After sharing a touching moment with presenter Ina Garten, the iconic Julia Louis-Dreyfus accepted the 2024 Webby Podcast of the Year Award for her poignant podcast, “Wiser Than Me.” Her words were, ”Listen to Old Women, Motherf*ckers!”

For platforming crucial cultural and social dialogues through his podcast, “Club Shay Shay”—plus his advocacy for racial equality and early detection in health—Shannon Sharpe accepted the 2024 Webby Advocate of the Year Award, presented by President and CEO of the NAACP Derrick Johnson. His 5-Word Speech? “God is Great. Thank You.”

In an unforgettable moment, the room came to a hush as Kara Swisher took the stage to accept the 2024 Webby Lifetime Achievement Award from legendary journalist Maggie Haberman. It was a fitting tribute to her life’s work of breaking the toughest stories across business and tech, and building her own media empire. Her 5 Words? “I Ain’t Done, Tech Bros.”

Multi-talented comedian and storyteller Jerrod Carmichael accepted the Webby Outstanding Comedic Performance Award from comedian and actor Lil Rel Howery, for his fresh, witty and raw work in his documentary series, the “Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show.” In typical Jerrod fashion, his 5 Words were, “Risk Everything Every Time. Thanks.”

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer took the stage to accept a Webby Award from Amanda Litman, Co-Founder & Co-Executive director of Run for Something, for expertly wielding social media to empower women through her campaign, “Governor Barbie.” Even in a moment dedicated to her, she used it to inspire women everywhere to break stereotypes—”Wear Pink. Get Sh*t Done.”

A deeply reflective and spiritual series, “The Laverne Cox Show,” was honored with a Webby for spotlighting intimate conversations about life and sharing wisdom from people of all walks of life. Laverne Cox graced the Webby stage once again to accept the award, from Chase Strangio, Deputy Director for Transgender Justice with ACLU's LGBT & HIV Project, saying, “Healing Collective Trauma: Necessary, Possible.”

Madison Tevlin, Canadian actress, digital creator and the face of the instant viral video, “Down Syndrome is the Least Interesting Thing About Me,” accepted her Webby for the campaign in a moving exchange with fellow Canadian model and creator, Coco Rocha. Her message? “It’s Fun Proving People Wrong.”

At a time when life-saving reproductive resources are under attack, the film “Plan C” documents the creative loopholes advocates have found to provide radical access to abortion pills. Following remarks on the urgency of this work from Webby President, Claire Graves, Meena Harris, CEO of Phenomenal Media and the Reductress, presented the Director of the film, Tracy Droz Tragos, and Plan C Co-Founder, Francine Coeytaux, with the movie’s Webby Award for creatively using social media for advocacy. They called the audience to action, saying “It Feels Like A Revolution. (Available in All 50 States).”

Last night was also dedicated to celebrating the wonderful and near-addictive apps that we all use and love. Nilay Patel, Editor-in-Chief of The Verge and co-host of The Vergecast, honored Webby People’s Voice Winners Threads, Letterboxd, and The New York Times Connections Game in a special onstage moment.