Celebrities can have a big impact on culture and politics. Each year, The Humane Society of the United States presents the prestigious Wyler Award—named after late Broadway legend and HSUS vice president Gretchen Wyler—to a celebrity who has raised awareness of animal issues in the mainstream media. This year’s recipient, Hayden Panettiere of NBC’s "Heroes," was honored at The HSUS’s 22nd Annual Genesis Awards for her work to protest the brutal slaughter of dolphins in Japan.
But if you couldn’t attend the star-studded gala in Beverly Hills, you can still have the best seat in the house. The Genesis Awards will air nationwide starting this weekend on the AmericanLife TV Network. Check it out this Sunday, Sept. 7, at 8 p.m. ET, or it will re-air that evening at 11 p.m., and then play again on Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 10 and 11 (all of the air times are listed at humanesociety.org).
We don’t know which celebrity will win the next Wyler Award, but we do know that many Hollywood stars are doing their part to advance the cause of animals. California is ground zero for stardom, and it’s also the set of the biggest political drama for animal protection this year—the campaign to pass Proposition 2 and stop cruelty to animals on industrial factory farms.
Check out this brand new video starring James Cromwell, Hilary Duff, Alicia Silverstone, Amy Smart, and others letting us know why they are voting YES! on Prop 2 this November. The motto of the Genesis Awards is “Cruelty Can’t Stand the Spotlight!”—and with the help of compassionate celebrities who are spreading the word, California voters can shine the spotlight on factory farm abuses and make a difference for animals this Election Day.
