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  • So sorry to read to you. I promise that I mean it.

  • But it's an odd thing. It's so much easier to memorize words that aren't yours than it is to memorize words that are yours.

  • There's something mind numbingly scary about this.

  • Thank you Mayim and Carly.

  • Mayim, you are such a loving, intelligent, and good person.

  • And while Todd and I have shared many friends for many years

  • you were the first person that we both agreed we wanted to have here with us.

  • Thank you for doing this.

  • Um...checking my zipper.

  • Thank you all for having us here tonight.

  • Um...I'm not going to say 'um' anymore.

  • When Todd and I were so graciously...

  • ...when we heard that we were so graciously being given this award we were very flattered.

  • And we were also very confused.

  • It just seems like there are so many people in this world who do really amazing things

  • who are inspirations to others.

  • We're surrounded by these people tonight.

  • GLSEN's Student Ambassadors to me, are some of the most truly inspiring people I've ever had the pleasure to meet.

  • As she mentioned, I presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Jeffrey and Marilyn Katzenberg last year with Carly, who's right there.

  • After hearing Carly speak that night, I only wondered how long it would be until I had to call her senator.

  • My initial response when asked to name someone who is an inspiration is to look for someone like Carly

  • who, like the other ambassadors, has decided to step up, and take a stand, and actively attempt to make a difference in their societies.

  • I look for people who see a problem, an injustice, an inequality

  • and know that the only chance to rectify that issue is to get up, and speak their minds in front of their peers

  • fully aware that this act puts them in the line of fire.

  • I've been lucky enough to meet Larry Kramer, because I've had the incredible good fortune to work on his piece "The Normal Heart".

  • I was not going to do a promotion, but there are so many good people from HBO here.

  • Ryan Murphy is here and I'm in the midst of working on this with all of them

  • Ryan Murphy's doing such a wonderful job on the movie version of "The Normal Heart". I'm very excited for all of you to see it.

  • I really wasn't going to do that. It seems so cheap doesn't it? It cheapens the moment, but it's such a good thing.

  • I'm back to my words.

  • It is impossible to work on "The Normal Heart" without starting to understand what Larry is all about.

  • Larry Kramer is a human. He has an acute sense of injustice.

  • And has a refusal to let anything slide by uncommented upon when he sees it as unjust.

  • And while "The Normal Heart" covers a period in Larry's life where he spear headed the struggle to bring attention to the AIDS crisis.

  • at a time when the epidemic was largely being shunted aside because it was considered a gay disease.

  • I believe his play continues to resonate with audiences so strongly

  • because it also serves as a parable about all the Larry's and Carly's and Student Ambassadors in our world.

  • Whatever the particular cause is, all people understand an inspiration when they see it.

  • So when I hold myself up to these types qualities, these types of people. I feel I pale in comparison.

  • I think that what people like Larry do, Carly do, is called activism.

  • And I've never considered myself an activist.

  • I have never considered my relationship with Todd to be an act of activism.

  • Rather it is simply an act of love.

  • Coffee in the morning, going to work, washing the clothes, walking the dog, regular life boring love.

  • No offense. You know what I mean by that!

  • It's a good place to be, but come on.

  • Now all that said. No one is giving us an award for activism. I realize this.

  • So, if we are indeed inspiration to others, simply by being who we are, living our lives in the way that feels right to us

  • Then we have to thank the same people who help any couple continue a successful relationship.

  • Our friends and family.

  • We are both surrounded so many wonderful be people who make our lives better and easier

  • friends we've had for years and friends we've made since living in LA like the whole cast and crew of "The Big Bang Theory".

  • And we receive so much love and support from each of our families.

  • Mine in Houston and Todd's whose parents are actually with us tonight.

  • You can barely see up here, but thank you. There they are.

  • Thank you Ellie and Lou for being such and important part of our lives

  • and our dogs lives.

  • And now I should let Todd speak some.

  • Well as always, Jim didn't leave much for me to say.

  • But I just wanted to give a few extra thanks.

  • Again, to Eliza and everyone at GLSEN for this great honor and all your hard work.

  • To Mayim.

  • Thanks again for being with us here tonight.

  • We also want to thank Jeffery and Marilyn Katzenberg and Chip Sullivan for inviting us to this event last year.

  • For without your invitation we wouldn't know about this organization and the great work GLSEN is doing across the country.

  • And lastly, to my most supportive parents for making the trip out from Philadelphia to be here tonight. Thank you.

So sorry to read to you. I promise that I mean it.

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