The announcement sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry: Ellen DeGeneres was ending her wildly popular television show after nineteen years of entertaining and giving her unique gift of humor, wit, and kindness to a world that wasn’t always appreciative of it. Her very public coming-out in the 90’s (that ‘Time’ magazine cover story and bold proclamation of ‘Yep, I’m gay!’ was a formative part of my own coming out – and likely countless others) was as celebrated as it was momentous. It moved the cultural stigma that was still afflicting the world, even as it seemingly harmed her sitcom career. The courage it took to do that should not be underestimated or forgotten, and if that was all she ever did she would have left an impressive legacy. Luckily for us, that was only the beginning, and she has since go on to host some of the biggest entertainment gigs that exist, and then establishing a hit show that put the LGBTQIA community on full, unfussy display every week-day. There was glory in that, and it’s something that we will all miss. She earns her first Dazzler of the Day in the hopes that she embarks on the next chapter of her journey with all the hilarious gusto and dazzle she’s given us so far.
