Ellen DeGeneres will be the first person honored with the Carol Burnett Award since its namesake, Carol Burnett, received the lifetime achievement trophy at the 2019 ceremony.
NBC via Getty Images
Ellen DeGeneres will have to make some room on her trophy shelf for the highest honor in television.
The stand-up comedian, talk show host and producer will receive the second-ever Carol Burnett Award at the 2020 Golden Globes for her outstanding contributions to television, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced Monday.
Advertisement
“The Hollywood Foreign Press Association is delighted to honor Ellen DeGeneres with the Carol Burnett Award,” HFPA President Lorenzo Soria said in a statement.
“From her sitcoms, to stand-up, to becoming a household staple on daytime television, she is a pioneer who has captivated audiences for nearly 25 years with her undeniable charm and wit,” the statement continued. “In addition to her television success, she’s an advocate and philanthropist, lending her voice to those who don’t have one, and spreading kindness and joy through the power of her platform. We look forward to celebrating her achievements at this year’s ceremony.”
“From her sitcoms, to stand-up, to becoming a household staple on daytime television, she is a pioneer who has captivated audiences for nearly 25 years with her undeniable charm and wit,” Hollywood Foreign Press Association President Lorenzo Soria said in a statement.
DeGeneres, 61, will be the first person honored with the award after its namesake, Carol Burnett, received the lifetime achievement trophy at the 2019 ceremony. The special Golden Globe was envisioned as an equivalent to its film counterpart, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, which will be awarded to Tom Hanks at the 77th annual ceremony in January.
Advertisement
Despite her many achievements and boatload of Emmy wins, DeGeneres has never won a Golden Globe. She was nominated three times for her performance on her self-titled, groundbreaking ’90s sitcom, which became one of the first major TV shows to feature an openly gay main character.
The comedian has since become a staple in daytime television with her syndicated talk show, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” which is in its 17th season. In May, DeGeneres announced that she signed on for three more seasons, extending the show’s run until at least 2022.
DeGeneres, who has routinely spoken up about LGBTQ rights throughout her career, courted a fair bit of controversy last month when she addressed photos of herself palling around with former President George W. Bush despite his poor track record on LGBTQ rights, among other issues.
In a four-minute monologue on her show, the host encouraged her audience to be kind to others regardless of political differences, generating some support for among her celebrity friends but further angering her critics.
The 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards will air Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020 on NBC.
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
