"The Ellen DeGeneres Show" won the Daytime Talk Show at the 2021 People's Choice Awards. Host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres accepted the award from presenter JoJo Siwa.
"It means more to me, especially now," she told the audience. "This is our final season, so to all the people who voted and to everyone that I have worked with for the past 19 years, we are a family. I love all of you. I'm grateful and thank you for supporting me for all these 19 years that we've been doing the show and the show has been the greatest experience of my life. I have enjoyed every bit of it."
The popular talk show beat out "Good Morning America," "Live with Kelly and Ryan," "Red Table Talk," "The View" and "The Wendy Williams Show," making it the long-running show's 13th win in the category. DeGeneres has won 25 People's Choice Awards in total.
DeGeneres announced in May that season 19 would be the show's last. She shared with The Hollywood Reporter, "When you're a creative person, you constantly need to be challenged—and as great as this show is, and as fun as it is, it's just not a challenge anymore."
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During her acceptance speech, DeGeneres recalled that as she wanted to make people happy. Fortunately, she said, the talk show has given her the opportunity to do so each and every day.
"We play games, we make people laugh, but we get to shine a light on deserving people who are doing good in the world because there are a lot of people that are doing good in the world and we just don't see enough of it," she said. "I'm proud we get to do that every single day."
Before exiting the stage, DeGeneres had a message for fans of all ages watching at home. While it may be nice to be important, it's more important to be your true self.
"This feels really good to be included. This feels really good to be popular. But I have learned that that's not the goal and it should not be the goal," she said. "So to all the people out there who are not feeling like you're fitting in or that you're popular or part of the crowd, the goal is to be yourself. The goal is to be exactly who you are. Don't try to fit in."
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During the 2020 People's Choice Awards last year, DeGeneres accepted the award on stage in front of a virtual audience, crediting the award to her "amazing crew and amazing staff who make this show possible."
"Thank you, from deep down in my heart," DeGeneres said. "I love them all; I thank them for what they do every day to help that show be the best that we try to make it every single day."
