Saturday's GLAAD Media Awards Ceremony

all photos courtesy Getty Images

The 19th annual GLAAD media awards were held in Hollywood on Saturday, and the the event was impressively heavy on star power. Kathy Griffin opened the show — during her act she invited her mother onstage to quiz her about her knowledge of the LGBT community.

The biggest award of the evening, the Vanguard Award, was presented by Ellen DeGeneres and was given to Janet Jackson. Said Jackson in her acceptance speech, "To everyone at GLAAD and everyone in this room, I would just like to say that I hope I can always walk worthy of this award that I have both in my hand and my heart."

Also honored was Rufus Wainwright. He accepted the Stephen F. Kolzak Award, which is presented to an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equal rights for the LGBT community. Said Wainwright, "I'd like to thank GLAAD so much for allowing the world to see us as we are – as human beings – and to fight for us when we are being defamed and maligned," Wainwright said accepting his award. "And also to allow gay people, who think that everything's fine, to actually realize that it's not, and that there is a lot of work to do."

The remaining award winners (including honored television series) as well as red carpet photos after the break!

The following television shows were honored:

• Outstanding Drama Series: Brothers & Sisters (ABC)

• Outstanding Comedy Series: Ugly Betty (ABC)

• Outstanding Reality Program: Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (Bravo)
  

GLAAD also honored photographer Herb Ritts with a posthumous Pioneer Award. Tom Ford presented the award, and Cindy Crawford accepted on behalf of the Herb Ritts Foundation.

"Herb Ritts clearly understood the power and importance of positive LGBT images in the media," Crawford said accepting the award. "He once said, 'The more the public can see examples of people of the same sex together, the more the barriers will be broken.' I know how much it would have meant to Herb to be here himself to receive this honor from GLAAD, in his hometown, basking in the love and respect of his community."

Additional red carpet photos below. Click on thumbnails to enlarge.