The Peabody Awards judges announced today that Mel Brooks won the Peabody Career Achievement Award, while Abbott Elementary creator and star Quinta Brunson won the Peabody Trailblazer Award.
Both awards were selected by unanimous vote of the Peabody Board of Jurors and will be celebrated live at the 84th Annual Peabody Awards on June 9 in Los Angeles.
“Mel Brooks is not only one of the most beloved comedians of all time, but he literally set the standard for television comedy from the very beginning,” said Jeffrey Jones, executive director of Peabody, in a communicated. “Whether it’s television, film, theater or recordings, Mr. Brooks is in a league of his own.”
Over the course of his career, Brooks has received two Academy Awards, four Emmys, three Tonys and three Grammys, as well as an Honorary Academy Award. Brooks joins Rita Moreno, Sam Pollard, Dan Rather, Lily Tomlin and Cicely Tyson among recent Peabody Career Achievement Award winners.
“Quinta Brunson has become a refreshing creative force in network television comedy,” Jones said of the two-time Emmy winner, who already won a Peabody in 2023. Brunson is the second Peabody Trailblazer Award winner after first winner Issa Rae. .
Jones added, “Peabody is proud to honor Mel and Quinta not only for their extraordinary contributions as storytellers, but particularly for their use of comedy to tell stories that matter, enriching the lives of so many.”
The winners of the 84th Peabody Awards will be announced on May 9, then celebrated on June 9 during a ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles. Nominees in the Documentary, News, Public Service and Radio/Podcast categories were announced on April 23, while nominees in the Arts, Children’s, Entertainment, Interactive and Immersive categories were announced on April 25. This will be Peabody’s first in-person ceremony since 2019, as well as for the first time in its history, the awards show will take place in Los Angeles.
