Ellen DeGeneres
In April 1997, DeGeneres came out as gay on the cover of Time magazine ('Yep, I'm Gay'), and weeks later her sitcom character did the same in 'The Puppy Episode.' It was the first leading character on American prime-time TV to come out, drawing 42 million viewers and reshaping her career.
Stand-Up Beginnings
Born in Metairie, Louisiana, DeGeneres worked odd jobs before turning to stand-up comedy in the early 1980s. Her clean, observational style earned a star-making 1986 'Tonight Show' appearance with Johnny Carson.
A Cultural Milestone
Her ABC sitcom 'Ellen' made television history in 1997 when both DeGeneres and her character came out as gay. The Time magazine cover and 'Puppy Episode' became a landmark moment, though the show was canceled the following year.
Daytime Reign
DeGeneres reinvented herself as a daytime force with 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show,' which ran 19 seasons and collected 33 Daytime Emmys. She also hosted the Oscars twice and voiced Dory in Pixar's 'Finding Nemo' films.
Career Timeline
- 1986Breakout 'Tonight Show' stand-up set with Johnny Carson
- 1994ABC sitcom 'Ellen' premieres
- 1997Comes out on Time cover and in 'The Puppy Episode'
- 1998Sitcom 'Ellen' is canceled by ABC
- 2003Voices Dory in Pixar's 'Finding Nemo'
- 2003'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' talk show debuts
- 2007Hosts the Academy Awards for the first time
- 2014Hosts the Oscars again; viral group selfie
- 2016Reprises Dory in 'Finding Dory'
- 2022Talk show ends after a 19-season run
Biggest Hits
- Her 1986 'Tonight Show' set made her the first female comic Johnny Carson ever invited to the couch on a debut appearance.
- After ABC canceled 'Ellen' in 1998, her career stalled for years before the talk show revived it in 2003.
Portrait: Tulane Public Relations (enhanced by Smalljim) · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons