Graddick was formerly the VP of Programs and Communications at GLAAD, so this is a nice promotion for him.
The media-watchdog organization laid off 11 staffers early this year, and has been restructuring since the departure of former president Jarrett Barrios, but insiders are pleased with the choice. Graddick would do well to remember Barrio’s exit, which came after GLAAD’s controversial support of a proposed ATT/T-Mobile merger.
Here’s some more background on the org’s new prez:
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Herndon is the current Vice President of Programs and Communications at GLAAD, a position he assumed in 2010. In his role, he has lead GLAAD’s media initiatives and oversees the organization’s National & Local News; Entertainment; People of Color; Religion, Faith & Values; Advertising; and Spanish-Language Media programs.
Under his leadership, GLAAD has engaged in numerous highly visible and impactful campaigns including ‘Stand Up For Ellen,’ which prompted the group One Million Moms—a project of the American Family Association—to end their call for J.C. Penney to fire Ellen DeGeneres as its new spokesperson because she is gay. Herndon also oversaw GLAAD’s work on the Commentator Accountability Project – an initiative launched in March to highlight the extreme rhetoric of anti-LGBT activists who currently appear in national news outlets.
Prior to his work at GLAAD, Herndon served as the Executive Producer of the Global Observatory, a media and communications effort which aimed to bring public awareness to the climate change crisis. He also served as Supervising Producer at E! Networks and the day-of-air news division director at Current TV, the youth-oriented news and entertainment network created by former Vice President Al Gore.
Photo via GLAAD
AEH
While I don’t care for GLAAD very much, I wish him luck. Hopefully he won’t make us look like a laughing stock with the extreme political correctness!
Tomas
AEH. Extreme political correctness to the point of censorship is what GLAAD is all about!
Feinstein
It’s strange that we’ve never heard of this person before.
Alexi3
I don’t like the “extreme political correctness ” either but I do believe GLAAD has a place. I would like to see the organization place more emphasis on promoting LGBT responses to real threats such as Tea Party activists and elected officials. Any of you who think these people have gone away had better take a closer look. They may have lost some membership but those that remain are focused and very driven and don’t forget the Tea Party got a lot of people elected in the last few years and many of them care less about being reelected than in pushing their programs down the throats of the rest of the country. Remember how they forced the Speaker’s hand during the budget debates last year and they got most of what they demanded not only from the Speaker but also from the President. They demonstrated most successfully that Blackmail works. These people aren’t just fiscal conservatives they are Social Conservatives in capital letters. You all know what that means: It’s their way or the highway. Guess what happens to us. If GLADD work more on coordinating the fight against people who mean us real harm I think they could make a real contribution that would have lasting effects.
Evan
Supposedly he worked as a producer on Anderson 360. Wonder if Cooper knows* him?
Bill
Does anyone actually care about GLADD anymore?
Steve
@Bill:
As near as I can tell, GLAAD has never done anything other than ask for money and update a small web site. See, http://www.glaad.org/
A separate organization with a similar name, GLAD, has done a lot of actual outreach and legal work, including a recent new challenge to DOMA. See, http://www.glad.org/doma
I believe the two organizations are NOT related in any way.
WillBFair
His time in commercial media does not inspire confidence. Their job is to create weak arguments that don’t actually help the liberal cause. Indeed, there are a ton of arguments that would shred our enemies in three seconds, none of which are being made. It took some child celebrities to even mention Grecian democracy in responce to Kurt Camumbear. And there are much stronger facts than that. And where was GLAAD in all this? Nowhere, that’s where.
Spike
@Feinstein: Maybe that is because they hired from within the organization and he has been doing a good job rather then hiring some high profile name who will do nothing but promote themselves rather then the organizations purpose and goals.
Evan Mulvihill
@WillBFair: GLAAD actually was the first to speak out against Kirk Cameron. So maybe get a better grip on reality hon.
PTBoat
I think it is wonderful of GLAAD to promote from within. Too many non-profits choose to get “star” directors who know very little about their advocacy or the very unique workings within the non profit sector. GLAAD has bee instrumental in the changes that our group enjoys and I hope that they see many more successes as we move forward to a period in which they, hopefully, will become obsolete.
IzzyLuna
Maybe he can make GLAAD relevant again. The Barrios guy made it a joke. Let’s hope this guy can fix it!
israel luna
writer/director – Ticked-Off Trannies With Knives
which came under attack under Barrios’s leadership at GLAAD
Auntie Mame
He looks so unhappy in this pic. Have they not released a more suitable PR photo?
Nick
Honestly who cares about Kirk Cameron? I really don’t care what he says about us LGBT people and I don’t expect him to be completely supportive of us either. That being said he can say whatever he wants since we have freedom of speech and I don’t have to agree with him at all or listen to him, and he can rant like the fool he is and just show how ignorant he is.
We don’t need an organization like GLAAD that goes completely PC and censors everything they don’t agree with, or how they now think that drag queens are somehow “trans ph_obic” when they’re not at all.
WillBFair
@Evan Mulvihill: My grip on reality doesn’t depend on knowing every press release from GLAAD. But you’re right. They did respond. Very weakly as usual. Some christians like us? And some states have gay marraige? These are supposed to be arguments? Please.
The celebrities did much better. They had wit and humor and actual substance. Although there’s a lot more they could have mentioned, at least they pointed one of our contributions to history.
GLADD’s entire reason for being is to make substantive argument on our behalf. And they give us neener neener neener?
Although I have a ton of respect for you Queerty writers, for your wit and good sense, I think in this case you may be playing the hierarchy kiss up game. It’s standard procedure for media types to praise each other to the skies. That’s fine. But I still expect high quality discourse from my supposed advocates.
Feinstein
Perhaps this person once went by a different name or identity?
arlo
I’m sure he’s great at throwing benefits, wearing tuxedos, and fucking twinky interns. That’s all the job involves, right?
And Arlo Gets The Prize
You’re right, Arlo. It’s a vainglorius, self-promoting money machine that appears to do little more than drum up funds to put on more events that drum up funds to put on more events and eventually gives out meaningless awards and accomplishes nothing significant whatsoever.
J
@And Arlo Gets The Prize: I agree with you!!
J
@Nick: Amen!!!!!!! Agree with you too!!!!
Charlie in Charge
No good deed goes unpunished eh team?