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Culture > News

Ellen DeGeneres Got Emotional While Receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom

Ellen DeGeneres was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House this week and it’s safe to say that things got emotional. 

As soon as our favorite comedian and prankster’s name was called during the ceremony, she immediatly started tearing up. And with good reason. According to Cosmopolitan, here is the introduction that was read: 

“In a career spanning three decades, Ellen DeGeneres has lifted our spirits and brought joy to our lives as a stand-up comic, actor, and television star. In every role, she reminds us to be kind to one another, and to treat people as each of us wants to be treated. At a pivotal moment, her courage and candor helped change the hearts and minds of millions of Americans, accelerating our nation’s constant drive for equality and acceptance for all. Again and again, Ellen DeGeneres has shown us that a single individual can make the world a more fun, more open, more loving place, so long as we just keep swimming.” 

Hold on, gotta grab my tissues. 
Okay, we’re good. Now, where was I? Oh yes, tears. But she wasn’t the only one to get emotional. She was one of 21 honorees including “Tom Hanks, Bill and Melinda Gates, and Diana Ross–the last group Obama will ever induct”, Cosmopolitan reports. As well, Michael Jordan was one of the honorees and even he could not keep it together. 

 

Brb sobbing. 

Isabel is a currently the Evening & Weekend Editor at Her Campus and a student at New York University in the Global Liberal Studies program with a concentration in Contemporary Culture and Creative Production. When she is not watching Gilmore Girls or playing with puppies at the local pet store, she spends her time freelancing for numerous publications about celebrities and life. You can find her work on the websites of Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Seventeen, Elle, and Buzzfeed. Follow her on Instagram at @isabelcalkins.