The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences on Wednesday announced
George Clooney as the recipient of the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award for his
commitment to increasing awareness of human rights issues.
For the first time in six years, the award will be presented to
Clooney at the Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles on Aug. 29, which
will be telecast live coast to coast on NBC.
The Bob Hope Award is
presented "to an individual in the telecommunications industry whose
humanitarian work has brought credit to the industry and whose deeds and actions
have a lasting impact on society." Clooney's efforts to respond to
international crises are well known, like his advocacy to stop genocide in
Darfur and mobilizing the entertainment industry telethons in the wake of 9/11,
the 2005 tsunami and the earthquake in Haiti.
"George was an obvious
choice for this honor," said John Shaffner, chairman and CEO, Academy of
Television Arts & Sciences, in a statement. "He has understood and
harnessed the power of television, the most powerful medium of our time, to
reach into the hearts of people around the world and compelled us to action on
behalf of those in sudden and desperate need as well those tragically oppressed
in Darfur."
Clooney is the fourth
recipient of the award. Previous honorees include Oprah Winfrey, Bill Cosby and
Danny Thomas.
