Los Angeles Press Club

11/13/2025

Paul Anka is the LA Press Club’s 2025 Legend Awardee

Paul Anka will be honored with the Los Angeles Press Club’s Legend Award for Career Achievement and Contributions to Society. The ceremony takes place at the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards Gala on Dec 7 at the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

“For over 70 years, Paul Anka’s golden voice has played on the soundtrack of our lives,” said LA Press Club President Danny Bakewell, Jr. “We are proud to pay tribute to this living legend.”The Legend Award honors an individual within the entertainment industry for their venerable contributions to the industry and to society.

Anka has enjoyed one of the longest careers in the industry. He is the only artist in history to have a song on the Billboard Top 100 during seven consecutive decades and was named the 21st most successful artist in Billboard’s history. His career has no end in sight, with his new studio album, “INSPIRATIONS OF LIFE AND LOVE,” to be released in February 2026. In addition, the documentary “Paul Anka: His Way” will be available soon.

The other honorees at the National A&E Journalism Awards are Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen, Marlee Matlin, Kasi Lemmons and Larry Mantle. The NAEJ event is a fundraiser for this 501 (c) (3) charitable organization.

The club established the National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards in 2008 to recognize and honor quality journalism in the fastest-growing segment of the modern media revolution. It remains the sole acknowledgement of its kind in the nation and has become a much-anticipated celebration for those covering the Arts and Entertainment Industry and its artists.To buy tickets, sponsor the awards or learn more go to www.LApressclub.org.

11/08/2025

Kasi Lemmons to Receive the LA Press Club’s Distinguished Storyteller Award on Dec. 7

Actor, director, writer, producer, Grammy-winning librettist, and educator, Kasi Lemmons is set to accept the Los Angeles Press Club’s Distinguished Storyteller Award for Storytelling Outside of Journalism. The ceremony will take place at the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards gala on Sunday, Dec. 7, at the historic Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

“Lemmons’ powerful body of work is a testament to the importance of examining the human soul and truly hold up a mirror to nature and to show us ourselves in history,” said Los Angeles Press Club president Danny Bakewell, Jr.

Lemmons is one of the most powerful voices of our time. Her first feature, “Eve’s Bayou,” is considered one of the essential works of the 1990s and in 2017 was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry. Her second film, “The Caveman’s Valentine,” starring Samuel L. Jackson, opened the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. Lemmons’ third feature, “Talk to Me”, starring Don Cheadle, earned the 2008 NAACP Image Award for outstanding directing. Her fourth film, “Black Nativity,” was released nationwide on Thanksgiving 2013. In 2019, Lemmons’ fifth film, “Harriet,” starring Cynthia Erivo as the iconic freedom fighter, was nominated for two Oscars, including Best Actress. Her first libretto, “Fire Shut Up In My Bones,” composed by Terence Blanchard, opened The Metropolitan Opera’s ’21-’22 season, the first opera by an African-American composer and librettist ever performed at The Met. “Fire Shut Up In My Bones” went on to win a Grammy for Best Opera Recording. Her sixth film, “Whitney Houston – I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” opened Christmas ’22 and was #1 on Netflix during its debut weekend. Lemmons is an Arts Professor in the Graduate Film Department at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

On the same evening, Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen will accept the Visionary Award for Humanitarian Work; actor/director/activist Marlee Matlin will be honored with the Impact Award for Influential Contributions to Culture and Society and LAist’s Larry Mantle will receive the Luminary Award for Career Achievement.

The NAEJ event is a fundraiser for the LA Press Club, a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization. For tickets, advertising and sponsorship opportunities, go to www.LAPressClub.org or contact NAEJ producer Diana Ljungaeus at [email protected].

https://lapressclub.org/kasi-lemmons-distinguished-storyteller-award-2025/

Photo by Emily Aragones

Actor, director, writer, producer, Grammy-winning librettist, and educator, Kasi Lemmons is set to accept the LAPC’s Distinguished Storyteller Award.

11/08/2025

Were you planning on attending this year’s National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards Gala?

Get your tickets before 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 10 to take advantage of our early bird rates!

We’ll be honoring the best arts & entertainment reporting in the nation and celebrating the cultural, humanitarian and career achievements of our honorees!

Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen will accept the Visionary Award for Humanitarian Work; actor, director and activist Marlee Matlin will be honored with the Impact Award for Influential Contributions to Culture and Society; LAist’s Larry Mantle will receive the Luminary Award for Career Achievement; and Grammy-winning librettist and educator Kasi Lemmons is set to accept the Distinguished Storyteller Award for Storytelling Outside of Journalism.

LA Press Club members get an even better deal. Consider becoming a member!

