As famous for her personal life as her career, DeGeneres initially came to prominence as a stand-up comedian. Championed by late-night talk-show host Johnny Carson, the tomboyish blonde made numerous appearances on his show in the '80s before landing her own eponymous sitcom in 1994. Although there was a lot of gossip surrounding DeGeneres' sexual orientation, she was silent on the subject until 1997, when she — and her small-screen alter ego — came out, along with her then-lover Anne Heche. The episode sparked controversy and kicked open the closet door for lesbian actresses. Unfortunately, the show was canceled the next season. After a handful of bad movies and an unsuccessful second sitcom, DeGeneres finally found her niche hosting her own daytime talk show and new love with small-screen siren Portia de Rossi. In 2007, she achieved a longtime dream by hosting the Academy Awards.