10:45 -- The Event Co-Chairs Kelsey Bray and Parker Williams close the night accompanied by the beautiful and skillful LA Derby Dolls.

10:41 -- Academy-award winning producer (American Beauty) Bruce Cohen presents the first HRC E-Hero Award to "And She's the California Constitution".

10:27 -- Equality California director Geoff Kors presents an award to activist John Duran on behalf of all the work he has done for the GLBT community. Kors notes that Duran first got into activism when several close friends of his died to AIDS in the 1980s. He was a strong advocate for laws protecting those with HIV/AIDS. He has been a GLBT advocate ever since.
Duran recalls the countless oppression and even police brutality he and his friends have faced for standing up for their rights. "President. Pope. Preacher. We took them all on."
"We have been tested by time. We've touched equality. We've seen what's possible. The battle for justice. 'The price,' Thomas Jefferson said it, 'eternal vigilance. And the prophet? Character, character, charater.'"

10:24 -- Peter Paige (Queer as Folk, Rick and Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in the World) presents the final nominee for the E-Hero Award, "Prop 8 - The Musical".

9:56 -- Anton Mack honors NAACP chairman Julian Bond.
Bond: "It does not matter the rationale; religious, cultural, pseudo-scientific. No good will should oppose marriage equality. But oppose it they do."
Bond goes on to state that proponents of anti-miscegenation laws preach that God put the races on different continents with the intent of them not mixing. "But God made room for interracial marriage. And He or She will do the same for same-sex marriage."
"When someone asks me, are gay rights civil rights, my answer is of course they are. Civil rights are legal prerogatives. These rights are shared by everyone. ... Gay and lesbian rights are not special rights in any way. ... It is an ordinary universal entitlement to citizenship."
"Like race, our sexuality isn't a preference. It is immutable and unchangeable, and our Constitution protects us from discrimination based on immutable differences."
"Marriage is a civil right. If you don't want gay people to marry in your church, okay. But you can't say they can't get married in city hall because of your religious beliefs."
Bond notes that opponents of gay marriage used the Bible to validate their homophobic stances. But current US law contradicts religious texts in so many ways; how can it influence some laws and not others?
On 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell': "Rampant homophobia is not just wrong, it's dangerous to our national security. ... In '89, a Pentagon study concluded that sexuality is irrelevant to job performance as is being left- or right-handed."
Bond quotes Martin Luther King Jr.: "Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."

9:54 -- Michelle Clunie (Queer as Folk) introduces the fourth finalist for the E-Hero Award, "DOMA Protest".

9:36 -- HRC President Joe Solmonese honors Senator Dianne Feinstein and her history of bravery and support in Congress. Feinstein notes that the journey for African-American civil rights was a gradual process, and we must have the same patience in this fight.
"I can't tell you when or how. It may take another year or five. It may take another ballot initiative. I believe that equal marriage will proudly be the law of this great state."
"Over the course of these decades, I've seen this community be born and come into a life of its own. I've seen with my own eyes, the happiness, the joy, and the stability that marriage has come with." Feinstein punctuates her support of marriage equality by pointing out how many displaced children have found loving parental support in the households of same-sex couples. "I believe this is a good thing."
"I know from experience, that it's tough to lose. But time doesn't stop, and it's on your side. Because like me, like my views, people do change. And they understand. As they see the smiles on the film that we saw today. ... People change, and that's the change we need. About 5% more.
I support you on this quest, and it will happen."

9:28 -- The show continues with a movie: "Corporate Heroes of HRC". It chronicles the many and proud supporters of HRC, including Bank of America, WaMu, ATT, Nike, Dell, COX Enterprises, Google, Shell, and Tylenol PM. Kelsey Bray and Parker Williams also appear to remind us that just one more way to keep the fight going is to support the companies who have publicly stood up for equality. [A comprehensive list of HRC sponsors can be found here: http://www.hrc.org/about_us/sponsors.asp]

8:44 -- [Intermission and dinner]

8:37 -- Kelsey Bray and Parker Williams, HRC Federal Club Co-Chairs, urge tonight's guests to join the Human Rights Campaign's membership. [More information can be found at www.HRC.org/get_involved]
Bruce Bastian, the first $1,000,000 donor to HRC and a member of the HRC's board of directors, comes out and speaks about Proposition 8. Bastian is from Utah and is a former member of the Church of Latter Day Saints, one of the biggest proponents of Proposition 8.

8:34 -- T.R Knight (Grey's Anatomy) introduces the third finalist of the E-Hero Award, the Courage Campaign's "Fidelity" (with music by Regina Spektor).

8:24 -- Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese: "To win full equality, both here in California and across this country, will require the same kind of selfless determination from everyone in this room, everyone across this country."
Solmonese acknowledges the guests here tonight that have fought against Prop 8, including Senator Dianne Feinstein, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and No on 8 donor Bruce Bastian.
"This year, [because of current federal legislation], we will finally pass an inclusive Matthew Shepherd hate crime bill. ... We will finally pass an employment non-discrimination bill that includes gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transexual people."
Solmonese goes on to describe several bills that HRC is pushing to get passed this year. "Know that we will be there with you again and again for every single fight until justice is finally served in this state."

8:20 -- A video montage is shown to display how far the Human Rights Campaign has come to fight for gay rights over the years. It includes footage of civil rights leaders (including Martin Luther King Jr. and Harvey Milk), federal legislation, news broadcasts across the country, and current President Obama.

8:18 -- Candis Cane (Dirty Sex Money) introduces E-Hero Award finalist, "What About Gay Marriage?"

8:08 -- Antonio Villaraigosa: "It wasn't too long ago that I had the great personal privilege and honor of participating in 11 of the weddings of our over 18,000 same-sex couples. ... I was overwhelmed by the feeling that our state and country have opened a new chapter."
Villaraigosa compares the struggles of African-Americans and women to the current battle for gay rights.
"We must take the fight ... from coastal blue to inland red. You see, this is our chance to add our voices to the story of America's progress."

8:03 – Jane Lynch appears on stage to introduce the first nominee for the E-Hero Award, “And She’s the Constitution".

8:01 – The first annual E-Hero Award is introduced. This award will be given to one of 5 internet viral videos seeking to voice the message of marriage equality.

7:57 -- “I just had a birthday. I feel things happening, man. I feel things getting old. The bladder ain’t what it used to be. I used to carry an extra pair of panties in case I got lucky. Now I carry it in case I sneeze.”

7:55 -- “I got married. I’m very, very happily married. … People focus too much on 'same-sex'. It’s just a relationship. … They’re all the same. One likes to talk a lot, the other one pretends to listen.”

7:49 -- Sykes jokes about her novicehood in the gay community.
"Change is here, change is coming... I'm so excited about that [Obama]."
On Rush Limbaugh’s pessimistic statements on Obama: “What kind of bullshit is that? … Let’s not close down Guantanamo, let’s send Rush Limbaugh’s big ass over there.”

7:40 -- Show begins with a brief intro video and the night's first appearances: DJ Casey Alva, the LA Derby Dolls, and host Wanda Sykes. Her sharp wit opens the show with a bang.
After seeing the LA Derby Dolls:"I should have come out a long time ago."