Contact: Gita Chandra, gita@mkpr.com
Patrick Kowalczyk, patrick@mkpr.com
MKPR, 212.627.8098
To download images from the event, visit: http://www.webbyawards.com/press/event_photos.php
FIVE-WORD SPEECHES STEAL THE SHOW
AT WEBBY FILM AND VIDEO AWARDS
Lorne Michaels, Michel Gondry Honored with Special Achievement Awards;
Comedy Team “Tim and Eric” Win Best Actor
www.webbyawards.com/press/speeches.php
New York, NY (June 10, 2008) — Webby winners Lorne Michaels, director Michel Gondry (“Be Kind Rewind”), and viral video sensation Tay Zonday (“Chocolate Rain”) proved themselves to be men of few words as they delivered the awards’ trademark five-word speeches at last night’s Webby Film and Video Awards.
“Five words is not enough,” said Michaels.
Michaels received a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his groundbreaking work with SNL Digital Shorts, which jumpstarted the online video revolution in 2005 with “Lazy Sunday,” one of the first videos to become a viral hit on both YouTube and NBC.com.
“Keyboards are full of germs,” said Gondry, who was honored as Webby Film and Video Person of the Year.
The director was singled out for his latest film, “Be Kind Rewind,” a celebration of do-it-yourself filmmaking that inspired filmmakers around the world to re-create famous movies scenes and share them online.
Other speech highlights included:
“Contact me for voice work.”
– Tay Zonday, “Chocolate Rain” (Viral Video)
“Please don’t climb our building.”
– NYTimes.com, “Frugal Traveler: American Road Trip” (Travel)
“Together, we’ll make reading obsolete.”
– The Onion News Network (Best Writing)
“You like me, you reallyâ?¦”
– Heavy Broderville Pictures, “The Burly Sports Show” (Sports)
“The revolution will be webcast.”
– Getty Images (Documentary: Individual Episode)
“Well, well, well, well, well.”
– My Damn Channel, “Wainy Days” (Comedy: Series)
“Thank you very much. Good bye,” said comedy heroes Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, who were named Best Actors for their cult hit timanderic.com.
A list of all speeches can be found at: http://www.webbyawards.com/press/speeches.php.
Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by the New York Times, The 12th Annual Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring Web sites, online film and video, interactive advertising, and mobile content. The judging panel for The Webby Film and Video Awards was comprised of more than 80 entertainment industry leaders, including The Sundance Channel’s Larry Aidem, Showtime chief Matt Blank, 20th Century Fox Chairman Jim Gianopoulos, and Harvey Weinstein.
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, interactive advertising, online film and video, and mobile web sites. Established in 1996, the 12th Annual Webby Awards received nearly 10,000 entries from all 50 states and over 60 countries worldwide. The Webby Awards is presented by The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include: Adobe; The Creative Group; Nokia; .ORG; Level 3; Getty Images; The Barbarian Group; Digital Kitchen; Adweek; Variety; Wired; IDG; Pequot Ventures; Brightcove; PricewaterhouseCoopers; 2advanced.Net; KobeMail and Museum of the Moving Image.
###