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.
#Stand #Public #Media #Gala #Honored #Truthseekers #Storytellers
