ABOUT THE BOOKEllen DeGeneres is a stand-up comedian, a TV show host, an actress, and an author. She gained her celebrity status through years of stand-up comedy in the early 1980s, earning her first major breakthrough after she was nationally recognized and named "The Funniest Person in America" after winning a competition sponsored by the cable network Showtime, according to IMDb.Her next big break in the public eye was in 1986 when "acting on a tip from Jay Leno, The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson sent a booking agent to catch her act at the Improv in Hollywood," as Bio reports. The booking agent liked what he saw, and Ellen was invited to The Tonight Show as a result. Her popularity soared.Ellen is most famous today for her daily talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which launched in 2003. Ellen also previously starred in two TV sitcoms, Ellen, from 1994 to 1998 and The Ellen Show, from 2001 to 2002. In addition to her comedic talent, Ellen has a strong voice in the gay and lesbian community, as she is a lesbian herself. She often uses her celebrity to speak out about gay marriage rights.