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.
“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.”
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.
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.
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