LOS ANGELES – NBC's sitcom "The New Normal," FX's thriller "American Horror Story: Asylum" and NBC's daytime drama "Days of Our Lives" took home top TV honors at the 24th annual GLAAD Media Awards held Saturday night in Los Angeles.

The GLAAD awards pay tribute to "inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives."

The event, hosted by actress-producer-director Drew Barrymore, boasted such Hollywood heavyweights as presenters Jennifer Lawrence, Charlize Theron, Betty White and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Other winners included "Perks of Being a Wallflower," which was named outstanding film: wide release, and former President Bill Clinton was given the first Advocate for Change award. A longtime Clinton friend, Oscar-winner Mary Steenburgen, defended the former president's controversial honor. Under Clinton's administration came the Defense of Marriage Act, which bars federal recognition of same-sex marriage, as well as the "don't ask, don't tell" military policy.

Rushdie talks about new movie

Thanks to the printed word and the moving image, Salman Rushdie has recaptured the worst part of his life and relived one of the best. Last fall, the 65-year-old author published the bestselling memoir "Joseph Anton" about his years in hiding that followed the 1988 publication of "The Satanic Verses" and the call for his death by Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Rushdie is now promoting the film adaptation of his breakthrough novel, "Midnight's Children," winner of the Booker Prize in 1981 and one of the most highly praised works of fiction of its time. The movie is directed by Deepa Mehta, and Rushdie wrote the screenplay.

Celebrity DWIs: Reese Witherspoon and her husband, talent agent Jim Toth, were arrested Friday in Atlanta after law enforcement officers pulled them over for driving in the wrong lane. Toth, who was behind the wheel at the time of the incident, is facing a drunken-driving charge; Witherspoon was arrested on disorderly conduct charges.

Police in Southern California say that NBC Sports announcer Al Michaels, 68, was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving Friday night in Santa Monica.

Bassist Robert Todd Harrell, 41, of the rock band 3 Doors Down was charged with vehicular homicide by intoxication after a crash killed another motorist in the Nashville area, police said. Paul Howard Shoulders Jr., 47, was killed. Police said Harrell "acknowledged consuming hard cider and taking prescription Lortab" and Xanax.

News services

News Services