“The first time probably people really were aware of me, I unfortunately had the title of Showtime's Funniest Person in America. And that's a really tough title to travel around with when you're not even known.”

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.