The Beverly Wilshire ballroom hosted accomplished actors, writers, producers, directors, activists and a very famous A-lister on Friday night for GLSEN\u2019s Respect Awards Los Angeles, but it was a group of LGBT teens from the organization\u2019s student ambassador program that garnered the most praise and respect from the lively Hollywood crowd.\nEven that Oscar winning A-lister \u2013 Julia Roberts who was honored with the night\u2019sHumanitarian Award with absentee hubbyDanny Moder \u2013 seemed star struck by the students, whose courage in rising above bullying to live truthful lives was on full display throughout the evening. \u201cThe young people in this room have encouraged me infinitely,\u201d she said during her closing acceptance speech close to 10 p.m., a time she joked would normally be in line with her second REM cycle. \u201cI\u2019m so moved, I\u2019m so amazed and I feel that it is now our responsibility as the Moder family \u2013 me and the four of them who didn\u2019t come \u2013 to support all of you in this room in any and every way we can.\u201d
\nModer couldn\u2019t make it because he was in Texas, relayed Roberts, but Ryan Murphy could. The multi-hyphenate presented the actress with her award and in the process praised the couple\u2019s philanthropic efforts on behalf of GLSEN, UNICEF, Heal the Bay, Stand Up to Cancer and the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves. On a lighter note, Murphy dubbed the Moders \u201cdamn fine role models\u201d and noted that Roberts filmed the classicPretty Woman in the same hotel 25 years ago. (Reg Bev Will, anyone?)
\nSpeaking of her screen work, Murphy also said that Roberts is one of the main reasons his HBO film The Normal Heart got made. During her speech, Roberts (who sat next to her agent, CAA\u2019s Kevin Huvane) said she was thrilled to be recognized but she\u2019s fully aware of what her role in the process really is.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"