20 Things You Didn’t Know About Ellen DeGeneres

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1. Ellen’s mom Betty is in her television’s show audience quite often, as much as she can be.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdgDAEs9fyU&w=584&h=390]

2. Before her big break, Ellen used to work as a bartender and in vacuum sales.

3. She has been vegan since she turned 50, and is an active animal rights activist.

4. In 1997, she came out of the closet on her television show. 45 million people watched the episode.

5. Ellen created the “Koalaing” movement.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHBjh5G2DC0&w=584&h=390]

6. She even has her own ride at Disney World. It’s Ellen’s Energy Adventure and it’s just as fabulous as her humor is.

7. Ellen lost a push up contest to First Lady Michelle Obama. (Ellen still thinks Michelle cheated.)

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTAIedFfUBU&w=584&h=390]

8. Before the tapings of her show, Ellen often tries to throw a tic-tac in the air and catch it in her mouth. She’s pretty talented at it!

9. Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge is actually Ellen’s 15th cousin. (No, she did not get invited to the wedding.)

10. Ellen is the only woman in history to have hosted both the Emmys and Oscars.

11. Surprisingly, she never went to college.

12. Ellen created her own app game, Heads Up, where you try to guess what is on the iPad screen by having your partner act/talk it out.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si9x0AgiGoY&w=584&h=390]

13. You see pranks almost daily on her show — in her personal life, she pranks her wife just as much!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km-ZnxwQhnk&w=584&h=390]

14. Ellen turned down a role on Friends before starting Ellen (the sitcom, not the talk show).

15. Ellen made a campaign to be on the cover of Oprah’s O Magazine, and when Oprah offered the cover, it was a complete shock to her.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFyXwj9bmsI&w=584&h=390]

16. In 2009, she was a judge on American Idol.

17. Eleveneleven is Ellen’s own record label.

18. She actually did a reading of everyone’s favorite book, 50 Shades of Grey on her television show.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on3JCwnwHbU&w=584&h=390]

19. The part of Dory in Finding Nemo was written for Ellen specifically.

20. Before becoming a comedian, Ellen considered becoming a professional golfer.