MANILA, Philippines?Ellen DeGeneres is by no means the first lesbian who?s hosted a TV talk show?at the very least, at least one butch personality, Rosie O?Donnell, beat her to the punch. But, Ellen?s achievement has been the most noteworthy, because she?s been the most successful female host on mainstream TV after You-Know-Who, despite the many obstacles on her rocky, stormy journey to superstardom.
Fact is, in the view of some mainstream viewers, she wasn?t a welcome presence on the tube, because she was, to give her family name a sardonic, sarcastic twist, a ?degenerate.? Just because of her gender preference? You bet, that?s how narrow and knee-jerk some people can be.
Despite this initial bias against her, Ellen continued to look, dress, talk and act the way she really felt and was. And, in time, the tide of public opinion and reaction turned in her favor.
More people admired her guts, gumption and honesty and got to like her for what she was?an edgy, sassy comedian who began her career all frilly and feminine, but later faced up to her real essence and worth, and was rewarded and embraced for it.
In time, Ellen became even more forthright and publicly dated an actress, Portia de Rossi, whom she eventually married in rites that shocked some people but others took in stride as the latest expression of who she really was.
Good, hearty laugh
More recently, Ellen delighted viewers with her relentlessly madcap ?campaigns? to get what she said she wanted most in life?first to ?force? George Clooney to appear on her talk show; and second, to similarly compel Oprah Winfrey to share a cover with her on Winfrey?s ?O? monthly magazine.
It was all for a good, hearty laugh, of course, but Ellen mounted those campaigns with the relentlessness of a bulldog whose teeth were already clamped down on her resisting victims? legs.
Being Ellen, she eventually got what she wanted, and everybody had a good, long laugh?including George and Oprah, who similarly benefited from all of the ?unwelcome? promotional value that attended Ellen?s monumental pranks.
Even more recently, Ellen has belatedly discovered her love for child talents, and has made her program a showcase for her young discoveries, including our own Charice.
To date, over 20 exceptional young talents have been discovered by Ellen?s show, and she?s as proud of them as if they were her own offspring.
Most current of all is Ellen?s new penchant for surprising needy members of her studio audience with sizable cash gifts to help them surmount pressing obligations resulting from the global financial crisis. Oprah is famous for her gift-giving, but Ellen?s bonanzas are in cash, so they are even more practical and sorely needed.
Hence, the completion of Ellen?s stunning transformation from ?Degenerate? to?Ellen, The Generous!
