Jonathan Bennett recounts his highlight moment from hosting the 37th Annual GLAAD Media Awards, which involved Liza Minnelli's 80th birthday celebration onstage. The event featured performances by Demi Lovato and promised over-the-top theatrics.
Demi Lovato and Jonathan Bennett attend the 37th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Beverly Hilton on March 05, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. Actor Jonathan Bennett is still riding high from hosting the 37th Annual GLAAD Media Awards, and his most unforgettable moment came from a living icon: Liza Minnelli .
Liza Minnelli, Michael Feinstein, and host Jonathan Bennett perform onstage during the 37th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Beverly Hilton on March 05, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. Bennett shared the moment that meant the most to him, telling PauseRewind entertainment reporter Courtney Tezeno, “There's so many memorable moments but getting to give Liza Minnelli her 80th birthday cake on stage in my hands while we all sing Happy Birthday to her like that is a core memory that I will never forget.” Liza Minnelli speaks onstage during the 37th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Beverly Hilton on March 05, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. Demi Lovato and Jonathan Bennett attend the 37th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Beverly Hilton on March 05, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. The “Mean Girls” alum leaned fully into his hosting vision, where he promised “over the top” theatrics and that the show would be “the campiest thing you've ever seen... that's what the queer community loves.” Demi Lovato performs onstage during the 37th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Beverly Hilton on March 05, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. The star-studded night also featured a performance from Demi Lovato, who previously received the Vanguard Award in 2016, and Bennett got inside access to the singer. “I got to hang out with Demi Lovato a little bit, and she's just so lovely, like she's just exactly how you want her to be,” he said. Quinta Brunson and host Jonathan Bennett pose backstage during the 37th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Beverly Hilton on March 05, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. Meanwhile, Quinta Brunson received this year’s Vanguard Award where she recalled the choice during her speech to make Chris Perfetti’s character Jacob queer on “Abbott Elementary.” After briefly meeting Brunson, Bennett shared his enthusiasm for joining the hit ABC show. He told us, “I'm ready to go on 'Abbott Elementary' we only met very briefly but yeah,” the actor said, clearly eager to jump into Jacob’s dating life on the series. Bowen Yang, Jonathan Bennett, and Matt Rogers pose backstage during the 37th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Beverly Hilton on March 05, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. Bowen Yang was another star honored at the show, receiving the Stephen F. Kolzak Award alongside his “Las Culturistas” co-host Matt Rogers for making significant change in promoting acceptance and increasing visibility for the LGBTQ+ community. Bennett recalled being nervous before opening the awards show, but says getting instant approval from Yang in the audience calmed his pre-show jitters. “My best interaction was I walk out and I hit my first joke and Bowen Yang’s going, yesss,” he recalled. “Okay, we're good. If I got Bowen's approval we're going to have a good show.” Host Jonathan Bennett speaks onstage during the 37th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Beverly Hilton on March 05, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. That instant validation set the tone for a confident, high-energy night that celebrated queer storytelling across film and television. Beyond the laughs, Bennett also gets candid about how far representation has come since his “Mean Girls” days. “I wasn't allowed to be out when I was Aaron Samuels. It was a different time, and it wasn’t a possibility or reality that I ever thought would happen,” he said, noting how today’s generation can live openly in ways he once couldn’t. Jonathan Bennett attends the 37th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Beverly Hilton on March 05, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. Now he’s a double nominee and last year’s winner of the Outstanding Film – Streaming or TV for “The Groomsmen: Second Chances,” where he made history with Hallmark’s first gay wedding. Bennett continues to break ground, proving that his impact goes far beyond North Shore High.One person has been killed in a crash Friday afternoon in Marion County.A jury declined to indict a father who allegedly fatally shot his daughter in the chest following an argument about President Donald Trump.RIPLEY COUNTY, Ind. - A Ripley County teenager was found guilty of killing a toddler and a baby. Nickalas Kedrowitz was just 13-years-old at the time but was tried as an adult for the murders oftwo-year-old Desiree McCartney and 11-month-old Nathaniel Ritz. On May 1, 2017, Christina McCartney, Desiree’s mother, called 911 with a report of an unresponsive two-year-old. Desiree was transported to Margaret Mary Community Hospital in Batesville, Ind.A parent volunteer has been charged after allegedly pocketing more than $40,000 dollars during her time as Hilliard Bradley Athletic Boosters treasurer.Newly-released state documents are shedding more light on potential fraud and overpayments in Ohio’s publicly-funded daycare system, as lawmakers debate how inv
GLAAD Media Awards Jonathan Bennett Liza Minnelli Demi Lovato LGBTQ+
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