Introduction
This woman can be chosen as the main character for this presentation for different purposes. She has been included in the lists of the most influential and powerful individuals of the 21st century: Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Women, Weekly’s 50 Most Powerful Entertainers, and Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People. Some resources admit her official salary is about $50 million annually (Berg, 2021). In her report, Hansen (2022) states that her annual income is over $75 million. One of the most popular entertainers in the United States honestly earns such money, a talk-show titan, Ellen DeGeneres, and her contributions to society must be honored in this presentation. DeGeneres has become a successful advocate for women’s and gay/lesbian rights in the country, supported abuse victims, and shown how the environment could be protected.
Reasons to Appreciate
Ellen DeGeneres’s achievements in protecting human rights and environmental affairs should be recognized. In the 1980s-1990s, DeGeneres did everything possible to prove the right for women to become a part of the stand-up comedian industry (Berg, 2021; Burke, n.d.). Despite naïve comic approaches, the woman invited many individuals to discuss female rights and freedoms regardless of the chosen industry.
DeGeneres expanded her interests with time and started promoting gay and lesbian rights. In addition to the human perspective, Ellen is a well-known environmentalist who created a fund to support endangered species and strengthen education (How it started, n.d.). She relies on and constantly develops her skills and qualities in different spheres.
Qualities and Actions
Ellen is a good example of how an individual could resist external threats, become a survivor, support others, and offer help at the right moment. DeGeneres had a tough childhood because of her parents’ divorce and her stepfather’s abuse (Burke, n.d.). However, all those challenges made Ellen strong and confident in what must be achieved.
Now, she is hardworking and open-minded, ready to work even when sick and poses the most provocative questions (Burke, n.d.). In her intention to create real-life shows, DeGeneres never neglects her social duties and tries to help everyone regardless of their positions or statuses. Her communication skills are amazingly rich, and her empathy for problematic areas in the country makes her act and decide quickly. She worked as a saleswoman, house painter, and bartender to earn a living (Hansen, 2021). Finally, she found what made her and the community happier and better, and her recognition was a matter of time.
Impact on Society
Ellen’s impact on society and others can be observed through the list of honors she has earned in her career. The number of social awards is impressive, including regular Teen Choice and People’s Choice Awards between 2005 and 2020. I was impressed by the Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded by President Obama in 2016 (Davis, 2020).
This highest civilian award was offered for her human rights work and contributions, which made Obama realize her power. Ellen could not manage her emotions and cried sincerely, understanding her work had meaning. Still, the list of her honors is long, proving that most of her decisions and activities continue to affect people in different ways.
Conclusion
In general, Ellen DeGeneres remains one of the most influential individuals in American television, and her life and career inspire millions of young people across the globe. She shows how to strive for female freedoms in a male-dominated world and expand gay and lesbian rights through the prism of equity and inclusivity. This person deserves respect and recognition for many reasons; this presentation reminds people of her story and overall impact.
References
Berg, M. (2021). Elle DeGeneres walks away from talk show – And $50 million a year. Forbes. Web.
Burke, M. (n.d.). Little-known facts about Ellen DeGeneres, the talk-show titan. Factinate. Web.
Davis, C. (2020). “Racism, fear and intimidation”: Former Ellen DeGeneres show employees speak out. Working Solutions. Web.
Hansen, B. (2022). Fascinating facts about Ellen DeGeneres. FamilyMinded. Web.
How it started. (n.d.). The Ellen Fund. Web.