As a mock interview show host, Zach Galifianakis is accruing awards at the rate of a 60 Minutes correspondent.
Galifianakis led the 15th annual Webby Awards on Tuesday with four awards for his Web series Between Two Ferns With Zach Galifianakis. He won best Web personality/host, best comedy short and best online variety show. He won the latter in both the voter-
chosen People’s Voice category, and the proper Webby Award category.
Photo: Reuters
The Webbys, which celebrate Internet achievement, are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a group of 750 Web experts as well as other Internet professionals.
Galifianakis’ irreverent, sporadically released show, which appears on FunnyOrDie.com, is done in the style of a cable access show. Galifianakis, who was honored last year by the Webbys as best actor, belligerently and absurdly interviews celebrity guests.
Lisa Kudrow won two awards for her Web Therapy series. Arcade Fire’s innovative The Wilderness Downtown music video also won two awards, as did the interactive Johnny Cash Project. Both Web-based music videos were directed by Chris Milk.
Justin Bieber took the People’s Voice award for best comedy video for his April Fool’s takeover of FunnyOrDie.com as Bieber or Die. The site’s home page was remade with clips featuring Bieber in famous viral videos.
The comedy site, cofounded by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, could boast a total of nine awards. That included the Webby for best humor site and a People’s Voice award for Jim Carrey’s performance as Ronald Reagan in the site’s star-packed Presidential Reunion video.
The app sensation Angry Birds was chosen for best game, for both the Webby and the People’s Voice award. The New Yorker’s Web site won the Webby for best magazine site. PBS’ iPad app was picked for best entertainment for a tablet. Conan O’Brien’s TeamCoco.com won the Webby for best celebrity or fan Web site.
The New York Times, which recently began charging readers for access to its site, won three awards.
A full list of winners can be found at WebbyAwards.com. Special recognition awards will be announced later.
The awards will be handed out in a ceremony in New York on June 13. The Webbys are famous for their trademark brevity, with acceptance speeches limited to just five words.
On the Net: www.webbyawards.com
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