The Third Annual PRISM Awards, which spotlight outstanding efforts of the entertainment industry to accurately depict drug use and addiction in entertainment products, were presented today (March 9), at the Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills, CA.
The awards, given under the auspices of the Entertainment Industries Council, Inc. (EIC) in partnership with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, were presented in the following categories: Theatrical Film, Dramatic and Comedy Television Series Episodes, TV Prime Time Drama Continuing Storyline, TV Movies/Miniseries or Dramatic Special, Reality Series Episode or Special, Talk Show Series Episode, Comic Book Issue or Continuing Storyline, and Community Service Effort.
"Down in the Delta," a Miramax Films/Amen Ra Films/Chris-Rose Productions release, received the PRISM Award in the Feature Film category.
The PRISM Award in the Dramatic Television Series Episode category was given to CBS Entertainment/Merlot Films/CBS Productions for the "Out of Bounds" episode of "The Promised Land."
"E.R.s" Chase Carter story arc was singled out for the TV Prime Time Drama Continuing Storyline category, with the award going to NBC Entertainment/Warner Bros. Television/Amblin Television/Constant c Productions.
The TV Comedy Series PRISM Award went to ABC Entertainment/Touchstone/ Imagine Television for "The Apology" episode of "Sports Night."
The award in the TV Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special category went to "Floating Away," a Showtime Networks/Producers Entertainment Group production.
E! Entertainment Television received the PRISM Award in the Television Reality Series Episode category for the second year in a row for "MacKenzie Phillips: E! True Hollywood Story."
The "Special Report: Kids, Booze and Binges" segment of "Leeza" received the award in the TV Talk Show Series Episode category, with the award going to NBC TV Network/Paramount Domestic Television/Leeza Gibbons Enterprises.
Awards were also given to NBC Entertainment/Peter Engel Productions/NBC Studios for two separate series in the Television Children's Live Action Series Episode or Special category: "High Hoops" episode of "Hang Time" and "Twelve Steps to Ben" episode of "One World"; WB TV Network/Kids WB!/Warner Bros. Television Animation for "Pinky and the Brain" in the Television Children's Animated Series Episode or Special category; Marvel Comics in the Comic Book Issue or Continuing Storyline category; The Community Service Award went to NBC's "The More You Know" campaign.
Additional productions in each category received PRISM Commendations and Certificates of Merit to recognize their work*.
EIC President/CEO Brian Dyak presented The Larry Stewart Leadership and Inspiration Awards to actress Suzanne Somers, Michael Greene, President/CEO of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc., and Daytime Talk Show Emmy Award-winner Montel Williams. The awards are named in memory of the writer/director/producer and founding board director of EIC.
Somers, who is also a best-selling author and lecturer, was honored for her work to fight alcoholism through the publication of an autobiography, in which she courageously revealed her own story as the daughter of an abusive alcoholic father, as well as for her work through the Suzanne Somers Foundation.
Greene was recognized for a number of programs he helped launch, including GRAMMY in the Schools, which seeks to turn kids on to music before they become turned on to drugs, and the MusicCares Foundation, which makes available to music industry professionals a substance abuse referral and assistance program, and launched a national drug prevention billboard campaign.
Williams was selected for this honor because of his ongoing commitment to increase awareness and reduce the spread of adolescent drug abuse which dates back to the days when he was a motivational speaker before he came a talk show host, and which he continues through the production of anti-drug PSAs, and by addressing familial issues and conflicts on his television series.
The PRISM Heritage Award was launched this year to recognize prominent examples of actors, directors or writers who have contributed to the industry's past efforts to portray the issues of drug, alcohol and tobacco use and addiction. The inaugural award was given to Andy Garcia and Meg Ryan for their outstanding performances in "When a Man Loves a Woman" which personified in a moving and accurate way the struggle of a husband and wife trying to come to grips with the emotional impact her alcoholism is having on their lives and their children's lives.
The event, which aired live on the World Wide Web via broadcast.com and was taped for later television airing, was produced by EMMY-winning producer-director Hank Saroyan and executive produced by Larry Deutchman.
EIC is a non-profit organization founded in 1983 by the entertainment industry to lead the industry in bringing its power and influence to bear on health and social issues.
NIDA, an institute of the National Institutes of Health, supports 85% of the world's research on the health aspects of drug abuse and addiction. The Institute also carries out a large variety of programs to ensure the rapid dissemination of research information and its implementation on policy and practice.
The Robert Wood Foundation, based in Princeton, NJ, is the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care.
* NOTE: A complete list of PRISM Award and PRISM Commendation recipients is available.
Entertainment Industries Council, Inc.
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