Ellen DeGeneres (born Ellen Lee DeGeneres on January 26, 1958 in Metairie, Louisiana, USA) is an American actress, stand-up comedian, and currently the Emmy Award-winning host of the syndicated talk show "The Ellen DeGeneres Show". Whenever DeGeneres' friends put together a show or party, DeGeneres was asked to do a comedy routine. She did an act and was soon asked to perform as a stand-up comedian at small clubs and coffeehouses, and eventually became the emcee at Clyde's Comedy Club (the only comedy club in New Orleans at the time).