Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen have been selected to jointly receive the Television Academy‘s Bob Hope Humanitarian Award this year, which will be presented to them during the 77th Emmy Awards ceremony on Sept. 14.
This reps the first time the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award has been given since 2022, and the first time it has been presented to a couple. The duo were chosen to be celebrated for “a lifetime of extraordinary philanthropy, activism and unwavering commitment to global good… two luminaries whose off-screen legacy shines as bright as their decades of celebrated television work,” the TV Academy noted.
The Bob Hope Humanitarian Award was established in 2002, and has been given to Oprah Winfrey (2002), Danny Thomas (2004, posthumously), George Clooney (2010) and Sean Penn (2022). The honor, one of the TV Academy’s most prestigious, is presented by the Television Academy’s Board of Governors and given to “an individual(s) in the media industry whose deeds and actions have a lasting impact on communities and whose philanthropic efforts exemplify Bob Hope’s decades-long altruism and positive impact on society.”
Danson is being recognized for his work as an environmentalist and ocean conservation activist, having co-founded the American Oceans Campaign (AOC) to draw awareness to the impact of oil spills, offshore developments, toxic wastes, sewage pollution and other ocean abuses. The group merged with Oceana in 2001; Danson has served on Oceana’s board and has testified before the House Committee on National Resources on behalf of the cause. Danson’s other work has included orgs like the ASPCA, Climate U.S. PAC, Elton John AIDS Foundation, Malaria No More, Young Storytellers and more.
Steenburgen has worked with Artists for a Free South Africa, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Heifer International, No Kid Hungry and Oceana. In advocating for funding the arts in schools, she served as a keynote speaker at the 2024 Ohio School Board Association Capital Conference to educate administrators about the importance of the arts in public schools.
Together, Danson and Steenburgen co-founded the nonprofit organization Angels at Risk in 2007 focusing on children, teenagers and families who are at risk for drug and alcohol abuse. The couple has also promoted LGBTQ+ rights, earning the Nancy Pelosi Equality Ally Award at the 2024 Equality PAC National Pride Gala in Washington, D.C.
“Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen have long used their voices — and their hearts — to champion causes that uplift the planet and its people,” said TV Academy chair Cris Abrego. “From environmental advocacy to humanitarian relief, they lead with grace, integrity and purpose. The Television Academy is proud to honor their extraordinary legacy of service with the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award.”
Danson (“Cheers,” “The Good Place”) currently stars in the Netflix comedy”A Man on the Inside,” while Steenburgen (“Parenthood,” “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”) is next starring opposite Danson in Season 2 of “A Man on the Inside” and also stars in the upcoming film “The Dink.”
The 77th Emmy Awards, hosted by Nate Bargatze, will air live from the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live in Downtown Los Angeles on Monday, Sept. 14 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS, as well as streaming live and on demand on Paramount+ for some customers.
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