History of Ellen DeGeneres in Timeline
Ellen DeGeneres is an American comedian, actress, television host, writer, and producer. She gained prominence starring in the sitcom *Ellen* (1994-1998) and later hosted the talk show *The Ellen DeGeneres Show* (2003-2022), which earned her 33 Daytime Emmy Awards. Her career encompasses various roles in the entertainment industry, establishing her as a well-known figure in comedy and television.
1996: DeGeneres Hosted Grammy Awards
In 1996, Ellen DeGeneres hosted the Grammy Awards.
1997: DeGeneres Comes Out as Lesbian
In 1997, Ellen DeGeneres came out as a lesbian, sparking intense media interest and impacting her career. She also began a relationship with actress Anne Heche.
1997: DeGeneres Hosted Grammy Awards
In 1997, Ellen DeGeneres hosted the Grammy Awards.
August 2000: DeGeneres's Relationship with Anne Heche Ends
In August 2000, Ellen DeGeneres's romantic relationship with actress Anne Heche ended.
November 4, 2001: Hosting the Emmy Awards After 9/11
On November 4, 2001, Ellen DeGeneres hosted the Emmy Awards. The broadcast, presented after cancellations due to the September 11 attacks, required a somber tone while providing viewers with a temporary escape from the tragedy. Her performance was well-received, including a line referencing the Taliban.
November 2004: DeGeneres Appears in American Express Ad Campaign
In November 2004, Ellen DeGeneres appeared, dancing, in an ad campaign for American Express.
2004: End of DeGeneres's Relationship with Alexandra Hedison
In 2004, Ellen DeGeneres ended her close relationship with photographer Alexandra Hedison, after which they appeared on the cover of The Advocate.
2004: DeGeneres Begins Relationship with Portia de Rossi
Since 2004, Ellen DeGeneres has been in a relationship with actress Portia de Rossi.
August 2005: DeGeneres to Host 2005 Primetime Emmy Awards
In August 2005, it was announced that Ellen DeGeneres would host the 2005 Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony.
September 18, 2005: Hosting the Primetime Emmy Awards after Hurricane Katrina
On September 18, 2005, Ellen DeGeneres hosted the Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony, three weeks after Hurricane Katrina. This marked the second time she hosted the Emmys following a national tragedy.
September 7, 2006: DeGeneres Selected to Host 79th Academy Awards
On September 7, 2006, Ellen DeGeneres was selected to host the 79th Academy Awards ceremony, making her the first openly gay person to host the event.
November 2006: New American Express Commercial Debuts
In November 2006, Ellen DeGeneres's new two-minute black-and-white American Express commercial, created by Ogilvy & Mather, debuted. It featured her working with animals.
February 25, 2007: DeGeneres Hosts 79th Academy Awards
On February 25, 2007, Ellen DeGeneres hosted the 79th Academy Awards ceremony. Her performance was positively received, with many praising her ability to entertain both the nominees and the audience at home.
2007: American Express Commercial Wins Emmy Award
In 2007, Ellen DeGeneres's American Express commercial won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Commercial.
August 2008: DeGeneres and de Rossi Marry in California
In August 2008, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi married at their home in Beverly Hills, California, following the overturn of the same-sex marriage ban in California.
September 2008: DeGeneres Begins Working with CoverGirl Cosmetics
In September 2008, Ellen DeGeneres began working with CoverGirl Cosmetics, leading to criticism due to the brand's animal testing practices conflicting with her animal-friendly values.
November 4, 2008: Proposition 8 in California Casts Doubt on Marriage Legal Status
On November 4, 2008, the passage of Proposition 8 in California cast doubt on the legal status of Ellen DeGeneres' marriage with Portia de Rossi.
January 2009: DeGeneres's Face Featured in CoverGirl Advertisements
In January 2009, Ellen DeGeneres's face became the focus of CoverGirl advertisements, marking her first beauty campaign.
2009: DeGeneres Named PETA's Woman of the Year
In 2009, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) named Ellen DeGeneres their "Woman of the Year" for her animal advocacy.