Got a question? Email [email protected].

https://lapressclub.wufoo.com/forms/z12n41po0utt89k/

11/03/2025

Join us Sunday Dec 7, 2025 for the 18th annual National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards Gala at the Crystal Ballroom of the Millennium Biltmore Hotel.

4:30pm Red Carpet
5pm Cocktails and Silent Auction
6pm Dinner and Program

Larry Mantle to receive the Luminary Award, LA Press Club’s Career Achievement Award. Marlee Matlin to receive Los Angeles Press Club’s Impact Award. Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen to be honored with LA Press Club’s Humanitarian Award.

The Los Angeles Press Club established the National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards in 2008 to recognize and honor quality journalism in the fastest growing segment of the modern media revolution. It remains the sole acknowledgement of its kind in the nation and has become a much anticipated celebration for those covering the Entertainment Industry and its artists. To buy tickets, sponsor the awards or learn more go to www.LApressclub.org.

10/28/2025

Congratulations, finalists! Your work stands as some of the best arts & entertainment journalism nationwide! But who will win the main prize?

FINALISTS:https://lapressclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/NAEJ-2025-Finalists-10272025.pdf

We’ll reveal the winners at the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards gala on Dec. 7. Join us as we celebrate the brilliant work of our colleagues in the A&E beat!

Get your tickets to the gala before Nov. 10, and take advantage of our early bird pricing! Look over our rate card to learn more about the sponsorship and table packages available, as well as advertising opportunities in the awards gala program book.

LA Press Club members get an even better deal. Consider becoming a member!

TICKETS: https://lapressclub.wufoo.com/forms/z12n41po0utt89k/

Got a question? Email [email protected].

https://lapressclub.org/

18th National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards Gala This year’s National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards contest is officially closed. Our judges now face the daunting task of reviewing and rating more than 1,700 entries! We’ll reveal the winners at the NAEJ awards gala on Dec. 7. J...

10/22/2025

Marlee Matlin to Receive Los Angeles Press Club’s Impact Award

Actress, director, producer, author and activist Marlee Matlin will accept Los Angeles Press Club’s Impact Award for Influential Contributions to Culture and Society.

The ceremony will take place at the 18th annual National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards Gala on Dec. 7, 2025, at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel DTLA.

This is a fundraiser for the Los Angeles Press Club, a 501c3 charitable organization.”Marlee Matlin’s great talents are well known, as is her generosity, support and tireless dedication to the deaf and hard of hearing communities,” said Los Angeles Press Club President Danny Bakewell, Jr. “We are thrilled to honor her.”

At the age of 21, Matlin received worldwide critical acclaim for her motion picture debut in Children of a Lesser God, earning her the Academy Award for Best Actress. She became the youngest recipient of the Best Actress Oscar and one of only four actresses to receive that honor for a film debut. In addition to the Oscar, Matlin was honored by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association with the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama.

In 2022, Matlin became the first Deaf member of the Directors Guild of America, with her directorial debut on the network series Accused. The series, based on the acclaimed British drama, is a co-production by Sony Pictures Television and Fox.

Matlin continues to make a name for herself behind the camera. She is the executive producer of the HBO documentary “Siren: The Voices of Shelley Beattie,” which will premiere at DOC NYC in November. She currently serves on the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. She also has a 1st Look Producer deal with AppleTV.

Actress, director, producer, author and activist Marlee Matlin will accept Los Angeles Press Club’s Impact Award for Influential Contributions to Culture and Society. The ceremony will take place at the 18th annual National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards Gala on Dec. 7, 2025, at the Millen...

10/10/2025

Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen will be honored with the Los Angeles Press Club’s Visionary Award for their support of Alzheimer’s patients and their families.

The ceremony will take place at the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards Gala on Dec. 7 at the Biltmore Hotel, downtown Los Angeles.

The Visionary Award was instituted in 2012 to honor individuals within the entertainment industry who use their high-profile status to make the world a better place and to spread information about issues of freedom and social justice. Jane Fonda was the very first recipient, introduced by Robert Redford.

The Rogens founded Hilarity for Charity (HFC) in 2012 after Lauren’s mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at just 55 years old. Now their national non-profit is raising millions to provide in-home care to affected families and brain health education to the next generation.

“HFC is deeply personal to us because it was born from our own family’s experience with dementia and the shock of realizing how unprepared and unsupported families often are. When Lauren’s mom was diagnosed in her 50s, we were in our 20s, trying to build our lives while suddenly facing the realities of caregiving. We didn’t see people our age talking about it, or resources that met us where we were. HFC started as a way to fill that gap — to bring connection, education, and practical help to people navigating something that feels impossible, no matter their age or circumstance,” Seth Rogen said.

“We are excited to have Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen as this year’s Visionary Award honorees,” said Los Angeles Press Club President Danny Bakewell, Jr. “Their work regarding Alzheimer’s care and treatment has been amazing and desperately needed. Their generous support raised awareness of this devastating disease.”

