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Joss Whedon: Cultural Humanist
April 10, 2009
Joss Whedon writer, director

Television writer and director Joss Whedon receives the third annual 2009 Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award in Cultural Humanism. The award, previously presented to novelist Salman Rushdie and punk rocker (and evolutionary biologist) Greg Graffin, is sponsored by the Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard and the Harvard Secular Society. The creator of the long-running television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Whedon explores the moral foundation of a humanistic universe.

Joss Whedon is the Academy Award and Emmy Award-nominated creator of the TV shows Firefly and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this past summer's media-redefining Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, and the new Fox show Dollhouse. Whedon has a devoted following of fans, including the online web community whedonesque.com. In addition to his art, he has also been active in promoting women's rights through his work with Equality Now, an organization that honored him in 2006.

Art & Architecture | Culture & Identity | Literature & Philosophy | Media & Technology
atheism | Buffy | cult classic | death | Firefly | humanism | life | modern philosophy | morality | superheroes | TV & Radio | Screenwriting | Fiction | Humans & Nature | Philosophy | Film & Video | Law & Criminal Justice | Psychology | Race | Sexuality | Spirituality & Religion
WGBH
Cambridge Forum
Audio-only
Yes We Can: Closing the Achievement Gaps
Jane Waldfogel
01:23:00
The authors of three recent books address how closing racial achievement gaps is indeed possible.
Audio-only
Yaron Brook on Ayn Rand: 'Apollo and Dionysus' Revisted
Yaron Brook
01:19:59
In 1969, Ayn Rand's Ford Hall Forum talk, 'Apollo and Dionysus,' addressed the near simultaneous events of Woodstock and the first lunar landing.
XWhaves: Where is The Digital Wave Taking Us?
Jonathan Wells
02:11:20
Members of the new media revolution join together for an active, open discussion of citizen journalism, personal media, video blogging, and the convergence of digital storytelling methods with a new era of novel, inexpensive, worldwide distribution and other aspects of the ever-changing landscape of
Audio-only
Writers Among Us: David Shrayer-Petrov and Maxim D. Shrayer
David Shrayer-Petrov
01:14:17
David Shrayer-Petrov reads from his new book Autumn in Yalta: A Novel and Three Stories, which includes an autobiographical novel set in Stalinist Russia, Strange Danya Rayev.
Women’s Voices and Visions on Film
Melissa Silverstein
01:07:14
Melissa Silverstein, Deborah Kampmeier, Emily Abt, and Thato Rantao Mwosa discuss statistics from the Center for the Study of Women in TV and Film stating that in 2008, only 9% of the top grossing films were directed by women.
Women’s Voices and Net Neutrality
Joshua Breitbart
01:17:37
Joshua Breitbart, Mari Castaneda, Stevie Converse, and Jordan Berg discuss the debate around "net neutrality". Will the Internet remain an open, neutral network that allows for a free flow of information, or will it become the privatized domain of a few large corporations?
Image of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
Director: Joss Whedon
Starring: Neil Patrick Harris, Felicia Day, Simon Helberg, Nathan Fillion
Rating: NR - Not Rated
Image of Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Collector's Set (40 discs)
Director: Joss Whedon
Starring: James Marsters, Anthony Stewart Head, Nicholas Brendon, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alyson Hannigan
Rating: Unrated
Image of Angel: Seasons 1-5 (Collectors Set)
Director:
Starring: David Boreanaz
Rating: Unrated
Image of Firefly - The Complete Series
Director: Vern Gillum, Tim Minear, Joss Whedon
Starring: Adam Baldwin, Morena Baccarin, Alan Tudyk, Gina Torres, Nathan Fillion
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Image of Dollhouse: Season One
Director:
Starring: Enver Gjokaj, Fran Kranz, Tahmoh Penikett, Harry J. Lennix, Eliza Dushku
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Image of Fray
Author: Joss Whedon
Publisher: Dark Horse (2003)
Binding: Paperback, 216 pages
Image of 2008 PaleyFest: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Reunion
Director: Doug Warner
Starring: Marti Noxon, James Marsters, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Charisma Carpenter, Seth Green
Rating: NR - Not Rated
Image of Done The Impossible: The Fans' Tale of Firefly & Serenity
Director:
Starring: Mary Parent, Loni Peristere, Joss Whedon, Christopher Buchanan, Greg Edmonson
Rating: NR - Not Rated
Image of Serenity (Collector's Edition)
Director: Joss Whedon
Starring: Adam Baldwin, Morena Baccarin, Alan Tudyk, Gina Torres, Nathan Fillion
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
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Posted by RavenMaven September 4th, 2009 at 12:29pm

[00:03:38]
Ironic that they are giving this award in a church! Check out the right side of the screen.