We all know Ellen DeGeneres for her classic humor, her fun-filled TV show the Ellen Show, for playing the voice of Dory off of Finding Nemo, and for simply just being the most authentic version of herself possible. President Barack Obama also recognized these traits and more as he made Ellen DeGeneres one of the 21 recipients of the Medal of Freedom.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is said to be “the highest honor a civilian can receive, recognizing extraordinary contributions to world peace, culture, or other national interests”.
Many extraordinary people such as Tom Hanks, Michael Jordan, and Diana Ross also received the Medal of Freedom. However, the tribute President Obama did for Ellen DeGeneres was delivered with such emotion, specifically directed towards the courage that Ms. DeGeneres entailed when she told a national audience that she was gay. Ellen even teared up as she was presented with the medal, which created an even more emotional environment, and demonstrated the humbleness that she possesses.
To avoid getting choked up, President Obama restated one of Ellen’s quotes: “We all want a tortilla chip to support the weight of guacamole”. Although he admits that this quote didn’t make any sense to him, he wanted to lighten the mood.
Ellen DeGeneres, a single individual who ends her TV show every day with saying “be kind to one another” and who makes the world a more open and loving place, was definitely among the most deserving to receive the Medal of Freedom.
Sources:
http://www.ew.com/article/2016/11/22/ellen-degeneres-presidential-medal-freedom