Alpha biography for ellen

1. Biography of Ellen DeGeneres
2. Early Life
3. Education and Early Career
4. Acting and Television Career
5. Personal Life and Activism

Biography of Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen DeGeneres, an American television star, is best known as the host of the popular talk show "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and is beloved by the American audience. She has written three books, opened a record company called "Eleveneleven," and has received thirteen Emmy Awards. Ellen made history as the first openly lesbian actress to play a lesbian character on television.

Early Life

Ellen Lee DeGeneres was born on January 26, 1958, in Metairie, Louisiana, to speech therapist Betty and insurance agent Elliott Everett DeGeneres. She has an older brother, Vance DeGeneres, who became a producer and musician. Until the age of thirteen, Ellen was raised in accordance with the teachings of the Church of Scientology. In 1973, her parents divorced and a year later, officially finalized their separation. Soon after, Betty remarried a traveling salesman named Roy Gruessendorf, while Vance remained with their father.

Education and Early Career

After graduating from high school in May 1976, DeGeneres spent a year at Grace King School and then enrolled at the University of New Orleans, choosing communication as her major. However, she dropped out after one semester and worked at a law firm with her cousin, Laura Gillen, performing clerical work. DeGeneres worked various odd jobs, including waitress, painter, and bartender, but her main career began in stand-up comedy. She performed in small clubs and coffee shops, citing Woody Allen and Steve Martin as her main sources of inspiration during the early stages of her comedy career. By 1981, Ellen became the emcee at Clyde's Comedy Club in New Orleans. In the early 1980s, she toured the country, and in 1982, Showtime named her "America's Funniest Person."

Acting and Television Career

As an actress, DeGeneres appeared in the film "Coneheads" and the series of films titled "Ellen's Energy Adventure." In 1992, producers Neal Marlens and Carol Black made her the lead star of the sitcom "Laurie Hill," which lasted only one season. However, the producers were impressed with DeGeneres and soon after, she appeared in another series called "These Friends of Mine," which was later renamed "Ellen." Known for her observational humor, DeGeneres has often been compared to Jerry Seinfeld. The peak of her popularity came in February 1997 when she openly discussed her sexual orientation on "The Oprah Winfrey Show." In April of the same year, DeGeneres publicly came out as gay in an episode of her sitcom "Ellen" called "The Puppy Episode." The episode became the highest-rated episode of the series, which ended in May 1998. DeGeneres returned to stand-up comedy and eventually became a successful television host. In 2001, "The Ellen Show" premiered, and in September 2003, "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" debuted, quickly becoming a highly-rated talk show. In its first season, the show was nominated for eleven Daytime Emmy Awards and won four. In total, the show has won twenty-five Daytime Emmy Awards over its first three seasons.

Personal Life and Activism

After coming out, DeGeneres had romantic relationships with actress Anne Heche from 1997 to 2000 and actor/director/photographer Alexandra Hedison from 2001 to 2004. Since 2004, DeGeneres has been in a relationship with actress Portia de Rossi. When same-sex marriage became legal in California, DeGeneres and de Rossi got married on August 16, 2008. They currently reside in Beverly Hills, California, with their four dogs and three cats. As a vegan, DeGeneres considers herself a "big animal lover." She actively participates in the vegan lifestyle and has been involved with the website "Going Vegan with Ellen." In 2009, DeGeneres was named "Woman of the Year" by PETA for her advocacy of animal rights. In April 2013, DeGeneres donated $25,000 to fight against the ban on undercover investigations of animal cruelty on farms in Tennessee. In 2014, she hosted the Oscars for the second time, and the star-studded selfie she took during the ceremony broke the record for the most retweets on Twitter in less than an hour. According to Forbes, DeGeneres earned an estimated $75 million in 2015 and was named the 50th most influential person in the world. She also ranked second on the "World Pride Power" list, which includes various representatives of the LGBTQ+ community.