Ellen Lee DeGeneres[2] (pronounced /d??d??n?r?s/; born January 26, 1958) is an American stand-up comedienne, television host and actress. She hosts the syndicated talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and was also a judge on American Idol for one year, having joined the show in its ninth season.
Ellen Degeneres
Voted “Funniest Person In America” in 1982.
“Best Female Club Standup,” Comedy Awards 1991.
Named “Entertainer of the Year” by Entertainment Weekly 26 December 1997/2 January 1998, issues 411/412.
Spoke at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Pointed out that many film plots and images in Hollywood are “heterosexist,” meaning that the filmmakers allow heterosexual characters to dominate the screen. She would like to see actors and actresses portray more gay and lesbian couples. [1999]
Worked as a paralegal before becoming a comedienne.
Has two dogs named Bootsie and Muffin.
When Ellen came out as a lesbian on her show in April 1997, ABC’s affiliate in Birmingham, Alabama, refused to air the landmark episode. Some of the show’s sponsors, including Chrysler, withdrew their advertisements.
Was initially reluctant to do a love scene with Sharon Stone in If These Walls Could Talk 2 (2000) (TV), but Ellen’s then-girlfriend Anne Heche, who was directing this particular segment of the film, encouraged her to do it. Ellen eventually gave in.
Split with girlfriend Anne Heche after being together for 3 years. [August 2000]
Her last name is pronounced “duh-generous”.
Used to sell vacuum cleaners before she was discovered.
Has written two books, “My Point… And I Do Have One”, a New York Times bestseller for six months, and “The Funny Thing Is…”, also a New York Times bestseller.
Was originally offered Sandra Bullock’s role in Speed (1994/I).
Daughter of Betty DeGeneres.
Ended her four-year relationship with photographer-director Alexandra Hedison. [December 2004]
Spoofed on “MADtv” (1995) by comedian Nicole Parker.
Is of French (paternal grandfather), Irish, English, and German descent.
Was the first female stand-up guest to be called to the “hot seat” on her first guest appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” (1962).
Graduated from Atlanta High School in Atlanta, Texas, in 1976.
Is only the second woman to host the Oscars on her own. The first was Whoopi Goldberg.
She is a sweetheart of the fraternity Sigma Tau Gamma.
When she appeared on the April 14, 1997 cover of Time magazine, readers’ voted it the magazine’s best ever.
Good friends with actress Courteney Cox.
Ellen and her girlfriend, Portia de Rossi, got married on August 16th, 2008 at Ellen’s home in Beverly Hills, California.
Younger sister of Vance DeGeneres.
Gave the Commencement Speech at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana in May 2009.
Auditioned for the role of Jody in Pulp Fiction (1994), but Rosanna Arquette was cast instead.
Quit smoking cigarettes using the Allen Carr method (also known as Easy Way).
Animal advocate and co-owner of “Halo”.
She became vegan in 2010.
Ellen’s first major league baseball game was at Target Field in Minnesota, home of the Minnesota Twins. She answered two questions right about Joe Mauer and got a Minnesota Twins Joe Mauer jersey.
