Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen Degeneres (Internet (The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences))

What makes someone a hero? This is a difficult question to answer because the media is constantly promoting people as heroes who we may not feel any connection to. I personally feel a hero is someone who is trying to better the world and spread joy. My hero has both of these qualities and is using them constantly; my hero is Ellen Degeneres.

Ellen is very famous, and sometimes when people are this famous they can begin making bad decisions that could affect more than themselves. But, Ellen uses her fame as a way to spread joy, and stand up for causes she believes in. I believe that this is heroic; she very well could have used her fame for no reason, but instead she used it as a way to make a change in the world. This is evident in the way she carries herself on her talk show.

On her talk show, she is constantly speaking about having fun and being kind to others, which I feel are things that people forget to do quite often.Numerous people who watch Ellen's show do so to brighten their day and have a laugh. Ellen is heroic because she is able to provide people with a means to de-stress from their problems.

Ellen stands up for many issues, such as animal and human rights. She frequently speaks up about animal cruelty and supports organizations, such as PETA, that help abused animals. She donates large amounts of pet food in order to help shelter animals. In 2010, Ellen was named the person of the year by PETA; she also donated 10,000 portions of pet food for each person at the Oscars in 2014 who was nominated but did not win. Ellen regularly speaks up for animals on her show and reminds people that no living thing should be treated cruelly.

Ellen ultimately has been able to inspire and motivate people to be themselves; the many people who write in to her show are proof. She frequently showcases people who have done things to help the world rather than destroy it. We are so constantly being bombarded with all of the bad things happening in the world, through the news; it's nice to have someone on television who is acknowledging everyday heroes who are trying to better the world.

Ellen has been an inspiration to me because I really feel like it's important to have a laugh and try to spread joy to the world. I hope that other people will learn from Ellen the importance of being kind to one another and also try to do so in their daily lives. Everybody has the potential to be a hero, and I feel like Ellen has really embraced this. She has, and will continue to inspire the world to be the best that they can be.

Sources. Kutner, Jenny. "Ellen DeGeneres Donates 200,000 Meals To Shelter Animals In Oscar Swag Bags." The Dodo. N.p., 27 Feb. 2014. Web. 1 Dec. 2015.

Neary, Lynn. "How Ellen DeGeneres Helped Change The Conversation About Gays." NPR. NPR, 27 Mar. 2013. Web. 06 Dec. 2015.

PETA. "PETA Names Man and Woman of the Year." PETA PETA Names Man and Woman of the Year Comments. PETA, 30 Dec. 2009. Web. 06 Dec. 2015.

Photo. Oscars Host Ellen DeGeneres Ditched Her Galaxy Note For An IPhone Backstage | Cult of Mac." Cult of Mac. N.p., 02 Mar. 2014. Web. 07 Jan. 2016.