Ted Sarandos Praised at TV Academy Hall of Fame Induction

The Television Academy welcomed a new class of industry heavyweights into its Hall of Fame on Thursday, honoring a diverse group of television trailblazers including Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, actors Ted Danson and Jean Smart, documentary producer Sheila Nevins and “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

The ceremony also posthumously honored legendary journalist Ed Bradley.

Jerry Seinfeld toasted Sarandos’ induction at the 28th annual ceremony at the JW Marriott at L.A. Live in Los Angeles Thursday night.

“It’s so wonderful to be at the Academy of Television to induct Ted Sarandos of Netflix into the Hall of Fame,” Seinfeld said. “Even though, at the same time, it’s hard for me to believe that I’m not the one receiving this very special recognition. Nothing against Ted! So I thought it might be helpful to intersperse some of my achievements, along with Ted’s, to give some perspective and also to maybe offer a little guidance to the Hall of Fame nominating committee as we look forward to next year’s induction ceremony.”

He continued: “Let’s compare: Ted built Netflix’s entire content strategy. He turned a DVD mail order tech company into a major Hollywood studio. I co-created the TV series ‘Seinfeld,’ one of the most successful sitcoms of all time.”

On a serious note the comedian added that Sarandos was “not only the most respected, but also the most-loved industry executive I’ve ever seen in my career.”

While accepting the honor, Sarandos noted that he was also surprised to be in the Television Academy Hall of Fame while thanking colleagues like Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, his co-CEO Greg Peters and trailblazers of the medium like Norman Lear, Bob Daly and Lorne Michaels. For Sarandos, TV provided a safe space saying, “My house was chaos. My parents were struggling; we didn’t always have electricity and water, but we always had paid TV.”

Mary Steenburgen introduced her husband Ted Danson who led shows like “Cheers,” “The Good Place” and “A Man on the Inside.”

“Whether he’s pouring drinks behind a bar in Boston, solving cases in a retirement home, or trying to become a better person in the afterlife, Ted has given us unforgettable characters who feel like family,” she said. “Kelsey Grammer once described Ted as ‘as easy as the sunrise.’ And that is just perfect: Ted is easy. He is fun. And most of all, he loves people and their stories. He really is the guy who always knows your name and is always glad you came.”

At the podium Danson talked about falling in love with television when he would visit his cousins in Pasadena, Calif., explaining it was the one time of year he would get to watch TV. Safe to say he was transfixed.

“I was in heaven. I would wake up early in the morning so I could read the TV Guide magazine cover to cover.”

While the actor has been a TV fixture for the last 40 years he joked that his parents were not quite as impressed as the rest of the world when he hit it big. “My mother, during the height of Cheers, was asked what she thought of her son’s success,” Danson remarked. “She said, ‘Well, of course I’m happy for him. But I’ve always believed in the nobility of quiet failure.’”

“Hacks” star Jean Smart was honored by the show’s creators Paul W. Downs, Jen Statsky and Lucia Aniello.

“Jean has proven time and time again that she can be funny, dramatic, sexy, vulnerable and strong. And on ‘Hacks,’ she showed us that she can do all of those things, oftentimes in one scene, and sometimes, in a single moment,” Downs said.

The “Designing Women” and “Fargo” actress said growing up in the Golden Age of television “was really kind of magical” as she accepted her award.

Never one to leave without the last laugh she closed out her speech talking about her relationship to fame, not dissimilar to her on-screen counterpart Deborah Vance.

“Recently, this year, I was shooting in Las Vegas, and I happened to be sharing the elevator with another hotel guest, and I noticed he kept glancing at me,” she said. “Finally, he asked, ‘Are you famous?’ So I just said, ‘Well, apparently not!’”

Other inductees included “South Park” creators Parker and Stone who was inducted by longtime friend Bill Hader, Nevins who was introduced by Lily Tomlin and late Ed Bradley who was honored with a speech by his widow Patricia Blanchet.