D.L. Hughley to Host 'The 13th Annual Critics' Choice Awards' on VH1

The First Major Awards Show of the Season will Air Live from the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on VH1, Monday, January 7 at 9PM (ET/PT)

NEW YORK, Nov. 29 -- Actor and Comedian D.L. Hughley will host the Broadcast Film Critics Association's (BFCA) "The 13th Annual Critics' Choice Awards" gala live from the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on Monday, January 7 at 9pm (ET/PT). The awards are bestowed annually by the BFCA to honor the finest in cinematic achievement.

Since its inception in 1995, the "Critics' Choice Awards" has become a star-studded bellwether event of the movie awards season. The BFCA consistently picks nominees and winners that go on to garner more Academy Award nominations and wins than any other movie awards show. Presenters and special guests will be announced as they are confirmed.

Host D.L. Hughley started his career as a standup comic in the 1980's. D.L. became a house-hold name as a member of Spike Lee's "The Original Kings of Comedy" and has starred in several television shows including his self- monikered sitcom "The Hughleys" in which he played himself. More recently Hughley was seen hosting the BET series "S.O.B: Socially Offensive Behavior." D.L. currently stars in his own one-hour special for HBO entitled "Unapologetic" and will also be seen this January as the newest host of HBO's "Def Comedy Jam." Hughley will bring his original brand of comedy to VH1, when he hosts "The 13th Annual Critics' Choice Awards."

Differentiating itself from other awards shows, the Critics' Choice Awards has 18 categories which include the non-traditional Best Acting Ensemble, Best Young Actor/Actress category and more. This is also the only award show where the Best Picture Category has 10 nominees rather then the standard five. The complete list of nominating categories are listed below and the nominees will be announced in a live press conference on VH1, Tuesday, December 11 at 8:30am ET/ 5:30am PT:

1. Best Picture

2. Best Actor

3. Best Actress

4. Best Supporting Actor

5. Best Supporting Actress

6. Best Acting Ensemble

7. Best Director

8. Best Comedy

9. Best Young Actor

10. Best Young Actress

11. Best Foreign Language Film

12. Best Documentary

13. Best Animated Feature

14. Best Family Film

15. Best Writer

16. Best Song

17. Best Composer

18. Best Picture Made for Television

The "Critics' Choice Awards" is always a hot ticket event for entertainment A-listers. Attending the show in 2007 was a who's who of Hollywood including: Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Forest Whitaker, Helen Mirren, Alan Arkin, Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Hudson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Clint Eastwood, Ryan Gosling, Kate Winslet, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Penelope Cruz, Spike Lee, Jessica Biel, Sacha Baron Cohen and Dakota Fanning.

The Broadcast Film Critics Association is the largest film critics organization in the United States and Canada, representing more than 200 television, radio and online critics. BFCA members are the primary source of information for today's film going public. The very first opinion a moviegoer hears about new releases at the multiplex or the art house usually comes from one of its members.

VH1 will expand elements of the show online at VH1.com and on VH1 Mobile. Exclusive video footage from the event will include celebrity interviews, "behind-the-scenes" footage and more. Additional multiplatform plans will be announced in the coming weeks.

VH1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with TV series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 is available in 90 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital channels and services including VH1Classic, VH1 Soul, VH1 Mobile, VH1Games and extensive broadband video on VH1.com. Connect with VH1 at VH1.com.

SOURCE VH1
http://www.vh1.com/