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Ellen DeGeneres is living proof that one person can be many things. She is a comedian, LGBTQ activist, TV host, wife and actress. She has been a trailblazer for women and the LGBTQ community with her rise to fame in the early 1990s. The Netflix comedy special “Relatable” captures Ellen performing stand-up comedy for the first time in 15 years. The whole premise of “Relatable” is built on the fact that as human beings, we’re all similar to each other and we all endure similar struggles. Though Ellen puts a humorous spin on topics like representation, religion, social media, veganism and so on, her goal through the stand- up comedy is to make the audience aware of where we are today in the world. Through “Relatable,” Ellen manages to keep a smile on the faces of her audience and remains brutally honest and open about her past and all the struggles that she endured.
Related : #WomanCrushWednesday: Ellen DeGeneres
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Ellen began the special by talking about stereotypes and how people often stereotype her as a lesbian woman with cats. Though she brings in humor with jokes, she stresses on the point that people are so much more than the stereotypes associated with them and how stereotypes are so damaging. Another important topic brought up was the representation of minority groups on television. She talked about how hard it was for her to come out as a lesbian and the backslash and hatred that she initially received for it. She drives home the point that representation demystifies things and makes people more aware of the truth. Representation would also impact kids who are struggling to come to term with their own sexuality and this could happen if more people endorse being gay.
Via MakeGayHistory.com
I learned that Ellen did not have an easy time growing up. She grew up in a poor household where her family practiced Christian Science and she was not allowed to take medicines or be vaccinated because her religion did not permit it. Her rise to fame only occurred after she lost her girlfriend in a car crash and had to live in a flea infested apartment. The message that I really took away from this was that certain things happen for a reason and everyone has their own unique path to follow. Ellen encouraged her audience to live their own truth and be kind to everyone because everyone is fighting their own battle.
Ellen Degeneres puts on a spectacular, humorous performance and shines in her stand- up comedy. She educates her audience and uses stories from her past to connect with them. She does not disappoint as a comedian and it is easy to see why she is one of the highest paid talk show hosts in the world. I definitely recommend watching this on Netflix if you ever feel like you want to be woke or just need a good laugh.
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