Ellen Degeneres - Biography

Last Editor: Clarissa_Angeline_ro				Ellen Degeneres Biography -   Name : Ellen Degeneres Birth name : Ellen Lee DeGeneres Date of Birth : January 26, 1958 Place of Birth : Metairie, Louisiana, U.S. Age : 51 Profession : American stand-up comedienne, television hostess,actress Nationality : American Spouse : Portia de Rossi (m. 2008–present)

Ellen Degeneres Trivia -

Ellen was 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] She worked as a paralegal before becoming a comedienne. She 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". She used to sell vacuum cleaners before she was discovered. She 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. She was originally offered Sandra Bullock's role in Speed (1994/I). She is the daughter of Betty DeGeneres. She ended her four-year relationship with photographer-director Alexandra Hedison. [December 2004] Spoofed on "MADtv" (1995) by comedian Nicole Parker. She is of French (paternal grandfather), Irish, English, and German descent. Ellen 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). She graduated from Atlanta High School in Atlanta, Texas, in 1976. She 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. She is the younger sister of Vance DeGeneres.

Ellen Degeneres Detailed Biography -

Ellen Lee DeGeneres (born January 26, 1958) is an American actress, stand-up comedian, and, most recently, host of a syndicated talk show. Ellen DeGeneres was born on January 26, 1958 at Ochsner Hospital in Metairie, Louisiana to Elliot (insurance salesman) and Betty (real-estate agent). She is of French, English, German and Irish descent. Along with her brother Vance she was raised as a Christian Scientist until the age of thirteen, when she left the religion. This was when her parents were divorced. Shortly after the divorce DeGeneres and her mother moved from the New Orleans area to Atlanta, Texas. She graduated from Atlanta High School on May 21, 1976. She moved back to New Orleans to attend the University of New Orleans, where she majored in communications. After one semester, she left school to do clerical work in a law firm. She also held a job selling clothes, including dresses, at the chain-store the Merry-Go-Round. Other working experiences included a waitress (at two different restuarants), a house painter, a hostess, a bartender and an oyster shucker. Finally, DeGeneres realized she didn't want to "answer to a boss" and started to figure out what she really wanted to do. Whenever Ellen DeGeneres' friends put together a show or party, she was asked to do a comedy routine. She did an act and was soon asked to perform as a stand-up comedian at small clubs and coffeehouses, and eventually became the emcee at Clyde's Comedy Club (the only comedy place in New Orleans at the time). While working at Clyde's in 1981, DeGeneres recorded her club performances. After traveling around the United States performing her comedy act, she was chosen in a national competition in 1982 by the cable channel HBO as the funniest person in America. She then appeared on late night television and comedy programs. Soon afterward, DeGeneres was invited to perform on the Tonight Show by booking agent/Producer Jim McCawley for her first appearance in 1986. She was the first female to ever be asked over to the couch to visit with Johnny Carson on her first visit. Jim McCawley truly believed that she was going to be a hit and often spoke in praise of her when her name was mentioned. She also appeared as a stand-up comedian as early as on the HBO Tenth Annual Young Comedians special, where she was introduced as an up-and-coming talent by Young Comedians show veteran Harry Anderson. Before getting her own show, DeGeneres began her television career on the short-lived TV sitcom Open House (1989-1990) and Laurie Hill (1992).