Ellen DeGeneres's Success and Achievements in Timeline
A closer look at the biggest achievements of Ellen DeGeneres. Awards, milestones, and records that define success.
Ellen DeGeneres is an American comedian, actress, television host, writer, and producer. She gained fame starring in the sitcom "Ellen" (1994–1998) and later hosted the talk show "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" (2003–2022), earning 33 Daytime Emmy Awards. DeGeneres has been a prominent figure in entertainment.
1984: Funniest Person in America
In 1984, Ellen DeGeneres was named Showtime's "Funniest Person in America," marking a significant achievement early in her comedy career.
April 1997: Coming Out on Time Magazine Cover
In April 1997, Ellen DeGeneres publicly came out as a lesbian on the cover of Time magazine with the headline "Yep, I'm Gay," a pivotal moment in her career and LGBTQ+ representation in media.
April 1997: Publicly Came Out as Lesbian
In April 1997, Ellen DeGeneres publicly came out as a lesbian on the cover of Time with the words, "Yep, I'm Gay" and became the first openly gay lead character on an American network television show.
September 2003: The Ellen DeGeneres Show Launched
In September 2003, "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" was launched, quickly rising in ratings and receiving critical praise.
2007: American Express Commercial Wins Emmy Award
In 2007, DeGeneres's American Express commercial won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Commercial.
May 1, 2009: 1000th Episode Celebration
On May 1, 2009, Ellen DeGeneres celebrated her 1000th episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" with celebrity guests.
2009: PETA Names DeGeneres "Woman of the Year"
In 2009, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) named Ellen DeGeneres their "Woman of the Year".
November 2011: DeGeneres Named Special Envoy for Global AIDS Awareness
In November 2011, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton named Ellen DeGeneres a special envoy for Global AIDS Awareness.
2012: Obama's Tweet Beat by DeGeneres
In 2012, Barack Obama's retweet record following his presidential election victory was beat by the group selfie effort orchestrated by Ellen DeGeneres at the Academy Awards.
December 2015: 2000th Show Celebration
In December 2015, Jennifer Aniston and Justin Timberlake surprised Ellen DeGeneres on her 2,000th show.
2015: DeGeneres Named Among World's Most Powerful Women
In 2015, DeGeneres was named the 50th-most-powerful woman in the world by Forbes and came second on the World Pride Power list.
2016: Presidential Medal of Freedom
In 2016, Ellen DeGeneres received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
May 2017: Selfie orchestrated by Ellen DeGeneres becomes fifth-most retweeted tweet ever
As of May 2017, a selfie orchestrated by Ellen DeGeneres during the broadcast of the 86th Academy Awards is the fifth-most retweeted tweet ever with over 3.4 million retweets.
2020: DeGeneres's Earnings Estimated by Forbes
Forbes estimated DeGeneres's 2020 earnings at US$84 million and her net worth at $370 million, making her the 12th-highest-paid entertainer in the world.
2020: Carol Burnett Award
In 2020, Ellen DeGeneres received the Carol Burnett Award at the Golden Globes.
November 2023: DeGeneres's Social Media Following Count
As of November 2023, DeGeneres had 75 million followers on Twitter and 139 million followers on Instagram.
