Janet Jackson after arriving at the 19th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on April 25, 2008 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California. (source)

This year’s 19th Annual GLAAD Media Awards ceremony was held Saturday, April 26, at the Kodak Theatre in L.A.

Two ABC shows, Ugly Betty and Brothers and Sisters, brought in the awards for Outstanding Comedy Series, and Outstanding Drama Series. Both shows, which feature openly gay or transsexual regular characters, received the same awards last year from GLAAD.

On “Brothers & Sisters,” Matthew Rhys plays Kevin, a lawyer sibling whose dating life is frequently depicted on the drama. “Ugly Betty” features Marc St. James, the flamboyantly gay assistant played by Michael Urie, as well as Alexis Meade, the transsexual editor played by Rebecca Romijn.

Kathy Griffin won Outstanding Reality Program for Bravo’s wickedly funny “Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List.”

Other awards included:

Vanguard Award, presented to Janet Jackson by Ellen Degeneres. The award honors a member of the entertainment community who has made a significant difference in promoting equal rights for queer people. 

Stephen F. Kolzak Award, presented to Rufus Wainwright by Sharon Stone. The award is named after a highly successful Los Angeles casting director who devoted the last part of his life to fighting AIDS-phobia and homophobia in the entertainment industry. The award is given to an openly gay member of the entertainment or media community for his or her work toward eliminating homophobia. 

Pioneer Award, presented to Herb Ritts, by Tom Ford and accepted by Cindy Crawford in Ritts place. The Pioneer Award is given to a pioneering individual, group, or media outlet that made a significant contribution to the development of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender-inclusive media images prior to the creation of the GLAAD Media Awards.