Webby Award winners give 5-word speeches

NEW YORK, June 9 (UPI) -- Winners at the 13th annual Webby Awards ceremony in New York honored organizers' request that they give five-word acceptance speeches.

Fans can view clips of each speech on the new Webby Awards YouTube Channel, along with celebrity interviews from the red carpet and backstage, and other highlights of the Monday night ceremony.

"Free. Open. Keep one Web," said Sir Tim Berners-Lee, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition not only of his role in creating the World Wide Web, but also in guiding its development as a tool for promoting creativity and humanitarian values.

"Thank God Conan got promoted," quipped Jimmy Fallon, who was honored with a Webby Person of the Year award for his innovative use of the Internet to build a fan base before the TV launch of his late-night talk show, for which he succeeded Conan O'Brien, who took over "The Tonight Show" from Jay Leno.

Comedian Sarah Silverman was awarded the Best Actress Webby for two performances: the YouTube hit "I'm (Expletive) Matt Damon" and the viral political appeal "The Great Schlep," which was also a Webby winner for Best Political Video.

"Holocaust. Did it happen? Yes," was Silverman's 5-word speech.

"Wait, we didn't charge anything?" said Trent Reznor, recognized as Webby Artist of the Year for his work online, including releasing the 2008 Nine Inch Nails studio album "The Slip" for free download on nin.com

The Webby Awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a 650-person judging academy whose members include David Bowie, Harvey Weinstein, Arianna Huffington, Matt Groening, Vinton Cerf and Richard Branson.

"Saturday Night Live's" Seth Meyers served as host of Monday night's event.