Over time, HFC has grown into a community grounded in compassion, humor and hope.

“We’ve learned that while dementia is devastating, it doesn’t have to be isolating, and that taking care of your brain is something everyone can and should do. Through grants for caregivers, support groups, and brain health education, HFC helps people care for their loved ones and themselves. It’s our way of turning heartbreak into action, and hopefully changing the story for future generations,” Lauren Miller Rogen said.

At this event, the press club will also honor LAist’s Larry Mantle with the Luminary Award for Career Achievement in Media.

The NAEJ event is a fundraiser for this 501c3 charitable organization.

The club established the National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards in 2008 to recognize and honor quality journalism in the fastest-growing segment of the modern media revolution. It remains the sole acknowledgement of its kind in the nation and has become a much-anticipated celebration for those covering the Arts and Entertainment Industry and its artists.

To buy tickets, sponsor the awards, or learn more, visit www.LApressclub.org.

https://wearehfc.org/

09/26/2025

The deadline for this year’s National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards contest has been extended to 11:59 PM on Saturday, Sept. 27!

Become an LA Press Club member and save on entry fees — click here to join.

Visit our website to read over this year’s rules and categories, and learn more about the David Robb Civil Justice Award for Best Investigative Civil Justice Story or Series, which comes with a $5,000 cash prize, and the new Native Americans in the Arts and Entertainment $500 Cash Award.

Got a question? Email [email protected]

18th National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards Calling all arts and entertainment journalists: The LA Press Club’s National A&E Journalism Awards contest is officially live! Click here to read over this year’s rules and categories, including the David Robb Civil Justice Award for Best Inve...

09/21/2025

LA Reporting Collective and the LA Press Club bring you an evening to pause, reset and experiment with new ways of caring for yourself. This night of self-care for journalists will guide you through three relaxing mini-sessions — art, yoga and breathwork — designed to help you decompress and see what fits. Come as you are, try something new and take a break from the deadlines!

When: Thursday, Sept. 25
�6:45 p.m. – Arrival and light snacks�7:00 p.m. – Group art exercise�7:30 p.m. – Chair yoga with Christine Mills�8:00 p.m. – Breathwork with Serena Snow Blossom

Feel free to stick around and mingle afterward!
Where: LA Press Club�2535 W Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026�Free parking is available on-site.

Questions? Email [email protected]

09/18/2025

Enter the 18th National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards
Check out the David Robb Civil Justice Award with a $5,000 cash prize, and the new Native Americans in the Arts and Entertainment $500 Cash Award.

DEADLINE is Monday, September 22, 2025, at 11:59
p.m. Pacific Time.

Q [email protected]
MORE INFO: rules and categories and entry form at

18th National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards Calling all arts and entertainment journalists: The LA Press Club’s National A&E Journalism Awards contest is officially live! Click here to read over this year’s rules and categories, including the David Robb Civil Justice Award for Best Inve...

08/27/2025

EARLY BIRD DEADLINE is Monday, September 1, 2025, at 11:59
p.m. Pacific Time.

Enter the 18th National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards
Check out the David Robb Civil Justice Award with a $5,000 cash prize, and the new Native Americans in the Arts and Entertainment $500 Cash Award.

Q [email protected]
MORE INFO: rules and categories and entry form at

18th National A&E Journalism Awards Contest Calling all arts and entertainment journalists: The LA Press Club’s National A&E Journalism Awards contest is officially live! Click here to read over this year’s rules and categories, including the David Robb Civil Justice Award for Best Investigative...

08/22/2025

Larry Mantle to Receive the LA Press Club’s Career Achievement Award

LAist’s Larry Mantle has been named the Los Angeles Press Club’s 2025 Luminary Awardee for Career Achievement.

“It’s a tremendous honor to be part of this year’s National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards. I appreciate all the LA Press Club does on behalf of local journalism, which makes this recognition all the more meaningful to me,” Mantle said.

Mantle has been the host of the daily interview/call-in program, AirTalk with Larry Mantle, for 40 years. It is the longest-running daily talk program in Los Angeles radio history. The show airs throughout Southern California on NPR member station LAist 89.3, weekdays from 9 to 11 a.m., and has a national audience as a daily podcast.

The AirTalk guest roster features leaders in politics, entertainment, science, health, social debate, history, and the arts, coupled with the telephone participation of a highly sophisticated public radio audience.

Mantle also hosts the movie review and interview program Film Week on LAist 89.3, which is available on all podcast platforms.
Over his four decades on the air, Larry has won numerous national and local awards, including the 2012 Radio Journalist of the Year from the Los Angeles Press Club, the 2010 Journalist of the Year from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Best Public Radio Talk Show in the nation from the Public Radio News Directors organization.
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