Sir Elton John mocked Tesla and X owner Elon Musk as he was honoured at the Attitude Awards.
The British music superstar made a rare appearance to receive the Legacy award at the ceremony, celebrating those within the LGBTQ+ community, presented by friend Ed Sheeran.
The 77-year-old became the second person to be honoured with the award, after the Duke of Sussex collected the honour in 2017 on behalf of his mother, Diana, the Princess of Wales.
Appearing on stage, Sir Elton joked: “Is this it? Is this the award? What does A stand for?
“Arsehole comes to mind. But let’s not talk about Elon Musk tonight – let’s have a good time,” he said in a transcript from the Attitude Awards.
Among the other winners was reigning Eurovision Song Contest winner Nemo, who scooped the Person of the Year award, while former Eurovision champion Lulu, who represented the UK in 1969, received the Honorary Gay award.
Baby Reindeer actress Jessica Gunning also picked up the Culture award, while Esther Ghey accepted the posthumous Inspiration award on behalf of her late daughter Brianna Ghey – a transgender teenager who was stabbed to death in Warrington last year.
During his speech, Sir Elton told the audience he is “so happy to be a gay man”, having married David Furnish in 2014 and shares sons Zachary and Elijah.
“I love my husband, my children – I have benefits as a gay man I never thought I’d be able to have,” he said.
“Thank you, David, I love you so, so, so very much. We’ve come a long way. And we’re very lucky to live in a country that gives us the rights we have.
“But there are still people who don’t have those rights, and I intend to fight for those rights until the day I die.”
Speaking before the icon appeared on stage, friend and singer Ed Sheeran declared his love for the music legend.
He told the crowd: “Wherever the great are gathered, from Park Lane to Hollywood Boulevard, there are awards to be found for icons, legends or lifetime achievement.
“All of them are worthy, many extraordinary. Attitude's Legacy Award supported by Virgin Atlantic, presented tonight for only the second time in 13 years hits harder.
.@eltonofficial is our Legacy Award winner, supported by @virginatlantic⭐️
— Attitude Magazine (@AttitudeMag) October 9, 2024
“There wasn’t any guilt. I love being gay. I can’t tell you how much I love it!”
Order the #AttitudeAwards issue from 11pm ▶️ https://t.co/Baaw9TTNmW pic.twitter.com/Mj5BusrpCO
“It honours not only a body of work, however impressive, not simply a career blessed with longevity however stellar, not even a life devoted to a cause however worthy. A legacy endures its some total of every day lived, by accident or by design as an example of the best any one of us can be.
“Unashamed and unapologetic, our winners legacy may well take in three hundred million record sales over six decades, a tour schedule akin to perpetual motion for 53 years and a breathtaking 600 million to help the fight towards HIV and AIDS,” he added.
“But just as importantly, for Attitude and the entire LGBTQ+ community, his extraordinary life lived in the public gaze and all that it entails has shown every one of us, who you love doesn't matter.
“What matters is that you find love, love that you deserve. Love is always the answer and heaven knows, I love this man.”
Earlier this year, Sir Elton earned the coveted EGOT status – a winner of an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony award.
His next projects include the opening of the musical The Devil Wears Prada for which he wrote the music, and the debut of his new documentary Elton John: Never Too Late which premieres on Disney+ on December 13.
In an interview with Attitude magazine, Sir Elton also spoke about the end of his touring days.
“We went to Glastonbury, and we smashed it there, and when I did the last show in Stockholm, I got in the car and David said, ‘How do you feel?’ I went, ‘I’m so happy’.
“I understand why Adele wants to stop because there’s more to life.
“I’ve done nearly over 5,000 shows in my life and I’ve done all there is to do, and so I just knew that my boys and David needed me, and I need them.”
