Ellen Degeneres – a Person Who Inspires Me

It was evident from a young age Ellen’s funny and outgoing personality would place her in the entertainment field. She said after her parents got divorced in 1974 she applied innovative tricks to make her mother laugh in order to help her deal with the rough phase. Degeneres is a comedian, actor, writer, producer and host on her talk show “The Ellen Degeneres Show”. She has impacted us all influetically with her compassion and drive. We will remember her for her entertainment, comedy and appearances over the media worldwide. Not only that but as a woman standing up for LGBT rights after coming out as gay/lesbian.

Degeneres had an influential and interesting childhood/ early life. She was born in Metairie, Louisiana on January 26th, 1958. She spent most of her childhood outside of New Orleans, exploring and spending a lot of her time in the city. A quote from New Orleans Magazine says “I rode my bike everywhere, all over the campus all over uptown. You know, people can grow up in New Orleans without realizing how unique a city is.” (New Orleans Magazine). Ellen was always very adventurous and loved to explore. Vance Degeneres is her one brother and only sibling, he is three years older than Ellen and now is in the same industry as her. Betty Degeneres and Elliott Degeneres, ellen’s parents then got divorced when she was the age of thirteen. As quoted in in the St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture she recalled using comedy to help her mother through the painful period after the divorce “My mother was going through some really hard times and I could see when she was really getting down, and I would start to make fun of her dancing.” “Then she’d start to laugh and I’d make fun of her laughing and she’d laugh so hard she’d start to cry, and then I’d make fun of that.” “So I would her from where I’d seen her start going into depression to all the way out of it.” Betty Degeneres Her was a speech language therapist and writer but now is still alive and retired. Her father was an insurance agent but died in January of last year. After the divorce Betty remarried to Roy Gruessendorf and the two went to go live with him in Atlanta, Texas, whereas Vance Degeneres went to go live with his father.

Elle had a pretty average education. When she lived in Louisiana she went to Grace King high school then when she moved to Atlanta she finished up high school at Atlanta ISD high school. After she graduated high school she then moved to New Orleans to graduating high school she moved to New Orleans to attend University Of New Orleans to major in communication studies, but ended up dropping out after one semester.

Ellen did have a good early career/ start to her first job. After dropping out she held a wide variety of jobs waiting tables, selling vacuum cleaners, painting houses and working as a legal secretary. She knew these jobs weren’t for her and didn’t suit her personality and she wanted independence so she then tried stand up comedy. She starting at small clubs and bars and then working her way up to emcee Clyde’s Comedy Club by 1981. In 1982 she entered a national talent contest held by the cable network Showtime, sending a video of her stand up act. She then hit it big in stand up comedy. What really took off her career was when she starred in her own sitcom, what was called “These Friends Of Mine” but got changed in 1994 to just “Ellen”.

Ellen’s adulthood was very eventful. Ellen first came out as gay in 1977 on the “Puppy Episode” on her sitcom “Ellen”. The show received a lot of criticism but biography.com says “Degeneres character became the first lead in sitcom history to openly acknowledged her homosexuality on air”. Degeneres first relationship was dating Anne Heche for several years. They then bought a house together in 1999 in L.A but then shortly broke up in August of 2000. Shortly after she became involved with Alexandra Hedison for a few years but that broke off shortly after as well. Degeneres finally dated Portia De Rossi and they then ended up getting married in December 2004, to this day they are still married. The two got married on August 16th, 2008 and happened to be the highest profile gay marriage after California legalized same sex marriages.

Ellen’s later career/ where she is at now really impacts her career as a whole. Now Ellen is still a comedian and television host most known from her talk show “The Ellen Degeneres Show.” Her talk show won unpredictable amount of award. In the first three seasons The Ellen Degeneres Show won 15 emmys. It was also the first talk show in history to win the emmy for outstanding talk show in its first seasons. As she is juggling many roles in Hollywood she has many other accomplishments such as owning her own record label “eleveneleven.” She also owns her lifestyle brand that sells products such as shoes, home and baby items and other daily basis nessetees. Ellen has her own wildlife fund campaign and is helping lgbt rights and helping others tremendously.

I chose Ellen Degeneres because she is a successful and inspiring person. I like Ellen first off because she is funny, I can always remember watching her show and how enjoyable and entertaining it was. She also has a interesting story, just reading about her life and how she got to where she is truly amazing. She also is a very giving person and she does have a lot of money but she invests it and gives it away to people in need. Ellen has made so many impactful accomplishments and I hope I’m successful like her one day.