May 26, 2010: DeGeneres Announces Record Label "eleveneleven"
On May 26, 2010, Ellen DeGeneres announced on her show the launch of her own record label, "eleveneleven". The first act she signed was Greyson Chance.
September 23, 2010: de Rossi Granted Legal Name Change to Portia Lee James DeGeneres
On September 23, 2010, Portia de Rossi's legal petition to change her name to Portia Lee James DeGeneres was granted.
2010: DeGeneres Serves as Campaign Ambassador for Farm Sanctuary
In 2010, Ellen DeGeneres served as campaign ambassador to Farm Sanctuary's Adopt-A-Turkey Project, encouraging people to adopt a turkey instead of eating one at Thanksgiving.
November 2011: Special Envoy for Global AIDS Awareness
In November 2011, Ellen DeGeneres was named a special envoy for Global AIDS Awareness by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
December 3, 2011: DeGeneres Headlines "Change Begins Within" Gala
On December 3, 2011, Ellen DeGeneres headlined the third annual "Change Begins Within" gala for the David Lynch Foundation, held at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
2011: DeGeneres Attends Saints Practice Dressed as Don Hutson
In 2011, Ellen DeGeneres, a fan of the National Football League, attended a New Orleans Saints practice session dressed as Green Bay Packers Hall of Famer Don Hutson.
2012: Obama's Tweet Holds Previous Retweet Record Before Oscars Selfie
In 2012, Barack Obama's victory tweet held the previous retweet record before the selfie orchestrated by Ellen DeGeneres at the 86th Academy Awards broke the record.
2012: DeGeneres Becomes Spokesperson for J. C. Penney
In 2012, Ellen DeGeneres became the spokesperson for J. C. Penney, participating in a tour and advertising campaign.
2012: "Going Vegan with Ellen" Section on The Ellen DeGeneres Show Website
In 2012, the website for The Ellen DeGeneres Show featured a section called "Going Vegan with Ellen," promoting "Meatless Mondays" and vegan recipes.
April 2013: DeGeneres Donates to Stop Anti-Whistleblower Legislation
In April 2013, Ellen DeGeneres donated $25,000 to stop anti-whistleblower agricultural gag legislation in Tennessee, aimed at preventing undercover investigators from recording animal abuse on farms.
August 2, 2013: DeGeneres to Host Academy Awards for Second Time
On August 2, 2013, it was announced that Ellen DeGeneres would host the Academy Awards on March 2, 2014, for the second time.
March 2, 2014: DeGeneres Hosted the Academy Awards
On March 2, 2014, Ellen DeGeneres hosted the Academy Awards for the second time.
October 24, 2014: E.D. on Air product line offered on QVC
On October 24, 2014, Ellen DeGeneres' line of home products, E.D. on Air, began being offered on QVC, a home shopping network.
2015: Launch of ED by Ellen Lifestyle Brand
In 2015, Ellen DeGeneres launched her lifestyle brand under the name ED by Ellen. Later, the brand name changed to ED Ellen DeGeneres.
2015: DeGeneres Named One of World's Most Powerful Women by Forbes
In 2015, Ellen DeGeneres was named the 50th-most-powerful woman in the world by Forbes and came second on the World Pride Power list.
2016: DeGeneres Re-Introduces Fish into Diet
In 2016, Ellen DeGeneres stated that she had re-introduced fish into her diet, moving away from her previously vegan lifestyle.
February 2017: Launch of DeGeneres's Dog Collection at PetSmart
In February 2017, Ellen DeGeneres's dog collection at PetSmart was launched.
May 2017: Ellen DeGeneres' Oscars Selfie a Top Retweeted Tweet
As of May 2017, the selfie orchestrated by Ellen DeGeneres at the 86th Academy Awards became the fifth-most retweeted tweet ever, with over 3.4 million retweets. The effort was parodied by Lego and Matt Groening with The Simpsons.
