GLAAD (or the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, for those of you who don’t know your acronyms) just released its list of nominees today for the annual GLAAD Media Awards, recognizing TV shows, movies, music, news, and other forms of entertainment that positively portray LGBTers. The nominees for Outstanding Comedy Series were Happy Endings, Modern Family, Glee, and newcomers The New Normal and Go On. The New Normal is centered around a gay couple and a surrogate mother bearing their child, and Go On features a lesbian lawyer character who is a part of Matthew Perry’s grief support group. The only other comedy shows to receive nominations this year were The Daily Show in the category of Outstanding Talk Show Episode for an interview with Bishop Gene Robinson, a gay religious leader, and Raising Hope for an episode in which one of the main characters considers becoming a surrogate mother for a gay couple. Looking back at the GLAAD Awards 10 years ago, there were only two shows (Will & Grace, Sex and the City) eligible for the Outstanding Comedy Series category, so it’s pretty great that we’re now in a time where there are 5+ shows that feature gay characters. Too bad NBC canceled Animal Practice early because I’ve heard rumors that there was a storyline planned in which Crystal the Monkey’s character “Dr. Rizzo†comes out of the closet, which would have totally made AP awards-eligible.
