Beloved actors Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen turned the primary couple to collectively settle for a prestigious award from the Tv Academy honoring philanthropy at Sunday’s Emmy Awards.
Kristen Bell and Michael Schur introduced the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award to the duo in the course of the stay telecast. Schur created “The Good Place,” which Danson starred in alongside Bell from 2016-20.
“There’s no honor that would mean more to Mary and me than this one, and the fact that it’s been given to both of us means the world,” Danson stated.
“If it’s true that life is made up of two emotions, love and fear, the world’s a little out of balance right now,” Steenburgen added. “We don’t want to live in fear, so we make ourselves useful working for organizations that move the scale away from fear and put us smack dab in the middle of love.”
Whereas every actor has labored throughout a number of totally different organizations and causes each individually and as a pair, their philanthropic work usually pertains to environmentalism and conservation and advocacy for youngsters.
The award shouldn’t be given out yearly, and there have been solely a handful of recipients because it was established by the Tv Academy in 2002. Previous recipients embody Oprah Winfrey, Danny Thomas (posthumously), George Clooney and Sean Penn. The award is bestowed on these within the media and leisure business whose humanitarian work has made a profound affect, invoking the spirit of late comic Bob Hope’s philanthropy.
“From environmental advocacy to humanitarian relief, they lead with grace, integrity and purpose,” Abrego’s assertion continued.
Danson, a longtime environmentalist and ocean conservation activist, co-founded the American Oceans Marketing campaign almost 4 many years in the past with the objective of alerting Individuals to hazards created by oil spills, offshore developments, poisonous wastes, sewage air pollution and different ocean abuses. For the reason that group merged with Oceana in 2001, Danson has served on its board of administrators and has testified earlier than the Home Committee on Nationwide Sources on behalf of the trigger.
Steenburgen is an advocate for growing funding for the humanities in American faculties. She served as a keynote speaker on the 2024 Ohio Faculty Boards Assn. Capital Convention, emphasizing the significance of the humanities in public faculties.
Danson and Steenburgen additionally co-founded the nonprofit Angels at Threat with activist Susie Spain in 2007. The group goals to deal with drug and alcohol abuse in youngsters, youngsters and households by pushing for early prevention schooling in all faculties and creating academic packages and companies designed to encourage communication between teenagers and oldsters.
The couple have additionally individually supported and labored with a number of different philanthropic organizations. For Danson, that has included organizations just like the ASPCA, Local weather U.S. PAC, Elton John AIDS Basis, Malaria No Extra and Younger Storytellers; Steenburgen has labored with Artists for a Free South Africa, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Basis, Heifer Worldwide and No Child Hungry.
Danson and Steenburgen are additionally robust supporters of the LGTBQ+ group, and so they not too long ago obtained the Nancy Pelosi Equality Ally Award on the 2024 Equality PAC Nationwide Delight Gala.
Danson, an Emmy and Golden Globe winner, is greatest identified for taking part in Sam Malone in “Cheers,” and for his function on “The Good Place.” Steenburgen, an Oscar and Golden Globe winner, has starred in “Parenthood,” “Melvin and Howard” “Elf” and extra. Danson is at the moment starring in Netflix’s “A Man on the Inside,” and Steenburgen is becoming a member of the comedy for its upcoming second season.
