“It's a little weird that I'm getting an award for being nice and generous and kind... which is what we're all supposed to do for one another. That's the point of being human. I think that kindness is an innate quality that we all have. We need to see more of it in the world. I want everyone to know that we all really, really love one another. Deep down, we all love one another. We need to get back to that. My wish is that we all try.”

American comedian, actress, television host, writer, and producer

Ellen DeGeneres is an American comedian, actress, television host, writer, and producer. She began in stand-up comedy in the early 1980s and came to national attention after appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1986. She went on to star in the sitcoms Ellen and The Ellen Show, and later hosted the syndicated talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show from 2003 to 2022. That program brought her 33 Daytime Emmy Awards and made her a familiar figure in American television.