The Awardist

The Simpsons, When They See Us, Succession, and more honored by Peabody Awards

By

Published on June 10, 2020 12:00PM EDT

Meaningful, socially conscious storytelling has never been more vital in these unprecedented times, and on Wednesday, the Peabody Awards recognized 30 programs that empowered and educated viewers in 2019. The recipients ranged from Netflix's When They See Us, for tackling the justice system's mistreatment of black and brown men, to Hulu's Ramy, for its honest depiction of living in America as a Muslim man.

PBS' Frontline and The Simpsons received the Institutional Awards for making a "significant impact on programming and the cultural landscape." On Monday, Cicely Tyson was named the winner of the Peabody Career Achievement Award.

Homer accepted The Simpsons' honor in the only way he could.

"Now, Bart, Maggie, Lisa, if you're watching at home, go to bed. Don't tell anyone because I sold your plane tickets and kept the money," the iconic character said in a video message, which you can watch above. The Simpsons first won a Peabody Award in 1997, becoming the first animated series to earn the recognition.

"This year's winners are a vibrant collective of inspiring, innovative, and powerful stories. True to the spirit and legacy of Peabody, our winners are also distinguished by the presence and resilience of many emerging and diverse voices," said Jeffrey P. Jones, executive director of Peabody. "We are especially proud to celebrate 'FRONTLINE' as an unwavering source for truth through quality journalism when both are actively under attack, and 'The Simpsons,' one of the most consistently funny and culturally important satirical sitcoms over the last three decades."

To highlight important issues touched on in these programs, Peabody announced it is partnering with PBS on a production special featuring a conversation with all 10 directors of this year's winning documentaries. Tabitha Jackson, director of the Sundance Film Festival, will moderate the panels, and the program will air via PBS digital channels on June 23.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's award ceremony, which was set to take place in Los Angeles for the first time on June 18, has been canceled. Like Homer, many recipients filmed acceptance speeches, most of which were recorded prior to the recent protests over police brutality.

Check out the full list of winners below.