. I believe we all have the right to be who we are and to love the people that we love and tell our stories and celebrate that in every way that we can,” she said before noting that was what the GLAAD Media Awards were really all about.
\u201cIt wouldn\u2019t be an award show in 2023 without the incredibly iconic @JENCOOLIDGE. She just made a surprise appearance to help us kick off the #GLAADawards (and these gays were not trying to kill her)\n\nAnd then an old friend of hers had their own surprise.\u201d— GLAAD (@GLAAD) 1680232892
During her speech, Coolidge was surprised when Jane Lynch joined her on stage. While embracing Coolidge, she said, “This wonderful woman here was pro-gay before it was cool to be pro-gay. She is one of us, ladies and gentlemen. I have always said that the world has to catch up to Jennifer Coolidge, and the world has caught up to Jennifer Coolidge!”
Lynch then presents Coolidge with an award, who is beside herself with gratitude.
Elsewhere in the awards ceremony, hosted by Margaret Cho, Christina Aguilera too home the Advocate for Change Award, Jeremy Pope the Stephen F. Kolzak Award, and Bad Bunny received the Vanguard Award.