Biological Profile

Ellen DeGeneres was born on January 26, 1958. She was born at Ochsner Foundation Hospital in Jefferson, Louisiana. She was the second child of Elizabeth Jane "Betty” and Elliot DeGeneres. Her older brother Vance, an actor, was born two years earlier. In 1971 her parents decided to separate. Their divorce is finalized in 1973. Her mother remarries in 1974. That same year her mother is diagnosed with breast cancer. While her mother is recovering from a radical mastectomy in 1975, her stepfather molests her, which was revealed years later. She attended Atlanta High School in Atlanta, Texas. She graduates in June of 1976. Around this time she starts to discover that she is attracted to women. Her first serious girlfriend is Kat Perkoff. Perkoff dies in a car accident in 1980 she is only twenty-three years old. This terrible accident caused Ellen DeGeneres to write her famous "Phone Call to God” skit. She then enters a contest and is named Showtime’s "Funniest Person in Louisiana” in 1982. She goes on to compete in nationals and wins. She is named the "Funniest Person in America.” In 1985 she actually comes in second to comedian, Sinbad, in the San Francisco Comedy Festival. She then continues to perform in 1986 and performs in Las Vegas, Nevada where she is spotted by a producer who works in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. She goes on to film her first HBO special called Young Comedians Reunions. In January 1987 she makes her debut on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. She becomes the first female comic to be called to sit on Johnny’s couch and talk to him. 

In 1987 she gets her first television role on Fox TV’s sitcom Open House. The sitcom obtains good reviews, but is cancelled after two season in 1989. In 1991 at the American Comedy Awards she is named "Best Female Standup.” She then comes out in ABC’s sitcom Laurie Hill, which only aired six episodes. In 1993 she goes on to appear on the major motion picture, Coneheads, which is based on the Saturday Night Live skit. In March 29, 1994 she debuts her television sitcom called These Friends of Mine. The reviews for the sitcom are great, and the show actually returns later in fall. The sitcom’s name is changed to Ellen. In September of that year, she co-hosts the Primetime Emmy Awards to increase reviews. In 1995 she goes on to publish her first book, My Point … and I Do Have One. The books ends up making the New York Times bestseller list. In September 24, 1996 rumors spread that her sitcom character, Ellen Morgan will announce that she is lesbian and that Ellen DeGeneres will also make that announcement. The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation also known as GLAAD, launches a campaign called "Let Ellen Out!” and develops Ellen watch. Ellen watch, was a page dedicated to monitor the show and follow the character’s journey in coming out. In April 14, 1997 Ellen is on the cover of Time magazine and the headline titles "Yep, I’m Gay.” She then begins a relationship with Anne Heche. They attend the White House Correspondents’ dinner together and they take a picture with President Bill Clinton. On April 30 of that same year her character’s coming out is shown and more that 42 million people watch it. In Birmingham, Alabama they refuse to air the episode. In December she is named "Entertainer of the Year” by Entertainment Weekly. In April 1998 she is honored at the 9th Annual GLAAD Media Award. On the 23rd the last episode of Ellen is aired he show is cancelled. In 1999 her mother writes a book, Love, Ellen: A Mother/Daughter Journey. She appears in the romantic comedy The Love Letter. She is casted in Goodbye Lover. 

In July 2000 her HBO Comedy Special is aired, Ellen DeGeneres: The Beginning. It is nominated for two Emmy Awards. In September 24, 2001 her new sitcom, The Ellen Show premiers, but is cancelled after only 13 episodes. In November she hosts the 53rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. In September 8, 2003 she launches her talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Since it premiered it has won multiple Emmy Awards. On May 15, 2008 she announces in her that she and Portia will get married later that year, after California allows same-sex marriage. In August 16, 2008 she marries her girlfriend Portia de Rossi at their home in Beverly Hills, California. She went on to be a part of American Idol. She is now mostly involved in her talk show.

Ellen DeGeneres seems like a genuine funny person. She uses sarcasm in many of her interviews in her talk show in order to convey humor. As it was shown in the article from a Handbook of Human Research called "personality and Psychopathology in the Comic,” by Seymour Fisher and Rhoda L. Fisher comedians tend to have very high self-esteem. They have great confidence which can be seen in Ellen DeGeneres because a big part of what makes her funny is that she does not care what others might think about what she says or does. They are very social and that also fits in with her personality. It fits into her personality because after seeing multiple interviews in her show she does not just have the public relationship, but she has a friendship with many of them. She sometimes when she has a guest she introduces them as one of her closest and she says they are great friends which is usually mutual. Her guests seem to really connect with her. One other idea the article as is that they are incline to individual achievements. Which can also be seen in Ellen DeGeneres. She has had multiple achievements and she is extremely proud of. After telling everyone about her sexual orientation she has become a great spokesperson about the subject. She started to be more open, such as telling her audience that she was going to get married to her girlfriend. She also received an award from GLAAD as previously stated for her contributions. Ellen DeGeneres does seem to match the personality that is talked about in the article except about the part of her parents. She does not seem to closer to her father it seems to be the complete opposite she seems to be very close to her mother. She does seem to be a very confident person and outspoken. A great example of this is her book Seriously … I’m Kidding, her personality is greatly shown in this book.