FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sunshine Sachs
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Star-Studded Celebration of Internet Culture Set for May 16 in New York
NEW YORK, May 2, 2016 – The Webby Awards announced today that critically acclaimed comedian, actor, writer and musician Nick Offerman will host the 20th Annual Webby Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on May 16, 2016.
As host, Offerman will open the show and keep the Winners in check, ensuring they each follow the hallmark Webby 5-Word Acceptance Speech rule. Notable speeches from past shows include Kevin Spacey and Dana Brunetti’s “The Oscars should do this,” the inventor of the GIF file format Steve Wilhite’s “It’s pronounced ‘JIF’ not ‘GIF,’” and comedian Chelsea Peretti’s “The Internet must be stopped.”
Fans around the world will be able to watch and share The Webby Awards ceremony on demand at WebbyAwards.com starting the morning of Tuesday, May 17. Online viewers will be able to enjoy all the show highlights, including special performances and all the hallmark 5-Word Speeches from the night’s big Winners.
“Nick is one of the most talented and versatile actors and comedians out there and perfectly captures the creativity and ingenuity that The Webby Awards love to recognize,” said David-Michel Davies, Executive Director of the Webby Awards. “And, also, the man carved wooden emojis, which is really all that matters.”
A first-time host to The Webby Awards, Offerman is an actor best known for portraying Ron Swanson on seven seasons of NBC’s Parks and Recreation. He’s also appeared on the series Fargo, Children’s Hospital, The West Wing and Will & Grace. Offerman’s big-screen credits include Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, We’re the Millers and the voice of Metal Beard in The Lego Movie. He can be seen in the upcoming film The Founder for The Weinstein Company opposite Michael Keaton which is due out in August. He’s also lending his voice to Ice Age: Collision Course which Fox is releasing this summer. In addition to his acting and roles, Offerman is also the author of two New York Times best-selling books—Paddle Your Own Canoe and Gumption. He has a third book being published by Dutton Books this October called Good Clean Fun. An experienced woodworker, Offerman runs his collective Offerman Woodshop based in East Los Angeles. He recently starred in the Huntington Theater Company’s stage adaptation of the classic novel A Confederacy of Dunces. Offerman received the Television Critics Association Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy for his Parks and Recreation role. He also received a Critics Choice nomination for his role on Fargo. Offerman’s first comedy special American Ham can be seen on Netflix and he continues to tour his second solo show Full Bush as well as the popular show Summer of 69: No Apostrophe, which he performs with his wife Megan Mullally.
Find The Webby Awards Online:
Website: www.webbyawards.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/TheWebbyAwards
Snapchat: TheWebbyAwards
Twitter: @TheWebbyAwards
YouTube: www.youtube.com/webby
About the Webby Awards:
Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites, Advertising & Media, Online Film & Video, Mobile Sites & Apps and Social. Established in 1996, The Webby Awards received nearly 13,000 entries from all 50 states and over 70 countries worldwide this year. The Webby Awards is presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include: Xfinity, Google, Verizon, Vitamin T, The Scene, Zipcar, YouTube, MediaMonks, Adformatie, Advertising Age, Code and Theory, Cool Hunting, Creativepool, Digiday, FITC, GIPHY, Internet Week New York, It’s Nice That, Mashable, Mobile Marketing Association, Moleskine, Ninja Marketing, Northside Festival, NUMA, Social Media Week, SoDA, Springwise, Sysomos, Taste Talks, The Drum, The Guardian News Media, The Hollywood Reporter, Tube Filter and VentureBeat.