Ellen DeGeneres recibirá premio al humor en Washington (FOTOS)

WASHINGTON (AP) — En 1997, Ellen DeGeneres fue la primera protagonista de un programa en horario estelar de la televisión en revelar su homosexualidad. Ahora recibirá el máximo reconocimiento al humorismo en el país.

El Centro Kennedy para las Artes Escénicas anunció el martes que DeGeneres recibirá el 15to premio anual Mark Twain al Humor Estadounidense. Será reconocida el 22 de octubre por varios actores estelares en un espectáculo de homenaje que se grabará para su transmisión en una fecha posterior.

DeGeneres dijo en un comunicado que recibir el mismo premio que Bill Cosby, Tina Fey y Will Ferrell le hacía preguntarse "¿por qué no me lo dieron antes?".

Fue hace 15 años, justo antes de que se creara el premio al humor, cuando DeGeneres reveló su orientación sexual en la revista Time y su personaje hizo lo propio en la serie de comedia "Ellen" ante un récord de 46 millones de espectadores. Sin embargo el popular programa comenzó a perder audiencia y fue cancelado un año después. DeGeneres dijo en ese entonces que ABC se rindió ante el miedo y abandonó el programa.

La comediante enfrentó duros cuestionamientos sobre si el programa era "demasiado gay" y si había impulsado su carrera al respaldar una "agenda homosexual".

A pesar de esto "Ellen" abrió el camino para otros programas que también lucharon contra el tabú de presentar personajes homosexuales, como "Will and Grace" y más recientemente "Glee" y "Modern Family".

DeGeneres se repuso con papeles en películas, incluyendo la voz de un personaje principal en la cinta animada "Finding Nemo". También tiene un exitoso programa de entrevistas, en su novena temporada, libros muy populares y participó como jueza en "American Idol".

Cappy McGarr, productor ejecutivo de la gala del premio Mark Twain e integrante de la junta directiva del Centro Kennedy, dijo que DeGeneres tiene un estilo especial de humor basado en observaciones, que sigue la tradición de Twain. También hace reír a la gente sobre temas que trasponen las divisiones políticas.

"No es sólo una comediante", dijo. "Es una trabajadora milagrosa. Hizo que el presidente bailara, que la primera dama hiciera flexiones y que (el republicano) Tom Delay riera".

Originaria de Nueva Orleáns, DeGeneres comenzó su carrera como presentadora en un club local de comedia en la ciudad. En 1982, un video de su actuación en el club le dio el triunfo en el programa "Funniest Person in America" del canal Showtime. Para 1986 había participado en "The Tonight Show" y se había convertido en la primera estadounidense invitada al escritorio de Johnny Carson para hablar de su actuación.

El premio Mark Twain reconoce a la gente que tiene un impacto en la sociedad de acuerdo con la tradición de Samuel Clemens, el verdadero nombre del escritor, famoso por sus comentarios sociales y sus sátiras.

McGarr dijo que el Centro Kennedy, que otorga el premio, no está haciendo alguna declaración política al elegir a la vanguardista DeGeneres.

"Esto no tiene nada que ver con ningún asunto político", dijo. "Sino con el hecho de que ella ha proyectado una luz brillante en la sociedad y eso es lo que hizo Mark Twain".

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Brett Zongker está en Twitter como https://twitter.com/DCArtBeat

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