I remember, many years ago, seeing Ellen DeGeneres in her role as Coach in Coneheads, a failed early 1990s SNL-to-film adaptation. Then, more schlock followed: Trevor; Mr. Wrong; Dr. Dolittle; and Pauly Shore Is Dead. In between these titles, however, DeGeneres featured in films with some credibility, namely EDtv and Goodbye Lover, and she went on to gain a voice credit, as Dory, in Finding Nemo, a successful animation film.
Upon reflection, I can say, without hesitation, that her television credits have been far more impressive, a medium through which she has become an advocate for LBGT rights and a household name in American comedy.
Television has been generous to DeGeneres. In the 1990s, she featured in Ellen, a successful self-titled sitcom, and also appeared briefly on Mad About You and Roseanne around the same time. She was also active in the 2000s as well; she featured on Will & Grace and Six Feet Under in the earlier half of the decade.
DeGeneres has been active for a long time in American film and television. During this time, DeGeneres also appeared on The Ellen Show, a failed sitcom similarly named to the one she featured in a few years before. The Ellen DeGeneres Show, however, has been her magnum opus; she has shot to the position of face of American television chat show hosting.
The success of her show has also lead to roles in So You Think You Can Dance, American Idol and The Simpsons. The rest, as they say, is history: success has been all that DeGeneres has experienced since.
What more can be said about DeGeneres? She is an advocate for human rights, a successful television host, and a comic that has experienced success in small and silver screen environments. Her success has been long-lasting; she is a powerhouse in American popular culture. Is there anything that can stop her?
By Chris Traficante