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Star-Studded Celebration of Internet Culture Set for May 15

Webby Winners Announced April 25

NEW YORK, April 25, 2017 –  The Webby Awards announced today that acclaimed comedian and actor Joel McHale will host the 21st Annual Webby Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on May 16, 2017.

As Webby tradition dictates, McHale will open the show and reinforce the hallmark Webby 5-Word Acceptance Speech rule. Notable 5-Word Speeches from past shows include Kevin Spacey and Dana Brunetti’s “The Oscars should do this,” GIF inventor Steve Wilhite’s “It’s pronounced ‘JIF’ not ‘GIF,’” and Kim Kardashian West’s “Nude selfies ‘til I die.”

Fans around the world will be able to watch and share The Webby Awards ceremony on demand at webbyawards.com starting the morning of Tuesday, May 16. The Webby Awards video channel will feature all the show highlights and hallmark 5-Word Speeches from the night’s big Winners.

“There are a few people out there that you always hope one day will host – for The Webbys, that’s Joel McHale,” said David-Michel Davies, Executive Director of The Webby Awards. “Though his early gig at The Soup and his beloved role on the historic show Community were TV shows, both have left major imprints on Internet comedy; he will get quite the welcome from the Webby community.”

A first-time host to The Webby Awards, McHale is one of the most sought-after comedians and actors in the industry, best known for his starring role on the hit comedy series Community and as host of the wildly popular E! show, The Soup. McHale currently stars in the new CBS comedy The Great Indoors as an aging publisher tapped to supervise a team of tech-savvy Millennials and lead the company in its digital transformation. A seasoned stand-up comedian as well, McHale performs regularly to sold-out audiences around the country. In addition to his acting roles and stand-up tour, he is the author of Thanks for the Money: How to Use My Life Story to Become the Best Joel McHale You Can Be, equal parts tell-all memoir and aspirational how-to-guide. McHale has previously hosted the annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, the ESPYS, and most recently, the People’s Choice Awards.

Find The Webby Awards Online:
Website: webbyawards.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/TheWebbyAwards
Snapchat: TheWebbyAwards
Twitter: @TheWebbyAwards
Instagram: @TheWebbyAwards
YouTube: youtube.com/webby

About The Webby Awards:
Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites, Film & Video, Advertising, Media & PR, Mobile Sites & Apps, Social, and Podcasts & Digital Audio. Established in 1996, The Webby Awards received 13,000 entries from all 50 states and 70 countries worldwide this year. The Webby Awards is presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include: Google, Vitamin T, EY, YouTube, WP Engine, Billboard, Creativepool, Daily Pnut, Digiday, FITC, General Assembly, It’s Nice That, Mashable, Northside Festival, NUMA, Protein, RGD, Social Media Week, SoDA, Springwise, Sysomos, Taste Talks, The Hollywood Reporter, TubeFilter, WeRSM, WNYC.