November 2017: Elephant Trophies Campaign
In November 2017, in response to President Donald Trump's decision to allow the importation of elephant trophies, Ellen DeGeneres launched a hashtag campaign in partnership with her brand, ED Ellen DeGeneres, to benefit the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. She also created a T-shirt with proceeds going to the organization.
November 2017: ED by Ellen Brand Launches Collection to Benefit #BeKindToElephants Campaign
In November 2017, the ED by Ellen brand launched a collection featuring a tee and baby one piece to benefit DeGeneres's #BeKindToElephants campaign, donating 100% of the proceeds to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. A line of tees and footwear was also created to benefit the Ellen DeGeneres Wildlife Fund.
January 2018: Gorilla Home in Rwanda
In January 2018, as a gift for Ellen DeGeneres's 60th birthday, Portia de Rossi gifted her a permanent gorilla home in Rwanda, built in her name for the Digit Fund. This gift initiated a new branch of the Digit Fund known as the "Ellen DeGeneres Wildlife Fund".
August 15, 2018: DeGeneres Partners with Walmart to Launch EV1 Fashion Collection
On August 15, 2018, it was announced that Ellen DeGeneres would partner with Walmart to launch a fashion collection under the brand name EV1, positioned as a low-cost alternative to her ED Ellen DeGeneres product.
September 10, 2018: Official Launch of EV1 Fashion Collection
On September 10, 2018, the EV1 fashion collection, a partnership between Ellen DeGeneres and Walmart, officially launched.
2018: DeGeneres Confirms End of Vegan Lifestyle
In her 2018 stand-up comedy special Relatable, Ellen DeGeneres confirmed that she had stopped following a vegan lifestyle "in the last year or two for no reason really".
July 2020: Investigation into The Ellen DeGeneres Show Workplace
In July 2020, following accusations of a toxic workplace, Telepictures and Warner Bros. Entertainment initiated an internal investigation into The Ellen DeGeneres Show. WarnerMedia's employee relations team and a third-party consultant conducted confidential interviews. DeGeneres issued a statement accepting responsibility and promising to address the issues.
July 2020: Accusations of Toxic Workplace on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
In July 2020, ten former employees of The Ellen DeGeneres Show anonymously accused DeGeneres of fostering a toxic on-set environment characterized by "racism, fear, and intimidation." These allegations included failure to address sexual harassment by executives, racist microaggressions, abuse towards employees of color, firing employees for taking medical and bereavement leave, and replacing crew with non-union workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
September 2020: Executives Depart and Apology on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
In September 2020, as a result of the investigation into workplace issues at The Ellen DeGeneres Show, three executives departed. DeGeneres apologized again during the eighteenth season's opening, vowing to change the show's culture.
2020: DeGeneres's Earnings Estimated by Forbes
In 2020, Forbes estimated Ellen DeGeneres's earnings at US$84 million and her net worth at $370 million, making her the 12th-highest-paid entertainer in the world.
May 12, 2021: Ellen DeGeneres Announces End of Talk Show
On May 12, 2021, Ellen DeGeneres announced that she would end her talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, following the conclusion of its nineteenth season in 2022.
May 26, 2022: Final Episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show Airs
On May 26, 2022, The Ellen DeGeneres Show aired its final episode. Jennifer Aniston, Pink, and Billie Eilish appeared as guests, while Portia de Rossi and DeGeneres's family were in the audience.
November 2023: DeGeneres's Social Media Following in November 2023
As of November 2023, Ellen DeGeneres had 75 million followers on Twitter and 139 million followers on Instagram, making her the 14th most-followed user on Twitter and the 32nd most-followed user on Instagram.
July 2024: DeGeneres Reflects on Career Setbacks
In July 2024, Ellen DeGeneres reflected on her career, stating she felt she "got kicked out of show business for being mean" and planned to leave show business permanently after her existing contractual obligations ended.
November 2024: Relocation to the Cotswolds
In November 2024, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi relocated from Montecito, California, to the Cotswolds region of England. The move was reportedly influenced by the re-election of Donald Trump as president, with the couple having "no plans to return to the United States". They had purchased the home in the Cotswolds prior to the election.
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