Each year, the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS) hosts the annual Webby Awards, honoring the individuals, companies and organizations that have impacted the online world through social media, podcasting, online videos and more. They also award four “Special Achievement” awards for outstanding impact in the last year.
One of these awards, the Advocate of the Year, is chosen each year in tandem with the NAACP and seeks to honor someone who is using their online platform to champion important issues. This year’s honor was awarded to Shannon Sharpe, a former NFL player and current sports commentator who is putting important conversations in the spotlight through his podcast, Club Shay Shay.
After retiring from the NFL in 2003, the three-time Super Bowl Champion found a career in sports commentating. Sharpe has worked with high-profile commentating shows like CBS Sports, Subway Postgame Show, The NFL Today and most recently, First Take. His presence on these shows not only gained him notoriety in the sports world but quickly made him an online sensation.
In September 2020, Sharpe took his expertise to the podcasting world, releasing the first official episode of his podcast, Club Shay Shay. With a new episode each week, the podcast is mainly geared towards the latest sports news, inviting professional athletes and celebrities to join in on the commentary.
In addition to sports, the podcast has grown to discuss societal issues and the need for activism, with Sharpe often advocating for racial equality, health and education. Guests who have joined him to share their perspectives and experiences include Deion Sanders, Marshawn Lynch, Usher, Cedric the Entertainer, Terry Crews, Tabitha Brown and Katt Williams, who also won a Webby Award for Featured Guest on an Individual Podcast Episode.
According to a press release from IADAS, the Webby Awards and the NAACP chose Sharpe for this honor for his “impact in sports commentary, advocacy for racial equality, education and health, and his wildly successful podcast, Club Shay Shay.”
“Words can’t express my joy and gratitude” Sharpe stated of his award on X (formerly Twitter). “Thank you, Webby Awards. 2 the fans of @ClubShayShay…I’m humbled, honored and appreciative.”
The three other Special Achievement awards were won by actress and activist Keke Palmer, honored with the Webby Special Achievement Award; actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus with the Webby Podcast of the Year; and journalist Kara Swisher with the Webby Lifetime Achievement Award.
Other award winners included Snoop Dogg, Olivia Rodrigo, Laverne Cox, Michelle Obama, Jason and Travis Kelce, GLAAD, Spotify, Adobe Premiere, National Geographic and many more.
Of Sharpe and all of this year’s winners, Webby Awards President Claire Graves stated:
“This year’s Webby Winners represent work at the cutting edge of creativity and innovation. They are best-in-class creators, entrepreneurs and companies who are taking giant strides to make something entirely new to entertain, help or inform people through the internet.”
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