Anderson Cooper is being honored by GLAAD at the gay advocacy group's 24th annual awards gathering in New York City. Madonna will be the presenting this particular prize according to the Associated Press via ABC News on March 2.
During the event, Cooper will be given the Vito Russo Award on March 16 in response to his support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community through his widespread works as a high profile television broadcaster. Anderson formally came out last year in an e-mail partially in order to support this particular cause.
The award for which Madonna will be handing over to Anderson is named after an outspoken LGBT activist who helped create GLAAD (formally known as the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) in 1985.
During his lifetime, Russo's hard-hitting 1981 missive, "The Celluloid Closet," explored gay individuals who work in Hollywood's film business. The book was used as the primary basis for a 1995 documentary of the same name. Vito Russo assisted on the film under his death in 1990.
Before Anderson Cooper, Elton John, Ricky Martin, Rosie O'Donnell, Alan Cumming, Cynthia Nixon, Nathan Lane, Cherry Jones, k.d. lang, Brian Graden, and Tom Ford have been recipients of the Vito Russo Award at the GLAAD Media Awards.
By way of background, Anderson Cooper and Madonna have enjoyed a long friendship and both luminaries have used their high profile jobs to help support LGBT people and promote equality on a global level, according to Broadway World.
In all, Anderson Cooper has been nominated seven times for GLAAD Media Awards and has been the recipient three different times so far.
The GLAAD Media Awards 2013 will take place in Manhattan on March 16 at the New York Marriott Marquis. Sam Champion, Josh Elliott, and Lara Spencer of "Good Morning America" will host the annual event.
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