Ellen DeGeneres is an American comedian, television host, producer, writer, and actress. She is also one of the most well-known advocates for LGBTQ rights.
Who is Ellen DeGeneres?
Ellen DeGeneres rose to fame before starring in the sitcom Ellen, which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award for “The Puppy Episode.” From 2003 to 2022, DeGeneres hosted the syndicated television talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, for which she received 33 Daytime Emmy Awards.
Early Life
Ellen DeGeneres was born on January 26, 1958, in Metairie, Louisiana, to a speech therapist Elizabeth Jane and an insurance agent Elliot Everett DeGeneres. She has one brother, Vance, who is a musician and producer. Her parents divorced when she was a teenager. Her mother married Roy Gruessendorf shortly after. DeGeneres and her mother moved from the New Orleans area to Atlanta, Texas, along with Gruessendorf, while Vance stayed with his father.
DeGeneres dreamed of becoming a veterinarian, but she gave up the idea because she was “not book smart.” Her stepfather molested her when she was about 15 or 16 years old. In May 1976, DeGeneres graduated from Atlanta High School and went back to New Orleans to attend the University of New Orleans, where she pursued communication studies. However, she suspended her studies after one semester to do clerical work in a law firm with a cousin, Laura Gillen. Her early jobs included a stint waitressing at TGI Fridays and another one at J.C. Penney. She also worked as a bartender, a hostess, and a house painter. During most of her talk shows, DeGeneres speaks much of her childhood and career experiences.
Stand-up Comedy
Ellen DeGeneres started performing stand-up comedy at local coffee houses and small clubs at the age of 23. By 1981, she was the emcee at Clyde’s Comedy Club in New Orleans. In 1986, DeGeneres got her big break when acting on a tip Jal Leno, The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson sent a booking agent to catch her act at the Improv in Hollywood.
DeGeneres then started appearing on the talk show circuit, including performances on Later with Greg Kinnear, Larry King Live, The Late Show with David Letterman, and Good Morning, America. DeGeneres finally appeared in a 2018 Netflix stand-up special, Relatable, after a 15-year hiatus from performing stand-up comedy. She cites Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, and Bob Newhart as her comedy influences.
CBS sitcom, ‘The Ellen Show’
DeGeneres’ first regular TV role was in a short-lived Fox sitcom known as Open House, where she played the role of Margo Van Meter, an office worker at the Juan Verde Real Estate company. She appeared in the show alongside Mary Page Keller and Alison LaPlaca. In 1992, DeGeneres was cast in Neal Marlens’ and Carol Black’s sitcom Laurie Hill, where she played the role of Nurse Nancy MacIntyre. Even though the series was canceled after only four episodes, Marlens and Black were so impressed by DeGeneres’ performance that, shortly after, they cast her in their next ABC pilot, These Friends of Mine.
Her wit won over audiences, and DeGeneres finally found success with her prime-time sitcom “The Ellen Show.” However, the show faced strong criticism, especially since DeGeneres had come out as a lesbian on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Several of her episodes had gay themes. The show received rounds of applause from gay-friendly activists but was canceled after 13 episodes.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
In September 2003, DeGeneres launched a daytime television talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which became a big hit among daytime viewers. The show won 25 Emmy Awards for its first three seasons on the air. At the beginning of the show and during the commercial break, DeGeneres could dance and sing with the audience. With the help of her sponsors, she often gave away free prizes and trips to her audience to be in her show’s studio.
In July 2020, BuzzFeed News ran articles in which anonymous former employees of The Ellen DeGeneres Show accused the show of being a toxic workplace. The executives were accused of harassment. WarnerMedia began an investigation. DeGeneres apologized to her staff, saying that she intended to create a show where “no one would ever raise their voice, and everyone would be treated with respect” and that she was “disappointed to learn that this has not been the case.”
Three executives left the show after the investigation, and the show promised to take steps to change the culture. During the eighteenth season’s September 2020 opening, DeGeneres apologized once more.
On May 12, 2021, DeGeneres announced that she would end her show after concluding the nineteenth season in 2022.
On Thursday, May 26, 2022, DeGeneres ended her talk show. Alecia Beth Moore and Jennifer Aniston guest-starred on the show, while Portia de Rossi and other members of Ellen’s family sat in the audience.
Personal Life
Ellen DeGeneres emerged as a lesbian in 1997, sparking intense interest by American tabloids. The disclosure of her sexual orientation stunted her professional career and left her “mired in depression.” Her mother was also shocked at first but has since been one of DeGeneres’ strongest supporters.
DeGeneres started a romantic relationship with actress Anne Heche the same year she came out as a lesbian. The relationship lasted until August 2000. DeGeneres and photographer Alexandra Hedison maintained a close affair from 2000 to 2004. After their separation had already been announced to the media, the couple appeared on the cover of The Advocate.
DeGeneres started a relationship with Portia de Rossi in 2004. The couple got engaged and married in August 2008 after the same-sex marriage ban in California was overturned. Portia de Rossi filed a petition to legally change her name to Portia Lee James DeGeneres on August 6, 2010. The petition was granted on September 23, 2010.