The Stand With Public Media Gala Honored Truth-seekers and Storytellers
There’s a scene in a recently-aired episode of The Morning Show in which Karen Pittman’s character Mia is vying for the coveted head of news position at the fictional network, and is told by higher-ups that the news should be “sexier” and more “entertaining” in order to hook viewers. An impassioned (and frankly, worn down) Mia delivers a stirring monologue in response about how the truth—and those who break it—are under increasing attack. It’s not just a storyline. In real life, amid massive budget cuts and the closure of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, New York Public Radio gave its annual gala the theme Stand With Public Media. The night served as a timely reminder that clear, concise information must be supported, and better funded, in order to prevail.
The galvanizing evening was hosted at The Glasshouse in West Chelsea. With SAG Award-winning actor Richard Kind on hand to host the program, the event uplifted individuals who are adamant in protecting the First Amendment. The honorees were Stephen Colbert—host, executive producer, and writer of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert—and his wife Evelyn McGee Colbert—a producer and arts advocate—as well as David Remnick, longtime editor of The New Yorker, and Darren Walker, outgoing president of the Ford Foundation.
“We are so grateful that New York Public Radio continues its mission of fostering curiosity and joy,” McGee Colbert said during her acceptance speech. “There are fewer and fewer places where we can all meet outside of work and our home, and for us, New York Public Radio remains that vital third space. It informs us, it entertains us, and it unites us.” The journalist couple also bantered on stage, recalling how their early years of long distance dating between New York (Evelyn) and Chicago (Stephen) involved arguments over who would trade in not just their zip code, but their beloved public radio station in order to be with the other.
Spoiler alert: when Manhattan eventually became their joint address, Colbert realized what he’d been missing. “WNYC got you going in the morning: all the information, all the culture, and all the things you needed to know about New York and our country to get you started, or to make you mad as hell,” he said. “And at the end of a long day, WQXR was there, like a frosty mug of Xanax to calm you down.” Confirming just how influential the station has been in their household ever since, they noted a time when their then-five-year-old daughter Maddie fashioned a Halloween costume in a nod to a character on the All Things Considered show of her own accord.
Remnick, who has led The New Yorker for more than a quarter-century and currently hosts The New Yorker Radio Hour on WNYC, spoke eloquently about this unprecedented “dark” moment for media. “It s a privilege to be in a room filled with people who are so deeply devoted to the free word, to freedom of the press, to fair reporting of the news, and to rigorous argument and disagreement,” he said.
Referring to CBS’ decision to cancel Colbert’s show by May 2026, Remnick urged: “As Stephen and others in this room have learned first hand, we live in a dark time and a threatening time…we cannot kid ourselves about the era that we are living in. This is a test of the emergency broadcast system. This is a test of all of us in this room to stand up for what we say that we believe in. Right now is the time to show that we have backbone, endurance, and will not put up with the sh*t.”
Walker, a beloved social justice champion, gave the room pause for thought. “It is easy on any given day in our country to be depressed, dejected, disgusted, and dismayed by what we are confronted with. And we sometimes find ourselves challenged to find hope. Then we come to rooms like this and are reminded that there is hope and goodness in this country. My belief in this country is unwavering, not failing. But that does not blind me to the reality of what is before us. An existential threat to this country we love. And what is going to save this country we love? Our institutions, like New York Public Radio.”
Over the course of the benefit, some 600 guests enjoyed performances by Grammy winners Jon Batiste and Ben Platt, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Noah Galvin, and classical pianist Conrad Tao. A paddle raise round also contributed to a total fundraising effort of $1.7 million—and counting. Keeping spirits high, an after-party continued with Questlove on dance floor-filling music duty. On their way out, attendees made their exit through the (complimentary) gift shop, grabbing totes emblazoned with the slogan: You Can’t Defund the Truth.
Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images1/17Mikhail Baryshnikov, guest
Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images2/17Stephen Colbert and Evelyn McGee Colbert
