Arts & Entertainment
Ellen DeGeneres to be honored by Hollywood Foreign Press
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) announced on November 4 Ellen DeGeneres will receive the Carol Burnett Award at the next Golden Globe Awards.
DeGeneres, a three-time Golden Globe nominee, is the second recipient to be honored with the accolade (the first was Carol Burnett herself) and will accept the honor at the annual Golden Globes presentation on Sunday, January 5, 2020. The ceremony will air live coast-to-coast on NBC.
Lorenzo Soria, President of the HFPA, said, “The Hollywood Foreign Press Association is delighted to honor Ellen DeGeneres with the Carol Burnett Award. 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. 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.”
According to HFPA, the Carol Burnett Award is chosen by the organization’s Board of Directors to be presented annually “to an honoree who has made outstanding contributions to the television medium on or off the screen.” As the television landscape It was established to celebrate television’s “new Golden Age,” as the landscape of the medium “continues to evolve with more thought-provoking programming, diverse roles and best in class content.” Equivalent to the Motion Picture Academy’s Cecil B. DeMille Award, the new top honor was first introduced at the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards.
It’s not the first time DeGeneres has been recognized with an award. Her groundbreaking sitcom “Ellen” earned her multiple Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy nominations. She received an both an Emmy and a Peabody Award in 1997 for writing the critically acclaimed “Puppy Episode,” in which her character came out as gay to a record 46 million viewers.
Her hit syndicated talk show, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” has earned a total of 63 Daytime Emmy Awards so far. In addition, DeGeneres has won 12 Teen Choice Awards, she is a 21-time People’s Choice Awards winner, the winner of a Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, and, most recently, the winner of her fourth Kids’ Choice Award for Favorite TV Host for “Ellen’s Game of Games.”
In November 2016, DeGeneres was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the nation’s highest civilian honor – presented by President Obama.
DeGeneres is also widely known for her humanitarian efforts.
The Ellen Fund, established in 2018, supports global conservation efforts for critically endangered species. The first initiative of the fund is to build The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, with the goal of permanently securing the future of wild gorillas in Rwanda by building on successful field conservation efforts while empowering the people living near the gorillas to thrive in relationship to their ecosystem.
DeGeneres also helped raise awareness of the anti-bullying issue with a PSA titled, “Be Kind.”
Overall, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” has raised over $95 million for various causes.
Arts & Entertainment
2026 Most Eligible LGBTQ Singles nominations
We are looking for the most eligible LGBTQ singles in the Washington, D.C. region.
Are you or a friend looking to find a little love in 2026? We are looking for the most eligible LGBTQ singles in the Washington, D.C. region. Nominate you or your friends until January 23rd using the form below or by clicking HERE.
Our most eligible singles will be announced online in February. View our 2025 singles HERE.
The Freddie’s Follies drag show was held at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va. on Saturday, Jan. 3. Performers included Monet Dupree, Michelle Livigne, Shirley Naytch, Gigi Paris Couture and Shenandoah.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
a&e features
Queer highlights of the 2026 Critics Choice Awards: Aunt Gladys, that ‘Heated Rivalry’ shoutout and more
Amy Madigan’s win in the supporting actress category puts her in serious contention to win the Oscar for ‘Weapons’
From Chelsea Handler shouting out Heated Rivalry in her opening monologue to Amy Madigan proving that horror performances can (and should) be taken seriously, the Critics Choice Awards provided plenty of iconic moments for queer movie fans to celebrate on the long road to Oscar night.
Handler kicked off the ceremony by recapping the biggest moments in pop culture last year, from Wicked: For Good to Sinners. She also made room to joke about the surprise hit TV sensation on everyone’s minds: “Shoutout to Heated Rivalry. Everyone loves it! Gay men love it, women love it, straight men who say they aren’t gay but work out at Equinox love it!”
The back-to-back wins for Jacob Elordi in Frankenstein and Amy Madigan in Weapons are notable, given the horror bias that awards voters typically have. Aunt Gladys instantly became a pop culture phenomenon within the LGBTQ+ community when Zach Cregger’s hit horror comedy released in August, but the thought that Madigan could be a serious awards contender for such a fun, out-there performance seemed improbable to most months ago. Now, considering the sheer amount of critics’ attention she’s received over the past month, there’s no denying she’s in the running for the Oscar.
“I really wasn’t expecting all of this because I thought people would like the movie, and I thought people would dig Gladys, but you love Gladys! I mean, it’s crazy,” Madigan said during her acceptance speech. “I get [sent] makeup tutorials and paintings. I even got one weird thing about how she’s a sex icon also, which I didn’t go too deep into that one.”
Over on the TV side, Rhea Seehorn won in the incredibly competitive best actress in a drama series category for her acclaimed performance as Carol in Pluribus, beating out the likes of Emmy winner Britt Lower for Severance, Carrie Coon for The White Lotus, and Bella Ramsey for The Last of Us. Pluribus, which was created by Breaking Bad’s showrunner Vince Gilligan, has been celebrated by audiences for its rich exploration of queer trauma and conversion therapy.
Jean Smart was Hack’s only win of the night, as Hannah Einbinder couldn’t repeat her Emmy victory in the supporting actress in a comedy series category against Janelle James, who nabbed a trophy for Abbott Elementary. Hacks lost the best comedy series award to The Studio, as it did at the Emmys in September. And in the limited series category, Erin Doherty repeated her Emmy success in supporting actress, joining in yet another Adolescence awards sweep.
As Oscar fans speculate on what these Critics Choice wins mean for future ceremonies, we have next week’s Golden Globes ceremony to look forward to on Jan. 11.
Colombians protest against Trump after he threatened country’s president
Kennedy Center renaming triggers backlash
New interim D.C. police chief played lead role in security for WorldPride
2026 Most Eligible LGBTQ Singles nominations
Gay Venezuelan man who fled to Colombia uncertain about homeland’s future
The year in photos
Safer Ways to Pay for Online Performances and Queer Events
Two pioneering gay journalists to speak at Thursday event
Queer highlights of the 2026 Critics Choice Awards: Aunt Gladys, that ‘Heated Rivalry’ shoutout and more
