I am so happy to post this! The HBO documentary, "Billie Jean King: Portrait of a Pioneer," was announced as a winner of the coveted 2006 George Foster Peabody Awards.
Anyone who saw this program profiling the extraordinary life of BJK came away with such respect for this force of nature. I think the documentary is largely responsible for bringing Billie Jean back in the public eye in a big way. She has always been busy doing various things but suddenly this summer, she was Billie Jean King superstar again. The United States Tennis Center was named after her in late August at the U.S. Open, she received an award from the Human Rights Campaign, and was even a model during a fashion week fundraiser in New York getting the most applause when she strutted down the catwalk in a red pantsuit to Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean."
Anyway, congrats to the people behind this magnificent documentary and to its legendary subject.

Also winning Peabody's: NBC's "The Office," "Friday Night Lights" and "Scrubs" along with ABC's "Ugly Betty."
The awards will be handed out June 4 at a luncheon at the Waldorf-Astoria in Manhattan. It will be hosted by NBC-HBO sportscaster Bob Costas.