Ellen Lee DeGeneres ( də-JEN-ər-əs; born January 26, 1958) is an American retired comedian, actress, television host, writer, and producer. She began her career in stand-up comedy in the early 1980s, gaining national attention with a 1986 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. She starred in the television sitcoms Ellen (1994–1998) and The Ellen Show (2001–2002). She also hosted the syndicated television talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003–2022), for which she received 33 Daytime Emmy Awards. In 2021, DeGeneres announced the end of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, following multiple allegations of workplace bullying. The controversy led to internal investigations and a sharp decline in public support, culminating in her decision to retire from the talk show in 2022.
In April 1997, DeGeneres publicly came out as a lesbian on the cover of Time with the words "Yep, I'm gay" and after "The Puppy Episode", became the first openly gay lead character on an American network television show. DeGeneres also had a successful film career, starring in Mr.